With three words, Jesus sums up his time on earth, "It is finished" (John 19:30). His life, his ministry, his struggle - the end had come for each facet of Jesus' walk on planet Earth. And, more importantly for mankind, task he came to accomplish was completed - Jesus had reached the finish line and won the victor's crown for us: "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1Cor 15:57).
Today, we are coming to a finish line, this year, 2013, is finished. Any opportunity to complete tasks, reach goals or address needs is over at the stroke of midnight. Just as for Jesus, it is finished. Unlike him, however, we are not likely to have actually reached all our goals, completed all our tasks, been truly victorious. Looking back over the year, we know we had planned to have done more and better.
It is frustrating to know that we didn't get done or reach what we had hoped for in 2013. Looking back over the year can be depressing. So, let's not! Let's not spend any time lamenting over the past, crying over spilled milk - let's do something empowering instead of deflating, let's look to the possibilities of 2014!
How about joining the apostle Paul in "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" (Phil 3:13b)? We can't change what we did or did not accomplish in 2013 - it is finished. But we are not finished and God is not finished with us. We have an open door before us and a closed one behind us. It's our choice, which one we focus on. I suggest the latter. "Hello 2014, let's see what you've got for me!"
Win, lose or draw, 2013 is a memory. Whether it is a good memory or bad memory hardly matters as what lies before us is new opportunities. New chances to address old problems and enjoy different outcomes. We may have to reap what we've sown but we don't have to use the same old seeds, again this year - plant something new! 2013 is finished, but you are not. Jus' Sayn.
Here we are on the cusp of a new year. 2014 is less than two days away. It is time to take stock of 2013 and decide what leaves to turn over as we kick off a brand new year. The number one resolution will likely have to do with weight. Time to get serious about what we eat.
I have to agree, most of us do not eat in a healthy manner and consequently are over-weight, under-fit and out of shape (unless we count round as a shape). Resolving (making a firm decision) to eat better is probably a good idea for most of us and is an important decision to make (even more important to carry it out).
However, the food we eat - it's amount and it's quality - will have only a very limited impact on us, it's effect does not last long as it merely "...enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body..." (Matt 15:17). At best, if we are very consistent, it only lasts a lifetime.
Well duh, isn't that the point. It may be the point but it isn't a very sharp one as a lifetime is little more than a blip on a radar screen compared to the eternity to follow for which a diet designed by the best dietitians on earth will have zero impact,
Knowing this truth, Jesus told his disciples, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” (John 4:32). “My food, isto do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work" (John 4:33). A change in this diet can have eternal consequences and, as an aside, can bring about a change in what foods and how much we put in our mouths.
Go ahead and resolve to eat less calories, less fat, more protein, more organic, less MSG or whatever you have decide is best for you, just be sure to resolve to include a soul-nourishing, daily ration of the Word and Will of God. Jus' Sayn.
Hymns, prayers, communion and preaching. Throw in a few announcements and pass the collection plate - there you have it, another worship experience completed. Perhaps or perhaps worship never even began.
Worship does not equal a requisite performance of rituals or exercise of religious elements. Worship is not even something that can be observed by human eyes. Evidence that worship may be taking place can be seen but not the worship itself, for worship takes place within the heart and soul - a place where only the worshipper and God can see.
Jesus was very clear on this subject, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth" (John 4:23). Even in the days of the Mosaic Law and Levitical rituals, the perfunctory act did not move the heart of The Lord as pointed out by David in Psalm 40:6, "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire."
Listen to how God really feels about our performing religious rituals: "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." (Psalm 51:16-17). What God seeks is below the surface and within the heart.
The point is that the outward act of religious ritual has no real worth to God or man unless it reflects the reality of the heart. Worship is much more an attitude than an act. True and proper worship is a reflection of a transformed and renewal of the mind (see Rom 12:1-2) not a repetition of ritual.
When we utter praise but reserve our heart, we "worship in vain" (Matt 15:8-9). What the Father desires is that we "sing and make music in our hearts to Him" (Eph 5:19). Jus' Sayn.
I have heard people say they don't care what others think and some may actually believe they are emotionally autonomous, most are trying to convince themselves. I remember when I was a young preacher and someone would rag on me, my off-handed response would be that "everyone has the right to a wrong opinion." That was my outside voice; my inner voice had a different message intirely - a word of rejection.
The reality is that we care what is thought of us. For some, their own opinion of self is the most important voice. For most, it is the acclaim and/or acceptance of others that speaks the loudest. Too often we listen too much to the wrong voices, voices meant to pull us down or take us down a wrong path.
Peer groups, media outlets, magazines, self-inflated bigots, self-proclaimed experts, the list of wrong-headed and/or wrong-hearted voices goes on. Even well-intentioned voices of family, friends and co-workers can be way off base in the assessing your worth department. And you may be the worst of the lot. As the apostle Paul put it, "When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise" (2 Cor 10:12b).
