The hand-off

While watching the Olympic coverage, I was captivated by the 4x100 event. Runners, moving at top speed, hand off a baton from one to the other at each leg of the race.  Those athletes make it look easy, but try to imagine running as fast as you are able, meeting another runner on the track who started running full-speed in front you, and making the connection in precisely the allowed distance.  A dropped baton results in disqualification!  The race became a kind of parable for me, reminding me of the importance of the hand-off of faith to others, and especially to the next generation. When it happens, I am thrilled. When the hand-off fails, my heart is broken.

I cherish the treasure memories of the sowing of the Gospel seed in my life and the investment of those in my life who took time to solidly put the baton in my grasp!  At the edge of my memory are scenes of both sets of grandparents in our tiny rural Iowa church, there always, with engaged hearts. My Grandfather Baker’s voice sounded from the pulpit, not as my preacher, but as what we used to call the ‘song-leader,’  who led out in the hymns that flowed out of our worship and struggles of life.  I remember Grandpa Scott’s public prayers which he offered when called up in our Assembly, his heavy accented English, always beginning with the line : ‘our loving Heavenly Father.’  How I would love to hear his strong Danish accent one more time.  

My Mom’s prayers are unforgettable for their passion and volume!  A true Pentecostal, she sometimes terrified me with Old Testament prophetic warnings, but her life left an indelible imprint on me. My Dad’s commitment to love others remains formed my understanding of pastoral care.  Were all those who went before me perfect?  Silly question. They were very much human, but their faith was authentic and they handed it off to me and many others! Bev and I shared the desire of leading our children to faith in the living God and now I pray for my own grandchildren to know Him.

Christian parent, are your passing the faith along to your children?   Moses told the people of the Lord to " "“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, NLT) Why all this talk of ordinary life?  Because faith is better caught than taught!  We show the Way, leading by example. When we regularly worship, we demonstrate priority. When we pray about common needs, we show our reliance on the Lord. When we serve consistently, we invite our family to live with us in faith.   And so it goes!  

Beyond family, there were and are partners in the faith that called me higher, to better commitment. I shared breakfast yesterday with a man with whom I have walked the Way for 40 years, sharing ministry efforts, wrestling with doctrine, working through the implications of faith. We have handed the baton to one another again and again!

Not many will come to a faith in Christ Jesus because we can recite the Creed or explain finer points of Christian doctrine.
When/if they see Him in us,
hear Him in our words,
see His love in sacrifical choices we make -
He becomes winsome.

Jesus said like this - "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, NIV)

A critical mission for each generation of disciples is to hand off the faith. We are not just preserving a tradition!  We are communicating an experience of Life and the knowledge of Christ Jesus, the Savior. The expressions of that faith will change. The forms of faith of my grandparents are not the same in my life. New songs, differing expressions have evolved in me, just as they will evolve in those who come after me. However, the  truth of the birth, death, and resurrection of the Lord at the core of the Faith, remains always! 

Our core mission as Believers is to share Christ’s life with others, to invite them to follow us as we follow Him. We do not sell religion, we invite to a relationship. We don’t necessarily insist that others share our worship traditions or even our convictions on secondary doctrine. We pray that they see Jesus and learn that He is trust-worthy and true so they will put their lives in His hands.  When we do this, the faith is handed off from us to them, then from those to more.  This is the plan of the salvation of the world!

Meditate on these words this day and pray that God will help you run the race well even as you pass the baton of faith and service to others.  These are excerpts of Paul’s charge to a spiritual son named Timothy.  "I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. …  of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because 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." (2 Timothy 1:3-13, NIV)

Pass the faith along, not just with words but in your example, God helping you.

