One of the characteristics of our present society that I deeply despise is the tendency to make decisions, not based on what is right or even good, but on what limits liability! More than once when I've proposed some project to an organization, the response has not been around the good that potentially could be accomplished. The questions focus on "how does this expose us to liability?" Where once we trusted each other's intent to do the right things and accepted that living involves risks, many among us now see the accidents that happen as evidence of bad intentions and thus, as an opportunity for gain through lawsuits. By way of example, I am told that physicians are often pressured to practice medicine based on avoiding being sued for malpractice. Tests that are marginally valuable are ordered so that there can be no accusation of negligence. Treatments that might work are not used because, if they fail, there is a greater risk of liability. I smile as I report that even the church which I serve as Pastor carries a 'clergy malpractice' policy for me! Imagine being sued for being a bad spiritual leader... well, actually clergy malpractice usually involves clergy sin that leads to very bad things which I must not minimize.
A network of trust frees us to get on with life, to experiment with choices that involve greater risk, but which also maximizes our ability to achieve greater results. In an excellent book, The World is Flat, Thomas L. Friedman, I read this quote from Dov Seidman - "Norms and institutions that create predictability and confidence and trust... propel innovation. Without trust there is no risk-taking, and without risk-taking there is no innovation. . . if you want to get more people to take the necessary risk to innovate, just put more trust in the room. ... Having an abundance of trust is essential in the world of collaboration because the more that people trust each other, the more likely it is that they are going to work well together."
I have been thinking about that for days in terms of the Church. What might we accomplish in the cause of Christ if we trusted each other and encouraged each other to accept gifts of the Spirit, to experiment in the ways that we offer up service, to discover the best ways we can minister in His name, within the context of a loving, supportive Body that steadies and provides solid guidance? I see that trust as extending up and down the line of spiritual authority. As a Pastor I cannot fulfill my calling to teach and lead the people of God if they do not trust me. Of course, I must give those I lead reason to trust by exhibiting a deep love for God, a spiritual maturity, an unselfish heart, and constantly improving professional skills. But I also realize that I must trust those with whom I serve, looking for the best in their efforts, extending them a steadying hand even as I encourage them to take the risk of doing something new for God, thus widening the reach of the Kingdom! Maybe for you this is all just obvious stuff, but for me it is like a revelation!
Trust is not automatic and it is fragile! Most of us do not naturally trust, taught as we are both by experience and lesson, to question and to be skeptical. And all of us know how quickly trust can be broken by actions that are self-centered or words that are accusatory, based on perception and judgment. That is one reason that the command of Christ to love is so very important. Paul quotes Jesus reminding us - “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God’s requirements. (Romans 13.10 NLT) When I think how the church would be transformed if all of us really took that command seriously, I am filled with excited anticipation.
Just imagine the possibilities created within a 'high trust' ministry where the first question asked is always - "how can we help that person feel secure in our love so that they can pursue the will and purpose of God fearlessly?"
Then, too, let me close by reminding you that God has secured you and me in His love! He wants to relieve us of fear so that we will not cower before Him, but work diligently for Him for the joy of accomplishing His plans and purposes in this world. He does not desire that we live defensively. Instead He wants us to go into our world boldly, risking failure, even as we serve Him with the gifts He's invested in us. Isn't that what Jesus says at the end of the parable of the talents when confronted with the one talent servant who buried the investment of the Master instead of putting it to good use? That servant came before the Master to give an accounting, but because he was fearful, having completely mis-understood the true nature of the Master, he had done nothing with the investment except to keep it safe. In case you think that was good enough for God, read on! In Matthew 25 (The Message) we read,
The servant said, "I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’ “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb."
Friend, God trusts you, loves you, and desires that you love and trust Him in return! That trust should provide a context for service that is joyful, fruitful, and that wins His approval with a "Well done, good and faithful servant."
___________________________
TFTD will return on Monday, August 14. Thanks for reading along!It is a joy to come into your life day by day.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Forgiveness, easier said than done!
On hearing the news of the woman's choice, anger surged through me like an ocean wave. "How could she do this? Whatever is she thinking?" were my more rational thoughts. On a parallel track in my mind played the words I had used to counsel a Believer that same day about choosing to forgive. I had urged that angry person to remember that forgiveness is as much a benefit to the forgiver as the forgiven, that forgiveness requires that we give up the need to be right, or vindicated, or even appreciated. Now I was faced with the challenge of practicing what I preach.
We can find hundreds of excuses to dodge the issue of forgiveness, can't we? "He hasn't apologized." "She needs to face up to what she's done to me." "What about justice?" "He doesn't deserve to be forgiven!" "If I forgive her, what will she learn about consequences of her actions?" Who hasn't said something like one of those comments at one time or another? And there is much merit in each of them, too. Apologies do pave the road of forgiveness. God cares about justice. Learning to accept responsibility for things we've said and done to harm others is a major part of maturity, but none of those statements gives you or me a pass on forgiveness.
Finding the way to forgiveness is a critically important discipline for the person who wants to live like Jesus. He does not give us much wiggle room on the subject. In the model prayer, one phrase is "forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. " (Matthew 6:12, NKJV) And then Jesus explains that we have the power of choice in the matter of forgiveness and that our decision to forgive really matters to God. He goes on to say, “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part." (Matthew 6:14-15, The Message)
From God's forgiveness of those who sin against Him, we can learn much about how to forgive.
- Forgiveness begins with you and me, not the person who has offended us. God extends the offer of forgiveness to us at His own expense. He initiates the process. So must we! We cannot be passive, waiting for someone to seek forgiveness. We must work through our anger, hurt, and offense with God, doing the spiritual and emotional work necessary to forgiveness with the help of the Spirit. Then we will be able to reach out graciously.
- Forgiveness with God is not partial, nor conditional. When He forgives and we accept His forgiveness, there is a wonderful phrase that describes the extent of His forgiveness - "You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!" (Micah 7:19, NLT)
- Forgiveness is a process, not an event. We offend God, He forgives... again and again. Our sins are not to pile up. Instead, His desire is that we live close to Him, with no guilt, no shame, alienating us from His love. In our relationships, we must not wait 'til Christmas, or a birthday, or some family gathering - for example - to decide to 'clean up' the junk that has accumulated. We need to be forgiving, gently finding ways to keep our relationships with others close and safe and trusting.
- Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. God offers forgiveness, but for real reconciliation to occur, we must receive it appropriately with repentance. Finding peace with another person requires the involvement of both, but releasing them from indebtedness to us over an offense is a personal choice!
Are you feuding with someone, feeling offended by another's actions, dealing with anxiety over an unresolved dispute?
Dear friend, it's time to start to forgive. Honestly take your emotions to the Lord. Tell Him how you feel, what you feel, why you think you're feeling that way. Listen for the inner voice of the Spirit and ask Him to help you to find a way to genuine forgiveness. Hand over the offender to the Lord for judgment! No, I don't mean that you should ask God to blast her with some terrible tragedy. Just give Him the issue for His justice. Tell Him that you don't want to carry the load of resentment any longer, that you trust Him to deal justly, that He knows the motives, the reality of the situation better than you do. Then, as Jesus teaches, begin to "bless those who curse you!"
You will find a new sweetness of spirit enveloping you, a sense of health overtaking you, a newly peaceful sleep pattern coming on your nights. In forgiveness you are like your Father in Heaven.
Here's a word from the Word to ponder today:
"Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No!” Jesus replied, “seventy times seven!"
“For this reason, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so the king ordered that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. But the man fell down before the king and begged him, ‘Oh, sir, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then the king was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and jailed until the debt could be paid in full. “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him what had happened.
Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison until he had paid every penny. “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters in your heart.”" (Matthew 18:21-35, NLT)
Jerry D. Scott, Pastor
Washington Assembly of God
http://www.WashingtonAG.com
We can find hundreds of excuses to dodge the issue of forgiveness, can't we? "He hasn't apologized." "She needs to face up to what she's done to me." "What about justice?" "He doesn't deserve to be forgiven!" "If I forgive her, what will she learn about consequences of her actions?" Who hasn't said something like one of those comments at one time or another? And there is much merit in each of them, too. Apologies do pave the road of forgiveness. God cares about justice. Learning to accept responsibility for things we've said and done to harm others is a major part of maturity, but none of those statements gives you or me a pass on forgiveness.
Finding the way to forgiveness is a critically important discipline for the person who wants to live like Jesus. He does not give us much wiggle room on the subject. In the model prayer, one phrase is "forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. " (Matthew 6:12, NKJV) And then Jesus explains that we have the power of choice in the matter of forgiveness and that our decision to forgive really matters to God. He goes on to say, “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part." (Matthew 6:14-15, The Message)
From God's forgiveness of those who sin against Him, we can learn much about how to forgive.
- Forgiveness begins with you and me, not the person who has offended us. God extends the offer of forgiveness to us at His own expense. He initiates the process. So must we! We cannot be passive, waiting for someone to seek forgiveness. We must work through our anger, hurt, and offense with God, doing the spiritual and emotional work necessary to forgiveness with the help of the Spirit. Then we will be able to reach out graciously.
- Forgiveness with God is not partial, nor conditional. When He forgives and we accept His forgiveness, there is a wonderful phrase that describes the extent of His forgiveness - "You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!" (Micah 7:19, NLT)
- Forgiveness is a process, not an event. We offend God, He forgives... again and again. Our sins are not to pile up. Instead, His desire is that we live close to Him, with no guilt, no shame, alienating us from His love. In our relationships, we must not wait 'til Christmas, or a birthday, or some family gathering - for example - to decide to 'clean up' the junk that has accumulated. We need to be forgiving, gently finding ways to keep our relationships with others close and safe and trusting.
- Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. God offers forgiveness, but for real reconciliation to occur, we must receive it appropriately with repentance. Finding peace with another person requires the involvement of both, but releasing them from indebtedness to us over an offense is a personal choice!
Are you feuding with someone, feeling offended by another's actions, dealing with anxiety over an unresolved dispute?
Dear friend, it's time to start to forgive. Honestly take your emotions to the Lord. Tell Him how you feel, what you feel, why you think you're feeling that way. Listen for the inner voice of the Spirit and ask Him to help you to find a way to genuine forgiveness. Hand over the offender to the Lord for judgment! No, I don't mean that you should ask God to blast her with some terrible tragedy. Just give Him the issue for His justice. Tell Him that you don't want to carry the load of resentment any longer, that you trust Him to deal justly, that He knows the motives, the reality of the situation better than you do. Then, as Jesus teaches, begin to "bless those who curse you!"
You will find a new sweetness of spirit enveloping you, a sense of health overtaking you, a newly peaceful sleep pattern coming on your nights. In forgiveness you are like your Father in Heaven.
Here's a word from the Word to ponder today:
"Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No!” Jesus replied, “seventy times seven!"
“For this reason, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so the king ordered that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. But the man fell down before the king and begged him, ‘Oh, sir, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then the king was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and jailed until the debt could be paid in full. “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him what had happened.
Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison until he had paid every penny. “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters in your heart.”" (Matthew 18:21-35, NLT)
Jerry D. Scott, Pastor
Washington Assembly of God
http://www.WashingtonAG.com
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
When we are in the wilderness
A long time ago, I settled my mind on the question of God's existence. All of Creation is one big argument that God is. From time to time I do have to deal with a different question and yesterday was one of those days. Does He care, is He present? Have I done something that caused me to wander from His side? Amazing, isn't it, that I can go from a wonderful time of intimate prayer, knowing the touch of the Hand of the Lord one day to wondering where He is the next? But, that is to be human. We react to our circumstances, are stressed by the suffering that is real, and cry out - "May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth!" sometimes more out of desperation than real faith.
The window into the war zones of the Middle East is a like a view of Hell for me. Realizing that men and women are dying, that their homes and property are being destroyed by hatred, leaves me too sad for words and sometimes wondering, "Why God, do you permit such things?"
Standing by the side of a suffering Christian who is in terrible pain despite our prayers causes me to feel a little like Job who prayed - “My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try hard not to groan aloud. If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his throne and talk with him there." (Job 23:2-3, NLT)
Standing in a funeral home seeing the body of a brave woman who lived with ALS for three long years and feeling only a fraction of the grief her family must know, I grew angry - for a moment - with God. For a while, I felt alone, almost forsaken.
Matthew 4 helps me to understand the source of my questions. Jesus was led by the Spirit to a time of temptation in the wilderness. Matthew 4 reports - Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger..." (4:1-2, The Message) Who showed up next? Satan, with his various offers. It was Jesus' hunger that the devil exploited. In the middle of the battle for his soul, Jesus wanted food, comfort, and meaning.
You and I live in a 'wilderness' as long as we are on this earth! We are often engaged with challenges - spiritual and physical - that deplete our reserves and leave us hungry. Not just physically, either. We hunger for love. We hunger for meaning in our life. We hunger for peace and soul rest. We hunger for our Father's embrace after we have given our all in the battles of life. The Bible teaches us that the Enemy of our soul exploits that hunger. Note what Satan did when Jesus was near exhausted, depleted, and vulnerable. He lied - offering temporary satisfaction for the hunger that Jesus experienced.
"Make a stone into bread!
Throw yourself down and make God, your Father, show up to rescue you.
Worship me, just for a moment, and I'll give you recognition among men!"
Similarly, when we ache for comfort, when we want life to be easier to understand, he comes to offer us 'solutions' too.
Feeling emotionally empty? Throw an abusive tantrum and get some attention.
Need to be comforted? Overeat. Buy a new toy.
Want meaning? Pour yourself into getting power or gaining awards for your 'selfless' service.
Manipulate religion to make it serve your needs and desires.
Behind all of his suggestions is the great lie: "God doesn't care about you. If He did, He wouldn't allow you to be hungry! SO, it's time to take care of yourself."