The simple truth is that while input from others and even from self can and often should be weighed, that assessment is not complete or truly accurate until we we present our lives to the One who really knows us and what we are called to be and do compared with who we really are and what we actually do. "For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends" (2 Cor 10:18).
To discover our true worth and potential, as well as our areas of lacking, it is necessary to go to the Father. Time spent in His Word, in devotion and in prayer is where we can hear The Voice that really matters. Jus' Sayn.
Relationships are hard work. The divorce rate among first marriages is 41% and it gets worse in subsequent marriages (60% in 2nd marriages and 73% in 3rd attempts). It seems what was missing that caused the 1st divorce is still there in in future attempts.
With all the books on marriage, relationship seminars, marriage counseling and pre-marital training, one would think that we would be more than equipped to make a marriage last a lifetime, but there is no denying the numbers: 4 out of 10 original marriages fail and most do not learn from their failure as 6 out 10 next attempts fail and 7 out of 10 on the following round. What is missing?
All the professional relationship-building and/or mending advice notwithstanding, I think it comes down to one factor being missing in the marriage by one or both parties in the relationship: The Christ Factor.
When couples love each other in the way Christ loves others, divorce does not even appear on the horizon, let alone become the path taken. When this simple factor is at work in a marriage, a marriage simply works. So what is this factor? I'm glad you asked.
It is found in Philippians 2:5 and what is revealed is this: "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus," which was to "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves..." (v. 3).
Reminds me a lot of the "Golden Rule" found in Matthew 7:12 and the "Royal Law" of James 2:8, both of which are given by Christ and focus on the good of the other.
The Christ Factor, factors out selfishness, which is the root cause of divorce and the breakdown of relationships in general. When we, like Christ, give sacrificially, relationships are redeemed. Jus' Sayn.
In Hebrews 11:6a, the writer affirms, "without faith, it is impossible to please God..." James, the brother of Jesus, wrote, "you believe, good, but even the demons believe..." (2:19).
Hmmm, what"s up with that? Are we seeing dueling practical theology here? Is the writer of the book of Hebrews and James clashing pens over the importance of embracing the Truth?
No, actually they are in agreement coming from different angles of embracing the Truth. James is warning that to just believe, or have a mental assent to a the proposition that God exists, is weak. In fact, so weak as to be called "dead or useless" (Jam 2:20), something even demons are up for.
The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that "...we must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek after him" (11:6b). There is a clear line drawn between belief and faith. Belief says that God exists and therefore could bless me, faith says that the Living God is and will bless me.
Believing that God lives is an academic pursuit of religion. Having faith in the Living God is an active pursuit of relationship. The religion of demons includes God, but their relationship does not. They serve another, they have no expectation of God working on their behalf or through them.
What about you? Do you believe in God? If so, that is a start. But do you trust in Him to bless you and to use you to bless others. Do you believe God can and will work in, on, through and for you? Do you trust in Him, do you live in faith?
The Word says that "the righteous shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17). So, tell me, are you really living? Jus' Askn.
A song from my memories of Christmas past is "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth." The tag line was, "so I can wish you Merry Christmas!" To understand this, ask Grandma to say "wish" without her teeth in.
In reality, we tend to want much more for Christmas. In fact, we tend to expect and demand more. If we don't get what we want or don't want what we get (different scenarios with a similar outcome), we are generally bumbed out and quickly lose our Christmas Spirit, if indeed we truly had any.
An epic illustration of this is seen in the movie classic, "A Christmas Story," where a young boy's only desire for Christmas is BB gun. Any other outcome would be devastating. I recently heard of a husband who got his pregnant wife a pair of "training shoes" to work off the baby fat in the spring. You can probably imagine her response.
Giving the perfect gift or the perfect amount of gifts can be a real chore, largely because we already have so much that are wants and expectations tend to be so high. People who have little or nothing rejoice when they receive anything. People who have much don't rejoice over much, they rejoice over very specific things and very specific amounts of gifts.
I think we really struggle with the whole Christmas experience, which was, in the beginning, about giving: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..." (John 3:16). And the Wise Men brought gifts. No one was expecting or demanding gifts.
Tandie and I, chose this year to not get ourselves anything because we have everything in Christ and with each other. We were blessed to instead be able to give to others, which feels really good. It is as the Lord said, "more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).
Jus' Sayn and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thru the house
One creature was praying, with the faith of a mouse
The stockings that hung by the chimney were bare
His hope in The Lord was just barely there
The children were sleeping without being fed
While visions of bread crumbs were stamped in their heads....
While you and I will enjoy a Christmas more like the original "The Night Before Christmas," many will experience one more akin to the one I've written above. I didn't finish it because the ending depends on on us. We can pull out all the stops and even go into debt getting ourselves more of the stuff that already crowds our houses, or we could buy ourselves a little less and provide others with at least something for Christmas.
You may know a family that would be blessed with the fixings for a Christmas meal or perhaps presents for their children who have so little. For some, a new pair of shoes would be a real treat or a warm coat and some gloves.
