My phone rang at dinner time. A scared voice announced, ‘Me and my friends got no place to sleep tonight. Belvidere (the county welfare office) blew us off. Can you help us, father?’ I drove to where these young adults stood in the rain, cold and miserable, and took them to a local motel where I was able to secure a room for them. They had not eaten all day, so I bought them a couple of pizzas. Driving home I mused about their situation. Sure, they were warm and fed for one night, but they had greater needs for loving guidance, for help with life skills. I’ll probably spend some more time with them today to see if there is a way to point them in the right direction.
Cynics might say that getting involved with those that society has written off as ‘losers’ is a waste of time. I’m not naïve and know that I get ‘used’ by people looking for a quick fix to problems they have created for themselves by sinful or unwise decisions. But, my rule is one Jesus taught, "Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:30-31, NIV) To me, this is ministry that is just as important as preaching the sermon in church on Sunday morning. It is a point where the Gospel of Christ becomes more than an idea! It happens because I am available and willing to participate in His work.
The one question I am asked by God’s people more than any other is “what can I do for God?” Further conversation usually reveals that the inquirer is looking for a ministry role, something to do in church work. I am so very thankful that they want to help with teaching or music ministry or leadership. However, ‘doing for God’ doesn’t need my blessing, nor does it require holding a position in the church’s structure of ministries. We all can do His work and will have plenty to do, if we open our eyes, pay attention to the people around us, and are willing to love. One day, after He had engaged a sinful woman at a well in Samaria, bringing her to a moment of heart change, Jesus urged his friends to change their perspective. Instead of thinking God’s time and God’s work was in another time and place, He said, "I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time!" (John 4:35, The Message)
Want to do God’s work? His only requirement is availability. That’s not as easy as it sounds! It’s not an activity for the occasional evening. It’s a way of life birthed in a prayer that says, “Lord, here I am. Use me.” He won’t wait until it’s convenient to call on us. He won’t let us only do His work when we have time, or wait until we have ‘enough’ (whatever that is), or choose to work in the way that we think is fun or attractive to our personality. He calls us to serve, with no reserve.
There is no joy that is greater than becoming a participant in the work of the Lord, right where you are. Having the privilege of praying with someone whose heart is broken, of giving a meal to someone who is hungry, of sharing the hope of new life in Christ with someone who is hopeless – is to feel the smile of your Father in Heaven. What compares with His favor?
Here’s a word from the Word. May it inspire us.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’" (Matthew 25:31-40, NIV)
_____________
True Religion
You came for the lost the sick and the blind,
With salvation and hope You gave to us free.
So, what will we do with this treasure we hold?
Let justice roll on like a river!
Let mercy shine bright as the sun!
Take care of the orphan and widow,
Take care of our own flesh and blood.
'Cause this is the way that You've call us to love,
To share what we have with the hungry and poor,
Put clothes on the naked,
And heal up the broken and torn;
True religion!
© 2008 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services)
Ryan Delmore
CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Can you see Him in me?
Harry was in his late 70’s when I first met him. Despite 30 years difference in our ages, I eagerly anticipated times that we spent together. Harry represented Jesus wherever he went because he belonged to Him and loved Him more than life itself. He carried a little notebook which he would pull out from time to time and say, “let me tell you what the Lord and I have been discussing.” Then, he would share some insight he had gleaned from reading Scripture or meditation. Lest you think he was preachy or religious, let me quickly tell you that Harry was neither. Mostly, he was loving, encouraging to kids and octogenarians, men and women, sinners and saints. He was equally at home among the firefighters with whom he served and at a table of preachers. I cannot remember a visit with Harry that wasn’t challenging, or inspiring, or comforting! He was an ambassador for his King.
The Bible says, "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 5:20, NLT) An ambassador gives up the right to speak his own mind when he accepts the privilege of representing his Sovereign. If he becomes too independent, if he confuses his own policies with those of the nation he represents, he will be recalled from service. Harry was a great ambassador of Christ! Are you?
When others spend time with you is it obvious that you have spent time with Jesus? Peter and John were hauled before the ruling council of Jerusalem and after a lengthy interrogation the council reaching this conclusion: “these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13) His love, wisdom, strength, and character had become theirs.
Just being sanctimonious or religious is not at all what we’re aiming for. I have had to spend time with people trying too hard to be like Jesus without actually having spent much time in His Presence. It came off as forced, phony; a weird and ugly parody of the Christian life. The words were right, but the tone was wrong. You can’t fake love; well, not for long anyway. I want to be an authentic disciple of Jesus who has been with Him in prayer at the beginning of each day so that He will be with me. It is important to humble myself before, to listen for His voice so that Self remains submitted to the Spirit. How quickly life becomes about our plans, our reputation, our feelings unless we are before His throne regularly and often. When I fail to take time to pray, the likeness of Christ is eclipsed by the ego of Jerry.
Ask a trusted, mature Christian: can you see Jesus in me?
Here’s a word from the Word that reveals the key to being a person like Harry, a real ambassador of Christ.
“I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.
“Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing." (John 15:1-6, The Message)
_______________
Let the beauty of Jesus
Be seen in me;
All His wonderful passion
And purity.
O, Thou Spirit divine,
All my nature refine,
‘Til the beauty of Jesus
Be seen in me.
© 1943. Renewed 1970 Word Music, LLC
Albert Orsborn
Bentley DeForest Ackley
CCLI License No. 810055
The Bible says, "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 5:20, NLT) An ambassador gives up the right to speak his own mind when he accepts the privilege of representing his Sovereign. If he becomes too independent, if he confuses his own policies with those of the nation he represents, he will be recalled from service. Harry was a great ambassador of Christ! Are you?
When others spend time with you is it obvious that you have spent time with Jesus? Peter and John were hauled before the ruling council of Jerusalem and after a lengthy interrogation the council reaching this conclusion: “these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13) His love, wisdom, strength, and character had become theirs.
Just being sanctimonious or religious is not at all what we’re aiming for. I have had to spend time with people trying too hard to be like Jesus without actually having spent much time in His Presence. It came off as forced, phony; a weird and ugly parody of the Christian life. The words were right, but the tone was wrong. You can’t fake love; well, not for long anyway. I want to be an authentic disciple of Jesus who has been with Him in prayer at the beginning of each day so that He will be with me. It is important to humble myself before, to listen for His voice so that Self remains submitted to the Spirit. How quickly life becomes about our plans, our reputation, our feelings unless we are before His throne regularly and often. When I fail to take time to pray, the likeness of Christ is eclipsed by the ego of Jerry.
Ask a trusted, mature Christian: can you see Jesus in me?
Here’s a word from the Word that reveals the key to being a person like Harry, a real ambassador of Christ.
“I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.
“Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing." (John 15:1-6, The Message)
_______________
Let the beauty of Jesus
Be seen in me;
All His wonderful passion
And purity.
O, Thou Spirit divine,
All my nature refine,
‘Til the beauty of Jesus
Be seen in me.
© 1943. Renewed 1970 Word Music, LLC
Albert Orsborn
Bentley DeForest Ackley
CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, March 18, 2011
Do Hard Things!
While looking over a landscape yesterday, I joked - “If this were my yard, I’d bring in a bulldozer.” What others might see as beauty, I view only as a ton of work in the sun, while perspiring, and having bugs buzzing around my eyes! I really dislike yard work. My aversion to perspiration has nothing to do with inability; it is not because I cannot; I simply will not. I simply refuse to do the hard thing. But, when my wife’s urging overcomes my reluctance, I enjoy a well-maintained landscape as much as anyone, and somehow when the job is done, I am glad I was pushed to do it!
A disciplined life has many rewards.
· A person who knows how to budget and control spending finds himself with more discretionary funds! Instead of always paying off his credit cards (and the awful interest that goes with poor stewardship practices) he is able to make more choices including more generosity.
· A person who regularly prays enjoys the benefit of current conversation with God. The Lord is a true Friend.
· A person who makes participation at his local church a priority even when the sun shines on the golf course builds great community that pays rich dividends when life goes suddenly into reverse (and it will, sooner or later).
Jesus urges us to take on challenges that are hard. He says: "Forgive those who do you wrong! Love your enemies! Practice your generosity without telling anybody. Live for Heaven, not just for your next meal. Deal with your own sin before you try to deal with that of others. Follow me!" The Bible says- "Keep a tight rein on your words. Don't use filthy speech. Trust God when it's dark. Endure hardship. Give thanks always." Are these hard things? Yes, they are.
Here’s what we must remember. Living the Christian life, while demanding discipline, is not just about gritting our teeth and doing what we hate to do. It is about presenting ourselves to Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit. As He lives in us, He causes us to love godly things and, if only we’ll taste them, causes us to see the pleasure that is found in doing the will of God. The issue is making the faith choice. Will you do hard things believing God for the reward? Or, we you make an excuse why you can't, and never discover what He’s planned for you to know?
Most of us have some 'will nots' in our lives. There are things we do not do because they are difficult or unpleasant. We could do them and even know, in many cases, we should be doing them, but we will not. God does not spare our feelings with regard to refusal to do hard things. He says that "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." (James 4:17, NIV)
The Coach of Heaven (the Holy Spirit who lives in us) stands ready to help us succeed. Jesus said that the Spirit will speak to us, teaching us, leading us, comforting and calling us. Let's encourage one another, too. "For as long as it’s still God’s Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes." (Hebrews 3:13, The Message)
Here’s a word from the Word that will urge you on when you find yourself wanting to refuse God's invitation to do the hard things. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, NIV)
By the way, I won’t be getting that bulldozer. Pass me the hedge clippers, please!
A disciplined life has many rewards.
· A person who knows how to budget and control spending finds himself with more discretionary funds! Instead of always paying off his credit cards (and the awful interest that goes with poor stewardship practices) he is able to make more choices including more generosity.
· A person who regularly prays enjoys the benefit of current conversation with God. The Lord is a true Friend.
· A person who makes participation at his local church a priority even when the sun shines on the golf course builds great community that pays rich dividends when life goes suddenly into reverse (and it will, sooner or later).
Jesus urges us to take on challenges that are hard. He says: "Forgive those who do you wrong! Love your enemies! Practice your generosity without telling anybody. Live for Heaven, not just for your next meal. Deal with your own sin before you try to deal with that of others. Follow me!" The Bible says- "Keep a tight rein on your words. Don't use filthy speech. Trust God when it's dark. Endure hardship. Give thanks always." Are these hard things? Yes, they are.
Here’s what we must remember. Living the Christian life, while demanding discipline, is not just about gritting our teeth and doing what we hate to do. It is about presenting ourselves to Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit. As He lives in us, He causes us to love godly things and, if only we’ll taste them, causes us to see the pleasure that is found in doing the will of God. The issue is making the faith choice. Will you do hard things believing God for the reward? Or, we you make an excuse why you can't, and never discover what He’s planned for you to know?
Most of us have some 'will nots' in our lives. There are things we do not do because they are difficult or unpleasant. We could do them and even know, in many cases, we should be doing them, but we will not. God does not spare our feelings with regard to refusal to do hard things. He says that "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." (James 4:17, NIV)
The Coach of Heaven (the Holy Spirit who lives in us) stands ready to help us succeed. Jesus said that the Spirit will speak to us, teaching us, leading us, comforting and calling us. Let's encourage one another, too. "For as long as it’s still God’s Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes." (Hebrews 3:13, The Message)
Here’s a word from the Word that will urge you on when you find yourself wanting to refuse God's invitation to do the hard things. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, NIV)
By the way, I won’t be getting that bulldozer. Pass me the hedge clippers, please!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
A Monarch in name only?
As I continue my faith walk of which I wrote yesterday, the issue of letting God rule my life becomes the issue. There is the temptation to treat God much as England treats her royals, as a figure-head only. The actual power in the English government rests in Parliament and leadership belongs to the Prime Minister. The Queen shares the pomp given to kings of earlier eras, but unlike those monarchs she has no authority to unilaterally set the course of the nation. Spiritually, I claim that the Lord as King of my life. The question is whether my actions back up my rhetoric. Do I bow before Him in courteous display of fealty only to rise and do my own will?
Among the blessings of a 4 decade long walk with the Lord is that I have enough perspective to see how God has worked quietly and persistently; yes, sovereignly, to accomplish His will and bless me. Many years ago I had to leave a ministry position I loved due to strife caused in part by my own immaturity! The ministry to which I went was small, a struggling work. At that moment it appeared that God had put me on a side track, that He was finished with me. Some even bluntly told me that my failing had brought the judgment of the Lord on me. Hindsight reveals that God was using an apparent demotion for greater good. In that year of broken earthly dreams I learned much in the school of faith. The Lord used a place of lesser responsibility to do deep heart work in me, to bring new life to my marriage, and to make me a better father. 23 years after the event, I can see what He was doing clearly. At the time, I could only trust Him, and oh what a struggle it was in those dark moments. There were many days when my only prayer was borrowed from Jesus’ model: “let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done.”
The Word promises "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.” That promise prompts this prayer; “Your love, O Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands." (Psalm 138:8, NIV) In our Bible study last night, this theme emerged – “Even when man fails, God’s will prevails.” It’s true! That is not a simple truth. To own it as a principle to live by demands the gift of faith and an active response of obedience. Amazingly, He does not abandon us when we fail. Instead He sovereignly takes those failures, when we confess them and place them in His hands, and weaves them into His declared purpose. What assurance, what wondrous peace comes from resting on His promise to fulfill His purposes in me.
Will you give up your demand to understand the ‘why’ of every situation, to kneel before your King and give Him the worship He deserves?
