Terror or Trust?

Are you afraid today?  There are enough reasons for fear in this turbulent world, as well in our individual lives, IF we choose to focus on them. Russia’s dictator bragged of the readiness of his nuclear forces and threatened the West with destruction yesterday.  Our own government is a mess of dysfunction, unable or unwilling to address even the basics of budgeting and immigration.  Much closer to home, many of us struggle with health, or marriages that are broken, or children who have difficulties making their way in the world. And then, too, inside our own heads we hear the whispers of insecurity wondering if we are ‘enough.’

Christian, God promises peace IF we will accept His way, His love, and learn to live in faith.  So, what will we choose today - terror or trust?  Here is what I know - when fear owns our emotions, we never make the best choices. We become reactionary, sometimes angry, and self-defeating!  The 14^th chapter of the Exodus is a great teaching moment for those who are afraid. 

Through the miracles of His mighty hand, God had delivered the Israelite people out of Egypt. They were joyous over their new-found freedom, ready for the journey to Canaan, their home, God’s Promised Land. Then this happened. "When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites were not planning to return to Egypt after three days, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all these slaves get away?” they asked. So Pharaoh called out his troops and led the chase in his chariot." (Exodus 14:5-6, NLT) "As Pharaoh and his army approached, the people of Israel could see them in the distance, marching toward them. The people began to panic, and they cried out to the Lord for help." (Exodus 14:10, NLT)    

Let’s not make little of their crisis! There was an army behind them and the sea in front of them. But, somehow in spite of all the miracles they had witnessed over the previous year or two, those people quickly turned on Moses with angry accusations. “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave? Didn’t we tell you to leave us alone while we were still in Egypt? Our Egyptian slavery was far better than dying out here in the wilderness!” (Exodus 14:11-12, NLT)  The Scripture says that they cried out to the LORD, too, but their cry was not born out faith, it was a wail of terror.

God spoke to Moses and told him to face forward, to expect to be delivered, to move on in faith. He took that Word to the people. “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14, NIV)  We often read that last line as one of comfort, but the Hebrew text has the context of rebuke. The phrase in Hebrew is an obscure one that can include the meaning of steadiness, of forward focus, like a man plowing a field! The Message picks up that context translating the verse this way: “God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!”

When we find ourselves in the middle of a crisis, when we are full of fear, one of the most difficult choices we can make is shut up and keep moving forward in faith. The very source of our strength, hope, and wisdom is the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit, but He is often drowned out by the panic, the wailing of fear.

We know the rest of that story. God opened a way for them through the sea and then closed the waters over the army of Egypt and the threat was gone.

This principle of quiet faith and patience waiting on God’s will and deliverance is one repeated often in the story of God’s people.  “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!" (1 Samuel 12:16, NIV)  

David, the shepherd King of Israel, lived through many crises. His song says-
"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." (Psalm 37:7, NIV)

Terror or trust, it is a choice that we who live in the Spirit can make. Will we?
God invites us to go steady on, to keep plowing the field!

Here is a word from the Word. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:8-11, NIV)

____________

(Video of this blog at this link)

Goodness Of God

I love You Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days
I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
I will sing of the goodness of God

All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In darkest night
You are close like no other
I've known You as a father
I've known You as a friend
I have lived in the goodness of God

Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me

With my life laid down
I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
Your goodness is running after
It's running after me

Ben Fielding | Brian Johnson | Ed Cash | Jason Ingram | Jenn Johnson © 2018 Capitol CMG Paragon; SHOUT! Music Publishing Australia; Fellow Ships Music; So Essential Tunes; Bethel Music Publishing
CCLI License # 810055

I’ll make you pay!

So, have you ever been offended? I feel the stir of irritation, from time to time!  Sometimes it’s a momentary thing as when a careless driver cuts me off in traffic. At the other extreme,  I can remember deep soul wounds that kept me from sleep and even, I confess, provoked thoughts of retaliation. Nursing the anger, unholy thoughts of making the other person pay for what they have done or said take over my mind - temporarily!

Everybody gets angry at someone, sometime. Kids persist in behavior too often requiring correction. Husbands leave the toilet seat up! Neighbors speak angry words over a trivial matter and go on to build fences. 

The issue for followers of Christ is not so much will we become offended or even why we get offended. What’s of greatest importance is this - how will I respond when I feel offended?  

Scripture’s wisdom teaches us that "The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger and his glory is to overlook a transgression. " (Proverbs 19:11, NKJV)  A more modern phrasing sayd "People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs."

When we face our response of offense honestly and maturely, we usually will find elements of pride and/or insecurity. Recently, when I felt offended by another’s words, after the moment passed and I thought it over, the realization came that I was wondering if I were still up to the task, if my age was making me less capable. I heard words through a filter that set me up for offense! Almost always in the offended person there is more than a small amount of self-love, self-concern; is there?  When we get worked up because someone pulls into that parking slot in front of us, or we when find someone sitting in ‘our’ pew, or because our work does not find the expected appreciation, or … (you can fill in your own issue here.)  

