Yesterday

While I think that 1 Corinthians 10:13 is taken out of context when it is used as a proof text that God will never give us more than we can bear as it is in reference to temptation not burden per se, I do believe that the principle of God limiting what we bear is found there: "God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear."  I most certainly believe that God does not put on us or allow us to be burdened beyond our ability to stand up under it.

However, that does not mean that he will not allow us to volunteer to bite off more than we can chew.  In point of fact, Jesus warns us directly, "Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matt 6:27).  Or, in other words, why bite off more than you can chew?

As burdensome as worrying about tomorrow can be, dragging up yesterday can be even more so as both the burdens and the blessings of yesterday can weigh us down and hold us back, the positive and the negative from the past can become an anchor slowing or even preventing forward motion.

Our fears developed in childhood, the abuses that followed us into our teens, the regrets from our youthful rash decisions can keep us from taking the next step, from enjoying a loving relationship, from accepting personal value.  The negatives of the past can easily be carried into the future and negate positives of today.  Mental health clinics are filled with individuals struggling with their past, alcohol bottles are emptied trying to forget the past.  The wounds of the past create the scars of today, which sometimes remain open wounds into the future.

Ironically, however, the positive memories from the past can mire us down in the present and keep us from progressing into the future.  Really?  Really!  Jesus told the parable of the Rich Farmer, who  decided to tear down his old barns and build new ones so that he could "'have plenty of grain laid up for many years [and told himself] take life easy; east, drink and be merry. But God said to him, 'You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded of you'" (Lk 12:19-20).

The abundance of his past harvest caused him to become selfish in his present life and steered him to a destructive future.  How many individuals, resting on their accomplishments of the past have become dull in the present, denying them the bright future they once had dreamed about?  How many children have been given everything only to become adults that don't have a clue how to provide for themselves?

The point is that living in the past or dragging the past with you into the present, keeps you from adequately progressing into the future.  It doesn't really matter whether you are reliving your glory days or stuck in your gory days.  The past must not be allowed to overshadow the present or cloud the future.

The circumstances and events of the past ought to be used only as lessons learned, which can help us choose our steps today that will guide us into the future.  The things we did right ought to be remembered and repeated.  The things we did wrong ought also to be remembered and avoided.

What we planted yesterday, we are reaping today (cf. Gal 1:7).  Sometimes, we even reap what someone else (i.e. alcoholic or over-indulgent parent) planted in our lives.  However, we can plant new seeds and have a new crop for the future.  That is what Jesus' invitation to "take my yoke upon you" (Matt 11:28-30) is all about.  He stands ready to help you plow up the old fields and plant a righteous and holy crop for a heavenly harvest.  Jus' Say'n.

Money "Whoas"

Despite all the terrorist nut jobs threatening "Death o America!", our own knot-heads rioting and looting, and drugged-out criminals in every neighborhood; the biggest problem continues to be "the love of money, the root of all evil" (1 Tim 6:10).

This love of money, "greed," is what fuels the wars, drives the looting and keeps the drugs flowing.  It is the sponsor of political corruption and the greatest barrier to wiping out disease and hunger throughout the world.  It is the foundation upon which the rapage of cancer and obesity rests in this country.  And it is the primary culprit in erroding the foundation of the family in America as finances is the number one contributing factor in divorce.

If we could get our money under control instead of being controlled by our money, much of this country's ills and even the world's, would be arrested.  Money is the root of all evil and the antidote to this poison is to "keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have" (Heb 13:5).  Learning to trust God instead of money is the key to that transition from moneylust to godliness.

Paul said that he had "learned the secret of being content in every circumstance...whether living in plenty or in want" (Phil 4:11-12).  And he revealed the secret in verse 13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Trusting in God, leaning on Christ rather than looking, longing and lusting for money is the answer.  Putting money in its place as a servant instead of being a slave to money is the way to keep greed from taking root in your life and destroying your world.

Victory begins by "seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness [allowing] all these [material] things to be added to you" (Matt 6:33).  Simple steps to align your finances to kingdom principles are to create a balance of generosity in spending, giving and saving.

Spending every nickel you have leads to want and even desperation.  Saving everything leads to greed and stifles life.  But when we learn to give generously, while saving sensibly and spending appropriately, then we reap the blessings of God-honoring behavior as we always "reap what we sow" (Gal 6:7).

Creating a balance of perhaps 80/10/10 or 70/15/15 or whatever seems to work best for you, allows you to spend without guilt, save without resentment and give freely from the heart.  If one gives away 10%, saves 10% and spends 80%, the needs of today are being met, the needs of tomorrow are being prepared for and the needs others are being attended to.

Of course, what you do won't change to world or even our country, but it will change your life.  And, if enough of us change our disposition toward money, the country and the world will begin to change a little at a time.  The simple fact is that to begin to end money woes, we have to start saying "whoa" to money.

