Return to Our First Love

In chapters two and three in the Book of Revelation the Apostle John writes to the seven churches of Asia Minor. He first addresses the church in Ephesus. He commended it for carrying on its work in the face of great difficulties, for rejecting false teachers, for speaking against sin, and for not growing weary. It was loyal in its practices and doctrines and, like most or our churches today, it thought it was a church with which God would be pleased.

Following his commendations John pointed out one major complaint. It is found in Revelation 2:4. It is a complaint that all of our churches should heed. John wrote, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love" (NASB). What was John saying? He was saying that they had become so mechanical in their motions that they had lost the miraculous devotion that they had experienced when Jesus Christ first became real to them. They had become caught up in their rituals and they had lost sight of the reality of the relationship that they had experienced with the One who made it all possible.

Does this sound like any church that you know? I think we would have to agree that many churches are so caught up in budget, programs, image, and hundreds of other things that they do not have energy left to simply bask in the good news of the Gospel. It is not that churches are doing the wrong things. It is that they are too often not doing the main thing. We would be wise to learn from the Shorter Catechisms derived from the Westminster Confession of Faith. In answer to the question, what is the chief end of man, it says, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”

When was the last time you glorified and enjoyed the person of Jesus Christ? Most of us have been so busy doing the business of the Church that we have not had any energy left to really enjoy the blessings of the church. Consequently, we have not fully enjoyed the peace, joy and abundance that He wishes us to have.

The good news is that John gives us a solution to this dilemma in the next verse. He wrote, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first” (Rev. 2:5a NASB). You could call this the “3R’s” of restoring the joy of our salvation. First, we need to remember the joy and excitement we felt when Christ first became real to us and we invited Him into our hearts to be our Savior and Lord. Second, we need to repent of becoming too busy to have time to spend in developing our personal relationship with Him. Third, we need to return to the things we were doing at the beginning of the relationship. We need to devote ourselves to private time for reading the Word, praising God for our blessings, and praying privately to Him about all of our needs.

Imagine if every church followed John’s instructions to remember, repent and return to the way things were spiritually in the beginning. For to happen, it must start somewhere .We may not be able to speak for our entire church, but each one of us can speak for himself or herself. If enough of us would follow John’s admonition to remember, repent and return, we could revolutionize our churches. Sounds like an exciting way to start a New Year.

The Power of Thinking Right

Someone once said you could tell more about a person from their checkbook and their calendar than from anything else they have. The reasoning is simple. People spend their time and money on the things that are important to them. There is another important gauge of a person’s interest that is much more difficult to identify. If you can determine the things that a person thinks about all the time, you can know who they really are.

It has also been said that we become what we think. This line of thinking prompted William Barclay to write, “This is something of utmost importance, because it is the law of life that, if a man thinks of something often enough, he will come to the stage when he cannot stop thinking about it.” In other words, our thoughts can consume our time and energy and can go along way toward determining who we are going to become. Obviously there are some limitations in this theory. For example, if someone is 5’4’’ tall and weighs 240 lbs. and has a vertical jump of 6 inches, he is not going to play in the NBA no matter how much he thinks about it. Such an extreme illustration doesn’t change that it is important how we think because our thoughts play an important part in who we are and who we become.

Since our thoughts are this important, it would behoove each one of us to make a resolution at the beginning of this year to think right thoughts during the coming year. In Philippians 4:8 the Apostle Paul wrote, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things” (NASV). It would not be a bad idea for each one of us to adapt this verse for our resolution for 2012.

If we are serious about such a resolution, it will affect our lives dramatically. It will influence where we go, what we watch, what we read, and what we listen to. The results could be a changed life. Changed lives could mean happier homes and better communities. Considering the possible benefits, it is a resolution worth at least thinking about. After all, if you think about it enough, it may become who you are.

A Proper Reaction to Christmas

An old missionary, who had served primitive, island people groups his entire career, recounted a story of a Christmas gift he received from one of the natives. It was a beautiful shell. He commented on the beauty of the shell and inquired about where the native had found it. The native told him that he had traveled by foot to the far side of the island to find the shell. His journey had taken him across mountains and through dense forest. The missionary expressed his gratitude but he also expressed an apology for the man having to go such a long distance. In response to the apology the man explained that the journey was part of the gift.

On the first Christmas long ago, God gave the world its most valuable gift. He gave the gift of Himself. He stepped out of eternity into time. He stepped out of the realms of glory into a fallen world. He did not come with great pomp and ceremony. He came as a child. He came to a tiny stable, not a glorious palace. His journey was a part of His great gift of love.

The world’s reception of this marvelous gift is much the same today as it was two thousand years ago. We see today the same three responses to this gift received in the second chapter of The Gospel of Matthew. Like Herod, many grow anger and feel threatened by the Christ Child. They fear that He will threaten their way of life. They refuse to even entertain the idea that they too are recipients of this gift. Like the scribes and priests, who were caught up in their own activities and did not investigate these claims, many have heard of the gift but are so busy with life that they do not take the time to stop and reflect upon its significance for their lives. Like the Wiseman, many understand that there is something special about this child and they greet His coming with adoration.

Things have changed little. There is still one birth and three reactions, anger, apathy or adoration. As it was then, it is now; each individual must choose his/her response. The later response certainly brings a greater sense of awe and wonder during the Christmas Season.

The True Gift of Christmas

When our children were small we had a Christmas tradition in our home we called “family union”. On Christmas morning our two boys would come and get in bed with us. After several minutes of joking about Santa not being able to find our house, we would go to the tree to see what gifts they could find.

One Christmas following our family union time, we jumped up and raced into the living room, where the tree was located. Our eldest son was receiving a television for his room. Because of the cost of the television, he was getting practically no other gifts. The television was his Christmas.

The television was sitting on the coffee table across from the tree. He immediately wanted to turn it on. The cord was not long enough to reach the outlet. In my bull in a china shop manner, I picked up the table and the TV together and attempted to move it closer to an outlet. The freshly polished table was slick, causing the television to slip to the floor. The front hit first, breaking all of the dials and making the television useless.

You can imagine the impact on a ten-year old boy, when his entire Christmas was rendered useless. He ran to his room in tears and crawled to the foot of his bed. I joined him and we soaked his sheets with our tears. His heart was broken and so was mine. Finally, I was able to assure him the television could be fixed. I sought his forgiveness for being so careless. He was far more forgiving of me than I was of myself.

That year Christmas came on Sunday. After everyone had calmed down, we dressed for church. As we rode to church, I reflected upon the morning. I thought of the fragile nature of the things we get all excited about. We sometimes allow the commercial aspects of Christmas to detract us from the part of Christmas that is forever. I thought of the true gift of Christmas, the gift of God’s Son. I was grateful the true gift of Christmas could not be broken or taken away once it had been received. While these thoughts did not relieve my hurt for my son’s broken TV, they did give me a better perspective on the situation.

