I came home from our church's Leadership Team meeting last night with questions running through my mind -
How do we fire up the enthusiasm of our volunteers? Where can we find another $120,000 for that project that needs attention? How do we stay relevant and effective in God's work here?
What must we do to help the newer people in our congregation to feel 'connected?'
Are the needs of the elderly members being addressed?
There was more than a small amount of fear fighting for traction. I could hear the whispers of doubt at the doorway of my mind telling me that "You're just not up to this challenge. You need to let somebody with a better set of skills take over." Am I the first person who is pressed by his responsibilities? Of course not. Anyone who attempts much of anything in this world - from a Little League coach to the President of the USA- will come up against barriers that look formidable!
In my Scripture reading I was in the book of Zechariah, not exactly one of my favorite texts. But the Lord brought this passage to memory in the middle of my musings and prayers last night: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty. "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’" Then the word of the LORD came to me: "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. "Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. " (Zechariah 4:6-10, NIV)
Zerubbabel was one of the men who returned to Jerusalem some 70 years after the Babylonians had destroyed the city. His mission was to rebuild the Temple for worship. The obstacles he faced were multiple - the difficulty of clearing the rubble, the threats from the nations that surrounded Jerusalem, and the despair that fell on his work force when the job dragged on and on. Zerubbabel was trying to do something BIG, with limited resources. God sent him a word to encourage his efforts, reminding him that his greatest resource was the Spirit of God and that when he finished the task, everyone would realize that it was God, not Zerubbabel who made it happen.
Every Believer is a temple builder. We are not building a physical place of worship, a church. We are building a life to honor God, where His majestic Presence dwells. To be holy and to live a life worthy of Him- now that is one huge challenge, . Given that we are flawed by a sinful nature, the idea of being God's temple seems ridiculous - except that it is "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit." In Ephesians God's promise to empower us is clear. Paul writes, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:8-10, NLT)
Are problems multiplying around you like rabbits in the springtime? Are there more questions than answers in your life today?
Take the Word to heart. Look up with faith. Don't ask for release or reassignment. Instead, ask for more faith to stay steady, for greater wisdom to see the solutions, and for release of Divine resources so that anyone who sees your victory will say, "Look what God has done!" And, in that, you will have accomplished the calling we each share - to glorify the God who saved us.
"We felt sure that we were going to die. But this made us stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting God, who raises the dead to life. God saved us from the threat of death, and we are sure that he will do it again and again." (2 Corinthians 1:9-10, CEV) Amen.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Thursday, March 08, 2007
A word to the wise
When my grandsons come to visit, they love to play in our back yard, which is sizeable. They can run and dig and explore - but we keep our eyes on them because they are boys in need of boundaries. Soon after going out to play in our yard, they are eyeing the neighbor's yard, which becomes more and more inviting as the moments pass! It's not just little boys in the backyard who need guidance. Our hearts need boundaries, too. The hymn, Come, Thou Fount of Ev'ry Blessing says: "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, oh take and seal it; seal it for Thy courts above." An old proverb points out that 'the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.' That's why we need good fences!
Don't confuse knowledge of the boundaries with wisdom to remain within them. Gavin and Payton know they should stay in my yard, but they need the wisdom of an adult to keep them there! Plenty of people who have wandered from the right way into sins of every description know full well what they are doing is wrong, but they do it anyway. The Proverbs reminds to "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track " (Proverbs 3:5-6, The Message) Trust God... He will keep you on track! It is a foolish person who thinks he will never wander off the right path because "he's too smart or too good."
The road of life is strewn with wreckage from lives of educated, intelligent, and moral persons who thought they were above making some 'stupid' choice. So how do you and I avoid the same fate? The Word reminds us- "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." (Proverbs 4:23, NLT) That principle is stated in various ways throughout the Bible. What we do flows up out of who we are. The way to stay within the boundaries of a life that invites God's blessings, is not with handcuffs, but with heart change. It is critically important that you and I give the Spirit of God total access to our inner person on a daily basis. A time of quiet meditation and prayer, for even just a few moments each morning, allows Him to speak to us, to guide us, to redirect our heart's intents. Then, too, we need to feed our heart with the wisdom of the Scripture. "But, Jerry, I've already learned so much of it." You know, so have I, but we 'forget' like a kid forgets his parent's instruction. That's why we must go back again and again to reinforce the Truth. And, we must stay in regular communication with other Believers who are true friends, who love us enough to speak truthfully to us with affirmation and correction.
It is so much easier to curb an impulse of the heart than to correct a course of action!
So, are you tempted by the greener grass next door? Guard your heart!
Ask God to help you to stay within His boundaries.
Remember this -"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it." (1 Corinthians 10:13, The Message)
______________________
Search me, O God,
And know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior,
Know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be
Some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin
And set me free.
Lord, take my life,
And make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart
With Thy great love divine.
Take all my will,
My passion, self and pride;
I now surrender,
LordIn me abide.
Cleanse Me - Edwin J. Orr
© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055
Don't confuse knowledge of the boundaries with wisdom to remain within them. Gavin and Payton know they should stay in my yard, but they need the wisdom of an adult to keep them there! Plenty of people who have wandered from the right way into sins of every description know full well what they are doing is wrong, but they do it anyway. The Proverbs reminds to "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track " (Proverbs 3:5-6, The Message) Trust God... He will keep you on track! It is a foolish person who thinks he will never wander off the right path because "he's too smart or too good."
The road of life is strewn with wreckage from lives of educated, intelligent, and moral persons who thought they were above making some 'stupid' choice. So how do you and I avoid the same fate? The Word reminds us- "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." (Proverbs 4:23, NLT) That principle is stated in various ways throughout the Bible. What we do flows up out of who we are. The way to stay within the boundaries of a life that invites God's blessings, is not with handcuffs, but with heart change. It is critically important that you and I give the Spirit of God total access to our inner person on a daily basis. A time of quiet meditation and prayer, for even just a few moments each morning, allows Him to speak to us, to guide us, to redirect our heart's intents. Then, too, we need to feed our heart with the wisdom of the Scripture. "But, Jerry, I've already learned so much of it." You know, so have I, but we 'forget' like a kid forgets his parent's instruction. That's why we must go back again and again to reinforce the Truth. And, we must stay in regular communication with other Believers who are true friends, who love us enough to speak truthfully to us with affirmation and correction.
It is so much easier to curb an impulse of the heart than to correct a course of action!
So, are you tempted by the greener grass next door? Guard your heart!
Ask God to help you to stay within His boundaries.
Remember this -"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it." (1 Corinthians 10:13, The Message)
______________________
Search me, O God,
And know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior,
Know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be
Some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin
And set me free.
Lord, take my life,
And make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart
With Thy great love divine.
Take all my will,
My passion, self and pride;
I now surrender,
LordIn me abide.
Cleanse Me - Edwin J. Orr
© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Be authentic!
Much has been made in the media this week about Senator Hillary Clinton's speaking appearance in Selma, Alabama last weekend during which she attempted a Southern accent while quoting an old Gospel hymn. Apparently she was making an attempt to 'connect' with her audience, but it was so phony that it plays like a joke wherever it is shown on TV or the Internet. She made a mistake for which I imagine she is mortified on reflection. What makes the clip so comic is the completely forced attempt of a woman born in Illinois and educated in the Ivy League to be a good ole' gal from Alabama. She knows now, or at least she should, that the better road is just to be who she is. Sen. Clinton is not the first politician to trip over image-making that comes off as hollow, nor will she be the last.
Of much more concern to me than a politician's comedic attempt at a regional accent is the temptation - common to every Christian - to pretend to be someone or something we are not spiritually! Our desire to enjoy the approval of other people tempts us to cover our failings with professions of faith unmatched by the true attitude of our heart. Jesus speaks directly to this issue and He condemns it. Take a look.
"Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. "When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out. "And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?" (Matthew 6:1-5, The Message)
Just as the Senator's well-meaning but fake attempt at fitting in with her audience failed; any attempt you or I make at pretending to be better Christians than we really are will fail. Self-deception may make us the last to realize that we are making a joke out of our Christianity. One of the most frequent criticisms of Believers is hypocrisy, and sadly, it is a criticism that has real merit. Secret sins are often hidden away under religious robes, rhetorical prayers, and hymns sung without engaging our hearts.
One of the reasons that 12 Step recovery groups like AA work so well is that they invite people to 'come clean,' about themselves- to tell the good, the bad, the ugly truth. "Hello, my name is __________, and I'm an alcoholic." That introduction is not an excuse to go get drunk again. It is an admission of weakness that invites encouragement to change and sobriety. My sincere desire is to lead a community of Believers who share that sense of acceptance that leads to authenticity. I sometimes wonder if we should lead off our church services with an introduction like that used in AA, "Hello, I'm Jerry, and I'm a sinner, saved by God's grace alone." The Apostle Paul felt no need to pretend. He wrote of himself, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." (1 Timothy 1:15, NKJV)
Confessing our innate sinfulness does not create, as some say, an excuse for sin. It opens our lives up to the encouragement of our follow Believers, to self-examination, and to the work of the Spirit! It is a declaration of dependence. Paul reminds us about the folly of thinking more highly of ourselves than we should. "Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence." (1 Corinthians 10:12, The Message)
"Honest to God," is really a great phrase, when we really mean it. He sees us - naked, vulnerable, as we really are - and loves us deeply. So why do we pose and pretend? Don't make a joke of Jesus by adopting a phony religious tone in life. Be real. When you fail, admit it without excuse - to God, to others. When you find a measure of success, celebrate it - for what it is, nothing more, nothing less. If you're afraid, doubting, confused, tempted - find a faithful friend to whom you can unburden your heart and together take your needs to the Lord Jesus, an ever-present Source of help.
When live authentically, we find great freedom, and we become living proof of the goodness and glory of God that shows through our weaknesses. Be authentic, for God's sake, today.
Of much more concern to me than a politician's comedic attempt at a regional accent is the temptation - common to every Christian - to pretend to be someone or something we are not spiritually! Our desire to enjoy the approval of other people tempts us to cover our failings with professions of faith unmatched by the true attitude of our heart. Jesus speaks directly to this issue and He condemns it. Take a look.
"Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. "When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out. "And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?" (Matthew 6:1-5, The Message)
Just as the Senator's well-meaning but fake attempt at fitting in with her audience failed; any attempt you or I make at pretending to be better Christians than we really are will fail. Self-deception may make us the last to realize that we are making a joke out of our Christianity. One of the most frequent criticisms of Believers is hypocrisy, and sadly, it is a criticism that has real merit. Secret sins are often hidden away under religious robes, rhetorical prayers, and hymns sung without engaging our hearts.
One of the reasons that 12 Step recovery groups like AA work so well is that they invite people to 'come clean,' about themselves- to tell the good, the bad, the ugly truth. "Hello, my name is __________, and I'm an alcoholic." That introduction is not an excuse to go get drunk again. It is an admission of weakness that invites encouragement to change and sobriety. My sincere desire is to lead a community of Believers who share that sense of acceptance that leads to authenticity. I sometimes wonder if we should lead off our church services with an introduction like that used in AA, "Hello, I'm Jerry, and I'm a sinner, saved by God's grace alone." The Apostle Paul felt no need to pretend. He wrote of himself, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." (1 Timothy 1:15, NKJV)
Confessing our innate sinfulness does not create, as some say, an excuse for sin. It opens our lives up to the encouragement of our follow Believers, to self-examination, and to the work of the Spirit! It is a declaration of dependence. Paul reminds us about the folly of thinking more highly of ourselves than we should. "Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence." (1 Corinthians 10:12, The Message)
"Honest to God," is really a great phrase, when we really mean it. He sees us - naked, vulnerable, as we really are - and loves us deeply. So why do we pose and pretend? Don't make a joke of Jesus by adopting a phony religious tone in life. Be real. When you fail, admit it without excuse - to God, to others. When you find a measure of success, celebrate it - for what it is, nothing more, nothing less. If you're afraid, doubting, confused, tempted - find a faithful friend to whom you can unburden your heart and together take your needs to the Lord Jesus, an ever-present Source of help.
When live authentically, we find great freedom, and we become living proof of the goodness and glory of God that shows through our weaknesses. Be authentic, for God's sake, today.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
The heart of the soul
I enjoy a good conversation, especially when a person is relaxed and ready to talk. It's fascinating to find out what he's about, who he really is. It takes a while to get past the polite 'weather report' talk that all of us adopt in new relationships. But, then the real person starts to emerge. You find out if they are courageous or fearful, generous or stingy, what they like, who they don't like, etc. They more we talk, the more we reveal. Jesus says, "whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart." (Matthew 12:34-35, NLT) I use that truth when I counsel with those who come looking for my help with things like unforgiveness, depression, anger, and recurring sinful habits. We talk and as I ask leading questions, the layers piled on their true feelings and beliefs start to peel away.
Here's a sobering fact. Many of us are clueless about the full content of our heart! Most of the time it is not a willful ignorance. With the passing of time we store away attitudes and ideas and they get buried in our subconscious mind. Despite being out of reach of our conscious memory, these are very much in play, effecting the ways we respond to life, the ways we relate to others. Little phrases we heard as a child, experiences that seem to have no real significance as they happened, have gone into that magnificent thing called our brain and become part of our heart. More than once in a counseling conversation, a person has said something and then paused with a look of astonishment on his face. "I didn't realize that I felt that way!" is his reaction when the light reaches a secret corner of his heart.
