Selling God?

Last weeks' headlines were jarring to me as a person of faith. Time and again, I saw this line or one similar. "Pope Benedict XVI out of touch with American Catholics." One TV news story featured an angry young woman railing on the Catholic church for not being "more responsive to the demands of women in the church." These are the reflections of people so accustomed to having everything shaped by their opinions and/or their dollars that they simply assume even their church should bend to their will. In our consumer driven culture everything is for sale at the right price. Churches of all persuasions are being forced to play along with consumer demands or they wither and die. Look no further than the church just down the road that is affiliated with one of the large mainline denominations. Many are within a decade of death! What we see results from watering down the Truth and hanging onto superfluous traditions for too long. In many of those churches, which once held the prominent place in every town, about half the members are women over the age of 60, according to a professor of advertising named James Twitchell. One doesn't have to be in advertising to know that if the largest group of people 'buying' your product is over age 60, the future for your business is not bright.
- The Divine Commodity, Leadership, Winter, 2008

But, is Christianity about marketing? Is it about giving the public what it wants? Is it about taking polls and adjusting the content of our message to please the maximum amount of people? I think not!

The church is not serving hamburgers that you can 'have your way!' Christ's church provides guidance for life, both present and eternal. Christianity is about a pursuit of revealed Truth not a pursuit of maximum profit. (Or at least it ought to be!) We hold certain statements to be true regardless of how many are offended. To be sure, adaptations in the ways we worship, or even in the ways we apply what we believe to be True to our lives, are in order. There are traditions that can change without compromise of the message. A pipe organ is not more holy than a guitar. Robed clergy are not more pleasing to God than preachers in street clothing. The Bible translation commissioned by King James of 17th century England cannot be said to be more accurate or more holy than the New International Version.

But, God's revealed Truth about the Deity of Christ, His commands about holy living, the fact of salvation from sin available only through His grace given at the Cross, and such things; are not up for vote, nor are they subject to revision to fit current sensibilities.

Believer, let's make it personal. Are you a spiritual consumer, quick to move to a different church when you collide with some stand on a matter you regard as inconvenient or unpleasant? Are you quick to criticize spiritual leadership in your church or even in the wider Church when their teaching runs headlong into your choices or values? We need to rethink the way we relate to the place and the persons who provide spiritual care for us and our family. We do not want somebody in our church pulpit whose primary qualification for ministry is his great charisma and glib tongue. He will substitute his opinions for eternal Truth to win our loyalty and applause! Those who teach us the Scripture should be deeply devout, reverent before God, and careful students of Scripture, who are full of the Spirit. If our preacher is telling us things we want to hear, all the time; if he does not make us think and occasionally perspire with some level of discomfort over the way we are living, we ought to question his devotion to the Truth! He might love our money more than our souls. Don't confuse sincerity, earnestness, or even the volume of presentation with passion for the Truth. While some churches err by falling in love with tradition, I fear that in the evangelical church we have fallen so in love with 'relevance and change' that our preachers are adrift on the sea of novelty, without an anchor in immutable Truth! There is no substitute for hearing, "the Bible says" from the lips of one who has "been diligent to rightly divide the Word of Truth."

In a letter to a younger pastor named Timothy, Paul, inspired by the Spirit of God, wrote: "Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you." (2 Timothy 4:2-5, NLT) Such a commission is demanding. It requires that the pastor resist the latest fad sweeping through the Church even when he knows that some will leave for a church more 'open to the move of the Spirit' taking their support and service! The true servant of God will remain steady and solid when people say, "but, Rev. Riches says..." and he is a big-name preacher on TV who appears to be oh-so-successful. In those kinds of situations, as a shepherd of God's people, I pray for the humility to be teachable, but also for the courage of a lion to remain faithful in defense of the Truth.

Here's what God asks of each of us. Take this word from the Word and let it shape your love of God's church and support for those godly men and women He has called to serve as teachers in His body. "Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit. . . . Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen." (Hebrews 13:17, 20-21, NLT)
_____________

The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is His new creation by water and the word.
From heav'n He came and sought her to be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.

Elect from ev'ry nation, yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation - "One Lord, one faith, one birth;"
One holy name she blesses; partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses, with ev'ry grace endued.

'Mid toil and tribulation and tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
Till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious, shall be the Church at rest.

Though with a scornful wonder men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping, their cry goes up, "how long?"
And soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.

The Church's One Foundation
Samuel Wesley © Public Domain

Make it God's week!

Monday mornings have a terrible reputation. Traditionally, it is the 'back to work' day after the weekend break. Another week stretches out in front of us with work to be done, deadlines to be met. Let me suggest that instead of thinking, "O Lord, it's Monday," with a sigh; that you change that to: "Praise God, it's Monday!" with a song. Commit the week to the Lord, asking Him for wisdom for each task, for strength to carry each burden, and for enthusiasm in each challenge. Instead of dragging yourself toward Friday, choose to live fully in each day, in what God allows for that day.

One of the miracle experiences that God gave to His people when they were making the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land provides a great lesson for those of us who attempt to take on too many days at one time. While the Israelites were in the desert, God fed them each day with a miraculous provision called 'manna.' The name literally means "what is it?" because that was what they said on the first morning that they found the white, flakey stuff lying on the ground in their camp. "It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey." (Exodus 16:31, NIV) Moses instructed them not to hoard it. "Just gather enough for the day and tomorrow God will provide it again." Some of them did not listen and tried to store it. The next day they found it had gone bad and developed a terrible smell! Here's a curious detail. On the day before Sabbath, they could gather two day's provisions and the manna did not spoil! The lesson? Let God be Lord of this day and leave tomorrow to His care.

Sometimes I weary myself and/or grow discouraged by anticipating the work of another day before I have finished this day's work. Jesus says that living for tomorrow is foolish and teaches us to take each day, one at a time, and the bread provided for it. "Give us today our daily bread." (Matthew 6:11, NIV) "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." (Matthew 6:34, The Message) Give us today our daily bread! That short phrase is a way to pray, "Lord, provide what I need to meet the challenges of this day and help me not to borrow sunshine or trouble from tomorrow!"

So, make it God's week! Pray your way through each day. Present your requests with faith that He has an answer. Talk over your concerns and let Him help you solve your problems. Give thanks for what He provides so that you don't become self-centered. Seek His wisdom which He promises to give to those who ask. Weep, if you need to, with Him; for He is a Friend that cares for you. If you do these things, you will arrive at Friday in a much better frame of mind.

Letting the Lord provide for each day keeps us humbly dependent on Him. As proud people and living in a culture of wealth and self-reliance, we resist living from day to day. It is possible to be rich in supplies, yet poor in our relationship with the Spirit. Our Father wants us to know His love, to live at His table, to come often into His Presence. It's Monday! Begin this week with His gracious blessings by taking your needs to Him early and often. Remember He is Yahweh Yireh - "The Lord, Your Provider." (Genesis 22.14)
__________________

They're watching!

Maribel and I traveled to Selinsgrove, PA yesterday to see my parents. My grandson, age 13 months, was in his car seat in the center of the backseat of my car. I started snapping my fingers to the beat the song on the CD and in the rearview mirror caught a glimpse of the tyke with his little arm extended and bent just like mine, trying his best to snap his fingers. It was a funny, sobering moment! What other parts of my life is he watching? What will he take away from Grandpa's example in word and action? The thought persisted through the day as I walked and talked with my Dad and saw, in a renewed way, the power of legacy. My Dad's parents met Christ and were transformed by the Gospel. They passed the the faith to my parents, who passed the faith to me. Bev and I passed it to our children, who are now passing it to their children. As I took a photo of my Dad and my grandson; and a silent prayer went up to the Lord - "may all who come behind me, find me faithful!"

Believer, the Gospel that is entrusted to us is not just to be preached, it must be lived! We not only have a message, we have a charge to be models of faith. Paul wrote, "Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern." (Philippians 3:17, NKJV) There is no arrogance in his statement. It is an invitation. He was able to say, "If you want to know how this thing called Christianity works, watch me! Do what I do. As I work out the implications of being a follower of Christ, you can observe my choices, my decisions, and use them as a guide in your own discipleship."

Can you say the same to your family, to your neighbors, to your world?

