"Buying God?"

"God if You will get me out of this mess, I promise I'll give You ..." Have you ever prayed like that? Every person alive, at one time or another, has attempted to bargain with God! The more desperate the situation, the more likely we are to try to 'buy' His favor. But, such an approach to God reveals a basic misunderstanding of Who He is. He is not a Potentate who waits for us to bribe Him for His favor; He is our Father who invites us to ask for what we need. What makes us think we can make a debtor of God anyway? Paul asks, "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?" (Romans 11:35, NIV)

In the book of Judges, a book of history from the time of the birth of ancient Israel, comes this tragic story - which should be a lesson to us about attempting to make a deal with God. It's a story of unintended consequences!
"At that time the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he went throughout the land of Gilead and Manasseh, including Mizpah in Gilead, and from there he led an army against the Ammonites. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, "If you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." So Jephthah led his army against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave him victory. ...When Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, his daughter came out to meet him, playing on a tambourine and dancing for joy. She was his one and only child; he had no other sons or daughters. When he saw her, he tore his clothes in anguish. "Oh, my daughter!" he cried out. "You have completely destroyed me! You’ve brought disaster on me! For I have made a vow to the Lord, and I cannot take it back."

And she said, "Father, if you have made a vow to the Lord, you must do to me what you have vowed, for the Lord has given you a great victory over your enemies, the Ammonites. But first let me do this one thing: Let me go up and roam in the hills and weep with my friends for two months, because I will die a virgin."

... She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never have children. When she returned home, her father kept the vow he had made, and she died a virgin." (Judges 11:26-40, NLT) Since human sacrifice was forbidden, it is likely that Jephthah did not actually kill his daughter, but rather put her in seclusion for the remainder of her life! That is still a horrific fate for a beautiful young woman.

Jesus taught us that when we come to the Lord - even in those moments of terrible stress - we come praying, "Our Father, ... give us today our daily bread.... forgive us... lead us." He explains that human fathers, though marred by sin and selfishness, desire to provide for their children. That being true, how much more does it stand to reason that a perfect Father will provide for us? There is this caveat: He acts in accordance with His will and purposes. That fact requires great faith, for sometimes He says, "No," to our request, but not because we have not earned a "Yes," but because His plans are different from ours.

So, are you tempted to try to strike a deal with God?
Don't insult His grace! Vows made in desperation may have terrible consequences. Promises made to anyone, including God, are to be kept. Better not to make hasty vows than to live with regret. Religion leads us to try to bargain with God. Understanding His grace leads us to love Him and to receive full provision, for every need, from His hand.Here's a better way to understand your relationship with Him. Read this word from the Word.

" So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT) "And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him." (Hebrews 10:19-22, NLT)

You want justice?

The caller to the well-known talk radio host began to rail on drug users basically saying they were useless human wrecks! I waited to see how the host would respond, knowing full well that just a few years ago he had been in rehab for his own addiction to prescription drugs. This man known for his bombast, his judgments of the foibles and failures of others, and calls for swift and painful justice- fell uncharacteristically quiet and quickly went to commercial break. The caller was gone when the show resumed. Our own failures and sins can - and should - produce a healthy humility in us and a genuine desire for mercy. Do they? Or, do we compartmentalize our own sins, excuse them, and continue to clamor for 'justice' for those on whom we look down from our pedestal?

Jesus told a series of stories about lost thing in the 15th chapter of Luke. There was a lost sheep that the shepherd went out and found. All the people rejoiced. Yeah! Little lamb is back safe and sound. There was a coin mislaid. The woman of the house turned it upside down until she found the coin. All the people rejoiced. Yeah! Her fortune is restored. There was a lost son, beloved by his father despite his sin and rebellion. Finally, the wayward one returned home. The father, who is overjoyed, throws a celebration. Jesus puts an ending that is very different in this story. Instead of the people rejoicing, there is an older brother, a good son who worked hard and took care of his Dad and the farm who sees the joy of his father over the return of his drunken, immoral brother and asks, "where is the justice in this?"

"The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ " (Luke 15:28-30, The Message)

That part of the story is painful for me to read because I see many of the traits of that older brother in myself and in many Believers. Instead of being welcoming, hoping for the return of those who have wandered from our Father's house, we want justice visited on them. We are like Jesus' own disciples who, when a village refused to show them hospitality, had a burst of faith and asked Him - "Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them." (Luke 9:54-55, NLT) It is amazing how quick we are to turn the fire of our condemnation on those we deem to be 'sinners,' and seeing our lack of love as an expression of righteousness!

Jesus reserved His strongest rebukes for those who were scrupulous about keeping the smallest details of the Law of God, but who failed to see the importance of grace, mercy, and love. His words are not softened or subtle! "You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God’s Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required." (Matthew 23:23, The Message)

My appeal today is two-fold.

First, if you're a wanderer- "come home!" The Father loves you and waits for your return. Your brothers may be a little slow to accept you, but that is the way it is with those who grow proud of their own goodness and blind to their hidden sins.

Second, if you're one of those who are clamoring for justice to fall on 'all those sinners' in this world - let the scandal of God's grace touch your heart anew. Weep for the erring one. Lift up the fallen. Open wide the door and invite them to experience God's amazing grace - just as you have, time and time again.
________________________________

Red can't explain the beauty of a rose
And white can't tell the magic
In the air when it snows;
Marvelous can't half convey
The grace of the King,
The only word for grace is amazing.

There's no other word for grace but amazing,
No other explanation will do,
unmerited favor, the song that I sing,
There's no other word for grace but amazing.

Now the Father looked beyond
All the failures I had made,
He never seemed to notice
All the times I did not obey;
He overlooked all the scars
Of sin I had in me,
But the grace that He showed
Still amazes me.

No Other Word for Grace but Amazing
Kirk Talley © 1982, 1988 Kirk Talley Music
(Admin. by Integrated Copyright Group, Inc.)

God and Gold

The financial picture on Wall St. is turning darker by the day, so it seems. In the last month, the Dow indicator is down by just over 8%- from an all time high of 14,000 in July. Is this just a 'correction,' or are we in for a tough time in the American economy? Nobody knows! The 'experts' are divided with some insisting that the dip in values is a normal fluctuation while others are pointing to big problems in the mortgage and real estate parts of our economy that they say will drag the rest of the economy into a recession. Do I worry about the up's and down's on Wall St.? No. Do I pay attention? Yes! It is one way that as a Follower of Jesus I am - 'in the world, but not of the world.'

Maintaining the proper balance between providing for my family and future through sound fiscal management and,
ultimately keeping my trust set squarely in the promises of God is not as easy as it might seem.

Some decisions are simple.
I tithe (give the first 10% of my income to the church) regardless of the state of the economy. I believe that the first 10% belongs to the Lord and is not mine to spend on even those things that are 'necessities.'
I am careful about creating debt in keeping with the Scriptural guideline that tells me not to count on tomorrow's income to fund today's desires. Who knows what may happen tomorrow? The only exceptions to that are for things that have enough enduring value to cover the debt created to own them - such as a mortgage.
I buy reasonable amounts of insurance, realizing that this is a prudent way to avoid financial ruin in the event of sickness or accident.

In a decision that is not as simple, I set aside a percentage of my income in savings, anticipating the day when I am, by reason of age or ill health, unable to produce the same level of income I have today. I also live on a budget, refusing to spend more than I make, saying "No," to desires that tempt me when easy credit offers would make it possible to enjoy some consumer good by pushing off payment into the unknown future. Some believe that budgets and savings shows a 'lack of faith.' They insist - "God will provide!" I agree with that whole-heartedly and to this time of my life I can say that He has met my every need - in times of plenty and in leaner days, always providing for my daily bread and shelter. He also has given me insight, wisdom, and responsibility for the choices I make.

