Demons? Really?

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Three centuries ago humans regularly died from mysterious illnesses, the causes unknown. Infections were not understood. How certain diseases spread from person to person remained a puzzle until the discovery of germs! In the late 18^th century, physicians figured out that tiny, nearly invisible pathogens called bacteria could rage through the body and often be transmitted to others by unwashed hands, shared eating utensils, even coughs and sneezes.   

 Then, just 150 years ago, an even smaller source of illness was discovered, the virus! Living inside of healthy cells, these microscopic bits of DNA replicate themselves rapidly, bringing on misery like the common cold!

There is another invisible world that causes a different kind of suffering in our lives and in the world in which we live. It is the realm of spirit, the demons that move unseen to destroy all that is of God and good. Some of you are shaking your head, confounded that a modern educated man would subscribe to such ‘superstition!’  To be sure, there are many enduring myths that surround the idea of angels and demons, but of their reality, I have no doubt.

The Gospels, which tell us the stories of Jesus, are filled with His encounters with those suffering under the power of demons. The letters to the Churches reference the reality of demons and the Devil with Peter urging us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”  (1 Peter 5)

Demons are the agents of evil, the fallen angels that followed Satan (Lucifer) in his rebellion against God. Cast down, they remain a potent force in this world. They are not gods, nor are they all-knowing or all-powerful, yet we must not trivialize them nor ignore them. Having said that I quickly add that Spirit-filled Christians need have no fear of them, either!  James tells us to “humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  (James 4)

When we come to Christ Jesus in faith, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, becoming holy temples where He lives. The work of evil, the power of the devil, and the influence of demons is broken by the Presence of God in us. That is why we need not live in fear of being somehow ‘possessed’ by demons. Jesus’ death and Resurrection broke the power of the Devil. However … I must ask …

Do you take the spirit realm seriously?
Do you unwittingly extend hospitality to the Devil, inviting his demons into your life?
How so?

The Bible says that our actions can ‘grieve the Spirit of God.’ (Eph. 4:30) The Word goes on to explain that we make choices that extend hospitality to the Spirit or that makes Him feel unwelcome! "Do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. … Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:30-32, NLT) Another passage warns of giving ourselves over to violent anger which, if held onto, provides ‘the Devil with a foothold in your life.’

Just as a light displaces the darkness in a room, so God’s Spirit displaces evil in us when He is given a place of priority in our thoughts, our words, and our actions.  

Jesus told a story that makes me shudder when I think of the implications. Read it thoughtfully, prayerfully.  He said  “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order.  Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”  (Matthew 12)

Then, if necessary, do some house cleaning. Make your heart a home to Christ and you’ll never be at risk for what Jesus describes in this teaching.

Are you troubled by habitual failing of sin?
Do you feel oppressed by evil, soul sick?
Turn to Jesus, honestly, openly, inviting the Spirit to enter your life in a new way, bringing refreshing renewal.
You can, by His authority, speak to the unseen demons, directing them to leave, refusing to give them the ability to influence or harass you. Speak in faith, dismissing evil in the powerful Name of Jesus, and live!

The word from the Word comes from the amazing 8^th chapter of Romans. Meditate on the promise and live in the freedom of the Spirit.

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death…^. God sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. … Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace…But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.”

Amen!

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(Video of this blog at this link)

 

Yes, I’m thankful

The essay title grabbed my attention - We Live Like Royalty and Don’t Know It.  The writer describes our 21^st century comforts in contrast to the way people lived in America just 200 years ago. Of Thomas Jefferson, he says “despite his wealth and status his home was so cold in winter that the ink in his pen sometimes froze, making it difficult for him to write to complain about the chill. Jefferson was rich and sophisticated, but his life was closer to the lives of people in the Iron Age than it was to ours.”  

We enjoy clean water, abundant food, great health care, longer and healthier lives … a long list of things that result from the growth of knowledge, the increase of wealth, and the construction of amazing systems that deliver most everything we need for living to us. (Let me quickly add that I know millions of people worldwide do NOT enjoy the comfort I know but that is a subject for another day.)

Here is what concerns me. Many of us are unsatisfied, ungrateful, and full of discontent in spite of it all. This is especially an issue for those of us who claim the Name of Christ Jesus, for we enjoy the greatest gift of all – God’s inexhaustible grace and mercy that provides life eternal!

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians begins with this – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”  That is more than a flourish of rhetoric. That is a declaration of truth!