Here's the faith challenge in such moments. It is the very love of God that allows us to feel hunger -- for that hunger should drive us to Him, to seek for Him! That is why Jesus replied to the devil with the Word Truth again and again. Jesus insists - "My need will be met by my Father!" And so should we! That does not mean that God will take away our hunger or fill us up in the way we always want Him to. If He did, we would not worship Him. Fatness, not leanness, is the greater test of the soul. And, we must never forget in it all - God is still Present! Jesus was in the wilderness by the will of His Father. God, our Father, calls us to contentment in Him, trusting in His promise even when our hunger diminishes our ability to sense Him there.
Contentment is something entirely different than being satisfied. John Eldredge writes, "Contentment is not freedom from desire (hunger), but freedom of desire. Being content is not pretending that everything is way we wish it to be; it is not acting as though we have no wishes. Rather, contentment is no longer being ruled by our desires."
Are you feeling an ache of spiritual hunger today? Has a trip through a wilderness left you worn out, wondering where God is, why He letting it happen?
I ache with you. But, don't let your human emotions or the Deceiver turn that hunger into an occasion for sin- either by trying to satisfy it with temporal things or by accusing your Father of leaving you orphaned.
Rather, let that hunger drive to a place of quiet before Him. And consider this:
"... if we look forward to something we don’t have yet, we must wait patiently and confidently. And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:24-28, NLT)
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Traveling Stand-by
Sean, my son, is able to fly at reduced rates because his father-in-law is a pilot with a major air carrier. It's one of those nice perks, except for one thing; it's stand-by. That means he cannot make a confirmed reservation and can only get on a flight if there is a seat available at the last moment. Much of the time, that's not a problem. In peak travel seasons and on busy routes, it can be. Today, he had hoped to fly home, albeit on a circuitous route, but when he checked the flight status this morning, every flight was status 'red' meaning they were already oversold with the likelihood of getting on board near zero. Young as he is, stand-by flying is somewhat of an adventure. But it is not for me! When I go to the airport, I want to be assured of a seat on that plane.
I know a lot of people who think they're going to enjoy eternal life on a stand-by basis. They make no advance reservations, pay little attention to their spiritual life, they think they will appear at the gates of Glory and hope they will get in on a space available basis! What an awful way to think about eternity. The stakes are too high for 'hope so, could be' thinking. No wonder so many fear death with such intense dread. Death for me holds no terrors. Sure, I'm not exactly gleeful over the process of dying, but once the transit from earth to glory is made, I have no fear. Why? Because, I have a confirmed reservation, purchased by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, made available to me by His amazing grace. Like Paul, I can say, "I know in Whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I've entrusted to Him..."
The Word makes this promise to those who live in faith - "So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that great, perfect sanctuary in heaven, not made by human hands and not part of this created world. Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever." (Hebrews 9:11-12, NLT)
That is a wonderful phrase - "He secured our salvation forever!" You and I can enter into eternal life, right here, right now. We don't have to wait to die to see if there is room in the Father's house for us. We need not be anxious about our inevitable trip beyond the skies. He, at His own expense, purchased our salvation and gives us life, eternal and full! The ticket is issued, paid in full.
As I've just mentioned, salvation is not just about 'getting into Heaven.' Some mistakenly think that praying a prayer to receive Christ, a prayer affirming their hope in Him, is the whole thing wrapped up and done in one little package. Wrong! Being 'saved' is as much about how we live now as it is about going to Heaven. When Christ saves us from sin and the penalty of death and Hell, He gives us a high and holy calling to become Kingdom people, responsible for extending the reign of God here on earth. We are commissioned to 'go into all the world' and preach - both with words and actions - the goodness of God. Like Abraham of old, we realize that we are looking forward to a city not built with human hands, and we begin to live differently, focused on the values of Heaven, even as we live here on earth.
I want to be one of those Believers who brings a little bit of Heaven down to earth, don't you? I want people to sense the Presence of God in me, to catch a bit of the fragrance of Heaven when I pass by. And, as I walk in the Spirit, with a heart that is already at home in God's house, with a mind that is filled with the wisdom of Heaven, that will happen.
Here's a word from the Word for you today. Believe it and live!
"... because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. God’s purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God. And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God." (Ephesians 1:11-14, NLT)
Got your ticket? If not, confirm your reservation for Heaven today, right now.
I know a lot of people who think they're going to enjoy eternal life on a stand-by basis. They make no advance reservations, pay little attention to their spiritual life, they think they will appear at the gates of Glory and hope they will get in on a space available basis! What an awful way to think about eternity. The stakes are too high for 'hope so, could be' thinking. No wonder so many fear death with such intense dread. Death for me holds no terrors. Sure, I'm not exactly gleeful over the process of dying, but once the transit from earth to glory is made, I have no fear. Why? Because, I have a confirmed reservation, purchased by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, made available to me by His amazing grace. Like Paul, I can say, "I know in Whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I've entrusted to Him..."
The Word makes this promise to those who live in faith - "So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that great, perfect sanctuary in heaven, not made by human hands and not part of this created world. Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever." (Hebrews 9:11-12, NLT)
That is a wonderful phrase - "He secured our salvation forever!" You and I can enter into eternal life, right here, right now. We don't have to wait to die to see if there is room in the Father's house for us. We need not be anxious about our inevitable trip beyond the skies. He, at His own expense, purchased our salvation and gives us life, eternal and full! The ticket is issued, paid in full.
As I've just mentioned, salvation is not just about 'getting into Heaven.' Some mistakenly think that praying a prayer to receive Christ, a prayer affirming their hope in Him, is the whole thing wrapped up and done in one little package. Wrong! Being 'saved' is as much about how we live now as it is about going to Heaven. When Christ saves us from sin and the penalty of death and Hell, He gives us a high and holy calling to become Kingdom people, responsible for extending the reign of God here on earth. We are commissioned to 'go into all the world' and preach - both with words and actions - the goodness of God. Like Abraham of old, we realize that we are looking forward to a city not built with human hands, and we begin to live differently, focused on the values of Heaven, even as we live here on earth.
I want to be one of those Believers who brings a little bit of Heaven down to earth, don't you? I want people to sense the Presence of God in me, to catch a bit of the fragrance of Heaven when I pass by. And, as I walk in the Spirit, with a heart that is already at home in God's house, with a mind that is filled with the wisdom of Heaven, that will happen.
Here's a word from the Word for you today. Believe it and live!
"... because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago. God’s purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God. And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God." (Ephesians 1:11-14, NLT)
Got your ticket? If not, confirm your reservation for Heaven today, right now.
Monday, July 31, 2006
A Present Help - My God!
In that little waiting room in the hospital, I sat with my head bowed. With a broken heart and troubled mind I went to prayer - at first not sure even how to pray. A beautiful young woman lay just steps away, holding onto life by a thin thread. "Oh God, Oh God, Oh God" - was all I could manage, at first; but then with the help of the Spirit, I began to thank Him for His beauty, His majesty, His greatness, the love He has shown to us. From that praise came a boldness to ask God to intervene. Nearly an hour slipped quickly by as I prayed in quiet murmuring of petition and silent ponderings of praise. That alcove became a sanctuary! I felt Him come close and touch us!
How do people face life alone, without God? I cannot answer that question, because I have been blessed all my life with the knowledge of His love for me. From the earliest days of my childhood, prayer and the Presence of the Lord have been part of my the world I live in. No, I am not always a perfect saint! I don't always live close to God, but I've always known He is there, sometimes even abusing His mercy and grace in my immaturity and ingratitude. Yet, He loves me. Don't read this paragraph as indicating that my life has been without disappointment, without moments of doubt or confusion, or even fear. Sometimes, for reasons I cannot know, it seems that God stands aside and I feel like I'm on my own. Sometimes He allows situations to develop for which I can find no purpose and I'm left with the stark option of faith! The truth is that I never walk alone. In the darkest situation, He is there.
David writes -
"You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
"You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." (Psalm 139:3-12, NIV)
Even the darkness will not be dark to You! What a wonderful assurance. The Father walks with us and sees the way - even in the dark. He knows our frail nature, our tendency to fall, and loves us anyway.
Do you live in His Presence?
Do you walk with Him?
Is your first inclination in times of joy and trouble to share it with your Friend, Jesus Christ?
If you answer those questions with a 'yes,' then you know what I'm writing about. If 'no,' then let me urge you to receive Him into your life today! Open your heart and mind to Him. Hand over your life to Him. Sell out - irrevocably! The transaction is one born in faith. It doesn't require a priest or preacher, just a hungry heart that says, "Jesus save me. Love me. Be my Lord!" Becoming a child of God does not mean that you will be exempt from the trials and tests of living. That's the nonsense of prosperity preachers imaginations. Those of us who walk with Him continue to live in a world where there is war, pain, suffering, and death. But, we never walk alone!
_____________________________
WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS
Friday, July 28, 2006
A God big enough to worship
When was the last time you felt awe - the sweaty palms and tightening gut that results when understanding fails and mystery remains? Most of us are quite uneasy with such a feeling. We do everything we can to destroy mystery, to define boundaries, and to find ourselves a place of comfort. In this we are not unlike the ancient Israelis who were camped around Mt. Sinai awaiting the Lord's direction. As the mountain quaked and smoked under His Mysterious Presence, they grew fearful. The Bible tells us - "Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”" (Exodus 20:18-19, NKJV) Later in the saga, when Moses went up the mountain again, after a few days they abandoned the Lord, preferring to make a lesser god - one less intimidating. In one of the more tragic episodes of the Exodus, Aaron capitulated to their demands and made them an idol, a golden calf. The result was amazing! "Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies." (Exodus 32:25, NIV)
Like those ancient Jews, many of us find ourselves discomfited by the God of the Scripture who defies definition and formulas. We read of His exploits and wonder what it means, asking - Who is He really? In response many of us unconsciously adopt images for Him to which we can relate and, in the process, lose the Majesty. God asks "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that?’ asks the Lord. ‘Could you build a dwelling place for me?" (Acts 7:48-49, NLT) We must be willing to live with a God of wonder, One who is big enough to worship with our whole hearts.
When we diminish God, when we take away His majesty and make Him over as a tame god, awe disappears.
With the loss of awe comes a loss of moral restraint!
I believe that one of the reasons the Church is so full of sin in our time is that her theology is so impoverished. We sing "Jesus loves me, this I know..." and as precious as that truth is, it is not all there is to know. God, as seen in the face of Jesus Christ, is approachable and that is a treasure for those of us who follow Him. But, God is still the God of Sinai and the God of Whom the prophets thundered. He is the God that John met on the Isle of Patmos who revealed His sweeping plans for the triumph of His kingdom and the destruction of evil. Believer, we need to make a fast from all our pious chatter to ponder the ways of the Most High. In humility we need to admit that God is greater than our understanding and that He always will be! That is not a terrible thing at all. In fact, admitting that God does not live in our back pocket, that He is not exclusively the god of Christian evangelicals or the god of America, will go a long, long way to restoring our love for the world that He loves and serving Him in a way that is holy.
“I am the LORD your God, ... “You shall have no other gods before me.
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." (Exodus 20:2-4, NIV)
______________________________________
"You are awesome in this place,
Mighty God.
You are awesome in this place,
Abba Father.
You are worthy of all praise,
to You our lives we raise.
You are awesome in this place,
Mighty God." Amen.
- Dave Billington
Like those ancient Jews, many of us find ourselves discomfited by the God of the Scripture who defies definition and formulas. We read of His exploits and wonder what it means, asking - Who is He really? In response many of us unconsciously adopt images for Him to which we can relate and, in the process, lose the Majesty. God asks "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you ever build me a temple as good as that?’ asks the Lord. ‘Could you build a dwelling place for me?" (Acts 7:48-49, NLT) We must be willing to live with a God of wonder, One who is big enough to worship with our whole hearts.
When we diminish God, when we take away His majesty and make Him over as a tame god, awe disappears.
With the loss of awe comes a loss of moral restraint!
I believe that one of the reasons the Church is so full of sin in our time is that her theology is so impoverished. We sing "Jesus loves me, this I know..." and as precious as that truth is, it is not all there is to know. God, as seen in the face of Jesus Christ, is approachable and that is a treasure for those of us who follow Him. But, God is still the God of Sinai and the God of Whom the prophets thundered. He is the God that John met on the Isle of Patmos who revealed His sweeping plans for the triumph of His kingdom and the destruction of evil. Believer, we need to make a fast from all our pious chatter to ponder the ways of the Most High. In humility we need to admit that God is greater than our understanding and that He always will be! That is not a terrible thing at all. In fact, admitting that God does not live in our back pocket, that He is not exclusively the god of Christian evangelicals or the god of America, will go a long, long way to restoring our love for the world that He loves and serving Him in a way that is holy.
“I am the LORD your God, ... “You shall have no other gods before me.
“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." (Exodus 20:2-4, NIV)
______________________________________
"You are awesome in this place,
Mighty God.
You are awesome in this place,
Abba Father.
You are worthy of all praise,
to You our lives we raise.
You are awesome in this place,
Mighty God." Amen.
- Dave Billington
Thursday, July 27, 2006
I am not God.
Aren't you glad I cleared that up? Many Americans have a religion that makes it seem as though they are god, with rituals and rules bent to favor their own needs, interests, and prejudice. The glorious statement in the opening chapter of the Bible that reveals God's Creative purposes, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;..." (Genesis 1:26, NKJV) is rewritten by many so that it reads, "Let us make gods in our image!" We can see the results of this trivialization of God all around us. Christianity 'lite' to which about 50-60% of Americans subscribe simply cannot bring about the transformation of character or restraint of self-serving impulses that are required for truly godly lives. Sermons that are little morality lessons wrapped in cute stories about kids don't bring about conviction of sin. Treating the Bible like a collection of Aesop's Fables won't make us godly people.