Do not allow worldly distractions spoil your Christmas. Guard against being overcome by all the festivities of the season to the point of neglecting the One it is all about. Strive to really keep Christ at the center of your focus. If you do, God will be honored and you will be blessed.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

On December 25, 1864, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow sat down and penned the words to one of my favorite Christmas hymns, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. History reminds us that on this date the Civil War had been raging for over three and one half years. As he wrote, he was not blind to the carnage the nation had suffered as brothers fought against brothers. His frustration can be seen in the third verse: “And in despair I bowed my head: ‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said, ‘For hate is strong, and mocks the song, Of peace on earth goodwill toward men’”

Sadly, one-hundred and fifty years later, there is still is malice and hatred in the world; wars still continue to rage between nations; brothers and sisters continue to battle one another, if not with weapons of war with unkind words and deeds; and there seems to be little hope for genuine peace anywhere on the horizon. If we do not look beyond the now to God’s promises for the future, verse three would be the ending of our song and we would face a future of despair.

After expressing the doubts that world events can invoke, he gave further thought and penned verse four:“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: ‘God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, goodwill to men.’”

Apparently, in his despair, Longfellow recognized that God’s ultimate plans would not be thwarted by the actions of men. In due time wrong will fail and right will prevail and there will be genuine peace on earth. The prophesy of Isaiah 2:4 will become a reality: “And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.”

The skeptic reads these words and thinks they are naive. What the skeptic does not take into account is the fact that God does not operate on a time schedule. To Him, a day is the same as a thousand years. God sits in a high position where He sees the entire canopy of history. He sees the beginning and the end and He declares through His prophet that the day is coming when “Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.” By trusting in His sovereign rule, we can always have hope. We can know that our hope is not wishful thinking but it is recognition of a future reality that has not yet been finalized.

The good news does not end here. While we look with longing to the future time of peace, we also have the promise of an inward peace that will enable us to deal with the hardships and futility that sometimes seems to control the world. We have the words of our Lord, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27 NASB). My prayer is that each one of us might experience the wonder of His peace during this season of the year when we celebrate His coming to this earth and that each one of us will loudly proclaim that He is not dead, nor does He sleep. He lives; He rules; and He will in His own time bring everything to a close according to His perfect will.

What Is So Threatening About Christmas?

For years there has been an active attempt to remove all symbols of Christianity from the public arena. This is most evident during the Christmas season. There is something about the symbols of Christmas that threaten the ACLU crowd. To me, this makes about as much sense as a democratic Moslem country being asked by a small Christian minority to remove all references of Ramadan from the public forum.

Regardless of how one feels about this issue, it seems to me the question must be asked, “What is so offensive about a holiday that teaches “peace on earth and good will toward men”? I believe that I have an answer to that question. The truth is that one can't hear the Christmas message and reflect upon all of its meaning without having a response. It forces us to consider eternal matters. It reminds us of God’s love and our responsibility to respond positively to that love. It points us beyond the cradle to the Cross. It demands that we deal with questions that extend beyond this life as we know it.

This is not a new phenomenon. In the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew we find three reactions to the birth of this baby that set the stage for attitudes throughout the ages. Herod felt threatened by the news of this birth. He saw this child as an infringement on his power and rule. He violently sought to stamp out the Christ Child. The scribes and Pharisees on the other hand chose to ignore Him as much as was possible. Although they had the prophesies of the sacred writings that pointed to the birth of a special child, there is little evidence that they took the time to seek out the child and to attempt to verify or disprove who He was. Finally, there were the Wisemen who came and paid homage to the Child. They saw that this child was special and they worshipped him.

Two thousand years have passed and we still celebrate this birth. There are still those who are threatened by it; there are still those who choose to ignore it; and there are still those who choose to worship the “newborn king”. For those who choose the latter, Christmas represents far more than the frills of Christmas decorations and gifts. It represents the greatest gift of all, the gift of God’s Son. It represents the gift that ultimately makes it possible for anyone who chooses to receive it to have eternal life.

Christmas Fruit

When I was a child fruit played an important part in our Christmas tradition. My grandmother felt she had failed in her Christmas responsibility if she did not bake each of her children a fruitcake each year. Her fruitcakes were baked a month ahead of time and wrapped in cheesecloth. On Christmas morning my stocking always had plenty of fruit. I especially liked the oranges. You could cut a hole in the end and place a peppermint stick into it, making yourself a great fruit drink. Of course, it would not be Christmas without some type of fruit salad for Christmas dinner.

One fruit I have not mentioned stands out. My grandmother always seemed to provide it. It was not bought in a store or baked in an oven. It was the fruit of the Spirit. It poured from her like an unending stream. She always had a plentiful supply. It flowed in the form of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It gave clear evidence of the One who indwelled her. This fruit was the natural outward manifestation of God’s Spirit in her life. It left memories in the mind of a young lad that still brings a smile to his face in his older years. The man now prays that someday his grandchildren may be able to say something similar about him.

The Christmas season is a time for an abundance of fruit. Along with the store bought fruit, my prayer is that in each of our homes there will also be a bountiful supply of the other fruit, the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit can’t be bought with money. It can only be obtained when we are willing to open our hearts to God’s Spirit and give Him reign in our lives. If we are willing to receive, He is willing to bestow this blessing upon us.

Christmas Is for Everyone

The account of the birth of Jesus is found in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. Matthew records the story of the Wise Men and Luke the story of the Shepherds. The two accounts present a wonderful contrast. The wisemen were men of great wealth. They had all that money could afford. The shepherds were common men. They were simple working people. While the former brought valuable gifts to the Christ child, the latter brought only their praise and worship.

There is a valuable lesson to be learned from these two accounts. It does not matter what your economic situation is; it does not matter what race you are; it does not matter what nationality you are; nor does it matter what part of the world you are from. Christmas is for everyone who is willing to stand in amazement at the birth of the Christ.

To really appreciate the full meaning of Christmas, it is important that one looks beyond the tiny stable in Bethlehem. As we gaze at the tiny baby in the manger, we need to look beyond to the city of Jerusalem and to a hill called Calvary. For it is to Calvary that this baby will go when He has grown to be a man. It was at Calvary that He would fulfill His purpose for coming. At Calvary, He would die for the sins of the world. He alone could do such a thing, because He led a perfect life. He would be the perfect sacrifice for the sins of man.

His death on the Cross did not complete the full story of Christmas. We need to look farther to the empty tomb. It is the empty tomb that placed a stamp of validation upon all the claims that Christ had made. It is His resurrection that finalizes His victory over death. It was His resurrection that provided the blessed hope that belongs to all those who place their trust in Him.

As we continue to gaze at the manger, we need to see another beautiful scene. We need to see to see the group of His followers that watched in wonder as He ascended into the heavens to take His rightful place with the Father. As we observe the scene we need to hear and to believe the words that the angels spoke, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11 NASB)

When we are able to see this full picture, while we are concentrating on the cradle, we will experience the full meaning of this wonderful birth that took place so long ago. My prayer is that we all will see beyond the manger and will see the entire story. For this story in its entirety is the hope for all mankind.

The Pursuit of Happiness

It is said that as Benjamin Franklin concluded a stirring speech on the guarantees of the Constitution, a heckler shouted, "Aw, them words don’t mean nothing at all. Where’s all the happiness you say it guarantees us?" Franklin smiled and replied, "My friend, the Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness; you have to catch it yourself."

For many people the next several weeks will be the saddest weeks of the year. For them the holiday season only reminds them of the loneliness and dissatisfaction in their lives. Each special activity simply exasperates the negative feelings hidden away in their hearts. Their attitudes prevent them from experiencing the joy and happiness that comes from giving thanks and rejoicing in God’s gift of His Son to mankind. A large part of their problems come from the fact that they have been pursuing happiness in all the wrong places.

