God's own?

A comedy called City Slickers, (1991) about three guys who try to recover their male identity with a trip to a cattle ranch in the West, included a great performance by the late Jack Palance in the role of an old cowboy who cryptically told the guys that life was about finding the 'one thing' that is important. He never defined 'one thing,' which was part of the humor of the film. Funny or not, it is true. A life well lived has focus, has passion, and is shaped by purposeful pursuit of One! There are many ways to earn a living, many ways to find enjoyment in our world - but just One Person from whom we can gain 'life to the full.' I don't need to be cryptic. God, who made Himself known to us in the Man, Jesus Christ, is that One Person on whom a life of meaning is centered.

Some of you are thinking, "Jerry, are you implying we all have to become employees of the Church?" to find a meaningful life. No way! But, all Believers are ministers (servants) called to do the work of God. It does not matter if you are a medical doctor, a teacher, a carpenter, a mechanic, a full-time Mom, an engineer... OK, you got it, right? The Word says, "Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24, NLT) The passion of life, the 'one thing' is to know Christ and to make Him known. There are more ways to do that than I could explore in this TFTD, but we all start down that road by redefining the meaning of life to be about our relationship with God. We take Him from Sunday morning, from our private devotional thoughts, with us into the world. We learn to be in conversation with the Holy Spirit, all the time, everywhere, about everything!

It honors God if, when others think of us, the next thought is Jesus! When the mention of the name "Jerry Scott" is made, I hope that I have lived in such a way that one of descriptive phrases others would use about me is: "He is God's man!" No, not because I am especially pious. I'm not! No, not because I am a part of the professional clergy with the honorific title of "Rev." I've met quite a few "Revs." who earn their living in church work, but who I would not describe as belonging to God! Lord, help me to be different, I pray. I want other to think of Jesus because they see a deep and profound love for Him in my words and actions. I desire that it would be obvious that I live to know and serve Him. What and/or who we esteem and love is quickly evident. My friend Jake loves guitar music. You don't have to be with him long to realize that. My Dad loves kids, something you know within minutes of meeting him. What are you passionate about? Anything? Or are you just letting life drift by without digging in to find the joy of being passionate about something?

Know this. If you're passionate about God, not everyone will applaud! People who are passionate about something in life are hard to be around because they turn into fanatics. In the new movie, Freedom Writers, in which Hillary Swank, tells the story of Erin Gruwell, a young teacher who became passionate about reaching those urban kids that the educational system no longer cared about, we see that. Erin's life was defined by her love for those kids, to the extent that she took extra jobs so she could afford to buy them books and take them on trips. Her husband divorced her because he couldn't stand her intensity. The emptiness of his own life was made even more evident by the fullness she found in loving her students. (See it! It is worth the money. It's not a Christian film, but the story inspires.)

That's the way it ought to be in our lives in the way we love God. Love for Him, which finds expressions in so many ways, should be our central passion! Not everyone will appreciate the passion. Some will find us unpleasant to be around, not because we are preachy, but because the high quality of life we live for God makes their pursuit of money, sex, fame, or pleasure all the more evidently meaningless! Here's what the Word says about this. "... you died, (to self-centeredness) and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory..." (Colossians 3:2-12, NIV)

Are you God's own?

"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you:

Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 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 12:1-2, The Message)

Letting go and letting God!

When I arrived at the jail where I conduct a Bible study each Wednesday morning, I asked the man who unlocked the room, "So, how many will be in study today?" "A big group," he answered, "they're sending you a group of female inmates today!" Immediately I felt the anger rising in me because I had not planned for this new development. I was looking forward to seeing the men that I usually taught. But, I quickly overcame my irritation and prayed that the Lord would let me help someone in the new group; which He did! A couple of the women in the study were keenly interested in the Word and professed faith in Christ. Once again, in a simple way, I was reminded that He is a sovereign God, that I need to 'get out of His way' and let Him lead. Perhaps you're thinking, "Well, duh, Pastor, we all know that." Ah, we do and we don't.

Our doctrine teaches us that God is in control. However, we have plans that we want to complete. Our agenda is often changed by unexpected events, by unforeseen developments, by 'accidents,' and such things. When that happens, Self may lead us into anger and we will fight to assert our will. Or, we may fall into despair, doubting God's goodness, struggling with faith as our life plan is re-written before our eyes as if by an unseen hand. It can be very hard to step back and faithfully say, "I am the Lord's servant, may He do with me as He chooses. Blessed be the Name of the Lord."

Do not read me wrongly today. I am not a fatalist. God has given us choices to make and made us partners with Him in His work. In a mystery that defies complete understanding and/or explanation, He declares two truths to us.

First, He says, "I rule the affairs of the world and know the smallest details of your life." The Word says, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:16, NIV)

Second, He says, "Choose wisely in your life." Joshua calls on us to "Choose today whom you will serve. ... But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15, NLT) Philosophically, I cannot reconcile those two statements, but in faith, I accept them and live in the balance they provide.

I will not try to control my life with no reliance on God, for that leads me to folly of many kinds! The person who thinks himself the master of his fate is deluded, and everybody knows it but himself. He will become increasingly desperate when he is confronted with situations over which he has little or no control; in his frenzy concocting schemes that are more and more bizarre.

But, I will not abdicate my responsibility to step up to making decisions. The person who mistakenly concludes that he can do nothing to shape his life is foolish. He finds himself in many tight spots which are of his own making, the result of the failure to be prudent. Wisdom invites us to learn from her and promises, “Happy are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval from the Lord." (Proverbs 8:34-35, NLT)

Spend a few moments today in meditation on the following passage. Ask the Spirit to lead you to live in that secure place where God leads and you follow.
"So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. ...

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. ...

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." (Galatians 5:16-25, NLT)
_______________________
On God's holy Word I challenge you
To give to the Lord your life anew.
My friend, make your choice;
He waits for you
For this is the moment of truth.
Now walk with God
And He will be your dearest Friend
Where'er you go
In everything you do.
And may your life
Reflect His love to ev'ryone.
Now walk with God
And He will walk with you.

Now Walk With God- Skillings, Otis
© 1969 Lillenas Publishing Company (Admin. by The Copyright Company) CCLI License No. 810055

Just to know His smile!

Awards are everywhere - in the entertainment industry, in sports, where you work, at school. The Baseball Hall of Fame inducted two new members yesterday - Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn. Notably, they rejected Mark McGwire despite his homerun records, on the suspicion that he cheated with performance enhancing drugs. Last year, the Assemblies of God noted my 25 year anniversary of ordination to Christian ministry. I wear the pin denoting that milestone with some pride, hopefully the good kind of pride, not the arrogant kind! Not all awards have to be published or pinned, either. Drs. Trent and Smalley wrote a book to explain the importance of giving kids 'the blessing,' urging parents to pass along appropriate affirmation for their children. The way that a parent gives honor to his child is one of the biggest influences that shapes that child's sense of worth and purpose for the rest of his life. If a parent is dishonors his child, treating him with contempt and/or nagging criticism, he steals confidence and sets up that child to grow into an adult who will struggle with issues of inferiority. If she appropriately recognizes and encourages her child, she helps lay a foundation for good relationships and a sense of worth, enduring to the grave!

There is one reward that supersedes, by far, all others; the blessing of God!
How do we live in His blessing? How do we enjoy His affirmation?

Take a look at what the Word says,“This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." That line comes from a passage in the book of Isaiah that reminds us that we cannot do anything for God that He could not do for Himself. We are not rewarded with His blessings because we enriched Him in anyway. To think that is absurd, and leads us into the Pharisaical folly of thinking that God is fortunate to have us on His team. Remember the story Jesus told about two men who went to pray? The self-righteous Pharisee asked nothing of God, only commending himself to God for all the good things he had done. The 'sinner' lowered his eyes and prayed only for mercy from God. Jesus said that only one man went home right with God and it wasn't the 'good guy.' (see Luke 18:10-12)

We cannot 'buy' God's approval, nor can we earn it. And yet, we must learn to live in it and there are choices we make which allow us to enjoy it.

Read this carefully. "This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word. But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a man, and whoever offers a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense, like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in their abominations;" (Isaiah 66:1-3, NIV) Building temples and presenting offerings cannot replace a heart that loves God and a life that honors Him with obedience!

