This Crazy World and other Disturbers of the Peace

Anxiety is stalking just about everybody in these turbulent times! Teenagers I counsel are less concerned with their pimples than the kind of world they will inherit in a few years. Apocalyptic headlines convince these tender souls that we stand on the brink of the world’s end. We don’t! Our battered economy has young parents anxious about how they will provide for their kids. They will find a way! We middle-aged people hear all the dire news about issues such as health or retirement funding and it makes our ‘golden years’ seem awfully grim! But, why?

Then, too, there is change everywhere! We know that change is good and necessary, but too much change, brought on too quickly, unsettles us, doesn’t it? I also know that some of my anxiety (maybe most!) is the result of the recent death of my father and the new realization of my own mortality. This adds a sense of urgency to each day that co-exists, paradoxically, with a kind of resignation to the now inescapable fact that sooner, rather than later, I will step off this merry-go-round called life.

As disciples of the Lord of Life, there is a promised blessing that we can and should take hold of for each day. That blessing is the ‘peace of God!’ The Bible urges us to choose serenity. Take a look. "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)

Peace results from choosing our Source! If we trust in ourselves, President Obama, or Goldman Sachs - anxiety will surely build. Why? Because these times have revealed the relative impotence of all of the above! But, we also know this: the Lord God is a Rock, "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17, KJV) Peace flows out of the certainty that He is able to care for us through each of the change points of our lives. Many Believers have not fully committed themselves to God because, to be honest, they do not REALLY trust Him.

I remember when I thought my Dad was bigger than life. When I was 4 or 5, I was convinced that Dad knew everything and could defeat any foe, any time, anywhere. When I was afraid, if Dad showed up, my fear evaporated immediately. Then, in adolescence, I discovered that he was not Superman. I began to understand that he, too, was sometimes afraid or uncertain. Things happened that he could not control regardless of his wisdom or strength. As an adult, I loved old Dad, but there were no illusions that he was a god.

Have you similarly ‘matured’ past child-like trust in your Heavenly Father? When we are 'new' in faith, we trust Him unquestioningly. With time, we go through experience when He seems distant. He disappoints us by apparently refusing to answer our prayers, at least in the way we want them answered. Such moments can cause us to lose faith in His ability to handle our lives and fear grows. Some of us become even more 'religious' thinking that IF we just do more to earn His gracious favor, we can 'make' Him do what we want Him to do.

The truth is that He is God - unchanging, faithful, omnipotent, omniscient, and loving. He is worthy of our child-like faith. With study of the Scripture and meditation on His wonderful works, elevate your understanding of who He is and what He does. A higher view of God, a revelation of His majesty, will deepen your faith. You will find a bedrock foundation of trust to keep you steady until the day when His kingdom is fully revealed on Earth. Until then, keep faith strong and make the choice to trust.

Lynn DeShazo captures the doubting, distressed Believer's confession perfectly in her great worship song -- Be Magnified.

I have made You too small in my eyes;
O Lord, forgive me;
And I have believed in a lie that You
were unable to help me.
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong,
Heal my heart and show Yourself strong;
And in my eyes and with my song,
O Lord, be magnified,
O Lord, be magnified.

I have leaned on the wisdom of men,
O Lord, forgive me;
And I have responded to them instead of
Your light and Your mercy.
But now, O Lord, I see my wrong,
Heal my heart and show Yourself strong;
And in my eyes and with my song,
O Lord, be magnified,
O Lord, be magnified.

Be magnified, O Lord,
You are highly exalted;
And there is nothing You can't do,
O Lord, my eyes are on You.
Be magnified, O Lord,
Be magnified.

© 1991 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055

Outrage of Sin!

Does sin make you angry? No, I don't mean do other people's sins personally offend you, as when someone lies about you or steals from you. That makes anyone upset! I mean when you see a report about a child being molested by a pervert, does it make you angry? When you see someone abused or oppressed because they are a different color does it make you angry? When you see what addictions have done to a family does it make you mad? Sin angers God and moved Him to send us a Deliverer, Jesus Christ. God anger is expressed, at this time, in amazing grace that reaches out to us with forgiveness and restoration best demonstrated in this: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NIV) By that death, He made life possible.

In the 11th chapter of John's Gospel, we find Jesus going to Bethany. Despite the request of Martha and Mary for Him to come and heal their brother, Lazarus, He waited and when He arrived the man was already dead four days. Naturally, He walked into a scene of great sorrow. What happened next is stunning. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. "Where have you put him?" he asked them. They told him, "Lord, come and see." (John 11:32-34, NLT)

Death was the ultimate result of sin! God is the Giver of Life, the Lover of Humanity, Light and Joy. Death is none of those things. As Mary and her friends surrounded Him that day, He got mad at sin and the Devil for all the suffering visited on people that God loved. The NIV says that Jesus was "deeply moved in His spirit." Yes, He was moved, but it was an anger not a deep grief about His friend, though that was how the crowd read His emotion that day.

Jesus went to the tomb and shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" and a dead man walked into the light, restored to life, the Lord of Glory demonstrating the power of God over sin and death! He had told Martha moments earlier,"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." (John 11:25, NIV)

Disciple, if we really believe Him, we move into Life, right now. We do not have to wait for Heaven to know eternal life! The Cross is the place where death died! The Tomb from which Jesus rose is testimony that sin is defeated! Don’t stay at the Cross, in a repetitive pattern of sin, forgiveness, sin again! Accept Resurrection Life! Be filled with the Spirit, alive to God, dead to sin!

"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)
_______________

Make a joyful noise!
Sing unto the Lord!
Tell Him of your love,
Dance before Him.
Make a joyful noise!
Sing unto the Lord!
Tell Him of your love,
Hallelujah!

In Him we live and move
And have our being,
In Him we live and move
And have our being.
　
In Him We Live
Randy Speir © 1981 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.)
CCLI License No. 810055

Here, with me!

What causes thousands of people to endure the inconvenience of standing in lines, the discomfort of sitting in stadium seats, and payment of an exorbitant rate for a ticket to get into a concert featuring their favorte artist? After all, the artist's music is available on a CD recorded to exacting standards. Why not just stay home and enjoy the songs? Because listening to a CD, even on a great system, does not equate to the experience of being in the presence of the artist, even if they are way up there on a stage in a stadium!

We are relational beings, created that way by a Relational Being! Unless we are damaged in some awful way, we want to be with other people; connecting, sharing life. Since Dad died a couple of months ago, I have made my way to his grave site several times. In some unconscious way, visiting that patch of ground is an expression of my longing for him, and each visit deepens my grief as I come to accept what I already know - he is beyond my reach. Sure I remember him, have pictures of him, but memories and pictures are no substitute for his presence!

Disciple, we need to experience the Presence of God! He must be more than an idea, more than a construct of our theology, known beyond the ritual of our religion. Throughout the Old Testament, God promised access to His Presence. The most tragic result of sin, Genesis tells us, was the break from knowing the Lord's Presence. Israel built their nation around the Tabernacle, where the Presence of God was symbolically living in the Holiest Place. Later, the Temple in Jerusalem became the locus of His Presence among His people.