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(Video of this blog at this link)

Passin' The Faith Along

 

Passin' the faith along to my brother

Passin' the faith along

Helpin' to build the faith of another

Passin' the faith along

Sharin' a word of hope with my brother

Helpin' to make him strong

Passin' the faith along to my brother

Passin' the faith along

 

The runner of a relay finds in his baton

Purpose for the runnin' and the strength to carry on

We hold within our grasp

The faith that makes us strong

And like the relay runner

We seek to pass it on

 

Countless generations of saints have come and gone

A spark ignites as an ember fades

And the faith continues on

A challenge to the young and assurance for the old

The faith burns ever brighter

Each time the story's told

 

Jon Mohr

CCLI Song #103786

© 1982 Mystic Beard Music; Jonathan Mark Music

CCLI License #810055

Living or existing?

Are you alive?  The question is not about your heartbeat or breathing, obviously!  Let’s phrase it this way- are you just existing, letting day after day slip by without joy or accomplishment?  The question of being ‘alive’ came to me as I watched some of the athletes at the Olympic games who had invested countless hours in conditioning and perfecting skills. Noah Lyles claimed the title of world’s fastest man yesterday, completing the 100 meter race in 9.784 seconds. Simone Biles, 27,  is currently winner of 3 gold medals in gymnastics.  She revealed a bit of the cost of her achievement in a social media post in which she said, “Let us soak up the moment we’ve worked our whole lives for.”

Three years ago I stepped back from full-time responsibilities as the pastor of a local congregation, gladly! It was time for a new face and a younger generation to take the lead, but my retirement was not to sit on my couch and wait for Heaven!  I’m alive … taking opportunities to serve, to love, to care … and loving it!  Some have joking said, “Jerry, I thought you retired but you seem to be just as busy as you ever were.”  Not quite, but I am glad to continue to very much a part of ministry and hope to do so as long as God gives me strength.

So, let me ask you again, are you alive or just existing? This Monday morning brings us to the edge of a new week, days full of opportunities to make a difference in our corner of the world. We may not write a best-seller, or speak on a stadium stage, or invent something used by millions of people.  We are will walk alongside of people who need encouragement, have the ability to do what we do with excellence, and give God the honor and praise He desires. Will we do those things?

There are a hundred reasons we can use to just exist, to shuffle through the days.  There are disappointments, those things we never anticipated being part of our experience. There are moments of personal failure. There are the limitations of health and age.  They can be the excuse to turn on the TV and retreat, or those things can be foundations for new choices, as we make a fresh start.  Those who are truly alive do not spend much time with regret. They do not try to ‘get even’ with those who have hurt them. They do not revel in yesterday's triumphs. They face forward with hope, forgiveness, anticipation, and grace.

I love St. Paul’s encouragement, borrowed from the athlete’s world.  It is likely familiar to you, but hear it again. “I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be,* but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.”  (Philippians 3:12 NLT)  Noah Lyles leaning into the finish line is a vivid image for me as I read those ancient words - “I strain to reach the end of the race”

As long as the sun rises - each day presents us with new opportunities to live out God's purposes, knowing His great love. Jeremiah, an ancient preached who lived during some of the darkest days of the Jewish history, wrote these wonderful words about God’s plans and his own disappointments.  He does not live in denial or fantasy. Look at his words -  "I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.” BUT, he chooses life! “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:20-23, NIV)

Celebrate that promise! On this Monday morning, take charge of your thoughts and throw out the self-defeating ones that would make you a captive of yesterday - whether good or bad. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow may never arrive. 

Discover God's love for this day, His provision for a new beginning for you that exists right here, right now.  Somebody, a wise person, said - "Opportunity knocks only once. Temptation leans on the doorbell!"

Answer the knock, take the opportunity that God gives you today - to forgive, to set a new course, to learn a new skill, to love someone, to let go of yesterday, and to grab onto this day for God’s sake.

The word from the Word keeps us focused on the right Person as we live in hope. Take this wisdom with you today. "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:4-6, NIV)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

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Press On

When the valley is deep

When the mountain is steep

When the body is weary

When we stumble and fall

When the choices are hard

When we're battered and scarred

When we've spent our resources

When we've given our all

In Jesus' name we press on

In Jesus' name we press on

Dear Lord with the prize

Clear before our eyes

We find the strength to press on

 

Dan Burgess

© 1983 Good Life Publications, Inc.

CCLI License # 810055

Run and Hide?