We all desire to experience respect, to know that we are regarded with worth.  That is normal and healthy.  A person without good self-esteem becomes prey, subject to manipulation and abuse. And yet, it is also a fact that if we gauge our personal worth by measuring the response of other people to us, we will spend inordinate amounts of time angry or in despair.  

Here’s what I know - what we see as a slight, when we are wounded, most of the time it is not malice in the other person. It is just thoughtless or pre-occupation with their needs in the moment. Maturity in our emotions and discipleship brings about an inner strength that allows us to absorb the bumps and bruises of everyday life, a self-awareness that gives us insight into our own strengths and weaknesses.  A key part of this serenity is the love of God!

The great message of grace is that God, because of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins, forgives us, removes our shame and guilt, and restores our dignity. We, who were broken by sin in ourselves and by the sins of others, are called 'children of God!' And we are not just tolerated kids, either. We are His beloved sons and daughters. When we remember the profound way in which we are loved, anchoring ourselves in this turbulent, often cruel, world, we can become tender, gentle, and loving.  T

his passage is a favorite of mine.  "See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don’t know God, so they don’t understand that we are his children. Yes, dear friends, we are already God’s children, and we can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who believe this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure." (1 John 3:1-3, NLT)

Here is the kernel of truth about this. The more we are filled with the Spirit of God, the less we will grow offended by others. 

John has in mind the need to overcome offense and builds on God’s love to point the way. "We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was right. So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another Christian is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them. We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters." (1 John 3:11-16, NLT)

It’s too simple to direct the ‘blame’ for offense outward saying things like - “She just makes me so mad!” or “He just drives me right over the edge!”  No, that’s really not true. We are not given the ability to shape another’s actions but we are fully in charge of our own response.  Feeling offended?  Take God’s grace to heart... really!! And you will find yourself at peace- loved, and therefore, loving.

The word from the Word is two-fold today.  First a warning - “An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.”  Proverbs 18:19 (NIV)  Knowing that, here is the call of Christ. “Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you.” (Luke 6:37-38, NLT)

So, in a world where there is so much tension, one in which people are constantly offended, let us as the children of God live in peace and pray to become peace-makers. That is a noble and high calling.

____________

(Video of this blog at this link)

Refiner's Fire

Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
And precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
Pure gold

Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for You my Master
Ready to do Your will

Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within

Brian Doerksen © 1990 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing; Vineyard Songs Canada

CCLI License # 810055

 

Make ME happy!

Personal happiness is regarded as a basic right by most people. The idea that we can be most happy by loving ourselves first has become an unquestioned ‘fact.’ “Serve another? Why?” we ask. When asked to set aside our own preference for the greater good we generally react with surprise, even anger.  Our feelings are honored to a great degree, aren’t they?  I make no case for misery, nor do I believe that seeking suffering for its own sake is a wise choice. However,  we will accomplish the greatest good for God, others, and ourselves when we mature into a life in which our choices are made with more in mind than ‘what makes me happy’ right now.

Just being ‘happy’ cannot be our goal in life. We will find it when we make godliness and service our priority.  When a person focuses on attaining happiness, he will change course a hundred times trying to hold onto what is an ephemeral thing - an elusive feeling. That is precisely how millions of people make their day to day decisions and then they wonder, “Why am I so unfulfilled?” After burning through three marriages, moving to yet another town, restarting their live in a fourth new career; they may finally realize that happiness is not a situation or a location.

We are wiser when we make the pursuit of JOY are goal.  Joy is similar to happiness. The difference is that JOY flows inside out, from a life that is centered on God and good whereas happiness is outside in, a product of what is happening (see the similarity in the words?) to us.

Isaiah, the preacher, spoke of the eternal wisdom of God’s word and will. Those who surrendered themselves to Him will discover JOY.  The passage is written in vivid metaphor to emphasize the point. “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.” Isaiah 55:12-13 (NIV)  That is the life I desire, one of so much more depth than merely being happy.  How about you?

A life that yields the greater satisfaction over the long term is one guided by the will of the One who designed us.  Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NIV) On another occasion, a man quoted these two commands to Him and His response was, “Do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:28, NIV)  The word that is translated ‘live,’  is a rich word in the first language of the Bible, meaning much more than to ‘keep on breathing.’  Jesus says that the person who loves God as his highest priority will find a full, rich, vigorous, refreshed existence.  That sounds like the life I want!  How about you?

I remember a grindingly difficult time in my life, now 15 years past. In January, 2008, my father was very ill with cancer and my mother needed help to care for him. I changed my priorities so that I could make the 2.5 hour trip each week on Sunday afternoon to help with his care for a couple of days before returning to my work on Tuesday. I walked, at length, with my parents through that deep, dark valley.  I was usually awake all night because my presence gave him comfort.  It was not always a happy experience, but I found tremendous joy throughout that 14 month journey.  I often came home after those days feeing very sad and exhausted. But, in sharing their tears I gained a different kind of joy.