Are you thankful, genuinely filled
with overflowing gratitude to God and others
that creates beauty and contentment
in you that spills from you onto others?

There is a place that we can find in God’s love changes us, supernaturally, from the inside out. Greed and envy die in the life of that person who knows the “joy of the Lord” as more than a phrase.

When envy starts to make an appearance, we must choose to begin to offer praise. At first it may a “sacrifice of praise,” but if we thank Him for Who He is, for His faithfulness to us, for the assurance that He provides all that we need for this day; we will find our soul resting in Him.
The Scripture says “I have learned to be content.” Yes, we must train ourselves, by prayer and thankfulness, to receive the provision of God for the day. The sinful nature will cause us to compare and then, largely, to complain.  When we whine about our lack, we cannot sing of our blessings. 

Here's a suggestion. In addition to a ‘prayer list’ how about making a ‘praise list?’ 

Write down things, big and small, for which you are grateful. That will change your perspective and free the Spirit to create a new kind of joy. Few things cause more problems among people than the ancient sin of envy. It masquerades as self-righteousness, criticism, holier-than-thou attitudes; ugly, divisive things that will destroy our peace with God.

Meditate on this word from the Word.
Let God settle your soul in contentment and go bless your world with His love!

"Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." (1 Timothy 6:6-11, NIV)

Lord, teach us to give thanks – for Jesus, for Your love, for the Hope of eternal life, and for the myriad blessings we enjoy. Amen.
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(Video of this blog at this link)

“I’m a spiritual person.”

A young man and I talked at some length recently about his interest in God. He wondered how it was that I took up the vocation of Christian ministry and stayed with it for 45 years. I told him about my experience of Christ’s calling, about the rewards of sharing hope and life with others especially in times of crisis and assured him that God’s Spirit has a purpose for everyone. I could see his interest and he said, “I’m a spiritual person” and quickly added that “church” was not for him.

He is typical of many who want to know a life that has more depth than simply eating, drinking, and sleeping!  We are created to know and love God!  Blaise Pascal wrote these amazing lines in the 17^th century describing the longing for God. ”What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself”    (Pensees) 

Just being ‘spiritual,’ that is being somewhat aware of things beyond the physical world and attempting to be a ‘better’ human being cannot substitute for seeking to know God and finding Him in Christ, the Holy Scripture, and the Church.

I begin with Christ Jesus because He came, God in flesh, to make the love of our Creator known to us. John’s Gospel tells us that “all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word (Jesus) became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

We read His story in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and find amazing mercy, great love, and a seed of faith that grows into eternal life!  Trusting Jesus as our Savior is just the beginning.

To go beyond just being ‘spiritual’ we must begin to expand our knowledge of God by the careful reading and study of the Holy Scripture, for in those words which are the words of men who were inspired by the Spirit, we gain a richer understanding of Who God is and what He desires of us.  Paul wrote that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

Many rightly say that they are sometimes confused by the Bible, wondering what some passages mean, how they can interpret the ancient words into meaningful teaching for a 21^st century world.  That brings us to the Church!

The fullest experience of Christianity is not a “Lone Ranger” thing, at all! Many bring our American love of independence and self-sufficiency into their faith and are robbed of the best that God has for us. When we trust Jesus we are called into the Church, sometimes called ‘the Body of Christ.’

Not all local congregations do a good job of being ‘the Church.’ Some are more like a social club, or a community action committee, or a political party. Some have lost sight of the Spirit and practice a coldly formal ritualism that misses out on the vibrant life God desires for us. Some are more business than “Body” directed by authoritarian leaders to accomplish human aims.

The Church is living, a gathering of people who love Jesus and one another. The true model is ‘family’ with every person valued, loved, and contributing to the greater good of the Body. Indeed, this passage makes that very plain. Paul explains that “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.”  (1 Corinthians 12)

In a healthy Church we will find sound teaching, encouragement, a place to grow in character, steadiness, true worship, a mission to serve the world, healing for the soul and body, and much more. If we approach our relationship with the body of Christ as a ‘customer,’ seeking satisfaction of our own desires, we will never find God's will. We are called into the Church and commit ourselves to life-long service and love, for Christ’s sake. Sometimes it’s great and sometimes it is awful, but long-term we find a ‘home’ and a place that grounds us for life!

Do not settle for just being ‘spiritual!’  Seek to know God, through Christ Jesus, in the pages of the Holy Scripture, and in the richer, wider Body, the Church.