We need a new revelation of the Transcendent God, the One who stands above the world as the Creator of the Universe, and to Whom each of us will give an account of himself. A person who believes in the God of the Bible, who understands that God is not his peer but his Lord, views all of life through a different lens than the person who sees god only as the Cosmic Buddy, good for making him feel a little better in the tough moments like death. The person who sees God as Creator, as the One who gives divine law and expects those He has created to adhere to that law, begins to grasp that the world is sacramental - that is, it a place where everything reflects God's holiness and where all actions become means of giving Him glory.
Rod Dreher, author of an excellent little book called Crunchy Cons, (goofy name, great book) writes this - "to see the world sacramentally is to see material things, objects and human actions - as vessels containing or transmitting ideals. To live in a sacramental world is to live in a world pregnant with meaning, a world in which nothing can be taken for granted, and in which no one and nothing is without intrinsic worth. If we live sacramentally, then everything we do and everything we are reflects the things we value."
Believer, does pondering the truth about God make you shiver? It should!
Does the revelation that - "Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done." (Hebrews 4:13, NLT) - make you sit up and think about the casual ways in which you're living? It should!
And, once we have felt that fear which the Bible says is the beginning of wisdom, we are ready to be converted, truly saved. The Cross of Christ which provides atonement (complete forgiveness of our sins) makes little sense if God is an impotent being incapable or unwilling to call us to account. But, if we have felt the icy grip of holy terror, we will run to the Cross, embracing Christ Jesus the Savior, with something very much like desperation. Jesus Himself reminds us that "those who are forgiven much, love much!" What, does He mean some of us are more in need of salvation than others? I think not. He means that some of us see ourselves in the true Light of God and realize just how depraved we are, the depths from which we have been lifted- and that only by the grace of God. It is wonderful to say, "Jesus loves me" and it is true, too. But, apart from the revelation of the Majesty of God, the love of Jesus diminishes into a sappy kind of thing, a romantic notion without life transforming power.
Believer, let me urge you to think again about the God you serve.
Is your theology (that's not a dirty word!) sound? Do you know who God is, as He is revealed in the Holy Scripture?
If so, then a holy life will follow as you humble yourself before Him, inviting the Spirit to fill you up and to mold you into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
I remain firmly convinced that right living comes from right thinking; and, that right thinking begins only with the revealed Truth of God.
I am not God, nor are you. Of course, even that statement is ridiculous when written out.
But if your daily choices are examined, who would others determine is your God?
_____________________
Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move;
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art;
And make me love Thee as I ought to love.
I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,
No sudden rending of the veil of clay,
No angel visitant, no opening skies;
But take the dimness of my soul away.
Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear.
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh,
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.
Hast Thou not bid me love Thee, God and King?
All, all Thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind.
I see Thy cross; there teach my heart to cling:
O let me seek Thee, and O let me find!
Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
One holy passion filling all my frame;
The kindling of the heaven descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and Thy love the flame. -- George Croly
We need a new revelation of the Transcendent God, the One who stands above the world as the Creator of the Universe, and to Whom each of us will give an account of himself. A person who believes in the God of the Bible, who understands that God is not his peer but his Lord, views all of life through a different lens than the person who sees god only as the Cosmic Buddy, good for making him feel a little better in the tough moments like death. The person who sees God as Creator, as the One who gives divine law and expects those He has created to adhere to that law, begins to grasp that the world is sacramental - that is, it a place where everything reflects God's holiness and where all actions become means of giving Him glory.
Rod Dreher, author of an excellent little book called Crunchy Cons, (goofy name, great book) writes this - "to see the world sacramentally is to see material things, objects and human actions - as vessels containing or transmitting ideals. To live in a sacramental world is to live in a world pregnant with meaning, a world in which nothing can be taken for granted, and in which no one and nothing is without intrinsic worth. If we live sacramentally, then everything we do and everything we are reflects the things we value."
Believer, does pondering the truth about God make you shiver? It should!
Does the revelation that - "Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done." (Hebrews 4:13, NLT) - make you sit up and think about the casual ways in which you're living? It should!
And, once we have felt that fear which the Bible says is the beginning of wisdom, we are ready to be converted, truly saved. The Cross of Christ which provides atonement (complete forgiveness of our sins) makes little sense if God is an impotent being incapable or unwilling to call us to account. But, if we have felt the icy grip of holy terror, we will run to the Cross, embracing Christ Jesus the Savior, with something very much like desperation. Jesus Himself reminds us that "those who are forgiven much, love much!" What, does He mean some of us are more in need of salvation than others? I think not. He means that some of us see ourselves in the true Light of God and realize just how depraved we are, the depths from which we have been lifted- and that only by the grace of God. It is wonderful to say, "Jesus loves me" and it is true, too. But, apart from the revelation of the Majesty of God, the love of Jesus diminishes into a sappy kind of thing, a romantic notion without life transforming power.
Believer, let me urge you to think again about the God you serve.
Is your theology (that's not a dirty word!) sound? Do you know who God is, as He is revealed in the Holy Scripture?
If so, then a holy life will follow as you humble yourself before Him, inviting the Spirit to fill you up and to mold you into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
I remain firmly convinced that right living comes from right thinking; and, that right thinking begins only with the revealed Truth of God.
I am not God, nor are you. Of course, even that statement is ridiculous when written out.
But if your daily choices are examined, who would others determine is your God?
_____________________
Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move;
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art;
And make me love Thee as I ought to love.
I ask no dream, no prophet ecstasies,
No sudden rending of the veil of clay,
No angel visitant, no opening skies;
But take the dimness of my soul away.
Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear.
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh,
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.
Hast Thou not bid me love Thee, God and King?
All, all Thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind.
I see Thy cross; there teach my heart to cling:
O let me seek Thee, and O let me find!
Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,
One holy passion filling all my frame;
The kindling of the heaven descended Dove,
My heart an altar, and Thy love the flame. -- George Croly
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Learning to be Less
"I'm learning to be less." Now there is one catchy slogan. Not! I don't see the Army selling itself by advertising that they'll teach you to submit to authority, to take orders without question during weeks of demanding basic training. How do they advertise? With an appeal to pride: "Be all that you can be ... in the Army." The Marines recruiting posters don't show pictures of sweating kids pushed to the limits of their endurance, mentally and physically. They play up the elite nature of the corp with this line: "the few, the proud, the Marines!"
Jesus is much more truthful about the cost of being in His service. “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life." (Luke 9:23-24, NLT)
Whatever does He mean, "shoulder your cross?" His first listeners knew all too well. The cross was a slow painful means of execution used by the Romans to keep conquered peoples in line. Outside of major Roman garrisons, there were always crosses alongside the road. They stood like billboards advertising the might and power of the empire, even to the point of death! Jesus borrowed the imagery to talk about subduing our sinful nature, making it responsive to God's will and ways. We can't talk ourselves into being good. We can't educate ourselves into being holy. There is but one way that we can completely serve God. That way? Die to self! Jesus invites us to learn to be less, even to the point of regarding ourselves as dead. The result will be that He can give us real and lasting life, not life that is focused on satisfying the body's endless demands, but life that is focused on doing God's will and entering into eternal life right here, right now.
Shouldering the cross need not be some grand gesture, a move to some remote place of service, or a rejection of all creature comforts like the ascetic monks of the Middle Ages. It is a daily decision to be less, to set aside reputation, self-advantage, pride, and our sense of purpose and place in this world in order to sign onto God's plans and to walk in His purposes. John, the Baptist, the fore-runner of Jesus shows us how. This cousin of Jesus knew early on that he was not the great Messiah, the hope of the godly. He was a powerful preacher and moved great crowds to repentance, to consider God's demands. But, he always knew that Someone else was coming to be the Savior. He announced Jesus with these amazingly self-effacing words.
"The bride will go where the bridegroom is. A bridegroom’s friend rejoices with him. I am the bridegroom’s friend, and I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of earth, but he has come from heaven." (John 3:29-31, NLT)
Did John always enjoy his role? We cannot be certain since the Gospels do not tell us much. But we do learn this; when the Kingdom didn't show up as John had thought that it would with great power and the end of sin on the earth, he grew disillusioned. He sent some of his friends to Jesus to ask Him, "Are you really the One we expected or did we get it wrong?"
Jesus call to service does involve glory. It's not all blood, sweat, and tears. But times of suffering will certainly come to those who walk the road of life with Him. There will be attacks from the world systems, from the Devil who hates good and God; and even internal struggles with doubt and uncertainty. That when we take hold of what we've learned and hang on, literally, for dear life! That's when raise our eyes to the horizon to catch a glimpse of Heaven, our true home.
Are you willing to reject the spirit of this age which teaches us that the meaning of life is to serve Self?
Are you willing to learn to be less, so that He can become more?
Here's a word from the Word to ponder.
"... of this gospel I was appointed (by the will of a Sovereign God) a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, (embarrassed by my circumstances) because
I know whom I have believed, and
I am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." (2 Timothy 1:11-14, NIV)
Jesus is much more truthful about the cost of being in His service. “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life." (Luke 9:23-24, NLT)
Whatever does He mean, "shoulder your cross?" His first listeners knew all too well. The cross was a slow painful means of execution used by the Romans to keep conquered peoples in line. Outside of major Roman garrisons, there were always crosses alongside the road. They stood like billboards advertising the might and power of the empire, even to the point of death! Jesus borrowed the imagery to talk about subduing our sinful nature, making it responsive to God's will and ways. We can't talk ourselves into being good. We can't educate ourselves into being holy. There is but one way that we can completely serve God. That way? Die to self! Jesus invites us to learn to be less, even to the point of regarding ourselves as dead. The result will be that He can give us real and lasting life, not life that is focused on satisfying the body's endless demands, but life that is focused on doing God's will and entering into eternal life right here, right now.
Shouldering the cross need not be some grand gesture, a move to some remote place of service, or a rejection of all creature comforts like the ascetic monks of the Middle Ages. It is a daily decision to be less, to set aside reputation, self-advantage, pride, and our sense of purpose and place in this world in order to sign onto God's plans and to walk in His purposes. John, the Baptist, the fore-runner of Jesus shows us how. This cousin of Jesus knew early on that he was not the great Messiah, the hope of the godly. He was a powerful preacher and moved great crowds to repentance, to consider God's demands. But, he always knew that Someone else was coming to be the Savior. He announced Jesus with these amazingly self-effacing words.
"The bride will go where the bridegroom is. A bridegroom’s friend rejoices with him. I am the bridegroom’s friend, and I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. I am of the earth, and my understanding is limited to the things of earth, but he has come from heaven." (John 3:29-31, NLT)
Did John always enjoy his role? We cannot be certain since the Gospels do not tell us much. But we do learn this; when the Kingdom didn't show up as John had thought that it would with great power and the end of sin on the earth, he grew disillusioned. He sent some of his friends to Jesus to ask Him, "Are you really the One we expected or did we get it wrong?"
Jesus call to service does involve glory. It's not all blood, sweat, and tears. But times of suffering will certainly come to those who walk the road of life with Him. There will be attacks from the world systems, from the Devil who hates good and God; and even internal struggles with doubt and uncertainty. That when we take hold of what we've learned and hang on, literally, for dear life! That's when raise our eyes to the horizon to catch a glimpse of Heaven, our true home.
Are you willing to reject the spirit of this age which teaches us that the meaning of life is to serve Self?
Are you willing to learn to be less, so that He can become more?
Here's a word from the Word to ponder.
"... of this gospel I was appointed (by the will of a Sovereign God) a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, (embarrassed by my circumstances) because
I know whom I have believed, and
I am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." (2 Timothy 1:11-14, NIV)
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Serving for the Joy?
Jake loves what he does for the Lord. He is skilled, faithful, and humble about his place of service. A few years ago the Lord impressed on him that he was to be # 2 on the team, not because he was less, inferior, or without qualification. It was just the will of God. He accepted that obediently and I have watched him function in that role. He's willing to take on grunt work, do what isn't glamorous, and put in sweat time without thanks or recognition. I'm fairly certain that if asked, he'd even step aside from his place without bitterness or rancor. He serves the Lord for the pure joy of serving and it shows. He doesn't ask for thanks, doesn't seek glory, and seldom complains.
Recently I was chatting with another woman about her long-time 'service' in the various churches she has attended over the years. She complained about how one church after another failed to recognize her abilities, about Pastors who didn't give her the place she thought her talents deserved, etc., etc! Now, I know she loves the Lord. She's been a Believer longer than I've been alive, but she is missing the point of ministry. Ministry is never about 'me,' never about what service does for 'me.' True service in God's work is about Him, about His church, about giving away ourselves without a care or thought of cost, recognition, or reward. The tragedy about this dear soul is that her ministries are unconsciously shaped around gaining affirmation, making her feel valued, about 'being somebody' in the big wide world. As a consequence, what she does for the Lord is tainted. It always has a tinge of pride which eventually corrupts the service and makes it less than it might otherwise be.
There is a story in the book of Acts that helps us to understand the importance of forgetting about "me" so we can serve Christ in the most effective ways. It is about a man that the Church nick-named, Barnabas. This man was a learned Christ-following Jew who was very influential in the early years of the development of Christianity. The Bible describes him with these glowing words... "a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. " (Acts 11:24, NLT) This leader heard about a man named Saul who once had been very hostile to Christians, that he had been converted but was finding it hard to find acceptance by Believers who were still frightened by his reputation. So, Barnabas went and found Saul (later renamed Paul) and introduced him to the Church. For the next few years, when people spoke of the team, it was always "Barnabas and Paul." But, the mentor was soon eclipsed by the gifts of his student. People came to refer to "Paul and Barnabas." A few years later, Barnabas slipped into obscurity and Paul went on to be known throughout the Church!
What might Christianity be like today if Barnabas had gone to see Paul and recognized the man's greater gifts and tremendous abilities, only to feel threatened?
What if he saw Paul's potential to become greater and decided that he didn't want the 'competition?'