It's not too late to pray and seek the Lord's guidance to be a Saint Nick or Saint Bob or Saint Sally for someone in need. As Christians, we are saints and while we are not Santa Claus, we could provide the true Spirit of Christmas by presenting our gifts to King Jesus at the feet of the needy around us: "The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me '" (Matt 25:40).
You have the opportunity to write the ending of the poem I started at the beginning of this blog for someone - how will your poem end?
Jus' Askn.
Once a year by your doctor, twice a year by your dentist, quarterly or yearly by your supervisor and, if you are in school, forget about it. Physical, mental and occupational exams are an envaluable part of our normal life. But what about our spiritual self, when was the last time you had a faith check up?
Spiritual examination - faith check up, really? Yes, actually. If it makes sense to test the vitality of the blood in your veins, why wouldn't we test the vitality of His blood in our heart? Isn't our spiritual vision worth a check up at least as often as our trips to an optician? If we can gain insight and make important course corrections from an job evaluation, imagine the possibilities for a ministry evaluation.
Well, maybe, but if it's so important, wouldn't the Bible have given us instructions about spiritual evaluations? I'm glad you asked - yes it would and yes it has. Let's check out a few:
1. "I want to test the sincerity of your love" (2 Cor 8:8).
2. "Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else" (Gal 6:4).
3. "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves" (2 Cor 13:5).
Yeah, it really is in the Bible and it really is important that we regularly test the quality of our faith and spiritual life. I can think of more than one prominent pastor and tele-evangelist that failed to regularly check out what they were doing, why they were doing it and who they were doing it for. Spiritual check ups and course corrections along the way could have spared them their fall.
Since "each of us will give an account of ourselves to God" (Rom 14:12), doesn't it just make sense that we take stock of what we are doing and why? And since "the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam 16:7), shouldn't we be looking there too? Jus' Askn.
In ancient times, a king's visit was preceded by one who would insure that the roads were passable and that adequate lodging was available. A road, removed of any obsticals, was insured by removing fallen trees, filling in large ruts and smoothing out rough spots. Living quarters, fit for a King were prepared by cleaning out and placing in that which welcomed a king.
It is essentially the same today,when the president plans to visit a particular city, an advance team is dispatched to insure the way is made ready before he arrives, including insuring safe roads for a motorcade or adequate runway for Air Force One. Adequate lodging is insured and/or prepared as well.
Before the King of Kings came to planet earth, there was one (John the Baptist) who was sent "to prepare the way for the Lord" (Luke 3:4). John came ahead of Jesus, preaching a baptism of repentance (turning of hearts and minds) so that mankind would be in a position to receive Him.
Today, we still need to prepare a way for the King in our hearts and minds. We need to remove the barriers of sin that have fallen across the path to our souls. We need to take out the rubbish of self-interest that crowds our spirit. We need to need to smooth out the high spots of worldly thinking and fill in the low spots of spiritual understanding.
Thankfully, there is still One sent to help prepare the way for the King: "God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (Rom 5:5). However, the choice is ours as we are warned, "Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thess 5:19).
The Lord desires a way be prepared into your heart, he has sent one who can make it possible but he leaves the choice to you. He "stands at the door and knocks" (Rev 3:20), what is your choice? Are you actively involved in preparing the way? Jus' Askn.
Yesterday! We tend to want things right now or a day earlier - even better. Waiting is not our strongest suit. Patience is not one of our more stellar attributes. But, it should be. We need the blessing of patience in our lives.
Patience is a divine attribute that God calls us to adopt for the blessings it brings: "imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised" (Heb 6:12). Patience or long-suffering develops spiritual muscle and brings us to a level of maturity not otherwise possible. "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:4).
Understand, however, that patience is not found in the amount of time one waits but rather in the attitude in which one does the waiting. A "Grumpy Gus" having to wait despite the irritation building inside will hardly mature or be blessed in the waiting. It is those people who patiently look forward to God's blessings that receive the benefit.
In Luke 2:22-40, we read about Simeon and a widow named Anna, both of whom had waited patiently for their whole lives for the coming of the Messiah. The baby Jesus was personally presented to both of them with the divine knowledge that he was the Messiah. They both were rewarded with divine blessing that day and could be "dismissed in peace" (pass from this life peacefully).
God wants us to trade in our despair for hope, our impatience for empowerment, our have to have it now for can wait for it when - when it is best and right according to His timing and not ours. When we learn to wait on God's timing, with hopeful expectation, the waiting is a time of growth and enrichment, and the fulfillment is surrounded by divine presence.
Jus' Sayn.
When we're up to our neck in hard times or bad luck or pain-filled persecution, a first response often is to question "Why me?" We are stunned by the attack against our person or assault against our health or undoing of our plans. We are puzzled as to what we have done to deserve such treatment or consequences.