My first objection is, "That's hard and I'm not perfect." Nobody is, not even Paul who invited those first generation Believers to imitate his walk with Christ. Authenticity is of critical importance! We teach as much by the way we recover from our mistakes as we do when we hit a homerun; perhaps even more. Recently I was having a conversation with a fellow Believer about the road I am walking with my Dad in this time of his critical illness. It's been a difficult way - a mix hope and fear, times of amazing faith and no faith at all. The man with whom I was speaking reminded me that many were watching and learning from my example. "Oh, Lord!" I thought to myself, "what if I don't do this well?" But that's the wrong focus. It's not about me; it's about the Presence of Christ in me.

Jesus Christ showed His first disciples and us, as well, how to be a good example. He told them that the strength is not from will, intellect, or wit! "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8, NIV) Passing the faith along, being a teller, a mentor, and a model is not a matter of performance. That is the tragedy of superficial religion. It isn't about learning some good lines or putting on a good show. It is living as people of the Spirit, changed from the inside out. The Lord reserved His strongest condemnation for those who put on a good religion show, whose hearts were far from devotion to God. Of them, He said, ". . . be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don’t live it. They don’t take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It’s all spit-and-polish veneer. "Instead of giving you God’s Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn’t think of lifting a finger to help. Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. . . . Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you’ll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty. "I’ve had it with you! You’re hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God’s kingdom." (Matthew 23:3-5, 11-13, The Message)

Pray that God will make you a bridge to the life of Christ, not a roadblock!
Deal ruthlessly with sin and inconsistency in your life.
Refuse the temptation to pretend to be someone that you are not but, at the same time,
aspire to be all that the Holy Spirit makes it possible for you to become.
And, the beauty of Jesus will shine through you.

God, my Defender

The story of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt reaches the high point of drama as the Israelites are camped by the Red Sea and the army of Pharaoh is approaching. Tension builds. What will the people of God do? Will there be bloodshed before they are dragged back to their slavery in that land? The people were terrified. Moses cried out to the Lord. Then we read that God moved the cloud that had been the symbol of His Presence before them, to the rear of their camp to separate them from the approaching army. Finally, in the night, God opened the waters and "the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!" (Exodus 14:22, NLT) As dawn approached, Pharaoh made his move. His chariots went into the watery chasm as the Israelites had done. Confusion broke out. The wheels of their chariots fell off. "Let’s get out of here—away from these Israelites!" the Egyptians shouted. "The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt!" (Exodus 14:25, NLT) At God's command, Moses stretched out his hand and the waters closed, killing the Egyptian army and ending the threat.

It's a glorious story written to inspire hope and faith. The question that begs an answer for me is- should we expect God to defend us in similar manner? Oh, friend, it is a dangerous one to ask. We want to quickly say, "Yes!" and claim our place at the head of the line of humanity as many Christians do. We want to conclude that God will lead us into triumph, pouring out blessings on us. But is that a right expectation?

The first thing that we need to do is to make the distinction between ourselves as individual Believers and God's Church, the Body of Christ. God will always defend His Bride, the Church. He will see to it that She is protected from the world until Christ returns to finalize the defeat of Evil. In a passage pregnant with promise, we read of God's salvation of His church. And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:14-17, NIV)

God will keep us, as individuals, who trust in Him, safe in His embrace, too. But, we may find ourselves experiencing hard times, enduring difficult situations, even becoming martyrs- squarely in the center of God's purposes. "But, Jerry, that doesn't sound like He is defending me!" My point is that His purposes for us may be entirely different than what we think they are or should be. As an illustration of this principle take the experience of Jim Elliott and his missionary friends who were killed on January 8, 1956 while on an outreach to a tribe of native people in the Ecuadorian jungles. Those young men, in the prime of life, thought that their mission was to take the Gospel to that little tribe. I do not think that even one of them thought their calling was to be fulfilled in an awful death on a small river beach in the Amazon! Each wanted to build the Kingdom of God and each did, though not in the way they thought they would. Their martyrdom inspired thousands of young people to take up the call of missions in the second half of the 20th century. The effect of Elliott's life was magnified many times over in his death. Did God defend him? Not from death at the tip of a spear, but He did work His kingdom purposes and most certainly received those brave men to Himself.

This is a hard word, acceptable only if we have a heart full of faith. But it is Biblical, dear friend. The 'faith chapter' (Hebrews 11) opens with this definition: " Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1, NIV) The Spirit leads us in that passage through some wonderful examples of men and women who enjoyed great victories by faith, who others admired and who inspire us to greater faith to this day: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Samson, David, even Rahab!

But the chapter does not end with such glorious stories. It ends with a passage that is not read with as much enthusiasm as the first half. "But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us." (Hebrews 11:35-40, NLT)

The Psalmist sings, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4, NKJV)

Steady on, Believer. He is our Defender. He is at work to accomplish His will, to build His Kingdom. He assures us that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28, NKJV)

Jesus, hold my hand. Teach me to lean on You, to trust You equally when the sun shines brightly overhead and when the way is darkened by storms.
________

The Noonday Demon

Almost everyday, right around 1 pm, I feel my energy sag. If I lean back on my chair and close my eyes, I can fall asleep in 30 seconds. Fortunately, if a nap overtakes me, I know that I will awaken in about 10 minutes. The brief rest leaves me feeling refreshed. I just hope that no one finds me napping in my office! I would not want to be charged with the sin of sloth. Now there's a word we don't hear much. Does a midday nap make me guilty?

The ancient church leaders listed 7 deadly sins that afflict the soul:

Pride, the excessive belief in one's own abilities;
Envy, the desire for what belongs to another;
Gluttony, an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires;
Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body;
Anger, also known as wrath;
Greed, the desire for material wealth or gain; and
Sloth, the avoidance of physical or spiritual work. Sloth was sometimes called the 'noonday demon' because it showed itself when the sun was hottest.

Are you afflicted with the sin of slothfulness? Many of us, when presented that question, could point to our long list of accomplishments and commitments. We could hold up an award or two for our diligence. Yet, if we took a deeper look we might find sloth rooted in our soul. Sometimes our frenetic day to day activities are a way to hide the barrenness of our soul that is brought on by spiritual sloth! Matthew Woodley points out, "Sloth causes a break in our relationship with God. In contrast to pride which responds to God with a defiant 'no!' - sloth responds to Him with a quiet 'yeah, whatever.'"

The Bible speaks to the slothful Believer challenging him to adopt a new way of life, "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." {Heb 6:11-12 NIV} Let's break it down.

Show diligence. Don't ignore or excuse your spiritual stupor. Don't make the error of comparing yourself to others and taking false comfort that you're 'doing better than some.' The Lord asks us to give 'our personal best' to Him and will ask us to give account for our efforts. He does not grade by comparison. Diligence is not workaholism! It is obedient, faithful, consistent response to His leading.

Cultivate faith. The counsel of the Word is that we 'walk by faith, not by sight.' Even when the reward is hidden, we press ahead. Sometimes the Presence of God is obscured by fatigue, disappointment, or physical malady. In those moments we lean on our brothers and do the right thing just because we know it's right!

Be patient! The Bible does not ask a resigned- "Oh, well, I'll put up with this with gritted teeth" that we often confuse with real patience. True patience is illustrated by the wait of the farmer between planting season and harvest. The farmer knows that his seed will grow and produce a harvest IF he will just wait for the process. He keeps cultivating, keeps on with life, while he waits for a harvest. Practicing the disciplines of the Spirit day by day is the patient thing to do as we resist the tyranny of slothfulness that demands quick fixes and easy solutions to life's challenges. James says {1:3-4, 12} NLT (Give) "your endurance a chance to grow. . . . for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything... God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

Sloth is seldom defeated by sheer determination. If we really want to become productive and faithful Christians, we will tell somebody about our struggle and ask them to help us make the choices we need to make, day after day, until a new habit replaces the old one.

Silence the whispers of the 'noonday demon' with the enduring wisdom of the Word that teaches us that -"Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor." (Proverbs 12:24, NIV) "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." (Proverbs 21:5, NIV)

Believer, are you 'killing time' because you just do not want to fight the good fight of faith? Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it today as you ask the Spirit to help you defeat the temptation to sloth. "Don’t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don’t give up. We should help people whenever we can, especially if they are followers of the Lord." (Galatians 6:9-10, CEV)
________________

Beneath the cross of Jesus,
I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a Mighty Rock
within a weary land.
A home within the wilderness
a rest along the way,
from the burning of the noontide heat,
and the burden of the day.

-Public Domain
Elizabeth Clephane

We need a Daniel!