Disciple, refuse to chase the mirage of happiness. It will always be one day, one dollar, one experience beyond your reach! Instead, choose joy!
Surrender Self to God today.
Love somebody today even when it is costly to do so.  

Listen for the Spirit’s urging today and respond with a ready, ‘yes, Lord!’

Here’s a word from the Word. Let it fill your mind as you prayerfully ponder it. "The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.” Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!" (Psalm 32:8-11, NLT)

____________

(Video of this blog at this link)

Jesus Calls Us O'er The Tumult

Jesus calls us o'er the tumult
Of our life's wild restless sea
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth
Saying Christian follow Me

As of old St Andrew heard it
by the Galilean lake
turned from home, toil, and kindred
leaving all for His dear sake.

Jesus calls us from the worship
Of the vain world's golden store
From each idol that would keep us
Saying Christian love Me more

In our joys and in our sorrows
Days of toil and hours of ease
Still He calls in cares and pleasures
Christian love Me more than these

Jesus calls us by Thy mercies
Saviour may we hear Thy call
Give our hearts to Thine obedience
Serve and love Thee best of all

Words: Public Domain

Choosing matters

What choices will you make today? Some matter little like the clothes you pull from the closet or the brand of fuel you put into your car. Some seem small but have larger consequence like the kind of food you put into your mouth or the words you say.  The inescapable fact is that today’s choices are the foundation of the life you will live tomorrow.  

That high school student who shows up for class, does assignments on time, and engages with her education gains far more than knowledge. She learns disciplines that will serve her well in college or in her job. The husband who takes time for the little considerate words and acts in his marriage strengthens a relationship for a lifetime. The person who disciplines himself to regular saving instead of spending every penny he earns creates a resource that will serve him well in leaner days.

Before I continue let me offer this caution. Life is complex with all kinds of influences overlapping in our day to day lives! We are not machines and a straight line of cause and effect is often outside of our discernment. Bad things happen to good people without explanation. 

Bev, my late wife, was always careful about what she ate, never drank or smoked, got regular rest, and lived a generally healthy life yet in her 59^th year, ovarian cancer developed in her body that ended her life at age 61. There is no discernable reason for that cancer to occur, but it did.  I have known the best and most devoted of parents who raised rebels.  Business owners must deal with economic factors that are outside of their control. That is why we resist judgment of others! 

However, the general principle that we harvest a crop of the seed we plant remains true!  We are foolish to think otherwise.

Love prompts love.

Generosity invites generosity.

Kindness gives rise to kindness.

Investment brings reward.

(Most of the time!)

Are you living in a way that creates the probability of a richer, fuller life in the future?
Are the choices you are making laying a foundation of health, wholeness, and prosperity?

The Proverb reminds us that "The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception." (Proverbs 14:8, NIV)  God gives us the gift of choice, the ability to think, to look down the road, to adjust our course of action. How tragic is the life of the person who lives only in reaction to what comes their way rather than taking action to shape their life around the best and the beautiful.

Nowhere is this more important than in our spiritual life. In Jesus there is an offer of ‘life to the full,’ an ‘abundant life’ that can be experienced by those who will follow Him faithfully. That is why we are invited to be ‘disciples.’ Disciples are, by definition, people who give themselves away in service, who set aside self-will to adopt the plan and purpose of Jesus!  Short-term those choices can be very costly to us. 

Consider this challenge - “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-15, NIV)  It’s easy to drift with life’s current, isn’t it?  The lure of comfort and today’s reward can obscure the promise of tomorrow’s reward.  That is why Jesus calls the path to the life of the Spirit a narrow one. He demands our intentions, requires pursuit, and His will is discovered only by those who are willing to seek it.

Remember this. The way of the Spirit, the life of Christ, is not a fearful one, nor is it found in a ‘holier than thou’ attitude towards others. Some think that to be godly makes one mean, judgmental, and close-minded. What a deception. The truth is that the disciple is living an adventure.  In Christ we find what is of greatest value - love, joy, peace, and eternal life.

Here is a word from the Word. I am using The Message, a contemporary paraphrase today. Meditate on the challenge, then make the choice for life!
"This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life.
It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?”
God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are.

We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.
And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance!
We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him,
then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him! " (Romans 8:15-17, The Message)

So, what important choice do you need to make today?