King Saul, who lived in rebellion, tried to buy God's favor with a thousand sacrifices, but God swept aside his offerings, the prophet Samuel declaring: "Do you think all God wants are sacrifices— empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production." (1 Samuel 15:22, The Message)

Are you living in humility before God, allowing Him to lead you? Are you discovering His will, day by day, not necessarily as He writes it in the sky in mile-high letters, but in obedience in the little things? There is the place of blessing, the place where His smile warms our hearts and we know what it is to live with a sense of close fellowship.

In 1981, the movie, Chariots of Fire, told the story of Eric Liddell, a committed Christian who became an Olympic competitor, and later a missionary to China, who died in as a prisoner of the Japanese in WWII. There is a memorable line in that movie. Liddell confidently, yet humbly says, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." Nothing in the world can replace the sense that God takes pleasure from us as obedient children! If you're running from Him, resisting Him, complaining about Him - stop, turn in repentance, and humbly give yourself to Him. That does not guarantee that everything in your will magically turn out wonderful, that you will be spared all difficulty. It does allow you to know the smile of His blessed approval - and that, my friend, supersedes all other awards, any other achievement.

"Valued because He said so"

Redeemed... as I meditated on that word, my mind drifted back a long time to when I first became aware of the concept. It was about S. and H. Green Stamps. When Mom shopped, she received sheets of green stamps in proportion to how much she spent. I had fun pasting them into little books. Yep, I licked 'em and got the glue on my tongue, but hey I was 7 or 8. When she collected enough little books full of stamps she could 'redeem' them for household items. That's all I remember, but I discovered that S. + H. company, the green stamp people, are still around only now they issue 'digital points.' Not nearly as much fun as books full of little green stamps, at least for a kid. The books filled with green stamps had no value until they were presented to the company who issued them and who put a value on them, a process they termed, redemption!

Have you been redeemed?

The question is an important one! Redemption is a theme throughout the Scripture. The Bible tells us that we are devalued by sin, that we are destined for the garbage heap of eternity, except for Divine redemption! "For thus says the Lord: “You have sold yourselves for nothing, And you shall be redeemed without money. ....Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. " (Isaiah 52:3, 9 NKJV) Our lives, destroyed by disobedience, are given eternal value, but not because we have done great thing to achieve world renown. We gain value because God, in mercy, found us, bought us from the Evil One to whom we had sold ourselves for meager price, and set His seal of ownership on us. Solely because of His mark, we who were once destined for destruction are now people of great worth. So Isaiah exults - God says, “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. .... that’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you." (Isaiah 43:1,4 The Message)

When we take hold of that truth, owning it by faith, we are changed. Despair gives way to hope. Striving gives way to contentment. We are less tempted to give ourselves to worthless pursuits because we are now owned by God, with a high and holy calling to serve Him as 'vessels of honor.' Yes, redemption makes us holy people- transforming us from slaves to free persons, from sinners into saints. Whatever we once were, we are no longer because Jesus Christ redeemed us from death.

Pray to know that Truth! Ponder it, meditate on it. Thank God for loving you when you were worthless, wasting your life.
It's my song today. I am joyful in it. I've been redeemed.
________________________

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!
Redeemed thro' His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!
Redeemed thro' His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell!
I know that the light of His presence,
With me doth continually dwell.

I think of my blessed Redeemer;
I think of Him all the day long.
I sing, for I cannot be silent;
His love is the theme of song.

I know I shall see His beauty
The King, in whose law I delight,
Who lovingly gaurdeth my footsteps
And giveth me songs in the night.

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!
Redeemed thro' His infinite mercy,
His child, and forever, I am.

Redeemed
Crosby, Fanny J. / Butler, Aubrey L.
© 1966, 1967 Broadman Press ARR Distributed by Genevox Music Group
CCLI License No. 810055

Not 'me,' but 'we'

The world functions around power. Need to settle a political dispute? Line up the allies and pressure the errant state into compliance. If that fails, send in the army! Whether we realize it or not, American society functions as well as it does, in large part, because of power! Author Donald Miller observed that what makes America great is her justice system where the majority uses the courts and police to keep everybody in line! He's a cynic, to be sure. There are a lot of wonderful things about our nation that make her great besides her police force. Never the less, he's got a point. We live reasonably secure lives because we have empowered police to remove the bad guys from among us. Even on a personal level, we tend to use power to shape situations the way we want them to be. When there is a problem, we find the pressure point and lean on it to bring the other person around to our point of view.

But... you knew there was a 'but' coming soon, didn't you? ...Believers are instructed to focus away from power in their lives. The genuine relationships of the Church should not be based on power tactics. As a leader of a local church, I am both tempted and tested by the use of power. I am tempted to use whatever limited power I have to make people who live in my little sphere of influence 'get with the program.' I humbly admit that too often I have succumbed to that temptation when faced with a person who makes my life and ministry difficult. And I am tested, on a regular basis, by the power plays of individuals who become vocal critics hoping to force a change in me or church programs, who threaten to withhold financial support, or who 'boycott' the meetings of the church to get the attention of the board who they hope will lean on me for change.

Take a look at what the Scripture says about this. "Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace. All of you are part of the same body. There is only one Spirit of God, just as you were given one hope when you were chosen to be God’s people." (Ephesians 4:2-4, CEV)

Imagine living without resorting to power tactics, without threatening anyone, ever? That's what the Lord asks of us. It sounds so naive, but it what He desires from us. Our security and our personal happiness are not found in forcing our way or intimidation. They are found in giving away ourselves and becoming a part of God's work. "Be humble!" is not the prescription for worldly success. When I was young, my late uncle advised me about capturing attention and making my way in the world with this parody of a Bible verse, "He who tooteth not his own horn, the same shall not be tooted!" But, Uncle Dean was wrong. God's way is humility, serving without notice and taking joy from the opportunities that God gives - great or small. The gentleness that the Lord asks of us is an expression of ultimate trust in Him! A gentle person is not lacking in backbone or courage, though he is often perceived in that way. He is a person of amazing courage who has set aside power and decided to seek a greater good than his own agenda or his own comfort.

I am heartened that the passage I quoted gives a nod to the difficulties of human relationships. "Patiently put up with each other!" lets me know that people will be people: cranky, headstrong, selfish, and immature. (Me, too, from time to time.) The church is not a utopian community where 'never is heard a discouraging word.' It is an imperfect community of people 'in process,' who are called to choose patience over power, where we move - together- toward the calling of God - s l o w l y - but steadily as the Spirit leads us. And we are told to "Love each other!"

We make much of love, but understand it so little. Love is reduced, so often, to a expression of the ephemeral expression of our emotions. Love, as portrayed in the New Testament, is a robust thing, a choice from which all other choices flow. The model for our love is the love of Christ - which caused Him to enter the world, to live as an ordinary Man, and to walk boldly to the Cross, where He died an excruciating death and allowed our sins to alienate Him from the Father. And, why? Because of love - for you, for me. The quality of His love, which compelled amazing sacrifice, is far removed from the syrupy emotionalism that we mistake for love in our Christian relationships, isn't it? We are barely willing to put up with another's irritating habits or quirks, to say nothing of actually living with them for 30 years, fully entering into their experience, and then dying for them!

I propose an experiment for us today. When tempted to use power to gain compliance from another, even in the little things of life, choose the way of humble and gentle love. Let love compel you to step boldly into the other person's life, even for a moment, and then ask the Holy Spirit, how He wants you to respond. It will lead you to some amazing, awkward, and perhaps even Christ-honoring moments. And it will surely please the Father.
__________________

Love Divine-- Wesley, Charles / Zundel, John

Love divine, all love excelling,
Joy of heav'n, to earth come down!
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling;
All Thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, Thou art all compassion;
Pure, unbounded love Thou art.
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter ev'ry trembling heart.

Breathe, oh breathe, Thy loving Spirit
Into ev'ry troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be.
End of faith, as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty to deliver;
Let us all Thy life receive.
Suddenly return, and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.