Are you tired of the endless political season? I am! It's not that I think this election is unimportant. It would be refreshing to hear a thoughtful, deep, and detailed discussion about the serious issues facing this nation, of which there is no shortage! Challenges that need to be addressed include the cost of energy which threatens to bankrupt us, the availability and cost of health care, the spiraling cost of education, the spiritual, social, and economic ills that are creating the wastelands we call urban areas, the endless war in Iraq, and more. Instead of proposals we get sound-bites about who drinks with whom, half-true stories of past exploits, claims about who is more 'in touch' with average Americans, and debates about experience and who is too young or too old for the office. Even the televised debates, which are supposed to provide us with insight into the candidate's minds, produce more of the same shallow image polishing and sly personal attacks. To me much of what passes for political discussion looks like grown-ups playing schoolyard 'gotcha' games.

We need a Daniel, but I am not sure if a democratic election can produce that kind of leader - bold, truthful, wise, and ready to speak the truth without regard for polls or popularity. Someone has said that "America gets the leaders it deserves!" Perhaps that is true. Maybe we are so pre-occupied with greed, protecting our entitlements, and looking good that we are prepared to elect a person who mirrors that same lack of depth to lead us. In the book of Daniel, we read of a man who was faithful to God and full of wisdom, who spoke truth to power. Daniel was a teenage noble in Judah when the Babylonian army took him captive and transported him back to their capital city to serve in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. Many years later, when he was an old man, that empire came to a moment of crisis. Here's how the Queen-mother describes Daniel to the king. "There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called." (Daniel 5:11-12, NKJV)

Believer, I want to be that kind of person in my neighborhood, my town; yes, in my world. How about you? I want to be known as a man in whom lives the Spirit of God and who can be trusted to be thoughtful, prayerful, and wise. Wouldn't be wonderful if Christians in America were respected as people of "light and understanding and wisdom?" like Daniel of old? We need to live excellently so that when our family members who do not know God come into a time of crisis they turn to each other and say, "we need to call on (our name) because the Spirit of God lives in him!" Such a life comes with a cost. It means doing the right thing even when it is hard. It means keeping our word even when it hurts. It means remaining deeply devoted even when God falls silent and we walk by faith through dark days. It means studying the Word diligently and avoiding simple-minded clichés and slogans. After his encounter with the king, Daniel was raised to a high place in the empire. He so distinguished himself that the other court officials said this of him. "Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God." (Daniel 6:3-5, NIV)

And, as the story goes, he continued to serve God even when they duped the king into outlawing prayer. His faithfulness got him thrown into the famed lions' den! But even there his devotion, steadiness, and faith shown brightly.

Yes, America needs a Daniel. It probably won't be the next President, but it could be you and me. We may never hold high office or even be known beyond our town. But, each of us can exercise a powerful influence for good, for righteousness, for truth in our home, our extended family, our place of employment, our church, and our community. God, make me a Daniel.

Here's a word from the Word. Keep it in your thoughts today. "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)
_______________________________________


Standing by a purpose true,
Heeding God's command,
Honor them, the faithful few!
All hail to Daniel's band!

Many mighty men are lost,
Daring not to stand,
Who for God had been a host
By joining Daniel's band!

Many giants great and tall,
Stalking thru the land,
Headlong to the earth would fall,
If met by Daniel's band!

Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known!

Dare to be a Daniel
Philip Bliss © Public Domain

The sky is falling!

When an acorn fell and hit her on the head, Chicken Little announced to the barnyard animals that the sky was falling. Yes, it's a fairy tale, but the lesson is one we all need. Take care about jumping to conclusions that the available facts do not support! Seems to me that we live in an age when the voices of the fearful are amplified through the megaphone of the media. One professor with a sensational story can seize the nation's attention as he makes his way from network to network telling his story about the terrible thing that is about to wipe out human civilization as we know it. What he, and most of us fail to remember, is that human beings have been amazingly gifted by God to give birth to creative solutions for problems that arise!

Is life really as awful as we are often led to believe? Is the doom of the world imminent at the hands of crazed terrorists, big oil companies, or polluters? Before you say, 'yes,' consider this. One hundred years ago, the average life expectancy for an American was around age 50; today it is near 80. When I was a child, there were hundreds of 'dead' rivers and lakes in America, full of toxic wastes. Today, there are virtually none! Dr. Paul Erlich, a biologist and author of the 1967 book The Population Bomb, predicted that "the world would experience famines sometime between 1970 and 1985 due to population growth outstripping resources. Ehrlich wrote that "the battle to feed all of humanity is over ... In the 1970s and 1980s hundreds of millions of people will starve to death in spite of any crash programs embarked upon now." Ehrlich also stated, "India couldn't possibly feed two hundred million more people by 1980," and "I have yet to meet anyone familiar with the situation who thinks that India will be self-sufficient in food by 1971." -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_R._Ehrlich Forty years later and with a world population that has doubled, the predicted famines are not happening. Is there hunger in the world? Absolutely, but not because of production problems. Hunger exists in some parts of our world primarily because of warfare and distribution issues not production problems.

My point is not to belittle caution or to say that there are no real problems in our world or even in our individual lives. What we fail to recognize, personally and as human beings, is that change is constant. Innovations and adaptations are part of the world and we are constantly developing new tools that help us to overcome the doomsday predictions.

Some predict the demise of Christianity, the passing of the Church, within a generation. They selectively use statistics that produce great alarm (and bigger contributions!). Are they right? I am quite sure they are not! As one who came to maturity in a time of apocalyptic predictions about the 'end of the ages,' in the 1970's, I was fed a steady diet of sermons about the rise of the Anti-Christ and the coming of a world government that would bring a bloodbath of martyrdom to the faithful. I know what fear mongering can do and nothing good comes of it. I now understand the tragedy of a whole generation of Christians, who lost sight of the richness that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit could bring to their lives due to bad eschatology, built their entire spiritual experience around fear instead of hope! Paranoia replaced vision! I now see how those Gifts were given to empower the people of God to build the Kingdom of Christ in the world where they lived. But millions fearfully hunkered down in their churches, staring at charts that predicted an imminent Great Tribulation and led them to conclude that the End was near.

Thankfully, God is greater than our fears and misconceptions! While some of us waited for Jesus to whisk us out of this world, others heard the call of the Spirit to go and make a difference in Jesus' name. And, despite all the doom and gloom, since 1970 the Church has grown by leaps and bounds in Latin America, Africa, and even - wonder of wonders - in Communist China! Yes, Believer Friend, I do hold to the doctrine of the Second Coming of Christ. However, that doctrine has become for me a great source of hope for the redemption of Creation as the Scripture would have us understand it! When Jesus promised to return, He did so as a statement of victory over sin, Hell, and death.

Are you letting the troubles of life fill you with fear? Are you living defensively, building walls to shut out every threat both real and imagined? Let me gently suggest that you have missed the major part of the Story! Go to the Scripture and read again the glorious 8th chapter of Romans! In one brief, breathtaking passage, we are told of God's plan, about our destiny as His children who now call the Lord of Glory, "Dad!" We are urged to keep faith even as we work through the difficulties of life. Then the chapter closes with this shout of victory. Take it with you today. "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-32, 37-39, NIV)

Pray that faith will overcome fear, that God will make you a person who is full of the Spirit and who works diligently to bring Light and Life to a world that so often marred by Darkness and Death.
"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:15-17, NKJV)
___________________________

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

-- 8th Century Hymn

I failed the test!

Since last week, my physical frame has been plagued with severe pain. First it was a shoulder, now a hip. I'm not talking mild discomfort. I'm talking 'take your breath away, make you yell' stabbing pain. The shoulder's pain escalated over two days to the point of becoming immobile, then subsided about as quickly. The hip's pain seems to be on the wane. My response to this week of pain was not one of grace or simple faith! I became short-tempered and had a heart full of complaint. Yes, I failed the test of suffering in patient quietness! As I talked over my responses with the Lord, confessing my failure to accept His grace for this trial, He gently reminded me that many people suffer much worse pain and for extended periods of time. I could sense the Spirit saying, "Are you gentle with them? Do you empathize, encourage, and help them carry the burden? Do you offer them grace and faith, or do you just 'instruct' them?" Being human, I quickly told the Lord I would do better.... and that I didn't need a retest!