However, I know that despite my best efforts to prepare and to be wise, the world in which I live is unpredictable. The weather, the government, and things unseen - are beyond my control!
So, my mind must choose to trust these faith-building words from the Lord Jesus: "Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? "Look at the lilies 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 flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? "And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." (Luke 12:24-31, NLT)

There are two lines that keep a Believer at peace when the economic storms threaten --
"He will certainly care for you," and,
"Seek the Kingdom above all else."

Believer, where is your greater security - in God, or in gold?
If all you owned were swept away in flood or fire, would you still be a rich man?
If your wealth diminished in a recession, would you still be a peaceful man?

Here's a word from the Word for your thoughts today --
"Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:33-34, NIV)

Smoke, Beasts, Blood, and Thunder!

The book of the Revelation which closes the Bible defies easy understanding. My reaction to the amazingly terrifying images in its chapters has alternately been fascination and repulsion over the years. John wrote it in symbol and code, packing the paragraphs with allusions to prophetic passages of the Old Testament. What does one make of lines like this - "Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion!" (Revelation 13:1-2, NLT) Each of those descriptive words does have meaning in John's code - meaning which we search out with careful study and the Spirit's help.

Many a tortured explanation for the book has been offered over time. In my youth, I was offered an interpretation of the book as a guide to a coming era called "The Great Tribulation" when the goodness of God is absent and Satan runs amok in a vain attempt to usurp God's place as King of Creation. Limiting one's understanding of this great vision in that way is tragic. Some read it as history, as John's way to assure the early Believers of God's ultimate victory as they were enduring crushing persecutions at the hands of the Romans. It is not just a book for a past generation, either. Perhaps both - future and past- are valid ways to read this wonderful book, but it is surely a book for every generation of Believers.

It is a book for those who suffer, those who are wearied by the constant battle with evil in this world. The reader will notice periodically throughout the chapters, various messengers step forward with songs that declare the eternal purposes of God, the inevitable triumph of His plans, and the glory that waits for the faithful. Every tired Believer ought to read them every now and again, out loud, with emphasis! Handel, in his great work, Messiah, was inspired by the 19th chapter of this book to write the "Hallelujah Chorus," which to this day brings audiences to their feet. When we are serving the Lord, wrestling with temptation, working to eliminate sin and suffering in the world of which we part; we run the risk of becoming demoralized. Weariness and despair are always at the edge of life, particularly when we endure those seasons that yield no clue about their purposes. When we go through situations that make it appear that the Devil is winning, when evil triumphs and the good die, faith dims.

In those moments we can be sustained by John's fantastic visions - and yes, I believe we should be!
" After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever." The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne.
And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!" Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!" Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:1-7, NIV)

Don't get so lost in the desire to decode each symbol, to unwrap each metaphor, that you lose sight of the grand proclamation, made time after time by the unfolding of John's vision - God wins!

Believer, read the book of the Revelation - and remember the full name - "the Revelation of Jesus Christ." It is His finished portrait. In it the gentle suffering Savior who offered His life on the Cross, becomes the Lord of Glory, riding out to vanquish His foes. How I need to know that He is both - my Savior and my LORD! "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! Amen.

He will wipe away every tear

Yesterday, at the end of a tour of the battlefields at Gettysburg, PA, where the bloodiest battles of the Civil War were fought in 1863, I found myself with tears in my eyes, thinking not of the strategies of generals that won a victory, but of the sorrow of widows and children whose husbands and fathers never came home. There, on those beautiful ridges, thousands of men died and many thousands more were wounded as demons danced and angels mourned. What causes men to feel the need to settle disputes with bloodshed? Why is it that humans cover such horror with glory? Some may waves flags and celebrate victories won with guns, but I can think only of the suffering and weep.

On Saturday evening, as we sat down to dinner in a restaurant, we could not help overhearing the man at the next table cruelly berating his wife and little daughter, using his 'power' to oppress. His words were cutting, harsh, and angry- a constant barrage of belittling remarks. The wife, a pretty woman, showed the pain of her soul in the slump of her shoulders and downcast eyes. Her demeanor suggested that she was accustomed to receiving verbal violence from this stupid man who seemed to think it was his God-given right to mistreat her. Bev and I hurriedly finished our dinner and fled before I felt compelled to say something! Why do people visit such pain on others?

Friday evening, walking back to our hotel from a service of spectacular worship, we saw a man sitting on the sidewalk, leaning against a lamppost, holding out a little cup. "Just your pocket change, please?" he quietly asked as we passed. I turned and looked at at him, and my heart was touched, so I knelt down and took his hands in mine. He would not look at me, such was his shame. I asked his name, and learned he was called Billy. Then, I asked if I could pray for him. His grip tightened and he asked if I would pray that God would give him a home. In that moment, he became a human being, not a beggar on the street; somebody's son, and I ached for him. I walked away feeling so inadequate and wondered why in a nation with so much wealth Billy couldn't afford a place to sleep that night.

I am quite sure that if we talked today, you could tell me stories of sorrow, too.
Perhaps it is your own - or maybe it is that of those with whom you walk in this world.

"Jerry, why emphasize the sorrow? Why not look on the bright side?" Yes, there is joy to be found. Bev and I had many a joyful moment while we traveled this past week. We met old friends and our hearts were made glad by being with those we love. We experienced wonderful times of worship with thousands of God's people. We are unbelievably blessed! But, we live in a world full of sorrows. In my blessings, I cannot ignore those who suffer. I cannot, despite my overflowing cup of privilege, pretend that all is well. I am commissioned as an agent of the Savior, sent with a message hope and healing to those who are captives of the Evil One. His work is my work. Like Him, I want to let my heart be broken by the human need that is real.

Some may think that this mission of compassion is a fool's errand, that the tide of human suffering is irresistible. But I know the One who has overcome the world! I have read the end of the Book, and I know that in the end He will vanquish evil, wipe away the tears, and invite us into the Kingdom of Light and Love. I want to be about the work of building that Kingdom now even as I wait to see it arrive in the fullness promised in the Word.

Join me, friend, won't you? Let's look evil straight in the eye, engage ourselves with those who suffer, and do the work of Jesus while there is opportunity. All the while, we can be sustained by this wonderful promise.
". . . they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:15-17, NLT)
____________________

Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus lover of my soul!
Friends may fail me, foes assail me;
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Hallelujah what a Savior.
Hallelujah what a Friend.
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! What a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him;
Tempted tried and sometimes failing,
He, my strength my victory wins.

Jesus! What a help in sorrow!
While the billows o'er me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort helps my soul.

Hallelujah what a Savior.
Hallelujah what a Friend.
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Our Great Savior- J. Wilbur Chapman © Public Domain

So you want to please the Lord?

In a long discussion with a person of long association with churches, there was no mistaking his true desire to know God. The paradox was that this man, despite living religiously for most of his adult life, had no knowledge that he could have a close relationship with God. His expressions - even about Heaven - were more of the 'hope so' than 'know so' variety. The longer we talked the more sad I became inwardly. He just could not break through the religious jargon to understand the promise of the Presence of the Holy Spirit. It seemed to me that his religious experience was like an immunization that kept him from catching the life of Christ! He kept returning to the prayers his mother taught him when he was a child, to the many ways he had contributed to the church over the years, and to the fact that he had been 'good,' an assertion he quickly qualified with, "of course, I know I'm not perfect." John, as I'll call him, is not a unique person in this regard. There are millions of people who are merely religious, who do not know the sweetness of a daily walk with Jesus.