If we truly want to live in a way that pleases God and reflects the life of Christ in us, we must undergo a heart transformation. David cried out to God, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit." (Psalm 51:9-12, NKJV) Believe me, as tough as it is to be shown the content of our heart, it is liberating to present the treasures and the trash to God and find His healing and forgiveness!
Many Believers find their desire to be Christ-like in behavior sabotaged by a heart that is stuffed with junk, lies, and misconceptions about God, life, and others. They want to be loving, courageous, joyful persons but they only manage to display those traits on their best days, too few and too far between. Unknowingly, the problem is the pollution of their soul that fouls their words and actions. "But," you may be asking, "didn't Christ Jesus forgive their sins and wash them clean when they trusted Him as Savior and Lord?" Yes, but too often they have not forgiven themselves and they have not engaged in the process of heart transformation. Salvation start with Jesus Christ, but it is not a passive experience. It is a vigorous process. We must 'work out our salvation!' We cannot force goodness from the outside in. But we do have to work with the Spirit to bring the life and light of God's renewal into every room in our heart house. If we do not, we will fall into a cycle of sin, sadness, repentance, determination..... then, failure, again! Those who saved, but not made whole and holy, pray, "God, take it away. What is wrong with me?"
A better prayer is another from the Psalms. "Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life." (Psalm 139:23-24, The Message) Lord, show me the stuff in the attic of my mind. Let me clean it out and get free of its influence, so I don't keep falling back into the old ways that have caused me to miss the ways of life so often in the past.
Do you know your heart? It's harder than you think.
Take this word from the Word to heart today.
Here's a sobering fact. Many of us are clueless about the full content of our heart! Most of the time it is not a willful ignorance. With the passing of time we store away attitudes and ideas and they get buried in our subconscious mind. Despite being out of reach of our conscious memory, these are very much in play, effecting the ways we respond to life, the ways we relate to others. Little phrases we heard as a child, experiences that seem to have no real significance as they happened, have gone into that magnificent thing called our brain and become part of our heart. More than once in a counseling conversation, a person has said something and then paused with a look of astonishment on his face. "I didn't realize that I felt that way!" is his reaction when the light reaches a secret corner of his heart.
If we truly want to live in a way that pleases God and reflects the life of Christ in us, we must undergo a heart transformation. David cried out to God, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit." (Psalm 51:9-12, NKJV) Believe me, as tough as it is to be shown the content of our heart, it is liberating to present the treasures and the trash to God and find His healing and forgiveness!
Many Believers find their desire to be Christ-like in behavior sabotaged by a heart that is stuffed with junk, lies, and misconceptions about God, life, and others. They want to be loving, courageous, joyful persons but they only manage to display those traits on their best days, too few and too far between. Unknowingly, the problem is the pollution of their soul that fouls their words and actions. "But," you may be asking, "didn't Christ Jesus forgive their sins and wash them clean when they trusted Him as Savior and Lord?" Yes, but too often they have not forgiven themselves and they have not engaged in the process of heart transformation. Salvation start with Jesus Christ, but it is not a passive experience. It is a vigorous process. We must 'work out our salvation!' We cannot force goodness from the outside in. But we do have to work with the Spirit to bring the life and light of God's renewal into every room in our heart house. If we do not, we will fall into a cycle of sin, sadness, repentance, determination..... then, failure, again! Those who saved, but not made whole and holy, pray, "God, take it away. What is wrong with me?"
A better prayer is another from the Psalms. "Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life." (Psalm 139:23-24, The Message) Lord, show me the stuff in the attic of my mind. Let me clean it out and get free of its influence, so I don't keep falling back into the old ways that have caused me to miss the ways of life so often in the past.
Do you know your heart? It's harder than you think.
Take this word from the Word to heart today.
"The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be." (Jeremiah 17:9-10, The Message)
________________________
Lord God, show me my heart today.
Shine the light into the secret corners.
I believe that Jesus died for forgive me, so
help me to apply that forgiveness to the secret sins
that I've even hidden from myself.
Give me trusted friends and counselors
who will help me work out my salvation,
finding a renewed mind,
a heart deep experience of Your Grace.
And may I live with joy,
blessed and being a blessing,
for Jesus' sake. Amen.
Lord God, show me my heart today.
Shine the light into the secret corners.
I believe that Jesus died for forgive me, so
help me to apply that forgiveness to the secret sins
that I've even hidden from myself.
Give me trusted friends and counselors
who will help me work out my salvation,
finding a renewed mind,
a heart deep experience of Your Grace.
And may I live with joy,
blessed and being a blessing,
for Jesus' sake. Amen.
Monday, March 05, 2007
One Holy Passion
The Sunday edition of The Express Times had an article about multi-tasking- the way many of us function in life. We talk on our cell phone while driving our car, while we listen to the radio. In the office we are reading email, while talking on phone, while working on a memo, while getting budget figures together. I read it with interest since that is how I conduct my life most of the time. The author reported that studies reveal that multi-tasking does not necessarily make a person more productive. It just appears that way. In actuality each time a person changes focus, he loses efficiency and effectiveness. Trying to do two things at the same time is, according to the author, "a road to mediocrity."
It is not only our focus and attention that gets divided. Many of us live with hearts that are divided, with many loves. No, I'm not talking about romantic attachments to people other than our spouse! I'm talking about what gets us going in life, the attitudes and attachments that form the core of our identity. If you are reading this TFTD, it is likely that you are a Believer, a person who loves God. But is it a singular love? Is your love of God the hub from which all other aspects of your life radiate, the governing quality of who you are and what you do?
A man once came to Jesus to inquire about eternal life. "Good Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?" (Luke 18:18, CEV) Jesus asked him whether he was obedient to the commandments. The man claimed that he was scrupulous in his morality. From Jesus' answer, which did not challenge the honesty of his reply, I conclude the man was telling the truth. Then Jesus threw him a big challenge: "If you want to be perfect (complete and spiritually whole), go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21, NLT) The one thing the man could not claim was a singular love for God. He loved his stuff and Jesus knew it. So, He told him to get rid of it and learn to love God with his whole heart. The tragic end of that story is that the man was "crestfallen... He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go." (Matthew 19:22, The Message)
Let's not miss the point of the story. It is not about a command to universal poverty! It is about the importance of a heart that is undivided. It is not just money that captivates our hearts. We can be in love with reputation, with pleasure, with our family, with status, with sports, with financial security, with physical fitness, with intellect; the list is long and varied. Jesus' challenge to that man is rephrased for each one of us in this commandment. ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:37, NIV)
Some of you are wondering, perhaps even raising an objection. "But my heart goes its own way. I cannot control my feelings." That is wrong on two counts.
First, love is not a feeling; it is a choice of will. Attractions come and go. Desires to own things and people arise in us uninvited. That is not love! That is just desire or infatuation.
Second, you are in control of your heart. It is not an easy thing to tame, nor is it pleasant to say 'no' to a heart that yearns for something it cannot have. It will ache and even break!
If you have trusted Christ as your Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit lives in you giving you strength to govern the impulses of your heart. The Word would not command you to do what is impossible and we read this directive: "You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God’s right side." (Colossians 3:1, CEV) If we want to become Christians who lives consistently please God, the place to begin is at the core - in our hearts - seeking one holy passion.
Here's a word from the Word in which God promises a renewal. Read it with faith!
"They will return to it (Israel, the home of the people of God) and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God." (Ezekiel 11:18-20, NIV)
An undivided heart - that's what pleases Him and what makes us truly effective in His service.
_____________________________
A Pure Heart - Rusty Nelson
A pure heart, that's what I long for,
A heart that follows hard after Thee;
A pure heart, that's what I long for,
A heart that follows hard after Thee.
A heart that hides Your Word
So that sin will not come in,
A heart that's undivided
But one You rule and reign;
A heart that beats compassion,
That pleases You, my Lord,
A sweet aroma of worship
That rises to Your throne.
© 1992 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.) CCLI License No. 810055
It is not only our focus and attention that gets divided. Many of us live with hearts that are divided, with many loves. No, I'm not talking about romantic attachments to people other than our spouse! I'm talking about what gets us going in life, the attitudes and attachments that form the core of our identity. If you are reading this TFTD, it is likely that you are a Believer, a person who loves God. But is it a singular love? Is your love of God the hub from which all other aspects of your life radiate, the governing quality of who you are and what you do?
A man once came to Jesus to inquire about eternal life. "Good Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?" (Luke 18:18, CEV) Jesus asked him whether he was obedient to the commandments. The man claimed that he was scrupulous in his morality. From Jesus' answer, which did not challenge the honesty of his reply, I conclude the man was telling the truth. Then Jesus threw him a big challenge: "If you want to be perfect (complete and spiritually whole), go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21, NLT) The one thing the man could not claim was a singular love for God. He loved his stuff and Jesus knew it. So, He told him to get rid of it and learn to love God with his whole heart. The tragic end of that story is that the man was "crestfallen... He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn’t bear to let go." (Matthew 19:22, The Message)
Let's not miss the point of the story. It is not about a command to universal poverty! It is about the importance of a heart that is undivided. It is not just money that captivates our hearts. We can be in love with reputation, with pleasure, with our family, with status, with sports, with financial security, with physical fitness, with intellect; the list is long and varied. Jesus' challenge to that man is rephrased for each one of us in this commandment. ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:37, NIV)
Some of you are wondering, perhaps even raising an objection. "But my heart goes its own way. I cannot control my feelings." That is wrong on two counts.
First, love is not a feeling; it is a choice of will. Attractions come and go. Desires to own things and people arise in us uninvited. That is not love! That is just desire or infatuation.
Second, you are in control of your heart. It is not an easy thing to tame, nor is it pleasant to say 'no' to a heart that yearns for something it cannot have. It will ache and even break!
If you have trusted Christ as your Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit lives in you giving you strength to govern the impulses of your heart. The Word would not command you to do what is impossible and we read this directive: "You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God’s right side." (Colossians 3:1, CEV) If we want to become Christians who lives consistently please God, the place to begin is at the core - in our hearts - seeking one holy passion.
Here's a word from the Word in which God promises a renewal. Read it with faith!
"They will return to it (Israel, the home of the people of God) and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God." (Ezekiel 11:18-20, NIV)
An undivided heart - that's what pleases Him and what makes us truly effective in His service.
_____________________________
A Pure Heart - Rusty Nelson
A pure heart, that's what I long for,
A heart that follows hard after Thee;
A pure heart, that's what I long for,
A heart that follows hard after Thee.
A heart that hides Your Word
So that sin will not come in,
A heart that's undivided
But one You rule and reign;
A heart that beats compassion,
That pleases You, my Lord,
A sweet aroma of worship
That rises to Your throne.
© 1992 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.) CCLI License No. 810055
Friday, March 02, 2007
More than making nice
Last week, my son asked me, "Dad, you you dream any more?" His question made me laugh. What is it about my middle age that implies I've become a drone, plodding though the days without any dreams? And his question made me think, too. What do I dream of? A retirement home in Florida? No way! Winning the lottery and quitting my job? No. (Well, that could an occasional escapist fantasy.) The dream that keeps me going is finding opportunities to help others develop joyful, rich lives that are truly different as a result of knowing Jesus Christ! I've found the answer and my dream is to share it with anybody who wants to hear it. I believe that Christianity is the hope of the world and my cause is to share Jesus with people in a way that leads to spiritual transformation. Transformed people are blessed, happy, productive, and eternally alive.
One of my favorite authors writes - "A Christian's aim is not just to act differently, but to become different in his inner being. We're not just learning to become nicer versions of our old selves. We're dealing radically with the fundamental wrongness of human life that is left to itself and introducing the kingdom of righteousness that comes from Christ into the depths of our heart. The inner life.... that is where profound transformation must occur." (Revolution of Character, Dallas Willard)
We're not just learning to become nicer versions of our selves! There lies the challenge for us who claim to be followers of Jesus. Do we really get down to transformation of ourselves or are we content with a superficial religion that leaves us a bit nicer on the outside? Have we seen a vision of who we can be in Christ that is compelling enough to cause us to take up the challenge of engaging with the Spirit of God in a way that disturbs everything about our lives and leads to the emergence of a new godly person?
Jesus says, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it." (Luke 9:23-24, NLT) Later He raised the bar with this declaration - "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple." (Luke 14:26-27, The Message) And what would cause us to take up such a life? The promise of life to the full, something more than just making money, building a reputation, and scratching out an existence. In Christ, we become sons and daughter of God, people of destiny with an eternal home. We stop hating and love others. We stop being greedy and become generous. We bring light to a dark world.
By that measure, many who claim to be Christians are either spiritually immature, or they just have a religion of rules!
Why do I say that? Because too often there is little genuine love, generosity, or light coming from their lives. They are just nice, not really transformed!
Dear friend, are you a transforming person? Have you been 'born again,' to use Jesus' phrase?
Jesus' people are revolutionaries. History is replete with examples of men and women who knelt before the Lord, give away their life (which they couldn't really save anyway), and stood up as a new person, full of the Spirit. The implications of that 'newness of life' are worked out over time as those who believe draw on the Spirit's life. Jesus said, "A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes." (Luke 6:43-44, NLT) Just look at the fruit of your life and you can determine if Self or Holy Spirit is the life inside of you. If you're constantly fighting with others, serving your appetites: it's time to ask yourself, am I really a Christ follower, or am I just religious? The fruit of your life is revealing the true nature of your heart. Conversely, if you're loving, generous, serving others with no calculation of self-benefit - you know that the Spirit is giving you life.
