Notes to Myself

Treasures

2012-01-08T05:25:00.001-05:00

I don’t know anyone who detailed a car after they rented it. Nor do I know anyone who remodeled their apartment after they signed the lease for it. If I did hear of someone who did such a thing, I would have a few names for them that I choose not to reveal. The only reason why I would be hesitant to “pass judgment” on them is because I treat some of my possessions as if they belonged to me for all of eternity.

In the midst of life’s pursuits, Jesus reminds us, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). As absurd as the picture painted above, Jesus is reducing the material things that we value as rubbish. And if we apply Jesus’ words to things that we prize greatly, His words are highly offensive. But Jesus wants us to take His words seriously—so that we can assess the condition of our heart, our relationship to God, and how it relates to our final destination.

In an interview several years ago, I like what funnyman Tim Allen, the star of “Home Improvement” had to say concerning his life. Allen said, “In these last couple of years I don’t sweat the small stuff. I realize that you don’t take a U-Haul behind your hearse.”

Tim Allen’s words paint yet another hilarious image, yet if we ponder its relevance in our lives, it might turn into a sobering and grave thought.

I Can Do All Things

2012-01-02T07:11:00.003-05:00

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) has been my mantra (consciously and unconsciously) throughout most of my Christian walk. I am conscious of this verse especially when I face huge obstacles and impossible situations. However, I am reminded of this verse as I leave my “prayer closet” to face a normal day.

It has also been a common occurrence to be surprised, if not shocked, by the awesomeness of this statement. There have been times when I’ve been kicked in my teeth and wondered what went wrong, only to discover that I had put a period after, “I can do all things.” Other times when the inconceivable occurs, I am reminded of another verse, that echoes Philippians 4:13, and that is, God is “able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work in us” (Ephesians 4:20).

However, these days I am pondering the Philippians statement in its immediate context. In the verses that immediately precede verse 13, Paul talks about contentment. Paul says,

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Then Paul concludes,

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

This paints a whole different picture of God’s power that should be at work in me. It’s not just about accomplishing tasks, overcoming obstacles, or doing something extraordinary. It is about being okay in the situation I’m in—not because it’s fair or unfair. And it’s certainly not about my comfort or discomfort. But it’s because His presence in my life (vs. 5, 9) which enables me to stand (3:21-4:1). This should satisfy me. This is the power and work of God.

I think that I like the way Paul thinks better than the way I think.

Resolution

2012-01-01T04:34:00.001-05:00

I think that it was R. C. Sproul that said that there are no maverick molecules in the universe. I don’t know the context of this statement, but it must have something to do with the idea that God holds ALL thing together (Colossians 1:17).

It is mind boggling to try and imagine a God that knows how many atoms there are in the universe and that He places each of them exactly where He wants them to be. But then again, Scripture does tell us that God put each star in place (Psalms 8:3) and has a name for each one (Psalms 147:4). The Bible also tells us that a bird cannot fall to the ground without His knowledge (Matthew 10:29) and that He knows how many hairs on our head (Luke 12:7—try multiplying that by 7 billion!). On top of that, He sees our every action (Proverbs 5:21), knows our every thought (Luke 16:15) and even our every motive (Proverbs 16:2)!

It is also a hard thing to wrap our minds around the thought that God is involved with “bad” things that happen in this world, especially to seemingly innocent people. But there is overwhelming evidence that He is! God foreknew that the Israelites would be slaves (Genesis 15:13-14), God sent a storm Jonah’s way (Jonah 1:4), He consented to Job’s suffering (Job 1-2), and not only did He stand by and watch His very own Son’s murder, but it was His Will that His Son die (Isaiah 53:10).

What is equally astonishing and fascinating is that just as the human body, solar system, and everything in nature is so intricately woven together by Him, He also knits the Bible together in a similar fashion. We may have difficulty “connecting the dots” and seeing the bigger picture because the Bible is filled with allusions, symbolism, metaphors, shadows, comparisons, and contrasts and quite often, the Bible does not take the time to explain itself or inform us as to what literary device it is using. On the other hand, we may be suffering from myopia, seeing that the Bible is “spiritually discerned.” I mean, I would have never known that “the rock” followed the Israelite around in the desert, nor would I have figured out that this rock was Jesus (I Corinthians 10:4) if the Apostle Paul didn’t tell us.

In all the awe and awesomeness of God, I think that God wants everyone to know one thing. This “one thing” links everything together—God, the universe, life, nature, mankind, and the Bible. This “One Thing” is the Person of Jesus Christ because He is the voice and embodiment of God (Hebrews 1:1-3). This is why Peter claims that EVERYTHING we need that pertains to life and godliness (or God) can be found in Jesus (II Peter 1:3). He is so profound that even the angels watch with curiosity and fascination how Jesus’ life and death affected and still affects the world (I Peter 1:10-12).

This is the time of the year that many people remember the details–even the microscopic ones of Jesus’ advent into the world. As I reflect on Jesus’ entrance into human history, I’m also looking around at our world, watching how everything seems to be falling into place (not apart), and am reminded that His return is imminent. As I look forward to the New Year, I am compelled to be serious, diligent, and vigilant in preparing myself to receive Him again.

The Widow's Gift

2011-12-28T05:29:00.000-05:00

We’ve all heard sermons on Mark 12:41-44, about how Jesus pointed out how a poor widow’s miniscule gift was more than everyone else’s offerings. Jesus told His disciples, that she had “put in everything—all she had to live on.”

My question is how did Jesus know that this was all she had? Her poverty might have been obvious, but how did Jesus know that she gave everything? The answer is God knows everything and this snapshot reinforces Jesus claim to be God.

Even though this story is only two paragraphs long, it tells us something very important about God and us. This incident doesn’t give us much detail about the widow. We don’t know anything about her life before this moment and we don’t know anything about her after this incident. We don’t know if this widow was young or old. We don’t know if this widow had young children to feed. We don’t know if she was blessed of God for her giving or if the LORD took her home shortly after she had given everything she had to live on. We don’t even know her name.

But this we do know—she is immortalized on the pages of Scripture. Centuries after she died, we are still reading and reflecting on her giving. We also know that Jesus (God) does not speak directly to her, but Jesus (God) speaks highly about her and commends her in the presence of others.

We may not have a lot of information about the poor widow. But this we know, God sees and God knows. Isn’t this good enough when we think about our relationship with our God?

Living on the Edge

2011-11-14T04:34:00.000-05:00

Living on the edge means different things to different people. For some, living on the edge describes a person who does dangerous stunts, like a daredevil. To others, living on the edge describes their existence—from paycheck to paycheck. There are others still, who think of living on the edge as a lifestyle. While these are all different definitions of what it means to be living on the edge, they have one thing in common. Living on the edge pictures a person or people on the brink of disaster.

One of the messages that I get from Scripture is that a life without God is living on the edge. The Bible describes a person’s life as a “mist” and that “tomorrow” is not guaranteed (James 4:13-16). In Luke 12:16-21, Jesus told a parable about a rich man that illustrates this very point and concluded the parable with, “God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself, but is not rich toward God.” The Hebrew writer put it bluntly, “…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (9:27).

Our fears and anxieties are well founded if we live life without God. He is the only one that can comfort us (II Corinthians 1:3-4) and give us rest (Matthew 11:28-30). If we are seeking Him, we can live confidently in uncertain times (Psalms 23:4). If we are not on the lookout for Him, He will come like a thief in the night (I Thessalonians 5:1-6). And that’s living on the edge.

God's Will

2011-11-13T05:28:00.001-05:00

I’ve heard about and watched many Christians wrestle with the question, “What’s God’s will for me?” However, I think that knowing God’s will and knowing the mind (or heart) of God is not as difficult as we sometimes make it out to be. In fact, there is an abundance of Scripture that speak of God’s will or desires.

First and foremost, God desires that all men be saved (I Timothy 2:3, II Peter 3:9, Matthew 18:14, John 6:40). Once we are saved, or born again, it is God’s will, or God’s desire, that we imitate or grow up into Jesus. The Scripture references for these are numerous, but Paul says it this way in Romans 8:29: “For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son…” In Ephesians 2:10, Paul adds, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” After Scripture tells us that “doing good” is God’s will, Scripture goes on to define what doing good means. Some of the Scriptures are, I Thessalonians 4:3, 5:18, I Peter 2:15, Titus 3:8, and Ephesians 3:10.

When I think about God’s will, or what God expects and desires, I cringe because what I want and what God wants are on a collision course with each other. My friend Dave pointed out that the heart of this conflict is usually selfishness.

Jesus wrestled with the Father’s will as well. In the Garden our LORD cried out, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for You. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what You will” (Mark 14:36, Matthew 26:39). However, I don’t think Jesus wrestled with selfishness. On the contrary, I think that Jesus wrestled with righteousness, justice, and mercy. I think that it would have been well within Jesus’ rights to walk away from the cross.

I know my conflict is different than Jesus’ struggle, because I would have ended my monologue with God after the first two sentences. Yet, if it is God’s will that Jesus be our example (I Peter 2:21, 15), I would ultimately have to surrender and confess Jesus’ words, “Yet not what I will, but what You will.”

I am also coming to understand that if this is the big picture, and if it is also at the heart of God’s will, I should be learning not to micromanage God. Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and don’t sweat the small stuff” (Matthew 6:33, paraphrased). Paraphrasing Jesus again, He said, “If you find yourself overwhelmed by the small stuff, come to Me and I’ll comfort you” (Matthew 11:28-30). This is such a paradox. If trusting in the LORD is God’s will (Romans 1:17, Hebrews 10:38, 11:6), why is it so difficult to do?

Humility

2011-11-12T06:46:00.000-05:00

I must have read John 8:1-11 a hundred times, but no matter how many times I’ve read it, I still marvel at the way our LORD handles this situation.

The Scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus. They asked Him, “What should we do with this woman?” Had Jesus answered, “Let her go!” He would have been accused of breaking the Law of Moses. If He said, “Stone her!” He would have been in trouble with the Roman government. When Jesus did not answer them, He seemed to be in a pickle. However, when the Scribes and Pharisees persisted, Jesus answered, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Touché, Jesus! A reply worthy of God! I can imagine the astonishment on the faces of the Scribes and Pharisees! I would have loved to have been there to see them come to Jesus as roaring lions, to watch their smug expressions turn different shades of purple and red, and then to turn and slowly tiptoe out of His presence.

If I were in Jesus’ shoes, I would have folded my arms, would have tried to make eye contact, and I would have victoriously basked in the moment. But Jesus doesn’t do that. Jesus does not smirk or sneer like I would have done. There is not even a hint of smugness from Jesus.

As much as I am captured by the genius of Jesus, I am even more fascinated by His humility. Jesus did not have the, “I guess I told you!” look on His face. Instead, the Scriptures inform us that He “stooped down and wrote on the ground.”

Like the woman adulteress, the Scribes and Pharisees were also, “caught in the very act.” One minute they were reveling in their fleshly lusts, the next moment they found themselves being disrobed and standing “naked” before the crowd awaiting conviction. One glance from the piercing “All Knowing” eyes of Jesus would have shattered any dignity that the Scribes and Pharisees had left. But love and humility does not respond that way (I Cor. 13:4-7) and neither did Jesus.

I strongly suspect that Jesus did not want to see the embarrassment on their faces or the humiliation that was in their eyes. It’s the same love and humility that we see in Jesus as He turns His eyes away from the jeering crowd to look to His Father and cry, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

What an amazing plea. What an astonishing heart. What a marvelous Savior. Praise God!

Talents

2011-10-27T04:37:00.001-04:00

I sometimes think that it is unfair at how God has distributed talents. Subconsciously I am upset at God and envious of multi-talented people. Some people have more than their share of talents and seemed to have won the talent lottery. These people are smart—they can read a book in a few hours, understand, and recall what they read. And if they had to, they could articulate and write about what they read in a very entertaining and engaging way.

These people are also very clever. They could look at problems and come up with ingenious solutions with what they have available. These people also seem to have an endless supply of wisdom and have a lot of knowledge about everything under and beyond the sun. These people are physically fit and attractive, are gourmet cooks, musically (vocally and instrumentally) inclined and seem to be able to do everything well. On top of that, they seem to do everything efficiently and with great ease. All I can say is, “That’s not fair!” because I have to work very hard at everything.

However, there is one thing that gives me great comfort. When I read I Corinthians 13, Paul levels the playing field. Paul tells me that if I had all the talent in the world, but if I don’t have the love of God that originates from Christ Jesus (compare Romans 5:5-8), then all the gifts in the world amounts to nothing.

This doesn’t totally take away my jealousy of others, but it does make me feel good about God because He is willing to give me freely what He’s made available to everyone else. In other words, I can have the very best thing in life and not have to work for it—that’s more than fair and that’s Great News!

Irene

2011-10-15T05:09:00.002-04:00

Several months ago I watched people on the news as they prepared for Hurricane Irene. The people on the Southeastern coast of the United States were taping and boarding up windows; they were moving patio furniture inside; they were tying other things down; Long lines formed at gas stations, hardware stores and grocery stores as people were filling up their tanks, stocking up on water, batteries, and other necessities—all in preparation for Irene. Someone even joked, that he got cleaned up and dressed up in anticipation of Irene’s arrival in his town.

The news made me reflect on Jesus’ words,

“As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:37-39)

What a contrast! Even though Jesus said that the people in Noah’s day “knew nothing about what would happen” they could not have been totally ignorant about the things to come. The people watched Noah at work for about 80 years and the ark that Noah was building was 50% longer than a football field (Genesis 6:15). And since Noah was called “a preacher of righteousness” (II Peter 2:5) he probably was not quiet about the impending doom.

Here’s another irony. Over and over Jesus said that He was going to die, was coming back from the dead, and His disciples did not believe or understand what He meant. And even though Jesus’ disciples witnessed the empty tomb, they were totally unprepared to see Him alive (Matthew 28:17).

History has a way of repeating itself and it is still amazing that Christians can listen to and believe the weather prophets today, but fail to hear the Son of God. We often look more like pagans in our life’s pursuits than we do as Children seeking our Heavenly Father’s Kingdom (Matthew 6:25-33).

Yet the words of the Preacher of Righteousness continue to echo throughout the ages, “keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come…you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:42, 44). Can we hear Him now?

I Never Knew You

2011-10-08T05:42:00.001-04:00

The first time I read Matthew 7:21-23 and heard Jesus say, “I never knew you” I was traumatized. I think that was Jesus’ intent. In the event that I didn’t get what Jesus was saying when He started off with, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees and Scribes…” (Matthew 5:20), and His commentary that followed, Jesus lowered the boom with his heart stopping statement of, “I never knew you.”

This is very troubling because the people that Jesus was talking to seemed to have known Jesus. They not only prophesied or preached, but they also did great and wonderful works all in Jesus’ name. But the most disturbing blow is that Jesus didn’t just say, “I don’t know you,” but “I never knew you.”

For years I’ve consoled myself by telling myself that Jesus could not possibly have been talking about me. In fact, I could come up with lots of reasons, good reasons that Jesus was really talking about someone else. However, in the back of my mind there were the gnawing questions, “Will this be my fate and what is the will of God?” According to Jesus, doing the “will of God” will get me into heaven (7:21).

After years of trying to figure out what the “will of God” was so that I could “do” it, it dawned on me that I was asking the same question as the rich young man in Matthew 19:16-23. I was asking for a set of behaviors or a formula to enter into God’s good graces, but was not looking for a Savior.

It is astonishing to me how disconnected I am. I already know this. I mean, how does one get into heaven or receive eternal life (Matthew 5:20, 7:21, 19:16)? It is on the basis of a relationship with Jesus Christ, of course! The only way that we can approach God the Father is based in our relationship with Jesus Christ and in trusting Him.

When I hear Jesus “lay down the law,” through the Sermon on the Mount, I am faced with several choices. I can throw my hands up in the air and walk away like the rich young man because what Jesus asks is beyond me; Or I can make a checklist of good works hoping that by doing them it will be acceptable to the LORD; Or I could drop to my knees at the foot of the cross and cry out, “LORD, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

I still get traumatized these days, but I am okay with this—as long as it is bringing me to a place of complete trust and confidence in Jesus or as Paul would say, “I know Whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day (II Timothy 1:12).

Ruminating and Rummaging

2011-09-22T04:40:00.001-04:00

What does ruminating have in common with rummaging? Nothing except that rummage is the word that immediately follows rumination in the dictionary. This morning as I was preparing a lesson on “Bible Study” for Xiaoka (pronounced Sho’ ka), I was contemplating the different components of studying the Bible. One of the ideas that leaped to mind was the word, ruminating. Following that word, images of Biology class and a cow with four stomachs chewing on regurgitated grass flooded my mind. It seemed to me that I heard someone using the illustration of a cow chewing on its cud and applied it to meditation. That’s how I ended up with Funk and Wagnalls in hand. I wanted to refresh my memory on the process of ruminating.

When I read through the definitions of ruminant, ruminate, and rumination I was surprised to see that synonyms of these words included, “meditative, reflective, contemplate, and ponder.” It was obvious how someone could have made this application to studying the Bible.