A contemporary worship song has this line in it - "I am a friend of God...." I don't care much for the song as it repeats that line ad nauseam, but the declaration is valid. I am a friend of God, and you can be also. The old Gospel song that says in part, "and He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me that I am His own," is not just a sentimental longing. It is a statement of the genuine Christian experience. As I write of my friendship with God, I do so with the deepest sense of humility for I know who I was, what I am capable of being apart from the Cross of Christ; and I know that He loves me anyway! That love not only changed me long ago from sinner to child of God. It is the source of an ongoing joyful relationship that continues to be transformational!

Every friendship in our lives affects us. A wise parent teaches his son early in life about the importance of choosing friends carefully. No matter how well defended we think we are, those that we invite to become more than acquaintances bring their values and ideas to us, changing us even if ever so imperceptivity. Proverbs says, "Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble." (Proverbs 13:20, NLT) Are you a friend of Jesus? Are you walking with Him, letting His influence work on your character? Don't just look back to some past high moment of spiritual experience. Cultivate your friendship with Him today, tomorrow, and until the moment when you take up residence in Heaven for eternity.

The prophet Amos, calling the people of God back to Him, asks - "Out of all the families on earth, I picked you. Therefore, because of your special calling, I’m holding you responsible for all your sins." Do two people walk hand in hand if they aren’t going to the same place? " (Amos 3:2-3, The Message) That is true for those who would please God today. Grace has been given to us. A holy privilege of being friends of God has been extended. Now, we must walk with Him, desiring what He desires, loving what He loves.

Are you a good friend of God? Do you talk with Him, listen to Him, spend time with Him? Do you love what He loves and express your worship of Him in demonstrable ways?
What a friendship! What benefits accrue to those who move beyond mere religion and into knowing God as their Friend. Walk with Him!

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other,... Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:16-17, 25, NIV)

Jesus says, "I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father." (John 15:15, The Message)
________________________________

Friendship with Jesus,
Fellowship divine.
O what blessed sweet communion,
Jesus is a Friend of mine!


TFTD will be sent sporadically next week as I plan to attend the Assemblies of God General Council in Indianapolis, IN.It will be sent out regularly again on or about August 15. Thanks for reading along!

Risk Management

The church pays over $1000 each month to an insurance company which gives us, in return, a promise to reduce our liability if one of our a buildings is damaged by fire or if we are sued by someone injured on our premises. At the time of renewal the company sends a person to visit who reviews our procedures and our properties. His job is to assess the risks and to suggest ways that we can reduce the likelihood of a claim being filed against our policy. He notes all kinds of things - big and small. He sees the issues that I have either ignored or just not even been aware are a risk. "Tighten that handrail." "Install a warning sign." "Add this safety device to the boiler." The risk management expert advises the church of ways to be a more safe place.

If you're like most people, you practice risk management everyday - consciously and unconsciously. You put on a seatbelt when you drive. Why? It is a proven way to reduce the risk of injury or death in an automobile accident. You don't smoke, right? It is a proven way to reduce the likelihood of many health issues occurring later in life! I take my daily vitamins, my 81 mg of aspirin, and eat less red meat. Why? Heart health!
But, no matter how carefully we try to eliminate risk factors in our lives - the unexpected happens.

Yesterday (August 1, 2007) residents of Minneapolis, Minnesota were commuting home from work on I-35 around 6 pm local time. As traffic slowed to a crawl due to construction, about 50 vehicles were on a six lane bridge that spanned the Mississippi River when it suddenly collapsed. Several people died, dozens were injured. Who could have anticipated that 'risk?' Not any of those drivers, to be sure. We all deal with issues beyond our abilities of control everyday. If we thought about each tiny risk, every possible danger, we would be unable to leave our home - and even there we would be in some danger of the unexpected.

In our increasingly complex world is it any wonder that more and more people are full of anxiety? What we fail to realize is that while some risks have increased, many have decreased as a result of safer cars, better roads, more understanding of health concerns, and legislation that governs our environs. But, because we have a window on the world in our television which brings tragedies far and wide into our living room, many of feel less safe despite the fact that we live longer and more safely than any previous generation of Americans!

We cannot eliminate all risk. The unavoidable fact is we are mortals and ... well, need I state the obvious? So how can we live with serenity? Set your hope in God! As I've written many times, our faith does not exempt us from all of life's difficulties. Followers of Jesus experience the same kind of accidents and illnesses that are common to humanity. The difference is that we never walk alone! Even in death, we have a Friend who is with us. The Bible says, "Since God assured us, "I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote, 'God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?' " (Hebrews 13:5-6, The Message) Don't let those words just be a motto, a saying repeated in crisis time for comfort. Make them the core of your life. When anxiety creeps up on you (and it will) make a decision to trust God completely.

The Word teaches us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil." (Proverbs 3:5-7, NLT) Talk about having a risk management expert! Seek Him and He will direct you. Admit your need of guidance and He'll give you insight! Do what is right in His sight and enjoy His provision of peace in the middle of life's storms.

Life is unpredictable. You and I can do all we are able to do but things beyond our control still happen. We can live fearfully or we can live faithfully. That is our choice.
"Have you never heard? Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint."(Isaiah 40:28-31, NLT)

Are you making Popeye's confession?

The little cartoon sailor, Popeye, was an unassuming guy who faced the villains, particularly Bluto, that desired his destruction, or at least his girl, Olive Oyl! At the moment that all seemed lost he managed to defeat his foes by consuming a can of spinach which made a miraculous trip to his amazing forearms. But it is one of his signature lines that comes to memory today - "I y'am what I y'am and thats alls I y'am!" Popeye was the same, never changing, comforted by this declaration. It's his way of saying "don't ask me to adapt, to change, or to adjust. I'm just Popeye, the sailor man." Toot, toot! There are many Believers who make the Popeye confession and remain stuck in the same old patterns of life, too.

Are you one of those Believers who has convinced himself that you are who you are, that your personality and habits are unchangeable? Have you come to Christ for forgiveness and then settled into a pattern of challenge, failure, shame, repentance, restoration.... only to do it all over again, and again, and again?

Then, you've believed a lie! Each one of us deals with tendencies to sin and we will until the day of our transformation from a creature of this world to a citizen of Glory. Understanding and accepting the reality of having a sinful nature must not keep us from the sure promise that when we come to Christ a spiritual nature is made alive in us by the Spirit! These two natures are conflict, but if we believe we are the hapless victims of sin and Satan, we have not come to the full Truth of the Good News of Jesus Christ. In Him, we can and we should grow up spiritually and gain increasing victory over sin! Let me illustrate from my own experience. Since childhood I have dealt with a temperament that is prone to anger. I am not proud of that fact, nor does it please me to admit that episodes of ungodly anger appear too often in the record of my life. In my youth, I readily gave vent to that anger, accepting it as 'just who I am.' For years I hid behind Popeye's confession! I excused temperish outburst as an inevitable expression of my personality. The Spirit of God and the Word spoke to me and showed me that what I excused was a sin against others and against God. And He called me to change, a process which is ongoing by His grace and with great effort! Am I still tempted by anger? Yes! Am I still prone to temperish outbursts? No! (I know that by writing this I am inviting a new assault of temptation! Lord, help me!) But, this I know: the Spirit of God working with me and in me. Praise Him!

Peter writes to Believers telling us that change is not only possible, but required.
He says, "May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.... the promises ... enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. " (2 Peter 1:2, 4 NLT) Sounds hopeful, doesn't it? Victory over the temptations around us is possible. Is total perfection possible? Why ask that question? How about just dealing with what needs to be dealt with today?

