Unanswered Prayer

In Mark chapter 10, Jesus is asked twice for a blessing.  In each case he responds, "What do you want me to do for you?"  The first instance was two of his apostles (vv 35-40) and the second was a blind man named Bartimaeus (vv 46-52).

His responses may surprise you a bit as he says no to his apostles and yes to the stranger.  While we tend to think that God is predisposed to listen to certain people and not to others, the reality is that what is asked is more important than who is asking.

In this passage, the disciples asked for positions of prominence, a request based on and one that would promote their pride.  The what being asked here overrode the who as it was not godly and it would not be God-like for the Lord to grant it.

Bartimaeus asked only that his most pressing need be met, he asked for his sight.  What he wanted of Jesus was something that Jesus would happily provide, the blessing of sight.  His request was based on need not greed, and so it was granted.

James is quite clear on this point in saying, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (Js 4:3).

While there are other factors in what we might call unanswered prayer, which may be actually answered "no," such as timing or personal sin, the factor at hand is that of self interest.  Is what you are asking in the best interest of all, in line with God's interests, or just something based on your own selfish interest.  Which, by the way, may not truly be in your best self-interest.

Before asking of the Father, we ought to ask, is want I am about to ask something that honors God and blesses others, including myself, or is it something I want in a selfish way, which would not bless others and not truly myself.  

God is not in the business of saying no, but he is the business of doing right.  He will not give you what you ask if it is not truly good for you or in-line with his purposes.  Jus' Sayn.

New Creation

There is a beautiful promise made in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that "anyone who is in Christ has become a new creation."  This promise is held dear to millions who accept the grace of God through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.  Our old sinful self is buried with Christ in baptism and we are raised to a new life with him (note Rom 6:1ff).

However, it is extremely important to understand that the new creation is not just about being saved and sinless, it is also about being sent.  We have not become new creations just for the personal blessing - how different would that make us from our selfish self that needs saving and cleansing from sin?  The new creation is not just for our benefit but more importantly for God's glory.

As we read further down in the passage, we find that "We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us" (v. 20).  As new creations, we have a responsibility to represent God to others, to live in such a way as to draw others to him to hold out the possibility of becoming new creations to those living in bondage.  

As ambassadors, our words and our deeds must reflect the reconciling love of the Father, who calls to a lost world, "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28).   Do yours?  Jus' Askn.

Love vs Temptation

Mark Twain once quipped, "I can resist anything except temptation."  You wouldn't likely echo his assessment but you likely have said something like, "I just can't help..." or "I've just got to have..."  The smell of Cinnabon in the mall, the "if you call right now" of QVC, the bling-bling in the jewelry counter, that porn site you stumbled on to that keeps calling you back, something, several things, temptation calls and you find it very difficult to hang up.

Twain's tongue in cheek was not totally without merit.  We only find ourselves failing to resist those things, which are truly a temptation.  At times we may feel like throwing up our hands and just admit that we lack the discipline or the resolve to resist - after all, we're only human, we're not saints.

Actually, we are "sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people" (1 Cor 1:2).  And, we are empowered to resist temptation: "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (1 Cor 10:13).

While we have and will fail at times due to our human condition, we do have the power to overcome.  In the words of Huey Lewis and the News, "It's the power of love."  Consider how one rebuffs the advances of an attractive stranger because of their love for their spouse.  One faced with the purchase of the car of his dreams walks away because the child he loves needs braces.  

As a Christian, any time I am faced with the temptation to do something immoral, illegal or unethical, I need only remember how much Jesus loves me and I him to empower me to reconsider and turn away realizing the hurt my sin would bring to my Lord.  It's not just WWJD - what would Jesus do?  When we love him, we ask, WWIJ - what would injure Jesus?  Our love for him will compel us to turn away from sin and his Spirit within can give us the power to resist.  Love overpowers temptation.  Jus' Sayn.

The Bad Press of Good Works

From Ephesus, the apostle Paul wrote to Corinth saying that he desired to come and spend some time with them only it would need to wait because ministry demands made it necessary that he remain where he was for a while longer: "[8] But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, [9] because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me: (1 Cor 16:8-9).

Did you notice, along with the statement about effective work, he adds the note about opposition.  The construction of the sentence makes it sound more like a positive than a negative.  He didn't say a door of effective work was opened "but" there are many who oppose me, rather he said, a door for effective work opened "and" there are many who oppose me.

It is as if the opposition was a confirmation of the effectiveness of the minisitry opportunity - that the draw of enemy fire indicated he was on target.  "Hey, guys!  Look at the good being done here.  It has the Evil one worried, he's sent out gang busters to try and stop us.  Isn't that great?"

It is great, despite the negative reaction.  Doing good work always brings bad press and detractors who want to throw a wrench into the works.  If they can get you distracted, listening to their venom, they can sidetrack you and slow down or bring your work to a halt.

Don't give in to the pressure of bad press and bad attitudes toward the good you are trying to do.  Satan will work hard through your enemies and even friends to stop effective ministry efforts.  Keep your eyes on Jesus and goal of kingdom service.  God will bless what he approves, regardless of the noise raised in opposition by those around you.  Jus' Sayn.

Mistake Autopsy

Far too often today, when a mistake is made, it is followed by a mis-step: People tend to deny, decry or dismiss their original mistake, thereby rendering it useless for personal development and greatly increase the odds they will make the same mistake again.

When a mistake is made, instead of trying to hide it, shift the blame onto someone else or defend it, we ought to perform an autopsy.  Acknowledge the mistake, own it and take control of it's impact on your future by closely examining how it came about, what harm it caused and where you could have altered it's outcome.