It's a natural assumption, when disaster strikes that someone acted dastardly. On encountering a certain blind man, Jesus disciples wondered out loud, "who sinned that this man was born blind" (Jihn 9:2)? Jesus even told an invalid he had just healed, "stop sinning or something worse might happen" (John 5:14).
However, it is not always the case that sin has preceded suffering. No one sinned in the case of the blind man, instead his blindness "happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:3). And sometimes, as in the case of Joseph, who had to flee the country of his birth with Mary and the young child Jesus, it is because you are obeying God that persecution comes (see Matt 2:13).
If you are facing tremendous loss or hardship or opposition, it would be prudent to reflect on your life and see if there is not sin in your camp. If there is, then you certainly need to address it head on. If there is something in your life or circumstances that needs to be reversed, then by all means, do so.
But, at the bottom of it all, the most important question is not why but who. Why something is happening is not nearly as important as to whom will you turn for a solution or for solace. Are you going to turn to self and away from God or to God and away from self in your quest for help?
Are you going to blame God or bring your sorrow to Him? Rather than dwell on why to me is this happening, I suggest asking who is He that will be my help. May I suggest reading Psalm 23 again? Jus'Askn.
While in Ephesus, Paul and his companions were responsible for quite a stir. The silver smiths, who made a living fashioning images of the goddess Artemis (AKA Diana), started a riot claiming they had defamed their beloved goddess (see Acts 19:23-31).
The city clerk, assuring them that Paul's group had neither defiled their temple nor blasphemed their goddess, finally was able to disperse the crowd, warning them of the charge of rioting they were open to.
What had Paul and his companions done that caused such a backlash? They preached the Gospel and ignored the practice of idolatry in their daily lives. It wasn't that Paul's words were directed at their idolatry, it was that his words and deeds didn't support their beliefs. Paul's great sin was to not join in with them and support the worship of idols in general and Dianna in particular.
You can offend a drunk by simply choosing to drink club soda instead of having a "real drink" with him. Taking a firm stand for the traditional definition of marriage, even while agreeing that homosexuals should have the right of civil partnerships, can cause you to draw a lot of angst today. Proclaiming your personal faith in Jesus as the Son of God can get you labeled as a narrow-minded religious bigot. It is not enough to tolerate other beliefs, we are expected to accept and validate beliefs we don't hold.
You don't have to try to offend someone to be offensive. Anytime you take an unwavering position on just about anything, you can expect backlash. This is particularly true when dealing with sacred cows. Our culture tends to worship sexuality, lack of personal restraint and immediate gratification. If you advocate sexual purity, personal responsibility and sacrifice, you can expect to evoke an angry response.
So, despite the offense of some, hold to your beliefs. Jus' Sayn.
Acts 19:1-20 narrates some of Paul's activities in Ephesus. In particular, it speaks of how God worked through hm to free many from the hold of evil spirits. Some Jews, specifically, the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, tried to duplicate his success by evoking the name of Jesus whom Paul preached.
I can't help but chuckle when I think of what happened next. They ordered an evil spirit out of an individual "in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches" (v. 13), who responded, "Jesus I know, Paul I know about, but who are you" (v. 15)? Then, "the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding" (v. 16).
The seven sons talked the talk but were not walking the walk. They knew and employed the name of the Lord Jesus, but they did not know the Lord. Many today are naming and claiming things in the name of Jesus, who, like the Sceva boys, do not have an active relationship with him.
Claiming to be a disciple, attending church services, teaching a Bible class or even preaching the Gospel without giving your heart to the Lord is nothing more than a name game. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love" (Gal 5:6).
It's not what you say or even what you do, it's how you live. Do you live in a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ or do you simply go through the motions and recite the jargon? Who do you live for - self or Christ?
Jus' Askn.
The apostle Paul long held a dream of going to Rome. His desire was based on a very specific goal: "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong" (Rom 1:11).
I used to see this as purely an apostolic happening, much like what Simon the Sorceror found in Acts 8:18, "...that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands...."
However, what I was missing was the mutuality of Paul's desire to impart a spiritual gift: "...that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith" (v. 12). By the Spirit, Paul gave the gift that kept on giving.
While only the apostles could impart the gifts of the Holy Spirit by laying on of hands, the imparted gift could and was intended to be shared as a blessing to others - it was not something to be kept to oneself.
Paul amplifies this point in Romans 12:6-8. "We have different gifts...If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy...if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."
The point being that God gives each of his children gifts with the intention that we share them with others. God blesses us so that we might be a channel if his blessings, not a reservoir of personal enrichment. Whether it is wealth or skill or insight or whatever - He gave it to you so that you could share it with others.
So, how's that going for you? Just how are you using your time, energy and resources - for the Kingdom and God's glory or for your your personal best interest? Jus' Askn.
When Jesus finished his exhaustive Sermon on The Mount, recorded in chapters 5 - 7 of the Book of Matthew, he encouraged his listeners to heed his words saying, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock" (7:24).
He likewise warned them against ignoring them: "But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand" (v. 26).
