Let's get on with life!

Solomon’s cynicism makes me laugh and cringe at the same time.  An old man, disappointed with life in spite of vast accomplishments, he muses about the unfairness of it all.  “Wicked men find admiration, righteous ones are forgotten.  How does that make any sense?” he complains.  This passage spoke to me today. "Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well." (Ecclesiastes 11:4-6, NIV)

In short, the Teacher says, “Let’s get on with it. Endless analysis will stop progress. Nobody can anticipate all the problems that could arise.”  We are quick to claim that some success resulted from our great foresight and equally likely to pass failure off to another.  Life is an interconnected web, no one’s success or failure belonging exclusively to him. Who I am, what I have done, has been influenced by people known and unknown in numbers beyond counting.  And, then there is the work of the Spirit of God, His influence always there, but not always discerned.

So, is life just one big roll of the dice? That is how some read Ecclesiastes. They see only Solomon’s bitter railing about the  unfairness of it all.  A more careful reading reveals his insistence on doing what is right, on remaining true to the highest and best, on choosing to enjoy the blessings of God today; rather than living in what may prove to be a vain hope for tomorrow.  Though he cannot always understand why things are happening as they are or what God is doing in the moment, Solomon reminds us that God is just and will hold us all accountable for the way we live. So, keeping one eye on eternity’s evaluation, we live in this moment doing what He directs.  As Christians we know that our life comes from the Spirit and we are reminded "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)

Here’s the word from the Word.  It’s a practical call to get on with life, right here, right now- for God’s glory. "Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment." (Ecclesiastes 11:9, NIV)  "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, NIV)  "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, NIV)

Marching to the drumbeat of despair?

Despair lays like a fog on America. Even the young, those who are generally most hopeful for the future, are skeptics when it comes for hoping for a better tomorrow.  There are ‘wars and rumors of war,’ grimly taking life and spreading destruction. Governments around the globe are corrupt and ineffective in equal measures. Economic growth is stalled with no one suggesting that it will be improving anytime soon.  The church too often appears to be taken up with survival, fixed on irrelevance, so much so that only about 25% of Americans say that ‘church’ is an important part of their lives.  The cynical chant of old Solomon is often heard in various forms these days: “Meaningless. Meaningless. Everything is meaningless!” 

Yet, hope remains!  Christ Jesus gives us reason to live, for the present with the promise of heaven to come. We need not adopt an attitude of apathy (“whatever!”) to cope. We must not slide into a life focused on grasping momentary pleasures to mask the darkness of tomorrow.  God is the strength of our life and in Him we our hope is secure. We can accept this present darkness, dealing with the challenges with honest assessment, without giving up to despair. Habakkuk preached to the people of God in a time of great sorrow, with a grim future; yet he was hopeful.  He sang, "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains." (Habakkuk 3:17-19, NLT)

Please, let’s not play the part of fools that sing bravely while ignoring the perils or problems, that refuse to deal with life’s challenges as they quote mindless slogans! No matter how loud you shout, “Praise the Lord!” it means nothing unless your faith is secured in Him.  Hiding from life in religious activities is no solution.  God’s people mediate His grace and goodness to their world by rolling up their sleeves and going to work.  They follow the Spirit’s lead into the battle, often bloodied, but not beaten.

Has the drumbeat of despair become the cadence to which you’re marching? Stop. Look up. Listen. Offer sincere worship. Find hope!

Here’s the word from the Word. Own it, won’t you?  "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.

When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?

Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, NIV)

The fat, forgetful ones

"I’m starving,” I announced to my wife when dinnertime rolled around.  It is almost profane that I should say that because I have no idea what starvation is.  My waistline gives mute testimony to the abundance of our table!  By contrast, my friend whose face has taken on new angles in recent weeks is starving, though voluntarily.  He is following one of those radical diets that produces amazing results. “Are you hungry?” I asked him.  With a wry smile, he admitted that sticking with the plan requires real determination. “A steak never sounded so good,” he said. I am so well-fed that I have become a fussy eater. He is so hungry that even the most basic food looks like a feast.