Taking personal ownership and a close look at your mistakes  allows you to mitigate the negative outcome by learning a positive lesson for the future, a way to avoid repeating that mistake and perhaps uncovering a better choice.  Wisdom comes from experience and the experiences that we learn most from are our mistakes.

King Solomon, the epitome of wisdom, said, "I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw" (Proverbs 24:32).  As wise as he was, he made it a point to perform autopsies on experiences, allowing for astute observations, which added to his wisdom.

Don't double down on a mistake, trying to deny it or defend it.  Instead, turn it on its head by fully owning up to it and fully exposing it to the light of inquiry so as to learn all that can be gained from it.  Put on your scrubs, grab your scalpel and let the autopsy begin.  Jus' Sayn.

Proceed With Caution

When you see a road sign that says to proceed with caution, it is a warning that there is potential danger up ahead, depending on how you approach it.  If you drive too fast or don't pay attention to the road conditions, you could be in for trouble.

The sign isn't there to get you to turn around, rather it's purpose is to forewarn you so that you can slow down and/or become more alert to the road conditions in order to prevent disaster.

The Lord gives us such a road sign in Ephesians 5:15-17, where he warns, "[15] Be very careful, then, how you live —not as unwise but as wise, [16] making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. [17] Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is."

He warns us that the road ahead is filled with evil and that we need to proceed carefully, exercising wisdom that comes from equipping oneself with the mind of Christ.  The warning is against foolishly moving forward without such knowledge, wasting the opportunities He has set before us.

Daily prayer and study of God's Word, seeking understanding and equipping for the road ahead provides us the wisdom to make the most of the opportunities we encounter instead of making a mess of them.  It is foolish to face the day as if there were no God and we were left to navigate life on our own.  Wisdom comes from searching out God's counsel and direction.

There is danger up ahead and there are opportunities for blessings.  Don't act a fool, proceed with caution by spending quiet time with The Lord and His Word daily.  Jus' Sayn.

Voices

There are two voices, which seek to get your attention and win your acceptance.  One wants to remind you of how far you have fallen, how desperately hopeless you have become and how terribly sad life is afterall.  The other desires to show you how near help is, how much potential you have and how wonderfully full life can be.  

One voice is lying, wanting only to drag you down like a lion seizing a gazelle, holding you in it's grip until you give up and helplessly are devoured.

The other voice is proclaiming truth, wanting to lift you up from muck and mud into which you have fallen, holding you in His arms, freeing you from the jaws of death.

There are two voices: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10).  One voice wants you to give up the other voice wants you to get up.  One voice says it's over, the other voice says it's just beginning.  One voice wants to take your joy, the other voice wants to give you joy.

To which voice will you listen?  Which voice will you believe?  Which voice will you follow?  Jus' Askn.

Righteous Judgment

I was reading from the Book of Isaiah, the Messianic Prophet, regarding the coming of the Christ in chapter 11.  Of all the awe inspiring descriptions of His reign like the lion laying down with the calf and the infant reaching into a viper's nest without harm, it was interesting what caught my attention.

In verse three, the prophet wrote, "He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears."  Seems rather pedestrian compared to the other descriptions, but I was struck by the fact that the Messiah would not judge by what he saw or heard.  So, by what would he judge?  Isn't it a sort of axiom that we can only judge by what we see and hear?  Maybe, but isn't it also true that often the way things appear and the way they are aren't always the same?

Based on what you saw and heard, have you ever been quite certain but quite wrong in a judgment?  Have you never been surprised to find out that what you saw and what was later revealed were not even close?  My mother used to say, "Don't believe anything you read and only half of what you see."  Righteous judgment exists beyond the physical senses, it sees in the hidden places.

"For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing the sould and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Heb 4:12).  Jesus, who is the Word incarnate (see John 1:14), sees past what is evident to our physical senses and judges rightly according to the inner thoughts and attitudes.

That is why we are cautioned in Matthew 7 about judging.  While we must evaluate the actions of another in order to protect ourselves from evildoers (vv. 15-20), we are not to judge the moral worth of another (vv. 1-6).  In other words, while we are to judge the actions of another as good or bad, we are not to assign a spiritual value to that individual.  Only God can make that judgment.  We can hate the sin but not the sinner.

For our part, we are called to love everyone, even our "perceived" enemies.  We are even to pray for those who mistreat us (Matt 5:44).  We may have to limit contact with one whose actions cause us harm, but we are not to write them off.  Instead, we are to lift them up in prayer, leaving the writing of their name in God's Book of Life up to God.  Jus' Sayn.

No Comparison

I haven't heard the phrase in a while, "Keeping up with the Jones," but the race to stay up with or surpass others is still on.  So many Americans stay in debt spending money they don't have on things they don't need to impress people they don't know.

We have a tendency to look around at what others have or get to do and that little green monster of jealousy pokes out his head and demands we kick it into high gear in an attempt to catch up and surpass if at all possible.

If we can't keep up on one level, we often shift gears and seek to elevate ourselves on another by imagining that while they have more than us,  they are not truly better off than us.  They have a bigger house but they are mortgage poor.  He has a better paying job but he's never at home, always working.  She has more education but lacks the common sense I have in abundance.

And, if we can't quite pull off tearing someone down to make  us feel better about ourselves, we just enlarge our viewing area and find others who are poorer, less educated, not as cultured, whatever.    Dare to Compare is a game humans love to play even though it is a fool's errond.  

Paul warns "We do not dare to classify of compare ourselves with some who commend themselves.  When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise" (2 Cor 10:12).  When we, as humans, compare ourselves using the standards of humans, we are fools because it is God's standard, not ours that matters.