The lesson we generally take from these statements is that the wise man's house stands against the storms of life, while the foolish man's house is destroyed, lacking a firm foundation, which is certainly a true comparison.
But, did you ever consider why anyone would be so foolish as to build his house on a sand foundation? Two reasons: 1) They didn't invest any time or energy trying to understand why the wise man built on the rock instead of the already level sand and 2) building on a rock foundation can be very challenging.
Going with the flow, doing whatever ever strikes your fancy, giving in to peer pressure, not taking a stand - the "building on the sand" lifestyle requires little but costs much in the end. Foolish folk take the easier, short-sighted approach. Look at how many reach retirement with little or no resources. Consider the poor health of seniors. How about our "kick-the-can-down-the-road" politicians?
Taking the time, thought, preparation and energy to build on a solid rock foundation takes a lot in the short run but offers lasting results. Building on the Rock is more of an end game than a right now view of life. Financially, one is willing to forego some things today in order to have enough later. Physically, one is willing to eat less and exercise more now to be healthier later. Spiritually, one is willing to deny self or sacrifice now to develop a lasting faith. Jus' Sayn.
Growing up in the church and having preached for three decades, I have had a front row seat for a good many "Battle Royales" that have resulted in membership rifts, individuals leaving the church and churches being torn apart.
The reason for the great divides I have seen have hardly ever been over any great theological disagreements like the divinity of Christ or the inspiration of the Bible. Mostly the separations have come over style of worship, the type of music employed or a minor doctrinal position elevated to salvation status. These religious requirements are imposed and utilized as a litmus test of true discipleship.
But are these religious standards sent down from above? Has the Lord set up untold and minute religious barriers to Christian unity? Does one need a degree in religiosity in order to please God. What does God, not the church or other Christians, require of us?"
I would suggest that we turn to the Bible, if I may be so bold, in order to find the truth of this matter: "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
Hmmm? Seems like God doesn't understand how complicated religion really is, that He hasn't considered the vast number of rules and regulations necessary to create a cohesive Christian faith, that He is just too simplistic - perhaps we should warn Him about watering down the Gospel?
Or how about we live faithful lives that seeks to treat others justly, offer mercy to those who may offend and who seek only to humbly journey along with God and His people. How about that? How about allowing for differences in traditions and seek unity in spirit and in the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Jus' Askn.
If you are a child of God and living a righteous life, then you can expect to be blessed, to have things go your way and to be freed from the negative struggles of life - right? Not! At least that would have been news to the apostle Paul.
As he looked back over his life, he didn't say, "How pleasant my life has been ever since I accepted Jesus as Lord. I an only describe it as 'Easy Street!'" What Paul actually said was, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim 4:7). Hmmm, sounds like the temperature went up, the closer he walked with The Lord.
In fact, listen to a more detailed accounting: "… I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again...received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one...beaten...shipwrecked...I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else..." (2 Cor 11:23-28).
The Lord does bless us and protect against the Enemy but we do not live in a DMZ (demilitarized zone) or on our home shore, we live behind enemy lines and the blessings come in the middle of an active war with ongoing battles. Our journey takes us through the Enemy's stronghold on foreign soil.
God does not promise to give us a life of ease but rather to ensure that we safely navigate this hostile environment and arrive on Heaven's shore - that we have what we need to make it home. Listen to Paul's hope: "The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom" (2 Tim 4:18).
If you think about it, the more problems you face, the more God is blessing you with cover and support. Jus' Sayn.
Often I have heard it said and, at times from my own lips, "I wish God would reveal His will for me." We say this as if it were something hidden or hard to find.
However, the truth is that God is much more eager to show us His will than we are to find it. As the prophet Amos wrote, "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets" (3:6).
Jesus challenged his disciples' lack of discernment to God's obvious opportunities when he said, "open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest" (John 4:35). Not only did God have work to accomplish in the hearts and souls around them, the Spirit had already been at work, preparing those hearts for the message - the groundwork had already been done.
I often refer to it as a divine appointment or intersection. God sends us or brings another (maybe several others) into our lives or across our path, who need our attention. Opportunity to serve stares us in the face but, sadly, too often we either advert ours eyes or we never looked up to begin with.
We tend to be so busy that we don't look for opportunities or divine appointments that might slow us down cause us to be side-tracked in our daily routines. Our time and resources often are so committed that we don't see how we could afford to take on more. Is this sounding familiar?
When we talk about God having a plan for us, it often reflects our belief that He has some grand opportunity that will come knocking on our door or waiting in our path waving a welcome sign with our name on it.
More likely, there is someone with dirty hands and worn clothes that you have walked past, careful not to make eye contact, whom God has planted in your path. Perhaps a program or group you have thought about donating time or money to but haven't. You are likely standing in a field ripe unto harvest. Jus' Sayn.
When you start having kids, everything begins to change. You move out of your apartment with a gym into a house with a yard. You trade your sporty car in for a boxy minivan. Your magical vacation to the Bahamas becomes a week at the Magic Kingdom.