As I read these definitions, my eyes went on to the next word, rummage. Its definition was, “1. To search through (a place, a box, etc.) by turning over and disarranging the contents; ransack. 2. To find or bring out by searching thoroughly. 3. To make a thorough search.” As I read this, I was amazed because this is also the way I study and search Scripture. This might sound a little strange, but I rummage through, or ransack Scripture to find God because I am convinced that He is the Pearl of great price. I guess ruminating and rummaging have more in common than I thought.

Why Not Me?

2011-09-21T04:52:00.000-04:00

A friend once heard me mutter, “Why me?” and she asked, “Why not you?” That led to some serious reflection on my part. I began to wonder, “Why not me? Why should I be exempt me from the “interruptions” of life that is common to everyone? What makes me so special to think I should be excused or immune life’s disruptions, discomforts, or tragedies?” This also led me to think, if our LORD was the target of the world’s assault (Hebrews 4:15), am I better or greater than He was to be spared from any or all of life’s difficulties? Just who do I think I am? What a sobering thought.

I think that the main reason why we are “inconvenienced” or suffer is so that we will be challenged to know God. Isaiah said, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised and we esteemed Him not” (Isaiah 53:3-4a).

I know that this passage of Scripture is a prophecy about Jesus, but I also think that this is a commentary on God. I don’t think that God needs a body to feel hurt. In fact, some say that mental and emotional pain sometimes leaves the deepest and the greatest scars.

Early in Scripture, I see a God that hurts. When Adam hid and God asked him, “Who told you that you were naked” (Genesis 3:11), I hear great disappointment in God’s words. God’s pain might not be obvious to some in this passage of Scripture, but a few chapters later, the Bible tells us that God was grieved as he looked at the wickedness of man (Genesis 6:6).

One of the books of the Bible that speaks powerfully to me about the pain that God feels is the book of Hosea. Over and over again God reveals His heartache through His prophet, Hosea.

The Scripture also says that the Lamb (Jesus) was slain from the formation of the world (Revelation 13:8). The Scriptures also tell us that God lives in all time zones (Isaiah 57:15). What this says to me is that even though God is eternal and “invincible,” emotions—in this case pain, is a part of the nature or character of God.

I’ve come to the conclusion that Jesus didn’t come to earth in a human body so that He could understand, experience, or feel what we go through. I think that Jesus came to earth so that we could see and know the face of God as He suffers.

It is an amazing thought that God would put up and suffer for me. It is also beyond me why anyone who has “seen” the anguished face of Jesus would continue to hurt Him. Maybe it’s because we haven’t seen Him. Maybe that’s why we continue to cry out, “Why me” stemming from an arrogant heart instead of a humble one…

More Reflections on "Why Me?"

2011-09-20T06:16:00.001-04:00

As I was reflecting on the other day’s thought of, “Why me?” a few more answers came to mind…

1. Things happen so that we will trust God. The Apostle Paul wrote, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.” Then Paul concluded, “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead…On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, (II Corinthians 1:8b-10).

2. Things happen to make us humble. Paul said, “To keep me from becoming conceited…there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.” The LORD answered Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (I Corinthians 12:7-9).

3. Things happen so that we will look at the bigger picture. Again, the Apostle Paul said, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (II Corinthians 4:16-18).

4. Things happen so that we can know the comfort of God. Paul said, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (II Corinthians 1:3-4).

5. Things happen so that God’s power will be revealed in us. Paul said, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” Read the rest of what Paul said about this in II Corinthians 4:8-11.

6. Things happen so that the works of God can be revealed. In John 9, Jesus disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”

God has truly taken the “weak” things of the world to astonish the wise. Maybe in avoiding to ask, “Why me” I’ve been doing a smart thing. Perhaps the wiser thing for me to ask is, “Why not me?”

Why Me?

2011-09-07T04:21:00.001-04:00

I’ve learned not to ask, “Why me?” or “Why does this happen to me?” because I kinda know the answer to these questions. I don’t know the details of why things specifically happen, but the Bible gives a range of “answers” for us to reflect on. These are some of the things that immediately flood my mind when I find myself asking myself, “Why…”

1. To remind us of who we are. We are creatures. We are the created. Many times we have a sense of self-importance and we think that the world revolves around us. To this, James asks the question, “What is your life?”(James 5:14). James then goes on to say, “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

2. Things happen so that we will remember Who is in control and Who is the Creator. James says, “You don’t even know what will happen tomorrow…Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will…”

3. Things happen so that we will seek God. Often in our day to day life, God’s not even on our radar. The writer of Proverbs admonishes us, “In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes…” (Proverbs 3:6-7a). Isaiah adds, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us have turned to his own way…” (Isaiah 53:6). Things happen so that we are driven to seek God.

4. Things happen so that we can assess where we are in God’s plan. Paul says, “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son…” (Romans 8:29). We are predestined to be conformed into the image of Jesus. Things happen so that we can know our hearts and surrender our wills to His.

5. Things happen so that we will look to God for our complete salvation and deliverance. Sometimes we think of our salvation as futuristic. God wants us to know Him as our fortress, refuge, security, sustainer, as well as our Savior yesterday, today, and forever. We live closer to the edge that we realize, but God wants us to abide in Him.

6. Things happen because of sin in the world. Sometimes things happen because of our sin, other times the sins of others affect us. Sometimes things happen to us because we deserve it. Other times we are affected unfairly. We know this because the only innocent man in all of history was afflicted by sins that were not His own. He was not only the target of our sinful hearts, but the sins of the world were laid on Him by the Father (Isaiah 53:3-6).

7. Things happen to us so that we can give honor and glory to God. Jesus came to do the will of God (Hebrews 10:5-7). We are told to have the same mindset (I Peter 4:1-2). After Jesus was abused, violated, tortured, and nailed to a cross, Luke tells us that Jesus cried out, “Father, forgive them…” (Luke 23:34). Peter adds, “When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” And just before Peter makes this statement, he said, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps (I Peter 2:21-23).

To be willing to suffer unjustly doesn’t sound right and doesn’t feel good to me. But when I think about the opposite end of this spectrum—about Jesus and how He was treated and how He responded to me and for me, I cannot help but to be humbled and be in awe of Him. To Jesus’ display of compassion, I also ask, “Why me?”

Even though the words at the beginning and at the end are exactly the same, “Why me” comes from two totally different contexts and therefore asks two different questions. In God’s eyes, there is but only one answer and it involves Jesus Christ. That’s the reason why I don’t ask, “Why” or “Why me” anymore because I know it leads to a deeper question. That question is, “Am I willing to align my heart and mind to be in harmony with Him?” and I kinda don’t want to answer this question.

A Reminder

2011-08-18T06:05:00.000-04:00

After I asked for prayers for my memory issues, Jim came up to me and said, “I’ll be praying for you—just remember Him…” I most likely interrupted Jim and blurted out, “That’s one thing that I worry about—that I’ll forget Him.”

Jim immediately responded with, “Even if you forget Him, He will always remember you!” Wow! What a rush! I think Jim went on to say, “It is more important that He remembers you, than for you to remember Him.” I didn’t really hear Jim’s second sentence because I was too excited thinking about his first statement.

God said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). Jesus also said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet none of them is forgotten by God…Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7). Finally Jesus said, “And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

With such comforting words, why should I be afraid or worried. It’s like David said, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for YOU are with me” (Psalms 23:4). Thanks, LORD for the reminder.

Terah

2011-08-16T04:27:00.000-04:00

Even though Peter says, “His [God’s] divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him…” (II Peter 1:3a), the Bible does not tell us everything and leaves a lot of details out. I have decided that it must mean that some things are not that important and are unnecessary for us to know. On the other hand, I’ve also decided that there are other things that are very important, but they are “hidden” from us. I think that this was done intentionally so that we would seek God’s wisdom in knowing the difference between what’s important and what’s not. I also think that it can ultimately lead us to knowing God better.

One of the things that make me stroke my chin and go, “Hmm…” are the small references to Terah, Abraham’s father. The Bible tells us that Terah (as well as Abraham) lived in a distant land and worshipped other Gods (Joshua 24:2). The Bible also tells us that one day Terah took Lot, Abram (Abraham), and Sarai and set out from Ur and headed to Canaan. The Bible also tells us that when they came to Haran, they settled there (Genesis 11:31).

In the very next chapter, God speaks to Abram and says, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). A few verses later we find out that Abram settled in Canaan and God said that He would give Abram this land (Genesis 12:5-7).

This is where my imagination kicks in and I begin to ask questions like, “Did God speak to Terah? Did Terah hear the voice of God? Did Terah hear God’s voice before Abraham and did God tell Terah to go to Canaan?”

God hasn’t answered me and hasn’t filled in the details yet, but this much I do know. The Old Testament tells us a lot about Abraham’s life and the New Testament has numerous references to him. In the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews, the chapter that we refer to as the “Hall of Faith,” Abraham is described as a stranger or alien in a foreign land seeking for the city whose architect and builder was God (Hebrews 11:8-10).

On the other hand, Terah is mentioned in only a few short verses in the Bible, most are in a genealogy in Genesis, and no reference to him in the New Testament. The striking contrast between him and his son Abraham is found in this epitaph, “Terah…set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran” (Genesis 11:31-32). Hmmm…I wonder if God is telling us something or am I reading too much into the text?

Is Faith a Blessing?

2011-08-07T05:05:00.002-04:00

Life is so overwhelming at times and to make matters worse, it is very unstable and unpredictable. Things are often not what they seem to be and they keep changing. Life puts up roadblocks and forces us to take detours. Sometimes it’s hard to see past today because tomorrow looks pitch black. In addition, people are sometimes hard to understand because they see things so differently. On top of that, people are fickle—a lot of times people cannot or will do not what they said they would do. Other times people out and out lie.

If anyone’s experienced this, they are probably aware that there are a lot of insecurities, anxieties, frustration, disappointments, disillusionments, and fears that come along with this knowledge—and they’ve also discovered that it is very hard to be sure of anything.

I learned this about life at a very young age. I grew up being very skeptical and this made it hard for me to trust or to have faith in anybody or anything. But the biggest shock came to me as I was becoming an adult—I failed myself. I came to a realization that I could not live up to my own expectations, so I could not even trust myself.

It was after this realization that I was reintroduced to the Bible and Jesus. This time Jesus excited me…that is, until I started reading and thinking about what Jesus said. As I listened to what Jesus said, I started hearing myself saying things like: “Yeah, right!” “You’ve got to be kidding!” “You want me to do what?” “Yeah, that’s easy for you to say!” “You can’t possibly mean that!” But the words that made me stop dead in my tracks were, “Who do you think you are? Jesus, just who do you think you are?”

The Bible claims that the Word of God is sure and claims that Jesus is the Living Word of God. Jesus Himself said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35) Reflecting on this, I thought to myself, since I cannot put my trust in anything, and I cannot put my confidence in anyone else, much less faith in myself, I thought I’d put the Bible and Jesus to the test. So whenever I felt like I was in a vortex and my life was going down the toilet, when things seemed like they were falling apart, and when my feelings were on a roller coaster ride, I recalled what the Bible or what Jesus said and reminded myself, “But God said…,” or “But Jesus said…” Then I held on to His Words as if my life and sanity depended on it (and it did). You know something? When everything stopped spinning and shaking, I found myself okay and still standing.

Has my faith been a blessing to me? Not so much. My faith has been weak and small and unstable. It’s really not my faith that is the blessing. My blessing has come from the One in whom I can put my confidence.

I am discovering that faith is born and grows “from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17) and when I hold unswervingly to this hope I profess, I am blessed only because He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).

Meaningful Conversation

2011-08-06T05:39:00.001-04:00

For years, Author and Lecturer Gary Smalley, wondered what women meant by a “meaningful conversation.” One day after he was married for a while, it dawned on him that a “meaningful conversation” to a woman was any conversation that was meaningful to her. It sounds so simple, yet when I heard this, I was awed. I might have known this fact, but it was so deep into my subconscious that I needed Gary’s words to enlighten me.

Since then, I’ve really noticed that whenever anyone is able to express themselves freely and the response to them is favorable, the speaker leaves the conversation feeling very satisfied. I’ve also thought about how it affects an individual in different relationships—a child with his parents, a student with his teacher, a worker with his boss, a patient with his doctor, and a human being with his God. It seems to me that in every instance when a person is able to share what’s on his or her heart without repercussion, this individual leaves the “conversation” feeling content, satisfied, and even joyful. This also leads me to wonder how God feels when He wants to have a meaningful conversation with us…

Bipartisanship

2011-08-05T04:19:00.001-04:00

I think that the arguments over balancing the budget, raising the national debt ceiling, and calling for bipartisanship over the last few months has moved a lot of people from being concerned, to worried, frustrated, and now outraged.

When the debate first began, I don’t think I could have defined bipartisanship, but listening to the President, the Republicans, and the Democrats, I think I know what it means. It seems to me that it means, “I have come up with a plan and now you should agree with me.” When I was a kid, the term was called, “bullying.”

The Bible has a similar term. It’s called “confession.” The Bible asks us to confess, agree, or admit: we sin or we are sinners (I John 1:8-9). Jesus is Lord and He comes from God (Acts 10:9-10, I John 4:3). Only by our admission that Jesus comes from God, that we can know God (I John 2:23, 4:15). When we confess Jesus’ Name, it is a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of our lips (Hebrews 13:15). And finally, we confess that we are strangers and pilgrims in this world (Hebrews 11:13).

These are some of the things that the Bible calls us to confess, agree, and come to terms with. While there is some similarity between “bipartisanship” in the world and “confession” in Scripture, there is at least one huge difference. God’s not a bully, as some may think He is. God is looking out for everyone’s welfare and He has our very best interest at heart. We know this because He sacrificially gave up His very own Son as the condition of the agreement between Him and us. This is the concession that God brings to the bargaining table. If we do not agree to His terms, there is no other deal in the works.

Sowing and Reaping

2011-08-04T04:49:00.000-04:00

When I am talking to people, I get the feeling a lot of the time people do not believe what I am saying. One of the reasons why I get this impression is because of the response that I get from them after making a statement. People don’t usually come out blatantly and say, “You’re lying,” “You’re exaggerating,” or “You don’t understand.” People “tell” me that I don’t know what I’m talking about in a round about way, usually by giving me an alternate viewpoint or by sharing with me their experiences in life. When this happens, I get frustrated; I get myself all worked up and want to “defend” or further explain what I have said.

This morning I had a flashback. When I was a kid, I often tried to convince people of something, even to the point of tears. People used to believe me, until they found out I was lying (and I used to lie a lot). Eventually, people took what I said with a grain—no, it was probably more like a box of salt. So maybe this is payback time. Maybe I am reaping what I have sowed as a kid even though I am not bent in this direction anymore. If this is true, it stinks.

This morning I am also reminded that Jesus’ underlying message was “believe Me” (John 8:45-46) or “trust Me” (John 14:1, Matthew 7:24-27), but His message was continually rejected (John 1:14). I’ve noticed that every time Jesus was rejected, His response was not like mine. Jesus does not grab people by their shoulders, shake them, and scream, “Believe Me!” I also don’t see Jesus dropping to His knees pleading with people, “Why won’t you listen to Me?” Nor does Jesus follow people around, bombarding them with a multitude of words to convince them of His truthfulness. No, I am not like Jesus.

Maybe I should consider limiting my speech and be content with short answers like, “Yes” or “No” (Matthew 5:37). Maybe I should allow God the opportunity to have the final word instead of me. This is so hard, but if I remember correctly, the last time I looked, words like badgering, overbearing, and argumentative were not listed under the “Fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). Perhaps, just perhaps this would be a good time for me to practice sowing seeds of godliness.

Disconnected

2011-05-16T04:45:00.001-04:00

I’ve noticed that as Christians, we live such disconnected lives—in that we read God’s Word, the Bible and often fail to see the connection it has in our lives. I often hear things like, “Be with us,” and “Help us.” While these petitions are not necessarily wrong, but in the framework of Scripture, I wonder why our language, our prayers, and our spirit are not more aligned to what God has said.

I might be knit picking at words, but I wonder if God is like a parent standing beside a child asking, “What did I say? What did I tell you?” It seems to me that our approach or our responses to our Father as Children of Light should be different.

One of the more common groaning that I hear is, “Why me” or “Why now?” Someone once asked me, “Why not you?” It made me think, “Why should I be exempt from the human experience” (I Corinthians 10:13)? After I became a Christian, I wondered, “If Jesus went through similar ordeals, why should I expect anything different? (Luke 6:40, John 13:16)? If I really believe that I deserve hell, but received Heaven, then what’s a little discomfort in my life now” (Romans 8:18)?

I guess the next time I hear myself saying, “I don’t have time for this;” I’m going to have to remember to ask myself, “Whose clock am I on? Whose life am I living?” (I Corinthians 6:19-20, 7:23) and “Am I being blessed?” (John 13:17).

Christian Joy

2011-04-23T05:51:00.003-04:00

I heard someone say the reason why a lot of Christians don’t live a more joyous, abundant, victorious, and exuberant life was because we don’t spend enough time with God and with other Christians. That statement made me cringe.