Suffering should help us to understand our frailty and make us dependent on our God so that His glory and strengthen can shine through our weakness. But, does it? Too often, no. Many are like me, assuming a right to feeling well, to having a pill at hand to take away pain, to finding a solution now for the things that are difficult. But sometimes the Lord has a purpose for leading us into temptation! (Read that word 'temptation' not as a time of seduction to sin, but rather as a time of testing for the purpose revealing weakness and strengthening faith.)

In the 14th chapter of the Exodus, we learn that shortly after the Israeli people left their Egyptian slavery, delivered by the mighty hand of God, something that defied all logic, happened. Take a look. "Then the Lord gave these instructions to Moses: "Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon." (Exodus 14:1-2, NLT) God turned them around, led them back toward Egypt and to a place where their ability to get away was blocked by a body of water! Why? Because the Lord wanted to draw the Pharaoh and his armies into one more decisive conflict. He wanted Pharaoh to think that they were confused and ready to be retaken! "I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!" So the Israelites camped there as they were told." (Exodus 14:4, NLT)

Pharaoh took the bait and soon the Israelis saw the approaching army. Did they remember that God was with them? Did they quietly wait for the next instructions? No. They failed the test! "They panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, "Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’ " (Exodus 14:10-12, NLT)

Moses' did not fail the test! "Moses spoke to the people: "Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again. God will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!" (Exodus 14:13-14, The Message) And we know the rest of that story, the great crossing of the sea when God parted the waters.

A pastor from Kenya and I were talking about faith and prayer. "Jerry, I find that American Christians don't depend enough on the Lord," Patrick said. He went on to explain that in Africa, because they are not so wealthy, because they do not have so many medical resources, the Christians are much more prone to trust God, to fast and to seek Him in times of trial! How unlike us. Usually pain doesn't make us reflective and faithful - it tends to make us loud in complaint and angry with God! Dear friend, let's renew our commitment to Him, trusting Him with the pain as quickly as we praise Him for the blessings. Let's rediscover the God-honoring life that emerges when we dethrone Self and enthrone Christ as Lord of all, and let Him lead us even where we would not naturally choose to go.

Here's a word from the Word to ponder today. Paul wrote it as he reflected on his own prayer for relief from something that caused him distress.
"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:8-10, NIV)

Thanks for praying for the Lord to heal my body.
But I'd appreciate your prayers even more that my faith would be made strong so that I won't flunk the test next time!
____________________

Paradise

Last night 'round 9:30, I sat quietly alone prayerfully thinking about the day that was now ending; and I longed for Paradise. As I prayed, God was near. The experience of His Presence is wonderful, but I still have to deal with the multiple evidences of sin in myself and my world - as I had done throughout yesterday. I am not complaining about my life! I enjoy rich blessings - the love of God, many friendships, a comfortable home, a loving wife, great kids. I even took my Miata out in the Spring sunshine for a spin with the top down yesterday. What I am trying to say is that even with a good life, there is a longing for that promised place where sin cannot enter, where suffering is unknown, and where intimacy with God is unbroken. The Psalmist expresses my desire: "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple." (Psalm 27:4, NIV)

Heaven is written into us by our Creator. He made us to love and serve Him and, as we invite His Spirit to be at work in us, we will more intensely desire His Presence, which will be perfectly known when we reach Paradise! One of my favorite authors, Dallas Willard, points Believers forward to eternity. Without a firm grasp on the promise of Paradise, we risk becoming disillusioned, even embittered, with the passing of time. He writes, "I meet many faithful Christians who, in spite of their faith, are deeply disappointed in how their lives have turned out. Sometimes it is a matter of how they experience aging, which they take to mean they no longer have a future. But often, due to circumstances or wrongful decisions and actions by others, what they had hoped to accomplish in life they did not .... Much of the distress of these people comes from a failure to realize that their life lies before them.. the life that lies endlessly before us in the kingdom of God." (The Divine Conspiracy) We must look beyond what we cannot understand now and take hold of what we are certainly promised throughout the Scriptures. We must not allow ourselves to make the error of thinking that eternal life only begins when we die, that the joy of Heaven is only available to us after our bodies are in the grave! I am a citizen of Heaven, now by the grace of Jesus Christ. I can and I do commune with the Lord of Glory now. I am called to bring Heaven to earth, to live in earnest expectation of glories to come, while confronting the darkness of sin with the Light of Heaven, right now!

We need to imitate the life of the father of the faithful, Abraham. He heard God's call, grasped the reality of Paradise, and lived the rest of days here on earth on pilgrimage. Was he perfect? No! He took some detours from the straight and narrow path, but he never lost sight of where he was going. "By an act of faith, Abraham said yes to God’s call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. By an act of faith he lived in the country promised him, lived as a stranger camping in tents. Isaac and Jacob did the same, living under the same promise. Abraham did it by keeping his eye on an unseen city with real, eternal foundations—the City designed and built by God." (Hebrews 11:8-10, The Message)

I am concerned that we do not anticipate Paradise with greater desire because we have adopted a faulty vision of that place. Hollywood has given us the wrong picture of Heaven. The images of the misty fog enveloping transparent spirits floating in a ghostly realm, the fat little cherubs strumming harps as their feet dangle over the edge of clouds, is nonsense! Heaven is a place; yes, a real substantial place, created by the same God that thought up the refraction of sunlight by water moisture which produces the beauty of a rainbow. He did that for a thing of beauty that lasts for a few moments. The One who designed this temporal world, which is destined for destruction, has built a place where we will live eternally. If He would make a temporary world of such splendor, I can only begin to imagine what Heaven, His eternal home looks like. John tried to describe it for us, but could only speak of gates of pearl and streets of gold!

The best conversation, the deepest intimacy with another, the most wonderful worship, the most blissful day of rest - are just glimpses of Glory! So, by faith, reach out and hold onto Heaven. Never lose sight of that place. When life is overwhelming, when sin threatens to engulf you, when all seems futile, when disappointment breaks your heart - look up and thank God that He has written Heaven into your heart. It is precisely the longing for Paradise that makes us unwilling to settle down and desire our best life now. We are headed home!
"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:13-16, NIV)
_________________________

Smoke and Mirrors

I spent the morning with a young woman whose life has been turned inside out by a deceiver! To all appearances, the man was a Christian, concerned about serving others, generous, and ready to make a difference in the world. He befriended her, gave her gifts, and played up his meager accomplishments so he appeared to be a person headed for greatness. After he had gained access to her trust, he manipulated her into a significant financial deal. Then, he took off with the goods. He stole more than her money. He took away her ability to trust others, destroyed her self-confidence, and left a great deal of sorrow in the lives of several people.

Have you ever been deceived? It is a fairly common experience. We all encounter people that try to appear to be someone or something other than who they really are. Some are just harmless posers, wanna-be's who are playing a role. That is a stage that most of go through on our way to adulthood. We dress like a favorite actor or musician, adopt the mannerisms of a celebrity, or take on the persona of the coolest person we know. Almost all of us grow out of that stage as we leave our teens years behind and discover our own identity. But there are those who are incapable of being truthful with themselves, who refuse to do the hard work of making a real life for themselves, that become instruments of evil as they live a lie. Their lives are like a movie set; illusions made only of fabrications, boasts, and superficial appearance. They contribute nothing to others and drain away resources - financial, emotional, and relational- from all those with whom they have interactions.

Jesus describes such people as being just like their father! "For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. . . . He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44, NLT) What does the Evil One do? He destroys. He takes. He consumes. The words associated with him are darkness and death! Contrast that with what we find in the One who is Truth Personified! Jesus says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life!" What does He do? He builds up. He gives. He enriches those who love Him and His words. In Him there is Light and Life!

That, dear Believer, is why I love the Truth and despise even the smallest falsehood, the most 'harmless' pretense. The truth, even when it leads to disclosure of what is ugly, is always to be preferred to a lie! When we love the Truth and tell the truth- to ourselves and to others - God is able to change our hearts and minds. As we confess (say the same thing about them as He says) our sins to Him, we not only find forgiveness. We find cleansing and power to live a new life.

Are you an immature poser, a wanna-be who is trying to be somebody you're not? Grow up in Christ. Stop playing silly religious games and do the work of spiritual disciplines that allow you to become a mature Believer, full of the Spirit, who builds the Kingdom of God in the world.