Maybe it’s just that I’m old(*er) or that I have experienced more of life, but sometimes I grow fearful.  It’s not just the scare-mongering of the media that makes me want to run somewhere and hide. It’s feeling like I’m stuck in a car barely under control barreling down a winding road at 90 MPH, driven by a fool. The world teeters on the edge of the ‘awful’ with war just a blink from reality.  Those who are supposed lead us into the future turn out to be addicted to their own power, incapable of true leadership.

And then there are the personal challenges that come at us - non-stop. Our friends get terribly ill suddenly.  Our church goes into disarray without warning. Our kids make choices that leave fearful for their future.  Our job becomes ‘iffy’ because of an economic shift.  Our spouse turns into a stranger without explanation. Need I go on?

Knowing just how vulnerable I am in this crazy world, I exercise a limited kind of risk management. I try to reduce the impact that the unplanned and the unforeseen can have on my life and yet I am quite aware that the unforeseen can ambush anyone of us.  At no time did I grasp the limitations of controlling outcomes better than that day in March, 10 years ago, when we received my late wife's cancer diagnosis that rewrote our family history in a few short months. 

You probably have your own story of disasters you never saw coming your way, right? 
Smart people sometimes fail! 
Good people sometimes get cancer!  
Hardworking people sometimes go broke!  
Truth is there is no place in this world to run and hide.

But there is a refuge! The Psalmist describes the threatening world and then declares - "But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge." (Psalm 94:22, NIV)   David, a man who knew something about treachery of others and his own dumb choices reminds us of true hope- "The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? … For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." (Psalm 27:1,5, NIV)

Faith is our anchor.  I’m not talking about the phony ‘faith’  summoned with the ‘right’ words in times of crisis. Nor am I describing the ‘faith’ that tells us that IF we profess to believe the right things or go to the right church or manage to live the right kind of life that we will avoid human pain and suffering. The faith that keeps us from fear is rooted in the Person of God, in the declaration that He is the One who knows the end from the beginning, the way through the darkness, and Who holds our lives in His hands both now and beyond this world.   This true faith knows that unless He is Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.  

The story of Job, one of the more unpleasant books in the Holy Scripture, tells us of a really good man who went through the worst of circumstances.  His faith was shaken to the core. He grew angry with God. He lived with the misjudgements and accusations of friends. And he chose faith - trusting in God-  in spite of evidence that seemed to say that God was fickle and cruel. After pouring out his questions, God spoke, never explaining, but pointing to His majesty and mystery.  Oh that we would adopt Job’s faith which moved him to say “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” (Job 40:4-5, NIV)  That is not giving up, that is hanging on!

Now the question comes to you and me - will we trust Him with all things? Will we argue for fuller explanations, demand that He make His plans, even for tomorrow, crystal clear? Or will we hear Him say, "Fear not!" and choose to live faithfully, just for today?  Jesus says to us “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27, NLT)

He is Lord of history, Lord of the spirit realms, Lord of both the world and ME.  He asks us to know this about Him- "my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways." (Isaiah 55:8 NIV)  He says"For I am the LORD your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD Almighty is his name. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand— I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, ‘You are my people." (Isaiah 51:15-16, NIV)

Here is His promise to those who choose trust in Him, not a specific outcome but in His eternal goodness.
"God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8, NIV)
"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6, NIV)

Still want to run and hide?
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(Video of this blog at this link)

Through It All

 I've had many tears and sorrows
I've had questions for tomorrow
There've been times
I didn't know right from wrong
But in ev'ry situation
God gave blessed consolation
That my trials come
To only make me strong

Through it all through it all
I've learned to trust in Jesus
I've learned to trust in God
Through it all through it all
I've learned to depend upon His word

 

I've been to lots of places
And I've seen a lot of faces
There've been times I felt so all alone
But in my lonely hours yes
Those precious lonely hours
Jesus let me know that I was His own

 

I thank God for the mountains
And I thank Him for the valleys
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through
For if I'd never had a problem
I wouldn't know that He could solve them
I'd never know what faith in God could do

 

Andraé Crouch

© 1971 Manna Music, Inc.