We have to rein it in one person at a time, which will alter the future of one family and enough families changes a community, enough communities changes a city and so on until the entire world is changed.  And if that never happens in our lifetimes, wouldn't you rather spend your lifetime pursuing freedom instead of debt?  Jus' Say'n.

Envy

"For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills" (Ps 73:3-5).

It sure seems that way, doesn't it?  We see polluted politicians, lying lawyers, crooked corporate raiders, rancid rappers and the like - all prospering, enjoying life free of restraint and living on the crest of abundance.  It seems the more they sin, the more they prosper and the more life opens the gateway to Easy Street.  So it seems.

That is precisely what the psalmist David noted in the passage above: The wicked prospering and enjoying life to the full.  But, in reality, they enjoy the life of a fool.  Notice David's conclusion of the matter as we return to Psalm 73:

"When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!  They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies" (16-20).

The lives of the prosperous sinners don't just seem like fantasies, they are fantasies.  They are not real for they are not lasting.  They are only a "mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (Js 4:14).  They have fallen prey to the lie that the treasures of this world are of true value and worthy of primary pursuit.  They are wrong:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matt 6:19-20).

And, we would be foolish to envy them for, while they may prosper here on earth for what seems a very long time, life here is only a moment compared to eternity.  The time we spend here only has value in so far as it glorifies God and prepares us for the life to come.  The prosperity of the wicked is as fleeting as the mouse who finds a tasty morsel of cheese just before the trap is sprung.

Whether on not their lives are as prosperous and trouble free as it seems is not truly relevant.  And for the faithful, how difficult your life may be is not truly relevant.  What is important, the only thing of true value is a life in Christ.  To envy the sinful who prosper now is to envy the hog being fatten for slaughter.  He's eating at the top of the trough now only to be skewered on the top of the pit later.  Jus' Say'n.

The Prayer of Jabez

In 2000, Bruce Wilkinson's book, The Prayer of Jabez, based on 1 Chronicles 4:10, became a best seller.  Not only did the book take off, there were take offs in sermons, seminars and series of classes.  It is fair to say that it took the Christian Community by storm.

I was a little slow to join the band wagon as the prayer seemed to be so self-centered.  It seemed as those Jabez had but one over-arching thought in his prayer: Jabez.  This morning, my chronological Bible reading brought me to this prayer again.  15 years after I first gave it consideration, it still has the same first blush: "Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain'" (1 Chron 4:10).  Notice the me, my and I nature of the prayer?

Nonetheless, in 2000, I came to the conclusion that this was a valid and valuable prayer.  I was persuaded, not by the fanfare or even the argument put forth by Wilkinson, I was persuaded by two brief statements in the text surrounding the prayer: 1) "Jabez was more honorable than his brothers" (4:9) and 2) "God granted his request" (4:10b).  The Holy Spirit reveals Jabez to be honorable and his prayer worthy of yes.  How could I conclude anything other than it is a righteous prayer, worthy of my embrace and imitation?

But what in it makes it worthy of the Lord's stamp of approval?  I believe it to be what I choose to call "The Little Child Factor."  Do you remember what Jesus said about little children in Matthew 18:3-4?  "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."  That lowly position is one of total dependency.  A small child has no problem asking his/her parent for everything because he/she knows everything come from the parent.  Small children ask with abandon and trust ferociously.

Jabez wasn't so much selfish as he was confident in God's ability and trusting in His willingness to do what Jabez himself could not do.  Jabez freely accepted the truth that he was not the captain of his own destiny but that God was Ruler of all.  This is my take-away from the prayer of Jabez - that we are more honorable when we come to God in total dependency and trust; and God is more than willing to grant our righteous and humble requests.  Jus' Say'n.

Lights

Jesus said,  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. 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).

As Christians, we are to be lights in a world of darkness, illuminating the path of righteousness, removing the cover of darkness from sin and becoming a beacon to a lost world.  We are to be that light that serves to draw others to Christ.  And being a light is not a loathsome task, it is a position of honor allowing us to be an instrument of peace.  And yet, many shy away from being light.  Why?

The reason?  Before the light comes the burn.  The lamp on the stand shines brightly and provides light to all that come near, but that light, the thing that draws others and provides such a blessing does not come without the burn of the wick.  Light only comes after the burn.  It is that burn part that keep people from being a light.

If I am to shine a light on the path to resiting temptation, I must first resist the temptation, which means denying myself what I might desire greatly.  If I am to illuminate the way to overcome hardship, I must first endure hardship.  If I am to cast away the shadows of fear, I must courageously face my own.  If I am to be a lamp unto the feet of someone who must face the bitter night of the soul, I must be willing to step into that darkness with him.

We cannot be lights to the world if we hide under a bowl of safety.  Neither can we be lights if we shrink away from the darkness.  Nor can we burn brightly, showing others the way out of darkness if we do not allow ourselves to feel the burn that produces the light.