(Video of this blog at this link)

____________________

Build My Life

Worthy of ev'ry song we could ever sing

Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring

Worthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

Jesus the name above ev'ry other name

Jesus the only one who could ever save

Worthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

We live for You

Holy there is no one like You

There is none beside You

Open up my eyes in wonder and show me who You are

And fill me with Your heart

And lead me in Your love to those around me

I will build my life upon Your love

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken

 

Brett Younker | Karl Martin | Kirby Kaple | Matt Redman | Pat Barrett

© 2016 Kaple Music; Capitol CMG Genesis; Housefires Sounds; Said And Done Music; sixsteps Music; Thankyou Music; Vamos Publishing; worshiptogether.com songs; Martin, Karl Andrew; Bethel Music Publishing

For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com

CCLI License # 810055

Jesus, help me!

When asked the common question- “how are you doing?”- I generally answer, honestly, with the word - “Wonderful!”  I mean it. I love life!  I am blessed with a meaningful life, plenty of food, a comfortable home, a wide circle of friends, support, and four children who make me both proud to be their Dad and thankful for their accomplishments.  have peace of mind and hope for eternity.

Yes, life is good and yet … days come when the chaos and suffering so common in this world gets to me, keeping me awake in the small hours of morning, turning my prayers into sighs and sometimes even tears.  A couple of those kinds of days came my way this week. Remembering the millions suffering in war conditions, sitting with a couple struggling to come to terms with the realities of advanced age, standing with a family broken by an untimely and tragic death, seeing poverty up close, and reading of violence in the streets of our cities - there was a feeling like being punched in the gut. 

Mike Woodruff, pastor and author, calls that a "Caspian moment."  He writes - “When Prince Caspian — the title character in the Narnian Chronicles of the same name — comes face to face with Aslan, the lion king asks him, "Do you feel yourself sufficient to take up the Kingship of Narnia?" Caspian says, "I — I don't think I do, Sir." To which Aslan responds, "Good. If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been proof that you were not.” Have you had your Prince Caspian moment?”

When we are overwhelmed, when we sense our smallness in a vast universe, there is fertile soil for the growth of humility which paradoxically creates the opportunity for Christ to reveal His grace and goodness to us. When our sense of mastery and control melt away we are ready to say, “Come, Lord Jesus, to my life and lead me.”  Or less eloquently, we may borrow Carrie Underwood’s words - “Jesus, take the wheel!”

So many want Him to be their Savior, giving hope. Fewer want to crown Him King and serve Him as Lord. Here in the opening days of Lent, the chaos of the world and the choice to surrender can combine to help us to discover a life that is rooted in things beyond the common blessings of our existence.

Our hope is not without a foundation. Jesus’ prayer for His disciples at the Last Supper before He went to the Cross gives us the promise of a strength beyond our own.  He prays for us!  “Now I am departing the world; I am leaving them behind and coming to you. Holy Father, keep them and care for them—all those you have given me—so that they will be united just as we are.” … "I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They are not part of this world any more than I am. Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world." (John 17:11, 15-18, NLT)

Is your life stormy at the moment? Do you sense your weakness, knowing your inability to calm the storm? 
Rather than rage or fear, choose faith!
Shouting at the wind does little but exhaust us.
Retreating into ourselves in fear tends only to amplify the voices that threaten our destruction.

Have you had a ‘Caspian moment?’
Choose humility. Act from faith, even if small. Find rest in His arms! From that place, you will become strong, equipped to live as He desires, knowing a ‘peace that goes beyond human comprehension.’

Here is a word from the Word - "We are confident that as you share in suffering, you will also share God’s comfort. I think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead. And he did deliver us from mortal danger. And we are confident that he will continue to deliver us." (2 Corinthians 1:7-10, NLT)  Trust Him!

(Video of this blog at this link)

____________________

Jesus, Take the Wheel

She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati on a snow-white Christmas Eve

Going home to see her mama and her daddy with the baby in the backseat

50 miles to go, and she was running low on faith and gasoline

It'd been a long, hard year

She had a lot on her mind, and she didn't pay attention

She was going way too fast

 

Before she knew it, she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass

She saw both their lives flash before her eyes

She didn't even have time to cry

She was so scared

She threw her hands up in the air

 

Jesus, take the wheel

Take it from my hands

'Cause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go

So give me one more chance

And save me from this road I'm on

Jesus, take the wheel

 

It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder

And the car came to a stop

She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat, sleeping like a rock

And for the first time in a long time

She bowed her head to pray

She said, "I'm sorry for the way I've been living my life

I know I've got to change, so from now on tonight"

 

Jesus, take the wheel

Take it from my hands

'Cause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go

So give me one more chance

And save me from this road I'm on

 

Oh, Jesus, take the wheel

Oh, I'm letting go

So give me one more chance

Save me from this road I'm on

From this road I'm on

Jesus, take the wheel

Oh, take it, take it from me

 

Sung by Carrie Underwood

Written by Hillary Lindsey / Brett James / Gordy Sampson

Worth the effort?

The Superbowl is over. The team I hoped to see take home the Lombardi trophy  went down to defeat in overtime. The analysts will dissect the game. In my opinion, the result turned on a missed kick!  It cost the 49’rs one point that would most likely have given them the win. If that kick succeeded, San Francisco would be having parades instead of Kansas City.  What a game, what effort all around.