CCLI License #810055

I Can See Clearly Now

“I can see clearly now the rain is gone, I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind, it's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day!”  Remember that catchy little tune?  You might need to be as old as me since it was first published about 50 years ago.  (YouTube link below) As I was reading the Word this morning, it popped up into my consciousness, making me smile. And, yet, it is true for those who, by faith, live in the Light!

Over the weekend there was a great deal of angst around the world over the godlessness on display in Paris at the opening of the 2024 Olympics. No, I didn’t care for it but I see it for what it is - the work of those who are stumbling in the darkness of human depravity.  Jesus said it this way. “This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is.” (John 3:19-21, The Message)

We do not blame the person who trips and falls because they cannot see their way in the darkness, do we?  Instead, we provide a light, helping them to see the way. Nobody likes to stumble around a dark room tripping over the furniture, do they? We turn on the light and walk confidently. Spiritually, the lesson holds. Apart from God, revealed in Jesus, we are ‘in the dark’ about the realities of our existence. Oh yes, we may make a living, enjoy a relationship, create families, but at the core we wonder – ‘What’s it all about? Who am I really?’  Jesus answers that.  He restores us to our place in the family of God, sets eternity in our hearts, and removes the sense of futility that creeps up on so many apart from His love.

There is a terrible darkness that causes millions of people to stumble around. God’s good gifts are twisted inside out. Created things are turned into objects of worship.  To mock faith is viewed by many as a kind of sophistication, humanity having evolved beyond the need for God.  The results of that spiritual poverty are ugly. Without God, without the understanding that we are eternal creatures, humanity descends into sensuality. 

Food, sex, comfort, wealth, image, reputation, and power become little gods that ultimately destroy those who worship them.  The response to all of this by those who know Christ, who are living in the Light, cannot be offense. We cannot wish the world to ‘go to Hell!’  This is the exact opposite of what Jesus did and what He asks of us. Jesus said - “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12, NLT)  And He says, “let your light shine before this world, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, NIV)

Christians, if we live in communion with the Spirit, transformed by the love of Jesus, we will enjoy a clarity about life that cannot be found elsewhere. We will find release from the grasp of Self and Sin so that we can choose a life of love.  We will be so resourced and secure that we will not be consumed with our own needs nor will we feel the need to take offense.  Through the love of Jesus, we will live with generosity, extending loving care for others, hating violence and seeking peace!  In Jesus, we have hope that extends beyond this moment in time and faith that leads us through those inevitable times of disappointment.  We will live ‘on purpose’  not stumbling from one poor choice to another.  We will commit ourselves to the Truth that God reigns, that we are His Creation, that we are responsible to Him and thus - we will live in the full light of day.

Are you living in the Light? Take some time to think about that. The theme is a recurring one in the Scripture.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? " (Psalm 27:1, NLT)
"Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.  They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation. They exult in your righteousness." (Psalm 89:15-16, NLT)

Have you received Him by faith, my friend? Do you live as a child of God, experiencing His transforming love?  He will make those filled with the Spirit a light in the world.  This wonderful passage summarizes the promise - "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— (living in the light!) For we read on that,  “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, (radiance and brightness) the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:12, 14, NIV)  Paul says "you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." (Ephesians 5:8-11, NIV)

Let’s live in the Light! He has shined on us. Open your mind, your heart, your life to Him and let in His brightness.  This is a word from the Word, a promise for you, for me.  "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble." (Proverbs 4:18-19, NIV)

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(Video of this blog at this link)

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I Can See Clearly Now

 I can see clearly now the rain is gone

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day

 

Oh, yes I can make it now the pain is gone

All of the bad feelings have disappeared

Here is that rainbow I've been praying for

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day

 

look all around, there's nothing but blue skies

Look straight ahead, there's nothing but blue skies

I can see clearly now the rain is gone

I can see all obstacles in my way

Here is that rainbow I've been praying for

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day

 

Bri-ri-ri-ri', bright, (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day, yeah, eh

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day, yeah, na

It's gonna be a bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny day

Bri-ri-ri-ri', bright (bright)

Bright (bright) sunshiny...