And God clearly warns, "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because 'God opposes the proud bu shows favor to the humble'" (1 Pet 5:5b).  And Jesus tells us, "The greatest  among you will be your servant" (Matt 23:11).  In other words, God's standard is opposite of ours.

The bottom line is that God wants no comparison among his children.  Instead, he desires compassion, concern and cooperation. The greatest command is to love God and the second is to love other as yourself (see Matt 22:36-40).  Jus' Sayn.

Meek Not Weak

In Matthew 5:5, Jesus says, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth."  This passage has led many to the accept notion that Christians are called to be a kind of religious milk toast - mild spoken and easily intimidated.

That picture, however, does not resonate with the example of the apostles who stood up against kings and courts, and willingly died for the sake of the Gospel.  It doesn't match the unyeilding faith of the early martyrs, who sang as the lions were set upon them.  And, it doesn't sync with the Chrisian martyrs of today who die rather than give up their faith or convert at the threat of death in Muslim and Communist countries.

The meek Christian of faith does not sync with the weak picture painted by so many because meek does not equal weak.  The Greek word translated meek comes from the idea of a stallion that has been been brought under submission to its master and often trained for war.  That stallion yeilds to its master's wishes but make no mistake, it it still a powerful creature when it steps onto the battlefield.  At the master's bidding, it charges into the enemy line full tilt and woe to the one who stands in its path.

Meekness, rather than weakness, is power under control of its master.  In the case of the Christian, it is power under the control of the Lord Jesus Christ, which takes its stand against even "the spiritual powers of evil" (Eph 6:12).

This power in meekness is not manifested in seeking to impose itself on others, nor does it lash out when cornered.  This power calmly faces attempts to silence it and the trials that this life pours out over us all.  It is a calm reliance on and submission to the God of heaven and earth.  Jus' Sayn.

Hungry?

Hunger is perhaps the most common experience among humans.  We've all been hungry, get hungry and will be hungry.  We fill this hunger from the moment we are born and it becomes a driving force in our lives from then on.  Truly, we all experience hunger.

But, we do not all eperience hunger for the same things necessarily.  I have never found an appetite for snails, yet escargot is quite the delicacy I am told.  I find myself hungering for some good ole liver and onions while my wife would rather eat the place mat.

Hungering for a particular thing requires that 1) we have a knowlege of it's existence and 2) we have developed a taste for it.  Sometimes, developing a taste requires very little as in a taste for sugar seems to be for most, while coffee usually requires a bit more time and trial.

Jesus said, "Blessed are they that hunger and  thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matt 5:6).  But who is it that hungers and thirsts for righteousness?  It is they that have come to understand there is such a thing and have developed a taste for it by experiencing it.  And the more one eperiences it, the more one hungers for it.

Those of us who have developed a taste for coffee, look forward to that first cup of the day.  We savor its aroma and sip the hot brew with delight.  Getting up and preparing for that cup is not a chore but a daily blessing we greet each morning with passion.  Blessed are they who really love coffee for they will be filled with a joyous morning experience.  OK, I've gone to far with this analogy, but you get my meaning.

When we develop a taste for righteousness by daily embracing the Word of God and walking in the light it sheds on our path, we greet each day with passion as we turn to God in prayer, turn the pages of the Bible in expectation and turn to face the world equipped to let His light flow through us to those living in darkness.

If all this sounds like Greek to you, then perhaps you have not developed a real hunger for righteousness, possibly you need to make time to be alone with God in prayer and Bible study on a daily basis.  You can start with just a verse for the day and a couple of minutes of reflection followed by a brief prayer.  In time you can begin to expand the time alone with Him.  

You will find, as you develop the taste for Quiet Time with God that you have a hunger for it and that you look forward to it.  That time with the Lord will begin in turn to develop a hunger for righteous living and for opportunities for His light to shine through us to others.

I'll tell you a secret.  I have come to the place, where I spend my quiet time with God even before my first cup of coffee.  My first cup when waking up is filled with the aroma of God.  Jus' Sayn.

This LIttle Light of Mine

It's a children's song with a grown-up meaning: "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine..."  It reflects the truth of the Christian mission on earth to let the Light of Christ in us and through us so that others may see the glory and the grace of the King whom we serve.

Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

[14] “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt 5:14-16).

We are not called to shove our light into others' faces and annoyingly shine it into their eyes, but neither are we to cover it so as they are not offended or affected by its illumination.  We are to go about living for Christ openly, allowing his light to glow radiantly in our lives for all to see and some to be drawn to while others turn aside.

It is not or job to shine a light on the failures of others, exposing them to the world but to keep our light shining so that others can see the glory of Christ in us and thereby clearly see the sin in themselves as His light exposes it to them.

If you keep living right, loving right, lighting right - you will have an impact on others and you will have opportunity to share your faith and what Jesus has done for you.  Through your determined effort to follow Jesus daily, others will have their way illuminated as well.  Jus' Sayn.

Perfectly Imperfect

The universal excuse for personal failure is hard to argue with as the evidence is so overwhelming: "Nobody's perfect!"  OK, I made a mistake, I dropped the ball, I crossed the line becasue I'm not perfect.  And, by the way, neither are you.  I might add, people who claim to be perfect are very annoying to those of us who actually are - kidding!

It is so universally understood that it hardly needs mention.  And the Bible adds the final nails to the argument in saying, "No one is righteous, not even one" (Rom 3:10) and "All sin and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23).  Truly, nobody is perfect - end of story.  Except that...