Will you trust Him enough to surrender your own will and embrace His?
Disciple, I am not writing about taking up a call to some faraway place or about beginning a new church, or establishing a great ministry. God’s sovereign will for you and me begins with things that are much more basic, things like; forgiveness for those who hurt us, love for our enemies, generosity over selfishness, service over being served. When He is Lord of those things, He can lead us into greater works!
Here’s a word from the Word. May we receive it with faith so that we might live in joy.
"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy.
When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.
Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."
(Isaiah 52:7-10, NIV)
Among the blessings of a 4 decade long walk with the Lord is that I have enough perspective to see how God has worked quietly and persistently; yes, sovereignly, to accomplish His will and bless me. Many years ago I had to leave a ministry position I loved due to strife caused in part by my own immaturity! The ministry to which I went was small, a struggling work. At that moment it appeared that God had put me on a side track, that He was finished with me. Some even bluntly told me that my failing had brought the judgment of the Lord on me. Hindsight reveals that God was using an apparent demotion for greater good. In that year of broken earthly dreams I learned much in the school of faith. The Lord used a place of lesser responsibility to do deep heart work in me, to bring new life to my marriage, and to make me a better father. 23 years after the event, I can see what He was doing clearly. At the time, I could only trust Him, and oh what a struggle it was in those dark moments. There were many days when my only prayer was borrowed from Jesus’ model: “let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done.”
The Word promises "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.” That promise prompts this prayer; “Your love, O Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands." (Psalm 138:8, NIV) In our Bible study last night, this theme emerged – “Even when man fails, God’s will prevails.” It’s true! That is not a simple truth. To own it as a principle to live by demands the gift of faith and an active response of obedience. Amazingly, He does not abandon us when we fail. Instead He sovereignly takes those failures, when we confess them and place them in His hands, and weaves them into His declared purpose. What assurance, what wondrous peace comes from resting on His promise to fulfill His purposes in me.
Will you give up your demand to understand the ‘why’ of every situation, to kneel before your King and give Him the worship He deserves?
Will you trust Him enough to surrender your own will and embrace His?
Disciple, I am not writing about taking up a call to some faraway place or about beginning a new church, or establishing a great ministry. God’s sovereign will for you and me begins with things that are much more basic, things like; forgiveness for those who hurt us, love for our enemies, generosity over selfishness, service over being served. When He is Lord of those things, He can lead us into greater works!
Here’s a word from the Word. May we receive it with faith so that we might live in joy.
"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy.
When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.
Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God."
(Isaiah 52:7-10, NIV)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Faith and Fear
Throughout the last few days, I have wrestled with a decision that is one of the most significant choices I have ever made. The road I choose will affect my financial situation, my family life, my pastoral calling, and my personal time. One choice allows me to live ‘safely,’ the other takes me into the unknown. One is about living in a way I understand and love; the other calls me out of my comfort zone. I imagine that I feel a little like a bungee jumper who steps over the edge who wonders, during the free fall, if the cord will hold when he hits the end of it. If I take this step, I will be free falling into the arms of God! Will He catch me?
Everyone who follows Jesus Christ faces the choice of faith; not once, but each day.
Our very Gospel pivots on faith – will we trust the promise of God’s grace or continue in our own religious works?
Our security rests on faith – will we attempt to create wealth and relationships that make us feel secure or will we live with our hope resting on the Rock, secured by His Word?
True faith is never static. The faith that led us yesterday must be renewed with a faith that is sufficient for this day. God gives faith for each new day, but allows us to choose to accept it with obedience. "The righteousness of God (is) revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17, KJV)
I am realizing something new about faith. Real faith does not exempt one from feeling real fear! Those who engage in extreme sports where they risk their lives, do so with full faith in their skills and equipment, yet they also feel terror. Curiously they love facing fear and the exhilaration that comes from overcoming it. When they reach the summit, they may be near collapse with exhaustion, but they also feel triumph.
In the book of Daniel, there is a story that we too often relegate to Sunday School, that really is an inspiration for walking by faith. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were Jews who had been taken captive when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem. They were transported hundreds of miles from their home into an alien culture. There they faced the challenge of hanging onto their faith in Yahweh or being assimilated into the religion and culture of Assyria. The safe choice was to ‘go along to get along.’ The faith choice was to trust the Lord. They chose the Lord and He gave them want they needed. One day the megalomaniac king decided that he would set up a giant image of himself and require all of his administrators to give worshipful homage to it or face a fiery death. These men could not bow to an idol and keep their faith intact. Did they feel fear? Judge for yourself as you read their response to the king’s demand. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18, NLT) Do not miss that phrase – ‘even if He doesn’t!’ They fully recognized that their choice could bring them death and they were willing to make the faith choice anyway!
Are you facing a choice of faith today?
Don’t mistake fear with faithlessness. Even as you accept the gift of faith, you will abandon the known, the secure, the comfortable. And, when you commit yourself to the faith way, He will meet you there. When the summit is reached, you may be exhausted, but you will be able to say: "I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming." (2 Timothy 4:7-8, The Message)
_______________
Jesus led me all the way,
Led me step by step each day;
I will tell the saints and angels,
As I lay my burdens down,
"Jesus led me all the way."
And hither to my Lord hath led,
Today He guides each step I tread;
And soon in heav'n it will be said,
"Jesus led me all the way."
Jesus Led Me All The Way
Peterson, John W.
© 1954. Renewed 1982 John W. Peterson Music Company
CCLI License No. 810055
Everyone who follows Jesus Christ faces the choice of faith; not once, but each day.
Our very Gospel pivots on faith – will we trust the promise of God’s grace or continue in our own religious works?
Our security rests on faith – will we attempt to create wealth and relationships that make us feel secure or will we live with our hope resting on the Rock, secured by His Word?
True faith is never static. The faith that led us yesterday must be renewed with a faith that is sufficient for this day. God gives faith for each new day, but allows us to choose to accept it with obedience. "The righteousness of God (is) revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17, KJV)
I am realizing something new about faith. Real faith does not exempt one from feeling real fear! Those who engage in extreme sports where they risk their lives, do so with full faith in their skills and equipment, yet they also feel terror. Curiously they love facing fear and the exhilaration that comes from overcoming it. When they reach the summit, they may be near collapse with exhaustion, but they also feel triumph.
In the book of Daniel, there is a story that we too often relegate to Sunday School, that really is an inspiration for walking by faith. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were Jews who had been taken captive when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem. They were transported hundreds of miles from their home into an alien culture. There they faced the challenge of hanging onto their faith in Yahweh or being assimilated into the religion and culture of Assyria. The safe choice was to ‘go along to get along.’ The faith choice was to trust the Lord. They chose the Lord and He gave them want they needed. One day the megalomaniac king decided that he would set up a giant image of himself and require all of his administrators to give worshipful homage to it or face a fiery death. These men could not bow to an idol and keep their faith intact. Did they feel fear? Judge for yourself as you read their response to the king’s demand. “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16-18, NLT) Do not miss that phrase – ‘even if He doesn’t!’ They fully recognized that their choice could bring them death and they were willing to make the faith choice anyway!
Are you facing a choice of faith today?
Don’t mistake fear with faithlessness. Even as you accept the gift of faith, you will abandon the known, the secure, the comfortable. And, when you commit yourself to the faith way, He will meet you there. When the summit is reached, you may be exhausted, but you will be able to say: "I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming." (2 Timothy 4:7-8, The Message)
_______________
Jesus led me all the way,
Led me step by step each day;
I will tell the saints and angels,
As I lay my burdens down,
"Jesus led me all the way."
And hither to my Lord hath led,
Today He guides each step I tread;
And soon in heav'n it will be said,
"Jesus led me all the way."
Jesus Led Me All The Way
Peterson, John W.
© 1954. Renewed 1982 John W. Peterson Music Company
CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Oh, how He loves us so
Jim was taught that dangers lurked everywhere, that he should always make sure to take care of himself. The only God he ever heard of sounded like He was very angry and bent on getting even with people. He was taught that people are never to be trusted, that everyone is just in it for the money. Thus, Jim is afraid and feels powerless in an environment of uncertainty. As a result he builds defensive walls in his life and only relates to people who think and act like he does. He is isolated, alone, and convinced that everyone is 'out to get me.'
Sam was taught that the world was a beautiful place created by God for our enjoyment. He learned from the Scripture that sin entered that wonderful Creation and made many things go awry, but that God is a loving Father whose greatest desire is to restore a wayward world to the destiny for which He designed it. Sam was shown that he could find meaning and purpose in his life if He trusted Christ to take away the guilt and by inviting the Holy Spirit to guide him in the will of a loving Father. He believes that the power of evil is diminished, by doing good and living in the love of God. As a result Sam lives joyfully, hopefully, and effectively engaged as a godly influence in his world.
Which kind of world do you inhabit- a fear filled one like Jim, or a Spirit-filled world like Sam?
I’ve been fascinated by the various responses to the tragedy in Japan. Those who do not believe that God is good, who have been fed a diet of prophecy that includes endless apocalyptic warnings about the imminent destruction of the world, seem to feel little compassion, next to no desire to weep with the suffering. There is almost a kind of “this is the fate of the world” acceptance and in some cases, something like happiness that finally we are nearer the ‘End Times.’ As I wrote yesterday, the Scripture inarguably presents us with the declaration that because of sin and disobedience our Holy God will bring all things to justice, including judgment. Yet, Peter helps us to see His love. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9, NIV)
Preaching a fear-based Christianity is not a new thing. For the two millennia of our faith, there have been those who majored on Hell and the Devil. Why? Because, at first, fear is a powerful motivator to change. If a preacher can make the fires of Hell hot enough, he can scare people into a confession of faith. Fear also bonds people together, getting them to stick with the Church. Give them a common enemy, the Devil (or abortionists, or homosexuals, or liberal judges, or Muslims) and they will overcome their differences to fight the those enemies. But, the downside of fear is its diminishing returns. Anyone who lives with fear, over time learns to adapt to it, to turn it off. That's why fear based Christianity ultimately fails to keep people in the faith. That's why Jesus does not drive people to God with fear. He calls them to God with love!
Jesus' Gospel is not so much a defense as an opportunity. He says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, NKJV) In The Message (a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible) that passage reads - "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you."
John reminds us that love perfects (completes) us. "God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first." (1 John 4:16-19, NLT) How can we miss this wonderful truth? How can we give up the rich promise of acceptance for a paranoid fearful experience of 'faith?'
Don't let your Christianity be shaped by fear! Study the story of the Prodigal Son (or as I prefer to call it, the story of The Waiting Father) and let the Word and Spirit convince you of God's gracious favor. We cannot ignore the facts that the Devil rages, that evil men seek to exploit the weak, and that Nature is unbalanced by the Curse of sin. But we are not afraid because "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4, NKJV)
___________
How He Loves
He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of
These afflictions eclipsed by glory
I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So Heaven meets earth
Like a sloppy wet (unforeseen) kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way that
Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so
© 2005 Integrity's Hosanna! Music
John Mark McMillan
CCLI License No. 810055
Sam was taught that the world was a beautiful place created by God for our enjoyment. He learned from the Scripture that sin entered that wonderful Creation and made many things go awry, but that God is a loving Father whose greatest desire is to restore a wayward world to the destiny for which He designed it. Sam was shown that he could find meaning and purpose in his life if He trusted Christ to take away the guilt and by inviting the Holy Spirit to guide him in the will of a loving Father. He believes that the power of evil is diminished, by doing good and living in the love of God. As a result Sam lives joyfully, hopefully, and effectively engaged as a godly influence in his world.
Which kind of world do you inhabit- a fear filled one like Jim, or a Spirit-filled world like Sam?
I’ve been fascinated by the various responses to the tragedy in Japan. Those who do not believe that God is good, who have been fed a diet of prophecy that includes endless apocalyptic warnings about the imminent destruction of the world, seem to feel little compassion, next to no desire to weep with the suffering. There is almost a kind of “this is the fate of the world” acceptance and in some cases, something like happiness that finally we are nearer the ‘End Times.’ As I wrote yesterday, the Scripture inarguably presents us with the declaration that because of sin and disobedience our Holy God will bring all things to justice, including judgment. Yet, Peter helps us to see His love. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9, NIV)
Preaching a fear-based Christianity is not a new thing. For the two millennia of our faith, there have been those who majored on Hell and the Devil. Why? Because, at first, fear is a powerful motivator to change. If a preacher can make the fires of Hell hot enough, he can scare people into a confession of faith. Fear also bonds people together, getting them to stick with the Church. Give them a common enemy, the Devil (or abortionists, or homosexuals, or liberal judges, or Muslims) and they will overcome their differences to fight the those enemies. But, the downside of fear is its diminishing returns. Anyone who lives with fear, over time learns to adapt to it, to turn it off. That's why fear based Christianity ultimately fails to keep people in the faith. That's why Jesus does not drive people to God with fear. He calls them to God with love!
Jesus' Gospel is not so much a defense as an opportunity. He says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, NKJV) In The Message (a contemporary paraphrase of the Bible) that passage reads - "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you."
John reminds us that love perfects (completes) us. "God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first." (1 John 4:16-19, NLT) How can we miss this wonderful truth? How can we give up the rich promise of acceptance for a paranoid fearful experience of 'faith?'