Now, there's a challenge. Take it up!
Enter into the process of change, inside out, and begin to "reflect the Lord’s glory, ... being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)
One of my favorite authors writes - "A Christian's aim is not just to act differently, but to become different in his inner being. We're not just learning to become nicer versions of our old selves. We're dealing radically with the fundamental wrongness of human life that is left to itself and introducing the kingdom of righteousness that comes from Christ into the depths of our heart. The inner life.... that is where profound transformation must occur." (Revolution of Character, Dallas Willard)
We're not just learning to become nicer versions of our selves! There lies the challenge for us who claim to be followers of Jesus. Do we really get down to transformation of ourselves or are we content with a superficial religion that leaves us a bit nicer on the outside? Have we seen a vision of who we can be in Christ that is compelling enough to cause us to take up the challenge of engaging with the Spirit of God in a way that disturbs everything about our lives and leads to the emergence of a new godly person?
Jesus says, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it." (Luke 9:23-24, NLT) Later He raised the bar with this declaration - "Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple." (Luke 14:26-27, The Message) And what would cause us to take up such a life? The promise of life to the full, something more than just making money, building a reputation, and scratching out an existence. In Christ, we become sons and daughter of God, people of destiny with an eternal home. We stop hating and love others. We stop being greedy and become generous. We bring light to a dark world.
By that measure, many who claim to be Christians are either spiritually immature, or they just have a religion of rules!
Why do I say that? Because too often there is little genuine love, generosity, or light coming from their lives. They are just nice, not really transformed!
Dear friend, are you a transforming person? Have you been 'born again,' to use Jesus' phrase?
Jesus' people are revolutionaries. History is replete with examples of men and women who knelt before the Lord, give away their life (which they couldn't really save anyway), and stood up as a new person, full of the Spirit. The implications of that 'newness of life' are worked out over time as those who believe draw on the Spirit's life. Jesus said, "A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes." (Luke 6:43-44, NLT) Just look at the fruit of your life and you can determine if Self or Holy Spirit is the life inside of you. If you're constantly fighting with others, serving your appetites: it's time to ask yourself, am I really a Christ follower, or am I just religious? The fruit of your life is revealing the true nature of your heart. Conversely, if you're loving, generous, serving others with no calculation of self-benefit - you know that the Spirit is giving you life.
Now, there's a challenge. Take it up!
Enter into the process of change, inside out, and begin to "reflect the Lord’s glory, ... being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Faith's vision
Sometimes discerning the plan of God is beyond difficult! It is near impossible. The ancient prophet, Habakkuk, saw the sins of the people of Judah. Despite the preaching and pleading of the prophets God sent their way, they continued to rebel. When he prayed and asked God to intervene, the Lord told him that He was sending the idol-worshipping Babylonians to bring corrective punishment on Jerusalem, the city of God. Habakkuk was incredulous! " God, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work? Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline? But you can’t be serious! You can’t condone evil! So why don’t you do something about this? Why are you silent now? This outrage! Evil men swallow up the righteous and you stand around and watch! " (Habakkuk 1:12-13, The Message)
God's answer to his rant is a word for us, too. The Lord says that in times when we cannot discern His purposes, when to all appearances He's forgotten us, we have two choices: "...self-importance— full of himself but soul-empty. (or) ... right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive." (Habakkuk 2:4, The Message) Perhaps you're more familiar with the text like this: "...the just shall live by his faith."
Faith allows us to keep on trusting God when the faithless curse Him! Faith helps us to climb over the why's that clamor for our attention to focus on the Who that is our Solid Rock. If we begin to believe the lie, an old as Eden, that we are the masters of our universe, that we can control our world, we will surely become soul empty in our self-importance. I've been in that place in my life so many times. With angry threats, bluff and bluster, and strategies hatched in the sleepless hours of the early morning, I try to impose my will on my world. For a time, I think it's working, but then my powerlessness becomes clear, even to me. Despair deepens until... I look to the Lord. With repentance and, in humility, I lay down my need to own my world, and let Him lead. Amazingly (how many times must I learn the same lesson?) there in His Presence, I find peace. So did Habakkuk! "...the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him." (Habakkuk 2:20, NKJV) "Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain!" (Habakkuk 3:19, The Message) The Babylonians were still coming, but the prophet was secure in faith.
Today - choose faith. Don't fall for the false faith that is just made of words. That kind of 'faith' leads us to pray prayers we don't really mean, to live a double life where we say the right words, but still hang onto our own ways with desperate insistence that God will do what we want Him to do if He really loves us. True faith abandons the need to control the world and God, and lets Him lead. That is underlined by the declaration that "... we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV) Believe the word of God and find rest.
Perhaps you're in a great time in your life - everything is going the way you want, the blessings bountiful, your heart full of joy! Hallelujah! That is still a time for faith. Don't be duped by the Deceiver into thinking that it was your own charm or wisdom that brought you to your place of success. Celebrate God's goodness. Praise Him for the blessings and continue to walk by faith for 'without faith it is impossible to please God.' That is just as true when life is full of sunshine as it is in the deep darkness of a terrible storm.
Here's a prayer to take with you today.
"I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.
I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.
But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." (Psalm 73:21-28, NLT)
God's answer to his rant is a word for us, too. The Lord says that in times when we cannot discern His purposes, when to all appearances He's forgotten us, we have two choices: "...self-importance— full of himself but soul-empty. (or) ... right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive." (Habakkuk 2:4, The Message) Perhaps you're more familiar with the text like this: "...the just shall live by his faith."
Faith allows us to keep on trusting God when the faithless curse Him! Faith helps us to climb over the why's that clamor for our attention to focus on the Who that is our Solid Rock. If we begin to believe the lie, an old as Eden, that we are the masters of our universe, that we can control our world, we will surely become soul empty in our self-importance. I've been in that place in my life so many times. With angry threats, bluff and bluster, and strategies hatched in the sleepless hours of the early morning, I try to impose my will on my world. For a time, I think it's working, but then my powerlessness becomes clear, even to me. Despair deepens until... I look to the Lord. With repentance and, in humility, I lay down my need to own my world, and let Him lead. Amazingly (how many times must I learn the same lesson?) there in His Presence, I find peace. So did Habakkuk! "...the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him." (Habakkuk 2:20, NKJV) "Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain!" (Habakkuk 3:19, The Message) The Babylonians were still coming, but the prophet was secure in faith.
Today - choose faith. Don't fall for the false faith that is just made of words. That kind of 'faith' leads us to pray prayers we don't really mean, to live a double life where we say the right words, but still hang onto our own ways with desperate insistence that God will do what we want Him to do if He really loves us. True faith abandons the need to control the world and God, and lets Him lead. That is underlined by the declaration that "... we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV) Believe the word of God and find rest.
Perhaps you're in a great time in your life - everything is going the way you want, the blessings bountiful, your heart full of joy! Hallelujah! That is still a time for faith. Don't be duped by the Deceiver into thinking that it was your own charm or wisdom that brought you to your place of success. Celebrate God's goodness. Praise Him for the blessings and continue to walk by faith for 'without faith it is impossible to please God.' That is just as true when life is full of sunshine as it is in the deep darkness of a terrible storm.
Here's a prayer to take with you today.
"I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.
I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.
But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." (Psalm 73:21-28, NLT)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Thorns and Thistles
Yesterday, I looked up from my desk to see a man standing at my office door. When I invited Paul in, he sat down with a heavy sigh and over the next half hour told me a story of sorrow that stretched back 30 years. His most recent misfortune included a fall that broke his foot, which made him unable to work, which led to his eviction from his apartment, which caused his girlfriend and children to be in a shelter, which made him feel even worse about himself. His eyes were full of sorrow as he told me that he had 'cussed God out' and he wanted to know why his life was going so badly. There were the obvious reasons for his difficulties - an old conviction for assault on a police officer that led to a stretch in prison, bad choices about jobs, and substance abuse. It would have been easy to just throw the whole mess back on Paul's head. "You're just reaping the harvest of the seeds you've planted along the way." But, that wouldn't have been exactly just, nor fair. To be sure, Paul is responsible for choices that have led to his sad life, but he's also living in a world that is held in the grip of sin, enslaved by Satan.
While he was talking, the tragic words of God to Adam, recorded in Genesis, scrolled through my memory. "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:17-19, NLT)
God informed Adam that his sin had opened the door to the work of the Destroyer and that from then on, all of humanity would struggle to wrest a life out of the earth, only to face death! Paul's life is an example of the results of the curse of sin in vivid colors! More than blame or even an explanation, the man needs a Savior and friends. Don't we all need the same?
The result of our sinful disobedience to God's laws - sorrow and death - have been taken away by Jesus Christ. The Word says, "Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse. And now, because of that, the air is cleared and we can see that Abraham’s blessing is present and available for non-Jews, too. We are all able to receive God’s life, his Spirit, in and with us by believing—just the way Abraham received it." (Galatians 3:13-14, The Message)
What a remarkable promise. The rich blessings of God, first promised to the father of the faithful, Abraham, are now available to all men and women, who by faith receive them through Christ Jesus.
Is your life full of 'thorns and thistles,' your best efforts frustrated by failure? Are you struggling to make life work, fighting with an increasingly overwhelming sense of futility?
Look to Jesus! Take life from Him.
Ask Him to be your Redeemer, the One who buys you back from the slavery to sin into which you were sold. Then, seek friends among those who are His and together begin to build the Kingdom of God, and living under the New Covenant (agreement) which leads to eternal life, not to death.
Don't accept a life full of weeds! Take your inheritance as a child of God.
Here's a word from the Word. Believe it, receive it, live it by faith.
"...before Christ came ... we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." (Hey, Dad!) Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." (Galatians 4:3-7, NLT)
___________________________________
Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus lover of my soul!
Friends may fail me, foes assail me;
He, my Savior, makes me whole.
Hallelujah what a Savior.
Hallelujah what a Friend.
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.
Jesus! What a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him;
Tempted tried and sometimes failing,
He, my strength my victory wins.
Jesus! I do now receive Him;
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness;
I am His and He is mine.
Hallelujah what a Savior.
Hallelujah what a Friend.
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.
Our Great Savior - Chapman, J. Wilbur / Prichard, Rowland H.
© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055
While he was talking, the tragic words of God to Adam, recorded in Genesis, scrolled through my memory. "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:17-19, NLT)
God informed Adam that his sin had opened the door to the work of the Destroyer and that from then on, all of humanity would struggle to wrest a life out of the earth, only to face death! Paul's life is an example of the results of the curse of sin in vivid colors! More than blame or even an explanation, the man needs a Savior and friends. Don't we all need the same?
The result of our sinful disobedience to God's laws - sorrow and death - have been taken away by Jesus Christ. The Word says, "Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse. And now, because of that, the air is cleared and we can see that Abraham’s blessing is present and available for non-Jews, too. We are all able to receive God’s life, his Spirit, in and with us by believing—just the way Abraham received it." (Galatians 3:13-14, The Message)
What a remarkable promise. The rich blessings of God, first promised to the father of the faithful, Abraham, are now available to all men and women, who by faith receive them through Christ Jesus.
Is your life full of 'thorns and thistles,' your best efforts frustrated by failure? Are you struggling to make life work, fighting with an increasingly overwhelming sense of futility?
Look to Jesus! Take life from Him.
Ask Him to be your Redeemer, the One who buys you back from the slavery to sin into which you were sold. Then, seek friends among those who are His and together begin to build the Kingdom of God, and living under the New Covenant (agreement) which leads to eternal life, not to death.
Don't accept a life full of weeds! Take your inheritance as a child of God.
Here's a word from the Word. Believe it, receive it, live it by faith.
"...before Christ came ... we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." (Hey, Dad!) Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir." (Galatians 4:3-7, NLT)
___________________________________
Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus lover of my soul!
Friends may fail me, foes assail me;
He, my Savior, makes me whole.
Hallelujah what a Savior.
Hallelujah what a Friend.
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.
Jesus! What a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him;
Tempted tried and sometimes failing,
He, my strength my victory wins.
Jesus! I do now receive Him;
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness;
I am His and He is mine.
Hallelujah what a Savior.
Hallelujah what a Friend.
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.
Our Great Savior - Chapman, J. Wilbur / Prichard, Rowland H.
© Public Domain CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
My Father's Gifts
There is a "gospel" proclaimed from many pulpits that says, "God wants you to be healthy and wealthy! Claim your inheritance." Preachers of the "prosperity gospel" teach that if a person believes enough, that is, 'speaks the word of faith,' lives a good life, and (don't forget this) sends in their generous offering- the inevitable result will be an enviable life filled with the riches of this world. This 'health and wealth' line is a basic ingredient in many television preachers' sermons. Why? Because it appeals to so many of us and builds huge audiences of people who want to tap into the flow of Divine blessings. Promising people that you will show them the road to riches will always draw a crowd. Many of these preachers of prosperity model their message by living the high life - dressing in high fashion, driving luxury cars, and building themselves huge houses.
My reaction to this abuse of the Word of God has led me too often away from teaching that God really does love to bless His children!