Except that Jesus said, "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt 5:48).  Really?  Really!  It's in there, check it out for yourself.  Desite all the reality checks and the definitive biblical statement, seemingly to the contrary, we are called to be perfect.  But how?  How is it possible for those who can neither be righteous or sinless to be perfect?  I'm glad you asked.

The call to be perfect is not one to moral absolutism but rather one to a specific character trait and course of action.  Matthew 5:48 is not given in a vacuum nor was it sent on a postcard, it was delivered in, not just a sermon, but in The Sermon on The Mount.  The confines of this call to be perfect are found in the words leading up to it: "...love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven" (vv. 45-46).

To be a child of God, one in whom His image is seen, one must love even those who are hard to love or who seem impossible to love - our enemies, those who actively try to harm us.  This seems so counterintuitive, so other than the way we are wired as humans.  It is.  It is beyond human, it is divine to love like this.  It is a love born out of a perfect heart rather than our own.  It is the perfection to which we are called.  Jus' Sayn.

Just For Today

Typically, Matthew 6:25-34 is read and expounded on as a unit, seperate unto itself.  In it we are told not to worry and then what not to worry about, followed by what to concern ourselves with.  Specifically, do not worry about what you will eat, what you will wear or where you will live.  Instead, we are to "seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added" (v. 33).  This is followed by an admonition to "let tomorrow worry about itself" (v. 34).

Of course, all of the above is true.  However, reading it as a seperate unit fails to give you the foundation for living in today's world, worrying not about tomorrow's.  The foundation upon which this confidence is to be built is found by following the direction of the "Therefore," with which this section begins, showing it to be a conclusion not the beginning of a new train of thought.  The "therefore" points back to the ground of this faith, which is prayer that includes the very specific request "give us today our daily bread" (v. 11).

The Lord taught his disciples to pray in the moment - daily looking to God for provision rather than asking for a stockpile that, as the verses to follow point out, that can vanish by consumption, theft or rust away (vv. 19-24).  Instead, we are to lean on God today, storing up in heaven the fruit of serving and trusting Him, which will never disappear.

I don't think the Bible teaches us to forget savings accounts, forego retirement investment or pass on insurance.  It does, however, warn us not to put our trust in such things but to rest in God today, tomorrow and forever.  Don't let the uncertainty of the Market unsettle you, don't fret over the interest rate of your CD's, don't worry about the permanency of your job - instead, trust in God, serve Him faithfully by doing your best in all things.  God can and will provide what His children need, when they need it.  Jus' Sayn.

Strengths and Strongholds

Because "our struggle is not agains flesh and blood, but against the ruler, against the authorities, agains the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph 6:12), we dare not try to take our stand against those forces in our own strength.

Instead, for the child of God, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Ps 18:2).

Sadly, however, far too many Christians step out of His stronghold and into the stronghold of Satan by way of strengths given them by the Father.  Really?  Really!

The gift of discernment can become the trap of a judgmental spirit. Righteousness can morph into a pious arrogance.  A giving spirit can be adulterated into a spirit of pride.  A serving heart can become a resentful attitude as one begins to feel put upon while others take them for granted.

Do you see the danger in the drift?  Do you see how a strength can lead to your capture in Satan's stronghold?  What is the remedy?  Staying firmly put in God's stronghold, acknowledging his sovereignty and his power in your life daily; humbly using the strength God has given you, leaving the outcome and the judgment to God.  

We remain in God's stronghold when we humbly offer to share God's gift instead of insisting others yield to our superior knowledge or insight.  We must humbly remember it is God's strength that he exercises through us, not our strength we are exercising.  And, that it is God, not us, to whom they must answer, and who is in charge of outcomes.  Jus' Sayn.

Trimming Your Lamp

When I was a boy, my family lived for a period of time much like how people lived at the turn of the 20th Century.  We lived in a house without running water, used a wood stove for heat and to cook on, had an outhouse out back and no electricity.  At night we used oil lamps.

Some things you need to know about oil lamps is that you don't just flip a switch like we're all accustomed to these days.  A lamp required some preparation and maintainence.  The wick had to be trimmed in order for the flame to burn brightly, the globe had to be cleaned so as not to impeade the light, oil had to be replaced in order for the fire to continue and placement of the lamp determined whether you could read by it or not.  If you didn't take care of the lamp properly, it would not provide proper light and perhaps no light at all.

Jesus uses the lamp as an anology for how we bring or deny light in our lives, whether our souls live in the light or exist in darkness: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matt 6:22-23).

Healthy eyes shed light on the world around us by looking for the good in circumstances and in others.  The actual Greek word means "generous."  Generous eyes look for the best and find it.  Unhealthy eyes, which look for the bad instead, find it and become darkened or cynical.  The Greek word means "grudging."  

So we look at others with a generous lens and see the best or with grudging eyes and see the worst.  We either bring light into our souls or darkness.  Both good and bad exist at all times.  We can see the best in or the worst in everyone and everything.  The choice is yours: Trim your lamp and let the brightness light your day or let it remain untended and allow the shadows to prevail.  Jus' Sayn.

The Point

As a young preacher, one of my index passages was Romans 3:23, "For all sin and fall short of the glory of God."  I quoted it often and encouraged people to accept that reality and to turn their lives around, get baptized and live a new life.

And, like many young preachers, I didn't get it right.  I missed the real point of the passage.  Years of training, daily study and devotion to the Bible but still I missed it.  I missed the point because I didn't read the passage to the end, I stopped at the comma instead of the period.  

If you'll look at the quote above, I have a period after God.  In  the Bible, however, there is a comma.  That comma means there is a pause not an end in the sentence.  The pause is to allow one to focus on what is next, which, as Paul Harvey use to say, "Is the rest of the story."  And, not just the rest but the point of the passage.