Don't let your Christianity be shaped by fear! Study the story of the Prodigal Son (or as I prefer to call it, the story of The Waiting Father) and let the Word and Spirit convince you of God's gracious favor. We cannot ignore the facts that the Devil rages, that evil men seek to exploit the weak, and that Nature is unbalanced by the Curse of sin. But we are not afraid because "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (1 John 4:4, NKJV)
___________
How He Loves
He is jealous for me loves like a hurricane
I am a tree bending beneath
The weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden I am unaware of
These afflictions eclipsed by glory
I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me
We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean we're all sinking
So Heaven meets earth
Like a sloppy wet (unforeseen) kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way that
Oh how He loves us so
Oh how He loves us
How He loves us so
© 2005 Integrity's Hosanna! Music
John Mark McMillan
CCLI License No. 810055
Monday, March 14, 2011
God’s Day
The whole earth’s shaking; literally! Under the sea, just off the coast of Japan, two plates of the earth’s crust slipped violently last Friday. The energy released made the ground ripple like a blanket being shaken, collapsing buildings, and causing a tsunami to roar ashore that caused terrible destruction and loss of life. I am praying for those who are grieving, suffering, thirsty, and hungry and I hope that you are, too. The pictures look like previews of the Apocalypse! And, I am reminded that life will not always go on as it is today. Do you know that there will come a Day of world-wide judgment that will shake everything?
The Scripture says, "concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, NLT)
In the sermon he preached at Pentecost, Peter quoted Joel’s prophecy. "I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord." (Acts 2:19-20, NIV)
John’s Revelation tells us the story of God’s judgment in vivid picture language, sparing no gruesome detail about God’s day. Then, we find these words of worship: "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”" (Revelation 19:1-2, NIV)
Are you ready for God’s Day?
When the earth shakes and God judges, when the flow of time comes to an end and justice rolls down from the Almighty, where will you stand?
The only place of security when the judgment of God falls is in Christ Jesus. Whatever your understanding of the various prophetic time lines proposed by various schools, there is one unifying theme: Christ is the Hope of salvation. John speaks in different ways about those who are safe in the Lord’s grace – sealed, marked, given robes of righteousness, gathered. They praise but One Savior that Day. It is not technology, nor is the wisdom of humanity, nor it wealth. "After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God." (Revelation 7:9-11, NLT)
Japan’s sorrow is a glimpse of what will come on “God’s Day.”
Today is our day for salvation, our time to find our hope in Christ alone.
Will you put your trust in Him? Will you receive His salvation and begin to live ‘from faith to faith?”
______________
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song!
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground;
Firm, through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the pow'r of Christ in me!
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand.
Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!
In Christ Alone
Townsend
© King's Way - Thank You
CCLI License No. 810055
The Scripture says, "concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, NLT)
In the sermon he preached at Pentecost, Peter quoted Joel’s prophecy. "I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord." (Acts 2:19-20, NIV)
John’s Revelation tells us the story of God’s judgment in vivid picture language, sparing no gruesome detail about God’s day. Then, we find these words of worship: "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”" (Revelation 19:1-2, NIV)
Are you ready for God’s Day?
When the earth shakes and God judges, when the flow of time comes to an end and justice rolls down from the Almighty, where will you stand?
The only place of security when the judgment of God falls is in Christ Jesus. Whatever your understanding of the various prophetic time lines proposed by various schools, there is one unifying theme: Christ is the Hope of salvation. John speaks in different ways about those who are safe in the Lord’s grace – sealed, marked, given robes of righteousness, gathered. They praise but One Savior that Day. It is not technology, nor is the wisdom of humanity, nor it wealth. "After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God." (Revelation 7:9-11, NLT)
Japan’s sorrow is a glimpse of what will come on “God’s Day.”
Today is our day for salvation, our time to find our hope in Christ alone.
Will you put your trust in Him? Will you receive His salvation and begin to live ‘from faith to faith?”
______________
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song!
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground;
Firm, through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the pow'r of Christ in me!
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand.
Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand!
In Christ Alone
Townsend
© King's Way - Thank You
CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, March 11, 2011
MegaMillions? Give what you’ve got
The billboard grabbed my attention: MegaMillions – $127 Million payout. Yes, I suppose that I should not have noticed, but I did. I got lost for a few moments in a daydream. I saw myself paying off my kid’s school loans, helping get a business started, providing funds to a struggling ministry, paying for much needed improvements on the church and school buildings. It was fun, but a waste of time. I was lost in a fantasy! I confessed my foolishness to the Lord and thanked Him that He provides every resource I need. If I had great wealth and did all those things of my daydream, it would likely hurt more than help, short-circuiting the very necessary processes of maturity for others.
We can invest in the lives of others even without having $millions. In Christ, we have been given amazing grace, infinite love, abundant mercy, astonishing kindness... need I go on? People need those things more than money! Ever watched a person respond to love and encouragement? For about a year, at the parent’s request, I have met with a little girl for a few moments about every two weeks. We sit and talk about the things that matter to her. They are not world shaking events but they are important to her. I affirm her desire to please God, share some words of encouragement, and let her know that she’s loved. It’s a gift that costs me next to nothing, but her Mom tells me it means the world to that child who has gained self-esteem and confidence – just from being loved!
It’s been my privilege to tell the story of Jesus to hundreds of people, often at a time in their lives when everything was dark, when things were confusing, when others were writing them off as failures, as hopeless. Few things can begin to compare with the joy I feel when I see the seed of the Gospel take root, see a relationship with God, the Heavenly Father, begin, and watch that person find a new and whole life as they learn to live in the Spirit. It costs me so little to invest so greatly.
When Jesus commissioned his followers for their first outreach, He told them: "Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8, NIV) There is something implied in that statement that we need to remember: we cannot give away what we do not possess! God has eternal wealth, great riches of the Spirit’s gifts available to us. Have we received them so that we can give lavishly? When we possess the riches of God, not just in word but in our hearts, we will gain a liberal heart, a generous spirit that overflows. We will take notice of the hurts, the sorrows, the pain of those around us and give them from the store of love that we have received from the Lord.
The Word observes the principle of reciprocity: "It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:24-25,NLT)
Jesus states it simply -"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)
For a few moments, right now, thank God for the riches you have been given in Christ Jesus. Here’s a word from the Word for your mediation. "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8, NIV) Then, go-- and give it away! We don’t need to win Megamillions to be rich! We already have access to heaven’s wealth. Have fun blessing people with love, kindness, mercy, goodness that you own in the rich storehouse to which God has given you the key!
__________________
Touch Through Me
Touch through me, Holy Spirit,
Touch through me.
Let my hands reach out to others
Touch through me.
There's a lonely soul somewhere
Needing just one friend to care.
Touch through me, Holy Spirit,
Touch through me.
My hands will be Your hands
Reaching out to others.
My lips will not be slothful,
Lord, to speak.
I will be that good Samaritan
To someone else in need.
I will be Your house to dwell in
Live through me.
Love through me, Holy Spirit,
Love through me.
I will be my brother's keeper,
Love through me.
Hearts are bleeding deep inside,
Love can dry the weeping eyes,
Love through me, Holy Spirit,
Love through me.
Flow through me, Holy Spirit,
Flow through me.
Like a river in the desert,
Flow through me.
Springing fountain, healing stream,
Living water, pure and clean,
Flow through me, Holy Spirit,
Flow through me.
Rambo, Dottie
© 1981 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)
CCLI License No. 810055
We can invest in the lives of others even without having $millions. In Christ, we have been given amazing grace, infinite love, abundant mercy, astonishing kindness... need I go on? People need those things more than money! Ever watched a person respond to love and encouragement? For about a year, at the parent’s request, I have met with a little girl for a few moments about every two weeks. We sit and talk about the things that matter to her. They are not world shaking events but they are important to her. I affirm her desire to please God, share some words of encouragement, and let her know that she’s loved. It’s a gift that costs me next to nothing, but her Mom tells me it means the world to that child who has gained self-esteem and confidence – just from being loved!
It’s been my privilege to tell the story of Jesus to hundreds of people, often at a time in their lives when everything was dark, when things were confusing, when others were writing them off as failures, as hopeless. Few things can begin to compare with the joy I feel when I see the seed of the Gospel take root, see a relationship with God, the Heavenly Father, begin, and watch that person find a new and whole life as they learn to live in the Spirit. It costs me so little to invest so greatly.
When Jesus commissioned his followers for their first outreach, He told them: "Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8, NIV) There is something implied in that statement that we need to remember: we cannot give away what we do not possess! God has eternal wealth, great riches of the Spirit’s gifts available to us. Have we received them so that we can give lavishly? When we possess the riches of God, not just in word but in our hearts, we will gain a liberal heart, a generous spirit that overflows. We will take notice of the hurts, the sorrows, the pain of those around us and give them from the store of love that we have received from the Lord.
The Word observes the principle of reciprocity: "It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:24-25,NLT)
Jesus states it simply -"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)
For a few moments, right now, thank God for the riches you have been given in Christ Jesus. Here’s a word from the Word for your mediation. "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8, NIV) Then, go-- and give it away! We don’t need to win Megamillions to be rich! We already have access to heaven’s wealth. Have fun blessing people with love, kindness, mercy, goodness that you own in the rich storehouse to which God has given you the key!
__________________
Touch Through Me
Touch through me, Holy Spirit,
Touch through me.
Let my hands reach out to others
Touch through me.
There's a lonely soul somewhere
Needing just one friend to care.
Touch through me, Holy Spirit,
Touch through me.
My hands will be Your hands
Reaching out to others.
My lips will not be slothful,
Lord, to speak.
I will be that good Samaritan
To someone else in need.
I will be Your house to dwell in
Live through me.
Love through me, Holy Spirit,
Love through me.
I will be my brother's keeper,
Love through me.
Hearts are bleeding deep inside,
Love can dry the weeping eyes,
Love through me, Holy Spirit,
Love through me.
Flow through me, Holy Spirit,
Flow through me.
Like a river in the desert,
Flow through me.
Springing fountain, healing stream,
Living water, pure and clean,
Flow through me, Holy Spirit,
Flow through me.
Rambo, Dottie
© 1981 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)
CCLI License No. 810055
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Change, Faith, and Right with God
The change happening around me is exhausting. Our church is taking a new name that we believe will be more inviting to people from our region who might be interested in spiritual things. We are exploring new ways of doing ‘church’ that will help people to grow into mature followers of Jesus. The process is demanding change in me. It requires that I serve as a catalyst for change in people who are comfortable in the present. I understand their resistance! I like things to be predictable and familiar, too. Left to myself, I would settle into a rut and do what demanded the least adaptation from me. Why disturb the peace? Why be open to a new way of thinking when the old line has served so well? The short answer? God leads us on into tomorrow! The message of Christ is unchanging, but the methods used to communicate that hope must be adapted to every generation.
The man we call the ‘father of the faithful’ was settled in his family’s city, Ur, when the voice of God brought him a new challenge. “Abram, leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you. I’ll make you a great nation and bless you. I’ll make you famous; you’ll be a blessing." (Genesis 12:1-2, The Message) God asks a major thing of this man: Become a wanderer, traveling 600 miles across deserts, and I will do something great for you. There were no pictures of a palace that was waiting for his arrival, no job at the end of the journey. Yet, he responded in faithful obedience. His faith allowed him to own the greatest gift of all: "Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith." (Genesis 15:6, NLT)
Do you have the faith to let God call you from where you are into a place you cannot yet see?
Do you trust Him to lead you from the things you know to things only yet a promise?
For example, it requires real faith to let go of religious acts and to accept the gift of grace He offers. To give up the hope of making yourself good enough for God and believing His declaration of your righteousness, is a big leap of faith. To abandon one’s self to a life of love is an act of faith, too. God says, “love Me and others more deeply than you love yourself.” We know that taking care of ourselves works, but will we let go of our self-love and start the journey of selfless love? Much faith is demanded because we have no idea where such a radical act will allow God to lead us.
Moments will come when we could conclude our faith adventure has been nothing but foolishness. God told Abram that he would become the father of nations and through his descendants all the world would be blessed; then left him without a son until he was 100 years old! Old Abe got nervous and tried to help God fulfill the promise by having a child with Hagar, his wife’s servant. That lapse in faith created nothing but sorrow and pain! Still he hung onto the promise he had received years earlier. The Bible tells us "Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
Therefore, 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. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and 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." (Romans 4:20-5:3, NLT)
What is the Spirit of God whispering into your soul today?
Don’t only listen for the call to exotic destinations or big projects! Perhaps the adventure of faith to which He calls you is about loving your wife more deeply, or about forgiving your father who has abused you for years, or about having the patience to lead your rebellious son through the turbulence of teenage years. Then, again, His call to you might be about letting go of a habit that is both comforting and enslaving so that you will grow into greater holiness. It might be that He wants to re-define the meaning of ‘success in life’ with you, by asking for a major change in your lifestyle. These choices are no less an adventure of faith than selling our home and moving to someplace far away.
Will you believe God? Here’s the Bible’s definition of Faith. Read it prayerfully, asking God to help you to believe and obey today, in order to be where He can use you to meet the challenges He sees coming tomorrow!
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1, NIV) "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6, NIV)
The man we call the ‘father of the faithful’ was settled in his family’s city, Ur, when the voice of God brought him a new challenge. “Abram, leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you. I’ll make you a great nation and bless you. I’ll make you famous; you’ll be a blessing." (Genesis 12:1-2, The Message) God asks a major thing of this man: Become a wanderer, traveling 600 miles across deserts, and I will do something great for you. There were no pictures of a palace that was waiting for his arrival, no job at the end of the journey. Yet, he responded in faithful obedience. His faith allowed him to own the greatest gift of all: "Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith." (Genesis 15:6, NLT)
Do you have the faith to let God call you from where you are into a place you cannot yet see?