So, what’s your spiritual appetite like these days? Do you desire times of worship, love the Presence of God?

Moses called on the people of the Lord to consider their choices.  “Walk with the Lord in obedience,” he said, “and He will bless you. But, be aware of a potential problem that can grow out of those very same blessings.”   What? There is such a thing as too much?  In a sense, that is true. "He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag, with curds and milk from herd and flock and with fattened lambs and goats, with choice rams of Bashan and the finest kernels of wheat. You drank the foaming blood of the grape. Jeshurun (a name for Israel, the people of God) grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior."  (Deuteronomy 32:13-15, NIV)

God’s favor is a great gift.  His Word and wisdom will lead us to a place of prosperity and contentment.  The risk is that we will slip into self-satisfaction! Worship will hold little attraction for us. Prayer will become a form if we allow our hearts to cool towards Him.  Sated by empty things, we can lose our desire for the Bread of Heaven. We may become Jeshurun;  a fat, forgetful Christian.  An immature response to Moses’ caution is to fear our blessings or to impose some kind of misery on ourselves.  When God blesses, the right response is to receive those gifts with gratitude and to share them with others.  Instead of hoarding and growing fat, we give and allow God to replenish our store.  The discipline of generosity protects us from the curse of spiritual obesity.

Jesus told a story about blessings. It is often misunderstood as a condemnation of having good things. As you read His words, look deeper than that. “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21, NIV)  “I will build bigger barns… I’ll say to myself  you have plenty … I’ll take life easy.”  It was not this man’s blessings that earned him Jesus’ condemnation. It was his attitude of entitlement and selfishness!

Has your life in the Spirit led you to a place of blessings? Has God allowed you to have more than enough?  Wisely accept the wisdom that warns of becoming fat and forgetful, but do not fear.  Instead, with gratefulness that recognizes the source of those blessings, give yourself generously to God’s work.  You will then experience a life that is both rich and God-aware! 

Here’s a word from the Word. "God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out. This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God. " (2 Corinthians 9:8-11, The Message)

So, when do I realize success?

"Dad, you;'ll never believe my dream about our family’s future. God showed me you will bow down to me!" Joseph's teenage enthusiasm to outpaced his wisdom.  His boasts earned him the contempt of his elder brothers who just sold him to slavetraders headed for Egypt. "Take that, dreamer boy. Now let's see what happens to your grand dreams!" In Egypt, Joseph's faith and wisdom grew. God’s promises remained true and soon he became the manager of a rich man's household. A short time later, when he spurned the advanced of Potiphra’s wife, she accused him of attempted rape, and he spent years in prison. But God... was using each turn, each 'tragedy' to bring about new possibilities! A story no one but God could have written, led Joseph to become Prime Minister of Egypt and there, in the plan of God, he provided a safe home for his family in time of famine.

As we turn the pages of Genesis, it’s easy to miss the suffering, the long years of waiting for God's promises. God was preparing Joseph for His purposes.  We get the ‘fly by’ view. Joseph lived it, day by day. Here is the powerful principle to remember:  his success did not begin the moment he took a seat next to Pharaoh! He was successful when he trusted God while being taken into slavery, when he refused the advances of his master's wife, when he chose to be a model prisoner, when endured darkness, hoping for the light to break through.

God has a plan for you! Are you bold enough in faith to step up and let Him lead where He desires in ways that allow His possibilities to emerge?  The Bible says "...we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son." (Romans 8:28-29, The Message) I am not a fatalist! The Bible promises us that God is preparing us for His purpose. And, the Word teaches us that we have a responsibility to exercise faith every day.  The challenge to us is this:  “... do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." (Hebrews 10:35-36, NLT) So, "... let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)

Along the road of life are countless wrecks, people who started boldly with God, who believed Him and purposed to serve Him passionately. Then, they met difficulties and encountered situations that they felt 'just could not be part of God's plan.'

How could God use a business failure?

What possible good could come from the loss of a dear friend?