David, when he sinned terribly, cried: "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:11, NIV) a cry repeated by those who have known the joy of walking near to the heart of God and then terror of being forsaken! The most wrenching cry of Jesus from the cross was: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46, NIV) as He carried the sin guilt of all humanity and was separated from His Father.

The sweetest promise Jesus makes to us is "surely I am with you always!" (Matthew 28:20) Disciples no longer need go to some holy place to find God's Presence. The Holy Spirit is with us, living in us for we are His temples!

Do you live in His Presence?　 Know this, we can grieve Him by living carelessly or sensually or without love! When we choose to go where He is not invited, we can lose the sweetness of knowing His Presence. Once you have known the joy of walking with God, living near to His heart, comforted and secure, the most powerful deterrent to willful disobedience is the knowledge that the Spirit will be grieved and the sense of His Presence lost!

Ponder this passage and then, faithfully live in the promise of His Presence. "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us." (1 John 3:19-24, NIV) _______________________

O Master, let me walk with Thee
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me Thy secret;
Help me bear the strain of toil,
The fret of care.

Teach me Thy patience still with Thee
In closer, dearer company,
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
In trust that triumphs over wrong.

In hope that sends a shining ray
Far down the future's broad'ning way,
In peace that only Thou canst give,
With Thee, O Master, let me live.

O Master Let Me Walk With Thee
Gladden, Washington / Smith, Henry Percy
© Public Domain

We Fall Down, We Get Up!

Bob Carlisle, best known for a song played at too many weddings about a Daddy's remembering his little girl's "Butterfly Kisses," wrote another song that isn't so sentimental called "We Fall Down." In it he describes a man who envies the monks who he imagines to live above the sins he experiences until he meets one of them outside of the monastery one day. The man tells him that monks are tempted and fall, too. "We fall down, we get up. 'Cause the saints are just the sinners who get up!"

Living 'in Christ' is not a life for those looking for the easy road! One of the Enemy's more effective lies is the one of comparison. "Look at him. He is so much better than you, he does not even struggle with sin any longer!" It is never true! There is no place and no one that has acheived sinless perfection this side of Heaven. A disciple who is growing in Christ will always deal with temptation, often severe, always deeply personal. For one it may be lust, for another greed, for another pride. As the Holy Spirit leads us along the Way, we do conquer temptations, but evil conspires to find another way to neutralize us. I do not wrestle with the same temptations today that I did 15 years ago! But, temptation is ever present and the war continues - sometimes raging, sometimes just a skirmish!

The Word reminds us that "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." (1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT) After all my years as a disciple and as a Pastor, I am very suspicious of the authenticity of anyone who claims they have found 'the secret' that allows them to live without any struggles with sin and/or temptation! Either they are self-deceived, lying, or they want to sell you something. The Word reminds us that "sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." (Genesis 4:7, NIV)

We defeat Self, Satan, and Systems of this World - not by our cleverness, nor by escape to some utopia - but by standing in the Truth of God's amazing grace in the middle of the war! -We know His love is deeper than our sin.
-We know that the Spirit is at work in us giving us the strength to stand.
-If we fall, we reach for Jesus' hand and get up, learning and growing from our failure.

Are you struggling today?
Is some temptation dancing in your mind?
Stand in Christ! Here's a word from the Word. It's the Truth. Hold onto it today."That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time- (remember, you've been raised from the dead!) - into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God." (Romans 6:12-14, The Message)

Listen to "We Fall Down" on YouTube. Click here! http://www.youtube.com/v/AXlfELlcdRM&hl

Our Jealous God

Marriages can die from neglect as surely as they can perish through infidelity or cruelty. Those who were once lovers will grow apart if they allow TV, sports, friends, work, or hobbies in first place, causing apathy! I love Bev, my wife, and want the very best for her - in every way. Apathy has no place in our relationship. Our covenanted love is too important for me to say, ‘Oh, whatever.’ Conflicts must be settled even when it would be easier in the short term to ignore them. Expectations must be defined and met; our marriage protected from people and things that try to come between us! Passion and apathy cannot co-exist!

Again and again, the Bible uses marriage to illustrate His relationship with His people; first the children of Abraham, now those who are in the Church through faith in Chris Jesus. And, we know that He is a husband who is involved. God loves you and me intensely. He is not apathetic towards us and is offended if we become indifferent towards Him. Moses told Israel: "You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you." (Exodus 34:14, NLT) Zechariah, a prophet at the time of the return of the exiles from the Babylonian captivity preached: "This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem!" (Zechariah 8:2, NLT)

About 30 years ago, the idea of an ‘open marriage’ was introduced. In such an arrangement, a couple gives permission to each other to take other lovers, to try to find what they do not have in their marriage in another person. What an idiotic idea. The idea of trying to keep a marriage alive in the truest sense while sharing body and heart with others not only defies the law of God, it defies common sense. Open marriage is simply immorality given a nice name and is a recipe for hurt, disappointment, and confusion.

In practicality, some Christians are in an open marriage with God! They claim His love and profess to love Him, but refuse to be owned by Him. They have other lovers. He will not tolerate this, disciple. Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence." (Matthew 22:37, The Message) Will you?

Here’s His promise, the promise of a loving Husband: "Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty. ... then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the Lord Almighty." (Malachi 3:12, NIV)

Listen up, dumb sheep!

I was feeling anxious, tempted by feelings of worthlessness last night. "Jerry, you are a failure," an inner voice whispered. Was it an evil spirit, the result of fatigue, or just an emotion? I don’t know. What I do know is that I have a choice in those moments. At one time I thought that I had no control over those thoughts, that the best I could do was endure them. That is wrong! I have learned that my mind can be re-directed, my thought patterns changed. If I choose to listen to the voice of the Lord, He will lead me out of my fears and away from sin, into joyful abundance.

Faith is both the gift of God and a choice I make. If I choose to listen to the clamor around me or the whispers that come in the darkness, I will grow fearful, or be tempted to run toward the allure of wealth, fame, or endless pleasure. But, if I choose to listen to the Shepherd’s voice, I will live in His promises. He says, "The sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ... Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. ... My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." (John 10:3, 9-10, NLT)

Sheep are not considered to be among the world’s more intelligent creatures! They need a shepherd to thrive. They are defenseless, dependent, and content to be led from pen to pasture. Generally, to be compared to a sheep, is an insult, isn’t it? But, I am in God’s flock, one of the sheep of His pasture, and I am glad to be identified in that way! I choose to make this Truth my paramount assurance. "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand."
(John 10:27-28, NIV)

Disciple, are you listening to the Shepherd’s voice?
Are you letting Him lead you to abundant life of His choosing as one of His sheep, or are you more like that independent creature that resists all boundaries, the goat?