Do you trust Him to lead you from the things you know to things only yet a promise?
For example, it requires real faith to let go of religious acts and to accept the gift of grace He offers. To give up the hope of making yourself good enough for God and believing His declaration of your righteousness, is a big leap of faith. To abandon one’s self to a life of love is an act of faith, too. God says, “love Me and others more deeply than you love yourself.” We know that taking care of ourselves works, but will we let go of our self-love and start the journey of selfless love? Much faith is demanded because we have no idea where such a radical act will allow God to lead us.
Moments will come when we could conclude our faith adventure has been nothing but foolishness. God told Abram that he would become the father of nations and through his descendants all the world would be blessed; then left him without a son until he was 100 years old! Old Abe got nervous and tried to help God fulfill the promise by having a child with Hagar, his wife’s servant. That lapse in faith created nothing but sorrow and pain! Still he hung onto the promise he had received years earlier. The Bible tells us "Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
Therefore, 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. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and 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." (Romans 4:20-5:3, NLT)
What is the Spirit of God whispering into your soul today?
Don’t only listen for the call to exotic destinations or big projects! Perhaps the adventure of faith to which He calls you is about loving your wife more deeply, or about forgiving your father who has abused you for years, or about having the patience to lead your rebellious son through the turbulence of teenage years. Then, again, His call to you might be about letting go of a habit that is both comforting and enslaving so that you will grow into greater holiness. It might be that He wants to re-define the meaning of ‘success in life’ with you, by asking for a major change in your lifestyle. These choices are no less an adventure of faith than selling our home and moving to someplace far away.
Will you believe God? Here’s the Bible’s definition of Faith. Read it prayerfully, asking God to help you to believe and obey today, in order to be where He can use you to meet the challenges He sees coming tomorrow!
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1, NIV) "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6, NIV)
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Will you give up ice cream?
Today is the first day of Lent, "Ash Wednesday." Ashes made from palm fronds from the previous year's celebration of Palm Sunday traditionally are used mark the forehead as a reminder of mortality – the whole ‘ashes to ashes, dust to dust’ thing. That reminder was to encourage the discipline of fasting that would prepare Christians to receive the Word of God during the 40 days that lead up to the celebrations of Easter.
Can such ritual turn our hearts to the Lord?
We may not follow the traditions of Ash Wednesday in our church, but we would benefit by taking time each of these 40 days during Lent to remember the Cross of Christ. Lent is a great time to renew the practice of fasting. Fasting, in the most narrow meaning, is about abstaining from all food. We can fast without such deprivation. We can enter the joy of fasting by setting aside some pleasurable pursuit or special food. Why? We do it to remind ourselves that we are subject to the Spirit. Fasting can be an act of obedience offered in faith to God that opens us to a new experience of the Holy Spirit’s Presence!
In each of us is a genuine spirit-body connection! What we do in our physical body has an effect on our spiritual state. Let’s not be overly simplistic. Will we become amazingly devout Christians just because we don't eat ice cream during the 40 days of Lent? No, but if we choose to fast (give up to God) some pleasure as an act of worship; if we add to true worship to our devotion, we invite the Holy Spirit to act in us. If we fast and think that our small sacrifice earns God’s approval, we have missed the point entirely. Religious ritual, done for the purpose of impressing God and/or other people, is worse than useless; it is a expression of sinful pride. That is why Jesus urged us to practice spiritual disciplines like fasting, giving, and prayer without telling anyone. Such choices, because they are acts of faith, must be very personal. Jesus told us to keep our fasting a private matter!
Jesus said, "when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will suspect you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in secret. And your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you." (Matthew 6:16-18 NLT) If we 'show off' or if we judge those who do not practice a discipline as we do, we rob the disciplines of any value. They become nothing more than the display of religion and empty traditions or worse, a means of making ourselves feel better than someone who does not share our conviction.
Will you give up ice cream for Lent? If you do, do it for the purpose of seeking the Lord. (I think we might be better served by giving up some TV time for prayer, meditation or reading Scripture.) Don’t do it just because I said to. Rather, pray about it. Ask the Lord if you need to discipline your body to provide freedom for the spirit. Here’s a word from the Word about living in the Spirit. Think deeply and prayerfully on the promise of this passage.
"My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? …
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way." (Galatians 5:16-18, 22-23, The Message)
______________________________
I Will Offer Up My Life
I will offer up my life
In spirit and truth,
Pouring out the oil of love
As my worship to You.
In surrender I must give
My ev'ry part;
Lord, receive the sacrifice
Of a broken heart.
Jesus, what can I give,
What can I bring
To so faithful a friend,
To so loving a King?
Savior, what can be said,
What can be sung
As a praise of Your name
For the things You have done?
Oh, my words could not tell,
Not even in part,
Of the debt of love
That is owed by this
Thankful heart.
You deserve my every breath
For You've paid the great cost.
Giving up Your life to death,
Even death on a cross.
You took all my shame away,
There defeated my sin,
Opened up the gates of heaven,
And have beckoned me in.
Matt Redman
© 1994 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
CCLI License No. 810055
Can such ritual turn our hearts to the Lord?
We may not follow the traditions of Ash Wednesday in our church, but we would benefit by taking time each of these 40 days during Lent to remember the Cross of Christ. Lent is a great time to renew the practice of fasting. Fasting, in the most narrow meaning, is about abstaining from all food. We can fast without such deprivation. We can enter the joy of fasting by setting aside some pleasurable pursuit or special food. Why? We do it to remind ourselves that we are subject to the Spirit. Fasting can be an act of obedience offered in faith to God that opens us to a new experience of the Holy Spirit’s Presence!
In each of us is a genuine spirit-body connection! What we do in our physical body has an effect on our spiritual state. Let’s not be overly simplistic. Will we become amazingly devout Christians just because we don't eat ice cream during the 40 days of Lent? No, but if we choose to fast (give up to God) some pleasure as an act of worship; if we add to true worship to our devotion, we invite the Holy Spirit to act in us. If we fast and think that our small sacrifice earns God’s approval, we have missed the point entirely. Religious ritual, done for the purpose of impressing God and/or other people, is worse than useless; it is a expression of sinful pride. That is why Jesus urged us to practice spiritual disciplines like fasting, giving, and prayer without telling anyone. Such choices, because they are acts of faith, must be very personal. Jesus told us to keep our fasting a private matter!
Jesus said, "when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will suspect you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in secret. And your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you." (Matthew 6:16-18 NLT) If we 'show off' or if we judge those who do not practice a discipline as we do, we rob the disciplines of any value. They become nothing more than the display of religion and empty traditions or worse, a means of making ourselves feel better than someone who does not share our conviction.
Will you give up ice cream for Lent? If you do, do it for the purpose of seeking the Lord. (I think we might be better served by giving up some TV time for prayer, meditation or reading Scripture.) Don’t do it just because I said to. Rather, pray about it. Ask the Lord if you need to discipline your body to provide freedom for the spirit. Here’s a word from the Word about living in the Spirit. Think deeply and prayerfully on the promise of this passage.
"My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? …
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way." (Galatians 5:16-18, 22-23, The Message)
______________________________
I Will Offer Up My Life
I will offer up my life
In spirit and truth,
Pouring out the oil of love
As my worship to You.
In surrender I must give
My ev'ry part;
Lord, receive the sacrifice
Of a broken heart.
Jesus, what can I give,
What can I bring
To so faithful a friend,
To so loving a King?
Savior, what can be said,
What can be sung
As a praise of Your name
For the things You have done?
Oh, my words could not tell,
Not even in part,
Of the debt of love
That is owed by this
Thankful heart.
You deserve my every breath
For You've paid the great cost.
Giving up Your life to death,
Even death on a cross.
You took all my shame away,
There defeated my sin,
Opened up the gates of heaven,
And have beckoned me in.
Matt Redman
© 1994 Kingsway's Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Tiny, Beautiful, and A ‘Bundle of Potentiality’
We met a new little beauty on Sunday evening. It’s been a week since our granddaughter Selah was born. I was glad to take her in my arms, all 7 pounds of her! As I gazed at her, sleeping, I felt a familiar weight settle on me; the press of responsibility. It was a weight I felt at the birth of each one of our children, too, but especially when as a 21 year old kid, I was handed my first son a few moments after he was born. As I held him, I bawled- really wept! As joyful as I was that morning, I was equally awed by the daunting responsibility of caring for a helpless human being and living in a way that invited him to follow me to the Cross of Christ, where he would kneel and receive grace and eternal life.
A human being is an eternal creature – destined to live with God in glory or apart from Him in misery. While we are not the Savior, our role in setting their life course is not minor. We turn them towards spiritual matters by our example. When you make choices - about where you go, what you buy, the movies you watch, the songs you play on the radio, the clothes you buy, the way you speak of your family, the attitude you have toward others, the place and manner of your worship – are you doing so as an authentic disciple of Christ? Can you say to your child, or any child for that matter, ‘follow me as I follow Christ!’? Jesus’ words are a stern warning. "Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me. … But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck." (Mark 9:36-37, 42, NLT)
It might seem that I am urging people to be excessively religious around children. If that’s your reading, start over! Holding back profanity because children are present, living like the Devil all week and then insisting on going to church every Sunday – and such religious practices are terrible choices. They teach children to be hypocrites, to think that God can be bought with a few trinkets and a couple of hours of feigned worship! That well known passage in God’s Law reminds to make Him known, not just on holy days, but every day! "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads." (Deuteronomy 6:6-8, NIV) Is the Lord part of every conversation? No, I don’t mean in a forced way, a strain to mention “Jesus” in every paragraph! Is He present?
We choose to love, they learn to love.
We choose to forgive, they learn to forgive.
We choose to seek God first, they learn He is their primary resource.
We are faithful to our commitments, they learn to stick with the tough things.
We discipline ourselves in big and small ways, they learn how to make the choice to eat cookies after dinner. We live our faith, they look to the One who gives them life.
The Proverb offers this wisdom: "Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost." (Proverbs 22:6, The Message) Yes, it’s a heavy responsibility and one no parent can carry alone. It should send us often into the Presence of God where we ask for His wisdom, where we pray for forgiveness, where we invite the Holy Spirit to shape us into the likeness of Christ Jesus.
_____________________
I am a promise
I am a possibility
I am a promise with a capital "P"
I am a great big bundle of potentiality
And I am learnin' to hear God's voice
And I am tryin' to make the right choice
I am a promise to be anything God wants me to be.
I can go anywhere that He wants me to go
I can be anything He wants me to be
I can climb the high mountains
I can cross the wide sea
I'm a great big promise you see!
I am a promise
I am a possibility
I am a promise with a capital "P"
I am a great big bundle of potentiality
And I am learnin' to hear God's voice
And I am tryin' to make the right choice
I'm a promise to be anything God wants me to be
Anything God wants me to be!
I Am A Promise, Bill and Gloria Gaither
A human being is an eternal creature – destined to live with God in glory or apart from Him in misery. While we are not the Savior, our role in setting their life course is not minor. We turn them towards spiritual matters by our example. When you make choices - about where you go, what you buy, the movies you watch, the songs you play on the radio, the clothes you buy, the way you speak of your family, the attitude you have toward others, the place and manner of your worship – are you doing so as an authentic disciple of Christ? Can you say to your child, or any child for that matter, ‘follow me as I follow Christ!’? Jesus’ words are a stern warning. "Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me. … But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck." (Mark 9:36-37, 42, NLT)
It might seem that I am urging people to be excessively religious around children. If that’s your reading, start over! Holding back profanity because children are present, living like the Devil all week and then insisting on going to church every Sunday – and such religious practices are terrible choices. They teach children to be hypocrites, to think that God can be bought with a few trinkets and a couple of hours of feigned worship! That well known passage in God’s Law reminds to make Him known, not just on holy days, but every day! "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads." (Deuteronomy 6:6-8, NIV) Is the Lord part of every conversation? No, I don’t mean in a forced way, a strain to mention “Jesus” in every paragraph! Is He present?
We choose to love, they learn to love.
We choose to forgive, they learn to forgive.
We choose to seek God first, they learn He is their primary resource.
We are faithful to our commitments, they learn to stick with the tough things.
We discipline ourselves in big and small ways, they learn how to make the choice to eat cookies after dinner. We live our faith, they look to the One who gives them life.
The Proverb offers this wisdom: "Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost." (Proverbs 22:6, The Message) Yes, it’s a heavy responsibility and one no parent can carry alone. It should send us often into the Presence of God where we ask for His wisdom, where we pray for forgiveness, where we invite the Holy Spirit to shape us into the likeness of Christ Jesus.
_____________________
I am a promise
I am a possibility
I am a promise with a capital "P"
I am a great big bundle of potentiality
And I am learnin' to hear God's voice
And I am tryin' to make the right choice
I am a promise to be anything God wants me to be.
I can go anywhere that He wants me to go
I can be anything He wants me to be
I can climb the high mountains
I can cross the wide sea
I'm a great big promise you see!
I am a promise
I am a possibility
I am a promise with a capital "P"
I am a great big bundle of potentiality
And I am learnin' to hear God's voice
And I am tryin' to make the right choice
I'm a promise to be anything God wants me to be
Anything God wants me to be!
I Am A Promise, Bill and Gloria Gaither
Monday, March 07, 2011
Bringing Heaven to Earth
Christians are given the most amazing job to do – connecting God and His goodness with this present world. It’s not just preacher’s work nor is it primarily done in church buildings. You are called to this privilege. Living as Jesus Christ’s representative is your true calling and it is the key to knowing the ‘abundant’ life He promised. “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33, NIV) When we let living His life define us, we move out of pre-occupation with our reputation and resources. Owning things or being seen as a successful person loses importance as Christ gains mastery of our heart and mind.