Finish then Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation,
Perfectly restored in Thee:
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

© Public Domain
CCLI License No. 810055

Truth and Compassion

I could not question the young preacher's sincerity about his desire to reach out to a group of needy people. He had met a group of Christian people who were homosexuals. As they told him about the persecution that they felt in many churches, his heart was touched. So, he went to his study and, after some time, decided to affirm the 'gay' lifestyle as acceptable, even to the extent of celebrating ceremonies of commitment for homosexual couples. He kept repeating this line, "God loves them, and I must love them, too." He's right on that point, the importance of loving people that God loves. But, he has misunderstood grace and made a mistake in discarding clear Scriptural teaching by affirming the 'rightness' of homosexual practice.

Knowing how to accept and love people and remain truthful about the sins in their lives is a tough line to draw properly whether it's a hot button social issue we're discussing or something as pedestrian as how we handle our money! There is always a tension between truth and compassion. 50 years ago the big issue among Believers was divorce. In most evangelical churches in the 1950's and 60's, if you were a divorced person, you could attend church, but forget about participating in ministry. A divorced person couldn't teach Sunday School, serve on the church board, or distribute Communion. But, over time, we re-examined the issue and realized that while God declares He hates divorce, He permits it because we live in an imperfect world where our best intentions and our actual experiences are sometimes miles apart! Most churches have come 'round to accepting people who have experienced the sorrow of divorce while still holding onto the importance of protecting the marriage covenant as the Bible teaches, but it took a long time to work it out the tension.

Truth and compassion are not enemies! The most loving thing we can do is tell the truth - to ourselves and to others. Where the Bible is clear, we cannot rewrite the standards of righteousness to fit our need to be compassionate. But, we cannot allow our fears to cause us to use the Bible like a Gospel gun, shooting down those who fail to meet the standard. Our presentation of Truth must always be redemptive, full of hope, gentle, and respectful. That is where I believe many Bible Believers run off the road! They fail to understand the brokenness that sin causes and beat up the sinner for their sin, instead of weeping with the sinner, hoping and praying for an opportunity to love them to wholeness.

Jesus told a story that is familiar, yet compelling. A man asked the Lord, "Who is my neighbor?" In other words, "Who does God expect me to care for and love?" "Jesus answered by telling a story.
“There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man.
“A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’
“What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?” “The one who treated him kindly,” the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, “Go and do the same.” " (Luke 10:30-37, The Message)

That's a story with profound implications for spiritual care of others! When we see somebody that Satan has beaten up, who has fallen into the grip of sin - big or small - our natural response is to stay away. We don't want to be contaminated, to be 'infected' with their sin, so we are tempted just go to the other side of the road, feigning blindness. If that is our response, we sin, too! We fail the person in need and we fail in our God-given mission. We perpetuate the 'us vs. them' mentality that Jesus condemned.

He chose a Samaritan as the hero for his story because Samaritans were despised as spiritually inferior, and they knew it! If we realize that the only difference between us and someone at the side of the road of life, bleeding from the Devil's attacks, is the grace of God, that we not inherently superior because we are not in that particular place, we will not approach the half-dead sinner with anything except compassion. We will find ourselves incapable of even thinking, "He made his bed, so let him lie in it! Stupid person!" Instead, we will realize - "But for the grace of God, it would be me lying there, broken and bleeding." And with a joyful heart we will put the broken person in our car and make sure they feel loved, cared for, and accepted.
When they know we care about them, really really care, we will have ample opportunities to talk about their spiritual needs and the cure for sin that is found in Jesus Christ. But their salvation ultimately is God's business, not ours. We are not Saviors! We are just people who were once broken, that God found and healed, and commissioned to go and find others who are laying beside the road.

But I also note that the Samaritan didn't lay down with the beaten man, saying, "Hey, fellow, what's it feel like to lay here on the road? Is it a great thing to be bleeding like that? I think I'll whack myself on the head so I can feel your pain and bleed with you." That's just nuts! He saw the man's real need was not somebody to bleed with him, but someone to pick him up and get help!

God help us to know how to reach out with the right combination of Truth and Compassion. May He keep us from becoming complacent in His love and failing to deal with our own sins, and also keep us from living neurotic and perfectionist lives, because we fail to receive amazing grace offered to us in Christ.
______________________

Jesus, thank you for loving me.
Help me to love others.
I need Your wisdom to balance truth with compassion.
Help! Amen

Maturity- Being 'in charge' of Me

Are you living like a perpetual teenager with poor impulse control, unable or unwilling to choose the best path when there is no one 'in charge?' One of the frightening things about parenting a teenager is that he old enough to act somewhat independently, but usually is lacking the ability to monitor and regulate his own behavior. For example, when you hand him the keys to the car, you may be confident in his ability to operate the automobile's controls, but you're much less confident about his good judgment. Dr. Henry Cloud writes, "It is one thing to drive safely when you look in the rearview mirror and see a policeman. That is external feedback. It is another thing to drive safely when you're out on the road by yourself. That is maturity." (Integrity, Collins, 2006) Many Christians who ought to be mature in the Lord and capable of making choices that lead to a Christ-honoring life, are still in the grip of their emotions and impulses. Their appetites rage out of control. They appear to be unable to step up to the inconvenient, the unpleasant, or the difficult choices today that would lead them to a better life tomorrow.

I once thought that maturity would free me from making mistakes all together. But that did not factor in two important issues - that I do not always have all the facts I need to make a 'perfect' decision; and I am a sinful man who cannot always life above the temptations of this life because I am broken. I now know that maturity, emotional and intellectual, allows me to step outside of myself and see what I am doing or have done. Maturity causes me to correct my actions, bringing them in line with God's will and acceptable standards, without waiting for someone else to threaten punishment or to enforce the rules. When the mature person realizes that he has made a mistake, first; he owns his choice without shifting blame, and second; he proactively adjusts his actions to avoid compounding the error. Maturity doesn't mean, "I can do it all myself." It means, "I take charge of me and seek whatever resources I need to become the person that God wants me to be."

The Word challenges us to maturity.
"...be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
...we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ,
...Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused.
Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed.

But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ.
Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.
Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes." (Ephesians 4:13-23, NLT)

Do you see the keys to maturity that are revealed in that passage?

There is vision. Look at Christ. Study His life and measure yourself by Him! We won't grow up if we are content to use lesser standards.
There is truth. Know the truth, accept the truth, and relentlessly insist on living in the truth - even when it's not pleasant.
There is choice. Understand that there is right and there is wrong! Then choose. Note the strong action phrase, "throw off your old evil nature." If we want to grow up, we cannot just be passive, waiting for someone to do the hard work for us. We must take the old ways off like old dirty clothes and toss them aside in the trash!

Then the same passage says this - "...put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:24, NIV) The Word is not telling us to 'put on' as in pretending to be someone we are not, as an actor 'puts on' a costume or makeup to change his appearance. Rather we are to take Christ and put the life He gives us in place in our life! We are called to take the steps necessary to change our behavior so that we are truly holy.

Here at the beginning of 2007, let me encourage you to 'grow up!' If you're making excuses for eating too much, having a mouth that is out of control, or failing to meet God's high expectations - Stop! Tell yourself, "I am 'in charge' of Me!" Prayerfully seek a new vision of who God wants you to be. Face the truth and allow others to hold a mirror up for you. And "put on" Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to practice the disciplines of grace that create openings into your soul where you are changed from the inside out.

"So come on, let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; ... let's get on with it." (Hebrews 6:1, 3 The Message)

"I thank God for you."

My e-mail's inbox had a special letter in it today. Dave has been a Believer for nearly 30 years. He has journeyed through various stages and been part of several churches in that span, but he wrote to express thanks for the solid spiritual foundation that was laid for him by the ministry of my Dad. "We have realized how blessed we were to have been part of the Washington Assembly of God back in those late 70’s early 80’s days. The solid teaching, gifts of the Spirit and what we learned about worship has carried us through difficult times over the years. We are very thankful that we had the privilege to sit under the ministry of your father." Most touching about the email, though, were the little things he remembered, like the day, only the 2nd Sunday he attended the church, when he asked my Dad where he could a Bible and Dad handed him his own nearly new, leather bound, study Bible - opening it and inscribing - “To my friend, David, may this be the light of your life. God Bless, Pastor Scott.” Dad doesn't just talk about being a Christian, he lives it. He is a Believer - everyday, everywhere, in big ways and small ways. Is he flawless? No, and neither am I. (I'm fairly certain you're not perfect yet, either.) But, he is consistent in his love for God and others. And after 72 years here on this planet, he's touched more lives than I know, by just being the man God wants him to be.