Thankfully, good ole' Barney didn't see his 'service' to the Church as a means of building his reputation, feeling good about himself, or gaining a place where he could be recognized in this world.
Let me leave you with this challenging parable that Jesus told about service. Think deeply about it.
If you realize that your service has even a grain of pride, of self-serving, of concern for reputation or reward, ask the Lord for forgiveness and for the Spirit's help in developing true humility.
"Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, ‘Sit down and eat’? Wouldn’t you be more likely to say, ‘Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I’ve finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper’? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what’s expected of him? It’s the same with you.
When you’ve done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.’ ” (Luke 17:7-10, The Message)
Recently I was chatting with another woman about her long-time 'service' in the various churches she has attended over the years. She complained about how one church after another failed to recognize her abilities, about Pastors who didn't give her the place she thought her talents deserved, etc., etc! Now, I know she loves the Lord. She's been a Believer longer than I've been alive, but she is missing the point of ministry. Ministry is never about 'me,' never about what service does for 'me.' True service in God's work is about Him, about His church, about giving away ourselves without a care or thought of cost, recognition, or reward. The tragedy about this dear soul is that her ministries are unconsciously shaped around gaining affirmation, making her feel valued, about 'being somebody' in the big wide world. As a consequence, what she does for the Lord is tainted. It always has a tinge of pride which eventually corrupts the service and makes it less than it might otherwise be.
There is a story in the book of Acts that helps us to understand the importance of forgetting about "me" so we can serve Christ in the most effective ways. It is about a man that the Church nick-named, Barnabas. This man was a learned Christ-following Jew who was very influential in the early years of the development of Christianity. The Bible describes him with these glowing words... "a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. " (Acts 11:24, NLT) This leader heard about a man named Saul who once had been very hostile to Christians, that he had been converted but was finding it hard to find acceptance by Believers who were still frightened by his reputation. So, Barnabas went and found Saul (later renamed Paul) and introduced him to the Church. For the next few years, when people spoke of the team, it was always "Barnabas and Paul." But, the mentor was soon eclipsed by the gifts of his student. People came to refer to "Paul and Barnabas." A few years later, Barnabas slipped into obscurity and Paul went on to be known throughout the Church!
What might Christianity be like today if Barnabas had gone to see Paul and recognized the man's greater gifts and tremendous abilities, only to feel threatened?
What if he saw Paul's potential to become greater and decided that he didn't want the 'competition?'
Thankfully, good ole' Barney didn't see his 'service' to the Church as a means of building his reputation, feeling good about himself, or gaining a place where he could be recognized in this world.
Let me leave you with this challenging parable that Jesus told about service. Think deeply about it.
If you realize that your service has even a grain of pride, of self-serving, of concern for reputation or reward, ask the Lord for forgiveness and for the Spirit's help in developing true humility.
"Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, ‘Sit down and eat’? Wouldn’t you be more likely to say, ‘Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I’ve finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper’? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what’s expected of him? It’s the same with you.
When you’ve done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.’ ” (Luke 17:7-10, The Message)
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Bait and switch
It's an old ploy of unscrupulous marketers- offer a product at a low price to attract attention, but once the interested party is in the store, make the bargain item unavailable and offer another, more expensive item. This week's car search (see TFTD, 7/19) led us into a classic 'bait and switch' situation! Chris' Internet shopping led her to a car that seemed very desirable, the right year - the right equipment - great price. So, after confirming availability of the car with a phone call; off we went, driving over an hour to the dealer down in the city. The salesman went to bring the car to show us, and the moment it appeared, I knew we'd been 'had.' The 'bargain item' was dented, dirty, and undesirable - not the cream puff advertised. When we said we were not interested, guess the next line. Yep, that's right. "Well, we have several other models of this car for a few $thousand more!" I don't know what made me more disgusted and angry - that I was deceived or the disappointment in my daughter's eyes. (Happily, our next stop was at an auto dealer of superb reputation and ethics and we closed a deal.)
The Tempter is a pro at 'bait and switch.' He dangles opportunities before us that promise all kinds of satisfaction of our desires. He whispers, "you can reach that goal, with just a little compromise of your ethical standards." Or, "you can make that sense of anxiety go away by indulging yourself in some pornography." Or, "his wife is so much more desirable than yours, what's a little fantasy going to hurt?" He plays off of our legitimate needs and heart-felt desires, but the satisfaction he promises through illicit means never lives up to his advertising. His offers are always mostly a lie, with just enough truth to draw us in. The Bible warns us - "Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14, NLT) In the very first story of temptation, he offered 'knowledge' without disclosing the high cost of that disobedient choice! What a story it is. Take a look!
Eve said, “It’s only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die.”“You won’t die!” the serpent hissed. “God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it, too. At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover themselves." (Genesis 3:3-7, NLT)
Talk about remorse. Yes, the choice to disobey God brings a certain sense of empowerment and gratifies our sinful nature - temporarily. Then come the sense of loss, of alienation from God, of guilty shame. The story of descent into sin repeats itself over and over and over again. Human beings fall for the lie, the 'bait and switch' tactics of the one who is the father of lies.
Here's the good news! You and I do not have to be duped. God, the Holy Spirit, can help us to see past the ploys of the Soul Destroyer. He wants to make you wise! When Chris told me about her on-line find and that the dealer was in the city, I was suspicious. I knew that many of those 'highway' dealers operate on a numbers basis, depending on a nearly endless supply of first-time customers rather than a steady relationship with repeat customers, so they don't care if they rip off people. But, she didn't have that insight, so she needed a first-hand experience to learn. I am just glad that I was along to guide her through it. God knows Satan's tactics and He will keep you from deception - if you will trust and obey, as you maintain your walk with Him.
Paul reminds a younger pastor named Timothy - "Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse. But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers— why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way." (2 Timothy 3:13-16, The Message)
Be wise. Pray for insight. Live obediently. God's promises are always 'Yes and amen,' that is, trustworthy and true. Sometimes they require delayed gratification, and almost always they involve real faith. But He's a good God. He never will practice 'bait and switch' tactics.
"But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God." (2 Corinthians 1:18-20, NIV)
______________________
TFTD will return next week.
I'm taking another short break for some rest and renewal.
Thanks for reading along.
The Tempter is a pro at 'bait and switch.' He dangles opportunities before us that promise all kinds of satisfaction of our desires. He whispers, "you can reach that goal, with just a little compromise of your ethical standards." Or, "you can make that sense of anxiety go away by indulging yourself in some pornography." Or, "his wife is so much more desirable than yours, what's a little fantasy going to hurt?" He plays off of our legitimate needs and heart-felt desires, but the satisfaction he promises through illicit means never lives up to his advertising. His offers are always mostly a lie, with just enough truth to draw us in. The Bible warns us - "Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14, NLT) In the very first story of temptation, he offered 'knowledge' without disclosing the high cost of that disobedient choice! What a story it is. Take a look!
Eve said, “It’s only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die.”“You won’t die!” the serpent hissed. “God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it, too. At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover themselves." (Genesis 3:3-7, NLT)
Talk about remorse. Yes, the choice to disobey God brings a certain sense of empowerment and gratifies our sinful nature - temporarily. Then come the sense of loss, of alienation from God, of guilty shame. The story of descent into sin repeats itself over and over and over again. Human beings fall for the lie, the 'bait and switch' tactics of the one who is the father of lies.
Here's the good news! You and I do not have to be duped. God, the Holy Spirit, can help us to see past the ploys of the Soul Destroyer. He wants to make you wise! When Chris told me about her on-line find and that the dealer was in the city, I was suspicious. I knew that many of those 'highway' dealers operate on a numbers basis, depending on a nearly endless supply of first-time customers rather than a steady relationship with repeat customers, so they don't care if they rip off people. But, she didn't have that insight, so she needed a first-hand experience to learn. I am just glad that I was along to guide her through it. God knows Satan's tactics and He will keep you from deception - if you will trust and obey, as you maintain your walk with Him.
Paul reminds a younger pastor named Timothy - "Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They’re as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse. But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers— why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way." (2 Timothy 3:13-16, The Message)
Be wise. Pray for insight. Live obediently. God's promises are always 'Yes and amen,' that is, trustworthy and true. Sometimes they require delayed gratification, and almost always they involve real faith. But He's a good God. He never will practice 'bait and switch' tactics.
"But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God." (2 Corinthians 1:18-20, NIV)
______________________
TFTD will return next week.
I'm taking another short break for some rest and renewal.
Thanks for reading along.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
The Father's provision
Pete and Chris (my son-in-law and daughter) came to visit this week. Their old car is tired, needing replacement so Chris asked me if I'd assist them in the search for a replacement. Yesterday, we spent the late afternoon and well into the evening looking at cars. It was my delight to walk through the process with them; helping them with negotiations, with understanding financing, and just being "Dad." They thanked me profusely for the assistance, but their thanks was not necessary. That's what Dad's are for. It was far more fun for me to be included in their purchase than they realize because it lets me feel useful to them despite their adult independence. The chances to feel needed in that way are fewer all the time!
As I thought about our adventure this morning, the Holy Spirit whispered to me- "that's how your Heavenly Dad feels about you." What an amazing fact. God is MY Father and He delights in being part of my life, too. The Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth desires to walk with me, to provide for me; yes, to be my Counselor. The Bible says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family—calling him “Father, dear Father.” For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children." (Romans 8:14-16, NLT)
Tragically, too many people, even Believers, do not grasp the Father-heart of God. They do not understand that He is their Dad. Yet, it is right and proper to use that familiar term with Him and for Him. Paul does! In that passage where the translators say, "Father, dear Father," in other translations we read, "Abba." The term is one that reflects the deep intimacy which God offers to us as His children. It is only sin that causes us to run away from His Presence. It is only the terror of judgment that causes us to hide from Him. But, where sin is taken away by the gracious gift of grace in Jesus Christ, fear is replaced with deep love. To the forgiven God says, "Come boldly to my Throne and find the help you need!" (Hebrews 4.16)
What's your need today?
What is of concern to you? Take it to Dad! Literally, as you respectfully enter into prayer, address Him as "Dad in Heaven." I'm not being silly, though you might feel that way when you say it. It is good practice to let God love you in that way, based on sound theology! Yes, He desires the best for you. He won't always give you what you want, but He'll provide everything you need.
The number one healing truth in the universe is the 'love of God!' Nothing else comes close. I am convinced that is why the world, the sinful nature, and the Devil combine their efforts to keep us at a distance from our Father. If we fail to have a growing understanding of His compassion, His grace, His love - our Christianity will always be skewed. We will live at a distance, robbing ourselves of the rich fellowship He offers. I seldom can talk about the Father's love without becoming emotionally moved, often to the point of tears. That is how precious His love has become to me. I lived as a dutiful son for far too long. For too many years I was like the elder brother in the story of the Waiting Father. (Read it in Luke 15:11-32. It's the best story Jesus ever told!) I reminded God of my rigid self-disciplines, my 'goodness,' and of my sense that He owed me. What a joke; no worse, an obscenity! I was a sinful wretch and, actually, in all my self-righteousness, treated His love with contempt. Then, His love broke through my pretensions of self-sufficiency and prideful religiosity. Oh, how I thank Him for patiently letting me live long enough to come to the end of myself, so I would experience the amazing grace and love He offers freely to me at His own expense.
"With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are.
Set the world right; Do what’s best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes."
(Matthew 6:9-13, The Message)
Amen.
As I thought about our adventure this morning, the Holy Spirit whispered to me- "that's how your Heavenly Dad feels about you." What an amazing fact. God is MY Father and He delights in being part of my life, too. The Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth desires to walk with me, to provide for me; yes, to be my Counselor. The Bible says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family—calling him “Father, dear Father.” For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children." (Romans 8:14-16, NLT)
Tragically, too many people, even Believers, do not grasp the Father-heart of God. They do not understand that He is their Dad. Yet, it is right and proper to use that familiar term with Him and for Him. Paul does! In that passage where the translators say, "Father, dear Father," in other translations we read, "Abba." The term is one that reflects the deep intimacy which God offers to us as His children. It is only sin that causes us to run away from His Presence. It is only the terror of judgment that causes us to hide from Him. But, where sin is taken away by the gracious gift of grace in Jesus Christ, fear is replaced with deep love. To the forgiven God says, "Come boldly to my Throne and find the help you need!" (Hebrews 4.16)
What's your need today?
What is of concern to you? Take it to Dad! Literally, as you respectfully enter into prayer, address Him as "Dad in Heaven." I'm not being silly, though you might feel that way when you say it. It is good practice to let God love you in that way, based on sound theology! Yes, He desires the best for you. He won't always give you what you want, but He'll provide everything you need.
The number one healing truth in the universe is the 'love of God!' Nothing else comes close. I am convinced that is why the world, the sinful nature, and the Devil combine their efforts to keep us at a distance from our Father. If we fail to have a growing understanding of His compassion, His grace, His love - our Christianity will always be skewed. We will live at a distance, robbing ourselves of the rich fellowship He offers. I seldom can talk about the Father's love without becoming emotionally moved, often to the point of tears. That is how precious His love has become to me. I lived as a dutiful son for far too long. For too many years I was like the elder brother in the story of the Waiting Father. (Read it in Luke 15:11-32. It's the best story Jesus ever told!) I reminded God of my rigid self-disciplines, my 'goodness,' and of my sense that He owed me. What a joke; no worse, an obscenity! I was a sinful wretch and, actually, in all my self-righteousness, treated His love with contempt. Then, His love broke through my pretensions of self-sufficiency and prideful religiosity. Oh, how I thank Him for patiently letting me live long enough to come to the end of myself, so I would experience the amazing grace and love He offers freely to me at His own expense.
"With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are.
Set the world right; Do what’s best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes."
(Matthew 6:9-13, The Message)
Amen.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Keep your edge!