So many Christians (including me!) speak of ‘building the Kingdom of God’ here on earth, but that is a misplaced focus. It implies that I am the primary actor, the one doing the work. When I think in that way, there is a shift, often unconscious, from doing Jesus’ work to doing Jerry’s work. That leads to anxiety, stress, tension, conflict, and frustration. Robert Burns neatly sums up our dilemma – “the best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry!” Where I am trying to do even great and good things, unforeseen complications will certainly rise up to frustrate those plans. But, when God is Captain of my life, I rest on the promise that He is working in me and through me to accomplish what is yet unseen. Borrowing the example of the Jewish people and God’s gift of a Sabbath, a day to step aside from daily work into rest, the Spirit tells us "there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall." (Hebrews 4:9-11, NLT) We ‘rest’ on God, demonstrating our reliance on Him with a RADICAL obedience to His expressed will. And by that very faith His influence spreads from us into this present world. Our primary influence comes not from what we strive to do, but from who we are.
Ah, disciple, stop trying to act like a Christian! Instead, become one! Relinquish yourself, without reservation, to Him. I am concerned that some might read this as a call to inaction, laziness, or passivity. It is none of those things. We can and must be people of passion, often intense, but not with the usual focus on Self. Our passion is to love Him, and being loved, to live in love. If we are filled with the Spirit, the sins of our own heart and of the world around us should cause us great pain and move us to both tears and anger. Jesus was not passive in the face of evil. While He lived among us He did not work at creating for Himself a detachment from the sorrows that surrounded Him. Yet, He brought wholeness to earth by living in the fullness of His Father’s care and will. We can do the same.
Here’s my prayer for us as this new week begins: "It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life. … I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength! " (Ephesians 1:13-14,17-19, The Message)
So many Christians (including me!) speak of ‘building the Kingdom of God’ here on earth, but that is a misplaced focus. It implies that I am the primary actor, the one doing the work. When I think in that way, there is a shift, often unconscious, from doing Jesus’ work to doing Jerry’s work. That leads to anxiety, stress, tension, conflict, and frustration. Robert Burns neatly sums up our dilemma – “the best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry!” Where I am trying to do even great and good things, unforeseen complications will certainly rise up to frustrate those plans. But, when God is Captain of my life, I rest on the promise that He is working in me and through me to accomplish what is yet unseen. Borrowing the example of the Jewish people and God’s gift of a Sabbath, a day to step aside from daily work into rest, the Spirit tells us "there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall." (Hebrews 4:9-11, NLT) We ‘rest’ on God, demonstrating our reliance on Him with a RADICAL obedience to His expressed will. And by that very faith His influence spreads from us into this present world. Our primary influence comes not from what we strive to do, but from who we are.
Ah, disciple, stop trying to act like a Christian! Instead, become one! Relinquish yourself, without reservation, to Him. I am concerned that some might read this as a call to inaction, laziness, or passivity. It is none of those things. We can and must be people of passion, often intense, but not with the usual focus on Self. Our passion is to love Him, and being loved, to live in love. If we are filled with the Spirit, the sins of our own heart and of the world around us should cause us great pain and move us to both tears and anger. Jesus was not passive in the face of evil. While He lived among us He did not work at creating for Himself a detachment from the sorrows that surrounded Him. Yet, He brought wholeness to earth by living in the fullness of His Father’s care and will. We can do the same.
Here’s my prayer for us as this new week begins: "It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life. … I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength! " (Ephesians 1:13-14,17-19, The Message)
Friday, March 04, 2011
The rustling of the breeze in the trees
The young man was wrestling with a detour in his life plan. To all appearances, it looked like he was derailed from the track he had laid with all good intentions, and in a very real sense, he was. But, I asked him if it were possible that God was working him into a whole new plan, doing something in his life of far greater purpose than he might ever have discovered if the derailment had never occurred. My counsel to him was that he wait and listen.
After having walked with the Lord for 4 decades, I know a thing or two about detours! Even those that came out of my own foolish decisions, the Mighty God has used to create new opportunities, deeper intimacy with Him, and/or character in me. Like most people, at the time of these detours, I usually complain or grow fearful. “Oh no, this can’t be happening. I must regain control.” But, I am learning to listen carefully and look for the new opportunities that are created by the unexpected developments in my life. If that all sounds like a naïve optimism to you, I am sorry. It is actually faith, active and focused, on the Lord’s ability to "cause everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28, NLT) It is not a passive resignation to fate.
As long as we have the idea that we are a god, He cannot be our LORD. Do you attempt to live as a god, controlling your world, forcing your plans? You might succeed, for a time. Jesus said it was ‘hard for a rich man to come into the Kingdom of God.’ As long as we have resources, our natural bent is to use them to remain self-sufficient, large and in charge! And, many of us are rich enough to avoid reliance on God for a very long time!
After David was crowned king in ancient Israel, the perpetual enemy of God’s people, the Philistines, immediately sent an army to bring him down. They thought they could defeat him while his kingdom was young, before he had the chance to consolidate his strength. But, consistent with his faith, David knew enough not to react to his foes. Instead, he made the choice to respond to his God! "So David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you.” (2 Samuel 5:19, NIV) Even then, David didn’t just rush off to do battle. He continued to be under orders, led by the Lord. The first skirmish brought a defeat of his enemies, but they regrouped and came back for more. Once more he prayed for guidance. This time God asked him to wait for a strange signal. "When you hear the sound of shuffling in the trees, get ready to move out. It’s a signal that God is going ahead of you to smash the Philistine camp.” (2 Samuel 5:24, The Message) It was a sound like a breeze blowing through the tree tops, or like a troop moving through a grove of trees, quietly, yet causing rustling of leaves. Ancient rabbinic tradition suggests that David was waiting to hear the angels assembling above his army. Neat idea, isn’t it? The story concludes that David was totally obedient, waiting until he heard the promised sound, then going out courageously. He won a decisive victory under God’s guidance.
So, are you listening for the signal of God?
Are you praying actively, yet with profound faith allowing the Spirit of God to say when and where you move?
It’s not all that easy to put all of our plans in secondary position to His plan. There is much inside of us that clamors for comfort, fulfillment, and expression that can make us deaf to the persistent, yet quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. There is a tumult going on around us – a thousand voices telling us to turn here, go there, do this, don’t do that – so that we must withdraw to contemplation of the words of the Lord, to hear the rustling of the breeze in the treetops that signals His plan for us.
__________
Sweet Wind
There's a wind a-blowin'
All across the land
A fragrant breeze of heaven
Blowin' once again
Don't know where it comes from
Don't know where it goes
But let it blow over me
Oh sweet wind
Come and blow over me
There's a rain a-pourin'
Showers from above
Mercy drops are comin'
Mercy drops of love
Turn your face to heaven
Let the water pour
Well let it pour over me
Oh sweet rain
Come and pour over me
There's a fire burnin'
Fallin' from the sky
Awesome tongues of fire
Consuming you and I
Can you feel it burnin'
Burn the sacrifice
Well let it burn over me
Oh sweet fire
Come and burn over me
© 1994 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing
Vineyard Songs Canada
ION Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
David Ruis
CCLI License No. 810055
After having walked with the Lord for 4 decades, I know a thing or two about detours! Even those that came out of my own foolish decisions, the Mighty God has used to create new opportunities, deeper intimacy with Him, and/or character in me. Like most people, at the time of these detours, I usually complain or grow fearful. “Oh no, this can’t be happening. I must regain control.” But, I am learning to listen carefully and look for the new opportunities that are created by the unexpected developments in my life. If that all sounds like a naïve optimism to you, I am sorry. It is actually faith, active and focused, on the Lord’s ability to "cause everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28, NLT) It is not a passive resignation to fate.
As long as we have the idea that we are a god, He cannot be our LORD. Do you attempt to live as a god, controlling your world, forcing your plans? You might succeed, for a time. Jesus said it was ‘hard for a rich man to come into the Kingdom of God.’ As long as we have resources, our natural bent is to use them to remain self-sufficient, large and in charge! And, many of us are rich enough to avoid reliance on God for a very long time!
After David was crowned king in ancient Israel, the perpetual enemy of God’s people, the Philistines, immediately sent an army to bring him down. They thought they could defeat him while his kingdom was young, before he had the chance to consolidate his strength. But, consistent with his faith, David knew enough not to react to his foes. Instead, he made the choice to respond to his God! "So David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you.” (2 Samuel 5:19, NIV) Even then, David didn’t just rush off to do battle. He continued to be under orders, led by the Lord. The first skirmish brought a defeat of his enemies, but they regrouped and came back for more. Once more he prayed for guidance. This time God asked him to wait for a strange signal. "When you hear the sound of shuffling in the trees, get ready to move out. It’s a signal that God is going ahead of you to smash the Philistine camp.” (2 Samuel 5:24, The Message) It was a sound like a breeze blowing through the tree tops, or like a troop moving through a grove of trees, quietly, yet causing rustling of leaves. Ancient rabbinic tradition suggests that David was waiting to hear the angels assembling above his army. Neat idea, isn’t it? The story concludes that David was totally obedient, waiting until he heard the promised sound, then going out courageously. He won a decisive victory under God’s guidance.
So, are you listening for the signal of God?
Are you praying actively, yet with profound faith allowing the Spirit of God to say when and where you move?
It’s not all that easy to put all of our plans in secondary position to His plan. There is much inside of us that clamors for comfort, fulfillment, and expression that can make us deaf to the persistent, yet quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. There is a tumult going on around us – a thousand voices telling us to turn here, go there, do this, don’t do that – so that we must withdraw to contemplation of the words of the Lord, to hear the rustling of the breeze in the treetops that signals His plan for us.
__________
Sweet Wind
There's a wind a-blowin'
All across the land
A fragrant breeze of heaven
Blowin' once again
Don't know where it comes from
Don't know where it goes
But let it blow over me
Oh sweet wind
Come and blow over me
There's a rain a-pourin'
Showers from above
Mercy drops are comin'
Mercy drops of love
Turn your face to heaven
Let the water pour
Well let it pour over me
Oh sweet rain
Come and pour over me
There's a fire burnin'
Fallin' from the sky
Awesome tongues of fire
Consuming you and I
Can you feel it burnin'
Burn the sacrifice
Well let it burn over me
Oh sweet fire
Come and burn over me
© 1994 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing
Vineyard Songs Canada
ION Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)
David Ruis
CCLI License No. 810055
Thursday, March 03, 2011
God as “Mr. Fix-it”
A few months ago, the city of Philadelphia issued a parking ticket to my late father and billed my Mom $90! They claimed he parked a car in a crosswalk. The license plates in question had been turned in a full year before the alleged offense, a couple of months after his death. A call to the parking authority’s office brought only frustration. I sent a copy of Dad’s death certificate to them, but still they insisted on payment. Two more calls accomplished nothing. Then a friend connected me to his friend in the mayor’s office. That man asked for the documents that proved my Dad couldn’t have been in Philly. One phone call from him took care of it all. Without his intervention, we would likely have just paid the ticket to avoid a trip to Philly and a long sit in a municipal court to get the summons dismissed.
Do you know that you have a Friend in high places, One who is your Advocate?
Do you rely on Him, call on Him, trust His goodness?
The Bible reminds us that He understands our needs because He was incarnate - ‘in the flesh.’ He willingly set aside His Heavenly splendor and "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Philippians 2:7, NIV) That is why He knows exactly how you feel today. Does that inspire you to reach out to Him? "Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help." (Hebrews 4:14-16, The Message)
Let’s not trivialize this amazing promise. Let’s not diminish Jesus’ incredible ministry of intercession. To think only that He is a great “Mr. Fix-it” that is on call 24/7 to arrange parking spaces for us, to get us through traffic, and to make our car run smoothly – well, that’s just sad! He does care about the small things, but He administers even greater grace to us that allows us to overcome the Tempter so that we may live a holy life. He provides joy and peace for the roughest moments when we rely on Him. He comforts us with hope even when death is near. He is our Provider and our Healer, the One who makes a way for us. The Scripture is filled with promises of His goodness. "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. … For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:1,12, NIV)
If we want the richest experience of His gracious Friendship, we must live as His friend! Don’t ignore Him for days and days when things are going smoothly, only to run and cry on His shoulders when you get yourself into a jam. David teaches us by his example. "Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." (Psalm 5:3, NLT) When we awaken to prayer, when we turn our heart towards Heaven at the first light, it changes our expectations. It sets the tone for the day causing us to realize that we have One on whom we can rely.
What’s weighing on you right now? Have you presented it to Him in faith?
Read this amazing passage, which comes from one of the most amazing letters of Paul. There’s hope here, not because we are great, but because God is good.
"Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:17-21, NLT)
___________________
Be Still And Know
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is holy
Be still oh restless soul of mine
Bow before the Prince of Peace
Let the noise and clamor cease
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is faithful
Consider all that He has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that He will never change
Be still
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is God
Be still
Be speechless
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know He is our Father
Come rest your head upon His breast
Listen to the rhythm of
His unfailing heart of love
Beating for His little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still
Be still
© 1999 Sparrow Song
Primary Wave Brian (Chapman Sp Acct) (a div. of EMI Christian Music Publishing)
(Admin. by Wixen Music Publishing, Inc.)