Why does He let me struggle with this chronic health problem?

How could such a hard choice, demanding so much personal sacrifice really be the Spirit’s leading?

Faith does not wipe away the problems of life. Faith gives us a perspective that allows us to trust God in spite of those problems, hoping for Him to use each experience to create in us a greater faith, a deeper obedience so that we will successfully serve Him.

Are you in a season of reward? I rejoice with you! Praise God.

Are you in a season of testing? I stand with you, asking the Lord to strengthen you.

Remember this, success is not just found in the outcome. Success is also the process. It is easy to see the success of the second half of Joseph's life, when he was exercising power, riding in the royal chariot, and living the palace. But Joseph was living a successful life long before that, in Potiphar's house, in prison - in the steady faith that caused him to make the right decisions, instead of the convenient choice.

Here's a word from the Word. Meditate on it today and then live successfully!

"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun." (Psalm 37:3-6, NLT)

Smile on me, Father

Smile on me, Father

What does it mean to say, “I am blessed by God”? Many use “rich” and “blessed” interchangeably as if the only way God blesses us is to increase our wealth. Others determine that ‘blessings’ must include perfect health, or increased influence, or an untroubled life. A shallow reading of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, might lead to those conclusions.  The New Testament does not exclude the possibility of health, wealth, or comfort in the Christian life but Jesus invites us to a ‘blessedness’ that goes deeper than pleasant circumstances.  All of the Bible brings us this truth:  we enjoy the most blessed life when we are utterly dependent on God, resting fully in Him.

Joseph became one of the most blessed men in the Bible, but only after living through one catastrophe after another. In each one, he chose to faithfully trust God and emerged with greater blessing.

Abraham is a man who enjoyed God’s favor but only as he followed the lead of the Spirit.

Job is a symbol of suffering, but his story concludes with blessings as he remained faithful to the Lord even in the depths of darkness.

Jesus’ path descended to the Cross and then the grave, before emerging from the Tomb and ending at the exalted place at the Father’s right hand.

The paradox of the blessed life is one that many Christians cannot accept.  The richest blessings come when we give ourselves away. Jesus tells us that we must ‘take up our cross,’ a stunning and stark call to death, before we can find true life.  In Matthew 5, He says that blessings emerge from mourning, meekness, hunger and thirst, and being ‘poor in spirit.’  He goes on to say that mercy, not asserting ourselves;  purity, not gratifying our sensual desires; and making peace are paths to God’s favor.  Mourning allows us to know God’s comfort! Meekness opens us to an inheritance only God can give. Hunger lets the Spirit prepare a meal that makes our soul fat. Purity allows us to live near God’s heart. Are there greater blessings than these?

Read again the ‘if-then’ passage of Deuteronomy, chapters 28 to 30. There Moses calls the people of the Lord to "revere this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God—" (Deuteronomy 28:58, NIV) and in the starkest terms shows that faith leads to blessings.  It is both right and proper to pray, “smile on me, Father.”  We are the children in whom He delights. But like any good father, He understands that to indulge us is only to destroy us. So, He leads us through discipline, inviting us to greater faith. There we find the blessing.

Here’s a word from the Word. Be blessed! "Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness. For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn. Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel." (Psalm 89:15-18, NIV)

Success Literature

 

Barnes and Noble has whole sections filled with books that propose schemes to create success and prosperity. You can buy advice on raising children, building a better marriage, investing … well, just about any subject. There is even a self-help, success industry that caters to pastors. Yesterday, I sat through an hour-long webinar in which a pastor laid out his program for growing a larger church! He promised that if I bought his books and manuals, I could do what he has done in his city. I  was not convinced that the Holy Spirit wants me to become a clone of that man. It was an hour I could have spent more productively in prayer!  Some of this kind of material is better than others, isn’t it? Years ago, I read Stephen Covey’s book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I still pull it off the shelf and review the wisdom found in his work.