So many times other Christians make me angry, frustrated, exasperated, and stressed. I think that Jesus had experienced similar feelings when He walked with His twelve.

Often, being aware of God’s presence brings me anything but joy. A lot of times, when I am reminded that I am standing in His Presence (to name a few), I feel ashamed, guilty, irritated, and yes, even angry.

As I think about “Christian” joy, I am reminded of the one who cried out,

Do not cast me from Your Presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to
me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

This passage of Scripture sounds like it comes from the New Testament, but it actually comes from the hand of David in Psalms 51:11-12. It seems that David had a taste of something that a lot of Christians have not yet experienced. Many of us acknowledge and affirm what Jesus has done for us, but it seems like this reality has yet to penetrate into our hearts.

Joy comes from really knowing who we are, who God is, and the mercy and the grace that overflows from Him. This also why David can declare,

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head
with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days
of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalms 23:5-6)

Avoidance

2011-04-17T04:54:00.001-04:00

There are some people that I try to avoid. When I see them coming, I turn and head in the opposite direction, and hope that they didn’t see me. If I see them passing by my house as I’m heading towards my front door, I pause and wait until they are out of sight before I open the door to go out. If I am in the grocery store and see them, I will turn down the first aisle and hope that they didn’t see me. I let out a sigh of relief if I am unnoticed.

A lot of times I feel this way about myself. There are times when I wish that it were possible to get out of my body and walk away. There are times when I when I avoid looking in the mirror because I don’t want to look into the eyes of the one that would be looking back at me. The person in the mirror can see past the veneer and see into the soul of the person he’s looking at. In this way, I can see what God sees.

In times like these, I am thankful that I am not standing before God because I would not be able to look into His all-knowing eyes. I am also thankful for the Word of God because it is helping me practice standing in His Presence by fixing my eyes on His Word.

God’s Word tells me that He loves me so much that He demonstrated it at the expense of His very own Son (John 3:16, Romans 8:32). God’s Word tells me that while I was still immersed in my sins, Jesus died for me (Romans 5:6, 8). The Word of God asks the question, “Who or what can separate us from the love of God?” It also answers its own question by declaring, “Nothing and no one!” (Romans 8:35-38) Repeatedly the Word of God says that God is faithful (II Timothy 2:13); that it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18); that if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation (II Corinthians 5:17); and that God will complete the work that He began (Philippians 1:6). If that’s not enough, the Word of God reminds me that God is greater than the way I feel (I John 3:20).

I often stare at God’s Word and ask myself, “Do I wholeheartedly believe this?” I answer, “No, not yet” but I will continue to gaze at these gracious and precious words because I know that faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). I am hoping that one day soon I will be able to lift my eyes from the pages of Scripture and look adoringly into the eyes of the One who loves me.

Behind Closed Doors

2011-03-05T06:47:00.002-05:00

Two things come to mind when I think about the expression, “Behind closed doors.” The first image that comes to mind is a serious meeting between two parties. Whether these two parties belong to a family, the heads of a state, or world leaders, one can be certain that this discussion will be brutally frank.

The second image that comes to mind is just as intense; however, the scene is one of openness, intimacy, and passion. It is a picture of two people sharing their affections for each other.

Jesus may not have had these two images in mind when He said, “when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father…” (Matthew 6:6). However, I think of the same kind of intensity and passion when I think of Jesus’ words.

I’ve painfully learned that when I leave the door open and invite others in, it exposes the intimacy that should have been reserved for Him alone. Jesus’ words about the Pharisees (Matthew 6:5) also grieves me because it reminds me of another profession that peddles themselves in temples and on street corners...

Conversing With God

2011-02-25T06:22:00.000-05:00

I’ve heard prayer defined as “having a conversation with God.” If we were to look up all the passages in Scripture concerning prayer, we’d find that prayer is only half of a conversation. Prayer involves the active asking, telling, declaring, or speaking to God. If only prayer is involved, it is a monologue, like the Pharisee who prayed to himself (Luke 18:11).

Conversing with, or having a meaningful conversation, occurs when thoughts, feelings, and hearts are exchanged and shared between two parties. Often we do not have meaningful conversations with God because we are not praying on the basis of His Word—in other words, we are praying (talking) but are not listening. Our “conversation” with God often sounds more like children asking their parents the same questions over and over with the parents answering, “What did I say?” repeatedly.

Prayer is not just to inform God about our circumstances or our internal state of affairs—God already knows that! Rather, prayer is an avenue of seeking God in an attempt to enter into His Presence and into His World (Hebrews 4:8-11). I think that Jesus said it best when He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

I know that it has made a huge difference in my life when I started to talk to God on the basis of His Word. I remember telling Jesus, “Where is this rest for my soul that you talked about?” The ensuing conversation changed the direction of my life forever. The rest is history—or should I say, the rest is His story.

Suffering

2011-02-20T05:35:00.002-05:00

Most of us suffer like Job because we do not “see” God in our suffering. But if God is sovereign, He is involved in our suffering in one way or another. He might not be the cause of our suffering, but we cannot suffer unless He allows it. Satan was aware of this, that is why Satan said to God, “Have you not put a hedge around him [Job] and his household and everything he has?” (Job 1:10) To which God replied, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

All of Scripture tells or shows us that it is God that brings or allows suffering in our lives. Two examples that come immediately to mind are Joseph and Paul. Joseph was unfairly treated when he was sold into slavery by his brothers. When Joseph confronted his brothers, he said to them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20). Throughout his life, Joseph maintained his integrity because He “saw” God as sovereign.

In II Corinthians 1:8-9, Paul said, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.” But Paul also saw God’s hand in his suffering because Paul went on to say, “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

In II Corinthians 12:7-8, Paul said, “there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.” Then as Paul begged the sovereign LORD to, “…take it away from me” he heard God say to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (vs.9) and Paul understood that his suffering kept him from becoming cocky and conceited (vs.7). This is not a pleasant thought to me because I understand that godliness comes with pain…(II Timothy 3:12, Hebrews 12:10).

Virtuous Living

2011-02-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

The Jesus of the Bible is so beautiful, noble, and oh, so majestic. Before I came to know Him, He was the kind of person that I would have liked to be. But I also knew how life worked. A person who lived liked Jesus was a fool or a sucker. If people are kind to you, it is only for a season. People are out to take advantage of you. They will use you, abuse you, violate you then toss you aside. That’s what happened to Jesus. After Jesus fed, healed, and taught people how to live a virtuous life, the people mocked Him, beat Him, turned their back on Him, and murdered Him. Jesus lived such an honorable life, and even died a virtuous death, but no one spoke up for Him and He died alone. That’s life in a nutshell and that was my view of life. Jesus had a lot of the qualities that I thought were so attractive, but if this was the end, there was no reason for me to live like Him.

That’s where my life hung for many years until I realized that wasn’t the end of Jesus’ story. Had I been less cynical, I would have noticed that the stone had been rolled away, the tomb was empty, and the words, “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see…” should have screamed out at me. Like Jesus’ disciples, I guess I needed to be reminded of what He said.

I still need to be reminded. But now I need to be reminded that because Jesus allowed Himself to suffer death, the Father has now crowned Him with glory and honor and has put EVERYTHING under His feet (Hebrews 2:7-10, Philippians 2:8-11). I’ve been told that this is my future as well (I Corinthians 15:50-58, Ephesians 2:4-7).

With this in mind, these days I don’t mind being a sucker or a fool—as long as it is for Jesus’ sake!

Abortion

2011-01-23T08:04:00.000-05:00

I had been listening to R. C. Sproul’s teaching/discussion on abortion and how he addressed the key points of conflict. The beginning of life, the sanctity of life, the question of abortion and murder, and the humanity of the fetus are among the many issues raised. It became very clear to me as he spoke that this debate will continue to be a vicious circle because people do not have the same point of reference. How we value or devalue human life is dependent on who or what our authority is. Unless we establish a common authority, the arguments will not only continue to be endless, but volatile.

It seems to me that this should not be a conflict between Christians. It seems to me that Scripture has resolved this issue for us. Scripture tells us that before we were born, before we were naturally conceived, before the creation of the world (I Peter 1:18-20), and before time began (II Timothy 1:9-10), Jesus died for all mankind (Revelation 13:8). This tells us about how much God values humans and the sanctity of human life. The conclusion? Life truly did begin at conception—when God conceived us! (Titus 1:2)

Remembering

2010-12-02T06:23:00.001-05:00

My memory, or my lack of memory, has been a concern of mine for a while. Sometimes I feel like a computer whose memory is full and cannot store any more information. Other times I feel like a pan that has been sprayed with “Pam”—you can put things in it, but nothing sticks. Robin sometimes jokes that I only remember the things that I want and forget the things that I don’t want to remember. But I don’t intentionally forget things because it can be frustrating, not to mention embarrassing at times. Besides, I really do desire to have a better recollection of things.

The Apostle Paul said, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13b-14).

I am sure that Paul is not saying that he erased everything from his hard drive or that he had a lobotomy. I think that Paul is saying that his focus is on where he was going and Who it is that is going to get him there.

What I hear Paul saying to me is don’t cling to the past, don’t wallow or be paralyzed by my present situation, but I should persevere in beholding Him.

Although we remember Thomas as one who doubted, it is comforting to be reminded that Thomas recognized and remembered Jesus as he cried out, “My Lord and My God” when he saw Him (John 20:28). Even if God seems to have fallen off the face of the earth, it is never a good thing to forget the One who says He’s coming back (Matthew 24, Luke 21).

Repetition

2010-11-26T08:05:00.001-05:00

Dennis told me that he didn’t like one of the invitational songs that we sing. He didn’t know why exactly he didn’t like it, but I wondered if it sounded as if someone was harping, nagging, or manipulating. It also might have something to do with singing the chorus repeatedly. I know of others who don’t like some songs because of its simplicity and the repetition.

I don’t mind simple and repetitious. That’s probably why I like children’s songs. They are easy to sing and easy to remember.

My prayer life is in the same vein. Over the years I’ve often prayed the same prayers day after day, but they are anything but “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7). One of the prayers that I utter not just daily, but many times throughout the day is, “LORD, have mercy on me!”

Intellectually I know what the Bible says about God’s grace and mercy but my soul wants to be reassured, my spirit wants to be reaffirmed, and my “inner man” wants to hear His voice say, “I do!” Unless this becomes a living reality, I don’t think that I will feel like I am a whole person.

Until then, my voice will join my spirit in groaning and I will continue to cling on to the idea that wholeness and “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

Amazing Grace

2010-11-25T11:37:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago I heard about some performers who have taken out and replaced the word “wretch” when they sang the song, “Amazing Grace.” When I heard this, it reminded me of a person I knew who refused to sing the song, “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed?” because it has the words, “for such a worm as I.” According to this person, “I am not a worm!” I guess the editors of the hymnbook that I am holding would agree with this person because the word “worm” has been replaced with “one.”

Words like “wretch” and “worm” probably sound very negative and offensive in our “politically correct” society. I guess that’s why the word, “shortcoming” has often replaced the word, “sin” and hell is not talked about a lot.

When we begin to think like our politically correct society, we disregard God’s feelings and thoughts; we dishonor His holiness; we dismiss His Judgment; and we ultimately “dis” Grace.

When Jesus was crucified on the cross, not only do we see God’s mercy and grace, but God’s wrath and judgment of sin is revealed. If we don’t understand this, we don’t see the horror of our sin, the awe is taken out of awesome and we have some good news, and grace becomes something less than amazing.

If words like, “wretch” and “worm” offend you, stand at foot of the cross and look deeply into the face of the One who died for you. If you gaze into His eyes long enough, don’t be surprised if you find yourself turning your eyes away from Him and hearing yourself cry out, “Be merciful to me a sinner!”

Don’t be surprised if you also find yourself on your knees asking the question, “Why and how have I found favor in Your eyes?”

Either way, if you find yourself in this posture, being called a name—any name will probably be the least of your concerns because you will have discovered the glory and love of God that is found in Christ Jesus.

R & R

2010-09-26T05:19:00.002-04:00

I’ve heard numerous people come back from their vacations exhausted and say, “I need a vacation from the vacation I just took.” I’ve always found that to be funny because I thought the whole reason why people took vacations was so that they could get some rest and recreation.

While we might find humor in this comment, it is also a sobering one because in reality, there really is no “rest” in anything or anyone in this life. We can take time off from work and we can get lots of sleep, but there’s no guarantee that we will be refreshed.

This is why David cries, “my soul thirsts for you like a parched land” (Psalms 143:6b) and “my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalms 63b). David is acknowledging that rest and recreation can only be found in the One who created us.

Centuries later, The Voice of God responds and invites us to, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30). Jesus doesn’t stop there, but also adds, “you will find rest for your souls.”

Jesus invites us to a dwelling place where there are no more fears, anxieties, or worries. Now isn’t that a trip worth taking?

Wise Planning

2010-08-26T05:14:00.002-04:00

I was amazed and impressed at how David and Allyson had planned their future together. David told me about how they had set money aside, how they were working while attending school, and how they had methodically outlined their goals for the next several years. After he had told me all of this, I marveled as David concluded with, “Lord willing.”

How many people, including Christians, realize that we have very little control over our circumstances, successes, and fate? We are dependent on so many external forces and ultimately we are at the mercy of the LORD. This is why James counsels us, “…you do not even know what will happen tomorrow…you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord's will, we will…’” (James 4:14-15).

Anything more said is arrogance as James goes on to say, “All such boasting is evil” (James 4:16).

Joy!

2010-08-21T05:30:00.001-04:00

I used to hear a song that had the lines, “Don’t worry—be happy!” in it. That song made me think that our emotions could be turned on and off, like a kitchen faucet. I think that most people come to realize that we cannot “manufacture” our own happiness—at least, not on demand or permanently.

I’ve noticed that a lot of Christians also think that we have the ability to produce Christian character—one of them being, “joy.” Joy, like other Christian virtues, is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); therefore, it is only logical that it stems from God (Romans 14:17) and can only be given by Him (Romans 15:13, Acts 14:17).

The thing that causes the greatest anguish is the absence of God. The thing that produces the greatest joy is seeing or encountering God. This is the way Jesus describes His death and resurrection. In John 16, Jesus said, "In a little while you will see me no more…you will weep and mourn…” (vs. 16, 20). Then Jesus spoke about His resurrection, “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy…Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (vs. 20, 22). This is what we see whenever people heard about, saw, or encountered the risen LORD (Matthew 28:5-8, Luke 24:40, 50-53, John 20:19-20).

Remarkably, according to Scripture and Jesus Himself, even the Old Testament characters, Abraham and David were joyously looking forward to “this” day (John 8:56-57, Acts 2:24-35). But one of the most powerful and remarkable statements comes from a Psalm that a lot of people are familiar with. Many of us have heard it quoted a thousand times in hundreds of different settings. However, when we look at where this quote was taken from, our use of this quote almost sounds sacrilegious. Listen again to the quote in its context:

The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;
The Lord has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
--Psalms 118:22-23

Rejoicing

2010-08-18T05:23:00.000-04:00

There is something very interesting—on second thought, there is something that floors me every time I read Acts 5:12-41. No, it’s not that the apostles performed miraculous things. An angel appearing has sort of become expected. It is not that the apostles walked out of a secured cell without the guards knowing. It’s not even the “in your face” attitude of the apostles.

What is astonishing to me is that after the apostles were threatened and beaten, they went away “…rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (vs. 41). I don’t know if anyone’s noticed, but this is not normal behavior. In fact, today’s mental health professionals would probably classify this as masochistic tendencies.

Yet, this is what Scripture tells and even commands Christians to do. Listen to what some of our Brothers have said. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” (James 1:2). “…rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ…” (I Peter 4:13). “…we also rejoice in our sufferings…” (Romans 5:3). Even our LORD says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness…Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you…Rejoice and be glad…” (Matthew 5:10-12).

Some of our brothers have taken what was said to heart because the Hebrew writer said, “…you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property…” (Hebrews 10:32-34).

It is beyond me how anyone can rejoice during a trial or while they are suffering. If James didn’t give me a hint, I’d still be clueless. In the same breath that James talked about this phenomenon of rejoicing, he also said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Because James talked about rejoicing and wisdom within a few sentences of each other, it only makes sense to me that I could ask for this unimaginable joy the same way I ask for this wisdom that goes beyond my understanding. Why not? James goes on to say, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (vs. 17). Just thinking about the goodness and faithfulness of God is getting me excited and causing me to rejoice!

LORD, thank You for this wisdom and this joy that can only come from You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Boldness

2010-08-17T04:02:00.001-04:00

Reminiscing about what Sarah taught me about courage (yesterday’s blog) reminded me of the courage and the boldness of the apostles in Acts 5. The apostles were arrested and thrown into prison for doing good works and preaching “the good news.” While they were in prison, an angel of the LORD came and miraculously set them free. After they were released, they went back out into a public place and continued to preach and teach. When their former captors found out that the apostles had “escaped,” they brought them back and demanded that the apostles not preach in Jesus’ name. The apostles boldly responded, “We must obey God rather than men!”