The Bible urges each one of us to "walk worthy of the calling with which you were called." (Ephesians 4:1, NKJV) Our daily lives (that is what 'walk' means in that context) must be characterized by the Spirit's goodness, lived in a way that honors our Lord! A life that is worthy does not simply appear in the big moments, the grand gestures. It becomes evident over time in the ordinary kindness, the thoughtfulness, the selflessness that God desires of us. Know this, too; a worthy life is not calculated or forced. We live out of who we are at the core of our being. We will not live as a gracious, generous, Christ-honoring person if that is not who we really are in our core character. Jesus observed, "the mouth speaks what is in the heart."

Want to live a life worthy of the Lord, one that honors Jesus?
First, go the Cross and receive Christ, as Savior and Lord. Then, pray for a changed heart and begin to practice the spiritual disciplines that create channels into the core of your character for the inflow of the Holy Spirit's life-giving power. The person whose very heart is godly has integrity. This kind of integrity will bring honor to the Lord Jesus. Others will give thanks for us as the goodness of God splashes over into their lives. It is a life that of maturity, that knows self-regulation, and is lived 'on purpose.'

At the beginning of 2007, let me encourage you to join me on bended knee, humble before God, praying that He will pour out His grace - making us Believers who live without any gap between the faith we profess and our day to day deeds!

When others think of you, of the time they spent in your presence, let it be with thoughts of joy, of thankfulness to God for the ways your actions blessed them. "Every time I think of you, I thank my God. And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy." (Philippians 1:3-5, CEV)
________________________________

Out in the highways and byways of life,
Many are weary and sad.
Carry the sunshine where darkness is rife,
Making the sorrowing glad.

Tell the sweet story of Christ and His love;
Tell of His pow'r to forgive.
Others will trust Him if only you prove true
Every moment you live.

Give as 'twas given to you in your need;
Love as the Master loved you.
Be to the helpless a helper indeed;
Unto your mission be true.

Make me a blessing,
Make me a blessing,
Out of my life may Jesus shine;
Make me a blessing, O Savior I pray,
Make me a blessing to someone today.

Make Me A Blessing
Author: Wilson, Ira B. / Schuler, George S.
Copyright: Word Music, Inc. (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)

You're so different from me!

My brothers and sisters gathered at my parent's home yesterday. What a group! There are 13 of us, including the adopted children, and despite having the same parents, we are different - very different. We have chosen different careers, live in different locations, and chose very different ways to distinguish ourselves. Our ages span almost 40 years, a full generation! When we get together it's so easy to just notice how different we are instead of what connects us, bonding us into a family. When we get together, we re-tell our stories, share a meal, and remind ourselves that despite our diversity, we are 'the Scott family.' It's an empowering experience.

All people associate in groups; and they conform to the group's norm, and they consciously and sometimes unconsciously exclude those who are 'non-conforming.' If you don't believe it, go to a place where you're the only one of a different race or skin color, or visit a tightly knit organization as an outsider who does not know the 'code.' That sense of discomfort you will inevitably feel comes both from inside yourself and from the exclusion communicated in subtle ways to you by those who are already in. Observe children in school and, in a short time, you will be able to determine who is 'in' and setting the group standard, who is 'out' eliminated from the circle, and the players who are trying hard to adopt the group's look in an attempt to move into the center of the group from the lonely edges. The conformity thing is not all bad. Admittedly, groups can become a means of exploitation, empowering those only interested in selfish gain, such as a street gang. But, groups can also be a means of creating trust, community, where synergy allows us to accomplish goals that would be way out of reach for any one person.

When difference is overly noticed, the inevitable result is discrimination and creation of structures of exclusion that perpetuate privilege for the 'insiders.' Those of us who follow Jesus Christ must not allow ourselves to become people who exclude, who create walls that divide the 'in' from the 'out.' It's so easy to do, because it is so natural to our humanity, and because it is so psychologically comforting to 'fit in' and then to close the door behind ourselves, shutting out those who would disturb the status quo. Our Lord said, “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family." (Matthew 5:9, The Message) We reach out to others and bring them 'in' because God reached out to us and brought us 'in.'

This is powerfully illustrated from the life of the first generation Church. The message of Christ was first adopted by Jews who accepted Jesus as their Messiah, but within a few years, first Peter and then Paul, were directed by the Holy Spirit to take the Good News of Jesus to those in the wider world. Many Jewish Believers resisted that, believing that the first covenant's religious laws (Sabbath rules, kosher dietary laws, and the rite of circumcision) had to be observed by anyone who wanted into the family of God.. In other words, they thought you had to become a Jew before you could become a Christian. But Paul, inspired by the Spirit, said that Jesus had a new plan - a plan to include those who were once excluded. Take a look - "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away (Gentiles) have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, (Jew and Gentile) thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." (Ephesians 2:13-18, NIV)

Those who would belong to God no longer celebrate their differences! They come together around the Cross of Christ, in the bond of the Spirit. Jew and Gentile, male and female, rich and poor, people of all races and colors - are invited into God's family.

We celebrate our new and amazing group described by Paul - "you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. For you are all Christians—you are one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-28, NLT)

Do you know any 'outsiders,' people who are alone?
Invite them in, extending a welcome, going the distance to bridge the gap. As you create trust and discover common ground, you will also create opportunities to share the love of Christ.

As a Christian, are you consciously focusing on the Cross and the Spirit that bind you to others who are in the family of God, or ...
are you falling into the natural (and sinful!) pattern of playing up the differences, creating division and disunity in the Church?

Be a peace-maker!
Build up the Body.
Create unity- for God's sake. And others will say, "I knew she was a real child of God!"
__________________________________

Musing in the opening hours of 2007

More than a few of us somehow awakened this January 1,2007 with the assumption that this year would finally be the 'one' - the year that we get thinner, or richer, or married, or un-married, or that we'll fall in love, or that we will forgive that person who hurt us badly last year, or... well, come on - you're kind of hoping for something to get better this year, aren't you? Each of us hopes in one way or another. What better time to renew our dreams than right at the start of a new year? Truthfully, I am eager for 2007, but not because I'm running from something. I'm running to Someone! I enjoyed many blessings, big and small, in '06. My family is healthy and prosperous, my kids and grandkids all doing reasonably well, thank the Lord. Bev and I became homeowners last year. It's not a big deal in terms of the world, but it was a blessings to us. Our church agreed to sell us the parsonage so we could start to prepare in earnest for that time when we retire in 20 years. Yes, we're a little late, but better late than never, right? More significantly, I came to know the Lord in a fuller way - which, paradoxically, only increased my hunger for Him and my desire to share Him with others.

It's not all joy and light, however. Spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally I am a work in progress! I like that old saying, "Be patient with me. God is not finished with me yet!" For you see, there are rooms in my heart house that need to be renovated by the Spirit of God. I pray He will enter them with His transforming grace in 2007. I hope for new victories in 2007 with faith that is founded on His promises and my experience of His amazing grace over the years. And, too, my heart continues to be broken by the death and suffering that millions endure in places like the Darfur region of the Sudan, Iraq, and North Korea. The plight of millions in our inner cities that are gripped by poverty and crime causes me to pray with urgency. I pray and hope that this new year will bring us some wise leaders who will join in the work of the Spirit of God in defeating dark, ugly demons that feed on human terror and agony!

Then, too, I hope for a change in the overall state of the Christian church in America, described so fittingly with Jesus' words to the ancient church in the city of Laodicea: "You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless. “Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see." (Revelation 3:16-18, The Message) My prayer today is that the Lord will begin a work of renewal - and start with me! I want more than a temporary surge of spiritual fervor, more than comfort. I pray for real and lasting passion for the things of God, a passion that is paired with courage to live in His will regardless of the cost.

For what are you longing today?