I should also point out that the passage doesn't begin with "For."  I have it erroneously capitalized.  The full sentence is this, "There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and  fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Rom 3:22b-24).

The point is that all of us sin but only only One can save.  Neither Jew nor Gentile can overcome sin but neither need be overcome by sin because Jesus died, releasing God's grace.  By his wounds we are healed.  It is not within our grasp to adjust our lives and  walk in righteousness, we all "fall short of God's glory" (Rom 6:23).  Instead, we are to turn away from self governance, accept the gift of salvation and walk in the light of his glory.

In other words, we aren't called to change our lives in order to be accepted.  Rather, accepting his grace, we are changed and now we can live a new and different life, a life of listening to His call to follow him, surrendering our will to His, not charting a new course based on self-reflection and an improved self-will.  Jus' Sayn.

Death of a Christian

In John 10:10, Jesus said, "I have come that they might have life and have it to the full."  Counterintuitively, however, this life begins after, not before death.

In the physical world, the one into which we are born, death comes after life.  In the spiritual world, the one into which we are born again, death comes before life.

Jesus gives an analogy in John 12:24 using a seed that must "fall tto the ground and die" or it remains a lifeless seed.  When it is buried and goes through the death of germination, it comes to life and a plant bearing new seed and fruit of that seed emerges.  So it is with the child of God.

In Romans 6:1ff., Paul talks about the death of the disciple or, more precisely, the two deaths.  The disciple dies "to  sin" (v. 2) and "with Christ" (v. 8).  It is the dying with Christ in baptism that empowers us to die to sins in our daily walk.

To the degree we die with Christ, we are dead to sin.  In dying with Christ, temptation to sin begins to die.  Sin's power over one who has fully died with Christ has no more power over the Christian than temptation over a corpse.

This dying with Christ is therefore not a one time death and  burial in baptism in which we rise beyond the control of sin for "all sin and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23).  Instead, it is a daily dying, beginning when we are buried with Christ, reduces the control of sin and releases us from its power, progressively, day by day.  We are saved at the Cross but we are sanctified in the crossing, that daily walk in which we follow Him home.  Jus' Sayn.

Frank and the Devil's Foothold

Some people in our circle of friends, family and acquaintences simply annoy us to death.  Some are downright offensive.  Our response to that angst is typically polar, meaning we generally run to one extreme or the other in dealing with them.

One the one hand, there are people like me who loathe to create conflict and prefer to keep it to themselves, turning a blind eye to the behavior (which is to say that should I confront you with your behavior, I've had it up to my eyeballs).  Others, like an old friend of mine now passed, will stop strangers on the streets to chew them out over pedestrian behavior.

What the Bible actually calls us to is something inbetween.  Paul warns us "not to let the sun go down on our anger, giving the devil a foothold" (Eph 4:26, 27) and not to "grieve the Holy Spirit with bitterness and anger but instead be kind and compassionate, forgiving one another" (Eph 4:30-32).  Jesus made "a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple" (Jn 2:15).  It would seem obvious there are two sides to this coin or a tension between perseverence and proactive engagement.

I think the balance is found in "speaking the truth in love" (Eph 4:15), where we exercise perseverence to a point and then, with the best interest of the other in heart, confront them with their offense, clearly stating their hurtful and unacceptable behavior with a desire to see them not only change their ways but to change their relationship with the Lord, to move closer to the heart of God and in so doing make them easier to live with and helping them enjoy the "abundant life" (Jn 10:10) Jesus came to offer.

Is being frank and not giving the devil a foothold easy to pull off?  Not for me, but in Christ it is possible and therefore ought to be our goal as we seek to be his followers.  Jus' Sayn.

The Fragrance of Christ

There is a certain kind of fragrance some older women wear - it is quite flowery.  To them it has the smell of perhaps a rose garden or a summer boquet, to me it has a completely different smell - it reminds me of a funeral.  To them, it is the fragrance of life, to me it is the fragrance of death.

To me, the smell of liver and onions simmering in a pan is salivating.  To many people I know, that same smell conjures up a gag reflex similar to when driving past a cattle yard or entering a porta-potty on a sweltering hot day.

As the saying goes, "a rose is a rose is a rose."  However, its fragrance does not have the same impact on everyone.  It is no difference with the fragrance of Christ or the lifestyle of his disciples.  To many people, the Christian message and the life changes it brings is the fragrance of life, to others it is the stench of death.

Consider how noxious any semblance of the cross is to an atheist, how they fight so vigorously to strip any mention or semblance of Christ from our schools or national landscape.  Prayer in a public restaraunt, while heart-warming to most, causes heartburn in them.

This truth is not an anomoly, it is clearly named in the Scriptures: "For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life" (2 Cor 2:15-16).

To some, your faithful walk in Christ will be very attractive to some, to others it will be offensive.  Your faithfulness will  at once be a breath of fresh air and a stench to be avoided.  In either event, our responsibilty is the same - carry the fragrance of Christ everywhere we go.  It is not up to us to make it attractive, but to faithfully present it in our words and deeds.  Jus' Sayn.

Tongue Wagging

Solomon once wrote, "Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down" (Prov 26:20).  It is that little wiggling thing, often hiding behind a disarming smile or camouflaged in tones of concern but sharper than a serpent's tooth, that causes so much damage.

James, the brother of Jesus, warns about this wagging little muscle that has so much potential for destruction: "Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell" (Js 3:5-6).

We carry tales, some true, some not - rarely investigated or troubled by going to the source to find out what is real and how one could help or make a difference in the matter - the art of gossiping is as one of it's dictionary definitions puts it: "a wagging of the tongue."