Life is moving quickly, too fast sometimes, around me. I never thought I'd admit that, but somehow living in the 5th decade of life changes things. I thrive on challenges and activity. Today I was wide awake at 4:30 AM, looking forward to getting into the work of the day. But, I wonder if I'm staying sharp, keeping the edge that is necessary for effectiveness? The Bible reminds us - "Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed." (Ecclesiastes 10:10, NLT) Am I working hard and wisely, or am I just working hard?
More than a few times, I've observed people who create quite a cloud of dust around themselves. They charge at this and that, taking on a new project, starting another ministry, trying a new experience. Their lives are a blur, but when you blow away the dust, clearing the air, you don't find much of substance. They're hard working, but not wise. By contrast, I see others who seem to be moving effortlessly through life, while leaving finished projects and improved lives in their wake. Something is happening that is out of sight, under the surface, that makes them truly effective. They are sharp, with a edge of effectiveness.
So, how can we keep that edge?
Stephen Covey, who teaches leadership and life skills, observes that we need to practice renewal in four dimensions: the physical, the spiritual, the mental, and the social.
We need to take care of these physical bodies that serve as our earthly houses. The decline of strength with age is inevitable, but too often we hasten the process by foolishly ignoring the simplest tasks of maintenance. (Yes, I know I need to work at this! I probably take better care of my car than my body! Shame on me.) Because God has made our bodies so wonderfully, with amazing recuperative powers, we can go a long, long time eating junk and without regular exercise before we experience a breakdown. However, it is a proven fact that a person who eats a healthy diet and gets regular exercise can expect better health for a longer period of time. We don't have become neurotic about food or exercise to just have good health practices that help us keep the edge.
The spiritual part of us is the core of our being! Yet, so many of us drop 'soul maintenance' low on the list. There are the obvious choices that we make in staying sharp spiritually, things like regularly worshipping with others, practicing spiritual disciplines of prayer and Scripture intake, serving God and others regularly. But there are the less obvious choices that are critically important, too. Living with a forgiving attitude that refuses to drag around resentment and/or bitterness is one of them. Almost nothing saps spiritual vitality from a person like simmering resentment of another person. Jesus urges us to forgive quickly, because He knows it is our choice to do so and that we need to do it. Living with in a generous and loving way is another one of those daily choices that helps to keep the edge. If we remind ourselves of God's love, accept it for ourselves, we will love others. "First we were loved, now we love. God loved us first." (1 John 4:19, The Message) When we tend our spiritual dimension, we keep our spiritual hearing acute, our vision sharp. Don't neglect this dimension of your life.
A mind is an amazing thing. From the mysteries of our brains flow creativity, artistry, problem-solving, - all the creative gifts of God. A mind terrible thing to waste, but it happens so easily. In the evening, the TV beckons us to become passive. I've watched two hours of TV more than once and the next morning couldn't even remember what I saw. My brain simply switched off and let the flickering images and sounds pass through, decreasing my mental acuity in the process. Read books! Listen to good music. Spend some time in conversation about something other than the weather. Learn something new, just for the joy of knowledge. If you do watch TV, be aware of what you're watching and how much. Just like the physical diet, there's a time to enjoy some dessert, but not too much, and not all the time!
Social skills are not automatically gained, are they? Some are more blessed than others with natural abilities to 'connect' with people around themselves. But all of us can learn to build relationships, if we realize the importance of them. In a strange paradox, we are the most 'connected' society on earth in all of recorded history! We are wired with email, carry cell phones everywhere, and enjoy unbelievable communication technology, yet most of us don't know even our next door neighbors. We live in little cocoons, inside our homes, with media as our company. But, if we not constantly tending to the connections to people around us, especially those key people whose gifts complement ours, we quickly diminish our effectiveness for God.
All this isn't a new revelation or rocket science, is it? It's really common sense.
So as you read this in the middle of this Summer when it's more easy to lose the edge, my prayer is that God will stir you up.
Spend a few moments setting some goals. Commit them to paper. Make them specific. Share them with somebody, maybe even posting your list on the frig for your family, so they can help you stay on task.
Pray that God, the Holy Spirit, will give you insight, too. Ask Him to restore the edge so you won't just be working hard, but also working effectively.
"Live wisely . . ., and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective ..." (Colossians 4:5-6, NLT)
Jerry D. Scott, Pastor
Washington Assembly of God
http://www.WashingtonAG.com
More than a few times, I've observed people who create quite a cloud of dust around themselves. They charge at this and that, taking on a new project, starting another ministry, trying a new experience. Their lives are a blur, but when you blow away the dust, clearing the air, you don't find much of substance. They're hard working, but not wise. By contrast, I see others who seem to be moving effortlessly through life, while leaving finished projects and improved lives in their wake. Something is happening that is out of sight, under the surface, that makes them truly effective. They are sharp, with a edge of effectiveness.
So, how can we keep that edge?
Stephen Covey, who teaches leadership and life skills, observes that we need to practice renewal in four dimensions: the physical, the spiritual, the mental, and the social.
We need to take care of these physical bodies that serve as our earthly houses. The decline of strength with age is inevitable, but too often we hasten the process by foolishly ignoring the simplest tasks of maintenance. (Yes, I know I need to work at this! I probably take better care of my car than my body! Shame on me.) Because God has made our bodies so wonderfully, with amazing recuperative powers, we can go a long, long time eating junk and without regular exercise before we experience a breakdown. However, it is a proven fact that a person who eats a healthy diet and gets regular exercise can expect better health for a longer period of time. We don't have become neurotic about food or exercise to just have good health practices that help us keep the edge.
The spiritual part of us is the core of our being! Yet, so many of us drop 'soul maintenance' low on the list. There are the obvious choices that we make in staying sharp spiritually, things like regularly worshipping with others, practicing spiritual disciplines of prayer and Scripture intake, serving God and others regularly. But there are the less obvious choices that are critically important, too. Living with a forgiving attitude that refuses to drag around resentment and/or bitterness is one of them. Almost nothing saps spiritual vitality from a person like simmering resentment of another person. Jesus urges us to forgive quickly, because He knows it is our choice to do so and that we need to do it. Living with in a generous and loving way is another one of those daily choices that helps to keep the edge. If we remind ourselves of God's love, accept it for ourselves, we will love others. "First we were loved, now we love. God loved us first." (1 John 4:19, The Message) When we tend our spiritual dimension, we keep our spiritual hearing acute, our vision sharp. Don't neglect this dimension of your life.
A mind is an amazing thing. From the mysteries of our brains flow creativity, artistry, problem-solving, - all the creative gifts of God. A mind terrible thing to waste, but it happens so easily. In the evening, the TV beckons us to become passive. I've watched two hours of TV more than once and the next morning couldn't even remember what I saw. My brain simply switched off and let the flickering images and sounds pass through, decreasing my mental acuity in the process. Read books! Listen to good music. Spend some time in conversation about something other than the weather. Learn something new, just for the joy of knowledge. If you do watch TV, be aware of what you're watching and how much. Just like the physical diet, there's a time to enjoy some dessert, but not too much, and not all the time!
Social skills are not automatically gained, are they? Some are more blessed than others with natural abilities to 'connect' with people around themselves. But all of us can learn to build relationships, if we realize the importance of them. In a strange paradox, we are the most 'connected' society on earth in all of recorded history! We are wired with email, carry cell phones everywhere, and enjoy unbelievable communication technology, yet most of us don't know even our next door neighbors. We live in little cocoons, inside our homes, with media as our company. But, if we not constantly tending to the connections to people around us, especially those key people whose gifts complement ours, we quickly diminish our effectiveness for God.
All this isn't a new revelation or rocket science, is it? It's really common sense.
So as you read this in the middle of this Summer when it's more easy to lose the edge, my prayer is that God will stir you up.
Spend a few moments setting some goals. Commit them to paper. Make them specific. Share them with somebody, maybe even posting your list on the frig for your family, so they can help you stay on task.
Pray that God, the Holy Spirit, will give you insight, too. Ask Him to restore the edge so you won't just be working hard, but also working effectively.
"Live wisely . . ., and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective ..." (Colossians 4:5-6, NLT)
Jerry D. Scott, Pastor
Washington Assembly of God
http://www.WashingtonAG.com
Monday, July 17, 2006
The stuff we do
The world watched, first as Hezbollah fighters kidnapped three Israeli soldiers, and then at the inevitable response of Israel's military. Now, just days later, more than 300 people are dead and $millions of property has been destroyed. Those of us sitting here in America wonder why these people do the things they do. Why would terrorists not realize that taking Israeli soldiers would provoke an attack? Why does Israel use such force in retaliation? It all seems so futile, an escalating cycle of violence that, in the end, accomplishes little or nothing except to deepen the bitterness and stoke the flames of hatred. But that is my American mind talking without all the history and emotion of the people who live there. Hezbollah, (the name means 'the party of God') does things that to most of us seem stupid, rather like sticking one's hand into a grinder! But to some militant Muslims they are heroes, resisting the hated Zionists, even in the face of overwhelming odds. War is not logical. It is a human response that, ultimately, comes from the depravity of human nature.
My point today is not to argue Middle East politics. I want us to think about the things we do. Why do we do act in ways that prove destructive to ourselves and those around us, repeating the same mistakes, again and again? The Bible explains to us that - apart from Christ- we are sinners: that we are deceived by the world systems, by the sinful nature, and by the Devil himself. In Ephesians, we read- ". . . you must no longer live as the Gentiles (godless) do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts." (Ephesians 4:17-18, NIV) It isn't just that people just go ahead and decide to sin despite the consequences. Those without the life of the Spirit do not even realize that they are doing wrong. Wrong often seems so right.
Believer, even in our minds, there can be a genuine disconnect between our actions and the consequences of those choices. If we are not actively seeking God, humbly acknowledging our need of His grace, and renewing our minds with the Holy Word - we will become deceived! We will gradually slip back into darkness. If we would live wholly and holy, we need to faithfully walk with the Spirit, enlightened to the reality by His work in us. As we respond to His leading, pray for His wisdom, we are empowered to make different choices that lead us to a godly and good life. The Bible says, "... in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.... You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully..." (Ephesians 4:22-25, NIV)
Believer, are you living 'in the truth?'
Are you inviting the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and insight so that you are continually transformed, first in your thoughts, and then in your actions?
Don't rely solely on your intuition, your gut, or your conscience in making the moral choices. Proverbs warns, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (16:25, NIV)
Pray, too, for God, the Spirit, to open the eyes of those around you who continue to sabotage their lives with stupid and/or sinful choices. Don't just judge them, write them off, or turn away from them. Ask the Lord to open their eyes, to give them grace. Realize that those without God stumble around the darkness and then pray that you can become a person who carries the Light of Christ into their darkness.
Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it today.
"Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.
Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.
Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.
Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity,
God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Romans 12:2, The Message)
My point today is not to argue Middle East politics. I want us to think about the things we do. Why do we do act in ways that prove destructive to ourselves and those around us, repeating the same mistakes, again and again? The Bible explains to us that - apart from Christ- we are sinners: that we are deceived by the world systems, by the sinful nature, and by the Devil himself. In Ephesians, we read- ". . . you must no longer live as the Gentiles (godless) do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts." (Ephesians 4:17-18, NIV) It isn't just that people just go ahead and decide to sin despite the consequences. Those without the life of the Spirit do not even realize that they are doing wrong. Wrong often seems so right.
Believer, even in our minds, there can be a genuine disconnect between our actions and the consequences of those choices. If we are not actively seeking God, humbly acknowledging our need of His grace, and renewing our minds with the Holy Word - we will become deceived! We will gradually slip back into darkness. If we would live wholly and holy, we need to faithfully walk with the Spirit, enlightened to the reality by His work in us. As we respond to His leading, pray for His wisdom, we are empowered to make different choices that lead us to a godly and good life. The Bible says, "... in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.... You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully..." (Ephesians 4:22-25, NIV)
Believer, are you living 'in the truth?'
Are you inviting the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and insight so that you are continually transformed, first in your thoughts, and then in your actions?
Don't rely solely on your intuition, your gut, or your conscience in making the moral choices. Proverbs warns, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (16:25, NIV)
Pray, too, for God, the Spirit, to open the eyes of those around you who continue to sabotage their lives with stupid and/or sinful choices. Don't just judge them, write them off, or turn away from them. Ask the Lord to open their eyes, to give them grace. Realize that those without God stumble around the darkness and then pray that you can become a person who carries the Light of Christ into their darkness.
Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it today.
"Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.
Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.
Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.
Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity,
God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Romans 12:2, The Message)
Friday, July 14, 2006
Are you a critic?
One of the hazards of leadership is criticism. It doesn't matter if you're leading a Little League team or the United States of America. If you're making decisions, somebody is going to think you made them in the wrong way! Donald Rumsfield, the Defense Secretary who is a primary architect of the war in Iraq and a lightning rod for criticism, said "I am truly saddened by the thought that anyone could have the impression that I or others here are doing anything other than working urgently to see that the lives of the fighting men and women are protected and cared for in everyway humanly possible." In his public position, he knows that he will be criticized, that people without the same kind of information he has, will form conclusions about the way he carries out his responsibilities.
The fact is that leaders are human. Sometimes they do a better job than other times! Sometimes they disappoint us and sometimes they delight us. Speaking as one who leads, the most frustrating thing about the criticism that comes my way is when it comes from the critic's own frustration or failure to grasp the full dimension of issues involved. If, as a pastor, I take action that is wrong and someone points out that I've made a error in judgment, that is valuable criticism. If, on the other hand, I simply do not or cannot respond to the desires of someone and therefore they choose to become a critic, I find that that kind of criticism much harder to deal with.
Kevin Offner, in the Student Leadership Journal, published by IVP, offers the following advice to those who are ready to become a critic. Let me urge you to read his advice carefully today. It could transform your relationship with someone who you're about to make into a target of criticism.
_____________________________________
Here are five changes I believe critical people need to make.