Everything begins to morph as you make room for your growing family - just as your single life went under reconstruction when you married, the wrecking ball and work crew are recommissioned as children begin to arrive.
The prophet Isaiah put it this way, "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes" (Isa 54:2). In other words, make room and adapt for your new additions.
Of course, Isaiah wasn't really talking about family growth, that was just an analogy every parent would get. He was talking about the adjusting required when God takes up residence with us. Our heart has to be enlarged, our willingness to serve has to increase, our generosity must stretch. We can't stay the same when the Spirit of God moves into our hearts.
If your life, your capacity to love, your ability to forgive, your willingness to be called upon, does not change when you accepted Christ into your heart, you may need to do a heart check. If you are still the same then you haven't changed - seem legit?
Accepting Christ begins a process of extreme makeover called "sanctification" (1 Thess 5:23), which reconstructs us as disciples into "new creations" (2 Cor 5:17). The "You'll just have to accept me as I am," has to be set aside for, "He will begin with me as I am as He restores me to what I was meant to be.'
So, how is the new construction coming along? Jus' Askn.
Jus' Askn.
Jesus had been led into the desert by the Holy Spirit for a period of prayer and fasting. He had been there 40 days without a morsel of bread or a drop of water. To put it mildly, "he was hungry" (Matt 4:2). His body, in fact, was in desperate need of nourishment.
The Tempter (Satan) appeared, knowing Jesus's body was in a weakened state and hoping his spirit had began to falter, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread" (v. 3). You say you are the Son of God, surely you can do this little thing to prove your case and address your hunger.
He was the Son of God, he could turn the stones into bread and he had a legitimate need, why shouldn't he? He would later turn water into wine just to keep the celebration going at a wedding (see John 2:1-12), why not similarly turn these stones into bread to feed his famished body?
The reason is provided in his response, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (v.4). Jesus did not wander into the desert and find himself without food, he was led there by the Spirit of God to fast and pray in preparation for his ministry on earth. He could not take matters into his own hands and be led by the Spirit at once. He had a choice to make.
His choice was based on a profound truth: life cannot be sustained by merely keeping the body fed, the spirit, moreover, must be nourished. The spirit is the source of abundant and lasting life. And, when the feeding of both comes into conflict, as when being led by the Spirit to fast, spiritual feeding must be given priority.
To turn stones into bread and break his fast would have been to turn aside from the Spirit's leading, taking the reigns into his own hands. His desire would have had to trump God's will. For Jesus, the right choice was clear - no need to chew on it. Jus' Sayn.
One of our favorite excuses for bad behavior is, "I'm no saint!" And, judging by our behavior that precipitated that disclaimer, who could argue the point? Ummm, actually God could.
You see, if you are a Christian, you actually are a saint. Surprising, but true: "...you were sanctified [made holy or saintly]...in the name of The Lord Jesus Christ,,," (1 Cor 6:11). Now, if you are not a Christian, your argument is valid, unfortunately.
But, for those of us who are "washed" (baptized) into the name of Jesus, we are in fact, saints. And with that status, we are given the power to live saintly lives - we may not exercise that power but we have it: "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life..." (2 Pet 1:3).
This truth is a game changer. Instead of "I'm no saint," I simply choose not to act in a godly or saintly manner. That uncontrollable anger is is unleashed by choice. Your wandering eye is on a mission from your lustful heart. Those foul words don't slip out, you open your mouth and release them.
You do have the power to control your actions, you simply choose not to plug into it. The divine power of the Spirit of Christ within never has an outage, their is never a short in it's stream, we simply choose not to plug into it at times.
I'm not saying we will act morally upright all the time or that we even can be perfect in a moral sense as our weak flesh will sometimes choose not to access the power of God. I am saying that it is always there and we have constant access to it.
So, rather than excuse bad behavior, own up to your choice, your responsibility and your ability to do better by His power at work within you (see also Eph 3:20). Don't excuse or settle. Jus' Sayn.
After 70 years of captivity, the Israelites return to Jerusalem. The Temple was in ruins, the city was a disaster. The task before these recently freed slaves was daunting. How would they accomplish such a monumental undertaking? The how was not in their ability or resources, "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit ,’ says the Lord Almighty" (Zech 4:6).
As a child of God, you may be facing a task that seems too big to overcome and it may well be. Perhaps you have just lost your spouse or are facing a divorce. Maybe you just learned you are about to lose your job. Possibly your medical insurance has just been cancelled, courtesy of Obama Care, and you are in the middle of chemo or dialysis. How are you going to deal with it?
When you are facing a problem, too big for you to handle, you cannot handle it. You can't exercise a level of power you do not possess. You have to turn to the Source of the power you need: God! Not by your might or power, but by His Spirit is the how.
While you may not be able to move that mountain, God "can do more than you ask or imagine according to his power at work within you" (Eph 3:20). If you can let go and let God have this problem, he can deal with it. He may not handle it the way or in the time-frame you had imagined, but he will handle it.