Are you a deceiver, lying and living in a world of deception? I fear for you! It is oh so easy to get lost in the maze of mirrors that a life of lies creates. Fall on your knees and tell the Lord you need to be led to freedom. Tell him that you can't trust your own heart. Ask Him to send His Truth. "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:12-13, NIV)

Here's a word of Truth. Meditate on it today.
"Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:22-25, NLT)

Plan "D"

We all have a preferred life path, plan "A." We have a back-up alternative, plan "B." There is that which we think is possible but unlikely, plan "C." But what often happens is, plan "D," that which we never even imagined in our wildest dreams or worst nightmares! Plan "D" is not always bad, though often frightening. It is the circumstance that develops unforeseen in our lives, that changes everything, and it shakes us to the core. Plan "D" events include situations like divorce, disease, career loss, a friend that turns against us becoming a foe, disaster, and spiritual crisis. They also can be serendiptious - a sudden promotion, birth of twins, the discovery of love, or spiritual awakening!

Many of us work very hard to keep surprises out of our lives. We plan carefully, build limits and walls into our lives, reduce expectations, and guard our emotions. Though we don't consciously think it, our guiding motto is "Better safe than sorry!" But surprises - both wonderful and not so great - manage to break through anyway. Having experienced some of those plan "D" moments in my lifetime, I can tell you that trusting God and staying faithful through them is the path to joy. If we resist Him, we will become embittered, miserable people. If we walk with Him, letting Him guide and lead, from our tears will water seeds from which grows the beauty of His character in us. In 1988, I found myself pastoring a small country church in New England, after serving on the staff of a suburban growing exciting church for eight years. Initially, I felt like the Lord had sidelined me. I wondered how long I would be 'in exile.' I experienced depression. But, I prayed for faith and embraced the place. That season of my life, which extended for over 12 years, was filled with rich experiences of ministry, loving people, and was of great benefit to my family. Looking back, I see so clearly that what I thought was a Plan "D" was actually God's gift where amazing blessings were bestowed on me for which I am thankful to this day!

In the book of James, the Spirit urges us to faithful acceptance of the lives that God gives to us. "Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. Those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:9-12, NLT) No, the Word does not teach us to be resigned to fate! We must not confuse acceptance of God's reign with resignation to 'life as it is!' James also teaches us, "Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. . . . The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." (James 5:13, 16, NLT) Those 'wonderful results' are often not at all what we expected! They are what God, in His infinite wisdom, brings into our lives.

Believer, go deep with your faith. Let the Holy Spirit of God do His work in you, through you, and to you. He is not always 'fair' in the way that we would determine fairness. His ways are not always pleasant as we would desire. But He is always good, always present, and as the Word promises, "always working for the good of those who love Him and who are called to His eternal purposes." Yes, even on plan "D" days!

Here's a word from the Word. Join Job in this declaration of faith today. "But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside." (Job 23:10-11, NKJV)
_____________________

Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best;
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Ev'ry day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He sure would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure,
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As your days, your strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in ev'ry tribulation,
So to trust Your promises, O Lord;
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation,
Offered me within Your holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a Father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

Day By Day -
Berg, Carolina Sandell / Ahnfelt, Oscar / Skoog, Andrew© Public Domain

So, help me, God!

One of the great tragedies of our time is the growing distain that exists towards the Christian church among those who are not Believers. Barna Research, a reputable firm, reports that 38 percent of young Americans (16-29) have a negative impression of present day Christianity.
Christians are perceived as unintelligent and out of touch with the world, as judgmental and quick to find fault, as people who do not live what they teach, and as those who are too willing to readily and uncritically adopt the political views of the right wing. Gabe Lyons, author of unChristian: What a New Generation thinks of Christianity (Baker, 2008) writes of Believers: "we've almost forgotten what it means to be human, or to suffer with other people, or to admit to our brokenness, or to connect with people in areas where we don't have it all figured out. We've tried to portray an image that we have it all together, that our life is best now, that in a lot of ways we have conquered major issues. And we all know that is not reality." ('Christianity In Crisis,' Willow Journal, Winter, 2008)

What a telling observation! Is the assessment of Believers accurate or is it based on superficial perceptions? That I cannot say with certainty. I know many Christians on whom the indictments of insincerity, hypocrisy, blind allegiance to one political party, and judgmentalism can be hung with justice. But, I also know many Believers who work hard to serve the world in Jesus' Name with gentle love, who desire no recognition as they give of their time and resources to help those who are weighed down by terrible sorrow and/or pain. I want to be latter, so help me, God! Don't you?

Even from the 'inside,' as one who has lived his entire adult life in the shadow of the organized church and as a Pastor, I realize that we Believers are often too prone to trust government to make our world a better place, instead of rolling up our sleeves and getting about the business of building the Kingdom of God! Additionally, we let agencies do what Christ calls us to do - care for the poor, love the weak and the sick, and defend the powerless! Too often, we seek places of power instead of service; rejecting the servant's towel in favor of the weight of the law. We think that our society will be redeemed by stricter judges, with the election of politicians who use 'church speak,' or through enactment of laws more narrowly and punitively written. After years of enjoying political influence, the mirage of a legislated morality ought be obvious to Christians. National politicians that have been elected with wide support by evangelical Believers have not been able to do what only the Gospel of Christ can do - change human hearts.

Though the ages, the good news about Jesus has been validated by Christians who have served Him as they served others. Wherever the Church attempted to advance its influence on the tip of a sword, there was only failure, the establishment of a religion perhaps, but not the transformation of a culture. We need to study those history lessons and remember what Jesus urged on us when He showed us the heart of a Servant while He lived among us.

We do not lack for ministry opportunities, Believer! The prisons of America are overflowing. Are we stepping up to share the Word with inmates in Bible studies, and as we do, are we ready to show them the genuine love of Jesus Christ as we embrace them, weep with them, and ask God to bring them new hearts? The families of America are breaking up under terrible pressures. Are we teaching people to keep their covenants by keeping ours; to choose to live with less things so they can live more sanely and wholly by reducing our consumption? Are we modeling concern for those who are oppressed? As ignorant persons foment hatred, do we speak fearlessly to the prejudice that grows from fear, even at the cost of popularity? A sin-sick society, plagued with sexual dysfunction and greed needs models of purity and generosity. Do we confront our own sins and weaknesses with earnest prayer and pursuit of the fruit of Spirit life outlined in Galatians 5; "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (5:22-23, NIV) so that we might lead the way to Christ, who saves from sin?

Nehemiah, the restorer of Jerusalem, points us in the right direction in our desire to bring God to our world. The Word tells us that when he encountered the threats of those who wanted to stop his work he "prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves." (Nehemiah 4:9, NLT) We cannot just disappear into our churches and pray, nor can we only take on the challenges with hard work. Prayer without hard work produces few results. Hard work without prayer produces no lasting results.

Our response to the criticisms of our culture must not be defensive. We must never return attack for attack! Instead, with the same humility Jesus showed to those who constantly attacked Him, we must serve without needing affirmation. We must ask the Spirit to empower us, not in the usual sense, but in our hearts with courage and stamina to continue to do good, for God's glory alone. Our Master asks nothing less of us.
"Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world." (Matthew 28:19-20, CEV) "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:7-8, NLT)

Here I am, Lord. I will serve You and my world in Your Name, so help me, God.
____________________

Nostalgia's Rosy Tint

Nostalgia is a powerful part of the human experiences. I'm not an old man, but, even now, paging through our family picture albums or watching family videos from 10 years ago stirs up such such longing for a return to the time when my kids were running through the house, that I get depressed for hours! Interestingly, those same pictures that make me so morose make my wife thankful that our kids are all grown up. She was a full-time Mom and remembers that era in our family life quite differently than I do! Both of us agree about one thing, however; we can't relive those joys, so we'll find the joys that today offers!

Some people are attempting to navigate their way into the future while staring into the rear-view mirror called the 'past!' They are largely missing the present because they are remembering the past. Every experience of the 'now' is evaluated in the light of 'then.' There's a big problem with living that way. Memory is highly selective. We rewrite history to fit our perceptions, our needs. So, as we remember the 'good old days,' we tend to forget the difficulties and recall the moments of joy. Try to think back just 10 or 20 years. Memory is mostly limited to big moments of joy - birthday celebrations, Christmas, family vacations, or the awful moments of breakups, financial loss, or death. But the ordinary moments - the flat tires, broken appliances, frustrations, arguments, sun rises, unremarkable days... they have disappeared into the mist of memory.

I find that some Christians fall into the trap of nostalgia in their faith walk, too. They bemoan the state of the church, criticize the youth program, and/or long for the preaching of some by-gone pastor or teacher. "It's not the way it used to be," they say. They're right! Change is inevitable!