Let’s face it, if most of us are left to our own devices, we will seek our happiness from people, possessions, power, and prestige. While each of these may bring a sense of fulfillment, none of them bring the deep heart felt contentment that our hearts cry for. This is not to say these things are unimportant but it is to say they are not all a person needs to find lasting contentment.

With this thought in mind, look at Proverbs 3:1-12. In these verses you will find six things that you can do that will assist you in pursuing happiness. You may want to go to the passage and read it for yourself. Until you do, here they are in outline form.

-1- Always remember God’s teachings. (3:1, 2)
-2- Practice kindness and truth. (3:4)
-3- Trust God in all things. (3:5, 6)
-4- Fear God and turn from evil. (3:7, 8)
-5- Honor God with your wealth. (3:9, 10)
-6- Receive God’s discipline willingly. (3:11, 12)

Ben Franklin was right. The government can not guarantee anyone happiness. It can create an environment in which we are free to pursue it for ourselves. As you pursue happiness throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, make sure that you chase after it in the right places and ways. Follow the advice of Solomon and look for it in the things listed above. If you do, this may well be the best holiday season that you have ever had.

Being Thankful When Times Are Hard

For most people, Thanksgiving through New Years is the busiest time of the year, .This year the shopping, feasting, rushing, ball games, family gatherings, and other activities may be less, because of the economic downturn we are suffering. However, I imagine most of us will still find enough things to do to leave us exhausted when it is over.

If our celebration is dampened by the bad economic news of late, we can choose to wallow in self pity or we can use the situation to lead us to count the blessing we do have. Regardless of our financial situation, we can experience the wonder of God’s bountiful gifts of grace and the wonder of God’s incarnation displayed to us in the birth of the Christ Child. We can appreciate our faith, family and friends. These are the blessings that last.

We can experience these things when we see our world through God's eyes. He wants us to see a reason for thanksgiving in every circumstance. His Word admonishes us to, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB).. There is a big difference between being thankful for something and being thankful in something. While I may not appreciate a circumstance in my life, I can give thanks for not having to endure it alone. I can know God is always present and He is able to bring good out of the worst of situations.

I can be thankful God does not change whether I am in the middle of a crisis or on a mountaintop. I can take comfort in His word that says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NASB). The stock market may tank, my body may give way to aging, people close to me may break my heart, but Jesus does not change. He is always available to comfort and to see me through.

If your life seems to be filled with more sorrow than joy, more want than plenty, more difficulties than blessings, ask God to show you the things for which you can give thanks. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to help you to develop the attitude reflected by the Apostle Paul when he wrote, “Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstance I am” (Philippians 4:11 NASB). On the other hand, if your bucket seems to be overflowing with blessings this year, consider that God did not give them to you to hoard. He gave them to you to share. Your sharing, your gift of kindness, may well be the thing that He wishes to use to place a spark of thanksgiving into the life of someone that is having a difficult time. Not only, will you be an instrument of God’s grace; you will experience first hand the truth in the saying that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive.

Remember the Source of Your Blessings and Be Thankful

In the eighth chapter of Deuteronomy, you find a stern warning from God to the Hebrews. He warned them against forgetting who had been responsible for the prosperity that they had received. Verse 17 reads, “Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth’” (NASB). Later in verse 19, God says, “It shall come about if you ever forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you shall surely perish” (NASB). If we read through the entire Old Testament, we find that time and again the Hebrews failed to heed this warning.

It is important to note that the Hebrews never denied God. In fact, they prided themselves on being His chosen people. However, they did forget that their God was a jealous God and they sought after other gods. Their forgetfulness brought God’s discipline upon them over and over.

There is an important lesson to be learned here, as we enter into the Thanksgiving season. This is the season for us to reflect upon our blessings. We are the most powerful nation in the world. Our poor would be considered middle class in most of the third world nations of the world. God’s fingerprints are all over our success. From our inception to the present, God has clearly blessed us.

Unfortunately, from all appearances, we have made the same mistake the ancient Hebrews made. We seem to have forgotten who is responsible for our strength and wealth. We give lip service to our God but our actions show that we are prideful about our accomplishments. Like the Hebrews, we have not denied God but we have allowed Him to become irrelevant to us, while we chase after the gods of power, prestige, pleasure and possessions. If we do not come to our senses and return to the God who has made this a great nation, we invite His discipline upon our nation.

You may ask, what can I do. You can make sure this Thanksgiving season that you and your family give God His proper place around your Thanksgiving table. Take time to give Him the thanks that He deserves. Remember that everything that you have comes from Him, either directly or indirectly. You can reaffirm His place in your life and turn from the gods of the world that seek your affections. You can give Him your thanks and give Him first place in your life. If enough people across our country will do that this Thanksgiving season, God may relent and we may avoid the discipline that is sure to come, if we continue down the path that the Hebrews of old followed.

An Anchor or a Launching Pad

Most athletic locker rooms are covered with posters. Each poster has a saying that reminds players of the importance of working hard and being committed to their task. During my coaching days, my favorite saying was, “It’s not how hard you get knocked down but how quick you get up that counts.” Anyone who has played sports realizes being knocked down is a part of the game and each new week brings a different set of challenges. To be a success you can’t feel sorry for yourself when things go wrong, and you can’t become complacent when success comes your way.

While these two principles are secular in nature, there is also a spiritual component to them. The Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul are perfect examples. Peter was willing to die for Christ until the time came to do so. Then, he denied Him three times. Later, he repented and Christ used him in a mighty way. The Apostle Paul had served Christ faithfully, but his past service did not keep him from looking to future work. He wrote, “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 3:14). His past successes did not allow him to stop looking forward because he knew there was much to do. The point is that neither man let the past define who he was. Their thoughts were not anchored in the past but they were looking to the future.

We should not allow our past failures to be an anchor around our neck, nor should we let our past successes become a source of pride. Our past, good and bad, will always be with us. Whether it becomes an anchor that holds us back or a launching pad for the future good works depends upon how we deal with it. An anchor or a launching pad, the choice is ours.

Is It Time for a Spiritual Check-Up?

Most medical people will tell you one of the secrets of good health is early detection. This is why it is a good policy to have regular physical checkups. When you go for your checkup, the first thing the doctor does is check your vital signs. He weighs you, listens to your heart and lungs, and takes your blood pressure. He orders a variety of blood test to make sure there are no danger signs. By checking these vital signs, he is able to get a good feel for your physical condition. If one of these vital signs is abnormal, he knows to look deeper to the cause for the abnormality. By identifying a problem early, he can often treat it and prevent it from becoming a major problem.

As surely as there are vital signs that identify a physical problem, there are vital signs that help a disciple of Jesus Christ recognize that he/she is having spiritual problems. Paul recognized this truth. In his second letter to the church at Corinth, He reminded them that it was wise for them to check on their spiritual health. He wrote, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!” (II Corinthians 13:5a NASB)

Let me suggest four crucial spiritual vital signs that disciples and churches can check to measure how healthy their spiritual life is. First, a healthy disciple will have a deep appreciation and hunger for God’s Word. When there is no interest in God’s Word, it is impossible for someone to grow up strong in the Lord. A steady balanced diet of God’s Word is as important to the spirit as a balanced diet of food is to the body. If it is missing, the spirit becomes weak and is open to a wide variety of attacks by the enemy.