In my thoughts this morning I am asking - “Jerry, what are you working for? What trophy do you hope to claim? Is it worth the effort?

Is accumulation of wealth my desire?
What I buy will soon wear out, become obsolete, or lose its luster.

Am I trying to make a name for myself?
            Celebrity is a BIG deal in America.
            But, I remember that line about 'everyone getting their 15 minutes of fame.' The public's                         attention span is very short!

Perhaps it is a life that feels secure?
            Nobody likes living in fear of the future but if ‘being safe’ is our aim, we will miss much of                     life’s joy.  The fact is tomorrow is uncertain, end of story.

Because I am a Christian, I choose to be focused on gaining eternal life, on living today in the light of God’s ultimate evaluation of my efforts. Paul pointed to the athletes of the sports arena as an example.

"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 9:25, NIV) He speaks of the 'crown.'  That was a wreath of laurel that was placed on the head as a ‘crown.’ The effort of the competitor was rewarded with recognition. But, that crown had an obviously temporary quality. The leaves soon wilted and eventually crumbled to powder! Did the athletes really work to win the wreath? Of course not. It was the recognition that came with wearing that coveted symbol of success. But even such recognition is short-lived. They knew that another athlete was already training hard to compete in the games, and that another would be taking first place in line soon.

Realizing the relatively short life of wealth, fame, and even security - we choose wisely when we make our focus an eternal one! "So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:26-28, NLT)

Our love for others, our giving of ourselves in service, our willingness to serve rather than be served, our choice for excellence in ordinary responsibilities - these all take on a new kind of significance when our goal is to please God.  Please do not believe that having a meaningful, God-pleasing life requires being a pastor, a church employee, or working in some line of social service. God needs His people to be making their best efforts in trades, in business, and government.  Jesus said we are ‘salt and light’ in the world in which we live. God’s wisdom tells us that "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)

Whatever we do, if we are reaching for the eternal prize, must be done in a way that reflects Christ is Lord of our life. Honor the Lord with your efforts today. As a parent, as a spouse, as an employee, as a neighbor, as a friend... keep your eyes on the eternal prize of His approval, a prize that won't wilt, crumble, fade, or be surpassed by another.

Let’s keep this word from the Word in our thoughts, guided by the promise of eternity! "Because of God’s special favor to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward." (1 Corinthians 3:10-14, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

____________________

Build My Life

Worthy of ev'ry song we could ever sing

Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring

Worthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

Jesus the name above ev'ry other name

Jesus the only one who could ever save

Worthy of ev'ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

We live for You

Holy there is no one like You

There is none beside You

Open up my eyes in wonder and show me who You are

And fill me with Your heart

And lead me in Your love to those around me

I will build my life upon Your love

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken

 

Brett Younker | Karl Martin | Kirby Kaple | Matt Redman | Pat Barrett

© 2016 Kaple Music; Capitol CMG Genesis; Housefires Sounds; Said And Done Music; sixsteps Music; Thankyou Music; Vamos Publishing; worshiptogether.com songs; Martin, Karl Andrew; Bethel Music Publishing

For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com

CCLI License # 810055

Do you look like your Dad?

As I age, I hear this comment often: “You look just like your Dad.”  I really don’t, but I do share his vocation, some of his mannerisms, a similar laugh, and my voice sounds much like his.  Our shared DNA and our many years of relationship impressed him into my brain and though I make no conscious attempt to be like him, apparently I am! People for whom he cared as a pastor for decades sometimes transfer their memories to me. I am glad to ‘bear his image’ and continue the work of ministry that shaped so much of his life. (It’s hard to believe that he stepped into eternity 15 years ago last Monday.)

Here is a question worthy of our reflection - do I bear the image of my Heavenly Father to friends, families, and co-workers?

We were created in His image, made to be like Him. Oh yes, that image was marred by disobedience, the intimacy with God broken by sin. However, we know that through Christ Jesus the image of God is restored in us. He gives us the privilege of knowing God, loving God, and becoming more and more like Him.  The inspired Word says “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NIV)  When we take time to worship (individually and together), when we allow the Word to shape our thoughts, when the Holy Spirit is invited to change us, inside out, we gain the amazing privilege of being ‘Jesus with skin on.’ 

Christianity is often focused on externals - certain ethical and moral choices or religious practices. Those choices are not wrong, but they are not the essence of bearing the likeness of Jesus in this world. Our faithfulness to church activities is not likely to cause others to ask the reason for our hope. But, when our daily lives are marked with love for others, by a deep peace in this chaotic world, by forgiveness and a gentle spirit, by a hope that transcends the disappointments of this present existence, we are ‘being transformed into His likeness’ and Jesus’ beauty becomes visible to people who live around us. This is my desire - that Jesus is seen in me.