 

Songwriters: Johnny Nash

Woe is me!

Remember the old fable about “Chicken Little?”  An acorn fell and hit a not too bright chicken on the head. She panicked and ran about the farmyard declaring that the sky was falling!  The fable has been told in various cultures for centuries as a warning of excessive fear-mongering!  Can I be bold and tell you, dear friend, that it is a worthy story for our time?

Without taking sides in our political tempest, let me point out that the dire warnings of the imminent collapse of America are over-wrought presentations of singular points of view, supported by isolated anecdotes which are carefully selected to buttress the opinion of the speaker. I am not naïve and realize that the challenges we face in these United States are real. The choices we make in our elected leadership have consequences, but… panicky declarations of the end of the world as we know it are not at all useful, nor are they true.

Christian, stop spreading tales of fear and repeating the lies of self-serving politicians!  We are citizens of the Kingdom of God and He reigns sovereign over the affairs of the world. This truth should make us a people of peace, reasonable, rational, and engaged in prayer that makes us partners in Jesus’ work of salvation for humanity of every generation.

I know that our 24/7 ‘news’ networks make it possible for a singular opinion to spread like a virus.  Our social media gives voice to everyone, regardless of truthfulness, education, or accuracy in their words.  Conspiracy theories grow like weeds. Highly biased pundits see the same event and tell us very different stories. Yes, it is very hard to discern the ‘truth,’  extremely difficult to sort through the debris of words to find the diamonds that are facts.  

Christians must go deeper and anchor themselves in the surety that Jesus Christ is the same ‘yesterday, today, and tomorrow,’ and that God holds you and me in the palm of His hand and that the salvation promised us cannot be stolen by anyone or anything in all the earth.

By way of example of human error in conclusions, let me point out a few realities. 

One hundred years ago, the average life expectancy for an American was around             age 50; today it is near 80.

When I was a child 60 years ago, there were hundreds of 'dead' rivers and lakes in             America, full of toxic wastes. Today, there are virtually none

Dr. Paul Erlich, a biologist and author of The Population Bomb, published in 1967, predicted that the world would experience famines sometime between 1970 and 1985 due to population growth outstripping resources. Ehrlich wrote that "the battle to feed all of humanity is over ... In the 1970s and 1980s hundreds of millions of people will starve to death in spite of any crash programs embarked upon now." Ehrlich also stated, "India couldn't possibly feed two hundred million more people by 1980," and "I have yet to meet anyone familiar with the situation who thinks that India will be self-sufficient in food by 1971."  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_R._Ehrlich)  Forty years later and with a world population that has doubled, the predicted famines are not happening. Is there hunger in the world? Absolutely, but not because of production problems. Hunger exists in some parts of our world primarily because of warfare, poverty, and distribution issues.

My point is not to belittle caution or to say that there are no real problems!  There are and it is our responsibility to meet those challenges with innovation. When we do, life goes on but new challenges emerge for each and every generation.

This is a fact! God is greater than our fears and misconceptions!  What peace I find in meditation on this doxology from Romans 11.

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36, NIV)

Our high calling is to hear the cry of those in peril and respond with compassion, with a message of hope, and an invitation to restoration to the family of God, through the grace of Jesus. Jesus did not call us to retreat into our churches and defensively ‘hold out’ to the End! He told us to "go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.”  And He gave us this assurance -  “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NLT)

Are you letting the troubles of life fill you with fear?
Are you living defensively, building walls to shut out every threat both real and imagined?

If so, I would gently suggest that you have missed the major part of His-Story! Go to the Scripture and read again the glorious 8th chapter of Romans! In one brief, breathtaking passage, we are told of God's plan, about our destiny as His children who may know Him as both the “Lord of Glory” and our “Abba” (Dad!).  The inspired text tells us to keep faith focused on the one who Lord of Time, of Humanity, Who has conquered even Death itself. Living with that solid foundation, we lose fear and lead with love.