Dream big. Hope for great things. Enlarge the vision that feeds your prayers. Don't just pray for a few more dollars in your pocket or for favor on the job. Yes, it's just fine to take those things to God in prayer, but ask the Spirit to help you to pray for the Kingdom to be established - in you and in this old world. James reminds us that "the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results." (James 5:16, NLT)

Happy New Year, friend.
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power,
together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—

that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations,
for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:16-21, NIV)
_____________________________

Father, I come to you this first day of this new year,
hopefully and prayerfully, asking that You will do a new work
in my heart and mind, a transformational work that makes me
fit for Your service, ready to be the person you want me to be.

I pray this hopefully remembering that You
defeated a giant using a teenage boy and his slingshot;
remembering that you called a young peasant woman
to bear Your Son and to bless this world;
remembering that you took an uneducated and unsophisticated fisherman named Simon
and filled Him with Your Spirit making him a rock in your Church,
and that You have him new name- Peter - that reflected the transformation!

So, I believe you can use me.
"Here I am, send me." is my hopeful prayer,
prayed in the Name of Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord -
of the world and of my life. Amen.

And a Merry Christmas to all!

"Have a happy holiday, sir." the service attendant said as we closed the transaction, "and a Merry Christmas to you," I replied. "Merry Christmas!" he then said, with obvious enthusiasm. "Hey, guys, # 4 for Merry Christmas," he shouted to his co-workers in the shop with obvious glee. He then explained that the policy of the company forbade him to extned the traditional Christmas greeting to customers unless that customer said it first! The greeting was so rare, he said, that they were now keeping count. I was number four that week. The little exchange made me laugh. I guess all the noise that some people made about keeping Christ is Christmas is having some effect.

But, it isn't really a matter of words, is it? It's easy to wish somebody a Merry Christmas, but much more difficult to share the Christ of Christmas. A day after that incident in that auto service establishment, I went to our local county jail to conduct a service. Six men showed up and we sang Christmas carols together with gusto as I plunked out the tunes on my electric keyboard. We sounded nothing like the Mormon Tabernacle choir, to be sure, but we glorified God with worship. Emotion is off-limits for men who are behind bars, but there was a glint of tears in their eyes when we sang. We opened our Bibles to Romans and talked about the gift of God - eternal life - that Jesus Christ brought to us when He came to love us and to die for our sins. We were still having an animated discussion about God's love and our forgiveness when the officer knocked on the door to tell us that our time was up. It was much more than just a "Merry Christmas," and a wave! I had the opportunity to actually share the Christ of Christmas.

I sincerely hope that you will go beyond a cheery greeting, do more than share some brightly wrapped gifts with friends and family, in celebrating this wonderful Season. Don't settle for just a "Happy Holiday!" Make it a real "Merry Christmas," by remembering Jesus Christ and His love. Pull out your Bible on Christmas morning and ask your family if you can read them the story from the 2nd chapter of Luke's Gospel. Take a cue from Mary, the mother of Jesus, who heard the shepherd's report of angels in the sky, singing of a Messiah in a manger, and she "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19, NIV)

Meditate on the amazing fact that the Lord of Creation stepped over the threshold of time and space to become a Baby, that He submitted Himself to life as we know it, being "tempted in every way as we are," (Hebrews 4:15) so He is able to be our Great High Priest now in God's Holy Presence, interceding for us. Remember that He was purposefully born to die - the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world (and mine; and yours!)

Make sure to include times of personal and corporate worship in your celebration, too. Bow before the King of Glory and offer Him, anew, your life. It is the only Gift that is fitting for Him.
And my prayer is that you will have a Joyous Christmas, fillled with the Presence of the Lord Christ, Jesus our Savior.
___________________________

The words of this carol are familiar, but as you read them today- really read them!
They are amazing, wonderful, and tell the story inside and out.

Hark The Herald Angels Sing-- Wesley, Charles / Mendelssohn, Felix

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled."
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic hosts proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King."

Christ, by highest heav'n adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin's womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail, the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King."
Hail the heav'n born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die;
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!"
Come, Desire of nations, come!
Fix in us Thy humble home.
Rise, the woman's conqu'ring seed,
Bruise in us the serpent's head;
Adam's likeness now efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King."

© Public Domain

An Intentional Love

Dean pointed those of us gathered at the Men's Ministry group to John 13, where we read about Jesus washing the feet of His friends at the Last Supper. As we talked our way through the text, one thought was persistent in my mind. Jesus' actions that evening did not come from some surge of emotion at the realization that this was the last Passover He would celebrate with those 12 men. He was intentional, taking advantage of the moment to teach the the self-sacrificial quality of love that God desires in each one of us. "After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because it is true. And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet." (John 13:12-14, NLT) Dean helped to remember that Jesus also washing Judas' feet, a choice to serve the man who was about to betray Him to His enemies! Dan added that loving people out to do us wrong is possible only if we are acting in faith, honoring God with our actions, without any demand for a specific outcome.

I am asking myself, "Jerry, is your love intentional in that way? Do you choose to love, or wait for some stirring of sentiment before you act?" Serving others comes easily when they're nice, appreciative, and are capable of reciprocating my loving acts. But, what about those who are nasty, mean, selfish, and/or critical? Will I serve them with love on purpose? The questions are difficult because they reveal a very human trait in me that tends to love the lovely! Jesus puts it straight - "If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that." (Luke 6:31-34, The Message)

During this Christmas time, there will be gathering that will likely bring you into contact with people at work who have tried to undermine you or who have been critical of you during the year. Are you going to 'play nice' and paste a smile over your hostility, or will you take the road of Jesus and serve them with intentional love? Extended families will gather. When you meet up with Aunt Emily, who has snubbed you too many times to count over the years, you will have an opportunity to be genuinely loving. Will you do it, for Jesus' sake?

Jesus could not have found washing the feet of those twelve men all that enjoyable! Come on, take off the rose-colored glasses and see the story for what it is. Dusty, sweaty, stinking feet of men who had walked through city streets where animals walked and emptied their bowels and bladders, where garbage was thrown.... yeah, there it is! That's where those feet had been. Now, He's holding them in His hands, washing the grime from them. No soft lighting, no violins playing the background. It isn't the movies, it is real life! His love was intentional, costly, and - best of all- life changing for those men, though not for all of them. John never forgot that moment and decades later wrote it down for us. Judas missed the lesson, went out and betrayed the Lord, and died at his own hand, filled with regrets.

Learn from Jesus. Love with intentional love, and yes, even love the unlovely.
-- “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:43-45, NIV)
__________________

How Deep The Father's Love For Us
Townend, Stuart

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross.
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life -
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart,
His wounds have paid my ransom.

© 1995 Kingsway's Thankyou Music
(Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
CCLI License No. 810055

"Two are better than one!"

I watch Survivor, the CBS TV series. The season which concluded this past Sunday evening was notable for the group dynamics. This season started with 20 or so people divided into ethnic groups: African American, Latin, Asian, and Caucasian. Over the 13 weeks those divisions broke down as people realized the need to work together. By mid-season there were four people - an African American woman, an Asian man., an Asian woman, and a Latin man - who had formed a working alliance that defeated a much stronger group of twice the size. The difference? Primarily it was the level of cooperation and trust. That foursome would not allow anyone or anything to divide them fro each other and it got them successfully to the end of the show.

Nothing can replace a friend! A movie is twice as funny when viewed in the company of a companion. A project does not seem half as difficult when an extra pair of hands is available. A walk in the evening is much more enjoyable when a friend walks with you sharing the time and conversing about life. Even worship takes on an entirely different dynamic at church compared to our private devotions. Sure I can sing, "How Great Thou Art" in my living room, alone, and the words are the same. But the song is much more majestic when lifted on the voices of a hundred people joined in praise of their God and the response of my soul is different, too. When a person becomes isolated, she is much more likely to have emotional and spiritual difficulties. Despair grows like a weed in the heart of the person who has withdrawn from others because of disappointment or pain. Sin flourishes when bitterness causes us to build walls of separation. We need each other. Having a friend is not just a luxury! Dr. Dan Allender writes: "Without human relationships to provide us with encouragement and home, the world seems dangerous, cold, and profitless - in a word, meaningless. This perception leads to deeper, chronic despair when we ... escape into lonely isolation." The Cry of the Soul, NavPress

I am convinced that one of America's greatest challenges in 2007 goes beyond terrorism, crime, or the state of the economy. We have a community crisis; a breakdown of human relationships that create trust, that cause us to sacrifice for another, that provide the web work of a truly great nation. In my work with a local congregation I am deeply concerned about the need to build connections between people who occupy the church house on Sunday. It is not enough to come together just to sing some songs and hear a sermon. A church that is creating strong, healthy Christian disciples is a place that encourages relationships. But that is becoming more and more challenging in a society that celebrates radical independence, where we spend most evenings in our house watching TV instead of engaged in some activity or service involving other people. Even teenagers who usually do things in groups, are increasingly relating to each other virtually using the Internet and online places such as My Space or Facebook.