There is another amazing thing that happens as we ‘become like our Heavenly Father.’  We gain a quiet confidence, a godly authority over evil!  Moses was sent to the court of Pharoah to state God’s desire to take the Israelites out of Egypt, freeing them from slavery.  He was fearful of this mission, for good reason. He was going to stand before a man others considered a god, a man who was the most powerful person in that part of the ancient world who could order his execution without the blink of an eye.  Moses acknowledges his weakness and inability.

"Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country." (Exodus 7:1-2, NIV) "And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”" (Exodus 7:5, NIV)   Moses faced many difficulties and failed more than once. The divine authority conferred on him by God did not make him super-human, nor did it exempt him from ordinary hardships. But, God did the miraculous through him, causing him to form a new nation even as he led them from Egypt to the Promised Land.

Spirit-filled Christians share that privilege of leading others from darkness to light, from slavery to evil to spiritual freedom, from death to to life. We don’t do with great personal charisma, through blinding brilliance of intellect, or with grand strategies of human programs.  The work is done by people who are filled with Spirit of God, enjoying the quiet confidence of the godly!  This is the truth- "We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. He is the one who has enabled us to represent his new covenant. This is a covenant, not of written laws, but of the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, NLT)   

There is no need to go about blowing trumpets of our own making. We need not act as religious nuts, screaming at evil and rebuking the Devil, to accomplish God’s work.  We just live in His goodness letting His Presence overflow from us.  And others will begin to say - “He looks just like His Father!”

The word from the Word today is the prayer Jesus prayed for us just before He went to the Cross. May His prayer cause us to desire to reflect His goodness more and more. “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. And all of them, since they are mine, belong to you; and you have given them back to me, so they are my glory! Now I am departing the world; I am leaving them behind and coming to you. Holy Father, keep them and care for them—all those you have given me—so that they will be united just as we are." (John 17:9-11, NLT)  "Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world." (John 17:17-18, NLT)  Amen!

(Video of this blog at this link)

____________________

Oh To Be Like Thee

 

Oh to be like Thee

Blessed Redeemer

This is my constant

Longing and prayer

Gladly I'll forfeit

All of earth's treasures

Jesus Thy perfect

Likeness to wear

 

Oh to be like Thee

Oh to be like Thee

Blessed Redeemer

Pure as Thou art

Come in Thy Sweetness

Come in Thy Fullness

Stamp Thine own Image

Deep on my heart

 

Oh to be like Thee

Full of compassion

Loving forgiving

Tender and kind

Helping the helpless

Cheering the fainting

Seeking the wandering

Sinner to find

 

Oh to be like Thee

While I am pleading

Pour out Thy Spirit

Fill with Thy Love

Make me a temple

Meet for Thy Dwelling

Fit me for life

And Heaven above

Oh to be like Thee

Lowly in spirit

Holy and harmless

Patient and brave

Meekly enduring

Cruel reproaches

Willing to suffer

Others to save

 

Oh to be like Thee

Lord I am coming

Now to receive

The anointing divine

All that I am

And have I am bringing

Lord from this moment

All shall be Thine

Thomas Obediah Chisholm

Public Domain

Come, Follow Me

One year ago I was privileged to spend 10 days touring the ancient sites in Israel. Each day I followed our guide. Hela led the adventures, explaining the meaning of what we were seeing, setting historical context, offering insight. I’m sure I could have rented a vehicle, used a GPS, and found the same places but my understanding would have been so much less without that little lady who walked at a brisk pace out in front of our group!  I was thrilled to be her ‘disciple’ for that week, learning as much I could from her expertise.

Jesus says “Come, follow me!” The invitation is not just about taking an interest in Him. It is about becoming His disciple, devoted to Him, willingly aligning our lives to His teaching, trusting Him when the Way ahead is hidden to us. We cannot ignore the call to self-denial that comes with His leadership.

He says it simply:  “No one can love two masters!”  Will we adopt the attitude of those first followers? "At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him." (Mark 1:18-21, NIV)   So often we only hear of the ‘cost’ of being His follower. There certainly is a price to be paid but there are rich rewards, a kind of life found in Him that cannot be discovered in any other way.  He says that in Him we find “abundant life,” life in its fullest now and hope of eternal life.

Will you take His invitation to an adventure? There will be some uphill climbs through discouragement, times when you overflow with sweet joy, mountain top moments as His Presence settles over you.  There will be rocky stretches where He will call you on urging you to ‘press on!’   The key through it all is this - Follow!  I urge you to pray something like this: “Father, help me to find You, to follow You, and to show Your goodness in my life. Give me wisdom to say Yes to the Best! Keep me on faithfulness.”

Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi, urging them to follow in his footsteps in an adventure with God, the Holy Spirit. He had made Christ Jesus his Lord and followed Him. Was he flawless in that choice?  He can answer for himself.  "I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection!  

His discipleship was a work in progress.  “But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.” (Philippians 3:12-15, NLT)   “I press on!”