Peter envisions a process of change, building a life - one choice at a time - as God empowers us, that demonstrates the character of Jesus. He does not ask us to do it all by ourselves, nor does he teach us to expect that God will do it all for us! He says, "Make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away." (2 Peter 1:4-10, NLT)

Don't make peace with temptation. Don't invite sin to live in your house. It is a terrible guest that moves in, takes over, and brings undesirables by the dozen. Instead, admit to God where there are gaps between who you are and who you know that He wants you to be. Then, begin to change. Learn the Truth about Who He is, what He has promised, and the power He provides. Create strategies for the defeat of evil. Build alliances that strengthen resolve. Change today!

Take this word from the Word and believe it. "You were taught about Jesus Christ. He is the truth, and you heard about him and learned about him. You were told that your foolish desires will destroy you and that you must give up your old way of life with all its bad habits. Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person. You were created to be like God, and so you must please him and be truly holy." (Ephesians 4:20-24, CEV)
___________________

Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou biddest me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind,
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just As I Am © Public Domain
William Bradbury

Living Hope!

A person without hope is the saddest person in the world. I know, for I've been on the doorstep of that bleak house. In the mid-1990's, I battled with severe depression. I experienced the terrible blackness that descends when it appears that there is no tomorrow, no reason for a new day to dawn. For several months at that time, I awakened each morning with an awful sense of futility shrouding every thought. The question - 'why go on living? was never far from my conscious thoughts. There were two faint glimmers of light that flickered into that dark time - the promises of God and the love of my family. I clung, desperately to the truth of Scripture, though a part of my mind insisted that I was unworthy - that others might experience His loving grace - but not me. My family held onto me, loving me when I was silent, patiently waiting for their husband and father to reappear. Who knows the 'why' of depression? Was it brain chemicals out of balance, spiritual attacks waged to destroy me, or the result of disappointment in life? Probably there is some combination of those factors, but I experienced it as a time of almost total loss of hope. And, I thank God for allowing me to walk that road, for it changed me for the better, in every way.

It need not be clinical depression that causes the loss of hope. Chronic illness, accumulated disappointments in life, financial ruin, rejection of those we love - are but a few reasons that hope fades, replaced with resignation and/or despair. For the Believer, however, the great hope of life is set outside of this world, beyond the circumstances of the moment. Peter writes this amazingly wonderful passage of promise. Read it thoughtfully - "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:3-7, NIV)

The promise of eternal life, of a glorious existence in the Presence of God, is our living hope! This hope cannot be stolen from us for we are protected by the strength of God, which we own now by faith. "Yes," Peter, acknowledges, "there will be grief and trials along the way. But even these are reasons for hopefulness. They are refining our relationship with Jesus and causing those who see us standing strong to realize that Jesus Christ is worthy of praise!" Out of this gift of faith, comes an amazing result. "Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy." (1 Peter 1:8, NLT) Believer, when we set our hope on Heaven, when we make success in life, money, safety, health, and reputation secondary to faith in Jesus Christ - real joy grows in our hearts. Paul overcame the difficulties of his life with this quality of faith. He declared, "If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else?" (Romans 8:31-32, CEV)

Are you fighting with despair? Are you attempting to soothe the ache in your heart with something of this earth - sex, food, pleasure, diversion? These things can be fun - for a moment. Sin is gratifying at the time in which we plunge into it. But, ultimately, sin only deepens despair! When the music goes silent, when we sober up, when the affair is over - shame and guilt come to collect their terrible payment.

Believer, seek God!

Make the choice that Moses made - "He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward." (Hebrews 11:25-26, NLT)

Learn from the Lord Jesus "who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! " (Hebrews 12:2-3, The Message)

May you find a living hope through faith.

What a Friend

Dennis Kozlowski was born in a poor neighborhood in Newark, NJ. With a combination of amazing ambition and incredible opportunity, he climbed the corporate ladder becoming the Chief Executive Officer of Tyco, International. His drive turned a small, unknown company into a profitable multi-national one, that made money for a lot of people. Along the way, Dennis lost his way! Making over $100 million a year, he became a symbol of greed and excess. There was a $60 million private yacht, a $2 million birthday party, the mansions in Boca Raton, Colorado, and New York, and private jets on call. Convicted of wrongfully using his company's funds and tax evasion, he now occupies a small cell in a New York State Prison. The money is almost all gone, and, he is mostly alone! His wife, Karen, on whom he lavished gifts, divorced him. His friends disappeared. In an interview with 60 Minutes (CBS News) he sadly admitted that they didn't care for Dennis, but rather for Dennis' money.

Solomon observed that "Wealth makes many "friends"; poverty drives them all away." (Proverbs 19:4, NLT) Jesus told a story about a young man who took his inheritance and went off to the big city where he "wasted all his money in wild living." (Luke 15:13, NLT) He ended up alone, working for a pig farmer, and thinking about home. Who wanted to hang out with a guy who was broke and homesick? That's the universal human experience. When we are winning at life, full of laughter, and going strong - everybody wants to be a friend. When the bad times come, sometimes as a result of our sinful and/or stupid choices and sometimes for reasons we cannot begin to understand, many of our 'friends' disappear. In those moments we discover who really loves us, don't we?

A person who invests himself in building a network of real friends, not just party associates, is a wise man! One of my goals as a Believer is to love others authentically, not just the beautiful, the whole, and the happy, but all those that are part of God's great big wonderful family. I want to filled with the heart of Jesus who loved the broken and cared about the hurting. The religious elite in Jesus' time hurled this 'accusation' at Him - "he is a friend of sinners." Those that they considered the outcasts of society, were not beneath Jesus' friendship. I know about that because- He loves me! At the point in my life when I was most broken, spiritually and emotionally, He was there. That's the kind of man I want to be for those who are my friends, a true friend for all times.

Acceptance should be the mark of the true Christian. Jesus said that our love for each other would distinguish us from the rest of the world. What kind of love? Certainly not the highly conditional kind that is withdrawn at the moment of failure, sickness, or misfortune! The quality of love that marks us is modeled on His love, a love that cost Him His life which He gave on our behalf while we were still rejecting Him, doing our own thing. His love for us is powerful. "First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both." (1 John 4:19-21, The Message)

Know somebody who needs a friend? Be a friend to them! Make the measure of the quality of your friendship, the friendship you have received from God.
____________________

What a friend I've found,
Closer than a brother;
I have felt Your touch,
More intimate that lovers.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,Friend forever.

What a hope I've found,
More faithful than a mother;
It would break my heart
To ever lose each other.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,Friend forever.

What a Friend© Martin Smith 1996 Curious? Music UK (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055

Have you considered the outcome?

Bill Mason is an intelligent man. He was on the road to a successful life. Financially, he was doing well. He was happily married. A property manager by day, he became a jewel thief by night, and a very good one at that. He loved the thrill of finding a rich prospect, casing the apartment where the person lived, making a plan, getting in, and grabbing the jewelry. He stole gems worth millions of dollars from the wealthy, the famous, and celebrities. Then, he got caught.

The first time around he caught a big break, got immunity in exchange for his testimony, and was slapped on the wrist by the justice system. Did he learn his lesson? No! Within two years, he was back at it, addicted to the thrill and the easy money. He got caught again, did several years in prison, was divorced by his wife, and destroyed his life. Now older and seemingly wiser, he wonders he would be living today if he had thought of the future, instead of chasing the thrill of the moment; if he would be successful, still with his first wife, whom he loved?

Most of us won't become thieves or criminals like Bill Mason, but a lot of us will look for shortcuts through life, for the easy way to 'success,' however we define that. Solomon wryly observed - "There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell. " (Proverbs 14:12, The Message) Whether it is personal integrity, spiritual maturity, financial success, or building a solid marriage; this is the truth - it takes wisdom to see beyond today and requires sustained effort!