There is one Book that shows us how to enjoy a life of peace, how to live with significance, and how to find our purpose. ".. The holy Scriptures …  have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do." (2 Timothy 3:15-17, NLT)  That’s not the kind of hyperbole one often finds on the back of the latest self-help book!  In the Word we find the way to our Father, correction of our faults, and the way to whole and holy lives.

When he knew that his time of leadership was coming to a close, Moses called the leaders of Israel together and shared what the Lord told him to say.  As you read this lengthy passage, prayerfully ask the Lord for grace to live the principles He teaches so that you can enjoy the promises.  You will be tempted to argue with the text asking, “But, what about…?”  Please do not take that course. Instead, receive this Word with faith and let the Spirit make it a living text for you.  Let’s go.

“If you fully obey the Lord your God by keeping all the commands I am giving you today, the Lord your God will exalt you above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in your towns and in the country. You will be blessed with many children and productive fields. You will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks. You will be blessed with baskets overflowing with fruit, and with kneading bowls filled with bread. You will be blessed wherever you go, both in coming and in going. “The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!

“The Lord will bless everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. “If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he solemnly promised to do. Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the Lord, and they will stand in awe of you. “The Lord will give you an abundance of good things in the land he swore to give your ancestors—many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops. The Lord will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens to bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God and carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always have the upper hand. You must not turn away from any of the commands I am giving you today to follow after other gods and worship them." (Deuteronomy 28:1-14, NLT)

Wow! Isn’t that an amazingly rich passage?  We are His people.  When we live in humble submission to Him, accepting His gracious offer of life, He is honored.  "All the peoples on Earth will see you living under the Name of God and hold you in respectful awe. " (Deuteronomy 28:10, The Message)   

Heavenly Father, help me to live in obedience,

Filled with faith,

So that Your blessings can flow through me

To this world.

May my thoughts, words, and actions

Cause others to turn to You and

Give You praise.

In Jesus’ holy Name, I pray.

Amen

Who cares? What's the big deal?

As we debate the way our society will be ordered we tend to draw most of our arguments from respect for individual rights and enhancement of personal happiness. Though we do not often say it so clearly, we are guided by the old cliché – if it feels good, do it.  Joe (not his real name) excused his affair with his assistant by saying to me, “Who cares? What’s the big deal? ”  I find too much of that line of thinking today. As much as I admire being tolerant and despise self-righteous intrusion into the lives of others, I cannot trivialize the choices I make or those made by others.  How we live as individuals does matter far beyond ourselves!  Joe’s choice blew up his family.  There are real consequences that include emotional distress for his ex-wife and his children as well as economic issues that are ongoing. His once vibrant spiritual life is but a shadow of what it once was. Only God knows, literally, what the long-term effects of his sin will be in the next decade.

As an example of consequence let’s look at attitudes about sexual behavior. Constraints on pre-marital sex are almost completely rejected by Americans today. That ‘liberation’ has come with real consequence. The New York Times (not exactly a stalwart of Biblical thought) reports that in 2009, 53% of the children born in the United States to women under age 30, were born outside of marriage. That same article continues – “Bearing children outside of wedlock is a trend that’s most strongly affecting young adults who are already at an economic disadvantage, and that means that its impact is deeply tangled within a host of other problems, from the decline in blue-collar jobs to the difficulty of finding affordable child care.” (http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/for-younger-mothers-out-of-wedlock-births-are-the-new-normal/)  In addition, these children, especially boys, grow up with a predictable risk of failing in school and getting involved with criminal activity as teens. Girls from that situation have a much greater likelihood of becoming pregnant as teens.  So, what we might smile at as ‘just a little sex,’ mushrooms into a major issue with real costs in terms of social stability, national prosperity, and individual hope!