Ask the Spirit to sharpen your hearing and listen up! Pray that the desire to live in your ways, to avoid submission, will die so the Shepherd can lead you with His voice. He will lead you to abundant life!
_________________

"The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

"Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever."
(Psalm 23:1-3, 6, NLT)

Bugged by Terminix®

One year ago after swarms of termites showed up in our house, we called the pest control firm. $1300 later, we were assured that our termites were history. They were not. Swarms re-appeared this past Sunday, much to Bev’s chagrin! The insects didn’t bug me as much as our wasted money. After a couple of calls to Terminix® a technician was sent out to take a look. What a difference between last year’s ‘service’ and this year’s! Last year, the tech took a quick look, put down some chemicals in a manner that then seemed to me somewhat slapdash, but I didn’t know enough to ask questions. This year, the tech came twice, once to re-treat the outside, and then again last night to do a thorough inspection inside, to treat the entry points, all as he explained what he was doing.

He made me think of a Scripture that urges every disciple to do the work of God with diligence,
"one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15, NLT) When you’re doing what you do as a Christian: leading a class, loving a person in need, serving a meal, praying for your family, singing a song, telling someone the ‘God-story’ of your life - do you do it wholeheartedly? Are you just ‘getting the job done’ so you can turn in your checklist, or are you working to make a difference?

My Terminix® guy is an African immigrant, from the country of Ghana. As we visited, following his work, I told him I thought he must be a Christian! He beamed and told me that he was and then he told about his conversion and his church. He eliminated pests in a way that was a credit to His Lord!

I hope that I live with the same commitment!
Paul addressed this to Christian slaves in the Roman Empire: "Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." (Ephesians 6:7, NLT) If slaves were given such a charge, I think all of us need to embrace this work ethic - in ministry and in our occupation!

Are you a credit to the Kingdom of Heaven? Think about it!
__________________

Work, for the night is coming,
Work thro' the morning hours.
Work while the dew is sparkling,
Work mid springing flowers.
Work when the day grows brighter,
Work in the glowing sun,
Work, for the night is coming,
When man's work is done.

Work, for the night is coming,
Work thro' the sunny noon.
Fill brightest hours with labor,
Rest comes sure and soon.
Give every flying minute
Something to keep in store.
Work, for the night is coming,
When man works no more.

Work For The Night Is Coming
Coghill, Annie L. / Mason, Lowell
© Public Domain

There are always weeds.

Spring is here, and I am glad. Longer days, warm sunshine, green grass - yes! I put the snowblower in storage and hung up the snow shovels. I fired up the lawn mower and got out the rake. Both will be needed in my yard this week. It is a glorious time of year. But, it's not heaven. There are always weeds!

Let me repeat that - there are always weeds! Weeds are the perfect metaphor for sin, aren't they? They grow uninvited. They are persistent. They must be dug out including the roots. They mar the beauty of the lawn or garden. They flourish without fertilizer or rain. Anybody can grow a weed patch.

Disciple, in your heart, there are always weeds! After a glorious Easter worship service, after an inspiring spiritual retreat, in the afterglow of a sweet time in prayer, when great advances for the Kingdom of God are being made - the weed seeds are germinating. Paul speaks of "the temptation that is common in the human experience." 1 Corinthians 10.13 Peter reminds us of the ubiquity of the trials of life saying, "Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you." (1 Peter 4:12, NLT) There are always weeds!

In the opening chapters of the Bible, we are told of God's amazing creative acts: all the wonder, amazing beauty, and Eve! Of it all, He said, "It is very good!" Then, Adam and Eve made the choice of disobedience and the tone changes. The evening walks with God became 'hide and seek' as the guilty pair tried to avoid His piercing gaze. And, there are weeds! "The ground will sprout thorns and weeds, you'll get your food the hard way, Planting and tilling and harvesting." (Genesis 3:18, The Message)

Until Heaven, we must deal with the weeds. We cannot surrender to them or give over the garden of our heart to them. If we desire a life that is filled with the ripen, beautiful fruit of the Spirit, we will have to work with God to weed out sin! Is it easy? No. Is it ever done? Sadly, no.
However, He does not leave us to deal with the weeds of life alone. Here's a word from the Word.

As you meditate on His promise, may you be strengthened to go and deal with the weeds.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
________

O land of rest, for thee I sigh!
When will the moment come
When I shall lay my armor by
And dwell in peace at home?

We'll work till Jesus comes,
We'll work till Jesus comes,
We'll work till Jesus comes,
And we'll be gathered home.

To Jesus Christ I fled for rest;
He bade me cease to roam,
And lean for comfort on His breast
'Till He conduct me home.

I sought at once my Savior's side;
No more my steps shall roam.
With Him I'll brave death's chilling tide
And reach my heav'nly home.

We'll work till Jesus comes,
We'll work till Jesus comes,
We'll work till Jesus comes,
And we'll be gathered home.
- public domain

So, What Now?

So, there is this big build-up to Easter! Our Christian hope reaches full crescendo in the declaration that "Christ is risen!" with the response, "Risen, indeed!" Now it’s time to ask, what difference will all those songs and sermons make today? If I really believe what I say I believe I have set the cornerstone for a transformed life.

Paul, heard the commission of the Resurrected Jesus to ‘go and preach the Good News of the Kingdom.' For him that was no ‘nice thought for Sunday’s reveries.' It was the compelling factor that shaped life- day by day. He asks, "And why do you think I keep risking my neck in this dangerous work? I look death in the face practically every day I live. Do you think I'd do this if I wasn't convinced of your resurrection and mine as guaranteed by the resurrected Messiah Jesus? .... Not on your life! It's resurrection, resurrection, always resurrection, that undergirds what I do and say, the way I live. If there's no resurrection, "We eat, we drink, the next day we die," and that's all there is to it. But don't fool yourselves. Don't let yourselves be poisoned by this anti-resurrection loose talk. "Bad company ruins good manners."

Think straight. Awaken to the holiness of life. No more playing fast and loose with resurrection facts. Ignorance of God is a luxury you can't afford in times like these." 1 Corinthians 15:32-34 The Message

Disciple, you will be tempted and tested, probably before this day is over, to lower your sights and live for earthly appetites. Paul describes that way of life: "Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth." (Philippians 3:19, NLT)

Food, sex, experiencing pleasure, owning things - nothing is wrong with those IF they are in the right order of life. Holding our spouse in our arms is a gift of God. Enjoying a feast of good food, having resources available to buy things that make our lives more comfortable -- these are good and for them we should give thanks while we are able to enjoy them. Misery for misery's sake is foolish. However, if make these blessings into the meaning of life, we are bowing to a false god who cannot give us life nor if we are in love with our appetites, will we faithfully do the will of our Risen Christ.

Hum the tunes to the songs you sang in church yesterday throughout this day! Keep asking yourself -
"- would I make this choice if ...
- would I say this if ...
- would I be getting upset right now if ...
- would I be putting so many energies into this matter if ...
- would I think this was really important if
...I really believed that I am sharing the Resurrection Life of Christ Jesus?"