Then the chapter closes with this shout of victory which is our word from the Word.  Oh, may the Spirit grant us faith to own these words. "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:31-32, 37-39, NIV)  Can I get an “Amen?”

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(Video of this blog at this link)

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Lead On O King Eternal

Lead on O King Eternal
The day of march has come
Henceforth in fields of conquest
Thy tents shall be our home
Thro' days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong
And now O King eternal
We lift our battle song

Lead on O King Eternal
Till sin's fierce war shall cease
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet Amen of peace
For not with swords loud clashing
Nor roll of stirring drums
With deeds of love and mercy
The heav'nly kingdom comes

Lead on O King Eternal
We follow not with fears
For gladness breaks like morning
Where'er Thy face appears
Thy cross is lifted o'er us
We journey in its light
The crown awaits the conquest
Lead on O God of might

Ernest Warburton Shurtleff | Henry Thomas Smart | Ovid Young

© Words: Public Domain

Your Story and His-Story

A young woman told a short part of her story to us in church yesterday. In her final year of high school, in a time when she was looking for some answers, a boy who is part of our congregation openly talked about his faith in Jesus and invited her to church. Not from a ‘churched’ family, she found the thought of stepping into an unfamiliar environment a challenge, but she courageously did it and found a ‘home’ and a relationship with Jesus. 

Now she is in a pre-med  program and is headed to a small town in Jamaica later this year for an outreach program and she invited her church to help her by provided items to be used at that time. Annabelle’s story is not one of a dramatic turn from some terrible place in life. She did not escape some horrific situation. She heard of hope, responded with faith, and as she said found a spiritual home!

The Good News about Jesus is told in stories. His teaching about His mission and purpose was often wrapped up in parables, simple stories about ordinary life that had a deeper meaning for those who heard them.  Have you heard His story and started to write your own faith story?

Since retiring, in many conversations about my decades of ministry, I found that most people did not remember many details about sermons I carefully prepared and delivered but they do recall stories of my life and faith. When I told about experiencing God’s grace, when I shared about His hand moving in the lives of others, or how I saw someone transformed by the Good News, or how He sustained me in times of loss and sorrow, people heard and identified with my ‘testimony’ thinking that “Jesus can do that for me, too."

Christians are called to “go and tell, ” Jesus parting words to us being -"Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NLT)  We heard His story and then we tell it.

Often before I make a purchase, I take time to read product reviews. By definition, a review requires an experience.  Who wants to read a critic’s review if he has not seen the movie? Who wants to hear a opinion about a local restaurant offered by a person who has not eaten a meal at the establishment? Was the item useful, durable, as described? What kind of service did the company provide?  Those reviews have a real effect! 

Christian, your life is a ‘review’ that others read about the Jesus you claim as Lord and Savior. What story is your life telling? Do your words and your choices align?  Is your ‘faith’ more than a Sunday thing, integrated into your family life, your work world, the relationships with your neighbors and friends? 

In John’s Gospel, a woman with an ugly past, a social outcast, met Jesus at a well in Samaria. He engaged her in conversation and her heart was changed. What happened next is unexpected but truly wonderful. "The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him." (John 4:28-30, NLT) John summarizes those days at that village telling us that "Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” (John 4:39, NLT)

The “Jesus story” – this is who I was, this is who I am – of others usually stirs up deep emotion in me. Sometimes the story is raw, freedom from some addiction, a recovery from some tragedy, or release from from the shame of past choices.  Some are more like the one I heard yesterday of the faith discovery of new direction, the revelation of God’s love that gives hope and purpose. The best stories are those that are authentic, not necessarily eloquent, but real and deep.

John Newton, who penned the words to the old hymn, Amazing Grace, had a story. A troubled child-hood, time at sea, a slave ship captain, a man changed by God’s love who became a pastor, and later a major player in the abolition of slavery in England - this was his story.  And he captures the essence this way:

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind but now I see!

How do you know Jesus?
What has He done in your life?
Where do you struggle, what are your triumphs? 