Here is a word from the Word. I aspire to this life. Do you? “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!  I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”  - Paul (Philippians 3)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

Loved and Loving

It’s Valentine's Day.  Last year, about $14,000,000,000 (yes, that’s billion) was spent celebrating love and romance. Interestingly, about 60% of that amount was spent by men.  The young are more cynical about cards and roses with 45% of people under 34 years of age foregoing those traditional gifts.

The day came to us from the Christian calendar, the feast of St. Valentine. Who he was and what he did are hidden in legend, but we think that Valentine was a martyr of Rome who died for ministering lovingly to other Christians in defiance of the emperor’s edict.

One legend about Valentine says that he a third century Christian priest who believed strongly in marriage at a time when there was much immorality.  The Roman emperor forbade young men to marry, believing that an unmarried man made a better soldier for the empire. Valentine resisted this injustice and conducted marriages in secret. He was caught and eventually executed. True or not, we need that kind of bold love in our world, don’t we? 

Jesus defines genuine “love” for us in a profound sentence – “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John15) How do we do that? We choose to put the needs of another above our own. We sacrifice our advantage to raise another up. We ‘die to Self.’  I pray that Christ will make me a man who loves; wholly and selflessly. 

Love is far more than romance. Jesus was not ashamed to tell a room full of men, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." (John 15:9-14, NIV)  

Let’s aspire to love in that way so that our words and actions will make love a reality for many, with the hope that ultimately they will see the Great Lover and be healed!

Christian love is an other-focused way of life that actively attempts to serve, to care, to be involved.  Those who love this way enrich others and are made richer. When we love in a Spirit-inspired way, people will take note and Jesus said the quality of our love will be THE mark that we belong to Him.

There will be multiple motivating factors for gifts of chocolates, roses, or jewelry today. 
Some will be 'pay-offs. ‘
Some will be given in the hope of winning an advantage. 
Sad to say, many roses will be sent by dutiful husbands just because 'it's the right thing to do.' 
And yes, I believe that many of those gifts and cards will be exchanged with the heart-felt desire to say – “I love you!”

Whatever you do or don’t do, I hope you know what it is to love and be loved. Nothing in this world feeds the soul more than love.  The truest love is far greater than a sentimental card, a vase of flowers, or a box of chocolates.  The best love says “you are a person of great worth to me” - taking note of another’s place, offering gifts of service, speaking or writing words of affirmation, giving encouragement. – to name a few.

Meditate on this today - "This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” (John 13:35, The Message)

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

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(Video of this blog at this link)

“I’ve had enough, I’m done!”

Like millions of Americans, I watched the SuperBowl last night and saw the KC Chiefs get shut-down.  Well into the game that team couldn’t find a way to move the ball. Their quarterback, Mahomes, was knocked down repeatedly, threw interceptions, and struggled visibly without much protection.  

I wonder what he’s thinking today?  Is some part of him saying “I’ve had enough?” or is he such a competitor that he is already planning a comeback?

Most of us, at some time in our lives when we have found ourselves so beaten up, overwhelmed, or disappointed that we are ready to say, 'I’ve had enough!'  Who has not felt the temptation to just get in the car and drive away, leaving 'the problem' in our rearview mirror.

When we are accused of ulterior motives, or frustrated by inaction of others, or even disappointed in our own choices, the temptation find ‘greener pastures’ can grow strong.  Don’t do it!

The worst time to make a decision for the future is when we are discouraged, frustrated, or angry! The pithy wisdom of Proverbs says, "There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death." (Proverbs 16:25, NLT) The course of action that 'makes so much sense' now, may look quite foolish a month from now when the pressure has let up.

Looking back over my life, I can see so many times when the greatest ‘wins’ came out of the renewed determination that followed the worst disappointments.

There are times when a strategic retreat is in order. When we are up against an unyielding foe, when nothing is going right, when everything we try to do meets with opposition- there's not a thing wrong with taking a breather. When we step away, for a day of prayer or take a week's vacation for renewal, it helps us to regain perspective. A prayer retreat, where we get alone with our thoughts and God, letting it all out with a flood of words (and maybe some tears, too), can help to restore us to effectiveness.

Never forget that when we come to the end of ourselves, God’s resources remain inexhaustible and, if we will trust Him and go steady on, He can accomplish amazingly wonderful things.

Remember Paul’s confession? He was knocked down, beat up, and rejected so many times in his work for Christ. There is so much encouragement in his honest assessment- “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”  (2 Corinthians 1)

Are you ready to walk off today,
concluding you are ‘not enough’
or that the situation is beyond redemption?