_____________________

Sweet Jesus Christ, my sanity.
Sweet Jesus Christ, my clarity.

Bread of heaven, broken for me,
Cup of salvation held up to drink.
Jesus, Mystery.

Christ has died and Christ is risen,
and Christ will come again!

Celebrate his death and rising;
Lift your eyes, proclaim his coming!
Celebrate his death and rising;
Lift your eyes, lift your eyes!

Christ has died, and Christ is risen,
and Christ will come again!
Sweet Jesus Christ, my sanity.
Sweet Jesus Christ, my clarity.

Mystery
Charlie Hall, copyright 2008 Worshiptogether Music

Soak it up!

Since my Dad died, I am trying to slow down and smell the flowers a bit more. Spending a year with a man whose cancer gradually reduced him to total helplessness, made me realize that most of what I was doing with my life, though good and even efficient, is not going to matter all that much when they close the lid on my coffin someday! But, people will remember the conversations, the real interest in who they are, investments of time and love, so I’m slowing....

And, for a man who is driven by nature, who likes to ‘get things done,’ that’s not as easy as it sounds. For example, a year ago, if someone had suggested to me that I should have an Irish Setter in my house, I would have laughed! I would have told you, “I don’t have time for that!” Now, I have a dog and yes, she demands time. However, I think I’m a better man for making the time to love a dog!

Disciple, do you know how to love Jesus Christ?
Does your practice of Christianity include time to love Him, or is it primarily functional?
Are you getting all the right things done - going to church, praying as you ready yourself for each new day, catching a few moments in the Bible here and there, giving regularly to the church - and yet missing out on knowing Him?

We sing, “what a friend we have in Jesus,” but I do not think most of us understand what that requires of us. We speak of worship, but again, most of us make quick work of our so-called acts of devotion, as though loving Him were a matter of working through a checklist. Even our so-called ‘worship services’ are governed by time consciousness. May I suggest that we need to slow down and learn to love Him more deeply?

Let me urge you to think less about doing something and more about just being with Him! When your eye catches a beautiful sight today - a mother loving her baby, a bird on the wing, the sun’s rays refracted into a rainbow, a smile from a child - instead of rushing past that, take a moment to thank the Lord for His gift! When you worship, privately or in a church service, be fully present and focused. This weekend the Christian world remembers the love of our Savior. We remember the Cross where the Son of God became sin for us. We remember the empty Tomb, the door of hope for all of us. Soak it up! Don’t rush past these things. Ponder them. Stop what you’re doing long enough to hear the Spirit’s whisper. Let God love you, and He will.

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:5-8, NIV)
___________

A friend of Jesus! Oh, what bliss
That one so weak as I
Should ever have a Friend like this
To lead me to the sky!

A Friend when life’s short race is o’er
A Friend when earth is past,
A Friend to meet on Heaven’s shore,
A Friend when home at last!

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

- Joseph Ludgate, 1898, public domain

I know this, I once was blind, now I see!

When I drive my Miata with the soft top up there is a blind spot just over my left shoulder that can make lane changes hazardous! Just a few degrees of my peripheral vision is obscured but it is enough to hide a car overtaking me. Knowing this, I am extra cautious, adjusting my position and double checking my mirror before moving into the passing lane. It took a couple of near misses to educate me about this blind spot, thankfully with nothing more than my pride damaged by the rude gestures and blasts of the horn from the drivers I'd just cut off!

There is another kind of blind spot that is even more troublesome, that which obscures some part of our spiritual vision! Jesus engaged with religious leaders while He walked this earth who simply would not see the Truth He brought. Of them, He said, "They look, but they don't really see. They hear, but they don't really listen or understand." (Matthew 13:13, NLT) They were dealing with big blind spots, created by their traditions, their assumptions, and their pride. Nothing, it seemed, could open their eyes, not even direct challenges, not even miracles!

In John 9, we read a story of a man blind from birth that Jesus healed. What should have been cause for rejoicing brought about a crisis for the Pharisees. If they acknowledged the miracle, they would have to reassess their conclusions about Who Jesus really was. So, they chose to attack the man. "Who healed you?" they probed. "I don't know," he replied. When pressed by the board of inquiry to denounce Jesus as a `sinner,' the man grew bold. Take a look. "I don't know whether he is a sinner," the man replied. "But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!" (John 9:25-26, NLT)

Are you open to God's leading, ready to acknowledge His work even when you don't fully comprehend what He's doing? Are you willing to consider that He can operate outside of your preconceptions without asking your permission? I am not suggesting that we become foolish or gullible!

Discernment is a spiritual gift, one that is very important. However, it is simple to confuse discernment with prejudice! Prejudice, as the word's appearance suggests, means that we have prejudged a situation or a person before giving them consideration, before listening to all of the facts. When Jesus returned to the man He had healed of blindness, He found a person ready to consider His claims to be God's Son, the Savior. The Gospel says that the man believed and worshipped Him. The Pharisees, on the other hand, refused the evidence! "We are disciples of Moses. We know God spoke to Moses!" and with that, they dismissed the possibility that they could revere Moses and see that Jesus was the fulfillment of the First Covenant of the Law.

The chapter closes with a terrible indictment. "Jesus said, "If you were really blind, you would be blameless, but since you claim to see everything so well, you're accountable for every fault and failure."" (John 9:41, The Message) In other words, if you were truly ignorant, God would not harshly judge you, but since you're determined to live without letting anyone, including Me, point out your blind spots, you bring judgment down on your own heads!

Disciple, be open to the work of the Spirit!

In this season when we remember and celebrate Resurrection Life, live in it! Let God lead you to new discoveries of Who He is, what He is doing, where He is leading. It has been said that the seven deadliest words are "We've never done it that way before." Tradition is great. We derive stability in life by drawing on the experiences of the past. But, if we only focus on yesterday, resisting all things new, we will certainly develop blind spots about God's work right here, right now. That blindness will lead to death. Near the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus wept over Jerusalem. "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Murderer of prophets! Killer of the ones who brought you God's news! How often I've ached to embrace your children, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you wouldn't let me." (Matthew 23:37, The Message)

May He never weep over us because we have turned away from His offer of Life.

Iowa, Vermont - gay marriage! Now what?

Last week’s news out of Des Moines was a shocker. A unanimous court declared that Iowa’s law banning same-sex marriage unconstitutional and the judges opened the door for homosexuals to wed. Yesterday Vermont’s legislature over-rode the governor’s veto and put that state on the map as the fourth state in the United States to make marriage available to same sex couples. I am surprised that so many Christians are surprised! I think we’ve only seen the foreword of the story yet to be written in this land. The authority of the Scripture and reverence for the Truth are lost in our country.