When we have a real story of grace, our witness can be a powerful catalyst of change - for our family, our friends, even our world. Like a man who was healed by Jesus, who was questioned about Who Jesus was, we need not have all the answers to every question, nor must be theologians. It is enough to say, "One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:25, NIV)

The word from the Word – "On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5, NIV)  And, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NIV)

Let’s tell the Story in our story, honestly and with the desire to let others ‘read’ our review and find His love for themselves, through faith.

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(Video of this blog at this link)

 

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

Through many dangers toils and snares
I have already come
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home

When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun

 

John Newton

© Words: Public Domain; Music: Public Domain

Self-esteem and me

Discussing the current Presidential contest in America someone observed - “He is a narcissist!”  Well, yes, I suppose anyone who claims they are ready to be the most powerful person in the world, the President of the United States, would have to have a strong confidence in their own strengths and abilities.  Sitting in the Oval Office would otherwise be an impossibly crushing weight of responsibility. But, my question was “when does a healthy self-esteem morph into a toxic pride?”  It’s a question we all do well to ponder.

Pride has derailed human beings from the dawn of history.  Pride makes people mean, blocks meaningful relationships, and misdirects millions to pretend to be what they are not.  Let’s remember that self-esteem can be healthy when kept in the right place but when it turns into ugly pride, it is the root of some really bad stuff! 

The appeal to pride is an old as the story of Eden.  The serpent approaches Eve with an invitation to disobey the directive.  His appeal is a subtle invitation to pride - “You won’t die!” the serpent hissed. “God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it, too." (Genesis 3:4-6, NLT)

And, the lure to become a little god remains with us, a strong pull towards prideful self-expression replacing the healthy love for ourselves that grows out of the assurance that each of us is made in God’s own image, people who are loved and incredibly valuable, unique in a world of billions!

Pride is revealed in the frequency of the use of one small word - “I.”  The prideful person believes that the best life revolves around his comfort, his concerns, his reputation, his preferences, his emotions, and his agenda. Pride will show up in grandiose behaviors, in monologues about ‘me,’ and in a growing gap between inner reality and external image.  It’s an ugly way to live; tragic, lonely, and paradoxically – what the proud person desires most - the love of others - is denied him because he is self-absorbed, which is the shortest road to obscurity!

Jesus taught us to seek God first and to serve willingly.  This, He said, is the way God desires and will lead us to a rich experience.  The ancient preacher was inspired with this heavenly wisdom for us. "This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom, or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!" (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NLT)

So, how do we defeat pride? The Word shows us the prime example. "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names." (Philippians 2:5-9, NLT)  

 

Jesus was no superman, nor did He swagger into the darkness of the world, cultivating human power.  The Gospel says it simply - "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10, NIV)  His call to us is summed up this way - "and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:27-28, NIV)  He became involved with our need, fully human, and served!  He suffered with us, that He might save us. He was no demi-god, dabbling in our world. He humbled himself to become one of us, setting aside His divine prerogatives for our sake.   The night before He went to the Cross He took a towel and washed His friend’s dirty feet, without any sense of pride, to demonstrate true love that serves.

Pride dies when we trust Him as Lord and embrace the call to follow Him without reservation, serving God and others in love.

Are you willing to set aside your ‘glory?’ Will you become the person that God desires you to be by serving? Don’t look around wondering who’s watching and what they think. Just serve for Christ’s sake. Don’t calculate the potential for reward or recognition, just serve for Heaven’s reward.  Jesus promises that “your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”   (Matthew 6:6) Lord, increase our faith to receive your Word!

Let me leave you pondering a story Jesus told at a wedding where the guests were competing to sit at the best tables.  May the call to humility that allows us to experience God’s rewards own our hearts.  The word from the Word says -

“If you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t always head for the best seat. What if someone more respected than you has also been invited? The host will say, ‘Let this person sit here instead.’ Then you will be embarrassed and will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! “Do this instead—sit at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place than this for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.” (Luke 14:8-11, NLT)   What a thought!