While it may attack and even destroy the reputation of  its object, it is really a commentary on the gossiper himself: "Gossip is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those that diffsse it; it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker (George Eliot).

This smoke of  the gossiper, by the way, rises up to the nostrils of God himself to whom it is a stench that he labels a sin of the highest caliber: "...God gave them over to a depraved mind...filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, …" (Rom 1:28-30), the Spirit continues but you get the picture.

Before you listen to that next juicy bit of gossip or launch that ship yourself, consider the truth about you that is being revealed, the offense against another child of God being committed and the disgust of the Father for such a vile act.  Jus' Sayn.

Praying For That Person

You've no doubt have one (or maybe several), that one person for whom you just don't feel inclined to pray.  They may be family or a co-worker or even a member of your church, but they have not been a friend or perhaps even friendly - this person is a burr under your saddle.  You'd rather not think of them at all, let alone pray for God to bless them.

Samuel had been Israel's prophet, priest and judge for decades.  By all accounts, he was honest, fair, faithful in his duties and committed to both God and the people of Israel.  Nonetheless, the people, wanted him replaced with a king as all the other nations around them.  He was wounded, he was devalued, he was dismissed despite all he had done for Israel.

You could imagine, as Israel chooses a king to replace Samuel, that he would feel very warm toward them, that he might not even want them to do well considering they had displaced him and rejected God, who was their true King in what was a Theocracy until this point.  But Samuel would not allow his hurt to determine his response: "Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you" (1 Sam 12:23).

It is not just the other who needs our prayers, we need to be faithful before God in our prayers, and God desires we pray for others, even when we feel they don't deserve it.  When you think about it, who does deserve God's favor?  Do you?  Really?  None of us do.  We "all sin and fall short of God's glory" (Rom 3:23).  All of us need to be forgiven, even when we feel the offense is inexcusable.  Actually, if the offense was excusable, there would be no need of  forgiveness, we would have an excuse.

So, as difficult as it may be at times, as you are praying for those you love and who love you, take time to pray for those who are hard to love and hardly love you if at all.  As Jesus commanded: "Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you" (Matt 5:44).  Jus' Sayn.

Discovering God's Will

I talk with people daily who affirm that "there is a purpose for everything," that "God has a plan for me."  But, most often, they go on to say something like, "But I just don't know what it is" or "I wish I knew what God's will for me was."  I am amazed at how many believers have doubts about what God will is for them.

The people I work with are usually elderly and are living in their last days on earth, but they most often don't understand what God's plan or purpose is for them at this point.  Most seem to relate their "productive years," back when they were raising a family and gamefully employed, as a time when their purpose was clear.  But without those responsibilities, there is no clear purpose.

Really?  Is that God's will for us - that we get a job and have a family?  I know that having a job is important in order to provide the resources for life and having a family is key to providing relationships in life, but are those things to be equated with His will for us?  What if we don't have a family and/or have lost our job?  What happens when we are too old and frail to work or provide for a family?  Is that it?  Have we moved beyond the possibility of fulfilling the will of God?

How can we even know what God's will for us is?  We can listen.  God has told us in the biblical text.  We are to "work with our hands" (1 Thess 4:11) and "provide for our families" (1 Tim 5;8) but even the ungodly do that.  As Jesus said, "even those who are evil know how to give good gifts to their children" (Matt 7:11).  

God's will for us is found in how we go about being productive and raising our families and beyond: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess 5:16-18).  God's will is that, in all things, we rejoice in His presence, trust in His power, give thanks for His provisions.  

When we live like that, whether in the child-bearing years or hard of hearing years, we are in the center of His will for us and the Spirit of Christ will be evident in our life.  This is God's will for us.  Jus' Sayn.

Great Expectations

We tend to have expectations of others based on what we expect of ourselves.  I have often heard leaders say, with some pride, "I never expect anyone to do something I won't do myself."  In other words, I expect others to do what I do myself.

The trouble with this kind of self-based expectation of others is that others are not you and they may not be willing or able to live up to your expectations.  In fact, I can assure you that at some point, if you expect others to live up to your personal standard, you will experience failed expectations - not necessarily because the other is defying you but because your great expectation are a bit much for them to live up to consistently, if at all.

Churches are often dissappointed with a new minister, who is sincerely doing his best but doesn't shine like the last minister or have the same appoach as he did.  Relationships often crash and burn because of failed expectations.  You exect your husband to be as successful as your father was or your new wife to cook like mother did.  "I thought he would..."  "I can't believe she doesn't..."  Sound familiar?

While we may find it difficult or even irritating at times, we need to  learn to reset our expectations to the skills and abilities of others instead of ourselves.  The apostle Paul puts it this way, "Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters" (Rom 14:1) and "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves" (Rom 15:1).

Hmmm.  Not what you wanted to hear is it?  But it is what you needed to hear.  We need to set expectations of others; children, spouses, employees, etc.; according to their skills and abilities not ours.  In that light, increased satisfaction with another's performance becomes more likely when we lower our expectation.

That doesn't mean we can't hope for, pray for and even challenge one to improve, but it does mean that we cannot hold another to our personal standard without risking the probability of failed expectations - unless, of course, the other is just like you or even a higher achiever.  Good luck with that.  

By the way, if they are a higher achiever, and they have that same attitude, you will be the source of their failed expectations.  And, if they are an employee, they'll be looking to get your job.  Just a thought.  The main point to get out of this blog today is that the strong ought to bear with the weak not be over-bearing, insisting they rise to a level beyond their ability.  Such great expectations only lead to great dissatisfaction.  Jus' Sayn.