Solomon, the wise, observed: "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)

Because of the importance of relationships the Evil One works hard to divide people from each other. Conversely, God is love! Where God is truly invited, people are drawn together in close and self-sacrificing relationships! Don't confuse "God" with religion. Religion separates people. There are few things in the world as ugly as a church fight where all kinds of "God talk" is used to attack, destroy, and demean other people. Millions of people down through history have been killed in the name of God by other's who assumed they were superior because of their 'truth.'

The Truth is demonstrated in what we celebrate at Christmas - Emmanuel - "God with us!" Our Creator would not stand at a distance to observe us like some science experiment. He desired to know us, to be with us, to walk with us, to know us. Our disobedience had created a chasm, a break in relationship, which we could not bridge, but He did - by sending us His Son to live with us, to die for us, and to invite us back into the Family, with our debt settled at His expense.

Experience the love of God by receiving the Savior. Invite the Lord of Love to touch your heart, to convince you of His care for you. Trust Him - with the good, the bad, and the ugly of life. Allow Him to forgive you for your sins, to release you from the guilt of the past, and to give you a bright hope for the future. Find a community of Believers that is more than religious, real people who are working out the implications of loving God - individually and corporately. Join them! Might you be disappointed? No, you most certainly will, for we human beings are notorious for failing each other. It is in that moment that you have a choice - follow the Devil's road into isolation, division, and ultimately into despair; or follow the way of Christ Jesus, dying to self, and embracing the people around you with love.

Here's a word from the Word to ponder today. May it speak deeply to you and help you to build bridges to people, beginning this Holy Season.

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:7-11, NIV)

"Good news of great joy"

I am praying for joy this Season; joy to the world! There's so much sadness all around. Maybe I am just more aware of this than most because of my calling as a pastor. Almost everyday people with crises, big and small, enter my life. So many are like the man I'll call Sam, who stopped by my office on Saturday. I was just getting ready to go home and I heard a tentative knock on the door. I looked up to see a middle-aged man with obvious distress on his face. I opened my office and invited him in. He sat and it took a moment for him to compose himself, tears brimming in his eyes, hands wringing. "How can I help you, friend?" I asked and waited. Finally, in a quiet voice, he said, "I'm mentally ill, alone, and broke." The way that he said it was less a statement than a challenge, as he implied, 'what can you do to help with those kinds of situations?' No, he wasn't belligerent; more like desperate, I'd say. We talked for a few moments and I think the fact that someone treated him kindly, actually listening, meant as much to Sam as anything else. I promised we could help him from the church's food pantry and gave him $20 from my discretionary fund before he left. Ours was, hopefully, a conversation that will continue, because I want Sam, and the millions who are living with quiet little dramas just like him, to find the lasting joy that Jesus alone can give.

Christmas brings us a story that creates the possibility of joy; "for all the people!" With this phrase, "I bring you good news of great joy," the angel reassured a group of frightened men, shepherds who were seeing the strangest sight ever there in the field outside of Bethlehem! Shepherds of that day were not anywhere near the top of heap of society. They were a rough lot, earthy men. They were likely illiterate, almost certainly not well versed in the prophetic texts, or even all that observant of the Law. But God choose to make His announcement to them. Accidentally? Did the angels get lost on their way to the home of the mayor of Bethlehem? No, of course not. God's desire was to bring all people - shepherds from the field - and wise men from the East - to worship the Savior. And in that worship, they found joy.

My prayerful goal this Season is to bring people the joy of Jesus. I hope I can provide a little happiness this year, with some appropriate gifts. I hope that our family celebration brings us some cheerful moments. But, even more important to me is the sharing of the lasting joy of the Lord with those whose lives I touch. People like Sam, the man who stopped by my office, need more than a cheery moment or $20! They need to know God's love. Those who are working through loneliness or illness or dealing with the limitations brought on by aging, or the devastation visited on their well-being by their sins or the those who have sinned against them, won't be 'fixed' by a present or a happy song. Only in God can the find a reason for real joy, a hope that is bigger than any set of circumstances in this world.

I invite you to join me in this mission! "Hey, Jerry, we're no angels." Right you are! But we are ambassadors, God said so. We have the awesome privilege of leading others to Him, sharing with them the Hope we have found. The Bible says,

"All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins.
God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them.
We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. How? you say. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God. " (2 Corinthians 5:18-21, The Message)

Pray for opportunities to be a bringer of joy, a messenger of hope.

If you're reading this today and you do not have real joy (not to confused with transient happiness), let me point you to Jesus. He came to be our Savior, to close the gap between the Father and ourselves. He came to give us the gift of eternal life, which we can own now, while we wait for the Second Advent of our King. Tell Him your deepest need, yes, in your own words, your own way. Ask Him to help you. His answer may not come in the way you expect, but He will come to you. He promises!

_____________________________

Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o'er the plains;
And the mountains in reply,
Echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
Say what may the tidings be;
Which inspire your heav'nly song?
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see,
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Angels We Have Heard On High
Chadwick, James / Barnes, Edward Shippen
© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055

Showing the Gospel, an important part of telling it

Pastor Steve Sjogren suggests that before we try to convince other people of God's love with a four point presentation and carefully printed literature we ought to show them the love of God practically. Case in point; Theresa, a young single mom, who was broke and discouraged. Her dented Toyota idled roughly at the Taco Bell drive thru. She was there because a search for loose change had produced a few bucks, all she had in the world. She just decided to take her 8 year old son out thinking, "Anyway you look at it, we don't have enough money to make it to my next welfare check, so let's go out with a little style." As she pulled up to the window to pay, the guy standing there met her with a big smile and told her it was her lucky day. "The people in the car ahead of you paid for your order and told me to give you this card." On it she read, "We hope this small act of service shows you God's love in a practical way." A church's name and address were printed on the flip side of the card. The next day found Theresa and her son in that church, where she found the help she needed to get back on her feet and a new beginning in life. (REV., January, 2007)

James urges us to keep our faith connected to real life. What we truly believe, he says, will always have a discernable effect on the way we live. "What’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, “Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all—it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” I say, “I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.” (James 2:14-18, NLT)

I am examining my life for places where my professed faith in Jesus is disconnected from my words and actions. I don't want to bring dishonor on the Name of Christ by being hypocritical, that is, living a life where my rhetoric is unmatched by what I do, even unconsciously. This applies to so many areas in addition to compassion to those who are poor which is where James, the Apostle, makes his point. How about the way we deal with outcasts? For example, there is a whole group of people in America that experience rejection on a grand scale everyday - those convicted of crimes of a sexual nature, especially against children. Yes, such a crime is repugnant and has terrible consequences for those who are abused, but Jesus loves and died for pedophiles, didn't He? Shouldn't we love them, too, albeit with proper safeguards in place for our children? Of course, we must! Conservative Christians have had a terrible relationship with homosexuals, in part admittedly because we hold to the Bible's truth that homosexual behavior is not acceptable to God. But we also need to face the fact that, as a group, we have not exactly extended a welcome mat to gay men and lesbian women in our church communities, either.