Second, a healthy disciple will recognize that prayer is an essential element in ones spiritual development. Just as our nervous system transmits commands from our brain throughout our body, prayer keeps us in touch with our Head, Jesus Christ. You show me someone who has done great things for God and I will show you someone who has a powerful prayer life.

Third, a healthy disciple understands the importance of fellowship with other believers. The Christian faith was never meant to be a private faith. It was meant to be shared. Paul uses the analogy of the physical body to describe the church. He emphasizes that the body is effective only when it works in harmony with all the parts. It makes no sense for the eye to tell the ear that it doesn’t want to have anything to do with it. Each part is important. Working together all the parts can do great things. A healthy disciple understands that he needs others. He understands that it is a two way street. The church needs all of its parts and the individual parts need the church

Fourth, a healthy disciple has the right attitude toward stewardship. He understands that all of his time, talents and treasures belong to God. They are not his to own but they are his to be a steward over. Ultimately, it is God who should determine how he should use these gifts that He has bestowed on him. When someone hoards their time, talents and treasure, it is a sure sign that there is a problem with their spiritual health.

The good news is that we do not have to go to the doctor’s office to check on these spiritual vital signs. We need to get in a quiet place and allow the light of God’s Spirit shine into our lives. His light will reveal the areas upon which we need to improve. However, just as a doctor can prescribe medication for our physical problems but can not force us to take the medications he has prescribed, God’s Spirit can reveal our spiritual needs but He will not force us to follow His cure. Each one of us must decide, if we are going to do what is needed to become spiritually strong. When faced with this choice, it seems to me that our most sensible response is clear. We should follow God’s direction.

Finishing Strong

In the Book of Acts, during his comments about the Resurrection, the Apostle Paul made the following statement: “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay” (Acts 13:36 NASB). Later as Paul was approaching the end of his life he wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (II Timothy 4:7 NASB). What a wonderful testimony to the lives of these two men. They served their purpose, fought their fight, finished their course and kept their faith.

While we may admire the faithfulness of these two men, we should have as our life goals the desire to serve God’s purpose for our life and to live faithfully in our generation. In order to fulfill these goals, we need to learn four things from the lives of these men. First, every life has a purpose. In a world that sometimes makes us feel our lives are meaningless, we can know that in God’s economy we have purpose. There is no greater task for us than to discover and pursue the purpose for which God placed us here.

Second, the pursuit of this fulfillment is not always easy. Paul referred to it as a fight, implying that fulfilling our purpose is a struggle. Paul’s life was filled with obstacles both within the church and outside the church. In Ephesians 6:10, 17, he identifies his enemy and depicts his struggle with him in military terms. His enemy was the devil. We have the same enemy. His greatest desire is to hinder us from accomplishing the purposes God has for us.

Third, life is a marathon, not a sprint. Paul speaks of life as if he was running a race. If we read through his letters, we will discover that the course of his race had many mountains and valleys to overcome. He saw the end of his race as something to look forward to, not to dread. He clearly anticipated that in the end all of his efforts would prove to be worthwhile.

Fourth, our number one goal should be to remain faithful throughout our journey. Too often, we let the world define our success and in the process we compromise our principles. We need to remember that we can accomplish all the world requires for success and still be a failure in God’s economy. He measures our success, not in power or possessions, but in faithfulness.

We are involved in the race of life. Each one of us will come to the end of our race someday. Wherever we are in our race, we can make a commitment to run the remainder faithfully and to complete the course with the same assurance Paul had. As he neared the finish line he wrote, “in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (II Timothy 4:8 NASB).

Applying the Love Principle to our Debate

When I was a young man, there were many areas of grey in my life. By grey I mean areas to which the Scriptures did not speak directly. As I have grown older, the grey areas have diminished greatly. However, there are still areas upon which well meaning individuals can disagree. These are the areas Warren W. Wiersbe was referring to when he wrote, “Some activities we know are wrong, because the Bible clearly condemns them. Other activities we know are right, because the Bible clearly commands them. But when it comes to areas that are not clearly defined in Scripture, we find ourselves needing some other kind of guidance.” This issue isn’t a new one. Paul addressed it in his Letter to the Romans. I believe Romans 14 provides the guidance we need. Here are the five things we should always keep in mind, when discussing issues we don’t agree upon.

First, we should respect the opinions of others. Paul wrote, “Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions” (Romans 14:1 NASB). We can respect someone’s opinion even if we don’t agree with it. This doesn’t mean we can’t give a alternate interpretation. It does mean we are to give it without seeking to diminish the other person’s character and intelligence.

Second, we need to reflect on the truth that we are the judged and not the judge. Paul wrote, “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God...So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore” (Romans 14:10, 12, 13a NASB). Keep in mind we are talking about things that aren’t clearly commanded or condemned. For example, some might find attending an athletic event on Sunday to be an inappropriate manner to spend a Sunday afternoon. This same person may find no problem with watching it at home on his television.

Third, we need to refrain from being a stumbling block to others. Paul wrote, “…but rather determine this –not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way…It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles” (Romans 14:13b, 21 NASB). This warning is especially applicable to those who are vocal about their faith. There is always someone watching their actions, looking for something to justify their own questionable behavior. We need not be overwhelmed by what someone might or might not think, but we can make an effort to not intentionally do something that serves as s stumbling block for the purpose of exerting our right to do it.

Fourth, we need to rely on the Love Principle when making our decisions about things that aren’t clearly spelled out. Paul wrote, “For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:15-17 NASB). I believe Paul is saying we should be willing to forgo something we feel to be acceptable, if we know it is going to offend a fellow believer who does not share our belief. This falls under the command for us to submit one to another.

Fifth, we need to remember to always pursue peace and to build up one another. Paul wrote, “So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another” (Romans 14:19 NASB). If we would heed Paul’s advice and pursue the things we agree upon, the harmony created would present a clearer picture of genuine Christian fellowship to the unbelieving world around us.

Romans 14 gives us five valuable lessons on how to deal with questions that lead to differing opinions among well meaning Christian brothers and sisters. Hopefully, we will all take his advice to heart, when we are debating a brother or sister in Christ about matters that aren’t clearly defined.

Bitterness, the Wire Grass in our Life

A cheap way to have a yard with a plush carpet of grass is to plant a garden in the space reserved for the yard. Do nothing else. When the garden is ready to harvest, pull up the plants, mow what is left and you will have a great stand of grass. In fact, you may have grass my grandfather called wire grass. This grass was tenacious. It refused to die. He dug it up and threw it on the asphalt with its roots in the air, denying it any chance for water or soil. If he failed to get every bit of root, the grass came back as strong as ever in a matter of days.

Wire grass reminds me of bitterness. When bitterness takes root in someone’s life, it can take over. Just as wire grass can ruin a beautiful garden, bitterness can ruin a beautiful life. The focus of the bitterness becomes the driving force behind everything the individual does. Wire grass engulfs the vegetation in a garden causing the produce to bear less than its potential. In the same manner, bitterness extends its long tentacles throughout one’s life, preventing an individual from reaching full potential.