Jesus says: "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:9-11, NIV) I love to give to my children. If it is within my ability to provide something for them that they need or want, I love to do it. However, when they growing up, I never gave them all they asked for, even those things I could afford. Why? Because some of the things they wanted were not good for them. Sometimes I knew that in order to better serve God they needed to develop a different set of values so I would not give them the latest trinket to feed their greed. Other times I considered that they would be better served by working to own the things they wanted. Though they could not understand it, I was often more loving in saying, "No," to a request than in saying, "Yes!" But overall, I delighted in providing the best in life for them. It was a way to demonstrate my love to them.
Our Heavenly Father loves to bless us. That much the prosperity preachers get right! Where they err is in ignoring that God is the Ultimate Good Father, that He remains the One in charge, that He is never obligated by our prayers or good works to give us anything. He sees what is the very best thing in life for us, from the perspective of eternity, and provides all that we need, but not all that we want.
Know this, too. The Bible consistently shows us that a godly person tends to prosper. What are leading causes of poverty? Sloth, greed, drunkenness, and family disintegration. Are any of those things consistent with a godly life? No.
God teaches us to be disciplined and to apply ourselves to our work. A greedy person is never content with what he has and thus does foolish things that lead him into greater debt. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10, NKJV)
Drunkenness (and its cousin, drug abuse) are specifically pointed out as a way to destruction. "Don’t destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life." (Ephesians 5:18, CEV)
A strong family unit is a key to wealth building for many reasons too numerous to explore here in depth. Among them are stability, security, and investment of a previous generation's wealth in the next, which gives a head start.
Don't read the paragraph above and jump to an erroneous conclusion that judges those who are suffering or not prosperous as having created their own misery. It may well be true that they have, but there are plenty of Biblical examples that show us that God allows suffering even in the lives of the godly and that our lives are effected by the sinful world that we live in. So we must be very careful in judging another and always extend ourselves to share with those in need, never assuming that we are superior to those who suffer.
Yes, friend our Father's gifts are numerous. He does love to bless us. He invites us to bring all of our needs to Him - with faith - and to ask for His provision. We must not let the ways that some mis-use these facts to rob us of the wonderful truth that we are beloved sons and daughters of God.
Meditate on this passage of promise today.
"How joyful are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways!
You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!
Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.
That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.
May the Lord continually bless you from Zion. May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live. May you live to enjoy your grandchildren. May Israel have peace!" (Psalm 128, NLT) Amen.
My reaction to this abuse of the Word of God has led me too often away from teaching that God really does love to bless His children!
Jesus says: "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:9-11, NIV) I love to give to my children. If it is within my ability to provide something for them that they need or want, I love to do it. However, when they growing up, I never gave them all they asked for, even those things I could afford. Why? Because some of the things they wanted were not good for them. Sometimes I knew that in order to better serve God they needed to develop a different set of values so I would not give them the latest trinket to feed their greed. Other times I considered that they would be better served by working to own the things they wanted. Though they could not understand it, I was often more loving in saying, "No," to a request than in saying, "Yes!" But overall, I delighted in providing the best in life for them. It was a way to demonstrate my love to them.
Our Heavenly Father loves to bless us. That much the prosperity preachers get right! Where they err is in ignoring that God is the Ultimate Good Father, that He remains the One in charge, that He is never obligated by our prayers or good works to give us anything. He sees what is the very best thing in life for us, from the perspective of eternity, and provides all that we need, but not all that we want.
Know this, too. The Bible consistently shows us that a godly person tends to prosper. What are leading causes of poverty? Sloth, greed, drunkenness, and family disintegration. Are any of those things consistent with a godly life? No.
God teaches us to be disciplined and to apply ourselves to our work. A greedy person is never content with what he has and thus does foolish things that lead him into greater debt. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10, NKJV)
Drunkenness (and its cousin, drug abuse) are specifically pointed out as a way to destruction. "Don’t destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life." (Ephesians 5:18, CEV)
A strong family unit is a key to wealth building for many reasons too numerous to explore here in depth. Among them are stability, security, and investment of a previous generation's wealth in the next, which gives a head start.
Don't read the paragraph above and jump to an erroneous conclusion that judges those who are suffering or not prosperous as having created their own misery. It may well be true that they have, but there are plenty of Biblical examples that show us that God allows suffering even in the lives of the godly and that our lives are effected by the sinful world that we live in. So we must be very careful in judging another and always extend ourselves to share with those in need, never assuming that we are superior to those who suffer.
Yes, friend our Father's gifts are numerous. He does love to bless us. He invites us to bring all of our needs to Him - with faith - and to ask for His provision. We must not let the ways that some mis-use these facts to rob us of the wonderful truth that we are beloved sons and daughters of God.
Meditate on this passage of promise today.
"How joyful are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways!
You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!
Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.
That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.
May the Lord continually bless you from Zion. May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live. May you live to enjoy your grandchildren. May Israel have peace!" (Psalm 128, NLT) Amen.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Built to last
The building dates to the 1880's, a beautiful old Presbyterian church in Oxford, NJ. In a quick tour last Saturday, Jon showed me vaulted ceiling, the hewn beams, the hand carved pegs that held the floor joists in place, and the round pillars carefully crafted. It had been built to last by craftsmen who cared about their work, not hastily slapped together with shoddy materials. Oxford has quite obviously seen better days for the church building gives evidence of prosperous people who invested generously in its construction to honor God and to display their sense of community. I wondered what kinds of sermons had been preached over her pulpit to what effect in the lives of those who worshipped there. How many hundreds of children had passed through her Sunday School learning principles that guided their lives? How many couples had made their marriage vows in her nave? Most wonderful is that the building still serves as a home to a group of people, after all these years.
As I drove away, my mind picked up on Paul's phrase - "... you are the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God..." (1 Corinthians 6:19, NKJV) It is interesting to think of our lives as a building. If someone remembers Jerry Scott 50 years from today, if they should somehow pick up a photo album and take a 'tour' of my life, what would they find - a temple built for lasting honor to God or a warehouse thrown together with cheap material? I am aware (more so everyday!) of my mortality. I hear the echo of the words that Shakespeare puts into the mouth of Macbeth - Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. To be sure life is short, but I do not share Shakespeare's dim view of life's meaning. I have known those who live noisy lives that are nothing but bluff and bluster, designed to create an illusion of importance. I care nothing for that. Instead, my intent is to live in a quietly effective way so that my short time on the small stage here on earth leaves a rich legacy for those who come along behind me. And, I want to live each day in a way that leads to the blessing of God for eternity - in other words, a life built to last!
The Word shows us blueprint for a life that lasts. Paul says, "build on the solid foundation, the only lasting foundation, which is Christ Jesus." Money, fame, pleasure are foundations that will erode and when the foundation crumbles, the building falls! Jesus says "If you work My words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss." (Luke 6:48-49, The Message)
Make the Holy Spirit the general contractor of your life! Listen to His counsel.
Cooperate with Him as He shows you the way to live - lovingly, purposefully, with steady discipline.
The result will be a temple that is built to last that causes others to praise God and that will - in eternity - enjoy the best approval of all, the commendation of the Master Builder.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 24-25, NIV)
As I drove away, my mind picked up on Paul's phrase - "... you are the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God..." (1 Corinthians 6:19, NKJV) It is interesting to think of our lives as a building. If someone remembers Jerry Scott 50 years from today, if they should somehow pick up a photo album and take a 'tour' of my life, what would they find - a temple built for lasting honor to God or a warehouse thrown together with cheap material? I am aware (more so everyday!) of my mortality. I hear the echo of the words that Shakespeare puts into the mouth of Macbeth - Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. To be sure life is short, but I do not share Shakespeare's dim view of life's meaning. I have known those who live noisy lives that are nothing but bluff and bluster, designed to create an illusion of importance. I care nothing for that. Instead, my intent is to live in a quietly effective way so that my short time on the small stage here on earth leaves a rich legacy for those who come along behind me. And, I want to live each day in a way that leads to the blessing of God for eternity - in other words, a life built to last!
The Word shows us blueprint for a life that lasts. Paul says, "build on the solid foundation, the only lasting foundation, which is Christ Jesus." Money, fame, pleasure are foundations that will erode and when the foundation crumbles, the building falls! Jesus says "If you work My words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss." (Luke 6:48-49, The Message)
Make the Holy Spirit the general contractor of your life! Listen to His counsel.
Cooperate with Him as He shows you the way to live - lovingly, purposefully, with steady discipline.
The result will be a temple that is built to last that causes others to praise God and that will - in eternity - enjoy the best approval of all, the commendation of the Master Builder.
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 24-25, NIV)
Friday, February 23, 2007
Loving the Lord
Life can be so busy! Our agenda gets filled up with responsibilities. If you're like me, one of the first things to get sacrificed on the altar to Activity is quality time with those we profess to love. We may be present with others but we are not really engaged, not listening to their words with complete attention. Our kids get a quick hug on their way out the door to school. Despite a full schedule, in those times we soon find ourselves feeling empty and lonely. Why? Because lots of activity can never replace close, loving, caring interaction with others. I have counseled with couples whose marriages are in crisis, not because of affairs or moral failure, but because of full schedules. Doing all the stuff that is urgent and 'important' turns lovers into strangers that share the same house!
In my prayers recently, I was complaining to the Lord about the feelings of ineffectiveness that were nagging at the edges of my mind. "Lord, I'm giving it my all, doing what needs to done, but I feel little joy and see few results for all these efforts," I whined. The Spirit whispered to my heart, "How much time have you spent with Me recently?" Wanting to argue instead of listen, I responded, "Lord, I've been in church! I've prayed. I listen to worship music....." Again the Spirit whispered, "It's been a while since you came to just be with Me, to rest in My Presence." I repented again. It is an old pattern of sin with me- replacing times of intimate, contemplative prayer with rushed prayers, hurried worship, and pursuit of efficiency! And I realized anew - there is no way to be effective in spiritual work if there is no full, fresh flow of the Spirit's life in me. It is next to impossible to refresh others with the living water if my own soul is parched and dry.
A familiar story from Luke's Gospel teaches us about loving Jesus. Read it - with attentiveness, even if you've read it before. "As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42, NLT)
In one of my favorite books, The Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster writes, “Our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in "muchness" and "manyness," he will rest satisfied.” Go back and re-read that line.
Dear friend, are you replacing relationship with activity?
Are serving God at top speed, but seldom just loving Him?
Are you working so hard to provide for your family that they seldom get the chance to experience your love?
If so the Devil has you in a dangerous place; a situation where the supports at core of your being is eaten away and the exterior walls that look so good are ready to collapse. Listen to Jesus' invitation - words first spoken to a faithful Church in Ephesus, but now spoken to us: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent." (Revelation 2:2-5, NKJV)
__________________________
Holy Ground - Davis, Geron
In His presence
There is joy beyond measure;
And at His feet
Peace of mind can still be found.
If you have a need,
I know He has the answer;
Just reach out and claim it,
For you are standing on holy ground.
We are standing on holy ground
And I know that there
Are angels all around.
Let us praise Jesus now.
We are standing in His presence
On holy ground.
© 1983 Meadowgreen Music Company (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) / Songchannel Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055
In my prayers recently, I was complaining to the Lord about the feelings of ineffectiveness that were nagging at the edges of my mind. "Lord, I'm giving it my all, doing what needs to done, but I feel little joy and see few results for all these efforts," I whined. The Spirit whispered to my heart, "How much time have you spent with Me recently?" Wanting to argue instead of listen, I responded, "Lord, I've been in church! I've prayed. I listen to worship music....." Again the Spirit whispered, "It's been a while since you came to just be with Me, to rest in My Presence." I repented again. It is an old pattern of sin with me- replacing times of intimate, contemplative prayer with rushed prayers, hurried worship, and pursuit of efficiency! And I realized anew - there is no way to be effective in spiritual work if there is no full, fresh flow of the Spirit's life in me. It is next to impossible to refresh others with the living water if my own soul is parched and dry.
A familiar story from Luke's Gospel teaches us about loving Jesus. Read it - with attentiveness, even if you've read it before. "As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details! There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it—and I won’t take it away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42, NLT)
In one of my favorite books, The Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster writes, “Our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in "muchness" and "manyness," he will rest satisfied.” Go back and re-read that line.
Dear friend, are you replacing relationship with activity?
Are serving God at top speed, but seldom just loving Him?
Are you working so hard to provide for your family that they seldom get the chance to experience your love?
If so the Devil has you in a dangerous place; a situation where the supports at core of your being is eaten away and the exterior walls that look so good are ready to collapse. Listen to Jesus' invitation - words first spoken to a faithful Church in Ephesus, but now spoken to us: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent." (Revelation 2:2-5, NKJV)
__________________________
Holy Ground - Davis, Geron
In His presence
There is joy beyond measure;
And at His feet
Peace of mind can still be found.
If you have a need,
I know He has the answer;
Just reach out and claim it,
For you are standing on holy ground.
We are standing on holy ground
And I know that there
Are angels all around.
Let us praise Jesus now.
We are standing in His presence
On holy ground.
© 1983 Meadowgreen Music Company (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) / Songchannel Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Is peace possible?
Micah, the prophet, inspired by the Spirit of God says, "Yes!" Peace is not only possible, it is promised. "Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. " (Micah 4:2-4, NKJV)
That passage is etched on the wall of the entry to the United Nations in New York City, reflecting the charter of that organization to seek peace for this planet. As noble as the aspiration may be, it is an impossible charge for any group apart from the intervention of the Almighty! Self-interest is woven deeply into the human psyche. Individuals, as well as nations, are in the grip of a 'me first' attitude and will always find a way to protect their advantages - even at the cost of violence. That is why there is no true peace until...