John Bunyan, a devout free Christian in 17^th century England, gave us a classic- Pilgrim’s Progress. This man, barely educated beyond the ability to read and write, wrote of Christian’s journey to the Celestial City. In vivid metaphor, Bunyan writes of the journey through the Slough of Despond, along the Wall of Salvation, in the Valley of Humiliation, into the town of Vanity, including a visit to Doubting Castle, and through the Delectable Mountains.  In the quaint language of the time he reminds us of the necessity of pressing on!

“This hill, though high, I covet to ascend;
The difficulty will not me offend.
For I perceive the way to life lies here.
Come, pluck up, heart; let's neither faint nor fear.
Better, though difficult, the right way to go,
Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe.”

 Let’s journey on! Remember to ‘keep step with the Spirit, since we live by the Spirit.’  This adventure is not a solo hike.  Travel with those who share your love of the Savior. Together, we will discover the fullness of the life for which we were created as well as God’s rich grace for each day. 

 Meditate on these words of Jesus that speak of the intimate relationship that empowers His followers. The word from the Word calls. Let’s go. Adventure awaits! "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted!

My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father. “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love." (John 15:5-10, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

____________________

He Leadeth Me

He leadeth me O blessed thought

O words with heavenly comfort fraught

Whate'er I do where'er I be

Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me

 

He leadeth me He leadeth me

By His own hand He leadeth me

His faithful follower I would be

For by His hand He leadeth me

Sometimes 'mid scenes of deepest gloom

Sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom

By water's calm o'er troubled sea

Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me

 

Lord I would clasp Thy hand in mine

Nor ever murmur nor repine

Content whatever lot I see

Since 'tis my God that leadeth me

And when my task on earth is done

When by Thy grace the victory's won

E'en death's cold waves I would not flee

Since Thou through Jordan leadeth me

 

 

William Batchelder Bradbury

Words: Public Domain

So, what?

Christians are called to represent Christ every day.  What we say, the things we hope for, the way that we treat others, our love of the truth - these are to make the invisible Christ a knowable Presence.  Paul calls us ‘ambassadors.’  It is a high calling, isn’t it?  The message of God’s love, of meaning for life, entrusted to us, we hope for others to join us in faith, accepting the grace of God and the promise of ‘life to the full’ that we know in Him. But, it does not always work out that way.  Sometimes we are met with a shrug, a ‘so what’ attitude. Sometimes the Good News of Jesus provokes outright hostility. 

What then?  Moses is a great example of persistent and authentic faith! 

In the grand story of Israel’s deliverance told in Exodus there are a lot of detours and disappointments! In chapter 5, we read of Moses’ first encounter with the Pharoah after being sent by God back to Egypt. "After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, for they must go out into the wilderness to hold a religious festival in my honor.’ ” “Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the Lord that I should listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.” (Exodus 5:1-2, NLT)  I wonder how those men left the palace?  

But it gets worse for them!  They press on and the hostility of Pharaoh increases.  He dramatically increases the workload of the Israelite slaves, demanding that they not only continue to produce their quota of bricks for his building projects, but that they now gather their own straw that was used in the process. "The slave drivers were brutal. “Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did before!” they demanded. Then they whipped the Israelite foremen in charge of the work crews. “Why haven’t you met your quotas either yesterday or today?” they demanded." (Exodus 5:13-14, NLT)

Life gets worse for Moses and Aaron, too! "Since Pharaoh would not let up on his demands, the Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble. As they left Pharaoh’s court, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them. The foremen said to them, “May the Lord judge you for getting us into this terrible situation with Pharaoh and his officials. You have given them an excuse to kill us!” (Exodus 5:19-21, NLT)

That is a mess of missed expectations and dashed hopes, isn’t it?  They did what God asked, to the best of their ability, and things only got worse.  Has this ever happened to you?  I wonder if some part of Moses wondered if it would be better to return to Midian and the simple life of tending sheep?  Here is what we learn. "So Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you mistreated your own people like this, Lord? Why did you send me? Since I gave Pharaoh your message, he has been even more brutal to your people. You have not even begun to rescue them!” (Exodus 5:22-23, NLT)  His choice is to go back to God and pray a most authentic prayer!

Paul, inspired by the Spirit, tells us to always remain steady in our work of representing Christ, when we are met with apathy, when hostility comes our way. How?  "I thank my God every time I remember you. … being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:3,6 NIV)  Do you notice where Paul focuses his confidence?  Go back, read it again.  Yes, he is confident in God’s ability, not his own. Are you?  

The work of God is NOT about you or me. When we meet hostility in our efforts we must remember that the conflict not with us but with God, the Spirit. We need to keep our focus on the right Person!  "We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up." (Hebrews 12:2-4, NLT)  We are to be faithful, the results of our serving are in the hands of God.  That’s much easier said than done.  Remember, we cannot control the response of others to the truth of God’s Gospel. The Spirit asks only that we trust Him and make the ‘most of every opportunity’ to share His life and love.