Find a way to do a strategic retreat.
Find an honest confidante, not someone who will just tell you that you're right, who will help you unravel the knots.
Go silent for a while, take a ride, go for a walk.
Give yourself time to regain reason.

The word from the Word comes from the writing of James. "So let endurance grow, for when it is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." (James 1:4-6, NLT)

Steady on, trusting God. He has a plan and a purpose!

Drinking Poison?

“It’s just not fair.”  The complaint is not just for kid’s games.

When innocent people die because leaders go to war, it’s not fair! 
When a good man is falsely accused and his life is ruined, it’s not fair!
When our adult child lies to us and takes advantage of our love, it’s not fair!
When a friend is self-centered, constantly taking, never giving, it’s not fair!
When our spouse bullies us instead of loving us, it’s not fair!
When a friend abandons the friendship without a word, it’s not fair. 
And so it goes. Who among us has not experienced a situation when we felt misused, abused, or poorly treated?

The question for us, Christian, is whether we will take the road to which the Lord Jesus points in those moments, or will we drink the poison of bitterness?

Forgiveness is at the HEART of Christ’s message, God’s forgiveness of our sins and our forgiveness of others. In the Creed we confess “I believe in the forgiveness of sin.”  We are not saying “I believe God excuses my choices!”  Through Christ, He releases us from guilt and removes the judgment we deserve. There is no fine, no payment plan, no debt remaining.

Our forgiveness of others is modelled on His forgiveness of us. We are asked to assume the cost of releasing that other person from any obligation to us. C. S. Lewis observes “This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single great injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life … How can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night "Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us."

Here is the challenge to us in our daily walk with Christ. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”  (Ephesians 4) I hasten to remind us that the Spirit inspired those words to be written to Christians, not the godless.  Anger, rage, and bitterness do not just evaporate from our lives because we believe in Jesus!  There is a daily choice to let go of Self and to fully release others from the debts they incur, and not just to make excuse for them, either.

God does not ask us to become doormats for the abuse of others, nor does He require that we take a liar at his word again or allow an abuser to repeat his offense.  Wisdom requires that we remove ourselves from some situations, but without a need to ‘get even’ or settle old scores. Christians forgive fully by handing the injustice to God and allowing Him to judge perfectly, as He will.

Millions of people are drinking the poison of bitterness everyday and then wondering why their souls are so sick. They are full of resentment, careful to protect their dignity, quick to make sure others know how badly they believe they were treated and then they go to Jesus and ask Him to forgive their own faults, failures, and sins without any sense of irony.

We need to think deeply on His words in the prayer we pray – “forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.”  (Matthew 5) Would you want God to forgive you in the same say, to same degree, that you have forgiven that person who wounded you so badly last year?  That is exactly what we pray.

When we turn to Christ Jesus, securing ourselves in His amazing, deep, undeserved love we find the ability to ‘let it go.’  Knowing we are God’s beloved child; we have no need to make sure all of life is fair. He is our peace. He is our joy. He is our hope.  I remind you of that text that brings me near tears every time I read it: “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  (Ephesians 3) There we find the open secret of living the abundant life of which Jesus spoke.

Today, let God love to you to life. Then, offer Him the hurt, the disappointment, the fear that shapes any resentment or rage in your life.

The word from the Word is found in Matthew 18. There Jesus encourages us to carefully seek reconciliation with others. His words confound peter who asks -   “Lord, how often should I forgive someone^[i] who sins against me? Seven times?”  “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”

Drink from the cup of God’s love. Discard the poison of bitterness.

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(Video of this blog at this link)

To Whom Do You Pray?

Yesterday I was invited to open the NJ Senate session in prayer. It was a privilege to stand before those men and women and ask God to lead and guide them. When I was preparing for the prayer, I prayed first for myself. I asked the Spirit of God to inspire my words so that the ‘prayer’ would not be a public speech, but would, in fact, speak to the Lord of heaven and earth on behalf of those in the Senate. (*you can read that prayer at this link https://www.facebook.com/jerscott/ .)

Jesus, knowing the temptations that come with public praying, reminds us that our best praying is done in private. He said “when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”  (Matthew 5)

Do these words of Jesus mean that public prayers such as the one I offered yesterday are somehow wrong? Not at all. But, if all the praying I do is done in such settings, or in a prayer group, or at church, He knows that the deepest issues of my life will never be touched. When I desire to know the transforming power of the Spirit, when I want to know God in the most intimate way, I must meet Him alone; and I do!