God, for the majority of Americans, is now a Sunday hobby enjoyed on the occasional holiday. God as a Reason for living, God as the Source of Law, God as Creator, Jesus Christ as the Revealer of Truth and only Savior – no longer exists, for a significant percentage even among those who go regularly to a church. Thus, we have become a nation of secular humanists, some of whom wear a thin veneer of religiosity. The late Francis Schaeffer warned of this tsunami of social change all the back in the 1980’s. Most of the time, for most Americans, God is isolated from commerce, law, and public policy, though He is given a nod as a unifying Tradition, useful in times of crisis.

Romans 1, written in another time, is an apt description of 21st century America. "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done." (Romans 1:25-28, NIV)

Disciple, we can wring our hands and bemoan our loss of majority status, or we can do what true Christ-followers have done in other times and cultures: be faithful to our calling! That calling is not to power, but to service. Consider Jesus’ own words. "Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves." (Luke 22:25-27, NLT)

A spiritual awakening will not come from hateful speech, attacks on certain groups of ‘sinners,’ or demonstrations with signs demanding change in laws or courts. The government will never be the Church, especially in a democracy where policies are shaped by ‘leaders’ who are elected only if they can appeal to the greater numbers of people. I believe is it is time that we abandon the quest to own the government with the hope of making America a “Christian nation” and recover our divine mandate to be the “Christian church.” It is time for the church to return to her high and unique calling to be the “Body of Christ.” When we are the ‘salt and light’ that Jesus commissioned us to be, we will influence the culture and the laws as we should.

Jesus and His disciples had no access to government power structures and yet, they changed the world! They did it despite persecution and oppression. Their holy lives and passion for the weak, the poor, and those who were enslaved by sin allowed the Holy Spirit to work through them to bring about a transformed world – one life at a time. This, disciple, should be our goal, as well.

How?
Our minds must be trained to think Biblically, our lives oriented to the Cross of Christ.
Our hands must be yielded to service, obscure and forgotten except in Heaven.
Our wealth must be invested in the true temples of the Spirit – men and women – not in huge complexes that mostly exist to feed our need for respectability or comfort! When Jesus Christ is our passion, when we treat sinners like He did – dying for them instead of attacking them – perhaps our doctrines will be credible once again, first to our own children.
__________

Lord, the light of Your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness shining;
Jesus, Light of the World, shine upon us;
Set us free by the truth You now bring us.
Shine on me, shine on me.

Lord, I come to Your awesome presence.
From the shadows into Your radiance;
By the blood I may enter Your brightness,
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness.
Shine on me, shine on me.

As we gaze on Your kingly brightness,
So our faces display Your likeness;
Ever changing from glory to glory,
Mirror'd here, may our lives tell Your story.
Shine on me, shine on me.

Shine, Jesus, shine.
Fill this land with the Father's glory;
Blaze, Spirit, blaze.
Set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow.
Flood the nations with grace and mercy;
Send forth Your Word,
Lord, and let there be light.

Shine, Jesus, Shine
Kendrick, Graham© 1987 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services)
CCLI License No. 810055

Skubalon!

(What follows is not original with me. The material was originally ‘inspired’ by an editorial written by Alan Nelson, then a pastor in Arizona. If this CWTW offends you, please know I'm not sending it to be mean or to be cute, though I will plead guilty to an attempt at truth wrapped in humor! There is a point buried in it ... which just might stick, if you'll read all the way to the end! When my son told me about his encounter with ugly religious pride this past weekend, I could only think 'skubalon!' )

Can you say the vulgar word for "manure" if you're a pastor? I didn't think so...
OK, so I'll use the Biblical term, "skubalon." (pronounced, skoo- ba - lon) (Dung, if you want to look it up.)

You might say I have a Ph.D in the stuff-- yeah, piled high and deep-- 'cause I grew up on a farm where I scooped tons of it into the wagon that carried it to fertilize our fields. I just had no idea I'd have to scoop so much of it as a pastor! Here's what I mean.
*I get a whiff of skubalon during meetings I attend when a personal agenda overtakes God's agenda.
*The distinct odor drifts out of notes from people who are angry over this or that in their church.
*During most conversations that include the famous line - "Pastor, God is leading us to another church," I start looking around for a shovel for the skubalon is about to pile up.

One of the big problems with church is that we spend way too much time trying deny or sanctify skubalon instead of seeing it for what it is and just shoveling it out the door. In many places the wonderful treasure of the Gospel get buried in it and the sweet fragrance of Christ is obscured by the stench of selfishness and self-righteousness coming out of the church. We need to call it what it is.
When we over-react, let's just call it skubalon, instead of making excuses for ourselves.
When we are trying to impress someone with our overblown story or tragic tale, somebody needs to sneeze, “skubalon!” and bring us back to our senses and the truth.
When pettiness and political pomp are hindering real progress we need to send for the skubalon wagon to haul it away so God's work can continue unhindered by phoniness.

Ultimately, it doesn't matter what you call it. If it looks like skubalon, smells like skubalon... more than likely - it is skubalon.Yes, it is true that skubalon happens! That's life. But ignoring it, renaming it, or even playing around with it in conversations or gripe sessions, just isn't right! Identify it. Clean it up, and move on. Ever been drawn into a conversation where the ministry of another person is being coated with critical comments that stink like skubalon? Did you stop it or nod in agreement, piling it on? Ever been part of a gripe session where somebody's skubalon was hurled at at undeserving leader, just because for personal reasons?

Of course, I will be the first to admit to the need for the golden rule principle in this discussion. I've flung more than my fair share of skubalon from time to time; and I repent for letting myself deal in such base stuff! It's kind of difficult to point out the pile in your front yard when mine is stinking under the sunshine, but.... if we all commit to telling the truth and start to deal with the skubalon in our lives, the world will be a better place.

From the summit of Mt. Midlife, my skubalon detector has become more sharply honed. I am told that the Busters (born between 1965- 1980) and the Millennials (born in the 80's and 90's) have particularly keen skubalon detection skills and that if we are not willing to be authentic, they are quite willing to discard our Christian faith as so much skublaon, and they will head for the door of our church without looking back! They quickly see when somebody's position, power, or prestige has become more important than the truth, than Jesus' will, or loving people! They will shake the skubalon off their feet. Tragically, they often turn their backs on the Truth, too.

Jesus has a word for those who let the stink of the skubalon in their lives drive others away from Him and His community: "if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck." (Matthew 18:6, NLT) Lest you think that I've become overly coarse, let me share what Paul, the Apostle, wrote. He apparently had little tolerance for skubalon after his transformational meeting with Jesus Christ on the road to Damacus. He wasn't polite in his description of his B.C. (Before Christ) days. Here's what he wrote-- "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung (yes, the word in the Grk, NT is skubalon!), that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." (Philippians 3:6-9, KJV)

Just in case you're having a little trouble with the old English... here's the heart of that passage from The Message. "Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant-dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him."

The glorious Truth is that God, the Spirit, offers a powerful disinfectant to us that can rid us of even the odor of skubalon in our lives! We don't have to live in lies, traffic in deception, or serve self any longer. Because we are powerfully loved, we can face the truth even when it stinks! Once we call the stinky mess what it really is, God can help us deal with it effectively!