The damage from bitterness is not limited to the person who harbors it. It affects the lives of everyone the individual encounters. It can destroy peaceful relationships in a family, at a work place, in a church, on an athletic team, or in any group of people who are in regular contact with each other. The writer of Hebrews warned against this danger when he wrote, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15.

Some people attempt to bury their bitterness deep in their subconscious. That is like covering wire grass with dirt. For a time, it will look fine, but it will eventually surface and continue its destruction.

Dealing with the source of bitterness is a process. The process begins when we are willing recognize the problem. It is completed when our bitterness is replaced by God’s love. Paul gives us the process in Ephesians 4:31, 32: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

How Do You Measure Success?

An English visitor to the United States expressed difficulty in understanding the American way of doing things. He was particularly baffled over the way Americans drink tea. He could not understand why we heat it to make it hot and then we turn around and put ice in it to make it cold. To farther complicate matters, we add sugar to make it sweet and then we put lemon in it to make it sour. Certainly, every culture has traditions that seem strange and confusing to visitors.

Confusion does not limit itself to secular things. A visiting Christian from a country where Christians are routinely persecuted might have difficulty understanding some of the things we use to define successful Christians. In our country Christians are often judged to be successful by the size of their bank account, the size of their home, the prestige of their employment, and the number of gadgets they have to play with. What makes all this strange is that the One who is the author and finisher of our faith would not be considered successful if this was the criteria used to determine success.

When one examines the life of Jesus, he/she quickly discovers that Jesus walked away from a respectable trade. He never earned a regular salary. He never saved any money. He never owned a home. He never accumulated a large collection of status symbols. He walked to His destinations. He disappointed His followers because they could not understand what He was all about. Finally, He died a horrible death on a Cross between two criminals. In the eyes of most, He was considered to be a criminal or a political discontent. His only success was that He completed the mission for which He came and He was always obedient to the Heavenly Father who sent Him.

If we are going to continue to worship the Jesus of the New Testament, it would seem to be appropriate for us to change our understanding of success. While there is nothing evil about wealth and fame, they should not be used as the primary ingredients in gauging the success in the life of a Christian. For the Christian success has nothing to do with things such as these. A successful Christian is one who understands and seeks to follow the admonition of Jesus given in Matthew 6:33: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” A successful Christian is one who seeks to be obedient to the call of God on his/her life. A successful Christian is one who understands that all the treasures we accumulate on earth will stay here when we leave. It is the treasures that we store up in heaven that are eternal. The reward for being a successful Christian is not a guarantee of a trial free life but it is the joy, peace and abundance one experiences by being obedient to God.

Checking Your Vital Signs

Most medical people will tell you one of the secrets of good health is early detection. This is why it is a good policy to have regular physical checkups. When you go for your checkup, the first thing the doctor does is check your vital signs. He weighs you, listens to your heart and lungs, and takes your blood pressure. He orders a variety of blood test to make sure there are no danger signs. By checking these vital signs, he is able to get a good feel for your physical condition. If one of these vital signs is abnormal, he knows to look deeper to the cause for the abnormality. By identifying a problem early, he can often treat it and prevent it from becoming a major problem.

As surely as there are vital signs that identify a physical problem, there are vital signs that help a disciple of Jesus Christ recognize that he/she is having spiritual problems. Paul recognized this truth. In his second letter to the church at Corinth, He reminded them that it was wise for them to check on their spiritual health. He wrote, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!” (II Corinthians 13:5a NASB)

Let me suggest four crucial spiritual vital signs that disciples and churches can check to measure how healthy their spiritual life is. First, a healthy disciple will have a deep appreciation and hunger for God’s Word. When there is no interest in God’s Word, it is impossible for someone to grow up strong in the Lord. A steady balanced diet of God’s Word is as important to the spirit as a balanced diet of food is to the body. If it is missing, the spirit becomes weak and is open to a wide variety of attacks by the enemy.

Second, a healthy disciple will recognize that prayer is an essential element in ones spiritual development. Just as our nervous system transmits commands from our brain throughout our body, prayer keeps us in touch with our Head, Jesus Christ. You show me someone who has done great things for God and I will show you someone who has a powerful prayer life.

Third, a healthy disciple understands the importance of fellowship with other believers. The Christian faith was never meant to be a private faith. It was meant to be shared. Paul uses the analogy of the physical body to describe the church. He emphasizes that the body is effective only when it works in harmony with all the part. It makes no sense for the eye to tell the ear that it doesn’t want to have anything to do with it. Each part is important. Working together all the parts can do great things. A healthy disciple understands that he needs others. He understands that it is a two way street. The church needs all of its parts and the individual parts need the church

Fourth, a healthy disciple has the right attitude toward stewardship. He understands that all of his time, talents and treasures belong to God. They are not his to own but they are his to be a steward over. Ultimately, it is God who should determine how he should use these gifts that He has bestowed on him. When someone hoards their time, talents and treasure, it is a sure sign that there is a problem with their spiritual health.

The good news is that we do not have to go to the doctor’s office to check on these spiritual vital signs. We need to get in a quiet place and allow the light of God’s Spirit shine into our lives. His light will reveal the areas upon which we need to improve. However, just as a doctor can prescribe medication for our physical problems but can not force us to take the medications he has prescribed, God’s Spirit can reveal our spiritual needs but He will not force us to follow His cure. Each one of us must decide, if we are going to do what is needed to become spiritually strong. When faced with this choice, it seems to me that our most sensible response is clear. We should follow God’s direction.

Power of Encouragement

One of the greatest joys in life is to watch individuals grow to reach their full potential and to know you may have had a small part in their growth. The secret to this accomplishment is to convince people that they can do great things. True, everyone does not have the same degree of potential but everyone can develop the potential they do have. While there are many things that can be instrumental in motivating someone to reach their potential, there is no greater tool than encouragement.

While most of the secular world understands the importance of the “power of encouragement”, the one place that should understand it best, seems to understand it least. I am speaking of the church. Far too often, the church (people not the building) gives the impression that it expects its members to fail in their efforts to reach their full potential in their Christian walk. This is especially true for the prodigal, who returns to the fold. While outward there may be celebration, inward there is often an undercurrent of skepticism about the sincerity of the individual’s actions.

Wherever this expectation for failure originates, it is not the Scripture. The Scripture clearly instructs us to be encouragers of one another. In Hebrews 12:1 (NASB) we read, “Therefore, since we have a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” While everyone can not agree on who makes up the cloud of witnesses, the overall implication is clear. We have a heavenly host of witnesses watching us and pulling for us. They are not watching expecting us to fail but they are expecting us to run our race successfully. They are our cheering section.

If we have a heavenly cheering section, should we not cheer and encourage one another? Scripture exhorts us to do just that. Paul writes in Romans 14:19 (NASB), “So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” The writer of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 3:13 (NASB), “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today’, lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Neither of these verses refers to success in the secular world. They refer to encouraging each other in the faith. It is hard to live the Christian life in our world. Considering the difficulty, it makes sense for us to stop stoning one another and to start encouraging one another to move forward and to grow to reach maturity in our faith.

Wherever you are in your race, I want to encourage you to keep on keeping on. There will be times when you feel like quitting. There will be times that you stumble and fall. There will be times when you feel those around you are expecting you to fail. When these times come, remember all the people you have pulling for you. Get up; dust yourself off. Continue the race. The victory awaits you at the finish line. With God’s help, you can do it.