Quite naturally when we are praying among other people, we will be tempted by human pride to say things we perhaps do not mean, or to try to impress others with our spiritual maturity, or even to miss the point entirely by turning our ‘prayer’ into a sermon!  That is why I ask today – to Whom do you pray?

Are you just ‘talking to yourself?’
Are you really just talking to the audience?
OR, is your true desire to commune with the Lord God, sharing your heart and life with the Spirit, open about your needs, admitting your uncertainties, and leaning hard on Him for the resources you need?

Yes, our Father tells us to bring our petitions to Him boldly. But Jesus also reminds us that if He provides for sparrows, we of much greater value than a bird, can rest assured in His care as well. Then he tells us the true focus of prayer is to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness." (Matthew 6:33, NIV) A modern language text, The Message, richly amplifies His words: "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."  

Our prayers are wrapped in our relationship with our Father, shaped by His love, fed by the faith His Spirit inspires in us. So, ask yourself: “do my prayers reveal a heart and mind that is totally oriented around God, loving Him, knowing Him, serving Him?” 

This kind of humble, intimate, heart-revealing prayer, done when we are alone, should be a regular part of the Christian life. Yes, praying is a word of first importance! That is why the Word urges us to ‘pray without ceasing.’

We pray in many ways with differing purposes - formal petitions, contemplation, tears of desperation, and words of adoration.  These prayers are offered when we are alone with God. They may be urgent words spoken in the middle of life’s messes or patient waiting through times when He appears silent, or even just whispered words of worship. All these, and more, are prayer.

The one constant is that prayer is not about me or you, but about Him: about knowing Him, about learning to live in the center of His will. Prayer, rightly focused, enables us to ‘understand what God is doing and how we can join with Him. Thus, we become co-participants with God. His will sets everything in motion. Our will, directed by prayer, allows us to participate in His purposes.” (Longing For God, Foster, IVP, 2008)

Make that when you pray, you are speaking with the God of Heaven, asking for the best things, ready to receive what HE provides, and trusting Him to hold you and those for whom you pray, near to His heart.

I close with a word from the Word that I find comforting. God, the Spirit, promises to guide us in prayer! Mediate on this passage for few moments, then go to prayer. How I love this promise - "The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will." (Romans 8:26-27, NLT)

Amen

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(Video of this blog at this link)

What to do with your anxious heart

Have you awakened at  2 am, heart racing, mind whirling, full of worry about something in your life? That is anxiety! Have you felt that life is at the edge of falling apart, pulled in several directions at the same time by competing responsibilities, so tense that you cannot rest? That is anxiety! Have you tried to wind down in the evening only to find your mind unable to stop, stuck in that awful encounter with someone earlier in the day? That is anxiety!

Everyone worries about someone or something at least occasionally. About one out of three people experience anxiety in a way that that find carrying on with daily life almost impossible. Telling an anxious person to “settle down” or to just “get over it” is like telling the ocean waves to stop but, there are ways to manage anxiety, to retrain our thoughts so that we are not overwhelmed or controlled by it.

God’s Word speaks often to the subject, teaching Christ’s followers how to live in peace. There is no instant cure, like throwing a switch on a light. It is a learned way of life, which becomes a pattern when we practice the choices that defeat the awful miseries of anxious thoughts.

Jesus says “I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God ^above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “ So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”  (Matthew 6)

What does HE teach us about anxiety?

1.       We defeat anxiety by keeping our priorities right.

Our lives are more than our stuff, our position, our houses, or the balance in our bank account. We must not dismiss His counsel that God cares and provides! How easily do we slip into the attitude that our security is all up to us, don’t we? Yes, we must be responsible about how we use our resources, but no amount of tossing and turning in the night will make a difference.

2.       We defeat anxiety by building faith.

Many feel as though faith is something that falls on us out of nowhere or that it is the special ability of a few people who have learned some esoteric spirituality. In fact, faith comes by practice, by choice, and is made stronger when practiced. We can focus on our perceived lack, on our disappointment, on the uncertainties of our existence – and these are real issues – or Jesus says we can bring to mind the goodness of God, the way that HE provides even for the creatures around us.

Turn off the cable news channel instead of fretting about the state of the world.
Read the Scripture’s assurance – “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” (Psalm 23)
Pray, even if it is just a whispered “Jesus, be near,” that shapes your meditation.
Walk with others who love God and let their faith infect you!