The apostle’s declaration made me think about my own convictions. I wondered how many times in my life I was doing something good, something just, or something right only to be confronted by a strong opposition. I wondered how many times I backed down when I saw trouble brewing. I wondered how many times I didn’t back down and found myself in a whole heap of trouble. I wondered how many times I was “miraculously” saved from a bad situation. I wondered how many times I walked away unscathed from a conflict and kept my mouth shut because I thought my “rescue” was the goal of heaven.

When the apostles declared “We must obey God rather than men” it would seem that they were bold because they heard the voice of God (4:20) and prayed accordingly (4:29). I wonder how many times I silence the voice of heaven and live helplessly in life because I have not acted on what I have heard…

Courage

2010-08-16T04:13:00.001-04:00

Sarah was probably about 5 or 6 years old when she asked the LORD for courage in one of her bedtime prayers. When I heard her request, I thought I’d “man up” and do my fatherly and spiritual responsibility by informing her how to “pray with understanding.” I was ready to expound to her the meaning of courage, but before I did, I asked Sarah, “What is courage?”

She immediately responded with, “Not turning away”.

I was astonished. Not only did she understand it, but she defined it better than I would have. With my ego being somewhat deflated, I still had hopes of getting in a word of wisdom. “You know, Sarah,” I continued, “I was going to tell you that courage meant not being afraid…”

She cut me off. She never let me finish my sentence. She just looked at me so knowingly and said, “Dad, you can be afraid and still have courage. Courage just means that you face something and not run away from it.”

I was flabbergasted. I’m the daddy. I’m the one who was supposed to teach. I am the one who was supposed to explain to her the great mysteries and fallacies of life. She’s the one who was supposed to be dazzled by my great wisdom and understanding—not visa versa.

I would have admitted to Sarah that her understanding far exceeded mine except that I didn’t quite have the courage...

Communion With Amy

2010-08-15T05:17:00.001-04:00

Amy had been battling with brain cancer for over 4 years and her last operation left her paralyzed on her right side. Amy’s paralysis and declining health made it very difficult for Tom and Amy to go out, so once a week Robin and I would go and visit them and help them in whatever ways we could.

One of the things that they missed was going to church and being with their church family and because of this, Tom asked if we could share communion or the Lord’s Supper together. So every time Robin and I went to visit them, we “broke bread” together.

One day as we were having Communion, I wondered if what we were doing was a worthwhile endeavor. Amy had difficulty communicating—her vocabulary was limited to a few words and a few short phrases that she used over and over. She had problems processing information and a lot of times the answers that she gave did not match the questions that were being asked of her. In addition, Amy was not only paralyzed, but she had a very difficult time hearing. Her puzzled looks and her, “What?” “What?” and “Why?” were a good part of her responses.

So I seriously wondered how much Amy would be able to participate in what we were doing. I was uneasy and began to question, “Is this worthwhile?”

Tom then took out his guitar and started singing the song, “Amazing Grace.” Not the old version that most people are familiar with, but a newer version of this old hymn. I was amazed when Amy closed her eyes and started singing the song with us. Every word she sang was clear and her melody was in harmony with the rest of us.

The modern day version adds a chorus to it—“ Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me, Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away!”

The words that Amy sang blessed my heart. It was both beautiful and wonderful to hear Amy sing these words. Hearing Amy sing this song with us answered the question I had, “Is this worthwhile?” The answer was a resounding, “Yes!” because I believe that it was these words that carried Amy out of this life and into His Presence.

Barbeques

2010-08-08T05:11:00.000-04:00

I love barbeques, especially when the meat is soaked in a good marinade. God does too! In Numbers 28, God tells Moses how to prepare a barbeque that would be pleasing to Him. God told Moses what kind of meat He wanted, what to look for in the meat, and how to prepare it. He then told Moses to pour alcohol over the meat while it was on the grill. As the alcohol was being poured over the meat, I imagine the flames soaring heavenward and the smell reaching the nostrils of God. When the recipe was followed correctly, the aroma that it produced would be pleasing to the LORD.

I have a strong suspicion that this is what was on Paul’s mind when he wrote, “I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure…” (II Timothy 4:6)

I hear Paul saying that his life has been poured out and mingled with the Lamb of God. Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but I hear Paul saying that his life has been consumed with the sacrifice of Jesus, is now rising to the throne of God, and is producing an aroma that is soothing and pleasing to the LORD.

When I think about Paul’s life, he was under fire and in the pits a lot. I don’t think he minded though, because I think that Paul knew that he was headed for a banquet—a banquet fit for a King.

Home Free

2010-07-15T05:29:00.001-04:00

Like Robin, I am not exactly thrilled to be living in a mobile home. I know that Robin would rather live in a “real” house. I would rather live in a “real” house as well. I also want a maintenance free house and if I cannot have a maintenance free house, I want servants to do the work. The way I look at it, housing is a liability. It is something that falls apart, rots, and is a bait for thieves (Matthew 6:19-20).

On the other hand, I see my house and my body as a tent, providing me temporary shelter, comfort, and an address until I go home—my real home. Until then, I will continue to look forward to a house, no, make that a “…city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:10)

No Condemnation

2010-07-06T04:26:00.001-04:00

I’ve heard comments among Christians when we’ve discussed Romans 7:24-8:1 that has caused me to say, “Hmmm…” to myself. It sounds to me as if we’re saying that Christians are the only ones who struggle with right and wrong and that Christians should be free from feelings of guilt. I know that there is a good possibility I am wrong, but that is what I think I am hearing.

I think that almost everyone struggles with right and wrong because the LORD has given everyone a conscience and almost everyone struggles with what to do with their guilt and their guilty feelings (Romans 2:14-15). Christians, however, are the only ones that can deal with their guilt and guilty feelings genuinely. This is not and should not be an arrogant or contemptuous claim from Christians because it is not something that we can do for ourselves. The Christian’s claim is exclusive only because Jesus claims, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Christians rejoice because we recognize, “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin [and guilt] of the world.” (John 1:29)

As Christians, we should still feel guilty and we should not try to free ourselves from our guilt and unworthy feelings because we have all sinned (Romans 3:23). We have failed and continue to fail. We deserve to face judgment. We deserve to face the wrath of God and be separated from Him for all eternity (Romans 6:23).

In spite of this, Christians can rejoice because God doesn’t condemn us anymore. We are free from God’s judgment and wrath. God is bigger than what we feel or think of ourselves (I John 3:20).

Guilt and guilt feelings are not the same and we should soberly consider them both. God is not only a God of amazing grace, but He is a Holy God. We “dis” grace if we think too lightly of sin and guilt or too lightly of grace and the cross.

Nathaniel

2010-07-04T05:40:00.000-04:00

When Will asked the children to come forward to help the Congregation lead the next song, little Nathaniel refused to go. Even with the urging of his parents, Nathaniel shook his head defiantly—“No!” Finally, Jesse and Noel left Nathaniel behind on the pew as they brought Amber and Evelyn to the front of the auditorium. I understood their actions completely. I could imagine Jesse and Noel dragging Nathaniel up the aisle singing “Jesus Loves the Little Children” with Nathaniel screaming, “No! I don’t want to!” at the top of his lungs. It would not have been a pretty sight.

I wondered if a third party would make a difference, so I approached Nathaniel, “Don’t you want to go up and help us sing?” Again, his head shook adamantly, “No!” It must have been the Holy Spirit that made me ask the next question, “Would you do if for Jesus?”

I watched his eyes and I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. After a few seconds of silence and reflection, Nathaniel grinned from ear to ear and shook his head vigorously, “Yes!”

There are many times when I’ve heard Christians develop the “Moses Complex” (Exodus 3-4) and excuse themselves from participating in something because, “I don’t feel like doing it,” “It’s not my talent,” “It’s not comfortable,” “It’s not my style,” “It’s just not me…” If we’re the ones that are doing the asking, I’ve noticed that we often respond in two ways. Sometimes we don’t want to be confrontational, so we drop it. Other times we argue with the person and give them all the reasons why they should fill our request and we resemble pit bulls refusing to let go of the person.

Nathaniel taught me another way of making a request and life would be so much simpler if we learned to ask in Jesus’ name. Focus and clarity comes into a situation when God is in view. Each party will be responding to God and each party will be responsible for their own behaviors and decisions. This is a relief to me because I don’t have to take rejection personally. Besides, I have so many issues of my own, that I don’t want to also be accountable (rightly or wrongly) for someone else’s decisions.

Conflicts

2010-06-20T05:27:00.001-04:00

Most people I know avoid conflicts or confrontational situations. We have a tendency to hope that the problem takes care of itself and goes away. If it doesn’t, we seek someone to intervene, seek counsel and try to find a formula or a method to deal with the situation. Whatever the problem or the result, the process is a difficult and an unpleasant experience.

There is one “formula” that has been helpful to me over the years. That is, falling on my hands and knees before the God of the Universe begging for mercy and for more grace. I wouldn’t call it boldness, but I need God’s grace because I need some courage. I need His wisdom because I don’t know how to proceed. I need God’s intervention because too many things can go wrong. I need His mercy because, even if I did something right, the results may be catastrophic. And I need His peace because this is a stressful situation.

Why would anyone want to enter a fiery furnace or walk through the valley of the shadow of death without His Presence? Even if the worst case scenario takes place, when God is involved, He is big enough to fix it and make things okay. Moses understood this and told God, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:15-16) I think these are great words from a very wise man.

Vain Repetiton

2010-06-19T08:52:00.000-04:00

I think that one of the reasons why we don’t often recite or pray things together as a congregation is because we are afraid of using “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7-15). Ironically, the “Lord’s Prayer” is found in the same passage of Scripture and I think that this is a major reason why we are somewhat reluctant to pray it together as a congregation.

Jesus doesn’t say not to repeat things, or in this case our prayers. In Scripture, God Himself repeatedly repeats Himself. Jesus is saying don’t be meaningless, mechanical, or mindless in your frequency. If Jesus meant don’t say the same thing over and over again, I’m in big trouble.

Throughout the day I hear myself praying the same prayer—“Lord have mercy on me!” It is far from empty, I mean it every time, and I think I hear, “I do—more than you know” every time.

Paul's Prayer

2010-06-10T04:33:00.000-04:00

II Kings 6:8-23 we are told of a King that was so angry with Elisha that he sent an entire army to capture him. When the army came to the place where Elisha was, they surrounded the entire city. The next morning when Elisha’s servant got up and saw the army, he said to Elisha, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” Elisha answered the servant and said, “Don’t worry. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Elisha must have seen the bewildered look on his Gehazi’s face because the very next verse says, “And Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (v. 17)

I wonder if the Apostle Paul had this story in mind as he wrote to the Ephesians, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe…” (Ephesians 1:18-19)

Apparently Paul saw that the Ephesians were blind to something in their spiritual lives and like Elisha, the Apostle knew that he did not have the ability to “open the eyes” of the Ephesians. So he turned to the One who could and said, “I pray…”

These men of God teach us a valuable lesson. We cannot open the eyes of the physically or spiritually blind. Attempting to do so is an exercise in futility and along with it comes frustration and exasperation. Moreover, if we assume this responsibility, we are telling God that we can do His job. I have discovered that it’s never a good idea to have God stand in the unemployment line.

Chunhui

2010-06-02T05:01:00.003-04:00

Chunhui (pronounced choon whee) had been sitting in with a group that was studying the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Chunhui was greatly troubled at what Jesus said about anger (5:21-22), lust (5:27-30), and kindness (5:38-47). He came to me and solemnly said, “This is a difficult thing to do.” He was shocked when I said, “No, it’s not.” After his expression changed from shock to confusion, I said, “It’s not difficult, it is impossible.” Again, a bewildered look flooded his face.

We then looked at verse 48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” “These verses are a description of the heart of God,” I told Chunhui, “and we are to be like Him.” Chunhui then asked questions. In his is quest for answers, he recognized the need for a Savior and his questions ultimately led him to the foot of the cross. When he was asked, “Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?” He pumped his fist in the air and proclaimed, “I believe! I believe!”

I'm Glad To Be A Christian

2010-06-01T04:09:00.007-04:00

I have a habit of changing words to familiar songs and whenever I do this, my family groans, rolls their eyes, or both. This past Memorial Day I was reminded of one of those songs. This song is entitled, “God Bless the USA” and when I first heard it, it was sung by Lee Greenwood. My edited chorus goes like this:

I’m glad to be a Christian
Where at last I know I’m Free
And I won’t forget The Man Who died
Who gave that right to me!
And I’ll continue to call upon His Name—
He’ll defend me to the end
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt, He loves me so
God, thank You for that Man!

There are some that might be offended by my rendition to this song because it might seem like I am making light and perhaps even snubbing the efforts of our military. But not so! I know the sacrifice our Men in Uniform have made for us—they have given me many freedoms for the moment and perhaps for my lifetime. But Jesus’ sacrifice has given me a freedom for all eternity. When my life in this world comes to an end and entering the next, whose praises should I be singing? Obviously, the One who will defend me to the end!

Living Right

2010-05-31T07:01:00.001-04:00

As we were moving Carol, we noticed that someone had stepped in mud and was tracking it onto the white carpet. As we started to look under our shoes and boots to see who the guilty party was, we discovered two things. First, there were more than one of us that had mud under our shoes and second, it wasn’t mud. It was (how shall I say this?), canine treasures. Actually, there was a third thing that we discovered. We found these doggie surprises all over the small patch of yard that was between Carol’s apartment and the moving truck. It was no surprise that many of us had soiled shoes.

Amazingly, there was nothing under Lynn’s shoes. She had on white sneakers and had walked all over that patch of grass and there was not a spot on under her shoes. Lynn looked at me and remarked, “I guess I live right!”

We both laughed and I’m still smiling about it as I write these words. As I’ve thought about this incident, I was reminded of Proverbs 3:5-6, which reads, “Acknowledge the Lord in all your ways and He will direct your steps.” The more I think about the incident and this verse, the more I am amazed at how well these two fit together. Life is filled with landmines and with this awareness, can bring a lot of anxieties. The promise of Proverbs 3:5-6 can bring us peace of mind.

Sometimes no matter how careful we are in life, we are bound to step on a booby trap and find ourselves in one of life’s messy situations. Again we are reminded not to worry (Philippians 4:6) because: is there really anything too hard for the LORD? (Jeremiah 32:27)

SLD

2010-05-07T07:14:00.001-04:00

My family claims that I have SLD—a Selective Listening Disorder. I think that my condition goes well beyond that. I think that I also have ISD—an Imaginary Seeing Disorder. Lately (truthfully, it’s been a while), I’ve noticed not only that I’ve been having trouble with my hearing, but I have also been seeing and remembering things that are out of context, distorted, and even imaginary. My recognition of these disorders has made me realize that there are times that I live in an Alternate Reality.

I have noticed that there are others—many others who also suffer from these conditions. Among these are Bible Students. The way some students see, hear, and perceive things in Scripture makes me wonder if we are reading from the same book.

Take faith, for example. I’ve heard the people of faith in Scripture spoken of as if they were noble and flawless in their character. Other times I’ve heard them spoken of like they were people who were perfect in their faith, that God gave them their hearts desire because of their faith, and we can have anything our heart desires in this life because of our faith.

This is not what I see when I read Scripture, even as I read the 11th chapter of Hebrews, the book that some of us refer to as the “Hall of Faith.” There are at least two people that are mentioned in this chapter that I would not want to be associated with, namely, Jacob and Samson. There are several people who broke faith with God, among them are David and Moses. At the end of the chapter, not only are we are told that many of them had extremely difficult lives and tragic deaths, but also “…none of them received what they had been promised” (vs. 36-39).

Considering these last few verses in Hebrews, it seems to me that if we believe that everything will work out okay for us in this life, we are setting ourselves up for disillusionment and disappointment—big time!

In looking at the 11th chapter of Hebrews (as well as the rest of Scripture), it seems to me that faith is the ability to trust God no matter what happens or doesn’t happen in this life and that He is our Destination and our Reality. Anything more or anything less is an alternate reality. Am I seeing correctly or am I the one that is living in an alternate reality?

Self Doubt

2010-05-06T04:27:00.002-04:00

I made some zealous comments in class and wondered if I made sense; I was worried about how I came across. I asked Dennis to give me some feedback. Dennis said I did fine, that I was overly concerned, and should not think about myself so much.

Dennis probably thinks that I am a very insecure person filled with a lot of self doubt. If he does, he’s absolutely right. In addition to my concern of how I appear, I want to be liked by others. However, this is not the underlying reason why I worry about how I come across so much. Often, when I say or do anything there are many words that echo through my mind. Some of them are:

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

“…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (II Corinthians 10:5)

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matthew 18:6)

“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37)

If my cousin were here, she would say, “You have issues!” I guess I do. But here is what I perceive to be the core issue—should I take Scriptures lightly or struggle with self doubt? Lord, I ask that you will always help me to choose the latter.