Beware of Stereotypes

A group of retired gentlemen from a former church I served met each morning at the local fast food restaurant for breakfast. One morning as they waited to order, a group of bikers entered the restaurant. As they looked back over their shoulder, they could see that the bikers were adorned with the usual leather and chains. Most had long hair, pierced ears and tattoos. The men expected the bikers and their lady friends to be loud and obnoxious, but they went ahead and purchased their usual breakfast, fully expecting that their normal peace and quiet would be lost for this morning.

As they moved toward their table, they walked past the bikers to their table. As they sat down, they glanced at the bikers. To their amazement, on the back of their leather vests was an emblem with the name of their group. Their name was “Bikers for Jesus”.

The men were embarrassed because they had made wrong assumptions based on their stereotype of individuals who belonged to a motorcycle group. After several minutes, one of the men went over to the bikers and began to strike up a conversation. He discovered that the group was in town for a rally that was being held nearby. He said that he and his friends attempted to go to several rallies each year. Their purposes for attending were twofold. First, they enjoyed the camaraderie of their fellow bikers. Second, it gave them an opportunity to share Christ with other bikers.

After several minutes, the bikers crawled on their machines and roared out of the parking lot. The regular customers were left to discuss how wrong they had been about these strangers on motorcycles. It left them feeling guilty because they knew they weren’t nearly as bold in their witness to their friends as these bikers were to their friends.

This experience taught these men a valuable lesson. They learned that it doesn’t pay to judge a man or woman by an arbitrary stereotype developed through misinformation and prejudice. This is a lesson we all need to learn. The world would be a better place if we would trash all of our stereotypes and, if we are going to judge at all, we would judge each person individually and not by predetermined ideas. If we would allow experience and relationship to determine our opinions, we may make new friends that we never thought we would have, and our lives would be the richer for it.

Appreciating Our Differences

My wife and I are very different. She is an extremely intuitive person. When she talks with our children on the phone, she can sense when something is wrong. When I walk through the door at the end of a busy day, she can sense the kind of day I have had. She always wants to know how I feel about things. On the other hand, I am a cognitive person. I tend to want to deal with facts, not feelings. She asks, “How do you feel about this situation?” I ask, “Why is this situation the way that it is?” Her conversations can grow long, while mine are short and to the point.

An improper understanding might suggest my wife is too sentimental and I lack compassion. Neither would be correct. We are different. We both care deeply about those around us, but we deal with things differently. Early in our marriage these differences caused stress in our relationship. In later years, we have come to understand God’s great wisdom in bringing two distinctly different people together.

Understanding Genesis 2:18 has helped to give us an understanding about why we are really good for each other. The verse reads, “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.’” The key is an understanding of the phrase “help meet”. This term literally means to supply that which is missing or to complete. It means that God saw what was lacking in man and gave him his wife to complete him. I believe this is a reciprocal arrangement. It is not about power or control but it is about completing one another.

This principle can be illustrated with a lock and a key. A lock without a key is of no use. A key without a lock is of no use. Together, they can provide a needed service. It would be foolish to sit around and to debate which one was more important. The fact is the lock and the key need each other to fulfill their purpose. The same principle applies in the life of a husband and wife.

Understanding this principle has enabled my wife and I to understand our differences shouldn’t be sources of irritation but sources of strength. We complement each other. We help provide balance to each other. We have come to appreciate our differences. We thank God for our differences, because we know together we are at our best. Coming to this understanding has given us forty-three years together.

If you and your spouse are total opposites like my wife and I, remember your differences are God’s blessing to you. God brought you together to complement each other, not to confound each other. Appreciate the differences and let them bring balance to your life and your relationship.

You Are Gifted

My lack of technological and mechanical skills has been well documented. Over the years, God has been gracious enough to provide individuals, who are gifted in these areas, to make up for my shortfall. These individuals have been great blessings to me.

There was a time when my deficiency bothered me, making me feel inadequate. Each time, God would remind me that these individuals might feel as equally uncomfortable standing in the pulpit, as I feel with a wrench in my hand staring at an engine or a crashed computer. This is why God has placed so many different types of people in His church. The diversity is present to teach us that we are to use our differences to minister to one another. The Apostle Peter said it this way: “And each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (I Peter 4:10)

In this verse, Peter tells us that each one of us has been given a gift or gifts. God doesn’t leave any of His children out. He doesn’t give to some and leave others without anything. Our gifts are diversified but each gift is necessary for the well being of the church. Since each gift is important, we shouldn’t hold one gift as more important than another nor should we boast of the gift we have. Once we determine our gift, we must decide how we will use it. Will we use it for selfish gain or will we give it back to God and let Him use it for His glory?

In the mind of Peter, the answer to this question was clear. God gives individual gifts to those in His church because He wished for them to use them to serve one another. He never meant for His children to hoard their gifts or to keep them secret. He meant for the wide assortments of gifts within the Body of Christ to be used for the building up of the Body. Therefore, when we identify the gifts God has given to us, we need to seek the place where we can best use them to serve one another. When the Body of Christ takes seriously this mandate to serve one another, the Body is at its strongest. It is able to reach its full potential.

Peter also reminds us that we are held responsible for how we use our gifts. He tells us that we are to be good stewards of these gifts. If we are good stewards, we will use our gifts in the service of others. Unselfish service to others may not pad our billfold but it will bring joy to our hearts. However, the greatest reward will come on the day we stand before our Lord and He says, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

Keep these thoughts in mind, when you are approached to give of your time in the service of your church. Remember! God gave you gifts to use in the service of others. He expects you to use them and He will hold you accountable for your stewardship in this matter. If everyone would remember these truths and would apply them, our churches would never be short of workers. They would always be enough workers to do all God has for us to do.

Keep Pushing the Harvest Is Just Ahead

As a young man I had the opportunity to coach for the late W.L. Varner, one of the legends of high school football in the state of South Carolina. Six years of coaching under his leadership resulted in four conference championships, two upper state championships and one state championship. Following my departure, his teams won three more consecutive state championships. The secret to his success was not simply great athletes. In fact the number of truly great athletes were few. His secret was the ability to take good athletes and to convince them that they were great athletes.

Coach Varner expected greatness and he kept that possibility before his players and coaches at all times. He did not tolerate negative thinking. He expected players and coaches to always anticipate winning. Our dressing room walls were covered with game axioms that helped illustrate what it took to be a winner. One of my favorite was, “It is not how hard you get knocked down; it is how fast you get up that counts”.

That is one of the great things about athletics. If you lose a game, there is always the next game that demands your attention. You can not dwell on past failures or past accomplishments. You must concentrate on the things in front of you. If you keep getting up after being knocked down, eventually good things will happen. Even, if the scoreboard does not reflect that you are a winner, you can know you are a winner in your heart, because you did not give up. You continued to give your best and develop your skills to their maximum capacity. No one could ask for you to do more.

There is a spiritual parallel to the athletic axiom above. Paul wrote: “And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9 NASV). Too many people believe that a person’s spiritual health can be judged by the absence of difficulty in their life. The scripture does not support this type of thinking. In fact, the scripture is clear that Christians should expect difficulties. The good news is that Christ provides the strength for believers to live above their difficulties. After listing a long list of difficulties, Paul wrote these words: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 NASB)

Unfortunately, many do not understand these truths. They devote themselves to spiritual things for a season, expecting all of their troubles to disappear. When they don’t receive the desired results they give up and revert back to their former ways. As a result, they fail to reap the harvest that God promises.