3.       Do right things, godly things.

Anxiety is often accompanied with temptation! We may want to blame someone for what is wrong. We may want to spend money, eat too much, sleep the day away, or find some distraction in things that will ultimately hurt us. Jesus says, “seek the kingdom of God first and live righteously.” 

Sometimes we can only make that choice just for that moment or that day. But choosing God’s way allows the peace of the Spirit to own our mind and heart.

My friend, we can defeat anxiety. Peace is your birthright as God’s child! Ultimately, this peace of God comes from peace with God and that is His gift of grace. Put yourself in His hands. Accept His offer of reconciliation with your Father in Heaven. Let Him be Lord of life.

Here is a word from the Word. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV)  Amen.

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When Your Heart is Broken

Don’t you love sunny days, those moments when life is just right, when love flourishes, when you wake up eager for the new day?  With thanksgiving, I can say I have known many days like that, a life blessed by the goodness of God. Now for the rest of the story … Sadness, grief, and loss will come to each of us in different ways in life. Someone we once loved dearly will grow distant. Sickness will bring pain. Age will diminish our strength. Death will take a spouse or child.

The question I ask today is this – what will we do with a broken heart?

Some become the victims of bitterness, turning inward, nursing their wounded emotions, stuck in the mire of sadness.

Some seek to bury their disappointment or sorrow by making life a party, an endless chase after happiness.

Some tragically try to numb the pain. Alcohol, drugs, and sex can temporarily give relief to a broken heart, but when the haze clears or the lover leaves, the sadness returns.

Some turn to hard work or the pursuit of awards hoping for comfort, which is, once again, only temporary until they must try to climb the next mountain.

Christian, there is a better way, a path to true healing found in the promises of God. It is not as quick to provide relief, it is not an easy road, but it will lead to the discovery of life beyond the brokenness!  It may sound like a cliché to say, ‘take it to the Lord in prayer!’   He does not ask that we are eloquent, nor does He demand carefully crafted prayers. He simply says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened and I will give you rest.”

In the stories of David, we find this tragedy. “When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So, David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. … David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30)   When his life was in wreckage, his family and wealth gone, and his own friends were ready to kill him, David prayed!

Have you read the prayers of David found in the Psalms? He does not tiptoe into some holy place and whisper platitudes. He sobs, he rages, he praises, he curses … and he finds the faithfulness of God. “I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; Lord, do not delay.” (Psalm 70)

Our God, my friend, is close to the broken. The tears that we shed in the darkness are seen by Him and, if we wait for His relief, there will be healing and renewal, hope that comes like the dawn of the day, quietly creeping over us. But we must allow Him to comfort, be willing to accept the change, and let go of our demand for life as it once way.

In addition to prayer, we will find God’s healing in the reading of His Word. “And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15)

Learn to meditate on the Scripture. Read the Psalms, the Gospels, even the Lamentations of the Old Testament. We learn there that the depth of the human experience of sorrow is met with the eternal promise of God’s hope and salvation!

Broken-hearted today? Finding the way forward difficult, seemingly impossible?

Sit with God, the Spirit, in prayer.
Meditate on His Word.
Let the love of Jesus hold you close.

Here is the word from the Word – (Psalm 40)
“I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
   he set my feet on a rock
   and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.”

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Smart or Wise?

Americans watched the return of Donald Trump to the White House with mixed emotions yesterday. Some were elated. Some were sad. I watched the ceremony with rapt attention, wondering what is next for our nation, praying for those who will shaping national policy. Will this Administration match ambitious intelligence with true wisdom? Will the promised changes be formed in godly wisdom or be reactionary in nature?

Do you know it is possible to be correct but without wisdom?

A person can be smart, quite capable, yet lacking wisdom that shapes a good and godly course for life. I recall too many choices, especially in my youth, when I knew the Bible’s truth, but failing to understand how to gently bring it to my world. I had genuine convictions but failed miserably to match those ‘truths’ with the kind of love that applied them gently. I was often so right, I was wrong!

Christian, these are days when we must know how to ‘correctly handle the Word of Truth.’ The Bible commands humility, reminding us to remain in loving relationships, with a worshipful attitude as we move through life. "Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts." (Colossians 3:16, NLT) These things are at the core of the best life!

Remember an exile from Jerusalem named Daniel? He was incredibly capable! He survived being carried from his homeland by an invading empire, set to become a virtual slave in a foreign land. But God’s Spirit rested on him and gave him true insight. He served four kings in Babylon as a counselor.  Daniel never got carried away with pride because He always remembered the Source of his strength, his insight, and his influence.