Churches that work to stay exactly the same - and many do - slide into isolation and gradually die. Some of you are objecting, "Jerry, Christianity is ancient. Traditions are important." And you're right. The Bible assures us that "Jesus Christ is the same; yesterday, today, and forever." The ritual celebrations of Communion and Baptism are valuable rites that preserve continuity in the Christian community. However, the ways that the Gospel is communicated; the forms in our worship will all change over time. Each generation's innovations in Christian worship has provoked the ire of the previous generation! The church organ was a scandal in the time of Bach. Few evangelical Christians who defend traditional worship today realize that the hymns of Isaac Watts provoked splits and great commotion in the 18th century American church!

Are you missing out on what God wants to do in your life TODAY, because you're attempting to recreate the spiritual experiences of another time?

Do you fondly remember a decade when God was so close to you? Rejoice in that! Don't try to erase yesterday. What He did for you and with you yesterday is foundational for your walk with Him today, but those things are the past, and He's doing a new thing in you, in me! Ask God to help you to see and appreciate today.
If you think the Church has gone a little 'off the rails,' pray for those who lead, asking the Spirit to make His Presence known - and be ready for God to do a new thing - in you, in your church, in this world!

Here's a word from the Word -
"No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be torn, and the patch wouldn't even match the old garment. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. The new wine would burst the old skins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins." (Luke 5:36-37, NLT)

"Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. He has won a mighty victory by his power and holiness." (Psalm 98:1, NLT)

Sweeter Than Honey!

I recently read a book titled: The Year of Living Biblically. A. J. Jacobs, a man who knew nothing about the Bible, decided that he would spend a year following the Bible's words to the letter. His book, which tells the story of his quest, is a hoot, somewhat irreverent, but extremely compelling. Despite his early skepticism and his secular worldview that held no real regard for the reality of the revelation of God in the Bible, Jacobs found that his encounter with the Bible was changing him, turning an atheist into an inquirer. He met up with all kinds of fundamentalists in that year, people who think they are following the Bible and miss the point entirely by focusing only on the words. For example, he handled snakes with a little church in Kentucky that completely ignore the context of Jesus' words found in Mark 16. Yes, he made a huge effort to keep the letter of the Law, but Jacobs never really allowed the Bible to change his heart. What makes his story both funny and sad are his efforts to shape his daily habits by rules that were divorced from a love for God and an openness to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I am a Biblical man. No, I don't handle snakes, grow a long beard, or observe rigid dietary codes. However, my views, my speech, my values; all come from the Bible. From the earliest days of my life, the Book has been the source of truth around which my life is shaped.

From the Book, I learned early that I am not a god and that there is a God to Whom I will give account for the way that I live my life. That singular idea has kept me from giving in to many temptations as well as motivating me to serving faithfully when I preferred to be served.

From the Book, I gained the concept of a loving personal Lord that cares for people and that has caused me to have a high regard for the dignity and personal worth of other people.

From the Book came my sense of eternity, the realization that this present world is just the prelude to the 'forever' life that is promised to all of God's children. Eternity, out there on time's horizon and growing closer each day, makes me hopeful and peaceful.

I don't have a lot of patience with those who twist the wonderful Word into strange doctrines, who use snippets of the Word to support their pet theories. Few things make me more disturbed than hearing someone 'interpret' the Scripture with little or no real skill or study. It is simply too precious to be misused by charlatans, misquoted by simpletons, or ignored by misguided sophisticates! With the Psalmist, I say - "How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:103-105, NKJV)

Paul admonished Timothy, a younger pastor, about the importance of good teaching. He said, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV) And James held this caution out to those who would take the podium to teach- "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." (James 3:1, NIV)

John Ortberg writes that
"Some 65 million copies of the Bible are bought or distributed in the U.S. every year-nothing else is a close second. The average house has at least three. People cheer the Bible, buy the Bible, give the Bible, own the Bible-they just don't actually read the Bible. According to George Gallup:
One third of those surveyed know who delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
Fewer than half can name the first book of the Bible;
80 percent of born-again Christians believe the phrase God helps those who help themselves is in the Bible (it's actually Ben Franklin)." Leadership, Winter, 2008

Are you a person of the Word?
Don't make the mistake of just owning a Bible and thinking that makes you Biblical! Read it. Of course, without the practice of group study, which has precedent spanning three millennia, you will miss much, most, in fact, of what the Bible actually has to say. Really understanding what God says is a life-long quest, a serious study, and demands that we allow the Spirit to make the Word plain to us. But, the reward of knowing and doing what the Word teaches is beyond estimation.

"Every word you give me is a miracle word— how could I help but obey? Break open your words, let the light shine out, let ordinary people see the meaning. Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything. Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you. Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me." (Psalm 119:129-133, The Message)
____________________

A Smart Fool?

If you're a student of American history you know about the "Higgins boat" which Dwight Eisenhower credited with changing the course of World War 2. Andrew Higgins built the boats, called LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel) in military jargon, that carried our soldiers and supplies to the beaches for the invasion. According to historian Stephen Ambrose, Higgins refused to hire engineers who were graduates of college programs because he believed that schools of engineering taught students to think too narrowly and turned out engineers that began their processes from what they thought could not be done in design, rather than attempting innovation. Higgins wanted men with wisdom and common sense and he found them! His self-taught engineers came up with a shallow draft boat that could go right up to the beaches, drop a ramp on the front, and allow the men to disembark without having to crawl up and over the sides, a slower process that exposed them to enemy fire for a longer period of time. {Source - REV! March-April, 2008}

Wisdom and education are not necessarily one and the same. Mastering a great body of information and having the ability to recall those facts can be a valuable skill, but if learning is not matched with wisdom - which includes:
the ability to apply information to life,
to adapt and create solutions to problems, and
an understanding of how to relate to other people-
a person may well end up being a smart fool! It has been said wisely that "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!" That is not to suggest that education, in itself, is undesirable. Having the opportunity and inclination to gain an education is important. What we must never forget is that information, especially today, has a very short shelf life. The world changes rapidly and the person who is truly wise, will be a life-long learner, continuing to study, to read, and to seek to understand the world in which he lives.

I once thought that by the time I reached my fifth decade of life, and my third decade of pastoral ministry, that my calling to the church would grow easier. It hasn't. Much of what I learned about 'how' to do ministry yesterday no longer applies in an ever-changing world. However, I enjoy greater effectiveness now than I did twenty five years ago, but it isn't because I'm in control of more facts or that I am smarter today than I once then. Truthfully, I get frustrated by my tendency to forget names, faces, and facts. I know that my mental processes are beginning to slow a little; but, I am wiser today than I was twenty years ago. That wisdom makes me more useful to the Kingdom. I'll leave it to you to say if I am actually wise! I am content to make a comparative statement - wiser than I once was! After all, the Bible warns about the folly of becoming 'wise in your own eyes!' (Proverbs 26.12)

Wisdom is not reserved for those who have graduate degrees, those with high IQ's, or those over the age of 50! Wisdom is available to anyone of us who will seek it.

The first step towards true wisdom is revealed in this passage from the Word. "Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9, NIV) There can be no real wisdom without submission to God and His ways. Let me state what might be obvious - the ability to spout Bible trivia is not the same as understanding the ways of the Lord!

The second step on the road to wisdom is humility. A wise man realizes that there is much he does not know and reveals his wisdom by gathering wise counselors! "Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances." (Proverbs 11:14, The Message) Who is on your life team? From whom are you taking advice and counsel? Are you walking with the wise?

Then, too, there is this paradox. The wiser a person becomes the more willing he is to live with mystery and ambiguity! Job was a wise man. When his life turned from good to bad, then from bad to worse, he demanded an explanation - from others and from God. His friends consumed day after day with tedious philosophical arguments about the reasons for Job's suffering. In the end, the Lord swept away their musings. Job himself rose up to demand fair answers from the Lord, to which God said "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" Then Job answered the LORD: "I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth." (Job 40:2-4, NIV) Job learned wisely to live with the mystery of faith.

Here's a word from the Word to take with you through this April Fool's Day.

"Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."
(Proverbs 9:8-12, NIV)

Suffering and Victory

I held the dear saint tightly as she wept. She has served the Lord faithfully and lovingly, even radically, for most of her life. Now, her mind is failing. Physicians have told her that she is in the early stages of dementia. She watched her husband slide into the hazy confusion of mental deterioration before he died and she fears the future holds the same for her. Is her suffering and/or fear the result of some sin? Do her tears reveal a lack of faith that would allow her to 'claim her victory?' There is a kind of triumphal Christianity in the land that would say, yes to both of those questions. Suffering has no place in the theology that see God as the Dispenser of perpetual happiness! But, my study of the Word reveals something different.

The Bible teaches the Believer to live in victory and to embrace suffering: two themes that seem, at first glance, to be in direct contradiction. How do we reconcile Jesus' words- "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28, NIV) with this- "So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you." (1 Peter 4:19, NLT)?

First, we must conquer our culture's love of "now."
We have little patience with problems that persistent beyond a few days. We crave the satisfaction of our desires right now, many of us convinced that we are entitled, as children of a good God, to a better life right here and right now; however we might define it. Christians are not immune to this impatience. We expect God to heal us, now! We demand freedom from our pain, now! We think that we should attain spiritual maturity and depth of intimacy with God, now! We think that Jesus should step in and fix the things that trouble us, now! But, God does not work in our limitations of time. His desires for us span our lifetime; and beyond into eternity.

Second, we must try to understand the difference between momentary happiness and the greater work of grace.
When I am wrestling with temptation and the fight exhausts me, I just want God to come now and 'do something!' When pain, of body or emotion, gnaws away at me, I want something or someone to soothe me. And that is natural. However, the Word reminds me, "We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, NKJV) For me, it takes greater faith to walk willingly with God through fiery trials, than it does to holler long and loud for Him to 'get me out of this mess!'

Third, we allow for mystery!
I have no idea why God allows some of his saints to pass through dementia on their way to Heaven. That makes no sense to me! But, then again, neither does electricity or nuclear physics! I lack the knowledge to grasp how much of life works. Charles R. Swindoll in Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life says, “We’re not supposed to have airtight answers! Why? Because our understanding is earthbound. . . . Our focus is from the ground up. . . . We see now, He sees forever. We judge on the basis of the temporal; He, on the basis of the eternal. . . . His vantage point is infinity." [Discipleship Journal : Issue 32. 1999]

In the book of James there is this direct instruction- "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." (James 5:13, NKJV) What is prayer? It is the communion that we enjoy with Him - ranging from praise, to petition, to weeping wordlessly, to shouting in exultation, to silent contemplation, to watchful waiting.... and more. To think that prayer is only making a list of wants and grievances to be recited before the Lord, bracketed with a Scripture and 'I ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen' is both immature and foolish.

My God reveals Himself as the Creator of Awe-inspiring Majesty and as a tender Father. Relating to Him, in faith, in both ways can be a stretch, but it is exactly the stretch that I need to make to remain steady. And, I would urge that you do the same.

Are you suffering? Pray! But not just a simplistic, childish prayer that says, "God, if you love me, get me out this trouble right now." Instead, talk it over with the Lord. Tell Him the desire of your heart. Ask boldly of Him, even as you confess His goodness and His greatness. Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7, NKJV) One author writes, "The angry person bangs, the guilty person lightly taps, and the confident person knocks. If I know I am asking and seeking with the right spirit and motives, I can confidently knock. Believing in my status as God’s child, yet accepting His sovereignty over my life, helps me exert just the right amount of pressure. That kind of knocking reveals my reverence and respect for God’s omniscience. " [Discipleship Journal : Issue 32. 1999]
____________________

A Wretch, No more!

John Newton penned the now familiar line - "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!" Newton knew the depths of wretchedness. In his youth, he had gone to sea and over time became a captain, but not of noble ships. His ships carried human cargo from their African homes to lands far away. Those ships were islands of misery and death with sick and suffering humans chained below decks in squalor that defies our imagination. In addition to the physical horror, there was the utter loss of hope, the terrible grief of having their lives stolen while their bodies still lived!

In the film, "Amazing Grace" released in 2007 to tell the story of William Wilberforce, the member of England's Parliament who led the 30 year struggle to outlaw slavery, Newton reveals that the horror of slave trade haunts his dreams, despite his own experience of Christ's transforming grace, becoming a minister of the Church of England. He was a wretch, no longer, because of God's intervention.

Some churches have taken to changing the word - 'wretch' - to 'soul' when they sing the that hymn. I prefer to hold onto the word - 'wretch' - because it makes God's grace all that more amazing! What is a 'wretch?' My dictionary defines it as 'a deplorably unhappy person of base or despicable character.' No wonder some hymnals are taking the word out of the song. We moderns don't like to think of ourselves as wretched. We make many excuses:

We don't sin anymore, we just make mistakes.

We were raised by parents who messed us up psychologically by failing to love us adequately.

We lacked opportunities to excel, to get the right education, etc.

Wrong, Wrong, and Wrong again! Inside of every person lives a wretched sinful nature,which is inherited from Adam, the first in the long line of sinful wretches.

Paul knew of the wretched state of humanity first hand, too. He spent years pursuing Christians to bring them, with whatever means necessary back to their senses. He even stood at the murder of Stephen, watching him die as stones thrown by hate-filled men pummeled that young saint's body. Then, he too,met Christ and experienced amazing, transforming grace. Paul never forgot that his sinful nature was ready to make a re-appearance if given the least chance. He wrote, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24, NKJV) But he does not dwell on hopelessness, nor does he make excuse for sin! A greater Power can give a new heart and a new start! Praise pours from his being at the demise of the wretch and the appearance of the glorious man - "The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different." (Romans 7:25, The Message)

I awakened today with a strange mixture of wonder and revulsion in my heart- the dark outlines of the wretchedness at the edges of my life repulse me. The utter depravity of humanity - the pornographers, the greedy money merchants who steal the meager wealth of the unsophisticated, the powerful among us who use their power selfishly, the strong who oppress the weak- is everywhere. But against the dark backdrop, there is glory all around, for I am no longer a depraved wretch! I am a saint saved by grace!

And, most amazing of all, I am privileged to join with God in the fight against the wretchedness of the world, a priest of Heaven who is able to make the appeal, "on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20, NIV) I rejoice that the God of the ages, through Christ Jesus, would liberate me from wretchedness, not because of anything good thing I've done, but because He is so good and His grace so amazing.Have you bowed your heard, and humbled your heart, recognizing your wretchedness? There is no need to remain in that unhappy state. There is a Savior who gives new hearts and fresh starts to those who receive His amazing grace. He accepts wretches and makes heart, soul, and mind new! The Word promises - "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." (Ezekiel 36:26-27, NIV)

Yes, you and I will, from time to time, slip back into our wretchedness when we take our eyes off of Jesus. The sinful nature waits to assert the wretch in us. But we need not wallow in the shame of our sins. Instead, we turn back to our God, and like the lost son, find the open arms of the Waiting Father.

Here's a word from the Word-"We, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory,are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory,which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)

Away darkness of the wretch! Shine brighter as you live in His amazing grace!

Wright is Wrong

Given that life can be frustrating, that people disappoint us, that situations of unfairness exist all around us, we get fed up and sometimes vent our anger in entirely inappropriate ways. Well, I do, anyway! I would not want some of my past tirades displayed on YouTube for all the world to see. So, I feel some compassion for the Rev. Wright, the pastor of Barack Obama, whose pulpit tirades were the object of much media attention this week. There is good reason for black American to feel anger, to hate what was done by a social structure that first enslaved and then oppressed their fathers. But, Wright as a Christian, should have known what we all need to know: rage feeds irrationality and, though it feels good in the moment, produces terrible fruit down life's road!

Paul challenges Believers to deal with the 'justifiable' anger over life's injustice with stern admonitions. He says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32, NIV) He says the same thing in both Galatians and Colossians! That ancient book of wisdom, Proverbs, tells us that "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." (Proverbs 16:32, NKJV) When I reflect back on times when I set aside moderation and self-control to give myself over to rage, I see moments of folly. With reason replaced by white hot passionate emotions, I am capable of saying and/or doing things that can only cause pain, that hurt others and myself.

And, while my first reaction to Wright is sorrowful indignation, what follows quickly is a kind of fear and humility. Why? Because I know that I, too, am a man with a sinful nature that struggles to master me. And, Believer, so are you! In a recent gathering of pastors that I attended, someone spoke of a local minister who had broken his marriage vows, sinning against God and his family. We all made the appropriate noises of disgust and professed our dismay that one of our fraternity would 'do such a thing!' Our indignation masked this simple truth - anyone of us sitting there could easily do the same thing except for the grace of God. Wright's rage and our brother's adultery are evidence of the very real struggle with the sinful nature that goes on inside the mind and heart of every person!