The Prince of Peace comes to us! Micah saw that only when the impartial Lord of Creation brought His law and rebuke could peace finally dawn on this earth. Recognizing this, we pray, "Come, Lord Jesus. May your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven." The arrival of the Prince of Peace will bring the Age of Peace.
Peace starts in us individually and we need not wait for the Second Coming to know His peace personally. At the birth of Jesus, the angels announced - “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.” (Luke 2:14, NLT) At the Last Supper, the Lord told His disciples - “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27, NLT) Paul writes that peace is one of the primary evidences of the Spirit life in us. When Jesus reigns in our lives, we are secure. Though we walk through a world full of threats - both spiritual and natural - we need not live defensively or fearfully. Instead, we can enjoy peace in the middle of the storm, assured that the One who leads us will keep us.
If we are without peace of mind, it reveals an inadequate faith. We learn this from an experience of the disciples who walked with the Lord. When they found themselves in precarious moment, in a little boat on a stormy lake, they screamed in terror - "Master, don't you care that we are about to perish?" But when Jesus woke up to their yells, He stood up and spoke to the storm, "Peace, be still!" Mark tells us that instantly the wind died and the waves calmed. The possibility of peace existed all the time, but the disciples lacked the faith to access it. Their response drew a sharp rebuke from the Lord Jesus who said, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?” (Mark 4:40, NLT)
Yes, peace is possible and we can experience it, if and/or when we give up our need to own our lives. When we hand over the reins of life to Him, with full faith, a serenity comes to us, a divine peace. As long as we live in the center of His will, we have no reason to be afraid. This is both a challenging and comforting word, isn't it? We want so badly to blame our lack of peace on other people, on situations we believe to be 'out of control,' on a world gone mad around us. The fact is - if we lack peace, it reveals our own need to move closer to the Master, to pray for calming faith.
Today, seek peace! First, receive the inner peace that comes when Jesus sets you right with God. Then, receive the peace that comes with faith to trust Him with every detail of your life. As you live in peace, you will bring peace to a world that desperately needs peace-makers.
______________________
When the world
That I've been living in
Collapses at my feet,
When my life
Is shattered and torn,
Tho' I'm windswept and battered,
I can cling to His cross
And find peaceIn the midst of my storm.
There is peace in the midst
Of my storm-tossed life.
Oh, there's an Anchor,
There's a Rock,
To cast my faith upon.
Jesus rides in my vessel,
So I'll fear no alarm.
He gives me peace
In the midst of my storm.
Peace In The Midst Of The Storm-- Adams, Stephen R.
© 1978, 1981 Pilot Point Music (Lillenas [Admin. by The Copyright Company]) CCLI License No. 810055
That passage is etched on the wall of the entry to the United Nations in New York City, reflecting the charter of that organization to seek peace for this planet. As noble as the aspiration may be, it is an impossible charge for any group apart from the intervention of the Almighty! Self-interest is woven deeply into the human psyche. Individuals, as well as nations, are in the grip of a 'me first' attitude and will always find a way to protect their advantages - even at the cost of violence. That is why there is no true peace until...
The Prince of Peace comes to us! Micah saw that only when the impartial Lord of Creation brought His law and rebuke could peace finally dawn on this earth. Recognizing this, we pray, "Come, Lord Jesus. May your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven." The arrival of the Prince of Peace will bring the Age of Peace.
Peace starts in us individually and we need not wait for the Second Coming to know His peace personally. At the birth of Jesus, the angels announced - “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.” (Luke 2:14, NLT) At the Last Supper, the Lord told His disciples - “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27, NLT) Paul writes that peace is one of the primary evidences of the Spirit life in us. When Jesus reigns in our lives, we are secure. Though we walk through a world full of threats - both spiritual and natural - we need not live defensively or fearfully. Instead, we can enjoy peace in the middle of the storm, assured that the One who leads us will keep us.
If we are without peace of mind, it reveals an inadequate faith. We learn this from an experience of the disciples who walked with the Lord. When they found themselves in precarious moment, in a little boat on a stormy lake, they screamed in terror - "Master, don't you care that we are about to perish?" But when Jesus woke up to their yells, He stood up and spoke to the storm, "Peace, be still!" Mark tells us that instantly the wind died and the waves calmed. The possibility of peace existed all the time, but the disciples lacked the faith to access it. Their response drew a sharp rebuke from the Lord Jesus who said, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still not have faith in me?” (Mark 4:40, NLT)
Yes, peace is possible and we can experience it, if and/or when we give up our need to own our lives. When we hand over the reins of life to Him, with full faith, a serenity comes to us, a divine peace. As long as we live in the center of His will, we have no reason to be afraid. This is both a challenging and comforting word, isn't it? We want so badly to blame our lack of peace on other people, on situations we believe to be 'out of control,' on a world gone mad around us. The fact is - if we lack peace, it reveals our own need to move closer to the Master, to pray for calming faith.
Today, seek peace! First, receive the inner peace that comes when Jesus sets you right with God. Then, receive the peace that comes with faith to trust Him with every detail of your life. As you live in peace, you will bring peace to a world that desperately needs peace-makers.
______________________
When the world
That I've been living in
Collapses at my feet,
When my life
Is shattered and torn,
Tho' I'm windswept and battered,
I can cling to His cross
And find peaceIn the midst of my storm.
There is peace in the midst
Of my storm-tossed life.
Oh, there's an Anchor,
There's a Rock,
To cast my faith upon.
Jesus rides in my vessel,
So I'll fear no alarm.
He gives me peace
In the midst of my storm.
Peace In The Midst Of The Storm-- Adams, Stephen R.
© 1978, 1981 Pilot Point Music (Lillenas [Admin. by The Copyright Company]) CCLI License No. 810055
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Hang onto my hand, Lord!
Taught that God is good and loving, I developed an expectation that if I gave my life to Him, somehow He would grant me an exemption from the disappointments of life. But I still find myself tempted by ordinary things - greed, doubt, and fear - to name a few. I once thought, unrealistically it seems, that by this season of my life (a Believer for 40 years!) I would rise above the struggle with the sinful nature. I expected that I would wake up every morning with a sense that I am a child of God, with a richly purposeful life! Truth is, as often as not, I swing my feet over the side of the bed and slog my way through a day of hard, often frustrating work. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not whining or complaining that my life is worse than any other. I am amazingly blessed. However, it's not Heaven, yet. Sin and Satan are still powerful foes that wreak havoc in the world in which I live. So, I choose to live in a way that closes the gap between my expectation and my reality with faith. And faith, dear friend, is sometimes very hard work.
The ancient prophet Habbakuk is my companion on this road. He, too, experienced disappointment. The opening words of his book reveal his struggle to keep faith: "How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence!” I cry, but you do not come to save." (Habakkuk 1:2, NLT) That is one gutsy prayer, isn't it? "Hey, God, what up with this? I thought you would answer my call and it feels like you hung up the phone on me instead." Habbakuk saw the growing threat of the Babylonian Empire and thought God would step in to deliver His people. Instead, God revealed that He would allow that nation to conquer Israel.
What does one do with such a vision? How does one deal with that kind of disappointment? It's what we struggle with when we pray to be healed and God says, "I'll be with you but I won't take away the illness." Or what we must overcome when we pray for release from temptation and instead hear God say, "We'll walk together through the fiery trial." That is what the prophet writes about. Unlike some of the prophets who thunder with certainty about the power of the Lord, Habbakuk gives us a prayerful voice that waits and wonders at God's often inscrutable ways. Ultimately, he comes to the place where he says, "God hang onto me. It's the only hope I have."
I cannot tell you how many times when my faith is stretched thin that I have claimed this prophet's prayer and made it my own desperate plea. If you're in a hard place today, broken hearted, fearful, disappointed, confused - do not let the Enemy of God and good make you believe that you are just weak, or that you are a terrible Christian. Know that testing and temptation is the common experience of those who love Jesus. When we put one foot in eternity while we still live on earth, we invite a certain tension into our lives! We keep hoping when others give up and live small, hopeless lives. We keep working to make the world brighter and better when others settle for 'what is' and accommodate themselves to the emptiness a life with no other purpose than "eat, drink, and be merry!"
Here is a part of Habbakuk's prayer. Read and be encouraged to hope that just when you think you can hang on no longer, God's grasp tightens and you will be carried through the trial, not over it.
"O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy. " (Habakkuk 3:2, NKJV)
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills." (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NKJV)
That, my friend, is the stuff of faith! "Whatever comes, whatever my disappointment - Lord God, I will keep on trusting You."
And the result is that He becomes our strength and makes us sure-footed in treacherous territory.
_________________________
Hold Me Jesus - Rich Mullins
Oh, sometimes my life
Just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small.
And I wake up in the night
And feel the dark.
It's so hot inside my soul
I swear there must be blisters on my heart.
So hold me Jesus,
'Cause I'm shaking like a leaf.
You have been King of my glory,
Won't You be my Prince of Peace?
Surrender don't come natural to me.
I'd rather fight You for something
I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need.
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down,
I'm falling on my knees.
So hold me Jesus,
'Cause I'm shaking like a leaf.
You have been King of my glory,
Won't You be my Prince of Peace?
And this Salvation Army band
Is playing this hymn
And Your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin.
So hold me Jesus,
'Cause I'm shaking like a leaf.
You have been King of my glory,
Won't You be my Prince of Peace?
© 1993 BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055
The ancient prophet Habbakuk is my companion on this road. He, too, experienced disappointment. The opening words of his book reveal his struggle to keep faith: "How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence!” I cry, but you do not come to save." (Habakkuk 1:2, NLT) That is one gutsy prayer, isn't it? "Hey, God, what up with this? I thought you would answer my call and it feels like you hung up the phone on me instead." Habbakuk saw the growing threat of the Babylonian Empire and thought God would step in to deliver His people. Instead, God revealed that He would allow that nation to conquer Israel.
What does one do with such a vision? How does one deal with that kind of disappointment? It's what we struggle with when we pray to be healed and God says, "I'll be with you but I won't take away the illness." Or what we must overcome when we pray for release from temptation and instead hear God say, "We'll walk together through the fiery trial." That is what the prophet writes about. Unlike some of the prophets who thunder with certainty about the power of the Lord, Habbakuk gives us a prayerful voice that waits and wonders at God's often inscrutable ways. Ultimately, he comes to the place where he says, "God hang onto me. It's the only hope I have."
I cannot tell you how many times when my faith is stretched thin that I have claimed this prophet's prayer and made it my own desperate plea. If you're in a hard place today, broken hearted, fearful, disappointed, confused - do not let the Enemy of God and good make you believe that you are just weak, or that you are a terrible Christian. Know that testing and temptation is the common experience of those who love Jesus. When we put one foot in eternity while we still live on earth, we invite a certain tension into our lives! We keep hoping when others give up and live small, hopeless lives. We keep working to make the world brighter and better when others settle for 'what is' and accommodate themselves to the emptiness a life with no other purpose than "eat, drink, and be merry!"
Here is a part of Habbakuk's prayer. Read and be encouraged to hope that just when you think you can hang on no longer, God's grasp tightens and you will be carried through the trial, not over it.
"O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy. " (Habakkuk 3:2, NKJV)
"Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills." (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NKJV)
That, my friend, is the stuff of faith! "Whatever comes, whatever my disappointment - Lord God, I will keep on trusting You."
And the result is that He becomes our strength and makes us sure-footed in treacherous territory.
_________________________
Hold Me Jesus - Rich Mullins
Oh, sometimes my life
Just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small.
And I wake up in the night
And feel the dark.
It's so hot inside my soul
I swear there must be blisters on my heart.
So hold me Jesus,
'Cause I'm shaking like a leaf.
You have been King of my glory,
Won't You be my Prince of Peace?
Surrender don't come natural to me.
I'd rather fight You for something
I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need.
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down,
I'm falling on my knees.
So hold me Jesus,
'Cause I'm shaking like a leaf.
You have been King of my glory,
Won't You be my Prince of Peace?
And this Salvation Army band
Is playing this hymn
And Your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin.
So hold me Jesus,
'Cause I'm shaking like a leaf.
You have been King of my glory,
Won't You be my Prince of Peace?
© 1993 BMG Songs, Inc. (Admin. by BMG Music Publishing) CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Principled?
The headline read - "Romney reiterates opposition to stem cell research despite wife's illness." Mitt Romney, who is running to be the next President of the US, is married to a woman who has multiple sclerosis. Some researchers believe that a cure for MS could be found using stem cells from human embryos. Romney believes that such research is immoral and thus opposes funding for it. The article's tone was one of wonder that his position was not effected by his wife's illness. People who make decisions based on principle are becoming increasingly rare, it would seem. Rather than being guided by wisdom greater than themselves, many choose to 'make it up as they go,' basing decisions on what appears to create the 'greatest good for the most people' in a given situation.
In the same newspaper, the front page headline says, "Mayor says no to civil unions." Yesterday (2/19/2007) was the first day that same sex couples in NJ could apply for what is in essence a marriage license. One local mayor refused to solemnize vows between same sex couples. His comments were thoughtful and kind, but he stood on Biblical principle and said he could not perform a ceremony to join a couple of the same sex in a legally recognized union. He will pay dearly for his principles, both politically and in public criticism.