Steven Curtis Chapman
CCLI License No. 810055
Do you know that you have a Friend in high places, One who is your Advocate?
Do you rely on Him, call on Him, trust His goodness?
The Bible reminds us that He understands our needs because He was incarnate - ‘in the flesh.’ He willingly set aside His Heavenly splendor and "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Philippians 2:7, NIV) That is why He knows exactly how you feel today. Does that inspire you to reach out to Him? "Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help." (Hebrews 4:14-16, The Message)
Let’s not trivialize this amazing promise. Let’s not diminish Jesus’ incredible ministry of intercession. To think only that He is a great “Mr. Fix-it” that is on call 24/7 to arrange parking spaces for us, to get us through traffic, and to make our car run smoothly – well, that’s just sad! He does care about the small things, but He administers even greater grace to us that allows us to overcome the Tempter so that we may live a holy life. He provides joy and peace for the roughest moments when we rely on Him. He comforts us with hope even when death is near. He is our Provider and our Healer, the One who makes a way for us. The Scripture is filled with promises of His goodness. "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. … For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." (Psalm 5:1,12, NIV)
If we want the richest experience of His gracious Friendship, we must live as His friend! Don’t ignore Him for days and days when things are going smoothly, only to run and cry on His shoulders when you get yourself into a jam. David teaches us by his example. "Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." (Psalm 5:3, NLT) When we awaken to prayer, when we turn our heart towards Heaven at the first light, it changes our expectations. It sets the tone for the day causing us to realize that we have One on whom we can rely.
What’s weighing on you right now? Have you presented it to Him in faith?
Read this amazing passage, which comes from one of the most amazing letters of Paul. There’s hope here, not because we are great, but because God is good.
"Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:17-21, NLT)
___________________
Be Still And Know
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is holy
Be still oh restless soul of mine
Bow before the Prince of Peace
Let the noise and clamor cease
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is faithful
Consider all that He has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that He will never change
Be still
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know that He is God
Be still
Be speechless
Be still and know that He is God
Be still and know He is our Father
Come rest your head upon His breast
Listen to the rhythm of
His unfailing heart of love
Beating for His little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still
Be still
© 1999 Sparrow Song
Primary Wave Brian (Chapman Sp Acct) (a div. of EMI Christian Music Publishing)
(Admin. by Wixen Music Publishing, Inc.)
Steven Curtis Chapman
CCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
This little globe is shaking these days. Money troubles abound. Nations are in uproar. I'm getting old! (Hey, that shakes my world!) There are some big things that hang like the sword of Damocles over the future. The Middle East is a pressure cooker, steaming and hissing. Americans have grown accustomed to living in ways that cannot be sustained this this economy. America's health care system, justice system, and educational systems appear to be collapsing under the weight of entitlement and unrestrained selfishness. Immorality of every kind is burying us in filth, injustice, greed, and unfaithfulness. From the porn merchants that fill the Internet with sexual perversion, to the rich whose greed ruins the poor, to the politicians who use the trust of power to make themselves secure, to fathers who abandon their children in pursuit of pleasure; selfishness is everywhere!
The one place where real answers can be found: the Church: is often irrelevant and ignored! Some local congregations are so locked up in tradition, they cannot engage the community in which they are to be 'salt and light.' They speak in languages no longer understood. Or, worse, they are consumed with things that nobody cares about, impotent, and self-absorbed. Rather than be known as a place to find a cure for soul-sickness, they are kept swept and clean, museums to past glories that once were meaningful and connecting the eternal Christ with a dying world: "having a form of godliness but denying its power." (2 Timothy 3:5, NIV)
Still, I have hope! Why?
Because I know that God reigns; that the Empty Tomb is on the far side of the ugly Cross! Our Christian hope is found in our secure place in the Kingdom of God, a place where "nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-40, NLT) That rock solid footing lets us reach into the troubled world to minister God's grace, speak His wisdom, and offer His salvation. We are not fearful for not even death itself cannot destroy us because it did not destroy our Lord, who died and lives again.
Too many Christ-followers see the sin-sickness of their world as reason to withdraw and to abandon it to evil. They create escapist prophetic scenarios. Often they attack and drive away those in most desperate need from the One who could save them from their sin.
Jesus demands a different response: "Stand steady against the onslaught of evil! Don't compromise and slide into spiritual apathy." Those of us who know the Eternal God, who live in His purposes, who have accepted the promise of Resurrection Life are equipped to deal a death blow to the evil around us. How? Not with the typical power tactics. We love, a kind of love that gets engaged, gives up comfort, forgets about personal preference, and cares nothing for recognition. Our love makes us look a little like Don Quixote, 'dreaming an impossible dream.' But, if our dream is inspired by the Spirit, we find power to make it a vision, and that vision becomes a blueprint for transformation in ourselves and in this generation.
Difficult times provide great opportunities for the advance of the Gospel of Christ.
Are you praying each day for opportunities to do good?
Are you asking the Lord to create a new and deep holiness in your day to day words and actions that reflects the beauty of Jesus?
Are you open to the Spirit's fullness, willing to go wherever He leads you, including across the street to your neighbor?
Here's a word from the Word to take to heart today.
"So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare.
Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. " (Ephesians 6:11-18, The Message)
_______________
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice and let me sing
Always only for my King
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee
Take my silver and my gold
Not a mite would I withhold
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose
Take my will and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine
Take my heart it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love my Lord
I pour at Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
Ever only all for Thee
Take My Life And Let It Be
© Public Domain
Frances Ridley Havergal
Louis Joseph Ferdinand Herold
The one place where real answers can be found: the Church: is often irrelevant and ignored! Some local congregations are so locked up in tradition, they cannot engage the community in which they are to be 'salt and light.' They speak in languages no longer understood. Or, worse, they are consumed with things that nobody cares about, impotent, and self-absorbed. Rather than be known as a place to find a cure for soul-sickness, they are kept swept and clean, museums to past glories that once were meaningful and connecting the eternal Christ with a dying world: "having a form of godliness but denying its power." (2 Timothy 3:5, NIV)
Still, I have hope! Why?
Because I know that God reigns; that the Empty Tomb is on the far side of the ugly Cross! Our Christian hope is found in our secure place in the Kingdom of God, a place where "nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-40, NLT) That rock solid footing lets us reach into the troubled world to minister God's grace, speak His wisdom, and offer His salvation. We are not fearful for not even death itself cannot destroy us because it did not destroy our Lord, who died and lives again.
Too many Christ-followers see the sin-sickness of their world as reason to withdraw and to abandon it to evil. They create escapist prophetic scenarios. Often they attack and drive away those in most desperate need from the One who could save them from their sin.
Jesus demands a different response: "Stand steady against the onslaught of evil! Don't compromise and slide into spiritual apathy." Those of us who know the Eternal God, who live in His purposes, who have accepted the promise of Resurrection Life are equipped to deal a death blow to the evil around us. How? Not with the typical power tactics. We love, a kind of love that gets engaged, gives up comfort, forgets about personal preference, and cares nothing for recognition. Our love makes us look a little like Don Quixote, 'dreaming an impossible dream.' But, if our dream is inspired by the Spirit, we find power to make it a vision, and that vision becomes a blueprint for transformation in ourselves and in this generation.
Difficult times provide great opportunities for the advance of the Gospel of Christ.
Are you praying each day for opportunities to do good?
Are you asking the Lord to create a new and deep holiness in your day to day words and actions that reflects the beauty of Jesus?
Are you open to the Spirit's fullness, willing to go wherever He leads you, including across the street to your neighbor?
Here's a word from the Word to take to heart today.
"So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare.
Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. " (Ephesians 6:11-18, The Message)
_______________
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated Lord to Thee
Take my moments and my days
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice and let me sing
Always only for my King
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee
Take my silver and my gold
Not a mite would I withhold
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose
Take my will and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine
Take my heart it is Thine own
It shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love my Lord
I pour at Thy feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
Ever only all for Thee
Take My Life And Let It Be
© Public Domain
Frances Ridley Havergal
Louis Joseph Ferdinand Herold
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Unappreciated? Misunderstood?
There are not many things that are more painful than giving yourself to the maximum only to be misunderstood and/or misjudged. I recently talked with a woman who gave herself unselfishly, desiring nothing except to serve in her ministry. She got caught in a crossfire of personalities and egos. The tragedy was double – she became a casualty of that sad war and the ministry lost a valuable servant. Her goodness went unappreciated, motives she never had remotely in mind were assigned to her. As we talked, she struggled with guilt, much of it false, wondering out loud if she had somehow done something to cause the upset.
When we find ourselves in those situations where we are misjudged, misquoted, misunderstood, and unappreciated we have two choices – get bitter or get better! Bitterness comes to us easily, almost a self-protective reflex. But bitterness is a poison that is indiscriminate. We cannot pour a cup for another without having it splash into our own soul.
So, how can we get better instead?
It is no cliché to say – “Remember who you’re ultimately serving!” Jesus said that even giving a cup of cold water to a thirsty man or visiting a lonely one is a gift to Him. "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’" (Matthew 25:40, NIV) He knows exactly why we did what we did and never misunderstands or forgets. Sobering, isn’t it? Hopefully, it encourages to do good even when we’re unappreciated.
I remember a night long ago when the motives of my pastoral service were called into question. A man I had loved and trusted, leveled charges against me he honestly believed to be true. He saw only a part of what was going on, his judgment was clouded by other associations. The wounds went deep. I never came closer to making the choice to leave pastoral ministry, to change my career. I remember walking alone in the darkness, with tears streaming down my face, as much from anger as from sorrow. It was not an audible voice I heard that night, but it was the Spirit – clearly – who said, “What does the Lord know about this situation? Has He released you from your calling?” There was great comfort in knowing that He knew all about it. And, I was able to move into a place where I could pursue forgiveness and reconciliation. It was not simple, nor was it easy! There is great freedom in refocusing on the One who never forgets.
We must not return fire, when others fire on us. Whoa, that’s a tough call, isn’t it? I admit it’s easier to write about it than to live it. Our Savior is our example. Peter tells us "If you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God. This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. … He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right." (1 Peter 2:20-23, The Message)
We actively seek the good of those who seek our harm. We are not just passive in the face of those who oppose us. Going beyond mere non-response supernaturally we move to bless them. "Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you." (Luke 6:28, NLT)
All of this rests on the secure foundation of the Lord’s love for us and His keen insight. When your soul is battered, your heart is broken, your mind cries out for vindication – go to Jesus’ embrace. He knows the Truth and even if all Hell accuses, it is He alone that makes us right in the sight of the Father.
Here’s a word from the Word. Make it your prayerful meditation today.
"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You." Amen
(Psalm 33:18-23, NKJV
When we find ourselves in those situations where we are misjudged, misquoted, misunderstood, and unappreciated we have two choices – get bitter or get better! Bitterness comes to us easily, almost a self-protective reflex. But bitterness is a poison that is indiscriminate. We cannot pour a cup for another without having it splash into our own soul.
So, how can we get better instead?
It is no cliché to say – “Remember who you’re ultimately serving!” Jesus said that even giving a cup of cold water to a thirsty man or visiting a lonely one is a gift to Him. "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’" (Matthew 25:40, NIV) He knows exactly why we did what we did and never misunderstands or forgets. Sobering, isn’t it? Hopefully, it encourages to do good even when we’re unappreciated.
I remember a night long ago when the motives of my pastoral service were called into question. A man I had loved and trusted, leveled charges against me he honestly believed to be true. He saw only a part of what was going on, his judgment was clouded by other associations. The wounds went deep. I never came closer to making the choice to leave pastoral ministry, to change my career. I remember walking alone in the darkness, with tears streaming down my face, as much from anger as from sorrow. It was not an audible voice I heard that night, but it was the Spirit – clearly – who said, “What does the Lord know about this situation? Has He released you from your calling?” There was great comfort in knowing that He knew all about it. And, I was able to move into a place where I could pursue forgiveness and reconciliation. It was not simple, nor was it easy! There is great freedom in refocusing on the One who never forgets.
We must not return fire, when others fire on us. Whoa, that’s a tough call, isn’t it? I admit it’s easier to write about it than to live it. Our Savior is our example. Peter tells us "If you’re treated badly for good behavior and continue in spite of it to be a good servant, that is what counts with God. This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. … He never did one thing wrong, Not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right." (1 Peter 2:20-23, The Message)
We actively seek the good of those who seek our harm. We are not just passive in the face of those who oppose us. Going beyond mere non-response supernaturally we move to bless them. "Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you." (Luke 6:28, NLT)
All of this rests on the secure foundation of the Lord’s love for us and His keen insight. When your soul is battered, your heart is broken, your mind cries out for vindication – go to Jesus’ embrace. He knows the Truth and even if all Hell accuses, it is He alone that makes us right in the sight of the Father.
Here’s a word from the Word. Make it your prayerful meditation today.
"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You." Amen
(Psalm 33:18-23, NKJV
Sunday, February 27, 2011
You don’t have to be Amish, but you are called to be separate!
Many would-be followers of Christ try to live while holding onto polar extremes: they want to be ‘hip’ and ‘godly’ at the same time. It’s the proverbial oil and water thing. We cannot love the purity of Christ and the baubles of this transient world at the same time.