God teaches us about the law of planting and harvest and it is not just true about what we put in our gardens! It is true in everyway. We must keep in mind that what we plant is what we will harvest; that we will harvest more than we planted; and that we will harvest only after we plant seeds!

Hosea preached to God's people urging them to plant for a good harvest.
"Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’

"But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies..." (Hosea 10:12-13, NLT)

One reason some give in to the temptation of the quick and easy way is that the results are so immediate! A person without integrity buys a degree online, exaggerates her experience, and maybe gets the job she wants. It looks so easy! But, then when she is exposed as a fraud, she loses it all! A person with integrity who wants to prepare for a long career put years in the classroom getting her degrees, takes the entry level job, deals with boring, miserable situations so that she can ultimately own the dream God put in her heart.

Take a lesson from the garden - weeds grow without cultivation. They grow quickly but they produce no fruit! If someone offers you a way that is 'too good to be true,' it is! If an opportunity appears that looks like a shortcut to the top, it will almost certainly lead to disaster.

Offer yourself to the Lord today. Ask Him to give you the courage, the wisdom, the patience to plant for a good harvest. Here's a word from the Word to meditate on today. It's familiar, but do not rush through it. Read with understanding, asking God to plant it deep in your heart.

"Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up." (Galatians 6:7-9, NLT)

Faith shows its true colors!

Yesterday I felt a lot of heartache. My friend, Joe, was having surgery to determine the extent of his colon cancer. I called his daughter to pray with her and found myself in tears as we talked to the Lord about her Dad. Another couple emailed to tell me that despite our fervent and hopeful prayers, they were not pregnant. I cried again, I think as much in frustration with the apparent silence of God in that situation as over disappointment. Another call came telling me of a man who is compounding his pain with one bad decision piled on another. I cried again, saddened by his blindness, praying for the Light to dawn on him. By noontime, I got in my car and drove away from the church thinking - "No more tears today." But those who were suffering went with me, carried in my mind and heart. I remained prayerfully broken-hearted for much of the day. Is that a bad thing? Not really.

Providentially, my study of the Scripture for the day was 'on point' as we say. Here's the text - "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors." (James 1:2-3, The Message) That is quite true! Normally on a Wednesday morning, I would busy myself with finishing notes for the evening's Bible study class, answering phone calls, making contacts, writing letters; the stuff a Pastor does. Not yesterday! Several times during the morning, my heart became so heavy for those I love that I pushed away from my desk to walk into the hallway and breath a prayer; more like sigh really. Yes, indeed, my faith-life was forced into the open, my dependence on the Lord more obvious. The demand for prayer persisted even into the wee hours of this morning, when I spent time with the Lord- called from sleep by the urgency of lifting those who suffer to Him.

We're so enthralled with the beautiful, the whole, and the happy that we sometimes deliberately close our eyes to the presence of the disfigured, the broken, and the sad. "Don't worry, be happy!" goes the catchy tune which describes what many want as the ideal life - one with unclouded skies and endless laughter. But the Bible reminds us that there is something about those who are 'not perfect' (are any of us perfect, really?) that God can use to help us become kinder, gentler, and more loving people - if we let ourselves be touched by true need. Don't get me wrong. I'm not asking for cancer, nor am I romanticizing the pain of deformity or sickness! But I am believing what the Bible teaches - that suffering plays a role in pulling me to Christ, in making me a better person than I likely would be if I never encountered a tough situation or shed a tear.

Stan Guthrie deals with moderate cerebral palsy. In an article contained in July, '07 issue of Christianity Today, he talks about 'stumbling after Jesus,' describing how his disability creates opportunity for God's grace to be made known in the world. From that unique perspective his words about suffering carry a powerful authority.
"I worry about our society's desire to engineer trials out of existence. ...
The Christian life was never meant to be a cakewalk, discipleship requires suffering, and spiritual victory presupposes struggle. ...
Carrying the burdensome cross on the way to his execution, Jesus publicly stumbled and fell - a humiliation many of who are 'differently abled' are all too familiar with. ...
We must not come to abhor those who suffer nor fear the trials that inevitably come our way. They are, to borrow an old phrase, means of grace. Only through suffering, disappointment, and death - and the rude remarks of children - are we weaned from the love of this world. There's more to life than happiness."

Beware of those who claim that Jesus Christ exempts the faithful from all sadness. Reject the twisted doctrine that teaches that with enough faith you can erase all disappointment, claim your prosperity, and make God do your bidding! He is God, and I am not. His ways, are higher than our ways. Yes, we work to build His kingdom and defeat the Curse of sin and suffering through Christ Jesus- but along the way to Heaven we will encounter plenty of it; and God will use it to mature us, to grow us deep in faith, and to release His grace into our lives, which will make something beautiful of our lives, beyond what we could ever be apart from His grace transformations. A broken heart can be like a prism which breaks white light into a rainbow of brilliant colors. As the Light of Christ shines through us we will refract the colors of faith before our world.

Here's a word from the Word for your thoughts today:
"God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor." (James 4:6-10, NLT)

Zealous, for what?

Ambition is one of those things that can be a blessing or a curse.

A person without ambition very likely will become a parasite who depends on others to keep him alive! Solomon's proverbs refer to the man without ambition as a 'sluggard,' and observes "A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing." (Proverbs 20:4, NIV) This man waits for life to happen, waits for easy money, big moments, and breaks. The consequence? A wasted life given to triviality.


At the other extreme, a person too full of ambition consumes everyone around him, turning people into objects to be used in his blind pursuit of fame, wealth, and power. This man is too busy chasing his dreams to be concerned with love, family, or loyalty. He's all about 'being somebody' in this world.

The balance is found in being ambitious about doing what God has called you to do in the best way possible, but always for His glory. The Word urges us to "make the most of every opportunity." (Col. 4.5) That is coupled with this admonition - "...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31, NLT) Staying centered on that path, where we work hard and strive for excellence while keeping ego in check, requires a daily conversation with the Holy Spirit, regularly examining our heart asking Him to show us the smallest evidence of selfish ambition. Finding it, we must deal with it ruthlessly, or it will quickly corrupt everything we do. One way to know when ambition has gone wrong is to ask, "whose approval am I seeking?" If you're asking - 'what would the neighbors think of me now?' or 'how can I impress him/her?' or 'do I look good (and I'm not talking about your hair!)?' - you're aiming at the wrong goal. Somebody said we perform for an 'audience of One.' Our ambition is to please Him - always.

James says that selfish ambition, the way of the world, is devilishly destructive. Godly ambition will fill our lives with a harvest of good things!
He writes - "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:13-18, NIV)

I want to make a difference in this world before God calls me home. That thought is never far from my conscious mind. "What are you doing today, Jerry, that is making the world in which you live a little better place?" But, I know it's a loaded question that can be answered wrongly if I begin to measure making a difference in any way other than faithfully seeking and doing God's will. I don't always get it right, either! Too many nights as I lay my head on my pillow and review the day prayerfully, my true motives become clear and I realize that what I said, what I did, was aimed at securing my place in this world or shining the spotlight on my reputation. But, thank the Lord, He is ready to forgive and to change my heart. And then, too, there are those moments when I sense the Spirit of God offering approval when I have served Him and in some small way built up the Kingdom of God.

Don't settle for drifting through life! Find out what God wants from you, then pursue it with your whole heart - always for the glory of God.

The worth of another - what measure?

Paris Hilton attracted a huge amount of attention recently when she was sent to county jail for a charge of driving with a suspended license. TV networks devoted hundreds of hours to covering the story that was basically meaningless. But then again, Paris always attracts attention, doesn't she? You know who she is, don't you? Why do people pay attention to her? It is not that she has changed the world by some great act of selfless service! It is not that she is brilliant and has made some discovery that will bring benefit to millions. She is young, pretty, and rich! On the same day that Paris was sent to jail, hundreds of other women were also locked up all over America but nobody cared for the majority of them because they were poor.