If you happen to be in a spiritual dry place, if your efforts for Christ seem to have not benefited you, if you are ready to throw in the towel and to call it quits, let me encourage you to hang in there. God is always true to His word. His word says, “for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary”. Your harvest may be just ahead of you. Until it comes, remember that Christ will give you the strength to live victoriously in your present circumstance, if you will only appropriate the grace He makes available.

Comments on this blog are welcomed. You may contact Dennis at dennis@entrustedministries.org

The Positive Side of Adversity

Have you ever wondered why God allows adversity in the life of His children? Most of us, who are parents, would rescue our children from adversity if we had the power to do so. God certainly has the power, but He doesn’t always choose to use it. His children are often called upon to endure trials and tribulation. In fact, His word tells us that we can expect trials in this life. The writer of James records these words: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” James1:3, 4 NASB).

Have you ever attempted to convince your children that their trials should be counted as joy? For that matter, have you ever attempted to convince yourself? It is a hard sell. The following illustration from the animal kingdom may help add clarity to why suffering can be for our good.

“A little boy watched an emperor butterfly emerge from its cocoon. Now, this process is painful to observe. The cocoon has a little opening at the end and the butterfly has to squeeze out of it. It is a terrible struggle. It pushes and squeezes so hard that one can actually see its body pulsating and quivering from exhaustion. And the progress is so slow-the butterfly pushes and rests, pushes and rests. Finally, it pulls itself together for one last momentous push and its out-drained and sapped of energy, but ready to fly. As this little boy watched the emperor butterfly struggle, he felt sorry for it and decided to do it a favor. He very carefully took his pocketknife and slit the opening in the cocoon just a little bit wider to make it easy for the poor little creature to emerge. He thought he was sparing the butterfly trial and suffering. What he did, however, kept the butterfly from ever reaching its potential. He ruined the butterfly! That squeezing and pushing is necessary and vital because that pressure serves to push blood and body fluids into the wings. Because the butterfly did not go throughout the struggle, its wings were useless. It could never fly!” (The Communicator’s Commentary on Deuteronomy, p.152)

Our heavenly Father takes no joy in the trials His children must endure, but He realizes that a certain amount of trial is needed to help them grow strong. He knows each one of them personally and He knows just the amount of struggle they need to prepare them for the life that is ahead of them. Without any adversity, they would never grow to their full potential. As earthly parents, one thing seems to be certain. We don’t need to rescue our children from every predicament in which they find themselves. If we do, we aren’t doing them any favors, but we are preventing them from reaching their full potential. On the other hand, we do need to pray that we would have the wisdom to know when to intervene on their behalf and when we need to let them grow through struggle.

Plowing, planting, planning

HEART THOUGHTS…from Helen
Ezekiel 36:9 “I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown”.

Our garden flopped. It’s been a number of years since we attempted to plant a vegetable garden but decided to try it this spring. My husband knows how to grow a garden; his last effort resulted in more vegetables than I knew what to do with. But that was in another place in another time long ago. This year we decided on just a small plot of ground for a few tomato plants, squash, bell peppers, cucumbers and hot peppers.

We plowed, we planted, we fertilized, we watered, and we waited. The plants came up nicely, all but the cucumbers which succumbed to dogs and a resident rabbit. We trellised the tomato plants. The squash bushes did bear fruit until our hail storm. The tomato plants grew and produced tiny tomatoes which never got much bigger. Some ripened but they’ve all been small. It’s been a disappointment over all.
We’ve come to the conclusion that we failed to prepare the soil as we should. There’s always ‘next year’, right?!

In the garden of my life, I wonder if I’ve been a disappointment at times. Scripture gives so many illustrations of gardening, but I love the one from John 15:1 especially: “I am the True Vine and My Father is the gardener.” Consulting with the Master Gardener always pays off. Perhaps my soil needs plowing. That’s not a pleasant thought but gardens must be plowed each season. It’s not that one turning of the soil will do for life.

This morning I ran across this verse from Ezekiel 36 that spoke to me. “I am concerned for you…you will be plowed and sown.” The Lord God, our Gardener cares enough about us to plow us under seasonally. He knows our soil and just what fertilizer it needs to grow the crop He has in mind.

The plowing isn’t fun, unless you’re the one doing it, and not the one being plowed. Reminds me of the poem of Amy Carmichael:

The toad beneath the harrow knows
Exactly where each tooth point goes
The butterfly upon the road
Preaches contentment to that toad.

Father, Gardener of my soul, thank you for plowing and preparing me for what you have prepared for me.

Plowing, planting, planning

HEART THOUGHTS…from Helen
Ezekiel 36:9 “I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown”.

Our garden flopped. It’s been a number of years since we attempted to plant a vegetable garden but decided to try it this spring. My husband knows how to grow a garden; his last effort resulted in more vegetables than I knew what to do with. But that was in another place in another time long ago. This year we decided on just a small plot of ground for a few tomato plants, squash, bell peppers, cucumbers and hot peppers.

We plowed, we planted, we fertilized, we watered, and we waited. The plants came up nicely, all but the cucumbers which succumbed to dogs and a resident rabbit. We trellised the tomato plants. The squash bushes did bear fruit until our hail storm. The tomato plants grew and produced tiny tomatoes which never got much bigger. Some ripened but they’ve all been small. It’s been a disappointment over all.
We’ve come to the conclusion that we failed to prepare the soil as we should. There’s always ‘next year’, right?!

In the garden of my life, I wonder if I’ve been a disappointment at times. Scripture gives so many illustrations of gardening, but I love the one from John 15:1 especially: “I am the True Vine and My Father is the gardener.” Consulting with the Master Gardener always pays off. Perhaps my soil needs plowing. That’s not a pleasant thought but gardens must be plowed each season. It’s not that one turning of the soil will do for life.

This morning I ran across this verse from Ezekiel 36 that spoke to me. “I am concerned for you…you will be plowed and sown.” The Lord God, our Gardener cares enough about us to plow us under seasonally. He knows our soil and just what fertilizer it needs to grow the crop He has in mind.
The plowing isn’t fun, unless you’re the one doing it, and not the one being plowed. Reminds me of the poem of Amy Carmichael:

The toad beneath the harrow knows
Exactly where each tooth point goes
The butterfly upon the road
Preaches contentment to that toad.

Father, Gardener of my soul, thank you for plowing and preparing me for what you have prepared for me.

Dried Grape or Raisin, Your Choice

According to the Sun Maid website, in 1872 William Thompson of Sutter County, California, brought the Sultanina seedless grape to California. The first year his new grapes escaped the flooding that destroyed many of the crops in the area. In 1873, he was not as fortunate. A serious drought left the grapes dried on the vine. Refusing to accept what appeared to be the inevitable; Thompson harvested the dried grapes and marketed them as “Peruvian Delicacies.” The grapes became known as “Thompson seedless” and the California commercial raisin industry was born.

There are many people in our world like those dried grapes. The hot dry winds of adversity have blown upon them so long that they can not see any hope for their life. If you know someone like this, tell him/her there is hope. Our God is in the business of adding the living water of Jesus Christ to the lives of those who have been dried out by life. This life giving water brings both life and flavor to the life of any individual that is willing to receive it.