Here's a word from the Word. This Holy Week, take time to think it through, to let the Truth sink deeply into your mind. "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1-4, NKJV) There is freedom from the stink of sin offered by Christ. It’s no deodorant! He cleans out the skubalon and makes us new, if we allow Him to. Let's breathe the fresh clean air that is blown into our lives by the Holy Spirit and the glory of the Gospel, the beauty of Jesus, and the power of the Spirit will become evident to all who see what God has done!
_____________
We bow our hearts,
We bend our knees.
Oh Spirit, come make us humble.
We turn our eyes
From evil things,
Oh Lord, we cast down our idols.

Give us clean hands,
Give us pure hearts.
Let us not lift our souls to another.
Give us clean hands,
Give us pure hearts.
Let us not lift our souls to another.

Give Us Clean Hands
Hall, Charlie © 1997 Generation Productions
CCLI License No. 810055

Let’s be careful out there!

Way back in the 1980’s, I was a fan of “Hill Street Blues,” a police drama set in the gritty urban streets of America. Just before dismissing his men from the roll call at the beginning of their shift, Sgt. Esterhaus would say, “Let’s be careful out there!” Disciple, you’re headed out to work today where most of you will spend 8-10 hours with people that are without a love for God, materialistic, and focused on this present world. We need not fear that world. In fact that would be a mistake, since we are called to bring His Light to dark places. We will not fulfill that mission unless we leave our safe places! And yet, we need to be careful out there.

The Scripture says, "Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm." (Ephesians 6:10-13, NLT)

Disciple, God wants you to be different – not odd, not weird for weirdness’ sake – but distinct from those who are godless! We are owned by Him, representing Him, making Him known! Jesus reminds us of the unique calling we have: “You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage." (Matthew 5:13, The Message) We bring love to places full of hatred. We bring peace into confusion. We live purposefully among people who ‘wander in darkness.’ We care for those considered worthless.

But, there is always a risk, if we fail to practice spiritual disciplines that invite the inflow of the Spirit’s renewal, growing sloppy about our high calling. "Watch yourself, or you also may be tempted." (Galatians 6:1, NIV)

Let me urge you at the beginning of this Holy Week, to renew your commitment to the call of God. Intentionally, prayerfully, present yourself to the Lord before you engage your world. Ask Him to keep your heart and mind aware of His Presence, to lead you to those who are hungry for God. Begin to pray for one or two with whom you spend hours each day, asking the Spirit to build a bridge through you. And, remember, we have a real Adversary who doesn’t fight fair, so let’s be careful out there!
_______

I know not why God's wondrous grace
To me He hath made known;
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me.
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

But "I know whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I've committed,
Unto Him against that day."

I Know Whom I Have Believed
Whittle, Major Daniel W. / McGranahan, James
© Public Domain

Sex crazed?

Almost daily our local newspaper carries reports of crimes of a sexual nature. Today's edition reported three sex crimes in just our local area; a 60 year old township leader accused of sexually assaulting a 19 year old woman, a father of high school age kids encouraging students to party at his home where he built a room called 'the cave' in which he encouraged teens to have sex, and a 21 year old female student teacher engaging in sexual contact with a boy in her 6th grade class. Anybody who has spent 10 minutes on the Internet knows that pornography is just a click away and is one of the 'net's big money makers. At a Christian men's conference I attended a couple of weeks ago, two sessions were devoted to the whole issue of sexual temptation that so easily turns into self-destructive behavior for far too many men. So, what's up with this? Are we a sex-crazed society?

Yes, and I blame, in part, the Church for a sorry, incomplete teaching about this part of human nature. The extent of the message that many Christians have heard is "Don't!" Sex, if spoken of at all, is usually wrapped in dire warnings of disease, debauchery, and disgust! Have we forgotten that God created us as sexual beings and that He made this part of our humanity a powerful bonding experience? Read the Song of Solomon lately? It is an erotic poem, part of the Holy Scripture. In it, God celebrates the love of a man and a woman including their physical longings for each other. Genesis reminds us, 'male and female, He created them.' Our Creator invested the pleasure of sexuality with the power of procreativity, linking the two in a way that keeps a man and woman together to raise the children they bring into the world.

Yes, our sexuality is a powerful drive and if not properly understood, given the right context, and governed with self-discipline; it will control us and lead us into all kinds of deviant and destructive behaviors. That is why the Word is not vague in telling God's people to avoid filthiness, to run from promiscuity, and to stay in love with their spouse! Could the Scripture be more explicit than this? "Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. ... Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love." (Proverbs 5:18-20, NLT)

To simply proclaim prohibition will set up God's people for failure! We need to celebrate marriage, teach men and women how to really love each other including physical intimacy that is life-long and satisfying. The Word directs us to keep intimacy alive in our marriages, a very practical instruction. In a frank recognition of our sexuality, Paul wrote these inspired words: "It's good for a man to have a wife, and for a woman to have a husband. Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder. The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality-the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband. Marriage is not a place to "stand up for your rights." Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out." (1 Corinthians 7:1-4, The Message)

Husband, are you loving your wife? Are you continuing to woo her with your words, your attention, your gentleness? "Husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. ... As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." (Ephesians 5:28, 31, NLT) Wife, are you responsive to your husband, returning his love and finding your fulfillment in him?

Admittedly, we live in a fallen world that tries to steal away God's gifts. The world, the flesh, and the Devil conspire to rob us of the joy of intimacy, to make us slaves of that part of us which we must master! But, even our sexuality can be made holy! Yes, it should. Along with our whole being, we must bring this part of our lives to Christ and ask Him to teach us how to be whole and holy. When Christians reclaim sexuality from the gutter, restore it to a place of honorable celebration within the context of their marriage, they will find themselves equipped to deal with a sex-crazed culture, able to say, "Yes" to God's plan and "No" to that which would lead to sin and death.

As you go out today, remember your high and holy calling. Here's a word from the Word to take with you. "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes-these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God." (Ephesians 5:1-5, NLT)

"Carefully determine what pleases the Lord." (Ephesians 5:10, NLT)

Paternity test!

Following in Dad’s steps as a pastor has it’s pluses and minuses! Being the pastor of the church where I grew up – definitely interesting! But, more and more, as I age, I hear from people, “You remind me of your Dad.” There are a few physical similarities as a result of his DNA, but their references are aimed more at things I do. Some phrase or mannerism makes people think of him, the shadow of his influence showing in my words or action. Mostly I hope I show the same love of people and the Lord, two powerful forces that drove my Dad in his life. The basic fact is this: I don’t need a test to establish his paternity! It’s obvious to any who knew Pastor Scott, Sr. that I am his son.