Wealth has always attracted the attention of others - as far back as we can track history! Money is a magnet. Access to resources gives a person power over others; the ability to buy services and influence.

Believer - among God's people things should be different. Are they? It's a tough thing to face in ourselves - to admit that we are biased in favor of those who appear to have more wealth! But, apart from an ongoing transformational work of the Holy Spirit, we will value people differently based on the mere appearance that they have wealth. James, in his letter to Believers, addresses this issue. He says, "if you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, you won’t treat some people better than others. Suppose a rich person wearing fancy clothes and a gold ring comes to one of your meetings. And suppose a poor person dressed in worn-out clothes also comes. You must not give the best seat to the one in fancy clothes and tell the one who is poor to stand at the side or sit on the floor. That is the same as saying that some people are better than others, and you would be acting like a crooked judge. My dear friends, pay attention. God has given a lot of faith to the poor people in this world. He has also promised them a share in his kingdom that he will give to everyone who loves him. . . . You will do all right, if you obey the most important law in the Scriptures. It is the law that commands us to love others as much as we love ourselves." (James 2:1-8, CEV)

Today, let's invite the Spirit to show us where subtle bias for the rich is creeping into our lives. Let's ask the Lord to help us to show the same courtesy, to extend the same respect to the person who is poor as we would to the one with wealth. I want to have the Spirit's view of people; that sees each person for his character, that is aware of the spiritual needs of others regardless of the way they are dressed. the home they occupy, or the car they drive! If we treat the rich differently, another sin will find a place to take root in our hearts, envy. James warns us about that, too. "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:13-16, NIV)

Contrast that kind of life with the one that is satisfied with God and good. Then, may you choose to live God's way! "True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. . . . So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction." (1 Timothy 6:6-10, NLT)

_________________

Father, thank you for the promise that
You will provide me with all that I need,
if I will trust You with my life.

Help me, Lord, to be contented with the things I have,
accepting of each blessing You allow me to enjoy
without wanting what another has.Protect me from the sins of prejudice and envy.

Show me any place where they have taken root in my heart,
and help me to dig them out, to become a man who loves others like Jesus did.
To the glory of Your Name, I pray.

Amen.

Point me in the right direction, Lord!

Do you ever deal with being anxious? At one time or another, we all do. Health issues, financial decisions, job choices, the future of our children's lives, our businesses - are all potential sources of worry. On more than a few nights my eyes refuse to close in restful sleep while my mind does calculations about some personal challenge, a decision I need to make, or the demand to develop a strategy to address an upcoming change in the church which I serve. When I feel stress, I am often not as gentle and patient as I ought to be which, later on, makes me feel even more stress about the words or actions I used when under pressure! I could excuse my tendency to be anxious, my short-temperedness, or my lack of faith with a dismissive 'that is just who I am.' I could point out that I am wired as a "type A" leader who is action-oriented. Or, I can do the right thing and submit to Jesus, my Master and Lord, letting the Spirit change my heart. Thankfully, He has done and is doing this in me, to the glory of His Name.

The late Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, a ministry that became a major force in the work of the Lord in the last 40 years, had many reasons to be stressed. He was head of an organization that was huge, that was always in need of funds, and that had thousands of associates on hundreds of campuses around the world. But, Dr. Bright was consistently a man of cheerful temperament, relaxed, and apparently beyond worry. His son reports on the moment when he came to understand why his Dad was this way, even under pressure. It was an interview with a reporter from a Christian magazine.
"Dr. Bright," the reporter asked, "share with us a problem from your life that the average Christian could relate to."
"I don't have any problems" Bright replied.
The reporter pressed, "Don't over-spiritualize this. We all have problems."

"Young man," Bright replied, "you need to understand that I understand that I am a slave of Jesus. A slave doesn't have any problems. The only thing a slave has to do is what his master tells him to do. He doesn't have to be successful. When you really understand that, all the of the sudden, you don't have any problems anymore. All you have are opportunities to see God work." - quoted in REV. Magazine, July/August, 2007

Anxiety is an expression of ego, a revelation that we assume we are 'in charge.' Faith that is deep and wide, causes us to surrender our illusions of mastery of our lives and to live at peace in the Presence of God. Now, we must be consistent in that faith. If we run ahead of the Lord and make decisions in our own wisdom: creating debt, taking on too much responsibility, etc. - it is immature and irresponsible to decide, only after the fact, to throw it all on the Lord and expect that He should painlessly lead us out of the problems that we created for ourselves! The kind of faith that allowed Dr. Bright to live with serenity started before he made decisions. He let God lead - from the beginning. Does that mean we can't ask the Lord to help us with situations we created in ignorance or through willful expression of ego? No, of course not. He loves us even when we're dumb or sinful. But we need to acknowledge our sins of presumption, first!

Today - at the beginning of a new week - take a few moments to give yourself anew to the Lord. Say it out loud - "Lord God, I am your servant. I exist to do Your will, to fulfill your expectations, to carry out your purposes." Sum up the things that are making you impatient, that are keeping you awake at night, that make you weary from worry - write the list down - and lay it before the Lord and pray - "Lord, these are my concerns. I want to meet them in the way that You desire, for You know all my tomorrows, and You know what is best for me in the light of eternity." And then, leave them there. You can find peace - no matter the situation.

Here's a word from the Word to take with you today.
". . . serve each other in humility, for "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." (1 Peter 5:5-10, NLT)

Watch out for 'worldliness!'

Believer, as a result of knowing Jesus, our lives are to be distinctly different from the lives of those who do not yet know the Lord! Thank God for the difference. Because the Holy Spirit has restored our relationship to God and brought us life, we no longer are captives of lust, greed, and hatred. We are to be people of love, contentment, and joy. But, there are choices to be made - everyday - that allows the work of God to be accomplished in us. Let me illustrate with a little story. I enjoy country music and this week while I was driving to the hospital to encourage a friend, had Cat Country 96 on my radio. All at once I really began hearing what was coming out of the speakers! It was Trace Atkins singing about a middle-aged man in a bar who watching a young woman dressed in tight jeans dancing. The Holy Spirit whispered to me - "Jerry, is this song helping you to purely love the young women in your pastoral care?" It took me 2 seconds to change the station!! Laugh if you want to, but I'm OK with having a different moral standard for the Lord's sake.

Here's another example. Believers have recognized the importance of clean speech, ridding themselves of foul and profane expressions. Then a couple of years ago along came Donald Miller's book, Blue Like Jazz, (overall I enjoyed it, by the way) which included a passage celebrating the so-called 'cussing pastor' of a church in Seattle who sprinkles his sermons with profanity in an attempt to be relevant to his culture. Being relevant is a good motive. Choosing to use profanity to do it is the wrong choice. I wonder how many Christians read Miller's book and took that chapter as an excuse to keep dropping the 'F' word when they were upset?

Even as I write these words, I know there is a distinct possibility that some will make the same mistake that I made in my youth when I confused the guidelines for holy living with the reality of the Christian life! I thought I was a Christian because I scrupulously observed a code that did not allow for any 'worldly' entertainment, profanity, use of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products, etc. I got things out of order, thinking that my hard work at being good, at least according to the rules I had been taught, was what made me a Christian. The Word taught me that being 'in Christ' was what made holy living possible. Peter urges those who are filled with God's Spirit to let His life fully develop. "Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world." (1 Peter 2:11-12, NLT)

The difference in the lives of those who are filled with the Holy Spirit is a beautiful difference called holiness. It is expressed in big and small ways in our daily lives. And, when we choose to listen to the Spirit's direction, holiness creates greater intimacy. Take a look at this passage - "...we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:15-18, NIV)

There is a balance between living 'in the world,' and being 'of the world.' Believers cannot share Christ with the people around if they close themselves into holy huddles that exclude everyone they perceive as 'not one of us.' But, if we are so full of the culture, the values, and the ways of the world - we will lose the intimacy with God that makes us distinct and that allows us to know those qualities that make Christianity a thing to be desired.