First, we must have our spiritual eyes opened to see two truths: the heinous depth of our own sin and the amazing grace of God’s love toward us in Christ. Spiritual sight is not something we can will. God must give it. But we can cry out to Him for it. “Lord, would You open my eyes to see myself soberly and to know Your love more intimately?” We desperately need to feel the weight of our own sin and then to cast ourselves upon God’s grace. No mere head knowledge, here. “Wash your hands, you sinners. . . . Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief” (Jas. 4:8–9, NLT). When King David’s blind eyes were finally opened to his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, he didn't merely acknowledge it in some academic, emotionally removed way. He fell on his face and fasted for days (2 Sam. 12:16)!
Second, we must be deeply convinced that we can never know with certainty another person’s motives. Yes, we can see actions, and clearly sinful actions need to be confronted. But we must catch ourselves when we hurriedly, often unconsciously, make that jump from He did this to He is obviously acting from pride (or insecurity or revenge, etc.). There are so many factors beyond our knowledge that motivate another’s actions. Only God sees the heart, and only His judgment will be 100 percent accurate and fair. Now, perceptive people will hear this admonition yet still secretly think, Well, yes, but you see, I really do know why this person does what she does. Sometimes we are right. But we must remember that we may very well be wrong.
Third, when we’re bothered by another’s actions, we must pray fervently for that person and our response to him or her. What would happen if we channeled all our critical energy into a running dialogue with that person’s (and our) Creator?
Fourth, we must learn to be diplomatic and direct in confronting people one on one. No fake smiles, no repression of negative feelings, but instead, direct, tactful communication. Our goal is not to blast people or to inform them of all their hidden character flaws. Rather, our goals are God’s glory and the reconciliation of broken relationships. Recently I talked with the student I described earlier regarding her critical spirit. “I feel I need to tell you something. Yet I’m hesitant to do it for fear of losing your friendship. For the last several times I've been with you, you have spoken critically of something either the group or I have done. There’s often much truth in what you say, but I find myself frequently dragged down by your comments. We need encouragement as well as criticism. I value your friendship, and thus I thought I ought to share this with you.” I'll be honest: she didn't respond as I’d hoped. But I did feel right about being direct and honest rather than nurturing my own critical spirit.
Finally, we need to be encouragers, genuinely building others up and helping them become all God longs for them to be. I want to get excited about making others successful. I can be an encourager in others’ lives, as Barnabas was to Paul. I can trust God to provide encouragement for me as well. I have watched people melt when given a rightly timed, genuinely motivated word of affirmation or gratitude. And I know how empowered I feel when I’m around a genuine encourager.
_____________________________________
It's not always wrong to be a critic, but if you must, be a constructive critic. Always aim to build up others, to discover the Kingdom aim in a given situation.We have a BIG job to do, Believer. Let's not allow sniping at one another to destroy our effectiveness and the joy of working together in His kingdom. Got a 'beef' with someone?Figure out if it's worth discussing. If it's not, shake it off, and let it go into the "sea of forgetfulness!" If it is, then follow the steps to the best outcome.
_____________________________________
Be in worship on Sunday. Come with a prepared heart and mind, ready to hear, ready to worship, ready to receive!
The fact is that leaders are human. Sometimes they do a better job than other times! Sometimes they disappoint us and sometimes they delight us. Speaking as one who leads, the most frustrating thing about the criticism that comes my way is when it comes from the critic's own frustration or failure to grasp the full dimension of issues involved. If, as a pastor, I take action that is wrong and someone points out that I've made a error in judgment, that is valuable criticism. If, on the other hand, I simply do not or cannot respond to the desires of someone and therefore they choose to become a critic, I find that that kind of criticism much harder to deal with.
Kevin Offner, in the Student Leadership Journal, published by IVP, offers the following advice to those who are ready to become a critic. Let me urge you to read his advice carefully today. It could transform your relationship with someone who you're about to make into a target of criticism.
_____________________________________
Here are five changes I believe critical people need to make.
First, we must have our spiritual eyes opened to see two truths: the heinous depth of our own sin and the amazing grace of God’s love toward us in Christ. Spiritual sight is not something we can will. God must give it. But we can cry out to Him for it. “Lord, would You open my eyes to see myself soberly and to know Your love more intimately?” We desperately need to feel the weight of our own sin and then to cast ourselves upon God’s grace. No mere head knowledge, here. “Wash your hands, you sinners. . . . Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief” (Jas. 4:8–9, NLT). When King David’s blind eyes were finally opened to his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, he didn't merely acknowledge it in some academic, emotionally removed way. He fell on his face and fasted for days (2 Sam. 12:16)!
Second, we must be deeply convinced that we can never know with certainty another person’s motives. Yes, we can see actions, and clearly sinful actions need to be confronted. But we must catch ourselves when we hurriedly, often unconsciously, make that jump from He did this to He is obviously acting from pride (or insecurity or revenge, etc.). There are so many factors beyond our knowledge that motivate another’s actions. Only God sees the heart, and only His judgment will be 100 percent accurate and fair. Now, perceptive people will hear this admonition yet still secretly think, Well, yes, but you see, I really do know why this person does what she does. Sometimes we are right. But we must remember that we may very well be wrong.
Third, when we’re bothered by another’s actions, we must pray fervently for that person and our response to him or her. What would happen if we channeled all our critical energy into a running dialogue with that person’s (and our) Creator?
Fourth, we must learn to be diplomatic and direct in confronting people one on one. No fake smiles, no repression of negative feelings, but instead, direct, tactful communication. Our goal is not to blast people or to inform them of all their hidden character flaws. Rather, our goals are God’s glory and the reconciliation of broken relationships. Recently I talked with the student I described earlier regarding her critical spirit. “I feel I need to tell you something. Yet I’m hesitant to do it for fear of losing your friendship. For the last several times I've been with you, you have spoken critically of something either the group or I have done. There’s often much truth in what you say, but I find myself frequently dragged down by your comments. We need encouragement as well as criticism. I value your friendship, and thus I thought I ought to share this with you.” I'll be honest: she didn't respond as I’d hoped. But I did feel right about being direct and honest rather than nurturing my own critical spirit.
Finally, we need to be encouragers, genuinely building others up and helping them become all God longs for them to be. I want to get excited about making others successful. I can be an encourager in others’ lives, as Barnabas was to Paul. I can trust God to provide encouragement for me as well. I have watched people melt when given a rightly timed, genuinely motivated word of affirmation or gratitude. And I know how empowered I feel when I’m around a genuine encourager.
_____________________________________
It's not always wrong to be a critic, but if you must, be a constructive critic. Always aim to build up others, to discover the Kingdom aim in a given situation.We have a BIG job to do, Believer. Let's not allow sniping at one another to destroy our effectiveness and the joy of working together in His kingdom. Got a 'beef' with someone?Figure out if it's worth discussing. If it's not, shake it off, and let it go into the "sea of forgetfulness!" If it is, then follow the steps to the best outcome.
_____________________________________
Be in worship on Sunday. Come with a prepared heart and mind, ready to hear, ready to worship, ready to receive!
Are you a critic?
One of the hazards of leadership is criticism. It doesn't matter if you're leading a Little League team or the United States of America. If you're making decisions, somebody is going to think you made them in the wrong way! Donald Rumsfield, the Defense Secretary who is a primary architect of the war in Iraq and a lightning rod for criticism, said "I am truly saddened by the thought that anyone could have the impression that I or others here are doing anything other than working urgently to see that the lives of the fighting men and women are protected and cared for in everyway humanly possible." In his public position, he knows that he will be criticized, that people without the same kind of information he has, will form conclusions about the way he carries out his responsibilities.
The fact is that leaders are human. Sometimes they do a better job than other times! Sometimes they disappoint us and sometimes they delight us. Speaking as one who leads, the most frustrating thing about the criticism that comes my way is when it comes from the critic's own frustration or failure to grasp the full dimension of issues involved. If, as a pastor, I take action that is wrong and someone points out that I've made a error in judgment, that is valuable criticism. If, on the other hand, I simply do not or cannot respond to the desires of someone and therefore they choose to become a critic, I find that that kind of criticism much harder to deal with.
Kevin Offner, in the Student Leadership Journal, published by IVP, offers the following advice to those who are ready to become a critic. Let me urge you to read his advice carefully today. It could transform your relationship with someone who you're about to make into a target of criticism.
_____________________________________
Here are five changes I believe critical people need to make.
First, we must have our spiritual eyes opened to see two truths: the heinous depth of our own sin and the amazing grace of God’s love toward us in Christ. Spiritual sight is not something we can will. God must give it. But we can cry out to Him for it. “Lord, would You open my eyes to see myself soberly and to know Your love more intimately?” We desperately need to feel the weight of our own sin and then to cast ourselves upon God’s grace. No mere head knowledge, here. “Wash your hands, you sinners. . . . Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief” (Jas. 4:8–9, NLT). When King David’s blind eyes were finally opened to his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, he didn't merely acknowledge it in some academic, emotionally removed way. He fell on his face and fasted for days (2 Sam. 12:16)!
Second, we must be deeply convinced that we can never know with certainty another person’s motives. Yes, we can see actions, and clearly sinful actions need to be confronted. But we must catch ourselves when we hurriedly, often unconsciously, make that jump from He did this to He is obviously acting from pride (or insecurity or revenge, etc.). There are so many factors beyond our knowledge that motivate another’s actions. Only God sees the heart, and only His judgment will be 100 percent accurate and fair. Now, perceptive people will hear this admonition yet still secretly think, Well, yes, but you see, I really do know why this person does what she does. Sometimes we are right. But we must remember that we may very well be wrong.
Third, when we’re bothered by another’s actions, we must pray fervently for that person and our response to him or her. What would happen if we channeled all our critical energy into a running dialogue with that person’s (and our) Creator?
Fourth, we must learn to be diplomatic and direct in confronting people one on one. No fake smiles, no repression of negative feelings, but instead, direct, tactful communication. Our goal is not to blast people or to inform them of all their hidden character flaws. Rather, our goals are God’s glory and the reconciliation of broken relationships. Recently I talked with the student I described earlier regarding her critical spirit. “I feel I need to tell you something. Yet I’m hesitant to do it for fear of losing your friendship. For the last several times I've been with you, you have spoken critically of something either the group or I have done. There’s often much truth in what you say, but I find myself frequently dragged down by your comments. We need encouragement as well as criticism. I value your friendship, and thus I thought I ought to share this with you.” I'll be honest: she didn't respond as I’d hoped. But I did feel right about being direct and honest rather than nurturing my own critical spirit.
Finally, we need to be encouragers, genuinely building others up and helping them become all God longs for them to be. I want to get excited about making others successful. I can be an encourager in others’ lives, as Barnabas was to Paul. I can trust God to provide encouragement for me as well. I have watched people melt when given a rightly timed, genuinely motivated word of affirmation or gratitude. And I know how empowered I feel when I’m around a genuine encourager.
_____________________________________
It's not always wrong to be a critic, but if you must, be a constructive critic. Always aim to build up others, to discover the Kingdom aim in a given situation.We have a BIG job to do, Believer. Let's not allow sniping at one another to destroy our effectiveness and the joy of working together in His kingdom. Got a 'beef' with someone?Figure out if it's worth discussing. If it's not, shake it off, and let it go into the "sea of forgetfulness!" If it is, then follow the steps to the best outcome.
_____________________________________
Be in worship on Sunday. Come with a prepared heart and mind, ready to hear, ready to worship, ready to receive!
The fact is that leaders are human. Sometimes they do a better job than other times! Sometimes they disappoint us and sometimes they delight us. Speaking as one who leads, the most frustrating thing about the criticism that comes my way is when it comes from the critic's own frustration or failure to grasp the full dimension of issues involved. If, as a pastor, I take action that is wrong and someone points out that I've made a error in judgment, that is valuable criticism. If, on the other hand, I simply do not or cannot respond to the desires of someone and therefore they choose to become a critic, I find that that kind of criticism much harder to deal with.
Kevin Offner, in the Student Leadership Journal, published by IVP, offers the following advice to those who are ready to become a critic. Let me urge you to read his advice carefully today. It could transform your relationship with someone who you're about to make into a target of criticism.
_____________________________________
Here are five changes I believe critical people need to make.
First, we must have our spiritual eyes opened to see two truths: the heinous depth of our own sin and the amazing grace of God’s love toward us in Christ. Spiritual sight is not something we can will. God must give it. But we can cry out to Him for it. “Lord, would You open my eyes to see myself soberly and to know Your love more intimately?” We desperately need to feel the weight of our own sin and then to cast ourselves upon God’s grace. No mere head knowledge, here. “Wash your hands, you sinners. . . . Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief” (Jas. 4:8–9, NLT). When King David’s blind eyes were finally opened to his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, he didn't merely acknowledge it in some academic, emotionally removed way. He fell on his face and fasted for days (2 Sam. 12:16)!
Second, we must be deeply convinced that we can never know with certainty another person’s motives. Yes, we can see actions, and clearly sinful actions need to be confronted. But we must catch ourselves when we hurriedly, often unconsciously, make that jump from He did this to He is obviously acting from pride (or insecurity or revenge, etc.). There are so many factors beyond our knowledge that motivate another’s actions. Only God sees the heart, and only His judgment will be 100 percent accurate and fair. Now, perceptive people will hear this admonition yet still secretly think, Well, yes, but you see, I really do know why this person does what she does. Sometimes we are right. But we must remember that we may very well be wrong.
Third, when we’re bothered by another’s actions, we must pray fervently for that person and our response to him or her. What would happen if we channeled all our critical energy into a running dialogue with that person’s (and our) Creator?