Years ago when I was listening to a debate among ministers about divorce and re-marriage, an older preacher wisecracked, "You never really know a pastor's stand on this issue until his own divorced daughter wishes to remarry." I was puzzled by it then, but realize that the joke was not really a joke at all!
A person's professed belief is only revealed as a principle if he continues to hold to it when it is costly and/or painful to do so.
God's people must be a principled people, guided by the Scripture's wisdom as the Truth of the Word is revealed by the Spirit. The Ten Commandments are just that - commandments to which we subject ourselves. They are not God's suggestions for a happier life on par with advice from Dr. Phil! They are timeless revelations of the will of God. Jesus repeated Two Commandments which He said enveloped the whole of God's will for us - “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”" (Matthew 22:37-40, NLT) He did not mean to imply that application of these two simple commandments would be easy!
One might say that if Governor Romney loved his wife he would support any medical research that could bring a cure for her illness. But that would ignore the fact that embryonic stem cell research involves the destruction of life in its most vulnerable form. Discovering and establishing our understanding of Biblical principles requires interaction with others and with the Spirit of God. It is not a simple or easy process.
Know this, too. A principled person is not the same as a stubborn one. A stubborn person, with a closed mind, may appear principled when he is just ignorant and/or intellectually lazy. There is an old saying that resurfaces among Believers from time to time that I despise: "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." To me that says, "I am too lazy or insecure to get involved with a serious discussion that challenges my assumptions about Truth." I am convinced that Truth will stand up to rigorous inquiry, that it will survive all doubts and every challenge. I am thankful for people who disturbed me with their questions and caused me to discover that some of my 'principles' were actually just my preferences! I am equally thankful for those tests that placed my beliefs in the fire and caused the principles that form the foundation of my life and worldview to become even more precious as they are refined and purified.
Be a principled person of great integrity. Watch for the sin of the Pharisees - proclaiming principles for others and failing to live by them yourself. Our integrity, that is living what we believe, honors God and His wisdom. When we study His Word together and pray for the wisdom of the Spirit to guide us in applying His Truth to our lives, a thing of wondrous beauty emerges. We become people who live above our own convenience, who are capable of serving God and others with great sacrifice, and who call the world to higher and better ways by our example as well as our words.
Make this your prayer today.
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, and
I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness." (Psalm 119:33-40, NKJV) Amen.
In the same newspaper, the front page headline says, "Mayor says no to civil unions." Yesterday (2/19/2007) was the first day that same sex couples in NJ could apply for what is in essence a marriage license. One local mayor refused to solemnize vows between same sex couples. His comments were thoughtful and kind, but he stood on Biblical principle and said he could not perform a ceremony to join a couple of the same sex in a legally recognized union. He will pay dearly for his principles, both politically and in public criticism.
Years ago when I was listening to a debate among ministers about divorce and re-marriage, an older preacher wisecracked, "You never really know a pastor's stand on this issue until his own divorced daughter wishes to remarry." I was puzzled by it then, but realize that the joke was not really a joke at all!
A person's professed belief is only revealed as a principle if he continues to hold to it when it is costly and/or painful to do so.
God's people must be a principled people, guided by the Scripture's wisdom as the Truth of the Word is revealed by the Spirit. The Ten Commandments are just that - commandments to which we subject ourselves. They are not God's suggestions for a happier life on par with advice from Dr. Phil! They are timeless revelations of the will of God. Jesus repeated Two Commandments which He said enveloped the whole of God's will for us - “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”" (Matthew 22:37-40, NLT) He did not mean to imply that application of these two simple commandments would be easy!
One might say that if Governor Romney loved his wife he would support any medical research that could bring a cure for her illness. But that would ignore the fact that embryonic stem cell research involves the destruction of life in its most vulnerable form. Discovering and establishing our understanding of Biblical principles requires interaction with others and with the Spirit of God. It is not a simple or easy process.
Know this, too. A principled person is not the same as a stubborn one. A stubborn person, with a closed mind, may appear principled when he is just ignorant and/or intellectually lazy. There is an old saying that resurfaces among Believers from time to time that I despise: "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." To me that says, "I am too lazy or insecure to get involved with a serious discussion that challenges my assumptions about Truth." I am convinced that Truth will stand up to rigorous inquiry, that it will survive all doubts and every challenge. I am thankful for people who disturbed me with their questions and caused me to discover that some of my 'principles' were actually just my preferences! I am equally thankful for those tests that placed my beliefs in the fire and caused the principles that form the foundation of my life and worldview to become even more precious as they are refined and purified.
Be a principled person of great integrity. Watch for the sin of the Pharisees - proclaiming principles for others and failing to live by them yourself. Our integrity, that is living what we believe, honors God and His wisdom. When we study His Word together and pray for the wisdom of the Spirit to guide us in applying His Truth to our lives, a thing of wondrous beauty emerges. We become people who live above our own convenience, who are capable of serving God and others with great sacrifice, and who call the world to higher and better ways by our example as well as our words.
Make this your prayer today.
"Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
Give me understanding, and
I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness." (Psalm 119:33-40, NKJV) Amen.
Monday, February 19, 2007
All or nothing
I'm intrigued by gadgets, the things that make life easier (sometimes). Motors and machines fascinate me. It was even true when I was a little guy, who tore apart every mechanical toy I ever had just - 'to see how it works.' I can stand for hours watching an operator of a giant machine move tons of earth with just a flick of his wrist, harnessing the power of a big diesel engine, matched to gears and hydraulic lifts. I've taken apart and rebuilt dozens of personal computers finding the inoperable component and replacing it so the machine would work again. A giant bulldozer, an automobile, or a little laptop computer are complex machines made of many parts, each of which must be functioning as designed if the whole machine is to work well. One little component that is not functioning ruins the integrity of the machine!
The Christian life is a series of interconnected choices and values. We cannot enjoy the power of God and the blessings promises without an integration of the life of the Spirit in our thoughts, words, and actions. Let me illustrate.
Love is an important part of what Jesus taught us about living in a way that pleases God. But if we want to please God and reap the benefit of a loving life, our love cannot be selectively practiced only when it is convenient or easy. God says that our love must function for the lovely and the unlovely, when we are rested and when we are fatigued, when we are full of peace and when we are under great stress.
Worship is a critical part of the Christian life. When we worship we 'connect' with God and the Spirit renews the inner person, strengthening us. Again, we cannot enjoy the full benefit of worship if we only worship on Sunday morning and 'forget' God on the Monday morning commute. We will not experience the steady flow of of the Spirit's renewal if we worship only when things go wrong, or when it's raining, or when there is no football game to attend, or... you get the point, right?
Tithing (generous giving of our resources to God's work) is a means of breaking the slavery to our 'stuff.' A person who learns to practice the discipline of giving (time and material!) gains a generous heart and a richer life. But, if he only gives when he has 'enough,' or only serves when he 'has the time,' he breaks the process that could transform his life. The whole principle of tithing and giving only produces the benefit of a generous life when it is consistently practiced all of the time. I could go on and on, but I hope you're getting the idea.
Perhaps you find my comparison of the Christian life to a machine jarring or even offensive, but the truth remains that the only way to enjoy "life to the full" which Jesus promises to those who follow Him, (John 10.10) is to fully follow His ways. Whole-hearted commitment makes it work, for if He is not Lord of all, He is not the Lord at all! The Bible tells us that there will be people who practiced the religion of Christianity apart from complete commitment who will find themselves puzzled about why their religion didn't produce the Life they expected. Here's how Jesus says it. "So...the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.
“Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.’
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock." (Matthew 7:19-25, NLT)
Friend, do a fruit inspection today! What kind of fruit is being produced by your life - evidence of the Christ life or evidence of the Self life? "...when we live God’s way He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." (Galatians 5:22-23, The Message) As surely as living apple tree will produce apples, a living Believer who is connected to the Vine, will produce spiritual fruit. If there is no fruit, then there is no life! If there is little, puny fruit the only answer is to connect to the One who gives us the life that produces the fruit. We do that by presenting ourselves to Him - every moment, every where, without reservation!
Is Jesus Christ the Lord of your life or just parts of your life? Are you fully committed to knowing, loving, and serving Him - responding with an instant 'yes,' whenever the Spirit calls? Or are you shutting Him out of certain areas of your life, closing the door to His leading?
We only can enjoy the full benefits of the Kingdom of God if we are fully resident in the Kingdom. It's really an all or nothing proposition.
_________________________
All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,
I surrender all.
Public Domain - Judson VanDeVenter
The Christian life is a series of interconnected choices and values. We cannot enjoy the power of God and the blessings promises without an integration of the life of the Spirit in our thoughts, words, and actions. Let me illustrate.
Love is an important part of what Jesus taught us about living in a way that pleases God. But if we want to please God and reap the benefit of a loving life, our love cannot be selectively practiced only when it is convenient or easy. God says that our love must function for the lovely and the unlovely, when we are rested and when we are fatigued, when we are full of peace and when we are under great stress.
Worship is a critical part of the Christian life. When we worship we 'connect' with God and the Spirit renews the inner person, strengthening us. Again, we cannot enjoy the full benefit of worship if we only worship on Sunday morning and 'forget' God on the Monday morning commute. We will not experience the steady flow of of the Spirit's renewal if we worship only when things go wrong, or when it's raining, or when there is no football game to attend, or... you get the point, right?
Tithing (generous giving of our resources to God's work) is a means of breaking the slavery to our 'stuff.' A person who learns to practice the discipline of giving (time and material!) gains a generous heart and a richer life. But, if he only gives when he has 'enough,' or only serves when he 'has the time,' he breaks the process that could transform his life. The whole principle of tithing and giving only produces the benefit of a generous life when it is consistently practiced all of the time. I could go on and on, but I hope you're getting the idea.
Perhaps you find my comparison of the Christian life to a machine jarring or even offensive, but the truth remains that the only way to enjoy "life to the full" which Jesus promises to those who follow Him, (John 10.10) is to fully follow His ways. Whole-hearted commitment makes it work, for if He is not Lord of all, He is not the Lord at all! The Bible tells us that there will be people who practiced the religion of Christianity apart from complete commitment who will find themselves puzzled about why their religion didn't produce the Life they expected. Here's how Jesus says it. "So...the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.
“Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.’
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock." (Matthew 7:19-25, NLT)
Friend, do a fruit inspection today! What kind of fruit is being produced by your life - evidence of the Christ life or evidence of the Self life? "...when we live God’s way He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." (Galatians 5:22-23, The Message) As surely as living apple tree will produce apples, a living Believer who is connected to the Vine, will produce spiritual fruit. If there is no fruit, then there is no life! If there is little, puny fruit the only answer is to connect to the One who gives us the life that produces the fruit. We do that by presenting ourselves to Him - every moment, every where, without reservation!
Is Jesus Christ the Lord of your life or just parts of your life? Are you fully committed to knowing, loving, and serving Him - responding with an instant 'yes,' whenever the Spirit calls? Or are you shutting Him out of certain areas of your life, closing the door to His leading?
We only can enjoy the full benefits of the Kingdom of God if we are fully resident in the Kingdom. It's really an all or nothing proposition.
_________________________
All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.
All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.
I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,
I surrender all.
Public Domain - Judson VanDeVenter
Friday, February 16, 2007
Tested, will you stand firm?
James wrote to us, "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides." (James 1:2, The Message) I want to embrace that command, but it is hard to do. Who likes hard times, those moments when questions are many and answers few? I am not talking about the 'mini-trials' that are common to life. We need to develop much greater patience when dealing with computers that don't work properly, cars that don't start, traffic that doesn't flow- but those are just life's normal headaches. The real tests are those things for which we have no explanations - chronic illness, people who break our hearts, etc. How do we reconcile our revelation of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and loving Father God with a life devastated by tragedy?
How does one rejoice when those on whom he leans let him fall?
How does feel joy when the pull of the flesh is so strong that failure seems imminent?
I'm still working that out! I imagine, in one way or the other, you are, too.
The story of Abraham's journey to Mt. Moriah is a model for me. [Genesis 22, if you would like to read it] In that chapter, God tells him to take his beloved son, Isaac, and to sacrifice him. That journey had to be the longest walk in his life! I tried to think of the emotions that he felt on the 2 day trip to the site.
Testing can cause us to feel CONFUSION. Don't you think Abraham was more than a little confused by a God who gives him a miracle son and then asks for him back about 12-15 years later?Testing can cause us to feel DOUBT. "God is that really your Voice? Why would You ask such a terrible thing?" I've wondered that more than once in my life when tested.
Testing can cause us to feel ALONE. That trip across the plains to the hills had to be one of the most lonely ones in Abraham's life. He even left his servant and traveled on with just Isaac. But how do you tell jokes and enjoy the company of a boy you're going to sacrifice tomorrow? But, I've learned that God often ministers to the deepest place in my life when I am feeling most alone and focused most intensely on Him.
Testing can cause us to feel THAT GOD IS UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS. When we feel abandoned by God, it is the most desperate feeling, especially for those who have loved Him intimately. When He asks the 'impossible' of us, we may cry out as His Son did, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Of course, He hasn't, but it can sure feel like it.
Testing can cause us to feel HOPELESS. Stand with Abraham on the top of that little hill called Moriah. Drag the rocks, one by one, into a heap called an altar, each one becoming heavier as you realize the moment of decision is imminent. Then ,raise the knife! The contents of your stomach rise in your throat. A sorrow beyond description wrenches sobs so violent from your body that you feel like you could die. Where are you, God?