Here's a word from the Word to ponder today.
"Do not love the world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—
comes not from the Father but from the world.
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (1 John 2:15-17, NIV)

At rest in Him, filled with confidence

When I bought my car last year, there was a 'bumper to bumper' warranty that came with it for the first 36,000 miles or 3 years. Recently the leather on the driver's seat started to crack and tear, so when I had in for service, I asked the service manager about it. Later when I picked it up, he said, "There's a flaw in that and we're ordering a new one for you which we will install at no charge to you, Jerry." It's great to know that at least until August, 2009 - there will be no auto repair costs in my budget. There is a kind of 'rest' that is produced by the guarantee and confidence that comes from my experience with a dealership that backs it up. I enjoy another kind of confidence, a real sense of settled peace, in an area of my life that is much more important.

My soul is at rest and I am full of confidence in God's promise to save and keep me in His grace! This was not always so. When I was still a school age kid, there were days when I was not 'good,' and because of an immature understanding of the salvation that is ours through Christ, I reasoned that my lack of goodness was cause for fear. I heard a lot about Jesus' returning at any moment for those who loved Him. "Rapture fever" was everywhere in the 1970's! On those days when I knew I had done wrong, I would get off of the bus and run all the way to the house, throw open the door, and yell, "Mom!" If she answered, a great flood of relief would come over me. I figured my Mom was the most righteous person I knew, so if she was still around, then Jesus had not returned and I was not 'left behind.'

Thankfully, since then I have found His grace is greater than my sin and that there is reason for confidence in His saving work. In His grace, there is rest; a real and settled peace for our souls. Here is how the writer of Hebrews explains it: ". . . there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world." (Hebrews 4:9-10, NLT) "So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:14-16, NLT)

The writer of Hebrews warns, again and again, about the possibility of turning away from the living God. "Make every effort...." is a phrase that is used repeatedly in Hebrews to encourage us to press on, to grow in holiness. The Word asserts that apostasy (rejecting the truth that saves us) is a distinct possibility. But, the warning is not a cause for terror! When we grasp the dimensions of the grace that is found in Christ Jesus, when don't have to run and hide like Adam and Eve did when they sinned. As the Scripture quoted above teaches, when we fail, when temptation rises up and we make the wrong choice, we are invited to 'come boldly to the throne... and receive mercy." The greater our grasp of grace, the deeper will be our commitment. When we understand that Jesus Christ is a priest who really understands the temptations we experience, we will be authentic, transparent before Him, and thus find the Spirit's power to overcome. If we believe, even a little bit, that we are capable of 'saving ourselves' by being good, serving well, or through some great sacrifice, we will never be at rest in Him.

In chapter 9 of Hebrews, we are reminded that once people had to bring the blood of animals to God for the covering of their sins. The writer reasons with us saying, if the blood of bulls and goats could take away the penalty of sin before God, "think how much more the blood of Christ cleans up our whole lives, inside and out. Through the Spirit, Christ offered himself as an unblemished sacrifice, freeing us from all those dead-end efforts to make ourselves respectable, so that we can live all out for God. " (Hebrews 9:14-15, The Message)

Don't let yourself live in fear, in an 'up and down' kind of Christianity that focuses on good works as the source of confidence! Look to the Cross of Christ. Come boldly to the throne of a gracious God and take the grace provided fully by Christ, whose offering for sin is complete. Be at rest in Him, and thus, filled with confidence that allows you to live a holy life that is heart-deep, truly authentic. From a place of blessed assurance, go and do great work, motivated not by fear, but by love and gratefulness.
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Do dogs go to Heaven?

The promise of Heaven is sweet! If your concept of heaven is drawn from movies and pop songs you really don't have a clue! Heaven is not earth minus sorrow and sickness. Heaven is a whole new, wonderful existence in the Presence of God. I get amused when I am drawn into discussions about pets being in Heaven or romantic ideas about big family reunions, but I understand why we desire that. That dog who gives us so much happiness, those moments of good feelings that come out of big family gatherings, are high points in life, so we assume that if Heaven is about joy, then these kinds of things must be it. If your mental image of Heaven is a lot of people in robes, strumming harps, and floating around on clouds, no wonder you don't look forward to going there.

Kevin Miller illustrates the difficulty that we have grasping the joy of Heaven in this way. "Let’s imagine that I tell my four-year-old son,
“Andrew, when you grow up, if you get married, your honeymoon will be one of the most delightful and wonderful times of your life.”
He says, “Oh, you mean I can take my toy dinosaurs along?”
“Uh, no . . . you probably won’t want to. But you'll still have a fantastic time.”

“Well, can Jeffrey from next door come along on my honeymoon?”
“No, sorry,” I tell him.
“I don’t know if I want to go on a honeymoon, Daddy. It doesn't sound like any fun.”
“Trust me, Andrew: you will enjoy it, even though you can’t understand it right now.”

Heaven will give us incredible joy—but at a higher, richer level than we've ever experienced. It’s natural not to understand it all now." Discipleship Journal : Issue 57. 1999

The Bible only sketches the outlines of what Heaven is like for that very reason! Even if the Lord tried to explain it all to us, we just wouldn't get it. The writers of Scripture use the images and language available in their attempts to describe what God was showing them about things that defy description. So you have Isaiah, Zechariah, and John telling us about amazing creatures that circle a Throne, about smoke, and seas of glass. We must not doubt their word, but we are wise to understand that they are using earthly language to tell us about a completely unearthly place! Thus, we must not force the metaphors too literally. If we do, we may miss the true wonder of what God has planned for our eternal home.

What do we know about Heaven that brings us hope and keeps us on track while we wait to go there?

God is there! "Uh, Jerry, how about something I don't know." I mean it! The God we've loved from a distance, Whose purposes and plans sometimes confuse us, Who actions are beyond our figuring out, will be our Friend, will be accessible, and we will worship Him face to face. John attempts to show us the wonder of that moment and says, "Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (Revelation 21:3-4, NLT)

The beauty of it is beyond imagination. John talks about dazzling splendor, streets of gold, and pearly gates! Once again, he's using the language available to try to tell us about things for which there are no words. What I do know is that God is the Builder, the Architect, of the place where I will spend eternity. I can see what He's made here on Earth, a place ultimately destined for destruction, a temporary home - so I can only try imagine what He's done with the forever home He's prepared for His people.

All things are made new- no rust, no death, no sin! "And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" (Revelation 21:5, NLT) If you know me, you are aware that I like automobiles. Mine always shines and I take pleasure (too much perhaps) when I get a new one. The one I drove off the lot last year is already showing the signs of use. There's a crack in the front bumper where a chunk of ice hit it last Winter. There are scratches in the paint from stones in the road. The carpet has become soiled despite my efforts to keep it clean. That's just life! Everything we know is subject to decay and all living things ultimately die. But, in Heaven, it's different. How? I don't know, but God promises all things new and no decay! Jesus urges us to "Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy..." (Matthew 6:20, NLT)

Joy will be complete! Life's happiest moments are always tinged with sadness here on earth, aren't they? I so enjoyed my grandsons visit for the last two weeks. When they snuggled up close with me, when we shared lunch at Hotdog Johnnie's, when they played in the yard and I listened to their little voices full of delight at bugs and beetles - it was great, a wonderful feeling. But, I knew that they would grow up in a few years and Grandpa would be the old guy they saw at Christmas, more and more remote from their lives. Heaven knows nothing of that kind of thing. There only joy reigns. There no ends are anticipated, no sorrow invades, no disappointment lurks in the shadows.