We learn a great deal about humility in a prayer of Daniel which he prayed when called before the powerful leader of the empire to give counsel. “Praise be to the name of God forever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.” (Daniel 2:20-23, NIV)

In this season of change in our nation, there is a great need for humble, wise Christians who will give thoughtful spiritual counsel, not just to our leadership, but to the ordinary people with who we live. We must not allow ourselves to lean only on our intelligence or our instincts. We need insight, heavenly wisdom that cannot be deceived.  

Pray with me for a heart of humility like that of Daniel and for the wisdom that will allow us to bring God’s message to our world in a way that will point them to Jesus and life eternal!

 The word from the Word calls us to true humility before God, promising that kind of living will ultimately produce ‘a harvest of righteousness.’   

” If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”  (James 3, NLT)

Lord, make us more than smart, truly wise. Amen

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I Deserve …

In late 19^th century in New York City thousands of people lived in poverty with no social welfare programs. One in five children in the poorest neighborhoods died before the age of 6. Contagious diseases spread rapidly in tenements where large families lived in 2 or 3 rooms with 1 window, sharing an outdoor toilet with hundreds of other people.  

Blocks away, rich men lived in palatial mansions with little concern for the poverty of others. The common idea was that the poor deserved their misery because of inferior intelligence, lack of initiative, or poor decisions!

We absorb the idea of ‘deserving’ from our earliest years. When we do ‘good,’ conforming to the expectations of others, we are rewarded in many ways. This can make us proud IF we succeed and leave us feeling worthless if we ‘fail’ to attain social marks of accomplishment.  

When we bring that idea into our faith practices, we miss the joy of truly knowing the love of God.  I am challenged by this which I read in a newsletter of Pastor Mike Woodruff -

Religion says, “I obey; therefore, God must accept me.” 
The Gospel says, “While I was a sinner, God loved and rescued me. I worship and obey out of gratitude and love.” Tragically, the former belief is the background music animating our heart unless and until we drive the Gospel into every corner of it—and do so every day.

Christian, do you really know that God loves YOU, as YOU are, where YOU are, today?
Are you running faster, working harder, to gain His approval, certain that ‘if only’ you did this or that, you would enjoy His blessings?  It is a subtle temptation, seemingly logical. However, it is untrue!

God does not love us because we deserve it. He loves us because His nature is love, His first desire our restoration to fellowship with Him, the Kingdom’s peace our provision.

Paul preached of Jesus and found converts in the ancient city of Galatia. Not long after he moved on, ‘teachers’ came who insisted that certain religious practices must be followed in order to be a child of God, to live in the Kingdom of Heaven. The apostle’s words are direct as he reminds them of the truly good news of God’s grace.

 “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.  I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?  Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard.”  So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”  (Galatians 3)

The most amazing thing to me is the genuine transformation that comes to that person who receives the love of the Father, who trusts the grace of Christ, and in whom lives the Spirit of God, by faith!  A beauty flows from them, far surpassing mere religiosity or moral goodness. Christ makes sinners into saints.

It is terribly sad to witness that struggles of those who are attempting to live as a Christian without real conversion that comes from faith. They may be sincere about their religion. They may sincerely try to exhibit the joy of Jesus, but failure is inevitable; shame all too common. The late Dallas Willard coined a phrase to describe what their predicament is. They are practicing the “gospel of sin management.”  Using various behavior modification techniques, they attempt a life only possible through supernatural transformation, empowered by the Holy Spirit, Who is known only by faith.

The Bible says that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:17-18, NIV)

“In Christ!”  That is different from being a ‘member of a church,’ or ‘competent in knowledge of the Bible.’  It is a state of being a result of a response of faith to the invitation of the Spirit. Will you trust Him fully, letting the Spirit bring a new birth in the family of God?

The word from Word tells us that "to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God." (John 1:12-13, NLT) The base line is not ‘my goodness.’   We learn hard on this fact - “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NLT)

He loves YOU and will grant YOU eternal and full life, not because you deserve it but because Jesus gave YOU a gift of salvation. Trust Him!

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(Video of this blog at this link)

Honest Critic?

The hearings for the new administration’s cabinet appointments began in the US Senate yesterday and I watched some of the proceedings. One of the nominees was repeatedly denounced for marital infidelity and excessive drinking in the past, which he claims is over and done. By his own admission, he needed to change his ways, which he says he has done through a relationship with Jesus Christ. What I found striking was the self-righteousness of some of the Senators pressing those attacks who have past indiscretions of note. I wondered how some could adopt the tone they used without feeling some embarrassment.