I Don't Know Anymore

2010-04-24T05:18:00.001-04:00

Last year I kept hearing people exclaim, “I just don’t know!” in regards to relationship conflicts, financial difficulties, and health woes. I kept hearing this phrase over and over again in an assortment of other circumstances. For some reason it seems that I heard this cry of exasperation more than all the other years of my life combined.

There was one person that added a word and said, “I just don’t know anymore” which made me ponder the statement. I imagined the person saying, “I thought I had it together. I thought I had it figured out. I thought I knew, but I just don’t know anymore.” I think that it would be a marvelous thing if we could all confess that we just don’t know anymore.

Even as Christians, we don’t have to know everything. We should be okay if we haven’t figured everything out. If we were given more information or a bit more vision would it make a difference in the way we would deal with the situation? If we were given the results, would it make a difference in the way we approach something? If we knew that we would be rejected and treated the way Jesus was treated, would that information influence the way we would respond to people? Sometimes knowledge may mean that we are able to see the light in the tunnel from the train that’s about to hit us.

We don’t have to know all the details of our lives and we don’t have to know how every situation will turn out. But we are told that Jesus was raised from the dead in glory and honor and we also have the promise of the same victory (Romans 6, I Corinthians 15:51-57). We may not know anymore, but can we trust the One who gives us this promise?

Good Planning

2010-04-21T08:55:00.001-04:00

I like to think that I am a good planner. When I undertake things, I try to consider everything and make a detailed plan of what I want to accomplish. I consider the costs, obstacles, and even potential problems so that there will be few or no surprises. I think that the reason why I pay attention to even the smallest detail is because I want things to go smoothly without any anxiety.

There are several things wrong with this mindset. First, I cannot possibly imagine every possible predicament. Secondly, even if I were able to anticipate every impasse, I many not have the power or resources to do anything about it. Finally, no matter how well things go, I will probably still be filled with stress. The reason for being tense is because no matter how well things fall into place, there is still the uncertainty that everything will not go well.

This is really a control issue. It’s a matter of trust. If I want to be the master planner and be in control, there will always be a lot of tension. If I want relief, I should surrender my role as Commander-in-Chief and hand back the throne to its rightful owner and ruler. I need to entrust God to do what He does best.

No wonder the Psalmist tell us, “…Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain” (Psalms 127:1). James also reminds us to confess “If it is the LORD’S will, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15).

Perhaps someday I will learn to pray whole heartedly, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” Until then, the battle rages on.

Getting Through

2010-04-20T05:12:00.001-04:00

Robin has long days. There are some days that she leaves the house at 8 in the morning and does not get home until 9 at night. There are some mornings that she gets up with a dazed look on her face and I know what she’s thinking—“How will I ever get through this day?”

As a Christian, I often have similar thoughts. When I face "fiery trials of various sorts," I wonder how I am going to get through them. I wonder how I will resist the temptation that is set before me. I wonder how I will ever make it safely to the end of my Christian journey.

As I take the time to reflect on my life, the temptations, and the trials on the other side of the day, I am often amazed how I made it through. It should be of no surprise, but often it is. I think that it is a surprise because I think that I was the one who accomplished this feat. It should be of no surprise because it was God’s grace and power that enabled and sustained me.

This is why we need to be reminded of God’s promises to us. Promises like, it is God who works in and through us (Philippians 2:13) and that He will complete the work that He began in us (Philippians 1:6). We don’t have to know how we’re going to get there from here if we know Who it is that’s going to get us there.

Dejavu All Over Again

2010-04-19T05:35:00.000-04:00

When I traveled for my company, I liked getting to the place where I was going to be working the day before I started work in the area. The reason I did this was so that I would be familiar with the area. I wanted to know the way to work and its alternate routes. I wanted to know where the Dunkin Donuts was in case I needed an early morning coffee. I wanted to know where the local diners were and what kind of hours they kept. I wanted to be familiar enough with the area so that I could get back on track just in case I took a “detour.”

In a similar way, this is often how I view Scripture in the context of my life. There are many times in my life that I feel like “I know this situation,” or “I’ve encountered this person before.” Although I had never been at a particular location or met a particular person previously, there are many times that I feel like, “I’ve been here before.”

After a while of trying to figure out why a person or a situation is so familiar, it usually dawns on me that I have encountered a similar situation in Scripture. In fact, I am usually reminded of two portions of Scripture. One narrative involves a Biblical character and the other story involves Jesus. These reminders not only helps me deal with my current situation, but gives me “counsel” in the way I should go, and also helps me to see God in my situation.

In the past I have often cried, “Why me?” Yet Peter has prepared us by saying, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you” (I Peter 4:12).

I would do well if I took what James said to heart. James says, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” (James 1:19). I need to remember that God is trying to talk to me in my ordeal. I need to be reminded what Scripture is saying to me in my trial. Hush, my soul…What did You say? God, can You repeat what You said?

The Imitation of Christ

2009-10-25T08:02:00.005-04:00

I hear a lot of talk these days about “Imitating Christ.” While having Jesus as our model and example is not a new idea, this should not be the bedrock of our faith. If following in Jesus’ footsteps is at the heart of our spiritual life, we will probably experience the same fate as the young man who Jesus spoke to in Matthew 19:16-22.

Following after Jesus will cost. It will bankrupt us, leave us as paupers, and it will ultimately result in death. More accurately, following after Jesus will actually reveal who we really are, what we’re really devoted to, and where we’re really going. The young man that came to Jesus understood this; this is why the Scriptures tell us, “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Matthew 16:22).

On the other hand, selling all of his possessions would not have made this young man perfect, have given him riches in heaven, or have given him eternal life as Jesus had said. His act of compliance, obedience, or liquidating his assets alone would not have brought the rich man salvation. Had the young man sold his riches it would have made him totally dependent on Jesus in this life and Jesus would have led him to the foot of the cross, where the young man would have had to make a decision to depend on Jesus for all of eternity. Trusting Jesus, he would have joined our voices and sung,

Not the labor of my hands
can fulfill thy law's demands;
could my zeal no respite know,
could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone;
thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress;
helpless look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly;
wash me, Savior, or I die.

Self-Esteem

2009-10-24T06:36:00.001-04:00

Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary defines self-esteem as, “a confidence and satisfaction in oneself.” I am convinced that people with poor self-esteem are closer to the Kingdom of God than those of us who have good self-esteem.

“No one is good…No one is righteous…our righteousness is as filthy rags…nothing good lives in me…the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked…” declares the Scriptures (Romans 3:10-12, 7:18, Isaiah 64:6, Jeremiah 17:9). Those of us who have poor self-esteem seem to have an innate recognition of our spiritually bankrupt condition.

In contrast, the Bible declares that God is the only one who is righteous and good, and in His goodness, He is compassionate towards us. The Apostle Paul expresses it this way, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy…expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:4, 7-9).

Paul is not telling us anything new about humanity or God. It is the same message that echoes throughout Scripture. God then tells the Israelites that it wasn’t because of their integrity or righteousness that He chose them to be His people. In fact, God calls them a stiff-necked people (Deuteronomy 9:5-6). God tells the Israelites that they are His treasured possession because of His great love and His faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:6-8).

No wonder John Newton was compelled to write the words of “Amazing Grace” and “Worthy is the Lamb” as the theme song in Heaven (Revelation 5:9-14, 15:1-3).

Children of God

2009-10-13T05:32:00.002-04:00

In our society today, we use the term, “Children of God” so freely and so casually that even as Christians we have come to believe that all of humanity are “the Children of God”. The New Testament writers are not as “careless” when they speak about our relationship with God. They speak of our relationship to God as something astonishing and profound.

John says, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…” (I John 3:1a, KJV) I hear the awe, amazement, and wonder in what John says and John is not the only one that leaves us awe-struck. Peter says, “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God…” (I Peter 2:10a)
Paul adds that we were once, “…excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12b)

The Scriptures tell us that before we can become a member of God’s household, something has to happen. The Scriptures tell us that before we can be a part of God’s kingdom, we have to be “Born Again” (John 3:3-7). The Scriptures go on to say that “through Him,” or because of what Jesus has done on the cross, we can not only have access to God, but we have the right to cry out, “Abba! Father! [Daddy!]” (John 1:12-13, Romans 8:15-16). We should be confident that we are in this relationship with God. It is no wonder why John marvels as he makes his declaration. Listen to his proclamation again:

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.

Sojourners

2009-10-11T16:52:00.000-04:00

When my friend Bob left for California to visit his son for two weeks, I was surprised at the amount of luggage that he brought with him. All that he had with him was an overnight bag and another bag that was slightly smaller than the first.

I was impressed with the simplicity by which he traveled. I know when I’ve gone away, I’ve hauled much more on shorter trips and it made my journey cumbersome. I am learning that it is a good idea to travel as light as I possibly can.

As aliens and strangers (I Peter 2:11), we know our pilgrimage through this life is very brief (James 4:14). Therefore, we also must learn to travel light.

In our spiritual journey, let us be eager to have our baggage inspected regularly. For the joy that is set before us, let us determine not to have our trunks that are marked “jobs,” “possessions,” “relationships,” and “rights” be filled with articles such as “lust,” “covetousness,” “pride,” “resentment,” “jealousy” and “faithlessness”. These garments are not only heavy and burdensome, but are also inappropriate attire for the kingdom of which we are citizens.

Prodigals

2009-10-09T05:16:00.002-04:00

Some of our Christian leaders are essentially telling us that our lives are meant to be one of ease and comfort and the real conflict that we are battling with is our unbelief that God desires us to have a happy and comfortable life. Before our thoughts travel too far down this road, we need to contemplate what the Scriptures tell us. How do we reconcile Scriptures such as, “outwardly we are wasting away” (II Corinthians 4:16), “in this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33), “do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you” (I Peter 4:12), and numerous other Scriptures that tell us that we are going to have to endure, persevere, and wrestle?

I think that when we seek a life of comfort, not only do we leave ourselves wide open to frustration and disillusionment, but we are pursuing a different gospel. We will be no different than the younger son in Luke 15:11-32, who said to his father, “give me my share of the estate [and then] set off for a distant country.”

To live in a harmonious relationship with the Father, we have to value the Father over our inheritance, service, comfort, and pleasures otherwise we will be no different from the father’s two sons in Jesus’ parable.

Skunked!

2009-09-25T04:16:00.001-04:00

I approached the cage very slowly, keeping an eye on its tail, and speaking in a very soft, reassuring voice, “No one is going to hurt you.” Even though the skunk was in the trap and I was outside, we knew who was in control. After opening the door to the cage, the skunk decided he might take a nap in the cage. I decided to not argue with him. I knew who wielded the power.

This reminded me of the time Jesus stood before Pilate and when Jesus did not answer Pilate’s questions, Pilate said to Jesus, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" Then Jesus said, “Ya think? Ya think you have the power?” Actually, what Jesus said was, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:7-11).

Isn’t this scene a marvelous revelation of God? Jesus reveals that God is sovereign. It doesn’t matter what the circumstance looks like, God is in control. The good news is that this is a message that is echoed throughout Scripture.

When the soldiers of Israel shook in their armors when Goliath shouted his challenge to them, young David asked, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (I Samuel 17:26). When the Jews faced genocide, Mordecai came to Esther and said, “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). When his brothers were afraid that Joseph would avenge himself because of what they did to him, Joseph reassured them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20). In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul said, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

I began to wonder how many times I have surrendered to people and circumstances versus how many times I have stood on the promises of God. So far, I don’t I like the score.

A Bad Day

2009-09-22T04:24:00.001-04:00

Friday did not started off as a good day. I took a day off from work to catch up with some chores that I had neglected to do this summer. It’s not that I had been lazy, it’s just that this summer has been very wet and it has rained a lot on the weekends when I was able to do these jobs. After prophesying that it was going to be another wet weekend, the prophets changed their mind and said that it would be a cool, but a nice weekend. I thought I’d start my weekend early and I started making my “To do list” on Thursday. Then it happened. Robin told me that she also had plans on Friday and I graciously told her that I would donate an hour or perhaps two hours of my time to her on Friday. I figured that I could still get a few things accomplished.

I got up on Friday morning with the intentions of having some quiet time with the Lord, but I was distracted because I wanted to print something from my computer first. To my dismay, the printer didn’t work. After struggling with it a while, I discovered it was the copier that didn’t work. I decided right then and there that I wasn’t going to waste my time trying to solve this problem. Ninety minutes later while I was still groaning, uttering a few things in my head, and tinkering in the unknown, the printer miraculously started working. I then looked out my window and saw a possum sitting in the trap that I had set. This meant that before I did anything on my list, I would have to bring this critter somewhere where he’d never be able to come back. It was beginning to become abundantly clear to me that my “Friday’s To do list” might have to be renamed, “Saturday’s…” I could tell that this was going to be a bad day.

When Jesus heard that John the Baptist was beheaded, Jesus set out for a solitary place (Matthew 14:13-23). When the crowds heard about this, they followed Him. When they came to Him, Jesus had compassion on them, fed them, and healed their sick. After Jesus had ministered to them, He sent them away and the Scriptures tell us that Jesus went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray.

I am really glad that Jesus did not sigh deeply and say, “Where did all these people come from?” “I don’t have time for this!” or “I’ve got more important things to do!” (Like someone I know, but I won’t mention any names, would have done.) Instead, in these short verses, the Scriptures reveal that Jesus never lost His focus. In spite of the distractions, Jesus accomplished what He set out to do, and that is to be alone with His Father. The other amazing thing that Scripture reveal to me is that people were not distractions to Jesus. They were part of His agenda. Isn’t that what we see in the cross?

On the cross, Jesus was in great pain and agony and no one could have faulted Him if this was the only thing on His mind. Yet not only was He aware of His Father, but He was also aware of our great need. Listen to His prayer again, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). It was a bad day for Jesus, but it was a great day for us.

Rest

2009-09-13T07:40:00.000-04:00

When she was moving, I took Sarah to the storage facility to get some of her stuff to take with her to South Carolina. While we were collecting her things, I uttered, “Lord can I go to bed early tonight, please?” I didn’t realize I said this out loud and I would have not even noticed it except that Sarah heard it and thought it was very funny. When we got back to the house she told the rest of my family and in the weeks that followed, I kept hearing, “Lord, puhleeze can I go to bed early?” in very mocking voices.

The prayer I spoke that day was not an uncommon prayer. It is a perpetual prayer in my life. My dream is rolling into bed at nine every night, but I was just not aware that I was praying it until it was brought to my attention.

All of us have different visions of Heaven. For me, I envision Heaven as a place of rest—no, not with a giant Serta mattress as the commercials suggests. Neither do I think of myself in Heaven reclining in a beach chair with sunglasses and a glass of lemonade in hand.

When I think of resting in Heaven, I think of a place where there is no more wrestling. No more pursuing. Nor more achieving. No more anxieties. I imagine Heaven as finding refuge, comfort, and rest. Not in a place, but in the arms of the One who has nail scarred hands. The One who says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest . . .” (Matthew 11:28-30). Safe in the arms of Jesus, this is our final resting place

The Final Word

2009-09-09T05:00:00.003-04:00

I hate debates. I hate the volleying of claims or accusations between two or more parties, but this is what I hear all the time. I hear it from politicians, sports and talk shows, religious people, and even among people who call themselves Christians. Maybe the reason why it irritates me is because my kids used to do it all the time while they were growing up. I think I used to end the arguments by just telling them to shut up. But I can’t do this with other people.

One of the reasons why Jesus is so attractive to me is that with Jesus, there are no long drawn out arguments. When people engaged Jesus in a “dialogue,” Jesus had a way of ending a conversation quickly and superbly. For many years I have studied Jesus because I wanted to learn this technique. After many years of searching and attempts, I have come to the conclusion that this is not possible. It’s not possible because every time I’ve come up with a zinger—every time I’ve come up with a smart answer, there was an answer that came back—sometimes not as good as mine, but an answer, never the less. This is where I quit because I can see how this “dialogue” could go on and on and on.

I began to wonder, how Jesus would fare in our time? We live in a society that is fueled by debates. Everyone has an opinion, everyone thinks they’re right, and everyone has a lot of ammunition to back up their ideas. Then it dawned on me—Jesus would fare the same as He did back then. This is yet another proof that Jesus is God. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18) I get it! Unless I recognize and acknowledge Jesus in every situation, I will never be successful in my endeavors because God will always have the final word.

Lord, Help me to “trust in [You] with all [my] heart and lean not on [my] own understanding; in all [my] ways [let me] acknowledge [You], and [You] will direct [my] paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

A Lover's Prayer

2009-08-29T07:08:00.000-04:00

Hawaiian entertainer, Don Ho sang a song entitled, “A Lover’s Prayer.” In the song, he expresses an intense passion—on second thought, such an obsession that he sings, “If I go to heaven and you’re not there…I’d go to hell to be with you…”

As a youngster, the words to this song troubled me greatly because it sounded blasphemous. Now, as a Christian, some thirty plus years later, those words are still disturbing because it expresses a love that is reserved for God and God alone (Exodus 20:3-4, Deuteronomy 6:5).