When we read the Scripture’s revelation of God’s order for our lives, we are wise if we remember that He gives us these commands for our good.  Moses handed down the law of God.  It included respect for life, property, and the Lord.  It called for personal responsibility and restraint of impulses towards greed and promiscuity.  It demanded a wholehearted love of God. Why?
"Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between prosperity and disaster, between life and death. I have commanded you today to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, laws, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and become a great nation, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy. But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live!" (Deuteronomy 30:15-19, NLT)

Through Christ, we are forgiven our failures to live as our Father demands, and by the Holy Spirit we are empowered to make choices that honor Him.   What we should never forget, though we often do, it that ultimately our choices will be evaluated by the Judge who sees all and accepts no excuses.  We will  “all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10, NIV) For the Christian this judgment is described as a fire that tests the way we build our lives on the Rock-solid foundation. "Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value." (1 Corinthians 3:12-13, NLT)

Yes, what we do today does matter. Our choices have consequences for time and eternity.  May this sobering truth move us to pray for wisdom to make the best decisions that honor the One who loves us. 

Here is the word from the Word. "Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the LORD. This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." (Jeremiah 6:15-16, NIV)

Discipline isn't much fun!

"Let's take a walk this evening," is an unwelcomed invitation to me, much like "how about getting a flu shot?" I know that the exercise would be beneficial to my health but in this one area I simply refuse to do the hard thing. My aversion to perspiration has nothing to do with inability. It is not a 'cannot,' it is a 'will not.' Every time that I choose not to take that walk with my lovely wife, it is a little easier to say, "No," the next time. A couple of Summers ago, when I made myself get up and go with her, each evening it became easier. I actually found that my physical condition improved to the point that I did not huff and puff on the hills! I think I remember that I enjoyed it, too.

A disciplined life has many rewards.

• A person who knows how to budget and control spending, actually finds himself with more discretionary funds! Instead of always paying off his credit cards (and the awful interest that goes with them) he is able to make more choices including more generosity.
• A person who regularly prays - both in good seasons as well as when tragedy lurks - enjoys the benefit of current conversation with God and the comfort of meeting a true Friend.
• A person who makes participation at his local church a priority even when the sun shines on the golf course builds a reservoir of relationships that pays great dividends when life hits reverse (and it will, sooner or later).

Real disciples must be willing to hard things. Jesus says things like: "Forgive those who do you wrong! Love your enemies! Practice your generosity without telling anybody. Live for Heaven, not just for your next meal. Deal with your own sin before you try to deal with that of others. Follow me!"  Other passages teach us to "Keep a tight rein on your words. Don't use filthy speech. Trust God when it's dark. Endure hardship. Give thanks always."  It is even possible to live like that? The Christian who is filled with Spirit, can answer, "Yes!"  Refusing to do what God says is not about 'can.'  It is about 'will.'  In Christ we are liberated from compulsion to sin. The Spirit frees us to choose life.

Here's a direct question. Pause to answer it honestly.

Will you do hard things that will let you become a holy, beautiful Christ-follower?

We cannot save ourselves from sin however after Christ's intervention, He has handed us a big responsibility to exert our will in the direction of godliness. Most of us have some 'will nots' in our lives. There are things we do not do because we believe that they are difficult or unpleasant. James does not spare our feelings with regard to refusal to do God's hard things. He says that "Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." (James 4:17, NIV)

Let these words urge you on when you find yourself wanting to refuse God's invitation to do the hard things.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. (think Olympics!) They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, NIV)

"We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God."

(Hebrews 12:9-11, The Message)

May the Lord bless your day with good things, with joy, and with the peace of God!

Too Cool For The Gospel?

Bev and I watched Courageous last night. It's the latest release by Sherwood Films, a Christian company that makes movies with a message. It is not sophisticated film-making. The message is not subtly woven into a complex plot. In another time in my life, I most likely would not have watched it, or if I did, would have found the straightforward method of presentation too simple for appreciation. No more! I cheered the heroes, empathized with those in difficult circumstances, and felt inspired by hope. The producers met their goal - to share the Gospel of Christ and to challenge fathers to be real Dads.

Do we  clutter up the Message of the love of God with our pretensions?

Do we rob the Gospel of the power to change us by trying too hard to be 'relevant to our culture?'

Do we think we need to improve on God's Story?