Will you stay steady when the wind blows strong?
Will you obey when your natural self screams to take another way?
Hard questions, aren't they?
In those moments, we desperately hold onto the only hope that remains -- "If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13, NLT) Abraham had known the faithfulness of God through times when he failed. So, he trusted - not in his own righteousness, his own ability to please God - but in the faithfulness of God to keep him. And in this most intense trial, at just the critical moment, God revealed Himself as "Yahweh Yireh, the Lord, my Provider." Remember the story? Just as Abraham was about to take his son's life, he looked up and saw a ram caught in the bushes, a substitute sacrifice provided by God, Himself!
Paul repeats this phrase again and again in his letters to Believers - "Stand firm!" "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13, NIV)
"He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on everything we taught you both in person and by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and in his special favor gave us everlasting comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and say." (2 Thessalonians 2:14-17, NLT)
How does one rejoice when those on whom he leans let him fall?
How does feel joy when the pull of the flesh is so strong that failure seems imminent?
I'm still working that out! I imagine, in one way or the other, you are, too.
The story of Abraham's journey to Mt. Moriah is a model for me. [Genesis 22, if you would like to read it] In that chapter, God tells him to take his beloved son, Isaac, and to sacrifice him. That journey had to be the longest walk in his life! I tried to think of the emotions that he felt on the 2 day trip to the site.
Testing can cause us to feel CONFUSION. Don't you think Abraham was more than a little confused by a God who gives him a miracle son and then asks for him back about 12-15 years later?Testing can cause us to feel DOUBT. "God is that really your Voice? Why would You ask such a terrible thing?" I've wondered that more than once in my life when tested.
Testing can cause us to feel ALONE. That trip across the plains to the hills had to be one of the most lonely ones in Abraham's life. He even left his servant and traveled on with just Isaac. But how do you tell jokes and enjoy the company of a boy you're going to sacrifice tomorrow? But, I've learned that God often ministers to the deepest place in my life when I am feeling most alone and focused most intensely on Him.
Testing can cause us to feel THAT GOD IS UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS. When we feel abandoned by God, it is the most desperate feeling, especially for those who have loved Him intimately. When He asks the 'impossible' of us, we may cry out as His Son did, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Of course, He hasn't, but it can sure feel like it.
Testing can cause us to feel HOPELESS. Stand with Abraham on the top of that little hill called Moriah. Drag the rocks, one by one, into a heap called an altar, each one becoming heavier as you realize the moment of decision is imminent. Then ,raise the knife! The contents of your stomach rise in your throat. A sorrow beyond description wrenches sobs so violent from your body that you feel like you could die. Where are you, God?
Will you stay steady when the wind blows strong?
Will you obey when your natural self screams to take another way?
Hard questions, aren't they?
In those moments, we desperately hold onto the only hope that remains -- "If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself." (2 Timothy 2:11-13, NLT) Abraham had known the faithfulness of God through times when he failed. So, he trusted - not in his own righteousness, his own ability to please God - but in the faithfulness of God to keep him. And in this most intense trial, at just the critical moment, God revealed Himself as "Yahweh Yireh, the Lord, my Provider." Remember the story? Just as Abraham was about to take his son's life, he looked up and saw a ram caught in the bushes, a substitute sacrifice provided by God, Himself!
Paul repeats this phrase again and again in his letters to Believers - "Stand firm!" "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13, NIV)
"He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on everything we taught you both in person and by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and in his special favor gave us everlasting comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and say." (2 Thessalonians 2:14-17, NLT)
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Don't be gullible
A Puerto Rican man, Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda, 60, claims that Christ 'integrated' with him, that he is now the Living Lord on earth. So, big deal, right? Tragically, due to mental illness, there are a lot of people who suffer from religious delusions. But De Jesus is calculating, showing no apparent signs of delusions. He was raised a Roman Catholic, spent time in Pentecostal churches, and aligned himself with Baptist churches - all that before claiming to be the Lord. He is now using the title "Anti-Christ" because he says his teaching supersedes that of Jesus Christ! According to Newsweek, (2/5,2007 issue) despite his outlandish claims, at least 300 local churches (30 here in the USA, more in South America) and thousands of people follow his teaching, accept his bizarre claims, and give $millions to him. Even more amazing to me is the fact that many of his followers are drawn from evangelical and/or charismatic churches, Christians who should know better than to swallow his lies, but they are gullible!
Why? Many people want spirituality so badly, and at so little cost, that they will believe almost anything if someone promises them security, easy victory over sinful habits, or power to 'change' their lives! We all know that life is complex, problems are multiple, and suffering is ubiquitous. In that world comes a man who is articulate, charming, who knows how to tap into those deep longings for security and hope, yes, even to know God. He offers those who follow him a sense of purpose and place, appears serene, projects authority. And, with little discernment of his true motives, many are quite willing to follow him. De Jesus is not the first false Christ. It happens too often. Remember David Koresh and Jim Jones? They gathered followings and led their flocks to death! Too often people allow themselves to be gullible and follow a spiritual teacher without really knowing a thing about his character or even if he has a solid Biblical knowledge on which he bases his assertions. Quacks, charlatans, and frauds feed off of the universal longing for a utopia, often preying on those who are vulnerable because of family dysfunction, severe illness, or other situations that have ripped apart their lives.
I'm sure a few of you are wondering, "Jerry, isn't there hope for a new life through Christ? Don't you believe that God meets our needs and cares for us?"
I sure do, but not with quick fixes, simple slogans to answer tough questions, or through a Puerto Rican preacher who claims to be Jesus in the flesh today.
If we want to enter the Kingdom of God (to live in a way that God is in charge of our lives and cares for us) we do so by faith and obedience - steadily - and in community with other people who are pursuing Him with earnest love and devotion. Day after day, we confront sin in our lives and, taught by the Word, counseled by other Believers, and led by the Spirit we overcome, becoming holy as we are being filled with the Spirit of God. The Scripture demands that we "continue to work out our salvation, with reverence and awe...." A godly life, characterized by the evidence of the life of the Spirit, is a process, a costly one!
The Psalmist cautions against seeking quick fixes and easy solutions. He urges a consistent spiritual discipline and a wise choice of teachers. That is the way to find a rich life, he says.
"Blessed (living in a state of joy) is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish." (Psalm 1, NKJV)
Did you take note of how the Word of God characterizes these two ways of living?
Those who pursue God through consistent practice of spiritual disciplines are like TREES! Can you think of a better picture of something living that is strong and stable?
Those who are godless are like CHAFF, the hulls of grain that are worthless and without substance!
Want a spiritually fruitful life?
Dig deep, dear friend. Don't run here and there looking for the latest and greatest Bible teacher, the newest worship sound, or the church with the glitzy programs. Make your church great by becoming a true servant. Forget becoming mature in the things of God if you are unwilling to go through testing and trials that develop that maturity and faith. Build friendships with people who bring out the best in you, who hunger for God in the same way that you hunger for Him, then walk through life together! Don't pursue rewards, seek significance. And, don't be gullible.
Be like the Believers of Berean who are lauded by Luke because - "They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth." (Acts 17:11, NLT)
Why? Many people want spirituality so badly, and at so little cost, that they will believe almost anything if someone promises them security, easy victory over sinful habits, or power to 'change' their lives! We all know that life is complex, problems are multiple, and suffering is ubiquitous. In that world comes a man who is articulate, charming, who knows how to tap into those deep longings for security and hope, yes, even to know God. He offers those who follow him a sense of purpose and place, appears serene, projects authority. And, with little discernment of his true motives, many are quite willing to follow him. De Jesus is not the first false Christ. It happens too often. Remember David Koresh and Jim Jones? They gathered followings and led their flocks to death! Too often people allow themselves to be gullible and follow a spiritual teacher without really knowing a thing about his character or even if he has a solid Biblical knowledge on which he bases his assertions. Quacks, charlatans, and frauds feed off of the universal longing for a utopia, often preying on those who are vulnerable because of family dysfunction, severe illness, or other situations that have ripped apart their lives.
I'm sure a few of you are wondering, "Jerry, isn't there hope for a new life through Christ? Don't you believe that God meets our needs and cares for us?"
I sure do, but not with quick fixes, simple slogans to answer tough questions, or through a Puerto Rican preacher who claims to be Jesus in the flesh today.
If we want to enter the Kingdom of God (to live in a way that God is in charge of our lives and cares for us) we do so by faith and obedience - steadily - and in community with other people who are pursuing Him with earnest love and devotion. Day after day, we confront sin in our lives and, taught by the Word, counseled by other Believers, and led by the Spirit we overcome, becoming holy as we are being filled with the Spirit of God. The Scripture demands that we "continue to work out our salvation, with reverence and awe...." A godly life, characterized by the evidence of the life of the Spirit, is a process, a costly one!
The Psalmist cautions against seeking quick fixes and easy solutions. He urges a consistent spiritual discipline and a wise choice of teachers. That is the way to find a rich life, he says.
"Blessed (living in a state of joy) is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish." (Psalm 1, NKJV)
Did you take note of how the Word of God characterizes these two ways of living?
Those who pursue God through consistent practice of spiritual disciplines are like TREES! Can you think of a better picture of something living that is strong and stable?
Those who are godless are like CHAFF, the hulls of grain that are worthless and without substance!
Want a spiritually fruitful life?
Dig deep, dear friend. Don't run here and there looking for the latest and greatest Bible teacher, the newest worship sound, or the church with the glitzy programs. Make your church great by becoming a true servant. Forget becoming mature in the things of God if you are unwilling to go through testing and trials that develop that maturity and faith. Build friendships with people who bring out the best in you, who hunger for God in the same way that you hunger for Him, then walk through life together! Don't pursue rewards, seek significance. And, don't be gullible.
Be like the Believers of Berean who are lauded by Luke because - "They searched the Scriptures day after day to check up on Paul and Silas, to see if they were really teaching the truth." (Acts 17:11, NLT)
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Valentine's Day - Celebrate Love
Nothing in the world compares to love. Raise a child with genuine love and you give her the most important ingredient for a happy and successful life. Treat your spouse to unselfish love and you have built a foundation for a marriage that is full of joy. Teach people to love each other and a community of great strength emerges. Take away love and the world becomes a dark, grey place. Betray love and you will create a pain worse than that which comes from a terrible wound.
So what is this thing called love?
Our English language is not very specific about it. If we say we love ice cream, football, our wife, our son, or the Lord - the word means very different things, doesn't it? Love can be a sexual attraction, a wonderful surge of our God-given desire. Love can be an expression of the pleasure we feel when are doing something creative - as in, "I love to play the piano." Love can be a robust concern for people around us. A company of US Marines who are serving in combat conditions, who are ready to die for one another, probably wouldn't say that they are 'in love,' but their connection is undeniably a form of love!
Where does love come from?
Now, that is a mystery. Who can explain those emotions? I suppose psychologists could provide some logical reasons for what we call love. Physicians could explain the chemistry of our bodies and brains that are part of what we call love. But, ultimately love comes from our Creator. He made us to love and be loved. The Bible says that 'we love because He first loved us.' The Word also says that love is the primary evidence that the Spirit of God lives in us. "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." (1 John 3:10, NIV)
Love is a choice, a way of life we embrace when we are loved by God, in Christ Jesus.
Yes, of course, there is a love that is an emotion that seems to arrive from nowhere to surprise us. Infatuation leaves us breathless and can be more addictive than any drug on earth! But there is so much more to love than that. The Bible teaches us about it. This passage from the Scripture is familiar and you will be tempted to hurry through it today. Don't! Read it slowly, asking the Spirit of God to reveal the quality of love that He desires from you.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. -- 1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)
Much more than eloquence, more than emotion, strong and lasting - that is real love, modeled on God's love for us.
Today, I pray that you will know the Love of Jesus Christ and that His love will transform you - from the inside out.
It's Valentine's Day. Celebrate love - for God's sake.
So what is this thing called love?
Our English language is not very specific about it. If we say we love ice cream, football, our wife, our son, or the Lord - the word means very different things, doesn't it? Love can be a sexual attraction, a wonderful surge of our God-given desire. Love can be an expression of the pleasure we feel when are doing something creative - as in, "I love to play the piano." Love can be a robust concern for people around us. A company of US Marines who are serving in combat conditions, who are ready to die for one another, probably wouldn't say that they are 'in love,' but their connection is undeniably a form of love!
Where does love come from?
Now, that is a mystery. Who can explain those emotions? I suppose psychologists could provide some logical reasons for what we call love. Physicians could explain the chemistry of our bodies and brains that are part of what we call love. But, ultimately love comes from our Creator. He made us to love and be loved. The Bible says that 'we love because He first loved us.' The Word also says that love is the primary evidence that the Spirit of God lives in us. "This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." (1 John 3:10, NIV)
Love is a choice, a way of life we embrace when we are loved by God, in Christ Jesus.
Yes, of course, there is a love that is an emotion that seems to arrive from nowhere to surprise us. Infatuation leaves us breathless and can be more addictive than any drug on earth! But there is so much more to love than that. The Bible teaches us about it. This passage from the Scripture is familiar and you will be tempted to hurry through it today. Don't! Read it slowly, asking the Spirit of God to reveal the quality of love that He desires from you.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. -- 1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)
Much more than eloquence, more than emotion, strong and lasting - that is real love, modeled on God's love for us.