Jim Woodruff said something that has helped me some. What he said has not helped to take away the uneasiness and the tension that I still feel every time I hear or think about this song. However, Jim said something that has shifted my attention and has helped me to focus on something else. Jim said, “If Jesus was in hell, I’d go there to be with Him.” Let that sink in. “If Jesus was in hell, I’d go there to be with Him.” Can we imagine or think such a thing? Can we declare this with our lips?

Let’s also ponder on this. Not only is Heaven not the same place without Jesus, but Hell is not Hell when Jesus is with you. Jesus said, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

Insanity

2009-08-28T04:22:00.001-04:00

Someone defined insanity as doing the same things over and over again expecting different results. If you were to watch me, you’d probably think that I am insane. Every day I wake up and expect that my work situation has changed. Every day I expect changes in the people that I encounter regularly. Every day I am somewhat disappointed because it seems like nothing has changed and everything and everybody are pretty much the same. But the greatest disappointment and frustration that I encounter is when I find that my personal situation hasn’t changed and neither have I.

I want to be a complete or whole person—a person that has the appropriate feelings for the situation that I’m in; a person that responds correctly to every situation; a person that deals honorably with every individual; a person that has a level head, an unwavering purpose, and an undivided focus. Every day I expect this of me and yet every morning, not long after I roll out of bed, I am once more disappointed. One might think that I live on the edge of insanity, but I don’t. And I don’t for a couple of reasons.

First of all, I am not alone in my struggles. The great Apostle Paul said, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do . . . I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out . . . what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:15, 18, 19) I suspect that this struggle is not limited to Paul or myself. It’s my guess that almost everyone engages in this conflict.

Secondly, I am not going over the edge because I find extreme comfort in what Paul says, “…that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6) Paul compares this process to that of a woman in labor. He says that there will be suffering, and there will be groaning, but it will be worth the wait and effort (Romans 8:18-39).

I believe that I will be changed. If I believed in myself, I’d be insane, but I believe in the One who has that power. “. . .to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Spiritual Gifts

2009-08-24T05:59:00.000-04:00

Although I don’t speak of it much, I have no doubt that spiritual gifts are in existence today. There are a lot of times when I have gone to Church or to a Bible Study where I don’t have the faintest idea of what the leader or speaker is talking about. I believe that this is the gift of tongues in action. What the leader is saying sounds good. There seems to be a harmony, intelligence, and order to it, but it sounds very foreign to me. I am convinced that this is “tongues” in action because if I turn to someone to my right or to my left and I ask them, “Does that make sense?” They nod their heads emphatically up and down, as if to say, “Absolutely!” I believe that these people also have a gift; I believe that they have the gift of wisdom because they seem to totally understand what the leader is saying. I am in awe and am intimidated by these gifts and it makes me feel so lost, inadequate, and wanting to leave the meeting place.

On the other hand, one of the gifts that encourages me to stick around is the gift of interpretation. People with this gift explain to me what the speaker said (and what others obviously understand) in a language that I can grasp. This is the gift and the people that I really appreciate. It is little wonder that even the great Apostle Paul says, “…I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue” (I Corinthians 14:19).

The people with the gift of interpretation also demonstrate another gift to me. In the same portion of Scripture, Paul says, “…those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty…” (I Corinthians 12:22-23). When an “interpreter” takes all the time I need to help me understand, it translates into a gift of love.

It's Okay . . .

2009-08-20T04:29:00.004-04:00

So very often I have heard people say, “It’s okay, as long as you don’t hurt anyone.” And if you look at their situation, it does appear that no one is really offended or getting hurt. That’s because we are not considering God and how He feels about our actions. In the Bible, all offenses against God are called sins (James 2:9-11). We are told that God hates sin (Psalms 5:4-5); He turns His face away from sin (Isaiah 59:2), and He is hurt by sin, no matter how large or small the sin is.

One of the passages of Scripture that really speaks to me about this is when the Israelites were in the Wilderness and God told Moses to “…speak to that rock…” Instead, Moses struck the rock, not once, but twice (Numbers 20:1-13). Because of what Moses did, God did not allow Moses to enter into the land that He promised them.

In my thinking, God was really harsh. Moses was faithful to God for the entire journey. He was obedient to the Lord and even interceded for the people of Israel when God, in His anger with the Israelites, was going to destroy them (Exodus 32:7-14). Moses was a good man, but this one time, Moses exploded and lost his temper. God told him that he was going to receive the same judgment as everyone else—he was not going into the Promised Land—that just doesn’t seem fair. Is God that petty and shallow? How can striking a rock hurt anyone?

The answer is found in the following words. God told Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

God says it’s a matter of honor. God says it’s a matter of holiness. God says it’s a matter of trust. Moses and Aaron broke faith with God. Later on in the New Testament, Paul said that the rock that followed the Israelites around in the desert was Christ (I Corinthians 10:4). What Paul says to me is that the rock that Moses struck was Jesus. And Moses struck the rock not once, but twice.

This is also the picture we get when we see Jesus hanging from the cross. It’s a portrait of the Living Word of God (John 1:1, 14) being rejected by men (John 1:10-11). The vastness of sin is truly and soberly revealed in the sufferings of Jesus on the cross (II Corinthians 5:21).

Don’t let anyone kid you. If no one else, your actions affect God and it's not okay.

Stewardship--II

2009-08-16T06:16:00.003-04:00

Most of us know Matthew 25:14-30 as “The Parable of the Talents.” We have come to understand this section of Scripture as referring to our talents, abilities, or gifts that the LORD has given us. I have a problem with this “interpretation” in that we seem to spend a lot of time trying to discover our talents and gifts and other times saying, “I can’t do that, because that’s not my gift.”

This parable is speaking of stewardship and we often fail or neglect to emphasize the core of stewardship. In Hebrews 10:5-10, the Hebrew writer says:

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, `Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.'" First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Jesus defines the heart of stewardship. Although these verses are talking about Jesus, I think that we can apply these verses to ourselves and to our stewardship. From these verses we see that God is not pleased with the things we can offer him. What He desires is our full surrender to Him (I Samuel 15). The apostle Paul describes stewardship as being a “living sacrifice” and that this is not only acceptable and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1-2) but has been predetermined from the beginning of time (Romans 8:28-29).

One more thing about stewardship—being a good steward is not God’s ultimate goal. At some point we have to transition our minds from stewardship to Sonship. We should not be like Esau who sold his birth right for a single meal and was called godless (Hebrews 12:16-17). We need to live out the life that God has given us. Otherwise it would be like burying God’s Spirit that has been entrusted to us.

Name Calling

2009-08-15T05:46:00.002-04:00

In my lifetime, I’ve been called many names. I’ve been called Idiot, Dummy, Jerk, Doodah, and a few others that I choose not to repeat. I don’t remember how I used to respond to these names, but these days I find one that is highly offensive. That is the name, Pagan.

In Matthew 6:19-34, Jesus talks about the important things in life and then says, “…the pagans run after all these things…” (vs. 32). Ouch! This hurts because I feel like Jesus is talking to me.

There was a time in my life that this name would probably not have fazed me. But because I have made my life’s ambition to pursue God, this name is repugnant to me. It is also one thing to have someone—anyone, call me a pagan, but to have my Lord and Master call me by this name—it is really devastating.

Funny thing, I don’t intentionally start out pursuing the things of this life. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Every day, I purpose in my heart to seek after the things of God. But it doesn’t take long—amazingly there are times when I have barely stepped out of my prayer closet, when the cares of this life drag me in the opposite direction.

I am so glad that Jesus didn’t end his talk on that note. I am also really glad that He didn’t end His sentence leaving me outside the kingdom of God. Instead He continued, “…your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” Daddy knows. Daddy knows. Daddy knows! What I hear Jesus saying to me is that not only does God know me and my needs, but I am also related to Him, that I am a child of the Most High, and I bear His Name!

Father, I thank You and praise You for the wonderful relationship I have with You. I especially thank You for my big Brother who made it possible for me to enter into Your kingdom and into Your family. Help me to be always passionately pursing You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Discipleship

2009-08-11T05:54:00.001-04:00

In one of his sermons, Colt asked the question, “Who do you envision leading this congregation into the future”? He also asked, “Is it possible that God might be preparing you for that role”? He answered his questions by exhorting us to invite someone to walk beside us. In other words, Colt was calling us to be Disciples and Disciplers.

Listening to what Colt had to say about transitions, leadership, and the future and growth of the church, I was reminded of a handout that I “stole” from Robin. It’s a quote from William Glasser who said, “We learn…10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we discuss, 80% of what we experience (and) 95% of what we teach others.”

In his message to us, Colt came to the same conclusion because he said that we know, “the way that leaders are trained, and transition happens not by reading a book on leadership, not by having better Bible classes directed toward the subject, [but] by walking along side with someone who has been a leader and is worthy of imitation…”

Church growth (individually and collectively) comes by discipleship—by sharing our “faith journey” with others. Paul understood this. This is why I think Paul said to Philemon,

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. (Philemon 6, NIV)

Perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves is not how can we attract others to our building, but how can we share the beauty and Person of Jesus to others?

Mary and Martha

2009-08-10T20:48:00.001-04:00

Colt told us that one of the exercises that can help us in our meditation of Scripture is to place ourselves in the characters of Scripture and to try and think and feel what they are experiencing. For homework, Colt had us turn to Luke 10:38-42 and imagine that we were Martha and then Mary. He then asked, “Which of the two do you most identify with?” and concluded with “Allow the story and your involvement with the story lead you into prayer. This is what I experienced:

Martha: When I invited Jesus over, I did not expect Him to bring His disciples—all 12 of them! Instead of spending a nice quiet afternoon with Jesus, I now have to make preparations for a party. This is not what I had in mind. Look at them— Men! Twelve big, strong, able bodied men! And do they even care? Not one of them is willing lift a finger to help. Not only that, not one of them even has a clue of what I am going through and the stress level that I have. I don’t know why Jesus doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t He see how much work there is to do and the burden that I carry? Besides, I am sure that these 12 guys have heard Jesus’ message before. And I don’t believe this—look at Mary! She’s not doing anything either! This is not fair! This is not right! I just have to say something. “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

Mary: There was an aura about Him, when Jesus walked into our home. I was totally spellbound by Him. When He spoke, His words had so much authority it commanded my attention and I hung on His every word. His words were filled with grace and truth and as He spoke it was as if springs of living water were welling up inside of me, ready to gush forth. His words had life, and the more He spoke, the more His words burned within me. I was so captured by Him that I was unaware of anything else. I did not see Martha’s frenzy and frustration. That’s why I was totally stunned when Martha interrupted Jesus and screamed, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

My prayer: Lord, thank You for allowing me to see myself in others. Lord, help me not to be so busy with Your work that I neglect You. Lord, help me not to be so spiritually minded that I am of no earthly good. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Victory in Jesus

2009-08-06T04:34:00.001-04:00

After the football season, two High School football players were talking. The offensive lineman said to the defensive lineman, “I hated you during practice. You used to hit so hard, I used to go home with bruises all over my body. But when we played games, I was so glad that you were on our side.”

What I heard the offensive player saying is that whether it was practice or a game, the intensity and the passion of the defensive player was the same on the field all the time. However, the offensive lineman had mixed feelings about the defensive player.

This is the way I feel about Jesus. His questions, His expectations, and His demands hit me hard. He bruises my ego; He levels my arrogance, and my uniform of self-righteousness is torn and soiled from being cast down so many times. At times I feel like He’s punishing me and sometimes I hate Him for exposing my weaknesses, inadequacies, and vulnerabilities. However, I am grateful, in the fact, that Jesus never wavers—He is constant, consistent, and passionate about the Father’s game plan. I also know that He is really preparing me to be a better equipped player in the game of life and I take extreme pleasure in knowing that being with Him is being on the winning side (Romans 8:37, John 16:33). Don’t you just love Him for that?

The Eyes of God

2009-07-31T04:42:00.001-04:00

I don’t recall when I began recognizing the Presence of God in my life, but I’ve been aware of His Presence for as long as I can remember. Perhaps it was the song, “Oh, be careful little feet where you go…for there’s a Savior up above, looking down…” I learned as a child that made me feel like I was always being watched. Perhaps it was the messages of hell fire and brimstone and that would be my destiny if I wasn’t right with Him that made me conscious of His Presence. I know one thing, as a child of mischief, I often felt His eyes on me.

I used to try to push Him out of my consciousness, but I found that I could not hide from His Presence no matter how hard I tried. I often wished that He would leave me alone, to do my own thing. He sort of did, but I was constantly looking over my shoulder because I felt that His eyes were on me. I used to hate this about God—but that was then.

These days, this is one of the qualities that I appreciate and love about Him—that nothing goes by Him unnoticed. There is nothing that He doesn’t know and there is nothing that surprises Him.

I see my deficiencies, my failures, and my sins. He sees them too. What I see is probably very superficial. He sees beyond that and sees the root of my faults. He also sees and considers my struggles and I take comfort in this. Under His watchful eyes, I know that He will not only be fair and just, but merciful because He still loves me. For this I am eternally grateful.

Journeying With God

2009-07-28T05:39:00.004-04:00

Some travelers on a plane from Spain to Britain were told that their flight would be delayed for at least eight hours due to a mechanical problem. When this was announced, a passenger stepped forward and identified himself as a licensed aircraft engineer. The man fixed the problem and the flight ended up being only 35 minutes late. Later, one of the passengers commented that it was reassuring that the person that fixed the plane was still on the plane.

In our journey through life, isn’t it comforting to know that our LORD will help us and is always with us (Hebrews 13:5-6) until we arrive at our final destination?

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24, 25)

Does God Speak To Us Today?

2009-07-28T05:33:00.002-04:00

Last year I received several email forwards from friends that related a story of a man’s desire to know whether or not God speaks to us in an audible voice today. In the story, the man asked God to “speak to him” and he would trust and obey His voice. While the man did not hear an audible voice, he felt a strong sense of being led by God. Following the leading of the spirit, the man was compelled to buy a gallon of milk and delivered it to a house in an unfamiliar part of town. The man knocked on the door and the man who opened the door did not seem to be very happy with this late night visitor. After handing over the milk, the homeowner began to cry and explained that he had just fallen on hard times and he and his wife was just praying for some milk for their baby just before the knock on their door. The wife then asked the stranger if he was an angel sent by God. The email forward concluded with God is alive and well and His voice will become clearer the more we listen and obey. The forward then said to pass it on if I believed.

I could not bring myself to forward this email even though I have heard about things like this, and have no doubt that God can guide or speak to us in this way. For myself, I want more assurance that I’m not down the end of a gun barrel when I knock on a stranger’s door. Call it a lack of faith, if you will, but there are some things that I wrestle with when I think that I’m “hearing the voice of God.”

There was a time when I used to think that I knew the “Voice of God” and I used to prophesy. One day after I made a prophetic declaration, I was bewildered when the Voice of God was wrong and it really distressed me that God could be wrong. After wondering how God could make a mistake, I had to ask myself several questions. These questions were, “Was God wrong?,” “Did I misunderstand?,” and “Was it really the voice of God that I heard?”

If God was wrong and God can make mistakes, then how can I trust Him? If I heard wrong, then how could I trust myself? What I thought I heard seemed perfectly clear to me on the day that I heard it. If it wasn’t God that was speaking, then who was it? After struggling with these questions for a season, there are three underlying questions that I ask myself before I come to a conclusion. They are:

1. I have been wrong before and I most likely will make mistakes in the future. In the past, I have had an intuition about some things and have been “sure” about other things. Sometimes my feelings or intuition were correct. Other times they were wrong. What or who can I trust?

2. The Scriptures say that we should test everything. I believe this includes our thoughts, feelings, and motives (I Thessalonians 5:21, I John 4:1) to see whether they are from God or from another source (II Corinthians 11:14-15). What is the standard for my test?

3. The Scriptures claim that it is flawless, right, and true (Psalms 33:4, 119:160). The “Living Word” (Jesus) claims that His words are sure, dependable, and eternal (Matthew 7:24, 24:34). Do I believe this?

The conclusion that I have come to is that I should not always believe the voices in my head when I often do not believe or obey the revealed words of Jesus (Matthew 5:23-25, 44, 25:40, 45). So far in my life, there is no one or nothing that I have complete trust in. On the other hand, there really is no one in running except the “Voice of God” (Jesus) in Scripture.

Prayer Is Overrated

2009-07-03T06:43:00.003-04:00

Prayer is overrated. Prayer is important, but not that important. I don’t know how many times I’ve been in a store when I’ve witnessed a child telling their parents, “I want that!” After countless “No’s,” the bawling child says, “But I need it!” As a bystander, I empathize with the parents’ embarrassment, discomfort, and frustration because no matter how long and how loud the child screams, I know that the child does not “need it.”

Over the years, I have witnessed some Christians behaving in a similar way as these children. As “adults” we may not throw tantrums and our prayers are a little more sophisticated than the whining of our children, but sometimes our begging and pleading are deaf to the “No’s” of God. It is in this context that I say that prayer is important, but not that important.