So, what about that opening line about dogs in Heaven? It was just there to get your attention! I don't know -- and in light of the glories I do know about -- I'm quite content to wait and see what God has planned about that little detail.

Are you prepared for Heaven? The only way to know, for sure, is to receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior today! If He is that to you, then this is your promise: "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world." (Matthew 25:34, NLT) Believer, do not lose sight of Heaven. The promise keeps us on track when the Enemy tempts us with sin. Heaven;'s promise gives us hope when life's challenges rise up and seem ready to crush us. And, Heaven is our inheritance.
_______________________________

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed,
He'll prepare for us a place.

When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory.

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open,
We shall tread the streets of gold.

When We All Get to Heaven© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055

Whom to serve?

"So, when do you get to do your thing?" The thought entered my head like a jet arriving on a runway. Whoosh! There it was. Before I could muster my defenses, self-pity started to chew away at me. "Why do you have to be responsible when so many others are not? Why do you have to take care of things for everybody else? Who takes care of you? When do you start to count?" It was an ugly moment. You agree, I hope! Many would not agree with that assessment about those kinds of thoughts. Americans are schooled in self-expression from their infancy because we are convinced that the best life is the one that allows us the most freedom to do what we want to do.

The evidence of our self-love is everywhere. The government is going broke trying to meet our demands that we are cared for from cradle to grave - at the expense of everyone else. Agencies that depend on volunteers to carry out their mission - churches, fire companies, Scouts, etc. - are in crisis as more and more people insist that they have no time to serve. A million or more pregnancies are terminated every year with so-called 'convenience' abortions because a two people who wanted to do what felt good will not recognize the responsibility for the life their actions created. A best-selling 'Christian' book in 2006 carried the revealing title - "Your Best Life Now" which includes advice about gaining positive self-image and choosing what makes you happy.

Jesus Christ's wisdom runs against this current. He is not anti-happiness, but He does insist that the deepest sense of joy is not found in doing our own thing. He says, "When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:10-14, NLT) Go back and read His words again - slowly - and note two choices He tells us to make to find real joy. Yes, they are obedience and loving service! "Give your life away to the point of dying for one another," He says.

Obedience demands deep faith. Saying "yes" to God's will, when everything in us is screaming for unfettered freedom, is hard- sometimes so hard it feels like dying. More than once, I have knelt in secret prayer and cried like a little boy before my Lord. "Jesus, I don't want to do that. You're asking too much. It just doesn't make sense." And I know He understands that prayer because He prayed one that was more eloquent, but which reflected a similar though much more significant conflict. In the Garden, when facing the awful calling of becoming sin for us, bearing our shame and guilt, He cried, "My Father, if it is possible, don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. But do what you want, and not what I want." (Matthew 26:39, CEV) And the Scripture tells us that His obedience brought us salvation and "God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11, NLT)

Today and everyday you and I are presented with two roads, Believer. We can choose our own way - and find some level of happiness in the temporary satisfaction of the demands of Self. But Self has a big appetite that grows when we feed it! It will never be satisfied. We can, by faith and in love, choose the way of the Cross, dying to Self, and embracing the life of Christ. That isn't always expressed in some earthshaking manner. But it always puts God's will over our own. This way is, despite the Devil's whispers and objections, the way to lasting joy and the embrace of the Father.

Pray for faith to accept this word from the Word and take it with you through this day -
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:24-28, NIV)

Keep it real!

On NBC's Dateline last night, the story of a man who had one time served a congregation in youth ministry was reported. While he was in ministry, and already a married man, he became infatuated with a girl in his youth group, then convinced her to 'marry' him, as his 'second' wife, moving him with him and his first wife. He twisted Bible passages to convince both women that his polygamous desires were "God's will!" Several years later he murdered the second wife, who was, by then, the mother of two of his children. He then horribly mutilated her body to hide her identity and buried her in an obscure grave in the Arizona desert. On the stand at his trial he tried to wrap himself in religion, with assertions that he had 'given his heart to Jesus' at the tender age of 6. Did Sean Goff ever truly know the Lord? Perhaps, only God knows for certain. Did something go terribly wrong in his life? Of that I can be quite certain, and know it happened on many levels! His integrity, his accountability to his church, his submission to the Word of God; yes, even his intimate walk with Jesus Christ (assuming he had one in the first place) were gone by the time he became the murderer of a woman he once claimed to love. Even in a post-conviction interview, he was hiding himself in Christian language, seemingly without genuine repentance before God or man.

That's a shocking illustration of a sin committed everyday by millions of people who claim a relationship with the Lord - the decision to hide their own decisions or desires, even the sinful ones, inside of righteous rhetoric. For example, some Believers when asked to serve their church in some area, will say, "I'll pray about it," knowing full well they have no intention of accepting the responsibility, but not wanting to say, "No, I'm not going to do that." Or when approached by another Believer who is in need they claim to need time to pray about the request, but in fact simply what to avoid getting involved. Another example is the person who has made up his own mind to take a new job or move to another church who responsibility for his choices by saying, "It is the will of God for me to do...."

Of course, we should pray about everything including service in the church and requests for help. Yes, too, we should be actively seeking to know God's will. But, never, should we use religion to give us an excuse to do what we want to do. Among the Ten Commandments, there is this one - "Thou shall not take the Lord's name in vain." Another translation reads, "You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name." (Exodus 20:7, NLT) Much more is declared as unholy than cussing when you're angry! God does not want to be the excuse for my choices nor for yours. He does not want a veneer of holy talk pasted over our self-will.

Jesus Christ urges us to be people who keep it real- all the time. "Let your yes, mean yes; and let your your no, mean no," He says. Don't doubletalk. Don't be slick. Don't use words to create impressions in others that are false. He goes on to say, "When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong." (Matthew 5:37, The Message) I would venture to guess that Sean Goff, convicted murderer, started shading the truth and hiding behind religious language a long time ago, on issues that were just the little things in life. The duplicity that allowed him to kill a woman and then to lie to everyone around him for months may well have grown from the seeds of so-called 'white lies,' becoming a habit and eventually weaving such a web of deception that he has become a deluded man who believes his own tales and claims of superior spirituality despite his gross sin.

Double talk can become a habit, but so can total honesty. It is refreshing to hear a person admit to his own desires, even those that are less than holy, and then to ask for help in discovering the mind of the Lord. When we find ourselves tempted to misuse our power of speech especially by wrapping ourselves in Christian rhetoric, we can ask the Holy Spirit to help us face the truth, first in ourselves. God knows us - our motives, and our inner thoughts- better than we know ourselves! And, He loves us- the good, bad, the beautiful, the ugly. If we are honest before Him, if we make a habit of using plain speech, even in prayer, the Spirit will become our Counselor, helping us to be changed, and keeping us from the wiles of the Deceiver who desires our total destruction. How sweet is the peace of the man whose words are true, who has banished the shadows from his life by becoming transparent before God and others.

Here's a word from the Word, a promise to take with you today as you commit yourself both to God and others to keeping it real:
"But if we live in the light, as God does,
we share in life with each other.
And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away.
If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves,
and the truth isn’t in our hearts.
But if we confess our sins to God,
He can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar,
and his message isn’t in our hearts.
My children, I am writing this so that you won’t sin.
But if you do sin, Jesus Christ always does the right thing,
and he will speak to the Father for us." (1 John 1:7-2:1, CEV)