The Bible says it like this: "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." (1 John 2:15-17, NLT)
Jesus was more blunt: “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see." (Revelation 3:15-18, NLT)
A Christian disciple’s separation from worldly systems and values involves everything about us; where we play, what we eat, how we think about our money, marriage – the very meaning of life! Being a Christian is not just about believing the right thing about Jesus Christ and having a ‘get out of Hell free’ card in our wallet. It isn’t just about going to a church where we take Communion, promise God we’ll do better this week, and go back out to live as we please. A Christian is also a disciple, a word that shares the root concept with discipline. There are decisions to be made about following Him which are evident in the choices we make about life on Monday morning and Friday night as much as Sunday morning. If we won’t follow His lead, we cannot claim to participate in His life, which is the essence of being right with God.
There is a lie that goes back to the early days of the faith that says: “As long I as I believe the right things and know what is right and wrong, it doesn’t matter what I do, because after all, this world is just temporary.” The heresy goes by the name of Gnosticism. That word comes from a Greek word that means “Knowledge.” Gnostics think that salvation comes by enlightenment, by gaining esoteric insights into spiritual matters. Christian Gnostics (they are not really Christian) live with a huge gap between their belief system and daily life. They falsely comfort themselves that they can claim to love God while serving Self because they are enlightened.
When we love the Lord, it will cause us to be ‘holy,’ that means distinct from the culture that surrounds us because we belong exclusively to God. Holiness, much mocked by the worldly wise, is sometimes confused with shallow piety, a thin veneer of rigid rules that covers a heart full of sin. That’s not holy. That is Pharisaic legalism. Real holiness is beautiful because it is whole, pure, and reverent. Being holy doesn’t mean we have to be Amish, but it means will be separate from worldly things. Here’s a word from the Word for your meditation today. May the wisdom of the Spirit lead you to a life that honors Him in every way.
"Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives.
God himself put it this way: “I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people. So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself.
I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God. With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God." (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, The Message)
Disciple, are you holy? That’s not just for pastors and old ladies! Without holiness, there is no real knowing God. What in this world could compare to the assurance of the Father’s love?
________________________
A pure heart, that's what I long for,
A heart that follows hard after Thee;
A pure heart, that's what I long for,
A heart that follows hard after Thee.
A heart that hides Your Word
So that sin will not come in,
A heart that's undivided
But one You rule and reign;
A heart that beats compassion,
That pleases You, my Lord,
A sweet aroma of worship
That rises to Your throne.
A Pure Heart
Nelson, Rusty
© 1992 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
The Bible says it like this: "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." (1 John 2:15-17, NLT)
Jesus was more blunt: “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see." (Revelation 3:15-18, NLT)
A Christian disciple’s separation from worldly systems and values involves everything about us; where we play, what we eat, how we think about our money, marriage – the very meaning of life! Being a Christian is not just about believing the right thing about Jesus Christ and having a ‘get out of Hell free’ card in our wallet. It isn’t just about going to a church where we take Communion, promise God we’ll do better this week, and go back out to live as we please. A Christian is also a disciple, a word that shares the root concept with discipline. There are decisions to be made about following Him which are evident in the choices we make about life on Monday morning and Friday night as much as Sunday morning. If we won’t follow His lead, we cannot claim to participate in His life, which is the essence of being right with God.
There is a lie that goes back to the early days of the faith that says: “As long I as I believe the right things and know what is right and wrong, it doesn’t matter what I do, because after all, this world is just temporary.” The heresy goes by the name of Gnosticism. That word comes from a Greek word that means “Knowledge.” Gnostics think that salvation comes by enlightenment, by gaining esoteric insights into spiritual matters. Christian Gnostics (they are not really Christian) live with a huge gap between their belief system and daily life. They falsely comfort themselves that they can claim to love God while serving Self because they are enlightened.
When we love the Lord, it will cause us to be ‘holy,’ that means distinct from the culture that surrounds us because we belong exclusively to God. Holiness, much mocked by the worldly wise, is sometimes confused with shallow piety, a thin veneer of rigid rules that covers a heart full of sin. That’s not holy. That is Pharisaic legalism. Real holiness is beautiful because it is whole, pure, and reverent. Being holy doesn’t mean we have to be Amish, but it means will be separate from worldly things. Here’s a word from the Word for your meditation today. May the wisdom of the Spirit lead you to a life that honors Him in every way.
"Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives.
God himself put it this way: “I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people. So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself.
I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God. With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God." (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, The Message)
Disciple, are you holy? That’s not just for pastors and old ladies! Without holiness, there is no real knowing God. What in this world could compare to the assurance of the Father’s love?
________________________
A pure heart, that's what I long for,
A heart that follows hard after Thee;
A pure heart, that's what I long for,
A heart that follows hard after Thee.
A heart that hides Your Word
So that sin will not come in,
A heart that's undivided
But one You rule and reign;
A heart that beats compassion,
That pleases You, my Lord,
A sweet aroma of worship
That rises to Your throne.
A Pure Heart
Nelson, Rusty
© 1992 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, February 25, 2011
Fidelity is about more than where you will sleep tonight
This CoffeeBreak is not warmly inspirational. It wasn’t fun to write. But, like Ezekiel of old, I feel a call to be a watchman, to issue a warning.
American culture has so blurred the lines of morality that many are confused about what is wrong. Even among Christians, many are ignorant of God’s demands of His people. So, let me talk frankly today. Are you married? Then, you are in a covenant that includes Christ as the third Person who stands as the witness to your fidelity to your spouse. God calls us to keep our hearts exclusively for our spouse and our bodies only for them, as well. It has been this way from the very first. The Creation account teaches us: "Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” … So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ ” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." (Genesis 2:18-24, NLT)
There are numerous reasons for preserving fidelity in marriage, not the least of which is that the marital covenant is a living illustration of God's relationship with His people - the Church. Through the grace of Christ, we are married to Him, His beloved Bride, called to spirituality fidelity. The expectation of faithfulness to God precedes Christianity. Moses told Israel that the LORD wanted an exclusive relationship with them. "Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." (Deuteronomy 4:23-24, NIV) The Decalogue begins with the stark and clear command - Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before me." When Israel strayed to follow other gods, the Lord called it spiritual adultery.
Our marriages are to reflect God’s grace and wholeness. We read this in Ephesians: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5:31-32, NIV) A Christian who does not honor his or her vows not only dishonors the spouse, they dishonor God. But, where love is deep and disciplined with fidelity, God is revealed before the world, for He is love!
Adultery is a word loaded with pain! When a spouse discovers that the person they love has become involved emotionally and/or sexually with another, it causes deep sorrow, a sense of terrible loss, and sometimes even murderous rage. Why? Because adultery is a basic betrayal. The pain it causes rips through families like a tsunami bringing devastation. The story of David, a man who loved God and wrote some of our best worship songs (the Psalms) includes a sordid episode of infidelity. One night this king allowed himself to entertain a friend’s wife for dinner. His sexual desire overcame his self-control and Bathsheba became pregnant. When the whole thing was over, Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, was dead. David’s sin was forgiven when he finally confessed, but Nathan, God’s messenger, warned him that he had destroyed the trust of his sons and as a result, "your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own." (2 Samuel 12:10, NLT)
David ignored the lesser boundaries that were in place to protect him from his lust. Because he ran through those stop signs, he found himself in a situation where he was overcome by desire. John Mayhall describes the choices that are made before adultery actually happens as ‘leaks.’ He writes: The “leaks” leading up to sexual infidelity include:
• a feeling that you can talk to a particular person of the opposite sex more freely—and with more understanding—than you can talk with your spouse
• a stirring of the senses when you think about or anticipate seeing a particular person
• an interest in pornography
• unhappiness and dissatisfaction with the physical side of your marriage.
-(Discipleship Journal : Issue 75. 1999)
Here’s a word from the Word. May the Spirit cause it to take root in us, guiding our choices for the glory of our God.
"Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:18-21, NLT)
____________________________________
God, our Husband and our Lover,
we pray for a true heart that loves You.
As a sin-filled world and
the Devil sing their seductive songs,
help us to hear Your song of love alone.
In a culture that worships sexuality,
We pray for protection, and
For the clarity of the Spirit to keep us
From deception.
Lord, as you love us deeply,
Help us to love.
Teach us to cherish our marriages,
To love even when it’s hard,
To forgive often,
And to go home – with our heart and body.
We pray this in the Name of Jesus, that You will be honored by our lives.
Amen.
American culture has so blurred the lines of morality that many are confused about what is wrong. Even among Christians, many are ignorant of God’s demands of His people. So, let me talk frankly today. Are you married? Then, you are in a covenant that includes Christ as the third Person who stands as the witness to your fidelity to your spouse. God calls us to keep our hearts exclusively for our spouse and our bodies only for them, as well. It has been this way from the very first. The Creation account teaches us: "Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” … So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ ” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." (Genesis 2:18-24, NLT)
There are numerous reasons for preserving fidelity in marriage, not the least of which is that the marital covenant is a living illustration of God's relationship with His people - the Church. Through the grace of Christ, we are married to Him, His beloved Bride, called to spirituality fidelity. The expectation of faithfulness to God precedes Christianity. Moses told Israel that the LORD wanted an exclusive relationship with them. "Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." (Deuteronomy 4:23-24, NIV) The Decalogue begins with the stark and clear command - Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before me." When Israel strayed to follow other gods, the Lord called it spiritual adultery.
Our marriages are to reflect God’s grace and wholeness. We read this in Ephesians: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5:31-32, NIV) A Christian who does not honor his or her vows not only dishonors the spouse, they dishonor God. But, where love is deep and disciplined with fidelity, God is revealed before the world, for He is love!
Adultery is a word loaded with pain! When a spouse discovers that the person they love has become involved emotionally and/or sexually with another, it causes deep sorrow, a sense of terrible loss, and sometimes even murderous rage. Why? Because adultery is a basic betrayal. The pain it causes rips through families like a tsunami bringing devastation. The story of David, a man who loved God and wrote some of our best worship songs (the Psalms) includes a sordid episode of infidelity. One night this king allowed himself to entertain a friend’s wife for dinner. His sexual desire overcame his self-control and Bathsheba became pregnant. When the whole thing was over, Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, was dead. David’s sin was forgiven when he finally confessed, but Nathan, God’s messenger, warned him that he had destroyed the trust of his sons and as a result, "your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own." (2 Samuel 12:10, NLT)
David ignored the lesser boundaries that were in place to protect him from his lust. Because he ran through those stop signs, he found himself in a situation where he was overcome by desire. John Mayhall describes the choices that are made before adultery actually happens as ‘leaks.’ He writes: The “leaks” leading up to sexual infidelity include:
• a feeling that you can talk to a particular person of the opposite sex more freely—and with more understanding—than you can talk with your spouse
• a stirring of the senses when you think about or anticipate seeing a particular person
• an interest in pornography
• unhappiness and dissatisfaction with the physical side of your marriage.
-(Discipleship Journal : Issue 75. 1999)
Here’s a word from the Word. May the Spirit cause it to take root in us, guiding our choices for the glory of our God.
"Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:18-21, NLT)
____________________________________
God, our Husband and our Lover,
we pray for a true heart that loves You.
As a sin-filled world and
the Devil sing their seductive songs,
help us to hear Your song of love alone.
In a culture that worships sexuality,
We pray for protection, and
For the clarity of the Spirit to keep us
From deception.
Lord, as you love us deeply,
Help us to love.
Teach us to cherish our marriages,
To love even when it’s hard,
To forgive often,
And to go home – with our heart and body.
We pray this in the Name of Jesus, that You will be honored by our lives.
Amen.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sunk or soaring?
Sometimes my life resembles an emotional earthquake! You, too? Are you afraid? Feeling lost? Confused and confounded? There are plenty of reasons for fear. Things we assumed were unshakeable are changing! Our political scene is chaotic both in these United States and in the world. The economy is stalled and prospects for a quick return to prosperity are not in sight. Our government is broke. Some say the dollar is going to rapidly devalue over the next two years. Socially, there are huge challenges in the area of marriage and family.
One might look at these issues and choose to downplay and/or dismiss them: "Change is constant and life turns out just fine." That's only partially true. Life always changes, to be sure, but things don't always turn out for the best! Nations do collapse, families are destroyed, people die. Indifference is not a real option.
We can try to turn off the alarms. There are many ways to drown the sirens that signal distress.
-Turn life into a party! "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die!"
-Work hard! We can become consumed in what we do and for a time succeed in ignoring the fear that stalks us.
-Get religious! Some people use religious practice like a mind-numbing drub to AVOID engaging with life's problems. Marx called religion the “opiate of the masses.”
God offers real peace to those who deal with fear in His way! We meet fear with faith. If we try to secure ourselves by performing at an ever higher level, or by seeking affirmation from other people, or by pushing away from intimate involvement with others (isolation); we will only increase our fear. But, if we make the active choice to trust God we move from the instability of reacting to our fears to the steady mature endurance that helps us to hold onto the Lord’s way through Hell and high water.
Isaiah was inspired, at a time when terrible crisis loomed before God’s people, to remind them of the way to true peace. Take a look. Read it slowly, with understanding, even if it is familiar to you. "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31, NIV)
We can soar if we make the choice to meet fear with faith. What is a better picture of freedom than an eagle with wings spread, being carried aloft by the currents of the wind? The Wind of the Spirit will lift us, if we choose to release our fear and embrace His promises. Trust is active, not passive. We look to the Lord to lead. We actively listen for the Spirit's inner voice. We are students of the Scriptures. We conscientiously choose to meet the circumstance of life with integrity. We turn our life to Him, prayerfully committing this day's decisions to His guidance. We stop fretting and ask Him to help us to stand with courage while we wait to see what He's up to!