James says, “You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss…” (James 4:3a). What I hear James saying is that sometimes our prayers are not answered because we pray in ignorance to God’s will or to what God desires. Jesus knew exactly what the Will of the Father was. It is on this basis that He prayed, "Abba, Father, everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14:36)

Granted, we are not Jesus and we are not filled with all the wisdom and knowledge of God. But before we can make sense of what’s going on around us, and before we can even hope to “keep in step with the Spirit,” we need to know which direction the Spirit is going. We need to know what God’s will and desires are. This is why we have been given Scripture—so that we can come to know and trust God.

Having said this, I don’t think that we should stop praying and even pouring out our hearts out before God. What I mean is that we should not be so busy talking that we are not open to hearing the “voice of God” as revealed in Scripture.

In the story of Job, Job had a lot of things to say and a whole lot of questions. But in the end, Job was still not privy to the workings of God and not all of Job’s questions were answered. But after he heard the words from God, he confessed, “…Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know…My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I despise myself and repent..." (Job 42:3-6). Job still did not understand a whole lot of things, but he had come to know and trust God and that was enough.

Peter writes, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness” (II Peter 1:3). If our prayers are not being answered to our satisfaction, it just might be because we are looking for answers in all the wrong places.

Beauty Nipped in the Bud

2009-07-03T06:29:00.000-04:00

One of life's little disappointments for me is to watch a rosebud start to open up, then without warning shrink back into a bud, shrivel up, and die. When this happens, I feel like I have been cheated out of its beauty and splendor.

I suspect that the LORD feels the same way when one of His children fails to mature properly. I think that God feels robbed when Christians refuse to open up and allow the Holy Spirit to transform them into the image and majesty of our Lord Jesus. Perhaps God even sighs or groans when Christians shrink back and withdraw into themselves.

The reason why we do is obvious. We feel safe. There is no risk of failure and there is no threat of rejection. The probability of pain and humiliation is considerably lower and we find comfort in not opening up to the dangers of the big bad world.

On the other hand, if we do not have the desire to be outgoing and share out faith, our spiritual growth will wither and God's Spirit will be quenched. We will not experience the depths of peace and joy that the Scriptures promise us. Our faith in Him will not be renewed and we will not blossom into the full radiance of our LORD Jesus.
[Father, I pray] . . . that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel . . . [I pray] that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should; [In Jesus’ name, Amen!] (Ephesians 6:19-20)

The Psalms

2009-06-20T09:21:00.001-04:00

The book of Psalms is really a hymn book that records the experiences and the cries of the human heart. If we listen to the Psalms very carefully, I think that we could all join in and accompany the Psalmists in their song. The late Dr. J. Vernon McGee says, “The Psalms record deep devotion, intense feeling, exalted emotion, and dark dejection. They play upon the keyboard of the human soul with all the stops pulled out.”

The book of Psalms is also a HIM book of praises because on its pages we can find Jesus if we look hard enough. In Luke 22:44, Jesus told His disciples, “…Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Jesus was of course, speaking of His death, burial, and resurrection. However, there’s more than Jesus’ crucifixion on its pages. In the Psalms, Jesus is also the object of the Psalmists praise and worship because this is where the dark nights of the human soul encounter the Light of Heaven.

Every morning I get up and try to have a devotional time with the LORD. Many times I get up feeling “lost.” Many mornings I feel disconnected with myself and with the LORD. There are many mornings that I struggle to find the words to pray and when I do manage to get the words out of my mouth, the words seem shallow and hollow. In times like these, I feel like the words are immediately sucked into a black hole as soon as the words leave my mouth. During these times, one of the things that I do is grab a song book, find an appropriate song that I know and sing my prayer. Singing my prayer helps me to align my thoughts and my emotions and focus them on the LORD.

Some of the Psalms that I sing and pray are, “Unto Thee, O Lord” (Psalms 25), “How Majestic is Your Name” (Psalms 8), “I Will Call Upon the Lord” (Psalms 18), and “Thy Loving Kindness” (Psalms 63). One of the Psalms that I seem to sing and pray on a more regular basis is, “As the Deer.” The first line of this song comes from Psalms 42 and the rest of the song expresses the longings and passions of many other Psalmists.

Thank you, Father for not only the Psalmists and their Psalms, but for modern day composers who have set today’s music to yesteryear’s prayers that enables me to sing and have melody in my heart for You.

The Creator

2009-06-20T09:05:00.006-04:00

In the beginning, there was nothing except God. There were no trees or mountains. There was no earth, no sun, or stars. In fact, there was no universe. And this is how the Scripture introduces us to our Creator: Genesis 1:1—the very first sentence of Bible tells us that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” From nothing, God brought into existence something—“God created the heavens and the earth.”

Throughout the rest of the Scriptures, we are constantly reminded that God is the Creator. Centuries after the creation of the universe, David, the King of Israel, recognized God as the Creator, but in a different way. David committed adultery, had a man murdered, and when David’s sin was revealed, he knew that he couldn’t make himself right (II Samuel 11-12). He knew that he couldn’t purify himself. David knew that there was nothing that he could do about his heart condition except go to the Creator and beg for mercy. And in his despair, David cried out, “Create in me a pure heart, O God…” (Psalms 51:10.)

There is another theme that runs through Scripture. Over and over again, the Bible tells us that the heart of man is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), that there is no one righteous (Romans 3:10), and that all our righteous acts are like filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6). So how can we have a right standing with God? How can we purify our hearts? Jesus answers this question by telling Nicodemus, “…no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3).

Astonished, Nicodemus then asks the question, “How can a man be born when he is old?” (John 3:4). Jesus answers Nicodemus and says, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” Jesus is echoing the Genesis account of Creation—that God created all living things “after their own kind.” Likewise, David who understood that only the Holy One can create people with holy hearts. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul understood this too. This is why Paul proclaims, “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (II Corinthians 5:17).

It is humanly impossible to create something out of nothing or to bring forth life out of something dead. It is only by the mercy of our Creator that we can become spiritual beings (Romans 3:23). I wonder how many people will understand this? I wonder how many will receive this gift? I wonder how many people I will share this good news with?

Lord, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you” (Psalms 51:12-13). In Jesus’ Name, amen!

Stewardship

2009-06-18T21:01:00.000-04:00

Some of us are responsible people. We are time conscious. We watch our spending. We are careful not to waste any of our resources. If this is the way we live, doesn’t it make us mad when someone is frivolous with their resources? This is especially true with our children. Don’t we all sigh and take a deep breath, roll our eyes, shake our heads, grit our teeth, and reach for that bottle of extra strength aspirin when they do things that seem to us like, “such a waste”. It is a wonder that we don’t all have flat foreheads.

When a woman came to Jesus and poured very expensive perfume over Jesus’ head, the disciples were more than upset. The Scripture says that the disciples were, “indignant” to what she had done (Matthew 26:6-13). Yet our Lord astonishes them (and us) by saying, “The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.”

There are some things that we will probably always have in this life. We will always have debts and bills to pay. We will always have taxes. We will always have dirty houses. We have bodies that are decaying and we will always have to repair or maintain our worldly possessions.

While Jesus reported to His disciples the state of the world, He also told them that He was leaving. What Jesus said also reminds us that we won’t always have the opportunity to build and maintain relationships. In fact, no matter how good a relationship we have in this life, no relationship is permanent. We are keenly aware of this as we watch people who are dear to us come and go. Spiritualizing what Jesus said, we will also not always have an opportunity to seek God (Isaiah 55:6).

Isn’t it wonderful how Jesus puts things in perspective. He said something similar in Luke 16:9, when Jesus said, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

Jesus is saying that we should use our resources to build and maintain relationships, so that when all is said and done in this life, our “friends” will be waiting to welcome us on the other side of this life.

May God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be the first in this receiving line.

What Do You Communicate?

2009-06-18T20:53:00.000-04:00

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.” –I Peter 4:11

In concocting a savory sweet and sour sauce for a Polynesian or Oriental dish, a proper balance of spices must be maintained. Too much sugar makes the sauce “sicky-sweet.” On the other hand, too much soy sauce, vinegar, or pineapple juice will make the concoction bitter, pungent, or sour.

As Christians, our speech must be likewise properly blended. Paul writes, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt…” (Colossians 4:6). Our speech should not be all sugary and candy coated. Neither should it be all harsh and bitter. Our speech should always be in love, and seasoned with truth. What we say may be in vain, however, if our actions and behavior communicates a different message. Inconsistencies in our lives make what we affirm with our lips hard to swallow.

In Jesus, we find an impeccable blend of Word and Spirit. This caused John to write, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

How palatable is our message to the world, especially to those that “hunger and thirst” after righteousness?

Is our announcement one of a life of love and joy and liberty? Or do we communicate indifference, oppression, or boredom? Do we communicate commitment and dedication? Or do we communicate hypocrisy? Is our declaration religion, church, or self? Or is it Christ?

Worship

2009-05-25T07:36:00.000-04:00

When I hear people say, “Worship was wonderful today,” I often wonder what or who was the object of worship? To me, it’s like members of the audience at a performance saying to each other, “This standing ovation is wonderful, exhilarating and refreshing. I am enjoying this standing “O” immensely.

When I think of worship, I think of words like adoration, devotion, honor, admiration, awe, and yes, fear and submission. This is why I imagine that the worshipper’s response should be more like, “Isn’t He wonderful? Isn’t He great? Isn’t He beautiful? Isn’t He majestic?”

Yet how often do we come away with a sense of AWE of Him or for Him as we are in the assembly? How often are we shaken up by the sense of His Presence?

I think that if we worshipped properly, and if there was a “visitor” in the assembly, at some point in the worship, the visitor would be convinced and convicted that “God really is among you!” (I Corinthians 14:24-25).

Lord, help me not to veil Your majesty and glory and steal Your thunder.

Meditation

2009-05-24T06:33:00.000-04:00

When Ajoa was 5 or 6 years old we were looking up at the clouds in the sky, I asked her, “If I told you there was a boat in the sky, what would you say?” Ajoa sat in silence. Again I repeated the question, “If there was a boat in the sky, what would you say?” Again there was no immediate response, but after a moment of silence, she replied, “Nothing.” I was surprised by her answer, so I asked, “Why not?” She said, “Because I would be thinking to myself, now why is there a boat in the sky?”

I laughed. I was amused and at the same time amazed that this very young child did not react the way I expected, but was also able to express her thought process in a very logical manner.

Ajoa’s response was a great example and illustration to the Bible’s exhortation to meditate on God, His deeds, and His Word.

Mary pondered and treasured the workings of God in her life (Luke 2:18-9, 49-51). Joshua was told to meditate on the Word of God so that he would be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:7-8). The Psalmists (especially 119) speak of meditation not only as a natural part of their lives, but as essential to their lives.

In Scripture, I see people amazed and even utterly astonished by the workings of God, yet often times this is a superficial reaction. I’ve come to this conclusion because they do not seem to internalize what they are hearing and seeing. If they did, I think it would have caused people to know God better.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that we are that much different. We see and hear Jesus, and He amazes us, yet we do not seem to think deeply of His significance. If we did, it would seem that we’d know God on a deeper and more intimate level. And the proof of that would be the radically transformed lives.

May we think on the deeper things of God. No, scratch that. May we think on the things that God has revealed to us and go beyond the surface and the superficial and know God more intimately so that His Word will be our “delight.”

I Won't Do It!--2

2009-04-14T21:45:00.000-04:00

The other day, Lynn saw my T-shirt that pictures a stubborn, defiant, and determined child with the inscription, “I won’t do it!” under it. Lynn pointed to the picture and said something like, “That is so not you.” I was surprised by the comment because in my thinking, it really is soooo me. I wondered how many things my family could tell Lynn that I wouldn’t do.

In my conversations with the LORD, I hear the Children of Israel’s stubbornness and rebellion coming from my mouth and thoughts. Some of them are, “It wasn’t my fault, I won’t apologize.” “They were the ones who hurt me. I won’t take the initiative to work things out.” “They have to come to me. I won’t go to them.” “I won’t be merciful because they don’t show any signs of remorse or regret.” “They don’t deserve it. I won’t treat them kindly.” I could go on and on because I have many such conversations with the LORD.

As I thought about this, I was reminded of the parable of the two sons that Jesus talked about in Matthew 21:28-31. A man had two sons and asked the first son to work in his vineyard. The first son said, “I will not,” but later on changed his mind and he went to work. The second son said, “No problem Dad,” but he did not go. Jesus asked, “ Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

In life, God gives us choices. When Jesus asks us to do something, we sometimes develop the “Moses complex.” We tell Jesus why we won’t or cannot do what He asks. But after all is said and done aren’t we like Peter who said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

If we want to continue to be in fellowship with our God and Savior, we really do not have any other choice but to say, “I’ll do it.”

Heaven is Over Rated

2009-04-12T08:06:00.000-04:00

I think that Heaven is over rated. Some of us think that Heaven is our salvation. For those who think that our salvation is found in Heaven, I don’t think that we will ever feel secure until we’re inside the walls of heaven, with the gates of Heaven shut and locked behind us. It really is a terrible way to go through life.

Our salvation, or our eternal security is not found in a place, a thing, or an activity on our part. Our eternal security is found in a person. This is the message of Scripture from Genesis, the first book of the Bible, to Revelation, the last book of the Bible. Sometimes that message is not very clear, it’s almost as if it’s in the shadows.

In Genesis15:1, for example, God speaks to Abraham and tells him, “I am your shield, your very great reward.” If God were giving Abraham a test, He’d be asking Abraham, “Who is your protection? Who is your safety and security? Who is your fortress and refuge? Who is your shield?” And if Abraham didn’t get it, God would have answered, “I AM.”

Should there have been a part two to the test; God would ask, “Who’s your blessing? Who’s your benefit and bonus? Who’s your prize and trophy? Who’s your reward—your very great reward?” Again God would have answered, “I AM”.

In the New Testament, who is our defense, our intercessor, our advocate, and our blessing? Is it not the same One who says, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). Is it not the same One who also says, “I AM the way. I AM the truth. I AM the life. No man comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).

The Apostle Paul later on tells the Ephesians that in Him, that is in Jesus, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). We can have this confidence, assurance, and eternal security in Him because we have a promise that is sealed by His blood (Ephesians 1:7). This is something, or rather, Someone that we can find rest in—in this life and the life to come.

O Wretched Man

2009-04-10T16:43:00.002-04:00

I’ve been taken aside and scolded for calling myself a scumbag. I was thinking in terms of being contemptible, but then someone enlightened me and informed me that a scumbag refers to a used condom. I thought to myself, “It’s a much more fitting description of myself than I thought.”

Whenever I speak of myself in a negative way, people often respond with, “You’re not like that” or “That’s not you,” I think to myself, “If it’s not me, then who am I talking about?” Because of this, I often feel misunderstood and alone. How I long for someone to come along side of me, put their arm on my shoulders and say, “I know how you feel, but isn’t it wonderful that God loves us anyway?” or “Isn’t it wonderful that this is a temporary condition and that God is in the process of redeeming us from our present state?” or “Doesn’t it make you wonder, what is man that God is mindful of us, the son of man that He cares for us?” or “Doesn’t your heart yearn and burn for our Savior’s return?”

Whenever I say negative things about myself, it’s usually not the end of my thought, but for some reason, that’s what most people hear. It’s almost like opening up “The Book,” reading Romans 7:15-22, hearing Paul say, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” and then closing “The Book.”

Paul, I wish you were here. I wish we could talk. If you were here, I think you’d hear and understand what I am trying to say. If you were here, I don’t think I would feel so alone. I could be wrong, but I think that if we got together, I think that there would not only be a bond of fellowship, but there would also be great rejoicing between us.

I’d join you in singing “…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our LORD (Romans 8:1-2, 7:25).”

Faith & Feeling

2009-03-30T05:23:00.000-04:00

I’ve heard preachers preach, “we live by faith, not by sight or feelings…” While part of me wants to “Amen!” this statement, another part of me knows that this is not totally true.

My emotions are a big part of me. In fact, I “live” in my emotions. If my emotions do not find relief at some point, it doesn’t matter what my mind, my intellect, my will or my faith says, I will be consumed by my feelings. If I do not find emotional comfort or a sense of well being at some point, I just cannot go on with life.

This is why I thank God for the verses in II Corinthians 1-11. The Apostle Paul tells us that suffering doesn’t “just happen” or that it happens only to apostles, elders, and spiritual leaders. Paul tells us to expect suffering because we are identified with Jesus. If I understand Paul correctly, because we are connected to Jesus, suffering will “flow” into our lives.

I am glad that Paul did not end here because I would be an emotional wreck if all I had was this thought to sustain me. Paul also goes on to also say that through Jesus our “comfort overflows.” This is such wonderful news! What I hear Paul saying is that the external pressure applied is less than the internal power surging out. Just reading or thinking about this makes me feel renewed and recharged.