Don't get me wrong. I am not suggesting that life lacks complexity. I am not ignoring the huge questions that cause us to struggle in faith. Christians must not duck behind "Jesus loves me, this I know, 'cause the Bible told me so," to avoid issues of justice or applied grace. Mature faith confronts entrenched evil. The resulting conflict demands much from us - in both heart and mind. And yet- it all comes back to one Fact: "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NIV) Jesus says that this fact calls for two basic responses from us all: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31, NIV) No matter how long a person has been a Christian, it all comes back to accepting God's grace by faith and to responding with authentic love.

Ponder these words. "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:2-5, NKJV) Paul reflects on his ministry and reveals his dedication to the simplicity of the Gospel. My prayer is that we will renew our own love of the Truth and let the Story continue to change and challenge us.

A woman who is struggling to make a huge moral decision in her life came to me to talk over the options. "What can I do?" she asked me through sincere tears. Every apparent course of action looks too hard, demands too much of her. I recognized her dilemma and agreed that there was no easy way to marry obedience to God's Word with her desire for personal happiness. But, then I pointed her back to the Cross and to the love of the Father. "Until you are secure in His love, until you have settled yourself in faith in Christ, you cannot know the peace and power of the Spirit that can make obedience to His will a joy," I told her. It is true for all of us. If we become so sophisticated that we fail to lay the foundation of faith in Christ's power to save from sin, we cannot know the true joy of the Spirit-filled Christian life.

Don't let yourself become too cool for the Gospel. Here's the word from the Word. Meditate on it.

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes-Jews first and also Gentiles. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." (Romans 1:16-17, NLT)

"I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you-guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." (2 Timothy 1:12-14, NIV)

Will that seed produce a harvest?

Eleven men visited our church yesterday.  Each had been an addict, a slave to a life that brought them to the bottom. Their lives were a garbage heap of wrecked relationships, broken bodies, and empty hearts.  In their darkest night, the Light broke through and, in faith, they took the offer of new life and began a process of transformation.  As they sang of God’s “Amazing Grace,” I was filled up with joy.  When Rob told his story of addiction and the awful cost – living under a bridge, stealing, hopelessness – and then of the moment when Christ’s love began his restoration; I wanted to yell “thank You, Lord!”  My elation was tempered by the knowledge that Rob is just 39 days old in this new life!  By the Spirit, he will  become a person free and whole, and remain that way for the rest of his life if he makes the choice of faith today, tomorrow, the day after that – and every day for the rest of his life.

Jesus told a simple story about seeds and planting.  Not all the seed produced a harvest. Some never took root, falling onto hard ground. Some took root, but quickly died under the withering heat of the day. Some even grew for a time, but left uncultivated, died when overtaken by the weeds. Some produced a great harvest.  He told us the meaning of the story. “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." (Luke 8:11-15, NIV)

Those men yesterday who are relatively young in the Lord, and the man writing these words who has walked this road for 4 decades, have a choice to make today. Will we continue to trust the saving grace of Christ, focused on His ability to save me or will we turn away?  No, we cannot save ourselves from the World, the Flesh, or the Devil! But, we have to continue to gaze upon the Cross, humbly and faithfully accepting the strength for this day to live by the Spirit.  Our perfection is fully realized in Christ; yet, at the same time, is being worked out in us as we hold onto Him in faith, with hope.   I love the promise that as we look on Him we are “being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)  He causes us to shine brighter and brighter with a radiance that comes, not from our religion or self-actualization, but from His Spirit occupying ever greater parts of our hearts and minds!  Hallelujah, what a Savior. 

Rob, you’re not home yet so keep looking to Jesus. Jerry, you’re not there yet either so fix your gaze on Christ anew.  Reader, He is sufficient to save. Will you trust Him with your fears, failures, sins, and successes?