"I will show you my faith through my good deeds" has implications for our personal relationships, too. Love is the core of Jesus' teaching, and yet many who claim to be His followers are carrying around terrible anger over unresolved conflicts. How many of us, even as we say we love God and are loved by Him, at the same time, continue to harbor bitterness against a neighbor, or a family member, or a church leader? How can this be? Can we really have experienced the reality of God's love and remain hateful? Not according to Scripture. "If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another Christian is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them." (1 John 3:14-15, NLT) Ouch! That hits kind of close to home, doesn't it? Since conflict is the number one issue for most American churches, I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions about the reality of the spiritual experience of many who claim to be followers of Christ! What I will do is to ask the Holy Spirit to help me to close the gap between my words and actions, to make my faith real and observable to those among whom I work and play.

We must not miss the point of being a Christian. We are not Christians simply because we have claimed to have understood the four spiritual laws, or because we once said a prayer with Billy Graham at the end of a televised service, or because we affirmed some doctrinal statement and received a baptism certificate. We are Christians when our faith is real, which leads us to working out the implications of the Gospel of Christ in the real world, with the Spirit's help, on a daily basis. John says, "My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality." (1 John 3:18-19, The Message)

Here's a 50 cent phrase to remember - Orthodoxy will produce orthopraxy. In simpler terms, if we really connect to the truth of God, our lives will come into line with the will of God!

So, it's Christmas. There's a ton of sentimentality attached to this holiday. Let me encourage you to go beyond that little tear in the corner of your eye, that catch in your throat, to do the tough work of applying the Story to life. If you believe that Jesus is really Emmanuel, God with us, then invite Him to live in you. Think through what it means to embrace Him as both Savior and Lord - and let it show- for the glory of God.
_________________________

O come, O come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

O come, thou Rod of Jesse free,
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of hell thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
And drive away the shades of night,
And pierce the clouds and bring us light.

O come, thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O Come O Come Emmanuel -Neale, John M. / Coffin, Henry S. / Helmore, Thomas
© Public Domain

I'm better than you are.

Yesterday, as I was reading yet another article about Ted Haggard, the former pastor of a large church in Colorado who resigned after sins involving drug use and sexual misconduct in his life become public, I found myself thinking, - "Why didn't he shape up? What's wrong with him?" God forgive me! What gracelessness! In fact, I fail, too. However, because they are 'my' failures, in my mind they are excusable, even reasonable under the circumstances. For example, if I am short-tempered or unloving, I let myself off the hook because "I am tired due to my full schedule."

So, as I was mentally railing on Ted Haggard, I heard the Spirit's challenge as He asked me: "Why are you so unwilling and/or unable to give others the same grace that you give to yourself?" What I desire is that God will continue to work on transformation of my heart and mind that causes me to love, to encourage, to comfort, and even when there is reason to correct another person, to be able to do it with such grace, that even words of rebuke are heard as a gift. I am challenged today by this passage from the Word. It is lengthy and probably familiar, but I urge you to read it attentively.

"We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. . . .

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith." (Romans 3:22-27, NLT)

Does that mean we are free to live as we want to live, that our daily actions are unimportant in terms of our relationship with God?
Some might reach that conclusion, but they would be wrong. We are set right with God by faith in Christ Jesus, but that faith is not a ethereal thing, disconnected from 'real' life! Here's the glory of grace-based Christianity. When we take the focus off of ourselves and put it rightly on God's gracious work, we gain the ability to say, 'no' to ungodliness and 'yes' to the Spirit. What all of our self-discipline, peer pressure from other Believers, and moral codes can never accomplish - making us truly good and completely acceptable to God- begins to take place from the inside out!

When I am focused on me- determined to be good, to say the right things, to make a good impression - all supposedly 'for the glory of God,' I get stressed and graceless, losing the joy of the Lord. When I face up to my religiosity, I have to admit that concern for reputation and respect, which are all about Jerry, have crept up on me; again! There is only one thing to do in that moment - get on my face before the Lord and 'give up.' "I did it again, Lord. I became proud, I compared myself to someone else. I started to believe You are blessed to have me on your team!" That confession, coupled with thankfulness for Jesus Christ, the great grace gift, whose death and resurrection brings me the promise of life and godliness, restores my joy, and - that moment of grace renewal - temptation loses much of its power over me.

Pastor Ted, I am not better than you are! We are both sinners in need of the grace of Christ. I pray he understands that today, more than intellectually.
I pray that I will continue to hang onto to Jesus's grace, kept from disgrace and from dishonoring His Holy Name - by grace and grace alone.
_____________

Father, Your love for me is astounding.
Your favor extended to me makes me both glad and uncomfortable.
I want to do something to pay you back, but I know that I never could,
and even to attempt to do so, insults You!
Defeat my sinful tendency to perfectionism and religiosity, which leads to judgment.
Stir up a love for You in me that spills over to others, that takes no thought of their deservedness.

Thank you, Jesus, for the Manger, which speaks to me so powerfully that you became Flesh, God with us;
for the Cross that shows me Your love and sacrifice, and
the Empty Tomb, which assures me that the work done for sinners is complete!

Spirit of God, guide me into all Truth today.
Keep me centered on You.
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.... yes, for the glory of God alone. Amen.

Christmas gifts

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Many of us still have people on our gift list without a matching present! We will venture out to make our purchases motivated in many different ways. Consider these...

There is the CHEAP giver. He is driven by one goal - buying something, anything, that satisfies the imperative for gift giving - while spending as little money or energy as possible. My one question to this person is - "Why bother?" You have missed the meaning of Christmas entirely. Save yourself the effort because the person who receives your 'gift' will only be obligated to write an insincere 'thank you' note!

There is HURRIED giver. With hummingbird-like rapidity, she darts from store to store, grabbing this and that, checking off the names on her list. Obligation, not love, is the primary motivation for giving a gift, so most any gift will do, just get it and wrap it up.

There is the PAY MY DEBTS giver. This person foolishly believes that with one gift, usually one that costs way too much, he can make up for his failures through the year. Yes, it is particularly a 'man' thing! Men are much more likely, according to published reports, to overspend to compensate for misdeeds than women. But, the truth is, no single gift can erase a year's worth of inattention or emotional distance. This shopper is in for disappointment!

There is the "I'D SURE LIKE THAT" giver who buys things he would like to receive and presents them to others! His gifts are often very nice, but they don't 'fit.' Why? Because, his gifts are not thoughtfully chosen with the recipient in mind. Even his 'giving' reflects his preoccupation with himself. To me a 1 Gig USB Flash Drive is a fine gift, but if I buy one for my wife, she'll say, "What's this?" She has no use for it, and probably doesn't even know what it is.

And, there is the "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU" giver. Finally, we find the heart of Christmas! This person thinks carefully about the tastes, the needs, the personality of the person for whom he is getting a gift and, after a careful search, prepares a gift that he presents with no strings attached. This kind of giving reflects what the Bible says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35, NLT) This is how God gave to us. John says, that "God so loved the world (you could insert your name in place of 'the world') that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)

God's Gift to us was costly, prepared from eternity, based on my need, and shaped by love! What a gift.

"Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ." (Romans 3:24, The Message)

In your gift-giving, make LOVE the reason. Having trouble finding a gift for someone on your list? Relax and think about who they are, what they need, and how you can express love in a language they'll understand. It will come to you!
____________________

Pressured and Squeezed

I think I'll re-write a holiday song, "T'is the Season to be pressured, Oh, oh, oh, oh, how much can I stand?" I am fairly certain that it is not just me that feels the weight of social obligations, family expectations, the desire to something meaningful in God's name, and even the weight of my own hopes for the holiday. The pressure comes in all sizes of packages- "Could Christmas finally bring resolution to that old grudge that Aunt Ruth holds against me?" or- "I hope the gift I selected for him communicates the right message," or - "God please let me worship you from my heart." We pile on extra activities this time of year, stir in a large helping of travel, and what should be a time to celebrate too often turns into a month to endure. When we finally get to January, we breath a sigh of relief that it is finally over!

So how can we better celebrate this Season?

First of all, we need to become conscious of the expectations we are putting on ourselves and others. Often the pressure comes from a place deep in our sub-conscious where, in an almost childish way, we somehow believe that there is something magical about Christmas day. Sure, we may be a little more kind, somewhat more generous and thoughtful. But, a single day does not change a person's character or personality! Old Ebenezer Scrooge may have had a revelation about his life in Dickens's "Christmas Carol," but a true change of his ways required more than the visitations of Christmas' Past, Present, and Future! Just because it is Christmas, don't expect that miserable person that rains on your parade to suddenly become Sam Sunshine. Be realistic! Know, too, that one gift or gesture, as nice or generous as it may be, cannot erase a past event. Face the fact that a marriage that is cracking at the seams won't be repaired by an expensive gift. If we are realistic about the limits of the day, it will help us to celebrate with more joy.