Fourth, we must learn to be diplomatic and direct in confronting people one on one. No fake smiles, no repression of negative feelings, but instead, direct, tactful communication. Our goal is not to blast people or to inform them of all their hidden character flaws. Rather, our goals are God’s glory and the reconciliation of broken relationships. Recently I talked with the student I described earlier regarding her critical spirit. “I feel I need to tell you something. Yet I’m hesitant to do it for fear of losing your friendship. For the last several times I've been with you, you have spoken critically of something either the group or I have done. There’s often much truth in what you say, but I find myself frequently dragged down by your comments. We need encouragement as well as criticism. I value your friendship, and thus I thought I ought to share this with you.” I'll be honest: she didn't respond as I’d hoped. But I did feel right about being direct and honest rather than nurturing my own critical spirit.
Finally, we need to be encouragers, genuinely building others up and helping them become all God longs for them to be. I want to get excited about making others successful. I can be an encourager in others’ lives, as Barnabas was to Paul. I can trust God to provide encouragement for me as well. I have watched people melt when given a rightly timed, genuinely motivated word of affirmation or gratitude. And I know how empowered I feel when I’m around a genuine encourager.
_____________________________________
It's not always wrong to be a critic, but if you must, be a constructive critic. Always aim to build up others, to discover the Kingdom aim in a given situation.We have a BIG job to do, Believer. Let's not allow sniping at one another to destroy our effectiveness and the joy of working together in His kingdom. Got a 'beef' with someone?Figure out if it's worth discussing. If it's not, shake it off, and let it go into the "sea of forgetfulness!" If it is, then follow the steps to the best outcome.
_____________________________________
Be in worship on Sunday. Come with a prepared heart and mind, ready to hear, ready to worship, ready to receive!
Thursday, July 13, 2006
The amazing power of "thanks!"
Are you aware of the power of sincere gratitude? "Thanks-living" has the capability of transforming a bad day into a good one, a difficult relationship into a rewarding one, a miserable situation into one that is tolerable. Anybody who knows me even a little, is well aware that I can be a real grump, that I live wrapped up in the world of ideas and thoughts a lot. I am not exactly "Johnnie Sunshine" some of the time because of the drive to 'get it done' and the need to see it (whatever 'it' is) done right and well. Truth is, when I am at my most focused and intense state, I don't even like me. OK, you can stop laughing at that one. I'm sure somebody's going to remind me of that statement at exactly the wrong moment.
I've learned a way to regain a grip on my brighter side. I just begin to offer up thanks. It happened 'round 3:30 AM today. I awakened feeling anxious about some projects that are waiting to be completed. There in the dark I could feel tension rising inside of me. Of course there was not much I could do at that hour, but I knew I didn't want to spend the next two hours staring into the dark at the ceiling, so I started running down a list in my mind of people for whom I am so very thankful. I named them, one by one, to the Lord, thanking Him specifically for who they were and the ways that He allowed them to enrich my life and ministry. In a matter of moments, I just know there was a smile on my face in place of the tension lines because I felt the anxiety ease. It felt so wonderful to be thanking the Lord, that I praised Him for His love, for the grace He's sovereignly given me, for the amazing trust He's shown in me by giving me access to so many good things.
Sometimes thankfulness is almost spontaneous! When some wonderful thing happens - a heart-felt "Thank you, Lord! Praise God!" bursts from my lips. And then sometimes, I have to offer what the Bible calls a 'sacrifice of praise.' In that, I give up my will, my desire for more pleasant circumstances, and begin to thank God for His goodness, for His sovereignty, for His sometimes inscrutable will! Let's not make a common mistake involving this kind of thanksgiving. God doesn't ask you and me to defy good sense by thanking Him for terrible things like war, disease, or sinful oppression. That's nuts! But, He clearly wants us to thank Him for His faithfulness, for His love, for His goodness even when it seems like He's forsaken us, or left us in the grasp of the Evil One.
David urges us to adopt thanksgiving as a lifestyle. Take a look:
"I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are discouraged take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together." (Psalm 34:1-4, NLT)
Remember, too, the importance of expressing appreciation to others. There's a genuine benefit that accrues to the one giving thanks in those situations. When we honestly express our thanks to another person (Careful there, I'm not recommending empty praise) we inevitably gain an emotional lift. Try it in a conversation today. You know how easily we slide into criticism of others. I do, so do you. When that starts to happen, turn it inside out and look for ways to speak positively and appreciatively about others. Watch the tone of the conversation change. It will amaze you. And you'll feel so much better, so much more encouraged, at the end of the conversation. I'm not recommending that we become Pollyanna's who only see the good side of life and never, ever say a cross or critical word. Speaking truthfully means that sometimes we'll have to point out failure or need for change. But, on balance, we will accomplish much more with sincere praise than with incessant criticism. (God, help me to remember that!)
So, I hope you'll take this simple little TFTD and make it a day for "thanks-living." Why not start right now with 5 minutes of praise prayer? Don't ask God for anything, just thank Him - profusely for people and situations and His goodness! Then, as you go through the day, look for opportunities to drop a word of affirmation and thanks into the lives of people - from the girl who pours your coffee to the spouse who shares you life!
And - Thank you for reading along day by day.
___________________________________
Give thanks to the Lord our God and King;
His love endures forever.
For He is good He is above all things;
His love endures forever.
Sing Praise -- Sing Praise
With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
For the life that's been reborn;
His love endures forever.
Sing Praise -- Sing Praise.
From the rising to the setting sun;
His love endures forever.
By the grace of God we can carry on;
His love endures forever.
Forever God Is Faithful,
Forever God Is Strong.
Forever God Is With Us Forever - Forever
Copyright - Chris Tomlin - CCLI License No. 810055
I've learned a way to regain a grip on my brighter side. I just begin to offer up thanks. It happened 'round 3:30 AM today. I awakened feeling anxious about some projects that are waiting to be completed. There in the dark I could feel tension rising inside of me. Of course there was not much I could do at that hour, but I knew I didn't want to spend the next two hours staring into the dark at the ceiling, so I started running down a list in my mind of people for whom I am so very thankful. I named them, one by one, to the Lord, thanking Him specifically for who they were and the ways that He allowed them to enrich my life and ministry. In a matter of moments, I just know there was a smile on my face in place of the tension lines because I felt the anxiety ease. It felt so wonderful to be thanking the Lord, that I praised Him for His love, for the grace He's sovereignly given me, for the amazing trust He's shown in me by giving me access to so many good things.
Sometimes thankfulness is almost spontaneous! When some wonderful thing happens - a heart-felt "Thank you, Lord! Praise God!" bursts from my lips. And then sometimes, I have to offer what the Bible calls a 'sacrifice of praise.' In that, I give up my will, my desire for more pleasant circumstances, and begin to thank God for His goodness, for His sovereignty, for His sometimes inscrutable will! Let's not make a common mistake involving this kind of thanksgiving. God doesn't ask you and me to defy good sense by thanking Him for terrible things like war, disease, or sinful oppression. That's nuts! But, He clearly wants us to thank Him for His faithfulness, for His love, for His goodness even when it seems like He's forsaken us, or left us in the grasp of the Evil One.
David urges us to adopt thanksgiving as a lifestyle. Take a look:
"I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are discouraged take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together." (Psalm 34:1-4, NLT)
Remember, too, the importance of expressing appreciation to others. There's a genuine benefit that accrues to the one giving thanks in those situations. When we honestly express our thanks to another person (Careful there, I'm not recommending empty praise) we inevitably gain an emotional lift. Try it in a conversation today. You know how easily we slide into criticism of others. I do, so do you. When that starts to happen, turn it inside out and look for ways to speak positively and appreciatively about others. Watch the tone of the conversation change. It will amaze you. And you'll feel so much better, so much more encouraged, at the end of the conversation. I'm not recommending that we become Pollyanna's who only see the good side of life and never, ever say a cross or critical word. Speaking truthfully means that sometimes we'll have to point out failure or need for change. But, on balance, we will accomplish much more with sincere praise than with incessant criticism. (God, help me to remember that!)
So, I hope you'll take this simple little TFTD and make it a day for "thanks-living." Why not start right now with 5 minutes of praise prayer? Don't ask God for anything, just thank Him - profusely for people and situations and His goodness! Then, as you go through the day, look for opportunities to drop a word of affirmation and thanks into the lives of people - from the girl who pours your coffee to the spouse who shares you life!
And - Thank you for reading along day by day.
___________________________________
Give thanks to the Lord our God and King;
His love endures forever.
For He is good He is above all things;
His love endures forever.
Sing Praise -- Sing Praise
With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
For the life that's been reborn;
His love endures forever.
Sing Praise -- Sing Praise.
From the rising to the setting sun;
His love endures forever.
By the grace of God we can carry on;
His love endures forever.
Forever God Is Faithful,
Forever God Is Strong.
Forever God Is With Us Forever - Forever
Copyright - Chris Tomlin - CCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Making peace
The Middle East simmers with tensions that explode into violence regularly. Terrorists seek the destruction of life and property around the globe from Afghanistan to Uganda. It isn't just nations making war! Some streets in our own country are as dangerous as a battlefield. Teenage tough guys think that the answer to difference of opinion is a bullet in someone's brain. Then, too, our churches - which ought to be oasis's of peace - are often torn up with strife, with factions struggling for control. And the American family knows little peace. Astronomical divorce rates reveal the depth of animosity that boils behind the front doors in our neighborhoods. Personal peace eludes most of us, too. Drugs, both legal and illegal, are consumed in prodigious quantities in attempts to find relief from the unending turmoil of an empty heart.
Is peace of any kind even possible or is it just a mirage? Jesus answers that question. He invites us to come to Him, to embrace His ways, and says, "You will find rest!" Isaiah makes this statement -(48:22) “There is no peace,” says God, “for the wicked.” But there is peace for the righteous! Peace comes only from a restored relationship with God. It is not a natural state of fallen humanity. It is a gift of God that must be received. Even then peace must be pursued. It will not simply break over us like sun through the clouds. We who know peace with God have to work at creating and maintaining peace among men! The Bible says that those who take up this calling of making peace will be known as "children of God."
Peace is not simply the absence of open conflict. It is a state of contentment, of rest, of wholeness. That is why true peace is only possible for the person who has come to know God. Only in God can we escape the torment of envy, of greed that keeps us fighting with ourselves and each other. Some mistakenly think that peace will be discovered in a new geographic location. "If only I could move to a small town in Montana!" This myth that peace can be found somewhere outside of ourselves is persistent. But it is just that, a myth. Peace begins within us, a work of the Spirit of God.
Believer, are you peaceful? Maybe even trying to answer that question makes you feel terrible pain for you know that you are not at peace, nor are you a peace-maker. Know this, peace is possible. I love the story of one of Jesus' most amazing miracles. The Lord and his friends were sailing across the little sea of Galilee when their small boat was caught in a storm. Jesus had fallen asleep in the back of the boat. What a testimony to the power of inner peace that picture is! His friends grew frantic as the storm increased in intensity. Finally, they scream at the sleeping Jesus, "Don't you care that we're about to die?" "Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." (Mark 4:39, NKJV) Ah, that's rich with meaning for you and me. I've often watched the storms blowing up around me and felt the panic rising. As critics attacked, as money ran short, as health issues arose, as the sea of sin churned up it's filthy waters 'round me - I have screamed to God, "Don't you care that I'm about to be swept under? Where are You?" In His grace, time and time again, He has come to stand alongside of me and I've watched Him restore calm with just a powerful word!
Why is my memory so short? Why do I allow fear to replace peace again and again?
I am still searching for that answer.
But, this I know, peace is mine through Christ Jesus, my Lord. He has made peace for me with God, who is no longer my Judge. He is now my Father.
From my secure place in His family, I can live in peace and I am charged to seek peace.
If you're afraid today, or in turmoil, or at war - come to Jesus, the Peace-maker.
Invite Him to speak to your storms.
Once He has brought peace of mind to you, then take up the calling of becoming a peace-maker.
Here's a word from the Word to meditate on for a few moments today:
"All of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you.
Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it. For the Scriptures say, “If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good.
Work hard at living in peace with others. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”" (1 Peter 3:8-12, NLT)
Is peace of any kind even possible or is it just a mirage? Jesus answers that question. He invites us to come to Him, to embrace His ways, and says, "You will find rest!" Isaiah makes this statement -(48:22) “There is no peace,” says God, “for the wicked.” But there is peace for the righteous! Peace comes only from a restored relationship with God. It is not a natural state of fallen humanity. It is a gift of God that must be received. Even then peace must be pursued. It will not simply break over us like sun through the clouds. We who know peace with God have to work at creating and maintaining peace among men! The Bible says that those who take up this calling of making peace will be known as "children of God."
Peace is not simply the absence of open conflict. It is a state of contentment, of rest, of wholeness. That is why true peace is only possible for the person who has come to know God. Only in God can we escape the torment of envy, of greed that keeps us fighting with ourselves and each other. Some mistakenly think that peace will be discovered in a new geographic location. "If only I could move to a small town in Montana!" This myth that peace can be found somewhere outside of ourselves is persistent. But it is just that, a myth. Peace begins within us, a work of the Spirit of God.
Believer, are you peaceful? Maybe even trying to answer that question makes you feel terrible pain for you know that you are not at peace, nor are you a peace-maker. Know this, peace is possible. I love the story of one of Jesus' most amazing miracles. The Lord and his friends were sailing across the little sea of Galilee when their small boat was caught in a storm. Jesus had fallen asleep in the back of the boat. What a testimony to the power of inner peace that picture is! His friends grew frantic as the storm increased in intensity. Finally, they scream at the sleeping Jesus, "Don't you care that we're about to die?" "Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." (Mark 4:39, NKJV) Ah, that's rich with meaning for you and me. I've often watched the storms blowing up around me and felt the panic rising. As critics attacked, as money ran short, as health issues arose, as the sea of sin churned up it's filthy waters 'round me - I have screamed to God, "Don't you care that I'm about to be swept under? Where are You?" In His grace, time and time again, He has come to stand alongside of me and I've watched Him restore calm with just a powerful word!