Our biggest problem isn't our big problem before us, it's our reluctance to turn problems over to God and let his Spirit deal with them. We tend to want to retain control while God assists us in our efforts. God isn't our assistant, he is our Lord.
If you had it under control, you wouldn't need Him to handle it. If you need Him to handle it, you need to let go of the controls. You really do need to let go (of the control) and let God have it.
Jus' Sayn.
So often preachers chase the dream of becoming the next Billy Graham. Churches everywhere have tried to become the next Saddleback of Orange County, California. We are disappointed if our outreach attempts don't reflect a certain number of responses. Our mission efforts are only successful if they have highly visible signs of inroads and growth.
In other words, our form of Christianity has become very Westernized. The American Dream tends to mold our view of church and ministry more than the biblical model. In America, the bottom line tends to be equated with size and number. The bigger the better, the more the merrier. The Bible, however, though full of examples of big events, warns clearly, "Do not despise the day of small things" (Zechariah 4:10).
Americans are not the only ones to miss this truth. Jesus' disciples tried to shoo away the small children, while Jesus embraced them saying, "the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these" ( Matt 19:14). Thes disciples lamented, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go..." (John 6:9)? Jesus blessed what they had and fed the multitude. In contrast to all the rich putting in large amounts into the temple treasury, Jesus points out a widow putting in two small copper coins saying, "this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others" (Mark 12:43).
Bigger and more aren't bad, but they are not God's standard. Authentic is, heart-felt is, your best is - what you have, who you are, what you can accomplish, whatever the size or number - that is what God is looking for in your walk.
If you have a lot to give, give it. If you can preach to the masses, preach away. If you can build a mega-church, have at it. Just don't fritter away your life, your opportunities and your gift waiting for one big moment. Don't despise the day of small things. Jus' Sayn
When the earth is crusted over and hardened, it is not receptive to seeds that are dropped upon it, they will be eaten by birds or blown away by the wind. Before the farmer broadcasts his seed,meh must cultivate or break up the fallow ground so it can receive the seed,which can the take root and grow.
Hosea warned the nation of Israel, "break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord" (10:12). Their hearts had become hard like the sun-baked ground and were not open to receive the Word of the Lord.
Today, our hearts are hardened toward God's Word due to our sins and the temptations of life. Our pride, our greed, our lustfulness, our selfishness and our fears all work to cause us to resist the life-giving Gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings from above.
We, like Israel of old, need to break up our fallow ground - prepare our hardened hearts by casting off the sin, which hardened us against His Word and will. The "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," (1 John 2:16), must be broke up within our hearts so that we can receive His Spirit within.
I don't know about you, but you do. What needs broken up in your life to allow your soul to open freely and fully to God's Word.
Jus' Askn.
She was legendary for being at church every time the doors were opened. He was known for his impressively generous charitable giving. You could always count on this couple to offer their hand to whatever ministry program was being advanced. He reads his Bible daily, she sets aside quiet time each morning, they could not be more religious or be asked to sacrifice more and yet, they may be holding back what God really desires from them.
A surprise, no doubt to many, but God isn't very impressed with religious activity. Oh, we are, to be sure. Church attendance, Bible study, financial contributions, prayer time, mission involvement - these are faith markers to most, but not to God. These may be indications of faithfulness or they may be religious cover, masking the real self. The proof is not in the pudding but in the heart - that is where God is looking: "The Lord does not look at what people look at...the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam 17:7).
Hosea reveals precisely how God views our religious activity versus our inward activity: "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6). He desires our hearts and minds not religious cover hiding a selfish and self-serving spirit. There are many very religious but very evil people such as the KKK, Muslim extremists and those televangelists who get rich and powerful on the backs of poor but generous followers.
So, I'm not against religion or religious expression but I have no use for religion that takes the place of relationship. Religion that covers a heart hardened toward others or only caring for itself is of no value: "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." (1 Cor 13:3).
Jus' Sayn.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22, Paul warns, "Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil." In other words, don't reject out of hand what preachers, teachers and leaders tell you, but don't accept it as gospel in a wholesale manner either.
Put to test what you hear against the light of biblical study, test it against common sense and test it against real world experience. Then, accept what is good or proved to be true and reject what is false.
Paul includes both the positive (accept) and the negative (reject) because combining the two gives us the best opportunity for success. For instance, holding on to the proven faithfulness in marriage is bolstered by rejecting adultery in any of its forms (ie. an affair, pornography, cyber-sex, etc.).
It helps to increase family ties, which are good, by pushing back against selfishness, greed, personal ambition, workaholism, etc. Promoting good health is easier when we embrace the ideas of exercise and eating right, while rejecting couch potato snack-feasting marathons.
You can and should apply this principle to every part of life. Test what is taught, accept what is proven good and then, draw a line in the sand against what is false.
Every time we move toward one thing, we must move away from another. It is not possible to move toward opposites at the same time. And, therefore, it is good to clearly define what is at both poles, determining to move toward one while moving away from the other.