In this, we are not exempted from troubles, but we gain the assurance we are secure in the Father's embrace and that even death itself cannot separate us from the Father's love! Today, look up and pray:
"Father in Heaven, be the Lord of this day! I choose to trust You. Grant me courage. Settle my soul with your divine Presence so that I will live on purpose and proactively. Keep me from reacting to my fears and help me to respond to Your call. In Jesus’ holy Name, I ask this. Amen." Then, take His strength and go live with courage.
___________________
In 1950, a preacher songwriter named Ira Stanphill faced some huge personal problems and tragedies. From the dark moments emerged this poem which became a well loved Gospel song of that era. A few years ago, country singer, Leann Rimes re-released it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fXin6ofsc8
I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
I don't know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from its sunshine,
For its skies may turn to gray.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said;
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
I don't know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty.
But the One who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One who stands by me.
And the path that is my portion,
May be through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me,
And I'm covered with His blood.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know who holds tomorrow,
And I know who holds my hand.
© 1950 Singspiration Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067) CCLI License No. 810055
One might look at these issues and choose to downplay and/or dismiss them: "Change is constant and life turns out just fine." That's only partially true. Life always changes, to be sure, but things don't always turn out for the best! Nations do collapse, families are destroyed, people die. Indifference is not a real option.
We can try to turn off the alarms. There are many ways to drown the sirens that signal distress.
-Turn life into a party! "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die!"
-Work hard! We can become consumed in what we do and for a time succeed in ignoring the fear that stalks us.
-Get religious! Some people use religious practice like a mind-numbing drub to AVOID engaging with life's problems. Marx called religion the “opiate of the masses.”
God offers real peace to those who deal with fear in His way! We meet fear with faith. If we try to secure ourselves by performing at an ever higher level, or by seeking affirmation from other people, or by pushing away from intimate involvement with others (isolation); we will only increase our fear. But, if we make the active choice to trust God we move from the instability of reacting to our fears to the steady mature endurance that helps us to hold onto the Lord’s way through Hell and high water.
Isaiah was inspired, at a time when terrible crisis loomed before God’s people, to remind them of the way to true peace. Take a look. Read it slowly, with understanding, even if it is familiar to you. "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31, NIV)
We can soar if we make the choice to meet fear with faith. What is a better picture of freedom than an eagle with wings spread, being carried aloft by the currents of the wind? The Wind of the Spirit will lift us, if we choose to release our fear and embrace His promises. Trust is active, not passive. We look to the Lord to lead. We actively listen for the Spirit's inner voice. We are students of the Scriptures. We conscientiously choose to meet the circumstance of life with integrity. We turn our life to Him, prayerfully committing this day's decisions to His guidance. We stop fretting and ask Him to help us to stand with courage while we wait to see what He's up to!
In this, we are not exempted from troubles, but we gain the assurance we are secure in the Father's embrace and that even death itself cannot separate us from the Father's love! Today, look up and pray:
"Father in Heaven, be the Lord of this day! I choose to trust You. Grant me courage. Settle my soul with your divine Presence so that I will live on purpose and proactively. Keep me from reacting to my fears and help me to respond to Your call. In Jesus’ holy Name, I ask this. Amen." Then, take His strength and go live with courage.
___________________
In 1950, a preacher songwriter named Ira Stanphill faced some huge personal problems and tragedies. From the dark moments emerged this poem which became a well loved Gospel song of that era. A few years ago, country singer, Leann Rimes re-released it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fXin6ofsc8
I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
I don't know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from its sunshine,
For its skies may turn to gray.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said;
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
I don't know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty.
But the One who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One who stands by me.
And the path that is my portion,
May be through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me,
And I'm covered with His blood.
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know who holds tomorrow,
And I know who holds my hand.
© 1950 Singspiration Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067) CCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Father; yes He is 'Abba'
Few things in life predict a future of success and/or security like having a loving, involved Dad! Being fatherless can make a child insecure and lead to all kinds of self-destructive behaviors; rebellion, crime, and failure to achieve. In an interview on 60 Minutes, Senator Scott Brown (R – Massachusetts) recounted a childhood with several different step-fathers, a lot of abuse, and delinquency. Not having a strong father made him vulnerable in many ways, including being sexually molested by a camp counselor when he was an adolescent. Finding discipline in sports helped Brown turn his life around but the pain of fatherlessness is obviously still a factor in his life even after his successes.
Christians who accept and believe that God is their good Father gain a great blessing. Many who worship and serve the Lord call Him Father, but do not love Him as such, nor do they really trust Him to care for them with a father’s love. They relate to God as a Boss, as a Judge, or as a Source; but not as their ‘Abba.’ (A Biblical word for Daddy) The Word urges us to love our Father in Heaven familiarly, calling Him “Dad” as a beloved child would. "You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children." (Romans 8:15-16, NLT)
Jesus explains our most basic relationship with God by teaching us to address Him as “Our Father in heaven.” He goes on to tell us of His care. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." (Matthew 7:9-11, NLT)
Then, too, the Word reminds us that like a good earthly father, our Father also disciplines us! "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!" (Hebrews 12:7-9, NIV)
Are you scrambling to live self-sufficiently, like a orphan, trying to protect yourself, unable to trust the care of One more powerful?
Were you poorly or sinfully fathered so that it is hard for you to relate to God as “Abba?”
Go again to the Scripture and read of the Father-heart of God. Ask the Spirit to reveal the depth of your Father’s love to you, to help you to grasp that He is not the looming Authority Figure trying to catch you in failure so He can punish you; but rather that He is the Waiting Father, whose grace is amazing, whose mercy is deep and wide, and who acts always for your ultimate good. When that is settled into your heart and mind, you will pray with more faith, live with more peace, and live a holy life that grows from intimate love of the Father.
"Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need, and
forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:9-13, NLT)
__________________
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,
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
Christians who accept and believe that God is their good Father gain a great blessing. Many who worship and serve the Lord call Him Father, but do not love Him as such, nor do they really trust Him to care for them with a father’s love. They relate to God as a Boss, as a Judge, or as a Source; but not as their ‘Abba.’ (A Biblical word for Daddy) The Word urges us to love our Father in Heaven familiarly, calling Him “Dad” as a beloved child would. "You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children." (Romans 8:15-16, NLT)
Jesus explains our most basic relationship with God by teaching us to address Him as “Our Father in heaven.” He goes on to tell us of His care. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." (Matthew 7:9-11, NLT)
Then, too, the Word reminds us that like a good earthly father, our Father also disciplines us! "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!" (Hebrews 12:7-9, NIV)
Are you scrambling to live self-sufficiently, like a orphan, trying to protect yourself, unable to trust the care of One more powerful?
Were you poorly or sinfully fathered so that it is hard for you to relate to God as “Abba?”
Go again to the Scripture and read of the Father-heart of God. Ask the Spirit to reveal the depth of your Father’s love to you, to help you to grasp that He is not the looming Authority Figure trying to catch you in failure so He can punish you; but rather that He is the Waiting Father, whose grace is amazing, whose mercy is deep and wide, and who acts always for your ultimate good. When that is settled into your heart and mind, you will pray with more faith, live with more peace, and live a holy life that grows from intimate love of the Father.
"Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need, and
forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:9-13, NLT)
__________________
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,
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
Monday, February 21, 2011
"Oh, those idiots!" Fuming and Fussing?
Mark Batterson tells about hearing a speaker named Denis Waitley talk about how he came to live with radically adjusted priorities. Waitley arrived at the Chicago airport and was delayed. When he finally reached the gate the door was being closed. In spite of all his threats and pleas, the gate agent would not allow him onto the aircraft for Los Angeles. He rushed back to the ticket counter prepared to register an angry complaint and re-schedule his flight. Just as he was about to reach the agent, the announcement came that the flight had crashed on take-off, killing all those aboard. Waitley never even turned in his ticket, preferring to keep it ‘as an unforgettable reminder that life is a gift that should never be taken for granted.’ - Soulprints, Multnomah Press, 2011
In the complex world that we live in, I can guarantee that sometime, somewhere, in some way, nearly everyday, we will find ourselves in situations that are not going the way we think they ought to go. Traffic will come to a standstill, keeping us from an important meeting. Our cell phone will go dead just when we have to get a call to the office and we will discover that we forget the charger at home that morning. Our PC will lock up the very hour that our presentation is due. The morning we feel most fragile, our spouse will respond to our need for affirmation with a blast of criticism. The list goes on and on. Are we so in love with ourselves and our agenda that we will give vent to a temper tantrum, treat one of God’s treasures to our word full of contempt, or even shake our puny fist at God for making our life difficult?
I confess that I have been that angry man too many times in my life. I cannot shake the memory of a June Sunday in 1995, when, following church services, we were rushing to our eldest son’s high school graduation. I wish I remembered the day for the joy of his achievement, but instead with terrible regret, I recall bullying everyone; frustrated because some were not moving fast enough to suit me! I got us to the event on time, but my emotions were so ragged, I didn’t really enjoy it! That’s just one memory of too many. I am thankful that those kinds of outburst are much fewer these days. Perhaps I’ve just mellowed with age, but I think the truth is that I have come to realize that my life is not my own. Someone much bigger is in charge of my life and He is able to direct my footsteps and even use the mess ups and missed flights to accomplish His purposes for me.
Near the end of his life, Paul wrote to young Timothy (and to us!) with these inspired words. He was not in a good place. He was not spending his golden years in a villa on the Med, sipping cool drinks and soaking up the sun! He was in a dungeon in Rome, falsely accused of sedition, and facing execution. But, instead of fuming and fussing, take a look at the attitude of a man whose was submitted to the Spirit’s control. "I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." (2 Timothy 1:12, NIV)
This kind of calm assurance was a life pattern for this man. It wasn’t that he lacked fiery passion. He was highly motivated to spread the good news of the Kingdom across the Roman Empire. But, he also knew that his life belonged to Another. By faith, he chose to accept that the things that appeared to be detours were actually unforeseen opportunities. During an earlier imprisonment, he took note of God’s ability to use his confinement. "I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah." (Philippians 1:12-14, The Message)
Stop right now, wherever you are, and honestly thank God that nothing that is happening to you right now is surprising Him! Take your frustration- big or small – and offer it to Him. Surrender! I mean it. Let the tears spill. Shout, if you must. Don’t give yourself any excuse. Confess that selfishness and thank Him for the privilege of walking through the stuff you’re dealing with today with Him in the lead. Let God, be God.
Here’s a word from the Word.
"How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil." (James 4:14-16, NLT)
___________________
My Lord knows the way through the wilderness
All I have to do is follow
My Lord knows the way through the wilderness
All I have to do is follow
Strength for today is mine always
And all that I need for tomorrow
My Lord knows the way through the wilderness
All I have to do is follow
My Lord Knows the Way Through the Wilderness
Word and music: Sidney E Cox
In the complex world that we live in, I can guarantee that sometime, somewhere, in some way, nearly everyday, we will find ourselves in situations that are not going the way we think they ought to go. Traffic will come to a standstill, keeping us from an important meeting. Our cell phone will go dead just when we have to get a call to the office and we will discover that we forget the charger at home that morning. Our PC will lock up the very hour that our presentation is due. The morning we feel most fragile, our spouse will respond to our need for affirmation with a blast of criticism. The list goes on and on. Are we so in love with ourselves and our agenda that we will give vent to a temper tantrum, treat one of God’s treasures to our word full of contempt, or even shake our puny fist at God for making our life difficult?
I confess that I have been that angry man too many times in my life. I cannot shake the memory of a June Sunday in 1995, when, following church services, we were rushing to our eldest son’s high school graduation. I wish I remembered the day for the joy of his achievement, but instead with terrible regret, I recall bullying everyone; frustrated because some were not moving fast enough to suit me! I got us to the event on time, but my emotions were so ragged, I didn’t really enjoy it! That’s just one memory of too many. I am thankful that those kinds of outburst are much fewer these days. Perhaps I’ve just mellowed with age, but I think the truth is that I have come to realize that my life is not my own. Someone much bigger is in charge of my life and He is able to direct my footsteps and even use the mess ups and missed flights to accomplish His purposes for me.
Near the end of his life, Paul wrote to young Timothy (and to us!) with these inspired words. He was not in a good place. He was not spending his golden years in a villa on the Med, sipping cool drinks and soaking up the sun! He was in a dungeon in Rome, falsely accused of sedition, and facing execution. But, instead of fuming and fussing, take a look at the attitude of a man whose was submitted to the Spirit’s control. "I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." (2 Timothy 1:12, NIV)
This kind of calm assurance was a life pattern for this man. It wasn’t that he lacked fiery passion. He was highly motivated to spread the good news of the Kingdom across the Roman Empire. But, he also knew that his life belonged to Another. By faith, he chose to accept that the things that appeared to be detours were actually unforeseen opportunities. During an earlier imprisonment, he took note of God’s ability to use his confinement. "I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah." (Philippians 1:12-14, The Message)
Stop right now, wherever you are, and honestly thank God that nothing that is happening to you right now is surprising Him! Take your frustration- big or small – and offer it to Him. Surrender! I mean it. Let the tears spill. Shout, if you must. Don’t give yourself any excuse. Confess that selfishness and thank Him for the privilege of walking through the stuff you’re dealing with today with Him in the lead. Let God, be God.
Here’s a word from the Word.
"How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil." (James 4:14-16, NLT)
___________________
My Lord knows the way through the wilderness
All I have to do is follow
My Lord knows the way through the wilderness
All I have to do is follow
Strength for today is mine always
And all that I need for tomorrow
My Lord knows the way through the wilderness
All I have to do is follow
My Lord Knows the Way Through the Wilderness
Word and music: Sidney E Cox
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