Jesus confronted the religious leaders of His time who attacked Him and resisted His teaching by telling them that He knew their father! They were proud of their heritage as children of Abraham, the father of the faithful, but Jesus told them they were illegitimate children, their true father was not who they thought. As one might expect, His words provoked fury. Take a look.
“If you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.” Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. … For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does." (John 8:39-42, 44, NLT)

Disciple, to whom do your actions and values point?
Whose ‘fathering’ influence is effecting the way you live?

The Word tells us that God’s true children are ‘born again,’ fathered a second time. "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God." (John 1:12-13, NIV) The Holy Spirit mysteriously enters our being and begins a process of transformation; changing our nature, our values, our conversation, and it becomes obvious to observers Who our Father is. Just as I don’t have to consciously work to be like my Dad, no true child of God will have to work it up, either. If He lives in us, the truth of our spiritual paternity will be obvious.

Here’s a word from the Word to ponder today. “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike." (Matthew 5:43-45, NLT)

May it be said of you always – “You’re just like your Father!”

And remember, a rich inheritance awaits the children of the Heavenly Father; provision for the present and promise for eternity. "Do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." (Luke 12:29-31, NIV)
______________

Great is Thy faithfulness,
Oh God, my Father.
There is no shadow of turning
With Thee.
Thou changest not,
Thy compassions they fail not.
As Thou hast been,
Thou forever will be!

Great is Thy faithfulness.
Great is Thy faithfulness.
Morning by morning,
New mercies I see.
All I have needed,
Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness,
Lord, unto me.

- Public domain

Finding God

Rabbi Naomi Levy repeats the story about a young boy who went into the woods day after day. When his Dad noticed this pattern he inquired, “What do you go out to the woods every day?” The son said, “I go there to find God.” The father, whose theology was sound, corrected the boy, “But, don’t you know that God is the same everywhere?” The boy’s wisdom was apparent in his reply: “Yes, Dad, but I am not the same everywhere!” – To Begin Again

We are renewed by God’s Presence, aren’t we? Worship is one of the key factors in the development of spiritual maturity. Finding ways to connect with Him is the challenge. The spiritual love language that each of us speaks is very different. I am by nature a contemplative. My best times of worship require solitude and quietness. For example, last night, Bev was in our home office, working. I was alone in the living room. There, in the quiet, I found myself touched, moved deeply by the Spirit, aware that I had come near to the heart of God. I know others who experience His Presence as they dish out meals to the poor. Still others experience His renewal as they listen to the majestic compositions of Bach. Yet others worship deeply when they are shouting and dancing in a Pentecostal revival! One place is not better than another. That is where we go wrong! We tend to think that our worship language should be the way that all come near to Him.

Gary Chapman, in his well-known marriage book, explains the five love languages that are common to humans.
Some thrive on words of affirmation.
Others are moved by spending quality time together sharing experiences.
Still others are responsive to acts of service feeling loved when their spouse washes their car.
Then, there are those who experience love when they receive gifts.
Many (especially men!) speak the love language of physical touch.
A wise spouse learns the primary love language of his mate and speaks it often, even if it is not his innate way to show or experience love.

So, too, a mature disciple learns multiple spiritual love languages so that she can experience the Presence of God in the woods or at the mall; alone in the middle of the night or among the congregation in corporate worship. Jesus teaches us that our worship must be always be ‘in Spirit and truth,’ that is, offered from the depths of our beings in response to God’s moving and without manipulative or selfish motives that block His call to integrity.

Take this word from the Word with you today. Before you rush on to other duties, ponder the call to the Presence of God and invite Him near to you.

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
These things I remember as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." (Psalm 42:1-5, NIV)
__________

Light of the world,
You stepped down into darkness,
opened my eyes, let me see
beauty that made this heart adore You,
Hope of a life spent with You.

King of all days,
oh, so highly exalted.
Glorious in Heaven above!
Humbly You came to earth You created.
All for love's sake became poor.

Here I am to worship!
Here I am to bow down!
Here I am to say
that You're my God.
You're altogether lovely,
altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.

Here I Am To Worship
Tim Hughes© 2000 Kingsway Music
CCLI License No. 810055
______________

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Are you a fraud?

As I walked past the jewelry counter, I saw the sparkle of what I thought were diamonds. Even from a couple of feet away I could not tell that they were not real. Bending over to look I realized that I was looking at ‘beautiful cubic zirconia’ - fakes! Faux ‘diamonds’ have many of the qualities of a genuine gem but the critical thing, value, is not there. The ultimate test is pressure. A real diamond is many times more durable than a man-made one. Are you a genuine Christian? Let’s be specific, the reference is not to being a ‘Church-ian,’ nor is it about simple morality. It is about receiving God’s grace by faith and loving Jesus Christ in a way that makes Him the Center of our life. It is possible to settle for a fake religion, an experience that looks very much like a genuine faith. But, when pressure is applied, the real disciple will stand, while those who are frauds will fold!

The Word contrasts faux religion with genuine faith in this passage.
"If with Christ you’ve put all that pretentious and infantile religion behind you, why do you let yourselves be bullied by it? “Don’t touch this! Don’t taste that! Don’t go near this!” Do you think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of attention? Such things sound impressive if said in a deep enough voice. They even give the illusion of being pious and humble and ascetic. But they’re just another way of showing off, making yourselves look important.

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective." (Colossians 2:20-3:2, The Message)

Religion is all about ‘me.’ Christianity is all about Him! As that passage explains, a person who is taken by a fraudulent religion will work hard at piety. They will create all kinds of prohibitions in an attempt to keep sin in check. But without the reality of the Spirit, without the resurrection power of Christ, all they have is a system of behavior modification. Dallas Willard calls this fake religion ‘the Gospel of Sin Management.’ –The Divine Conspiracy

The focus is constantly on keeping Self from leading us to greed, lust, or selfishness. The heart’s desire does not really change, it is simply put on a leash, often a tether of fear! The implied motivation is ‘if you want God to treat you well, you better be good!’ Or, it is ‘if you want to be respected as real Christian, you must always look good.’ Such religiosity is an exercise in missing the point!

A genuine conversion experience is exactly that, an infusion of a quality of life that begins a transformation that starts at the core of our being. We read this promise: "All of us who have had that veil (the spiritual blindness of religion, my comment) removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NLT) The restraint on sinful behavior comes from an inner quality of life, not from externally imposed controls. An observer often cannot tell the difference.

The fake and the real appear the same. But, apply some pressure and the person who is working hard at ‘being good,’ will crack! The real disciple will stand; indeed, he will flourish for the pressure will squeeze the sweet fragrance of Christ’s life from him.

Many well-meaning people work hard at trying to act like a Christian. Truth is, you can only be what you are! Apart from being born of God, given a new nature by the Holy Spirit, there is no possibility of knowing the joy of the Lord. But, when we are possessed by Him, when we invite Him to become our Life and our Lord, the evidence of His life in us grows as surely as an apple tree produces apples. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." (Galatians 5:16, NIV) "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)
_____________

In the presence of a holy God,
There's new meaning now to grace;
You took all my sins upon Yourself,
I can only stand amazed.