Someday

In business there is a saying, "Timing is everything."  In other words, having the right product or service is useless if it is not presented or provided at the right time.  This rule holds true in farming as well.  Planting the best seed in the best soil will not result in the best crop if not planted in the best time.  Relationships are no different.  It is important to remember your anniversary, but disasterous when you remember it was yesterday.

In fact, all of life falls under the banner of "Timing is Everything."  And yet, we consistently fail in this area, on purpose, time after time.  For instance, when is the best time to begin eating healthy?  The answer is today.  When do we normally choose to begin?  Tomorrow, Monday, next week, after the holidays, someday, just not today.

When should you begin to exercise regularly?  Today.  When are you going to?  Not today.  When should you give up cigarettes?  Now.  When do you intend to?  Not now.  Is this beginning to sound familiar?  Have I hit on your "timing issue" yet?  If not, put yours in this blank, "I should ____________ and I will start ____________.   The I should part is much easier than the I will part.  We know we should and we intend to but just not now.

Timing is also critical in responding to the Lord.  When a ministry opportunity is laid on your heart, when should you say, "Yes Lord, I'm coming"?  Someday?  When I get more time?  When I get things in order?  When I retire?  Now!

Listen to what Jesus said to one who was given a ministry opportunity and asked for a time waiver: "Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead" (Matt 8:21-22).

Jesus wasn't lacking in compassion or being dismissive of the man's desire to wait until after his father's death and he fulfilled his responsibility to attend to his affairs, Jesus was simply saying that the ministry opportunity to go with him and his apostle was now, not someday.  

An opportunity to minister to someone in need is when the need exists, not someday.  Saying yes to Jesus isn't always about salvation, it is often about service.  Opportunities to servc are there when presented, not someday.  Life opportunities are there when they arrive, not someday.  Jus' Sayn.

Godly Jealousy

Nearly everyone has experienced the "Green-Eyed Monster" we call jealousy.  It is something we find irritating in others even as it may be raising up its ugly head in ourselves.  It can be very dangerous.  Many a relationship has been smothered to death by it metaphorically and some people have killed others because of it in actual reality.  Rarely is jealousy seen as a good thing.

Rarely, but not never.  Most women find it sweet when their husbands of many years still have just a tinge of jealousy for them, that boyish yearning to be the center of her attention.  Too much and its a total turn off, but just a bit can be attractive in a mate.  And, for most men, a little smigin of jealousy from their wives tends to feed that omnipresent male ego, while too much gets the Bubba in them a bit ranckered.

Jealousy, rightly held, is actually not just a good thing, but a God thing.  While it may surprise you to hear this, "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God" (Deut 4:24).  God is jealous for his children, not in an over-bearing lover's kind of jealousy but that of a loving parent.

As a parent, haven't you found yourself jealously guarding your children from attractions of the wrong sort?  Didn't you worry over the kinds of friends they might choose or the influencers they may allow into their lives?  Hasn't it been your desire that they choose to continue in the faith in which you raised them?  Don't you want them to always hold you dear in their hearts?  Don't you want, even your adult children, to be safe from the dangers of certain relationships?

God does too.  He doesn't want us following after false-gods who will leave us dry and empty.  He brissles at the thought of us being sucked in by the Evil One's lies and caught up in his snares.  He does not desire that any of us be lost from Him as only he can give us life, only He can offer us eternal love and blessing.

God wants you wholly unto himself because only he can make you whole, only he can save you, only he is God, only he is good.  To turn away from him, rises up his righteous jealousy because he knows that there is no life without him, no hope, no future.  Jus' Sayn.

Spiritual Bankruptcy

I recently read an article labeling this generation as "The Most Financially Stressed Generation."  The study showed that 69% of the participants labeled financial stress and conflicts as the number one source of their problems.  Other studies I have read indicate that upwards of 80% of divorces cite finances as the prime mover in the demise of their relationship.  It would seem that the reverse side of the love of money, the fear of not having enough money, is the root of all kinds of evil as well.

Jesus' warnings about money are very vivid, leaving no doubt as to how dangerous it can be to our very existence.  "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matt 19:24).  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul" (Matt 6:26)?

This concern over and desire for money ends for many in spiritual bankruptcy and a life void of its true currency: Relationship with God.  "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faitth and pierced themselves with many griefs" (1 Tim 6:10).

Jesus came that we "may have life to the full" (Jn 10:10) but, so often, man turns to money for that abundant life, which is both elusive and fickle.  Money comes and it goes.  With it peace waxes and wanes.  If your peace depends on something as volatile as money, it will be a roller-coaster ride at best.  And, in the end, when everyone's bank account is zero-balanced in death, it will leave you bankrupt.

But, if your peace is in the Lord, "who does not change like the shifting shadows" (James 1:17), then you have a life that is stress-proof and, in the end a spiritual bank account that is filled with unlimited resources lasting for an eternity.

So, what's your choice?  Upon what will you bank?  Jus' Askn.

Christ Over Cash

For the Christian, giving is not an optional pursuit but rather a foundational part of who we are and what we are called to do.  Our very existence as children of God is due to the fact that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him should no perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3:16).

Jesus' direct words on the matter are anything but ambiguous: "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you" (Matt 5:42).  Clear, consise, Christ-like: Give.  Give to the one, not to someone or sometimes, but to the one meaning everyone, every time.  Really?  Really!

But, I don't have enough money to give to everyone, every time.  No, you don't.  But, Jesus did not say give what the one asked you to give, he said "give."  Peter and John were asked by a lame beggar for money in Acts 3:1 following, but instead gave him the ability to walk.  What he asked for was not what he needed most - the power of the Christ within.