Today, I pray that you will know the Love of Jesus Christ and that His love will transform you - from the inside out.
It's Valentine's Day. Celebrate love - for God's sake.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Making God an Enemy
There are passages of Scripture that don't show up all that often in devotional literature and reading in public worship. We love read the verses that affirm the love of God and promise us His eternal care, as we should. Who does not love to hear, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish."? However, our understanding of the Almighty must not be limited to the 'nice' perspective. In a world full of evil, it is important to bring to mind that He is an awesome and terrible God and He will not be treated with contempt. In my readings in the minor prophets I came up one of those passages that made me shudder.
Nineveh was the royal city of the Assyrians, a cruel people who were extending their empire across the region. They had no regard for life. With their conquests, they grew wealthy and were the envy of many, but their status was bought with rivers of blood and unimaginable human suffering. Nahum, the Jewish prophet, prayed about the Assyrian threat and God spoke to him with this stunning word. I warn you - it is graphic! I am using The Message translation so you can get the impact of the prophet's revelation. "Doom to Murder City— full of lies, bursting with loot, addicted to violence!" (Nahum 3:1, The Message) “I’m your enemy, Whore Nineveh— I, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! I’ll strip you of your seductive silk robes and expose you on the world stage. I’ll let the nations get their fill of the ugly truth of who you really are and have been all along. I’ll pelt you with dog dung and place you on a pedestal: ‘Slut on Exhibit.’ Everyone who sees you will gag and say, ‘Nineveh’s a pigsty: What on earth did we ever see in her? Who would give her a second look? Ugh!’ ” (Nahum 3:5-7, The Message)
We need to read that and understand that God is still the same! Individuals and nations cannot ignore Him, treating His commands with contempt, and get away with it forever. Those who are arrogant in their sins will find themselves enemies of the Lord. Unless we are willing to accept that, the Cross of Christ makes little sense. If God overlooks sin, if He is a benign old chap unwilling or incapable bringing His Creation to justice, then why did Jesus die for our sins? "Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death." (Galatians 6:7-8, NLT) That word is not directed at our human frailties and weaknesses. We need not live in terror that we have somehow offended the Almighty God of Heaven each moment. What we must know is that if we persist in disobedience, ignoring the Scripture and the Spirit's inner voice, God will allow us to taste the bitterness of our sin.
That God can be roused to anger and that He can be made our enemy both comforts and frightens me! I am comforted by the knowledge that evil men who exploit others for their own pleasure, that nations who oppress others, will face a day of justice. I am frightened because I realize that I am a sinner, too. But my fear of the Lord drives me to the foot of the Cross of Christ. There I kneel humbly and receive grace, "and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies (me) from all sin." (1 John 1:7, NIV) Amazing love, wonderful grace, that God would love a sinner like me and charge my sin to the account of His Son.
Don't live arrogantly, ignoring His repeated invitations to live close to Him.Instead, turn quickly when the Spirit speaks, saying, "Yes, Lord." Be a friend of God!
"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." (John 15:14-16, NKJV)
Nineveh was the royal city of the Assyrians, a cruel people who were extending their empire across the region. They had no regard for life. With their conquests, they grew wealthy and were the envy of many, but their status was bought with rivers of blood and unimaginable human suffering. Nahum, the Jewish prophet, prayed about the Assyrian threat and God spoke to him with this stunning word. I warn you - it is graphic! I am using The Message translation so you can get the impact of the prophet's revelation. "Doom to Murder City— full of lies, bursting with loot, addicted to violence!" (Nahum 3:1, The Message) “I’m your enemy, Whore Nineveh— I, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! I’ll strip you of your seductive silk robes and expose you on the world stage. I’ll let the nations get their fill of the ugly truth of who you really are and have been all along. I’ll pelt you with dog dung and place you on a pedestal: ‘Slut on Exhibit.’ Everyone who sees you will gag and say, ‘Nineveh’s a pigsty: What on earth did we ever see in her? Who would give her a second look? Ugh!’ ” (Nahum 3:5-7, The Message)
We need to read that and understand that God is still the same! Individuals and nations cannot ignore Him, treating His commands with contempt, and get away with it forever. Those who are arrogant in their sins will find themselves enemies of the Lord. Unless we are willing to accept that, the Cross of Christ makes little sense. If God overlooks sin, if He is a benign old chap unwilling or incapable bringing His Creation to justice, then why did Jesus die for our sins? "Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death." (Galatians 6:7-8, NLT) That word is not directed at our human frailties and weaknesses. We need not live in terror that we have somehow offended the Almighty God of Heaven each moment. What we must know is that if we persist in disobedience, ignoring the Scripture and the Spirit's inner voice, God will allow us to taste the bitterness of our sin.
That God can be roused to anger and that He can be made our enemy both comforts and frightens me! I am comforted by the knowledge that evil men who exploit others for their own pleasure, that nations who oppress others, will face a day of justice. I am frightened because I realize that I am a sinner, too. But my fear of the Lord drives me to the foot of the Cross of Christ. There I kneel humbly and receive grace, "and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies (me) from all sin." (1 John 1:7, NIV) Amazing love, wonderful grace, that God would love a sinner like me and charge my sin to the account of His Son.
Don't live arrogantly, ignoring His repeated invitations to live close to Him.Instead, turn quickly when the Spirit speaks, saying, "Yes, Lord." Be a friend of God!
"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." (John 15:14-16, NKJV)
Monday, February 12, 2007
It's a life and death matter!
Hype - defined as 'exaggerated claims, overblown publicity' - turns me off. Whenever I sense that someone is 'hyping' the situation, I start looking for the door.
Politicians do it, claiming that if they are not elected the nation will perish in the next electoral cycle. It never does.
Preachers do it, urging the faithful to give and serve sacrificially, or else... well, there are all kinds of ways to finish that sentence with hype.
Salesmen do it. "Buy this car right now, 'cause I've got someone coming in to see later today, and they are ready to buy!" To which we ought to say, "Yeah, right!"
We're so accustomed to this kind of language, we take little that is said to us at face value.
So, when you see my opening line about a life and death matter, you probably discounted it as just more hype, right?
Believer, is is the truth. How you conduct yourself today is a life and death matter. Consider this word from the Scripture. "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? . . . Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 2:15-3:6, NIV) As we interact with people today, we are spreading the fragrance of God's Presence. To some we are a stench that reminds them of death and doom; to others we are the sweet smell of Spring and new life! What a responsibility. It is a life and death matter.
The Word quickly reminds us that we need not be overwhelmed for it is God in us that does the work. We cannot change anyone's eternal destiny but God, the Holy Spirit, Who lives in us, spills over and allows us to serve up the water of life in a dry and thirsty land. What a privilege; a real honor. Think of it, Believer; wherever you go today you can be like a drink of cool water to those who are dying of thirst. To be sure, some who are living in a spiritual desert will reject the water of life and to those people you will become an offense, a harbinger of the death that awaits. But that results from their choice, not yours. How I want to pour the Spirit's life into my world; how about you?
Don;'t mistake representing Christ with being religious! Religion serves up judgment and condemnation that makes people even more 'dead' to God. Last week our local newspaper reported on a group from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas who were planning a trip to our area (Easton, PA) to demonstrate at a soldier's funeral. This group of "Christians" (their claim, but not the way I'd describe them) has made it their mission to show up at various places where there have been tragedies to announce what they see as God's judgment on America. They wave hateful signs and yell about impending doom with rhetoric that is too disgusting to use in this TFTD. And they think they are doing God's work! This misguided group does not pour a refreshing drink of the Spirit. They offer a cup of religious sand to those who thirst. What a travesty. But that is what happens when we make the rules about serving God more important than the relationship we can have with God.
God does require holiness of those who follow Him. It is absolutely true that those who are 'in Christ' cannot live with impurity, greed, lust, gluttony, materialism, sensuality, hate ... controlling their lives. But it is not regulations that make us holy. It is knowing God, through Christ Jesus, that makes us "His holy people." Indeed, apart from knowing God, there is no possibility of holiness that pleases Him. Yes, Believers we are ministers of a new agreement with the God of Heaven, one that He wrote in the Blood of His Son, that fully releases us from the guilt and shame that once separated us from our Father. It is our job to point people to the Cross where they find forgiveness and reconciliation. "We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, “Be reconciled to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21, NLT)
That's what I mean about a 'life and death matter.'
Represent your King well, won't you? Prepare your mind and heart for this work by taking a few moments to soak up the Water of Life and then let it flow from you to those who need to be loved in God's Name.
When they ask the reason you're full of hope, that you have made a different choice to live for Heaven, tell them about the joy of knowing Jesus, who gives life - and that 'more abundantly!'
___________________
Here's a song I love. If you know, sing it! If not, just make it your prayer, as I do each day.
May we be a shining light to the nations,
A shining light to the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world sees the glory of Your name,
May Your pure light shine through us.
May we bring a word of hope to the nations,
A word of life to the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world knows
There's salvation through Your name,
May Your mercy flow through us.
May we be a healing balm to the nations,
A healing balm to the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world knows
The power of Your name,
May Your healing flow through us.
May we sing a song of joy to the nations,
A song of praise to the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world rings
With the praises of Your name,
May Your song be sung through us.
May Your kingdom come to the nations,
Your will be done in the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world knows
That Jesus Christ is Lord,
May Your kingdom come in us.
May Your kingdom come in us.
May Your kingdom come on earth!
-- Song For The Nations - Christensen, Chris - © 1986 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.) CCLI License No. 810055
Politicians do it, claiming that if they are not elected the nation will perish in the next electoral cycle. It never does.
Preachers do it, urging the faithful to give and serve sacrificially, or else... well, there are all kinds of ways to finish that sentence with hype.
Salesmen do it. "Buy this car right now, 'cause I've got someone coming in to see later today, and they are ready to buy!" To which we ought to say, "Yeah, right!"
We're so accustomed to this kind of language, we take little that is said to us at face value.
So, when you see my opening line about a life and death matter, you probably discounted it as just more hype, right?
Believer, is is the truth. How you conduct yourself today is a life and death matter. Consider this word from the Scripture. "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? . . . Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (2 Corinthians 2:15-3:6, NIV) As we interact with people today, we are spreading the fragrance of God's Presence. To some we are a stench that reminds them of death and doom; to others we are the sweet smell of Spring and new life! What a responsibility. It is a life and death matter.
The Word quickly reminds us that we need not be overwhelmed for it is God in us that does the work. We cannot change anyone's eternal destiny but God, the Holy Spirit, Who lives in us, spills over and allows us to serve up the water of life in a dry and thirsty land. What a privilege; a real honor. Think of it, Believer; wherever you go today you can be like a drink of cool water to those who are dying of thirst. To be sure, some who are living in a spiritual desert will reject the water of life and to those people you will become an offense, a harbinger of the death that awaits. But that results from their choice, not yours. How I want to pour the Spirit's life into my world; how about you?
Don;'t mistake representing Christ with being religious! Religion serves up judgment and condemnation that makes people even more 'dead' to God. Last week our local newspaper reported on a group from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas who were planning a trip to our area (Easton, PA) to demonstrate at a soldier's funeral. This group of "Christians" (their claim, but not the way I'd describe them) has made it their mission to show up at various places where there have been tragedies to announce what they see as God's judgment on America. They wave hateful signs and yell about impending doom with rhetoric that is too disgusting to use in this TFTD. And they think they are doing God's work! This misguided group does not pour a refreshing drink of the Spirit. They offer a cup of religious sand to those who thirst. What a travesty. But that is what happens when we make the rules about serving God more important than the relationship we can have with God.
God does require holiness of those who follow Him. It is absolutely true that those who are 'in Christ' cannot live with impurity, greed, lust, gluttony, materialism, sensuality, hate ... controlling their lives. But it is not regulations that make us holy. It is knowing God, through Christ Jesus, that makes us "His holy people." Indeed, apart from knowing God, there is no possibility of holiness that pleases Him. Yes, Believers we are ministers of a new agreement with the God of Heaven, one that He wrote in the Blood of His Son, that fully releases us from the guilt and shame that once separated us from our Father. It is our job to point people to the Cross where they find forgiveness and reconciliation. "We are Christ’s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, “Be reconciled to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:20-21, NLT)
That's what I mean about a 'life and death matter.'
Represent your King well, won't you? Prepare your mind and heart for this work by taking a few moments to soak up the Water of Life and then let it flow from you to those who need to be loved in God's Name.
When they ask the reason you're full of hope, that you have made a different choice to live for Heaven, tell them about the joy of knowing Jesus, who gives life - and that 'more abundantly!'
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Here's a song I love. If you know, sing it! If not, just make it your prayer, as I do each day.
May we be a shining light to the nations,
A shining light to the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world sees the glory of Your name,
May Your pure light shine through us.
May we bring a word of hope to the nations,
A word of life to the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world knows
There's salvation through Your name,
May Your mercy flow through us.
May we be a healing balm to the nations,
A healing balm to the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world knows
The power of Your name,
May Your healing flow through us.
May we sing a song of joy to the nations,
A song of praise to the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world rings
With the praises of Your name,
May Your song be sung through us.
May Your kingdom come to the nations,
Your will be done in the peoples of the earth;
'Til the whole world knows
That Jesus Christ is Lord,
May Your kingdom come in us.
May Your kingdom come in us.
May Your kingdom come on earth!
-- Song For The Nations - Christensen, Chris - © 1986 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.) CCLI License No. 810055
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