And I cry holy, holy, holy God,
How awesome is Your name,
Holy, holy, holy God,
How majestic is Your reign;
And I am changed
In the presence of a holy God.

In The Presence
Altrogge, Mark
Integrity Music, Inc. / Integrity Music, Inc.
© 1989 Integrity's Praise! Music (c/o Integrity Music, Inc.) / PDI Praise
(Admin. by Integrity's Praise! Music)
CCLI License No. 810055

When You've Just Had Enough!

I preached my heart out yesterday! It was a sermon on the coming Judgment, not a favorite topic of mine. That kind of preaching makes demands - emotionally, spiritually, even physically - that I do not completely understand, but I feel the result: Exhaustion. The next day, I am vulnerable to feelings of worthlessness and/or discouragement. In those moments, I know how easily I could slip into the "Elijah" complex. What is that?

Elijah, God's faithful man in Israel during a terribly evil time, stood up to an evil duo that ruled at the time, Ahab and Jezebel. They tried to thwart his work and even take his life! God gave Elijah the dubious honor of announcing judgment! God told him to tell the nation that they were facing a long drought. Many suffered and died during that time. This man of God was not an admired figure. People hated him. Finally, after years of struggle and maximum effort, Elijah ran away! Alone under a tree in the wilderness, he sighed, "I have had enough, Lord. Take my life." (1 Kings 19.4)

The prophet traveled deep into wilds, ending up in a cave. There we catch a glimpse of his discouragement and fatigue as we listen in on his prayerful lament: "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." (1 Kings 19:10)

Can you identify with his heart? Have you ever poured yourself into some great effort for the Lord, or put your heart into something only to descend into discouragement when it was over: overwhelmed by feelings of isolation, futility, or hopelessness?

Here's the good news! God didn't kick him while he was down. God didn't say, "Well, what a weakling my prophet turned out to be. I'll just let him die and find someone else to do my work." The Lord showed up to restore Elijah! It's a dramatic scene! The mountain where Elijah was holed up was torn by a powerful wind, then shaken by an earthquake. After that, a blaze of fire swept the face of the mountain. The prophet discerned that God's Presence was not in the BIG, NOISY, and IMPRESSIVE displays!

Then came a gentle whisper- God's revelation of Himself. The prophet was reminded that he was not alone. "There are 7000 in Israel who have not joined the idol worshippers!" And, he was directed to go find Elisha and start to mentor him. Today the Spirit whispers to me: "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6) I'd love to have my work validated by all the marks of success, but that may not happen. Faithfulness is enough!

As people under the command of Another, we must be faithful and entrust the results to our Lord, who by the Spirit and truth of His eternal Word, will bring about His plans in His time.

Have you given your best and came up 'way short of what you hoped for in terms of results? Does it seem that God has 'failed' you? There is no sin in feeling disappointment or even in asking questions. But, if you do, make sure you listen for the answer. Likely God's answer to you will come in a quiet whisper that calls for you to set aside your demands for immediate results and faithfulness to wait out His purposes. You are NOT alone! Stay involved with those who love you and share your love of God.

And hear this Word that assures us that HE knows what's up, even when we do not. . . Romans 8:25-26 -- The Message

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
____________

Sometimes I feel discouraged,
And think my life in vain.
I'm tempted then to murmur,
And of my lot complain.
But when I think of Jesus,
And all He's done for me,
Then I cry, O Rock of Ages,
Hide Thou me.

O Rock of Ages, hide Thou me.
No other refuge have I but Thee.
When life's dark vale I wander,
Far, far from Thee.
Then I cry, O Rock of Ages,
Hide Thou me.

Sometimes it seems I dare not,
Go one step farther on.
And from my heart all courage
Has slipped away and gone.
But I remember Jesus,
And all His love for me.
Then I cry, O Rock of Ages
Hide Thou me.

Hide Thou Me
Thoro Harris © 1926. Renewed 1953 Singspiration Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)CCLI License No. 810055

More of Thee, less of Me!

When I feel on top of my game, how easily I get in God’s way! The line between confidence and arrogance is a fine one, isn’t it? It is impossible to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives if we are curled up in a protective ball, hiding out from the challenges of daily living. The person who is in the grip of fear retreats behind walls of self-protection, reads situations wrongly, and is always reactionary. Those who are confident wade into life, dealing with the hard things, and letting the hits and criticism go because they have a greater mission than just being ‘safe.’ They are drawn on by a passionate desire to make a difference where they live! (Yes, I am!) But, with a few wins under our belts, we risk becoming deceived, thinking that our education, or our intelligence, or …. whatever – has made us indispensable to the local work of the Kingdom of God. Think again.

John, the Baptist, was given a high and holy calling – the forerunner of the Christ! God sent him to preach repentance, to prepare the hearts of the people to hear the Good News that the Kingdom of Heaven was now among them, that the long awaiting Anointed One had come to them. A lesser man might have fallen in love with the crowds, the attention; with being the center of attention. John did not! Look at how he explains the trajectory of his mission and let his words instruct you about humility.
“No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less." (John 3:27-30, NLT)

By external measures, John failed. He started big and ended up, from a human point of view miscalculating his influence. By preaching against his immorality, John offended King Herod and lost his head, literally. He died alone and wondering about his life’s work, believe it or not. However, in God’s estimation, he succeeded wonderfully, doing exactly what he was called to do – prepare the way of the Lord. Of him Jesus said, "Let me lay it out for you as plainly as I can: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer." (Luke 7:28, The Message)

The familiar line about God looking for faithfulness, not success, is really true. With each of us, one thing must be true – there must be more of Thee, less of me. Over time, no matter how competent we may become, we can only complete God’s work if we are prepared to fade into the background allowing Him to shine through us, work in us, and demonstrate that "our competence comes from God." (2 Corinthians 3:5, NIV)

If we fail to hand off the vision, to raise up others to take our place, we miss the high mark. If we believe that no one can fill our shoes, we are deceived. The greatest disciple is the one who is able to empower and teach others to take up the calling.

Who is mentoring you? That’s not the only question. Who are you mentoring? To whom are you calling disciples – to yourself or to the Lord of Glory? Sobering questions, aren’t they?

Lord, I pray for more of Thee and less of me. Amen.

______________________________

Be Thou my vision,
O Lord of my heart;
All else be naught to me,
Save that Thou art.
Be my best thought
Both by day and by night,
Waking or sleeping,
Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom,
And be my true word,
I ever with Thee
And Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Savior,
Thine own may I be,
Thou in me dwelling,
And I one with Thee.

High King of heaven,
And heaven's bright Sun,
Grant me its joys
When my journey is done;
Heart of my heart, Lord,
Whatever befall,
Still be my vision,
O Ruler of all.

Be Thou My Vision
Landis, Keith / Byrne, Mary / Hull, Eleanor / Young, Carlton © 1964, 1994 Selah Publishing Company, Inc. / Abingdon Press
CCLI License No. 810055