Here’s a word from the Word. Meditate on it. Receive the Truth and go steady on, from faith to faith. "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, (complete or whole)  but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (Philippians 3:10-12, NIV)  "Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!" (Philippians 3:20-4:1, NIV)

Purify my heart

Let me be as gold

And precious silver

Purify my heart

Let me be as gold

Pure gold

Purify my heart

Cleanse me from within

And make me holy

Purify my heart

Cleanse me from my sin

Deep within

Refiner's fire

My heart's one desire

Is to be holy

Set apart for You Lord

I choose to be holy

Set apart for You my Master

Ready to do Your will

Refiner's Fire

Brian Doerksen

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Mercy / Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

Why him, not ME?

A monk who lived in the desert who resisted all the Devil's efforts at temptation. The demons that whispered to the man of greed, lust, and hatred were rebuffed as the man turned his heart to God. Then, one demon whispered, "Your brother was just made a bishop!" The monk fell immediately into the sin of envy wondering why he was not given the position: "All these years of devotion and they recognize my brother?"

Ever envied another, wondering ‘why them, not me?’  I will confess that I have and that nothing good followed. If we start to look around and compare ourselves to others we will grow discontent and from there, slip into envy. Somebody is running ahead of us in some way.  

Despite our education, he makes more money. 
His marriage looks so great; we struggle to keep ours intact.
He proudly displays his kid’s trophy, our kid struggles just to get an average grade.

The all-too-common tendency in us is to see the 'advantage' that is enjoyed by the other guy.  Envy blinds us to our blessings. It causes us diminish another's success. It robs us of opportunities.  No wonder the Bible says that "envy rots the bones." (Proverbs 14:30, NIV)  

A true test of noble character is contentment with God’s gifts and the ability to celebrate the success of another person!  David, whose story unfolds in 1st Samuel, went to serve King Saul after his victory over the giant, Goliath. David served him well, but all Saul could hear, every time he looked at the teenage hero, was the echo of the women’s voices who sang David's praises.  "Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands." (1 Samuel 18:7, NKJV) Envy drove the king mad.  Saul sent David away from the court, trying to get him out of the public’s eye by giving him charge of a small contingent of soldiers on the borders of Israel.  How did Israel's hero respond to being sent to the frontier? David was faithful in obscurity! God saw to it that he continued to succeed in everything he did.  This made Saul “even more afraid of him." (1 Samuel 18:13- 15, NLT) Over the next 20 years,  Saul's jealousy drove him deeper into insanity. At the same time, David's character grew stronger as he faithfully and selflessly served God and king.

Are you able to celebrate another's success?
Are you an encourager or an envier?

James gives no excuse for envy.  The Spirit shows us that it is a seed of all kinds of sinful behavior! "If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:14-18, NIV)   What an amazing and practical Word.  I pray to own it in my heart, do you?

Stay centered in God’s loving acceptance, always giving thanks!  Nothing kills envy more quickly than true gratitude which feeds real contentment.  There are amazing things to learn about those who live around us and life is richer, much richer, when it isn't about 'me, mine, and myself.'

The devil was the first to injure himself and others on account of jealousy and envy. Before he had ever hurled anyone else down by the impulse of his envy, he himself was hurled down by it. Through envy, he himself became a captive before he had ever taken anyone else captive; he himself was wrecked before he had ever wrecked others. How great an evil is it by which an angel could fall, by which such lofty and illustrious grandeur could be defrauded and overthrown—by which the one who deceived was himself deceived! Ever since then envy has raged on earth. Those who are perishing through jealousy are simply obeying the author of their ruin, imitating the devil in his envy.  - Cyprian of Carthage.  (a church father who lived about 200 AD)  (as quoted in Discipleship Journal : Issue 120. NavPress, 2000)

_______________

Father, I accept Your will for my life.

I pray for the grace to wait for You in hard times,

to give thanks in good times, and

to be faithful in all times!

Teach me to do my personal best as I remember

that You never forget, never overlook, and

klnow everything – even those things hidden.

Jesus, I pray that Your love will fill up my heart

making me a person who overflows

with life-giving words and encouragement

growing out of true gratitude.

Amen.

(Thank you for reading along.  CWTW will be back in your inbox on July 31. It’s time to take a break)