Here’s a promise Jesus made. It is not for wonderful and easy days, but for His continuing Presence in us.  “Everyone will be at your throat because you carry my Name. You’re placed there as sentinels to truth. The Message has to be preached all across the world.  “When they bring you, betrayed, into court, don’t worry about what you’ll say. When the time comes, say what’s on your heart—the Holy Spirit will make his witness in and through you.”  (Mark 13:9-11, The Message)  Let’s do it!

(Video of this blog at this link)

____________________

Battle Belongs

When all I see is the battle

You see my victory

When all I see is a mountain

You see a mountain moved

And as I walk through the shadow

Your love surrounds me

There's nothing to fear now

For I am safe with You

 

So when I fight I'll fight on my knees

With my hands lifted high

O God the battle belongs to You

And every fear I lay at Your feet

I'll sing through the night

O God the battle belongs to You

 

And if You are for me

Who can be against me

For Jesus there's nothing

Impossible for You

When all I see are the ashes

You see the beauty

When all I see is a cross

God You see the empty tomb

 

(An) Almighty Fortress You go before us

Nothing can stand against

The power of our God

You shine in the shadows

You win every battle

Nothing can stand against

The power of our God

 

O God the battle belongs to You

 

Brian Johnson | Phil Wickham

Phil Wickham Music; Simply Global Songs; Bethel Music Publishing

CCLI License # 810055

Heartfelt

We all know that person who is passionate about something that makes their eyes light up, that they will talk about at any given opportunity.  Rich will pull out his phone and show you pictures of his toddlers with evident delight in being a Dad. His joy is infectious!  Joe will launch into a discussion about baseball, his passion for the sport obvious from his mastery of statistics and names.  Another friend is filled with fire over issues of justice, an advocate for those who suffer the neglect of others. She has dedicated her life to working for social change and has no hesitance about sharing her passion! What or who do YOU care about in that kind of heartfelt way?

Now let’s get to my point today -
Is your Christianity a matter of passion as well as knowledge?
Do you really love Jesus?  It is not a meaningless question!

There is this short account of some people in ancient Ephesus who found a heartfelt faith. "While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior provinces. Finally, he came to Ephesus, where he found several believers. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we don’t know what you mean. We haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” Paul said, “John’s baptism was to demonstrate a desire to turn from sin and turn to God. John himself told the people to believe in Jesus, the one John said would come later.” As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied." (Acts 19:1-6, NLT) 

These men had an incomplete conversion. They had made a choice to turn to God but did not know that God could be personally known, that His life could fill not only their head but their heart as well.

I do not want to set up a false equation between head and heart, implying that one is better than the other.  Our Christianity needs to be understood, thought through, and integrated into our daily choices. God, the Holy Spirit, also wants to come to live in us, giving us a real, heartfelt love that makes us a completely new person, inside out! It is a Christianity with passion.

If our Christianity is something we reserve for Sunday worship or special holidays, if we make just about knowing certain doctrines, if it is reduced to going through the motions of religious rituals then we will not know the deepest joy and fulfillment that is possible to us as Christians.  The inspired Word urges us to grow into grace. "So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God." (Hebrews 6:1, NLT) The promise of Jesus is about more than getting to go to heaven, about more than showing up in a church building to feel guilty and say “I’m sorry” over and over again!

The Holy Spirit of God can be invited to live IN us and work through us. When we experience that inner life, when our hearts are changed, we learn to truly love Jesus and the life to which He calls us. The evidence of the life of the Spirit in us is not just saying right words. It is not a careful tending of rules. Rather we delight in those things that make life all that God meant for us. "When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT) Can anyone say that he does not want to know love, joy, and peace in their day to day life?

Let the Good News of Jesus own your heart as well as your head. Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you up.  In simple faith ask the Lord to fill you, overflowing from you. Those men in Ephesus were baptized again, the second time not just being a ‘spiritual bath’ focused on old sins, but rather on a faith in the burial and resurrection of Jesus, into eternal life that started that very day!  When you were baptized as a Christian I hope that you too received the fullness of the Spirit, a new and whole life of faith that touches heart and head equally.

Here is the word from the Word. "For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was. Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also share his new life." (Romans 6:4-8, NLT)  Now, that’s something to be passionate about, isn’t it?

 (Video of this blog at this link)

____________________

Holy Spirit

There's nothing worth more that will ever come close
No thing can compare You're our living hope
Your Presence

I've tasted and seen of the sweetest of loves
Where my heart becomes free and my shame is undone
In Your Presence Lord

Holy Spirit You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory God is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your Presence Lord

Your Presence Lord
Your Presence

Oh God how we love Your Presence Lord
Let us become more aware of Your Presence
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness (Lord)

Bryan Torwalt | Katie Torwalt

© 2011 Capitol CMG Genesis; Jesus Culture Music