Lights cannot be those who would say "do as I say, not as I do."  Lights must accept life's challenges and embrace the pain of suffering as an vital part of being a shining example, illuminating the way for others to come through their suffering, face their fears and overcome temptation.  As Christians, we are to light the path to Christ, but to do that we must be walking on that path.  "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Cor 11:1).

The bottom line is that lights are models of the faith and behavior others are to emulate: "Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do" (Phil 3:17).  I've often thought of the caption on the tee-shirts we wore the first time I went on a mission trip to Honduras: Take the Gospel everywhere.  Speak when necessary."  Light-bearing is not about as much about telling as it is being. It isn't say the light or do the light, it is be the light.   Jus' Say'n.

Stupid Grief?

One of the things I read this morning was written by a preacher from a past generation, who wrote, "How stupid is grief."  He then went on to explain how grief is so misplaced in the life of a Christian as we know that our loved ones will be raised and that we will win the victory.  I had to agree that grief seems foolish on the surface, but I could not disagree more as I drill down into the meaning and worth of a grieving heart for a true loss, however temporary it may be.

To begin with, let me set forth the Gold Standard for whether grief is acceptable Christian behavior or not: Jesus Christ.  When he came to the tomb of his friend Lazarus and saw all his friends and family weeping in their grief, knowing he was about to raise him from the dead - WDJD (my new acronym, What Did Jesus Do)?  Did he tell everyone to cheer up and stop their foolish displays of grief?  Did he tell them how stupid it was in light of the fact that resurrection was near for Lazarus?  No, instead, looking around, being filled with compassion for them, "Jesus wept" (Jn 11:35).

Not only do we have the Gold Standard of Jesus supporting the grief of others with his tears, we have His Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul, directing us to do the same: "Mourn with those who mourn" (Rom 12:14).  Grieving, far from being labeled "Stupid," is shown to be a holy pursuit to be encouraged and shared in times of true loss.

Grief is not an indication of a lack of faith, as some suppose, rather it is a reflection of the depth of one's love and a testimony to the degree of loss one feels.  When C.S. Lewis lost his precious wife Joy, he grieved saying that the depth of his loss was a direct reflexion of the depth of the love he was allowed to share. He said he could not hurt so much had he not loved so much.  While he had every hope of seeing her again in heaven, he knew he would finish his journey on earth without her, his loss was temporary as was his grief.  But it was acute equal to his loss.

Loss of a loved one in Christ is temporary and their death means their ultimate gain in glory - so why the grieving?  Because our loss is as real and as long as the rest of our lives.  If your child is accepted at a renown university and given a full scholarship, isn't that something to rejoice about?  Then why do parent weep so as they take their son or daughter to the airport?  Don't they know they will see their child again?  Don't they know that such an education will ensure a bright future?  Yes, but they also know that life as they've experienced it to date is changed forever.  Despite knowing what a blessing this is for their child, they feel a heaviness in their hearts that can only be worked out through active grieving.

Stupid grief?  Not!  Sacred grief!  Yes!  Jus' Say'n.

Exercising Faith

Solomon wrote, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" (Prov 3:5-6).  It seems pretty simple doesn't it?  Trust God, lean on him, yield to his power, let him take care of of our problem.  Let Go and let God.  How could it be any simpler?  And yet, we so often just can't quite do that.

We know we can't handle it.  We turn it over to God, who can deal with it.  Then we take it back, hold it close while we fret over our inability to take care of it.  Sound familiar?  Our faith muscles and trust stamina and not very developed because fail to exercise our faith and stretch the limits of our stamina.

How many of us have started an exercise program in order to reach certain physical health, strength and weight goals only to pull back and even drop out because it seemed to hard, was taking too long and you lacked trust in the plan or the trainer to produce the results.  So, instead of trusting in the plan or the process, we drop back, regroup and start fretting over our out of control weight and lack of overall good health.

We say things like, "I just can't do it.  I don't have the self-control."  Actually, you are exercising self-control  by pulling back and stooping to fret instead of stepping in faith.  It isn't self-control that you need, it is to release yourself to the control of a trainer or a plan that will bring about the results you desire but your lack of trust caused by your lack of exercising your faith keeps you controlled by your fears and doubts.

Listen to the words of the Psalmist and of the apostle Peter: "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you: (Ps 55:22); "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Pet 5:7).   Did you note the word "cast"?  Casting requires actually letting go, releasing control of, imparting to someone else.  You cannot maintain a hands-on approach when you cast.

Did you notice what God's response is to your casting anxiety and  fear on him?  He sustains you and provides care for you.  God acts in your behalf, God sees to your needs, God takes control of the situation.  But the thing is, God doesn't wrench it from our hands, he takes what we place in his.  If we hang on to it, keeping our trust in self to control, God does not take control.  If we do not cast it into his hands, he will not take care of it.

Exercising faith requires that we place our trust in God and release control of our problem.  We cannot lay it before  the Lord and then wallow in it at the same time.  We either exercise our faith our we exercise our fear.  The one we exercise the most will develop the most muscle and stamina, and will ultimately control our lives.  Jus' Say'n.