A beggar may be asking for money you do not have but you do have lunch you could share with him.  A friend may be asking for a monetary bailout that would only lead to more fiscal irresponsibility, instead you provide her with a financial plan.  Cash may be what someone needs but everyone needs Christ for certain. In giving cash, are you giving the gift of His Spirit or getting yourself off the hook, or perhaps setting the hook into the one asking?

What I'm saying is that while handing out cash might be the thing to do, if you have it.  But, you may not have it or it may not be the thing to give.  We need to be careful and prayerful when asked to give so that we always give but always Christ first in our giving over cash.  

Did you notice I said "we?"  I almost always want to hand over the cash someone asks or to someone I seen in financial straights, but my inclination has not always been right.  But I have never been wrong when I take time to listen to someone and seek to share the heart of Christ with them.  Jus' Sayn.

Guarrantee

I have so often heard it said, "There are no guarantees in life."  Whatever you are planning may just as likely run aground as run its course.  As the Scot poet, Robert Buns, penned, "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men, Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nouht but grief an' pain, For promis'd joy!"  In other words, things don't always work out the way you planned them - there are just no guarrantees.

And it would seem, given the many times you and I have seen our plans go up in flames, that there would be no argument to this open and shut case.  Except that there is.  Among other places, it is found in Proverbs 16:3, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."  Notice the "will" instead of might?

You might object seeing as there are innumerable cases where a Christian's plans, even good, decent plans, did not pan out.  I cannot not argue otherwise but I can argue that their plans were not ordained by God.  Notice that the condition of God establishing our plans is that they are committed to Him.  If that is so, then the outcome we are looking for is the one He desires for us.

Instead of the promotion you had in mind, God may have in mind a needed humbling.  Instead of silencing your advesary, God may choose to teach you long-suffering.  Instead of bringing grandma through the surgery, God may desire to take her home.  Committing to the Lord whatever we do, leaves the outcome in his hands willingly, even desiring God override our small thinking to establish his grand desires in our lives.

I should note verse 4 to help amplify the meaning of verse 3, "The Lord works out everything to its proper end …"  When we commit what we do to the Lord, he takes our plans, refines them and brings about what is properly needed instead of just what we might fancy.  

When we are seeking after and accepting of God's will for our lives, we are guaranteed to be successful in seeing his will accomplished in our lives.  Jus' Sayn.

Walking on Stormy Waters

In Matthew 14:22ff, we read the narrative of Jesus approaching the disciples, walking on water while their boat was being tossed by the storm.  Peter calls out, "If it is you Lord, ask me to come out on the water" and Jesus does and Peter begins but sinks as his fear overcomes his faith.  But, before drowning, he calls out for Jesus to save him, which he does.  Interesting story?  Yes, but much more - it is a call to faith for us all and a pattern for living life to it's full.

All of us find ourselves in the various storms of life from time to time.  Our little boat of self determination and personal ability is buffeted by the winds of adversity and trials to the point of taking on the waters of over-burden or defeat.  While tempted to cry out for calm seas and clear sailing, there is the alternative of asking Jesus to empower us to face the over-powering waves of circumstances and walk on the troubled waters with him by our side.

I don't think it evil to ask for either, both reflect a faith in the power of Jesus.  However, one is more challenging and adds muscle to our faith and courage to our living in a way the other does not.  Asking for calm reflects our faith in Jesus, asking to walk on the water empowers us by the Spirit to face the storm.  Although, it doesn't guarantee we will face it fearlessly, Peter didn't.  But face it he did and when you look at Peter post-crucifixion, you see a faith empowered to face any and every trial with Spirit-filled courage.

I know it is scary to ask God to let us walk on stormy waters with Him rather than for him to calm the storm, but "He can do more than we ask or imagine according to His power at work within us" (Eph 3:20).  Walking on water is scary, but it's also faith building, life expanding and courage increasing.  Jus' Sayn.

Have You Found Jesus?

The story is told of a boy who was being baptized by an old circuit preacher.  The preacher plunged the boy under the cold waters of the river and brought him up asking, "Have you found Jesus?"  The boy, uncertain of what he meant replied, "No."  The preacher plunged him under again and held him longer, bringing him up asking again if he found Jesus to which the boy sputtered, "No."  The preacher took him down a third time and held him even longer, asking again as he raised him up, "Have you found Jesus?"  The boy, coughing and spitting out water frantically responded, "No I haven't but I'm pretty sure he's not down there!"

I first heard someone ask that question when I was 18 and an Airman First Class.  She was a civilian nurse working at the military hospital I was assigned to.  She asked virtually everyone she encountered, "Have you found Jesus?"  Since that time, I have heard that question posed many many times.  But I have never asked anyone that question.  Not because I'm not concerned with whether one has Jesus in his/her life but because I don't believe we find Jesus.

You see, the Bible is clear that Jesus is the Shepherd and we are the sheep (see John chapter 10).  If there is one thing I am certain about it's that lost sheep don't go looking or find the shepherd, it's always the shepherd who seeks after them.  The sheep simple answer (or not) when he calls.  

We find this scenario inthe Old Testament: "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him" (2 Chron 16:9) and we read it again in the New Testament, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).

You don't have to find Jesus, he will find you.  You have to answer his call and come to him.  As John records of Jesus, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them" (Jn 6:34).  The Lord does the seeking and the finding and the calling, our part is to do the responding, to come out from our hiding places and follow his voice home.  As Jesus clearly said, "My sheep listen to my voice, I know them, and they follow me" (Jn 10:27).

Is He calling you?  Have you wandered away?  If so, He is looking and He is calling.  Are you ready to answer?  Jus' Askn.