Second, focus on the spiritual part of the Season. Yep, you've heard that before, too, haven't you? It is celebration of Christ's birthday. You won't find Him in the mall, on Overstock.com, or in the twinkling lights of the decorations. Giving gifts can be a lot of fun. Decorating our homes and offices can add a festive air. Parties are great, sometimes. It is worship, however, that brings true peace, that connects us to the One who came to be our Prince of Peace. Prioritize (don't you hate that word?) your life so that there are quiet moments in which you can listen to God's voice. Make time to pray and meditate. Serve someone in the Name of Jesus with no ulterior motive. Go to church having prepared your heart to participate in the corporate acts of worship.

Third, admit to yourself - "I cannot do it all!" Somebody will be disappointed that you didn't get to their party. Somebody won't get the perfect gift. The pie you bake might turn out with a burnt crust. That's life. Smile, anyway! It's all right to be human. Admit it - first to yourself. If you own your own humanity, it is a way to unload a ton of pressure.

And, don't forget to be child-like. Give yourself permission to experience some wonder. Let the Grinch be cynical! Laugh at those things that are absurd. Hug Grandma. Sing, even you can't, and enjoy the experience. Ponder the story of a Baby born in a manger, of Shepherds who heard angels sing, of God come to earth to change everything, including your eternal destiny. Ask God to give you the eyes of a child again.

I think if you'll do these things, January 1st will roll around, and you'll wish it were still Christmas, instead of being glad it is gone for another year. Let me know, won't you?

Read these ancient words today. I pray that you will experience something like the wonder of those who lived the story.
"And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:6-11, KJV)
"And all they that heard it wondered at those things ..." (Luke 2:18, KJV)

For whom do you sing?

In his book, The Cry of the Soul, Dan Allender tells the true story of Tom, a young preacher fresh out of seminary, who was struggling to be effective in the pulpit. One day a man from the congregation showed up in Tom's office with 7 tapes in hand. "Week after week we listen to you drone on. Your preaching is killing us and you're going to destroy this church." He pushed the tapes into Tom's hands with the admonition that he should listen to the speaker on them and learn his style! Of course the next Sunday in the pulpit was torture for Tom. Try as he may, he could not see anyone in the congregation except his critic and that man seemed to be glaring at him. His mouth was dry and there was knot in his stomach. Such is the stuff of fear! After that service, he was standing by the door greeting the departing congregants. The last person to leave was an elderly woman. She approached with a stern expression on her face. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Tom, but you are preaching to please someone in this church. I want you to go to your study immediately and repent. Next week, just preach to please God!"

Most of us are performing for somebody: saying the things that we hope will earn their approval, trying to do a job that will assure our value as an employee, even telling ourselves, "I'm OK," and then trying prove it with money, beauty, awards, or whatever we believe worthy. Such a life is marked by the sin of idol worship! We have put someone else or Self in the place at the center of our life that only God should occupy. There's another problem with living that way, too. Fear and her cousin, inferiority, are our constant companion. If we measure our worth as a person by what we do or by what others say of us, the prize almost always slips from our grasp. One critic drowns out the voices of a hundred who praise us. Someone in life's competition shows up to outwit, out race, or out shine us just when we think we're about to win. And even if we do 'win,' our victory is soon eclipsed by another's performance.

The Scripture declares - "Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a place of refuge for their children. Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death." (Proverbs 14:26-27, NLT) When God says, "Fear Me alone!" - He is not asking us to live in terror. He wants us to live for His approval alone. "Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God, insight into life from knowing a Holy God." (Proverbs 9:10, The Message) Oh, that we would believe that. It is true! Yes, it is amazingly, wonderfully true. If we are living for God and God alone, much of the silly posturing that we put ourselves through, drops away. We don't have to work so hard at concealing our true selves and creating an image we think that others will like. We no longer attempt to 'look good,' for if we are living and working for God, we actually become good because of the love of Jesus Christ and the life of the Holy Spirit.

Friend, I write this as one who knows what it is to fall into the idolatry of the fear of man! I have spent more than a few days in the grip of critics, squeezed into their expectations, but unable to fit there comfortably. I've spent many days dancing feverishly to win the applause of those who surround me. Sometimes I've succeeded and drank from the cup of their affirmation, but the refreshment I find there is short-lived and soon, I thirst for more, and even more intensely than I did before.

Then, too, I can say I have experienced the warm smile of God. I have known what it is to just be who He wants me to be, not perfectly, but none-the-less accepted in His love. What rest, what joy, what wholeness is found in that place. My prayer is that He would deliver me from idols and fill all my vision!

Today, take a look at your life. Listen to your conversation. Whose praise are you seeking? Whose approval matters most -- God's or that of the people around you?

Pray that the 'fear of the Lord will become a life-giving fountain,' so that as you are at rest and at peace, whole, healed, and satisfied - you will pour that peace and wholeness into the world in which you walk today.
Soli Deo Gloria! (For the glory of God alone!)
________________

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

Riches I heed not,
Nor man's empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance,
Now and always:
Thou and Thou only,
First in my heart,
High King of heaven,
My Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven,
My victory won,
May I reach heaven's joys,
O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart,
Whatever befall,
Still be my Vision,
O Ruler of all.

© Public Domain

So Who is God?

Baylor University released a study in which they found that 92% of Americans believe in God, but that we hold "four distinct views of God's personality and engagement in human affairs. These Four Gods — are dubbed by researchers as Authoritarian, Benevolent, Critical or Distant." These views of God reveal much about our social, moral and political views and personal piety.

About 32% see God as Authoritarian, directing the affairs of the world and ready to bring his judgment on the ungodly. As you might imagine, those who primarily view God in that manner, generally hold very conservative political and absolute moral positions.

Another 24% believe that He is a Benevolent God, forgiving, best described by Jesus' story of the waiting father who welcomes home his wayward son. A Benevolent God sets absolute standards for mankind in the Bible.

16% believe that He is a a Critical God who keeps His eye on the world. But, they do not think He gets involved. It is a paradox that those who believe in a Critical God believe that He holds humanity to account, but they tend not to pray or think to turn to Him in time of need.

And about 25% of Americans have adopted a view similar to that of the Deists of two centuries ago, believing in a Distant God, Who, they believe, got things started here on earth and then removed Himself from the picture. Those who think God is distant tend to moral relativism and generally hold the most liberal social views.

The results of this study are not surprising. From it we see that people tend to 'create God in their own image and likeness,' to misuse a Scriptural quote. Instead of going to the Bible and waiting on the Spirit to reveal the fullness of God, many of us tend only to see the God we want, or the face of God that was painted for us by parents or spiritual leaders in our formative years. We also tend more to define God by our experience, rather than by intelligent thought. It is important to know God; that is, to invite Him to be a part of lives and to be open to experiencing His Presence. However, and this is important, if we have only our personal experience to define God, we will not truly know Him! Experience will color our perception of God, depending on several factors, including our spiritual maturity and the circumstances of our lives. To know Him best, we must also know Him from the pages of the Scripture, where He reveals Himself in His fullness. And, that means we study the whole of the Bible to learn Who He truly is. If our only revelation of God was drawn from the Pentateuch, the Law of Moses, He will be seen quite differently than if we only viewed Him through the four Gospels! God is a Person, an active, living, purposeful Being who is not one-dimensional. He is loving and capable of anger, accepting and judging, kind and stern - a perfect Father!

Theology is not a dry pursuit, peripheral to real life, as some would think. Theology, the study of God, is important to us, for how we perceive Him, has a definite impact on the way we live in our day to day world!

Here's a word from the Word. Let it sink into your mind and heart today. As you read it, note the many facets of the Person of God and especially take note of the last sentence!

"... the Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment.
He shall judge the world in righteousness,
And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. " (Psalm 9:7-10, NKJV)