Jus' Sayn.
Against all odds, without water or cultivation, a little plant shoots out of the dry ground, or even out of your drive way. You have to wonder how it is even possible and yet, there it is, undeniably growing in an unreasonably hostile environment.
The Spirit of Jesus is like that. Isaiah said specifically, "He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground" (53:2). Historically, Jesus came as Messiah after a 400 year prophetic dry spell. The voice of God had not been heard for centuries and the religious leaders were so hardened against the Messiah that they killed him.
And yet, His Spirit grew up from among them, taking root in their hearts and minds, turning the world upside down, forever changing the course of history and the destiny of mankind.
The Spirit of The Lord is still like that. In what may appear the dry and hostile environment of a hardcore sinner friend or relative of yours, His Spirit can take root and grow despite the odds against that happening.
My point here is that sharing your faith, allowing people to witness the Spirit of Christ in your life, sowing seeds of the Kingdom, is never a waste. It may not seem probable or even possible that it could take root in some hearts, but it already has time after time.
Remember Saul of Tarsus, the fierce persecutor of the church, better known now as the apostle Paul? I know some really hard core bikers, one a former mafia contract killer, who are ministers of the Gospel now.
How does it happen? I don't know other than God is involved. How can you tell it will happen? I can't say that it will only that it can. What I do know is that the seed will not grow where it is not planted by someone, somehow and that may be you. Jus' Sayn.
One day, while in Jerusalem, Jesus encounters a blind man who was at a pool named Bethesda, which was believed to heal those who dipped in it after the angels stirred the waters. Jesus, learning that the man had been blind for a long time, asks him a very interesting question, "Do you want to be healed" (John 5:6)?
Considering his disability and his proximity to the healing pool, one would think that the answer would be obvious, however, Jesus would not have asked it if there wasn't room for doubt.
The fact is, many people do not really want to be healed. As a former Weight Watcher's leader, I can tell you there are some people who sabotage their own weight loss repeatedly, apprehensive to face life without their shield around them.
A fair number of alcohol and drug abusers find it easier to blame their circumstances than to face life without their crutch. Some people on welfare would rather blame the man than risk trying to pull themselves out of poverty working for him.
Rather than deal with a sin issue, some choose to excuse themselves, laying the blame on their parents, their genes, their job, their whatever. It's common to label sin as a disease or an addiction rather than seek spiritual healing.
Sometimes, having an illness, a disability or a malady of some stripe, provides attention or inclusion. "My therapists said..." "You can't imagine how painful my _______ is!" "My _________ group is my real family." Sound familiar?
Truly, just as Jesus' question suggests, not everyone wants to be healed. What about you? Do you want to be healed?
Jus' Askn.
So often I hear people say, "I just don't have time to study the Bible." I find that to be an interesting decision but hardly a fact of life as I have yet to meet the person whose discretionary time was zero.
What I mean by that is we all have the same 24 hours each day, some of which is required for jobs, school, sleep, hygiene, etc., but we still have time left over for TV, Facebook, going out, hobbies or whatever. Everyone I've met has had some time they can choose to do with as they please, it's just that it isn't pleasing enough to use it reading their Bible. Ouch! But true.
Why it is so important that we are aware of this decision to pass on Bible study in favor of other things, is that only the Bible "is God- breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16-17). If you pass on it, you pass on the most vital training and equipping possible. You will be lacking in the most important area of your life and ill-equipped for life itself.
I don't know how much descretionary time you have available but I know you have some. I know you can and perhaps already do carve out some for study and reflection of the Bible. If you don't, today would be a good day to start. I do it early morning, you may find late evening is better. I read it sitting on my couch, you may find listening to a recording while commuting to work more doable.
However you go about it, how much time and what time of the day is a matter of personal choice. I just encourage you to personally choose to use some of the time God has given you to study His word for you.
Jus' Sayn.
In school, I was taught how to present a speech, advancing an idea. In college, I was trained in the art of debate, advancing an idea. In graduate school and beyond, I was required to defend my degrees and even write a dissertation, advancing my ideas. But, one element sadly missing was any emphasis on listening. Did you ever have a class on listening?
With all the emphasis on getting our point across, it seems only reasonable that we would be fairly well equipped in presenting a point or engaging in argument gut woefully sad in listening to understand another or his point of view.
Sadly, that is the very thing that the Bible warns us against: "Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels" (2Tim 2:23). Instead, "the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful" (v. 24).
The Christ-like way of advancing an opinion or point of faith is through love and kindness. As we develop friendships, learning to respect the views of another even when you disagree, we will be listening to them and we will be hears. It is in sharing ideas and points of view, not imposing them, that we actually can increase understanding.
Solomon put it this way, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another" (Prov 27:17). The idea of rubbing iron pieces against one another requires doing so with a joint purpose. If we engage in discussions with the intent to increase understanding, we will advance our idea but also listen to the idea of the other.
Jus' Sayn.