____________

(Video of this blog at this link)

 

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light my strength my song

This Cornerstone this solid Ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love what depths of peace

When fears are stilled when strivings cease

My Comforter my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand

 

In Christ alone who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live

 

There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

 

No guilt in life no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

 

Keith Getty, Stuart Townend

© 2001 Thankyou Music

CCLI License #810055

Unity?

Since the attempt on the life of our former President the word “unity” has been used a million times … by pundits, politicians, and preachers. 

Is unity even possible in this polarized nation where the divides over most everything go wide and deep?  The ‘discussions’ devolve quickly into shouting.  The differences turn into personal attacks that go beyond disagreement. Words are hurled like grenades - loaded with hurt and anger.

A poll conducted by Ipsos earlier this year confirmed what we intuitively know. “Eighty-one percent of Americans say America is more divided than united. Partisans have the same perceptions of division, with 82% of Republicans, 80% of Democrats, and 81% of independent viewing America as more divided than united.”  And the intensity of those divisions grows! Sociologists can suggest the causes of our divides with theories about the collapse of a common ‘story’ that ties us together in this country.

Let me speak to you as a Pastor to God’s people. Here is what I know: whatever the reasons for the collapse of civility those who are in Christ this ought not to be the situation.  When we allow ourselves to hate, when we turn dialogue about our convictions into harangues and accusations, it is sin! This is beyond question.  When we place allegiance to party or even country above the call of Christ to ‘come and follow Me,’ we have strayed far from the true Way.

Peace, inner and with others, is a basic characteristic of the Spirit-filled Christian life.

We are commanded -"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Romans 12:17-18, NIV)  

The third aspect of the evidence of the life of the Spirit (the fruit, Galatians 5:22) is peace, following only love and joy! 

Jesus taught "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9, NIV)

The peace to which God calls us is not to be confused with apathy - having no convictions, not caring about life, one way or another.  Nor is that peace a withdrawal from all engagement with the world in which we live in an attempt to float serenely above the fray. This peace is rooted in the faith the reminds us that our Father reigns, that we are held in the hands of a God Whose plans will always prevail. 

Our peace with God, purchased a great expense by Christ Jesus at the Cross, secures us so profoundly that we can live in the middle of the tempests of opinion with gentleness, even willing to absorb hostility just as Jesus did. We need not quickly retaliate to insult.  Our peace is not secured by majorities of votes, by large resources of money, by owning the culture, or even with power in its many forms.

Paul prays that "the God of hope (will) fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13, NIV) Jesus’ promise is rock solid - “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:27, NLT)

Out of that God-given peace we choose to live this way. “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:1-4, NIV)  That passage should own us - emotions and intellect.  I urge you to reflect on this truth often, perhaps even committing it to memory!

God asks us to choose humility.  Instead of being so certain, quick to say, “I’m right!”- we are told to consider that the other guy might have something to say to us.  A paraphrase called The Message expresses it this way - "Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."  That is far more than just trying to be nice!  We love - profoundly- because we are loved lavishly.  

Secure in the love of Jesus we become those capable of a bold, engaged, courageous, sacrificial love of others, even those with whom we differ at great depth!  Jesus desires that those who love Him become people who go beyond the usual give and take. He asks “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that?”  He reminds us that “Even sinners love those who love them! … Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:32-36, NLT)

This Monday morning, before you rush off to your day, bring to mind that person that really rubs you the wrong way. Think that person who makes your life hard. Now … pray for them, honestly!  Pray until you can get past the “Well, Lord, I guess You love them so I’ll try to be nice”  to a place where you can care about their interests, seek the best for them.  By the way, if you do not know what that 'their best' really is remember that God does, so agree with Him.

Unity needs to be more than a slogan. The word from the Word says “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family." (Matthew 5:9, The Message)  Let’s start building some bridges: listening, praying, loving, forgetting ourselves for Christ’s sake.

"Almighty God…
Save us from violence, discord, and confusion;
from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way.

Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people
the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues.

Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom,
in thy Name, we entrust the authority of government,
that there may be justice and peace at home…

all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Book of Common Prayer,

“For Our Nation,” #39.