Ever harshly condemned another Christian for what he’s done while conveniently forgetting your own failure?

We are so often amazingly lenient with ourselves while at the same time become harsh critics of others. They “sin.”  We make “mistakes.”  What they did we say is “without excuse” while our own similar action is “justified” by our unique situation.

Christian, Jesus reminds us that our way is to be marked by grace. He used a great illustration for the lesson.  “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  (Matthew 7)

His challenge that we learn to live humbly so that our interaction with those who struggle is marked by a desire for restoration, not harsh judgment. We are not asked to set aside the ability to see wrong-doing for what it is, but we start with our own actions.

The principle of humble grace is echoed in one of Paul’s letters.  In Galatians, he writes to Christians who had forgotten the grace of Christ Jesus that changed their lives. They had returned to rule-keeping and perfection in the hope of salvation which caused them to be harshly critical of those who had ‘failed.’

 “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.”

Are you self-aware? 
Do you understand who you are,
what you do, and
how your life is affecting others?

We live with people who need hope, who need an advocate, who are objects of God’s love, just as we are. IF we are open, authentic, and gentle, we will find many opportunities to share the Good News that “the One who knows us best, loves us most!”  Yes, Jesus does forgive sin and by the Spirit changes us from the inside out.  And His desire is that each one of us who has known His grace will make it known to others.

The word from the Word is another teaching story Jesus told. May this wisdom help us to walk with Him and lift others up to share His grace. “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:
 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”  (Luke 18)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

 

The Great Deception

The curriculum for my kid’s Christian Education class yesterday was about the Devil. In the Scripture he has several names: Lucifer, Deceiver, Liar, the Enemy, Satan, Tempter, Beelzebub, Prince of the power of the air – each speaking to a different aspect of the Devil’s work. His most effective work among humans is deception – presenting us with a false narrative about God.

In the early chapters of Genesis, we are informed about his basic strategy. He meets Eve and suggests that God is not good, that what God has said is not true, and that God is withholding the best from her. “He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”  (Genesis 3)

They succumbed to his tempting words and immediately, in the poetic words of Genesis, we are told they became aware of their nakedness – vulnerable, exposed – and they covered themselves. Sadly, the text tells us that they also hid from God’s Presence!

The Deceiver is still at it
for when he can get us to question God’s goodness and love,
he has started to drive a wedge between us and our Father!

Regardless of how long we have been a follower of Jesus – the evil one remains a real foe. The Tempter and his demons play off the real circumstances in our lives, offering us 'relief' from our pain through things that will ultimately destroy us. In the hour of temptation, we seldom see those things for what they are! He wraps up his lies and often they appear to a gift!

Jesus, Himself, experienced the tempter’s appeal. In Matthew 4 we find the story. He was alone in the wilderness, where He was 'led by the Spirit’ He found Himself weakened by hunger, alone with His thoughts.The tempter shows up to exploit His desires, to offer false solutions for Jesus in the fulfillment of His God-given mission.
"Turn these stones into bread. ...
presume on God's power by forcing Him to intervene to save you from yourself ...
take a shortcut to power by giving me worship!"

Jesus did not argue with the tempter. He turned to Truth!
Each deception was countered with declaration of Scripture.  
"It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4, NIV) "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" (Matthew 4:7, NIV) "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'" (Matthew 4:10, NIV)

When we find ourselves in the wilderness of Temptation, hearing the whispering lies that invite us to step away from God, to give in to our desires, to doubt the love of our Father, we simply cannot rely exclusively on our own determination. Who has not told himself, “I’ll never do that again,” only to find himself failing?  We cannot trust our own strength.

Instead, we go to the Scripture and find the Truth. We also must do the hard work of understanding our needs and vulnerabilities in order to live truthfully. We confess, without excuse, our failures and sins and find security in God’s absolute promise of renewal and forgiveness – because of His profound love and amazing grace.

Pray for the Light to shine brightly dispelling the shadows.
Name the temptation as God does, not with the pretty descriptions offered by the tempter, and the Lord will be your shield and strength. The wisdom of the Word reminds us of our strength. We turn first to the Lord, then we turn courageously to face the tempter. “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

Fighting some temptation? 
Questioning the goodness of God?

Here's a word from the Word. May God, the Spirit, give us faith to live the Truth and reject the deceptions. "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes." (Psalm 119:9-12, NKJV)

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