I know that what the LORD gives me on any given day, will probably not be enough for tomorrow. The “bread” that He gives is usually just enough to sustain me for the day. But that’s okay. Tomorrow’s another day. I know that the Infinite God with an endless supply will be waiting for me tomorrow. I thank God that He is good and His mercy and faithfulness endures forever. (Psalms 100:5)

Dear God

2009-03-28T14:21:00.000-04:00

I am having another “Elijah moment” (I have a lot of those don’t I)? I am reminded that I am a very shallow, sensitive, and insecure person. I have many anxieties, worries, fears, responsibilities, and burdens. I also feel like I am involved with or at the brink of conflicts and confrontations all day long. I feel like I have to really work at everything, including reading, writing, and plain old conversing. In addition to all these pressures, I am supposed to “conduct myself in a manner worthy of my calling” (Ephesians 4:1). Guess what—yeah, I know You know this already. I can’t do it. I can’t handle life and Your expectations.

This is why I need you. Everyday I need to be affirmed by You. Everyday I need to feel that I am loved by You. Everyday I want to have the sense that You are walking with me. And like the slogan, “I don’t want to leave home without it”, I don’t want to leave my “prayer closet” without You because LORD, You are my sanity. You are my stress relief. You are my hiding place. You are my security. You are my strength. You are my joy. You are my hope. You are my rest.

My morning hours with You seems so unstructured, undisciplined, untraditional, and unconventional. It’s not a systematic study or a regimented prayer time. (Most of the other areas in my life are disciplined.)

You know that when I have tried to do a thematic Bible Study or pray systematically in the past, I’ve spent my time fighting to stay focused and on course. When I was done, I felt drained and exhausted before my day even began. It felt no different than the rest of my day.

These days, I let You take me where You want me to go. It feels wild and reckless, but at the end of our time together, I have a feeling of wholeness and well being. I feel like I have the energy and the power to deal with the rest of the day. I guess I’m not willing to trade our rendezvous for anything. I know our relationship can be better and I know that there can be much more. But at this point in time, I’m not willing to trade in what I have—a sense of your Presence, a feeling of intimacy for any “program” that seems to want to accomplish what I am already experiencing.

I can identify a little bit with the Psalmists who said, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalms 63:1) and “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go to meet with God.” (Psalms 42:1-2)

I am glad that I found You—on second thought, I am so glad that You found me because who else can give me life? (John 6:68-69). Thanks for listening. Love, me

Thanksgiving

2009-03-22T06:38:00.000-04:00

When things are going well for me, I am more apt to be thankful. When things are not going well, my response is, “Thanks a lot, God,” with no real gratitude. But this is the way I am. As my circumstances change, so do my feelings of appreciation of life change. Consequently, my feeling of gratefulness is like a roller coaster ride—up and down all the time.

To help me be more like a Child of Light—one who does “everything without complaining and arguing” (Philippians 2:14) and one who gives thanks in everything (I Thessalonians 5:18), I try to focus on something that doesn’t change—something that is consistent and constant. And the only thing that is unchanging in this world is God and His Word. And for this I can be thankful all the time.

When I feel like no one’s listening, recognizing me, or feeling alone, I can be thankful that God sees me and hears me (Psalms 33:13-15, 18:6). He is always with me and He will never abandon me (Hebrews 13:5). When I feel like no one understands or cares, I can be thankful that God understands (Hebrews 4:15) and God cares (Matthew 6:26). When I feel like my life and my world is falling apart, I can be thankful that God says that He sustains (Psalms 54:4) and He empowers me (Psalms 18:32). He holds all things together (Colossians 1:17). He’s going to work out everything okay (Romans 8:28) and He will finish the work that He has begun (Philippians 1:6).

When I do wrong and fail, and when I feel ugly and unloved, I can be thankful that He forgives me (Hebrews 8:12) and loves me in spite of what I did and the way I feel about myself (I John 3:19-20).

I am thankful that God is a good God, a faithful God (II Timothy 2:13), a God who loves me (Romans 8:38-39) and that will never change (Hebrews 13:8).

Stick-to-itiveness

2009-02-15T06:57:00.000-05:00

One of the things that characterize my life is my lack of stick-to-itiveness. As I look at my life, I have so many things that I have started with great gusto and somewhere along the way have forgotten about it or have lost interest in it, such as the projects I have deserted around the house. I am waiting for a more convenient time to respond to some of my emails that are already a few years old. I have also started quite a few letters, which have been forsaken. I have a few commitments and resolves that have been forgotten, too. There are several “To do” lists buried in my “pile” file, a very large “Work in Progress” folder, and a rapidly growing “Current Work In Progress” folder on my computer. I would not be at all surprised if I do not finish this thought and it too, will go into one of these folders.

It is probably frustrating for those that have to deal with me and I lament that I am not able to do everything I intend to do. However, I try to remember that I am also a “Work in Progress” and that God is not like me. I remind myself that He will never forsake or abandon me (Hebrews 13:5) and that He will complete the work that He began (Philippians 1:6). In this, I find great relief and comfort and the strength to go on.

Stewardship

2009-02-15T06:36:00.000-05:00

The late Dr. Vernon McGee says that most parables are parables of comparison. Luke is the only gospel writer that gives parables in contrast. Having heard this, “The Parable of the Shrewd Manager,” made perfect sense to me. When I heard this, I also remembered the parable in Luke 11:5-13 and how Jesus concluded the parable with, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" In this parable, I think that Jesus is communicating something similar—He is contrasting God’s relationship to and with us and the relationships we that we have to Him and to one another.

The world is very clear in their intent and purpose. The world knows how to use people and their possessions to their advantage for personal gain. The worldly master in Luke 16 applauds the manager because he found a way to dodge the bullet. As Children of Light, I’m not sure that we have this clarity in our spiritual lives. We claim that we are the Lord’s stewards of all of our earthly possessions. In this theology, we are correct, but I wonder if we are really idolaters in practice.

If our Master should call us to accountability today—if He should say to us, “This very night your life will be demanded from you,” I wonder how many of us would be convicted of misappropriation of funds or embezzlement? On the other hand, if we were called to give an account today, I wonder how many of us would say, “I never understood why you wanted me to give ‘Caesar’ anything, but because You said so, I did.” I wonder if this response would cause our Master to marvel at how we were able to cut our losses and “act so shrewdly.”

I Won't Do It!

2009-01-31T06:18:00.000-05:00

Families who have more than one child, are familiar with the “hand-me-down” system. It’s when one child outgrows clothing, the parents hand it down to the next child. In my family, we have a similar system. When my adult kids feel like their clothes have worn out their welcome, they hand it to me. I figure, if it fits and there are no gaping holes in it, they’re fit to wear.

One of my favorite hand-me-downs, is a t-shirt that I got from Sarah. The t-shirt has a picture of this child on it and it looks as if it’s been drawn with a piece of chalk on a dark blue background. This child has its arms folded with a stubborn look on its face. The inscription under it says, “I won’t do it!”

One day someone commented, “That’s cute! What won’t you do?” I immediately replied, “Sin. I won’t sin!” My friend, Sue, heard me; she turned, and said to me, “That’s what you think!” Sue was right. Sue was absolutely right.

In I John 1:8-10, John writes,

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.

When we participate in the LORD’s supper, we are confessing that it is only the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses and purifies us from all sin and unrighteousness. In thinking that we have some power over sin—in and of ourselves, we call Him a liar and He has no part in our lives. Thank God that He is faithful and just, and is no liar!

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

2008-11-28T04:20:00.000-05:00

Tommy told me that one of the “pat” answers that I used to give him when he was growing up was, “Keep your eyes on Jesus” or “What would Jesus do” no matter what the situation or question was. One day when he was seeking some financial advice, my answer to him was, “Fix your eyes on Jesus!”

When I heard that, I had two reactions. The first one was that I was and still am very embarrassed—embarrassed because I did not hear the seriousness of his question; Embarrassed because I did not hear the earnestness of his heart in seeking practical advice.

On the other hand, I am pleased that my children are remembering me in this way—as an eccentric whose cry was, “Fix your eyes on Jesus!” But it is my hope that these words eventually become more than a cliché or a “Dadism” in their lives. It is my hope that these words become the commentary of their lives. And it is my prayer that all their hopes and their hearts become permanently fixed on the One who has all the answers to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3).

Jesus Wept

2008-11-23T13:27:00.000-05:00

It used to always baffle me why Jesus wept before He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead in John 11. Most people say it is because Jesus identified and felt the sorrow for those who had lost their friend and relative. What confused me about this answer is that at least half a dozen times in this passage of Scripture, Jesus tells people that this illness was not, “unto death” but “for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified…”

If the people that Jesus said this to understood this, they should have rejoiced at the Good News that Jesus was coming and Lazarus was going to live. Instead, all the people mourned, Mary wept, and I think that as Jesus looked at the unbelieving hearts, He wept.

Jesus wept again as He approached Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-42). In Matthew 23:37-38 and Luke 13:34 we hear the cry of His heart, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”

I don’t think that Jesus just wept for the religious people and for the Jews—the people of God. I think that Jesus also wept for His disciples who did not understand or believe that He was going to rise from the dead even after he told them He was going to do this time and time again.

It is easy for us to be a Monday morning quarterback or a back seat driver. It’s easy for us to look at the people in Scripture and tell ourselves that if we were there, we would have done this or that. But I think that we can find out how we would have responded back then if we were to consider how we respond to God today.

Over and over again the Scripture tells us that Jesus is coming back. Do we live in that hope and expectation? Or do we hold on to this life and the things of this life as if that’s all there is and that’s all that matters? I wonder...does Jesus weep for us?

Jesus Says

2008-11-20T17:33:00.000-05:00

There are two frequent reactions or responses that I hear myself saying after Jesus speaks. The first one is, “Who do You think you are, Jesus?” I guess I have had my share of disappointments in life, that red flags go up in my head whenever people make statements that say, “Believe me!”, “Trust me.”, “You can count on what I say.”, or “You can bank on it.” All too often people either didn’t really mean what they said or they were unable to fulfill what they promised.

The second thing that I find myself saying to Jesus is, “That’s unreasonable and unrealistic!” Jesus says, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away”, “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away,” “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also,” or “do not worry about your life.” The kind of life that Jesus expects is not something that I am able, never mind willing to do.

Yet, this is the kind of life that God demands. If we were to take God at His word, it will do one of two things: It will either make us throw our hands up in the air and give up, or it will drive us to our knees and cry out, “Lord, help me! Lord, save me!”

This is why following after or imitating Jesus has the same purpose as keeping the Law. Paul says, “…the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.” (Galatians 3:24) Keeping the Law and imitating Christ reveals what is lacking in the Law and in us; therefore keeping the Law and following Jesus brings us to the foot of the cross. The sacrifice of Jesus does what the Law or our efforts cannot do—that is to be a holy and righteous people. If we believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father, it not only pleases Him immensely (Hebrews 11:4), but makes us righteous (Romans 3:22-23, Philippians 3:9).

Forgiveness

2008-11-16T08:24:00.000-05:00

There are so many times in the past and present when things that I've said and done have come back to haunt me. Many times I've found myself on the ground or head up against the wall crying out, "Lord, help me! Lord, forgive me! Lord, save me!" And often in the midst of my struggles, I remember the words of the Hebrew writer: "For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more..." –Hebrews 8:12

In these words, I find relief from my anguish and I am comforted. As ironic as this may sound, I have come to appreciate my struggles and these painful moments because in my agony, I am brought face to face with my Savior. My trials remind me of who I am, who He is, and what Jesus has done for me on Calvary.

I look forward to the day when I will be full transformed into His likeness and then, too, I will remember my sins no more. Until that time, I am grateful that I am the one that remembers my sins and He is the one that forgets them. I rejoice that it is not the other way around...

Daniel

2008-11-15T11:09:00.000-05:00

Most of us were surprised, if not shocked, when we heard that Daniel had died on Christmas Day. We were shocked because Daniel was such a young man and it didn’t seem right that his life was ended so abruptly. It just didn’t seem fair because he had just started out in life and he should have had a lifetime ahead of him. Because of his sudden death, some of us probably reflected on the uncertainties of life. It probably caused others to contemplate our own mortality.

At his funeral, all of the ministers that spoke recognized and acknowledged the sorrow and sadness among family and friends. However, all the ministers that spoke, focused on and emphasized the idea that this was a time of “Celebration” because when we looked at Daniel’s body, we were looking at an empty shell. Daniel was evicted out of his body and he was now at home with the LORD.

As I thought about Daniel’s death, I was reminded of the death of another. Like Daniel, Jesus also died. Like Daniel, Jesus was buried. But that’s where the similarities end. When we gathered around Daniel’s casket, we saw his body. When people went to Jesus’ tomb, it was, and still is, empty. Because it’s empty, we can have confidence in Jesus words: “He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.” (John 11:26)

This is why a death of a believer is a time of celebration. When we approached the casket and looked at Daniel’s body, we didn’t see a corpse, we saw an empty tomb. Isn’t that something to celebrate?

(Note: Christmas Day marks the Advent of Jesus into this world. Last Christmas was Daniel's advent into heaven).

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

2008-11-07T22:01:00.000-05:00

As I listen to some Christians talk, I sometimes wonder if we hear Scripture in the following way:

Paul, an apostle…by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful…peace to you from God our Father...Praise be to the God and Father…who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing…For He chose us…before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight…He predestined us to be adopted as His sons…in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace which He has freely given us…we have redemption…the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches…that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed…to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together…we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first…might be for the praise of His glory. And you were included…when you heard the word of truth, the gospel…Having believed, you were marked…with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory. –Ephesians 1:1-14

I also sometimes wonder if this was read from a pulpit if anyone would notice something missing. In this passage of Scripture, every reference to Jesus and His redemptive work was taken out. When we remove phrases like, “of Him”, “for Him”, “by Him”, “and through Him,” the emphasis of the text makes a dramatic shift. And yet, that’s the way we sometimes read Scripture.

Sometimes we make a big deal about predestination. Sometimes we make a bigger deal about being chosen and being the blessed of God. But what I think Paul wants us to see is that election is not possible without Jesus Christ. Paul is telling us that if Jesus was taken out of Scripture, he would not be an apostle, no one could claim to be a child of God, and we would be destitute of every spiritual blessing. This is why Paul continues to remind us not only what’s important, but WHO it is that we should remember, honor, and WHO really is the CHOSEN ONE before the creation of the world, “to the praise of His Glory.”

Disappointment

2008-11-02T06:13:00.000-05:00

This past summer, our attention was turned to the Olympics in Beijing. As the Olympics began, one of the stories that caught my interest was that of the American Gymnastics teams. Before the Olympics began, it was announced that two of United States’ key competitors, a man and a woman, relinquished their spots on gymnastics teams. Because of injuries, the man withdrew his spot altogether and the woman withdrew from three out of four events that she was supposed compete in. For both competitors it was heartbreaking. They both had poured out their hearts, souls, and lives to participate in these events. They had labored long and hard and had come so close only to end up with extreme disappointment. I think that most of us have experienced a similar kind of disappointment—where we gave our all only to come away with extreme disappointment.

Jesus also experienced disappointment. Gospel writers, Matthew and Luke, record Jesus saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Matthew 23:37-39, Luke 13:34). Can you hear the cry of Jesus’ heart? John writes, “He came to His own and His own received Him not” (John 1:10-11). For Jesus, His disappointment ended with His death.

For the most part, our disappointments are not fatal. But often when we experience such disappointments in life, there is no second chance. We have to swallow it and live with the results. That’s the way life is a lot of times…unless God is involved.

Thus we are reminded that even though Jesus’ death was fatal, it really did not end up in tragedy. The Hebrew writer tells us that even though Jesus scorned its shame, Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). The joy that was set before Him was your salvation and mine.

For centuries mankind has disappointed God. In the Garden, Adam disobeyed God. The people of God’s own choosing refused Him in the Wilderness. The people of God rejected His very own Son, Jesus. But when Jesus went to the cross, was buried and was raised from the dead, God makes one more appeal through Jesus inviting us to, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you...rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-30).

In life, we will experience many heartbreaks and disappointments. But we need to remind ourselves as we seek and strive to enter His Rest—the One who has shown Himself to be faithful throughout the centuries is the same One who claims that He will complete the good work that He began in us (Philippians 1:6). He has never disappointed His people in the past, and it’s a good bet that He won’t disappoint us in the future.

Knowing Scripture

2008-10-25T07:10:00.000-04:00

I was substituting for Robin’s Bible Class for International Students last week. I asked my students if it were possible to read and study the Bible and not know God. Two of the girls replied, “It is impossible!” So we turned to John 5:39 & 40 which reads:

You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.

I then asked the class if they had any favorite authors. One of the girls said that she liked J.K. Rowling and that she had read all of the Harry Potter books. I then asked this girl, “If J.K. Rowling came here, would you be able to go up to her and say, “Hi, J.K.!” and would she know you?

She thought for a moment and then replied, “Even though I like her books, I have no personal interest in this person.” What a remarkable statement and how appropriate to the class discussion!

Even though I did not quote John 1—

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. (John 1:1, 14, 11)

We did talk about how God’s people, the people of the Scriptures (Bible) had no personal interest in the Author. Instead, they were the front runners in rejecting and crucifying Him. At the end of class I again asked the students, “Is it possible to know Scripture and not know God?” This time I got a harmonious, “Yes!” I thought it was a good class.