Why is my memory so short? Why do I allow fear to replace peace again and again?
I am still searching for that answer.
But, this I know, peace is mine through Christ Jesus, my Lord. He has made peace for me with God, who is no longer my Judge. He is now my Father.
From my secure place in His family, I can live in peace and I am charged to seek peace.
If you're afraid today, or in turmoil, or at war - come to Jesus, the Peace-maker.
Invite Him to speak to your storms.
Once He has brought peace of mind to you, then take up the calling of becoming a peace-maker.
Here's a word from the Word to meditate on for a few moments today:
"All of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you.
Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it. For the Scriptures say, “If you want a happy life and good days, keep your tongue from speaking evil, and keep your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good.
Work hard at living in peace with others. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”" (1 Peter 3:8-12, NLT)
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Picking up your junk
In the public restroom, I had this little revelation. What would life be like if each one of us were committed to picking up our own junk out of respect for others? In that restroom, which is 'shared' by everybody but 'owned' by nobody,I saw paper towels tossed in the corner, toilet paper thrown on the floor next to the commode, and urine puddled on the floor. OK, that's a little graphic, but hopefully you get my point! Not many people live that way in their own house because they feel some sense of responsibility for what is 'theirs' and they just don't want to foul their own nest!
In the world at large it seems that more and more of us live disrespectfully. We seem to be increasingly careless in the use of words and in actions that diminish life's beauty for others. We are losing our internal sense of being part of a larger whole, our grasp of our communal responsibility. That is one reason for the growth of 'big' government and all the petty laws that increasingly govern our lives. The inner discipline that would tell us where the 'boundaries' of life should be and that would cause us to give up some of our 'space' for the benefit of our neighbors is lacking. So, we look to our government to create those boundaries and to tell us where we can build our fences.
We are in love with ourselves and our own convenience! Happiness, we mistakenly believe, is found in total self-expression, greater consumption, and unfettered freedom. So we spend ridiculously, have sex with anyone we wish, get more, build bigger barns, and alienate ourselves from each other with wider and wider gaps. The paradox is that the more we insist on 'having it my way,' the less joy we find in the world. Why? Because true joy isn't found in selfishness, but in service!
Here's the most tragic thing of all, at least to me. Selfishness is the #1 problem even in the community where love is supposed to be the mark of authenticity. Yep, I'm talking about the church. Even in the church, there isn't all much 'community' because, all too often, we're trying to grab the power, gain some glory, and use Jesus for self-fulfillment instead of service. Hundreds of churches are destroyed every year, not by outside attack, but by strife on the inside. Somehow the Bible's teaching that the Church is a living organism, God's creation from individuals He brings together to do His work in a mutually beneficial way, is lost on many of us. Why? Because we bring our self-centeredness to church with us. This person says he wants only a certain kind of music used in worship. That person wants all the church's attention focused on one specific ministry. Another wants only to hear sermons about prophecy. Where that kind of attitude flourishes, you will find a church that is hampered by power plays, people trying to get other people to agree with them, to pressure those in leadership offices to do what they want done - now. The Word tells us that "where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:16, NIV)
Jesus taught the ideal of community life and mutual benefit in a homely way. Here's the story. The disciples were fighting with each other about their relative importance. "Jesus loves me more than you." Can you imagine a group of adult men acting so silly? I can. I've seen it first hand! Yes, I have to admit that I've done it, too. Anyway, Jesus heard them arguing, so when they got to the place where dinner was served, they all reclined around the table. It was the custom of the time to provide a servant to wash the tired, dirty feet of those who visited your home. But, this group had no servant, and none of them was about to take that role voluntarily, so they ate at a table, smelling each other's stinky feet! After dinner, Jesus got up and took off his robe. He took a towel and prepared to wash feet. It was shocking!! He was the Master, but He was forgetting about His status, forgetting about public opinion, forgetting about personal advantage. When He finished the task, He said, "You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. " (John 13:13-17, The Message)
Believer, would you like to enjoy more beauty, experience more love, feel the joy?Let me encourage you to forget about yourself and to start being a servant. Pick up your junk... and while you're at it, pick up your neighbor's trash.
When you're about to say something, think about how it will sound to the ones who hear your words.
When you're ready to take action, ask yourself, "Who benefits most? Me, or We?"
When somebody trespasses onto 'your' space, steps on your toes, fails to notice your needs - pray for the Holy Spirit to change your response.
Here's a word that challenged me this morning. Let the Spirit use it to speak to you.
"If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff.
Live generously. “Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that." (Luke 6:29-32, The Message)
______________________
Lord, you've handed me a tough assignment, asking me to be a servant.
Everything in my human nature screams for soothing and I love to be stroked and served.
The 'big lie' about being served as the way to happiness is so seductive.
I cannot consistently be a servant in my own strength, or by my own resolve.
So, I pray- change my very nature, O Spirit of God.
Break the grasp of selfishness in me.
Let me see again the depth of Your suffering for me, suffering I caused by my willful rejection of God and good.
Then, convict me sternly, compelling me by the lessons of grace,and drawing me with bonds of love, into a life of Loving service;that allows Your beauty to be seen in me and in the world which I help to create by my words and actions.
For Jesus sake, I pray. Amen.
In the world at large it seems that more and more of us live disrespectfully. We seem to be increasingly careless in the use of words and in actions that diminish life's beauty for others. We are losing our internal sense of being part of a larger whole, our grasp of our communal responsibility. That is one reason for the growth of 'big' government and all the petty laws that increasingly govern our lives. The inner discipline that would tell us where the 'boundaries' of life should be and that would cause us to give up some of our 'space' for the benefit of our neighbors is lacking. So, we look to our government to create those boundaries and to tell us where we can build our fences.
We are in love with ourselves and our own convenience! Happiness, we mistakenly believe, is found in total self-expression, greater consumption, and unfettered freedom. So we spend ridiculously, have sex with anyone we wish, get more, build bigger barns, and alienate ourselves from each other with wider and wider gaps. The paradox is that the more we insist on 'having it my way,' the less joy we find in the world. Why? Because true joy isn't found in selfishness, but in service!
Here's the most tragic thing of all, at least to me. Selfishness is the #1 problem even in the community where love is supposed to be the mark of authenticity. Yep, I'm talking about the church. Even in the church, there isn't all much 'community' because, all too often, we're trying to grab the power, gain some glory, and use Jesus for self-fulfillment instead of service. Hundreds of churches are destroyed every year, not by outside attack, but by strife on the inside. Somehow the Bible's teaching that the Church is a living organism, God's creation from individuals He brings together to do His work in a mutually beneficial way, is lost on many of us. Why? Because we bring our self-centeredness to church with us. This person says he wants only a certain kind of music used in worship. That person wants all the church's attention focused on one specific ministry. Another wants only to hear sermons about prophecy. Where that kind of attitude flourishes, you will find a church that is hampered by power plays, people trying to get other people to agree with them, to pressure those in leadership offices to do what they want done - now. The Word tells us that "where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." (James 3:16, NIV)
Jesus taught the ideal of community life and mutual benefit in a homely way. Here's the story. The disciples were fighting with each other about their relative importance. "Jesus loves me more than you." Can you imagine a group of adult men acting so silly? I can. I've seen it first hand! Yes, I have to admit that I've done it, too. Anyway, Jesus heard them arguing, so when they got to the place where dinner was served, they all reclined around the table. It was the custom of the time to provide a servant to wash the tired, dirty feet of those who visited your home. But, this group had no servant, and none of them was about to take that role voluntarily, so they ate at a table, smelling each other's stinky feet! After dinner, Jesus got up and took off his robe. He took a towel and prepared to wash feet. It was shocking!! He was the Master, but He was forgetting about His status, forgetting about public opinion, forgetting about personal advantage. When He finished the task, He said, "You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. " (John 13:13-17, The Message)
Believer, would you like to enjoy more beauty, experience more love, feel the joy?Let me encourage you to forget about yourself and to start being a servant. Pick up your junk... and while you're at it, pick up your neighbor's trash.
When you're about to say something, think about how it will sound to the ones who hear your words.
When you're ready to take action, ask yourself, "Who benefits most? Me, or We?"
When somebody trespasses onto 'your' space, steps on your toes, fails to notice your needs - pray for the Holy Spirit to change your response.
Here's a word that challenged me this morning. Let the Spirit use it to speak to you.
"If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff.
Live generously. “Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that." (Luke 6:29-32, The Message)
______________________
Lord, you've handed me a tough assignment, asking me to be a servant.
Everything in my human nature screams for soothing and I love to be stroked and served.
The 'big lie' about being served as the way to happiness is so seductive.
I cannot consistently be a servant in my own strength, or by my own resolve.
So, I pray- change my very nature, O Spirit of God.
Break the grasp of selfishness in me.
Let me see again the depth of Your suffering for me, suffering I caused by my willful rejection of God and good.
Then, convict me sternly, compelling me by the lessons of grace,and drawing me with bonds of love, into a life of Loving service;that allows Your beauty to be seen in me and in the world which I help to create by my words and actions.
For Jesus sake, I pray. Amen.
Monday, July 10, 2006
The counsel of a good friend
In the Proverbs we are taught that "Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many counselors bring success. Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!" (Proverbs 15:22-23, NLT) I thank the Lord for my wife's good sense and advice. Too many times to count in our 31 years of marriage she has provided me with a perspective that helps me find the right balance, or she has wisely steered me away from some impetuous action that would proven regrettable. There are my trusted friends in ministry whose counsel I seek from time to time when I face a crossroads decision. I appreciate their wisdom, even when they point to a course of action that is not, at first look, appealing.
I cannot lead God's church by testing the winds of opinion and 'giving the people what they want,' but my leadership calling is enhanced by gathering men and women with good minds, those committed to Christ and His Church, and people of spiritual depth around me. They offer counsel. I am not so foolish as to think, even for one moment, that I have enough experience, or 20/20 vision in all things! By way of example, in filling two positions on our church's ministry team this Summer, I took a lead in the process of selecting candidates, but I was guided in the selections by teams who prayed with me for God's guidance and who gave their time to advise and evaluate candidates for those positions.
King David enjoyed the counsel of good friends. He nicknamed his inner circle, "the Mighty Men." Isn't that a cool moniker? The Bible says "David’s Mighty Men, ...linked arms with him as he took up his kingship..." (1 Chronicles 11:10, The Message) They were his allies, offering encouragement, surrounding him with support. In the book of the Acts which tells us the stories of the first generation of Believers, there were councils called from time to time when the Church faced thorny issues requiring wisdom. Yes, leaders like Peter and Paul were decisive and bold, but they were also willing to let God speak to them through the counsel of their friends and co-workers. In those stories we find that sometimes the debate was sharp and words pointed! Feelings got hurt, too. But, with the help of the Spirit, those early church leaders kept their eyes on the goal and built Christ's Kingdom, not their own!
Do you have a circle of advisors?
Are there people in your life that you have invited to speak truthfully to you, no matter the situation?
Are you a "Lone Ranger" trying to live self-sufficiently?
Jesus calls us into the community of the Church. That means more than coming together for worship on Sunday morning. He asks us to lay down our ego, to 'die to self,' and to become servants to one another. In obedience, we gain so much. Yet, tragically, in our time of emphasis on radical individualism, we are so quick to discard relationships with those who challenge us, who offer counsel that does not soothe us, or seem to affirm us.
Let's take that descriptive line from the experience of the Mighty Men and 'link arms!' Let's go beyond romantic notions of fellowship that only values the 'warm fuzzies' that come from the good times of fun and laughter, to build a real team that builds our character, that calls the highest and best from us in the cause of Christ.
Take this word from the Word with you today. Ask God, the Spirit, to teach you how to build a circle of counselors in your life.
"Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NLT)
I cannot lead God's church by testing the winds of opinion and 'giving the people what they want,' but my leadership calling is enhanced by gathering men and women with good minds, those committed to Christ and His Church, and people of spiritual depth around me. They offer counsel. I am not so foolish as to think, even for one moment, that I have enough experience, or 20/20 vision in all things! By way of example, in filling two positions on our church's ministry team this Summer, I took a lead in the process of selecting candidates, but I was guided in the selections by teams who prayed with me for God's guidance and who gave their time to advise and evaluate candidates for those positions.
King David enjoyed the counsel of good friends. He nicknamed his inner circle, "the Mighty Men." Isn't that a cool moniker? The Bible says "David’s Mighty Men, ...linked arms with him as he took up his kingship..." (1 Chronicles 11:10, The Message) They were his allies, offering encouragement, surrounding him with support. In the book of the Acts which tells us the stories of the first generation of Believers, there were councils called from time to time when the Church faced thorny issues requiring wisdom. Yes, leaders like Peter and Paul were decisive and bold, but they were also willing to let God speak to them through the counsel of their friends and co-workers. In those stories we find that sometimes the debate was sharp and words pointed! Feelings got hurt, too. But, with the help of the Spirit, those early church leaders kept their eyes on the goal and built Christ's Kingdom, not their own!
Do you have a circle of advisors?
Are there people in your life that you have invited to speak truthfully to you, no matter the situation?
Are you a "Lone Ranger" trying to live self-sufficiently?
Jesus calls us into the community of the Church. That means more than coming together for worship on Sunday morning. He asks us to lay down our ego, to 'die to self,' and to become servants to one another. In obedience, we gain so much. Yet, tragically, in our time of emphasis on radical individualism, we are so quick to discard relationships with those who challenge us, who offer counsel that does not soothe us, or seem to affirm us.
Let's take that descriptive line from the experience of the Mighty Men and 'link arms!' Let's go beyond romantic notions of fellowship that only values the 'warm fuzzies' that come from the good times of fun and laughter, to build a real team that builds our character, that calls the highest and best from us in the cause of Christ.
Take this word from the Word with you today. Ask God, the Spirit, to teach you how to build a circle of counselors in your life.
"Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NLT)
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