Please don't read this as excusing sinful behavior. Paul, even as he acknowledges being "the worst of sinners," (1 Tim. 1.15) determines to live a holy life that honors his Lord and Savior. And so should we. Here's the paradox, when we acknowledge the reality of the potential to sin that is very real, we have taken the first step to break its hold on us. By humbly admitting the truth, we release the power of God in our lives. No one cleans himself up morally and then presents himself to Christ as worthy of being a child of God. The Bible dismisses even the most sincere attempts at making ourselves holy saying, "all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory!" (Romans 3.23) Isaiah declares that our attempts at self-righteousness have all the value of 'filthy rags!' (64.4)

But here's the rest of the story.... "now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—"he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:21-26, NIV)

God stepped in! What we cannot do for ourselves, He did for us. What is impossible for us, holiness, He makes not only possible, but inevitable, as we are filled with the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. The Word exults in our victory. After listing many evidences of the old sinful way of life, Paul says, "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. ... By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also."
(1 Corinthians 6:11,14, NIV)

Believer, do not accommodate your sinful nature. Make no excuses for those things that are 'normal' but not God-glorifying. Watch out for spiritual pride that points out the sins of others while failing to admit your own. Instead, kneel at the Cross! Receive the gift of salvation and the power to live a new life that is free to all who will believe and receive.
______________________

Trophy

Trophy - it's a funny word, isn't it?

The dictionary defines it as "anything serving as evidence of a victory, valor, or skill." Last year I won one, sort of, at the Pinewood Derby, sponsored by our church's boys group. Using a kit purchased from them, I made a small car to race down a long track. They awarded me the prize for 'slowest car.' I kid you not! It was a moment of glory that won't be remembered. I have another trophy, a copy of a national magazine, issue date in the early 1990's, when an editor first took note of my words and published an article I had written. I remember the pride I felt on receiving an advance copy, opening to that page, and seeing the title and my name printed under it. The paper of the magazine is starting to yellow and the excitement over being 'published' has long since faded.

John Ortberg writes about the fleeting nature of earthly success and the speed with which our trophies become insignificant. "God has a wonderful sense of humor and often sends people to help to remember that 'being enough' is His department. No trophies can confer that status. A few years ago I spoke in a conference in Germany and afterward was asked to sign some books. A woman handed me a German translation of one of my books and said in thickly accented English, 'Danka. This is the best book I ever read.' Germans aren't famous for their sense of humor, but I thought she might be pulling my leg. 'No kidding?' I asked her. 'Yah,' she said, by way of ruthless explanation, 'I don't read much.' " - It All Goes Back in the Box, Zondervan, 2007

What trophies are you reaching for? What serves as evidence of victory for you? More money? Status in your community? Your kids' achievements? Grades, degrees, certificates? Sexual conquest?

Awards and recognition are wonderful. We need to commend those who show skill, who achieve proficiency. But, we are best adjusted when the award is secondary in our order of importance. A real scholar loves to learn more than the degree that comes with education. A true athlete loves the game even more than the championship ring that comes with the win. A genuine Believer loves to serve the Lord and others more than the appreciation that comes to faithful servants! Trophies lose their luster quite quickly. This year's 'magna cum laude' graduate is replaced by the scholar in the next class! Those who make world records in this year's games will see them replaced by someone in a year or two.

Believer, there is a trophy that lasts! The commendation of God, for a life of love, never loses it's value. The Word says, "Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing." (1 Corinthians 9:24-26, NLT) "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (1 Peter 5:4, NIV)

Jesus spoke of "laying up treasure in Heaven... where it never decays." He wasn't just talking about giving a generous donation to the church. He was talking about investing our time, our affection- all of our resources - in those things that are of eternal value. How you do your job makes it either just about earning a paycheck or about making life better for others for God's glory. Loving, forgiving, seeking to serve makes relationships rich and creates unity in our families, churches, and communities that glorifies God and builds an eternal reward.

I pray that the trophy case in my life isn't just full of fading trinkets of past glory. May God help me to live in a way that connects today with eternity. How about you?
Here's a word from the Word. Embrace the promise!
"Be diligent and turn from your indifference. Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne." (Revelation 3:19-21, NLT)

A Good Loser?

There are hundreds of books that teach us skills we need to win. Some counsel on the ways of building wealth, others on the agility necessary to mastering a game. But, I am convinced that a skill most needed is that of learning how to lose well! The fact is that we all lose, probably more than we win. It is a fact of life - Nobody wins everytime! It is what we do with the disappointments the come with loss that marks us as great people.

In her book, Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin recounts the story of Abraham Lincoln and Edwin Stanton, two men who met in 1854. One was a country lawyer from Illinois, the other a cultured lawyer from Washington, DC. A big case was to be heard in Illinois, so Stanton's firm retained a local lawyer, Lincoln, just to make a connection with the local judge. Lincoln did not know this so he spent weeks preparing for the case. When Stanton came to Illinois for the case, he ignored Lincoln's work completely. He insulted Lincoln endlessly, until finally Lincoln withdrew from the case, losing his ability to gain compensation. Five years later, Lincoln was the President of the United States and Stanton was the outgoing Attorney General. Lincoln needed a man to run the War Department as the nation was in the crisis of the Civil War. Stanton, his old critic, was the man recommended by many. Lincoln had not forgotten the insults, public and private, that Stanton had rained on him, yet he swallowed his pride and appointed the man for the good of the nation. In the end, they became stalwart allies and Stanton served his President faithfully until the day Lincoln was shot. Stanton mourned Lincoln intensely in death.

How was Lincoln able to choose a man for high office who had previously treated him with such contempt? Because Lincoln had learned to deal with adversity as a result of many losses in his life. He had endured poverty, overcame the early death of family members, lived through successive hardships, and suffered multiple political defeats on his way to the Presidency. Along the way, he had discovered that suffering can be an excellent teacher. He knew that today's loss is an opportunity to make the choices for tomorrow's success! A man less acquainted with personal hardships may well have lacked the courage, grit, and endurance to lead the nation through that dark time that preserved the Union at such terrible cost in life. Suffering had produced a person of great character who realized that the world did not exist to serve him; but that he existed to serve others in this world.

Do you complain bitterly when you are faced with loss?
Do you love to rehearse your sorrows so as to gain the sympathies of others?
Do you carefully protect yourself, your time, your resources from situations that might be costly, or demand inconvenience?
If you answer consistently answer with a 'yes,' dear Believer, then you will be of little use in the work of God.

Jesus Christ lays down these words of uncompromising challenge to each of us who would be part of His work in the world.
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26, NIV)
His call is not to stoicism!
He does not demand detachment, nor a stiff upper lip!
Jesus was a man of tenderest emotions. He wept at the death of his friend, Lazarus. He wept over the city of Jerusalem, knowing the judgment that awaited her. He was touched by the hunger of the crowd, the pain of the sick, and the hopelessness of those controlled by evil. He willingly took on the 'loss' of His Glory as God, to become a Man, and to become sin for us all. And why? For the joy of doing the will of God, for that is was, and is, the greatest Win-Win ever! In our obedience to His will, God's Kingdom advances, we are blessed eternally.

Often our bitter wails and manipulations are born of an overdeveloped sense of entitlement! We do not say it in so many words, but the thought is there too often, "God, I am owed a better deal than this!" Truthfully, He owes us nothing, but gives us all things by His grace as we are able to receive them with thanksgiving, holding them loosely, and ready to use them for His purposes. When you find yourself in a hard place today, pray for the grace to give real thanks to God for His purposes in that moment. Careful now. Do not give the fraudulent words of empty praise to Him that is unmatched by a worshipful heart. Surrender yourself, from the first moment of the day, to His reign. Commit yourself to accepting wins and losses with equal grace, as the Lord helps you. A paradox that is amazing results. You will begin to experience greater joy as you live nearer to the Heart of God, which will increase the love that you enjoy for God, and from others. "Whoever loses his life for Me, will find it!"

Here is a word from the Word for your meditation today:
"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." (Philippians 3:8-9, NIV)
_________________

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord I give myself to Thee.
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessings fall on me.

I surrender all,
I surrender all.
All to Thee my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

I Surrender All
Van DeVenter, Weeden© Public Domain