History is filled with individuals who have overcome their circumstances through the grace of God. Through God’s grace they have become raisin people, if you will. One of the many is David Ring. David was born with cerebral palsy. He became an orphan at an early age in life. His childhood was marked by constant ridicule from his peers. Due to the nature of his condition, he was unable to remain with any one family for long. He was cast about from family to family. David was a prime candidate for one who would dry up on the vine of life.

When he had reached the end of his rope, he received the living water of Jesus Christ. Through his relationship to Christ he learned self-acceptance. He refused to allow his handicap to define him as a person. With a spirit that refused to remain dried up on the vine and with the enabling power of God, David has become a nationally known speaker. When one first sees him come to the podium to speak, the tendency is to feel pity. The effects of his cerebral palsy on his movement and on his speech are evident. After he speaks for a few minutes, one loses the sense of pity and realizes this is a man who refused to remain dried on the vine. He chose to respond to the call of God on his life and become a true raisin of a man.

One of David’s favorite lines in the introduction of his testimony is, “I have cerebral palsy-What’s your problem?” With this simple pointed question, he makes his listeners look at their own lives. Many immediately begin to see that the things that oppress them are small in comparison. They see that they are not destined to stay dried on the vine, Instead, they can become raisin people, if they will receive the living water, which God wishes them to have.

Are you in a dry place in life? Don’t believe those voices that tell you there is no hope. Look to the one who is in the business of taking dried out lives and making them into raisin people and believe that you too can become one.

The Power of Influence

During my years of ministry, I have attended several of John Maxwell’s seminars and I have read several of his books. In the first seminar I attended, he gave a definition of leadership that has stuck with me through the years. He reduced his definition for leadership to one word, influence. Over the years I have read other books, but I haven’t found a better definition. It is concise, simple and at the same time profound. Real leaders do more than hold a title or occupy a position. They influence their world and bring about change in the lives of those they lead. You can see this principle active in homes, businesses, sports, politics, churches, entertainment and all other parts of society.

If leadership is influence, it is critical that we recognize it can be negative or positive. A true leader will lead. The question is, “Where will he/she lead?” Our “Founding Fathers” influenced those they led and created a nation that is in my opinion the greatest nation in the world. On the other hand, Adolph Hitler influenced a nation and led it down a path that caused immeasurable suffering for the world.

Because of its awesome power to change things for good or evil, leadership carries with it a tremendous responsibility that can’t be cast aside. Parents, pastors, religious leaders, famous athletes, politicians, rock stars, movie stars and any others who have some one looking to them for direction can not escape this responsibility.

The higher the profile in society the greater the responsibility the leader has. Richard C. Halverson, former Chaplain to the US Senate, wrote, “Whether a man likes it or not--if he’s in a place of leadership--he will be influencing others. He has no right just to consider himself! He must think in terms of his influence. This is a part of the price of leadership! Not just the man himself--but what happens to those who follow in his footsteps--is the serious responsibility of the leader--the big man! This is inescapable! ‘To whom much is given--much shall surely be required!’—Jesus.”

The responsibility of a leader is a fact. How a leader responds will be the basis upon which he/she will be judged. Ultimately, each leader will be judged by the only perfect leader the world has known. I speak of course of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

That Is Not My Call

Following a severe thunder storm my wife asked our five year old granddaughter, if the storm had frightened her. She replied, “We were out in it and it frightened me some. I said a little prayer asking God to make it stop. Then I thought that is not my call is it?”

It amazes me how, not realizing it, children can be incredibly profound. Her response had no element of fear or frustration over the situation being completely out of her hand. She was content to know it was in God’s hands. I pray that simple sense of trust will follow her and will comfort her when she grows older and the storms of life swirl around her.

Her response brought to mind a sermon I heard at a pastor’s conference early in my ministry. I can’t remember the preacher’s name but I remember the sermon title, the scripture and the three points he brought forward. The title was “God of the Whirlwind.” His scripture was Nahum 1”3b: “In whirlwind and storm is His way and clouds are the dust beneath His feet (NASB).” His three points were God was before the whirlwind, God was in the whirlwind and God will be there when the whirlwind is over.

It appears to me this is an important message for our generation, since we tend to move from one whirlwind to another. The storms of uncertainty in our country today are blowing hard. It seems to me that the fear and frustration among our people grows with each passing day. Much of this unrest revolves around the economic conditions in the country. For many Christians, the greatest storm is the downward spiral of standards of morality. For others it is the fear brought about by medical problems. The list of possible life crippling whirlwinds could go on forever and still miss the one in your life.

Whatever the whirlwind is in your life, I have good news for you from the not so well known prophet, Nahum.

“The Lord is good, (Perfect)
A stronghold in the day of trouble, (Powerful)
And He knows those who take refuge in Him.” (Personal)
Nahum 1:7 NASB (bold print added)

Prayer: Lord, help each one of us to take our eyes off the whirlwind in our life and to focus on the perfect, powerful and personal God who we worship. Amen

God’s Compliance Officers

The first job my oldest son had after graduating from college was with OSHA. When I told people that he worked for OSHA, their replies were generally two fold. First, they would say that a government job was a good job to have. Second, they would say they bet no one liked to see him coming. They were right on both counts, especially the second one. During the years he worked with OSHA, he learned that no one looked forward to his coming and few had kind words for him, when he arrived. He was often subjected to verbal insults, most of which were mumbled and not spoken out loud. While he didn’t make the rules he was hired to enforce them, making him the focus of people’s dissatisfaction

As I have reflected upon my son’s job as an OSHA compliance officer, I couldn’t help but think that it was not unlike the job of the Old Testament prophets and modern day preachers. They were and are God’s compliance officers. Today, they still don’t make the rules but they remind the people when they disobey them. When they speak words that reveal sin in their lives, people rebel and speak harshly about them.

Through the centuries the heart of man has changed very little. He is still is reluctant to hear the truth of God’s Word. He would rather hear words that make him feel good than words that bring conviction to his soul. Paul wrote to the young pastor Timothy about a time when people would refuse to hear sound doctrine. He wrote: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (II timothy 4:3, 4 NIV). There have been individuals who fit this description in every generation. In response God’s prophets have been called upon to continue to preach the truth of his Word regardless of their angry responses.

I read that John Wesley asked young preachers who he was training two questions when they would return from a Sunday of preaching. He would ask, “Did anyone get angry?” and “Did anyone get convicted?” If a young man answered no to both questions, Wesley would discontinue theirs training. This may sound harsh but it isn’t a bad test to render. Those who God calls to speak His Word are called to speak the words of comfort and encouragement but they are also called upon to speak words of truth that bring conviction. We need more individuals who are willing to stand for the truth of God’s word, regardless of the cost. God may use their faithfulness to bring the revival that we need in our nation today.

Living Free

Chrysostom, a fourth century patriarch of Constantinople, was a great example of being free indeed. One of the stories attributed to him had to do with an occasion when the Roman Emperor demanded that he renounce his faith. The emperor’s first threat was to have him banished from the kingdom, if he refused to deny his faith in Christ. To this threat Chrysostom replied, “You cannot because the whole world is my Father’s kingdom.” The second threat was to take his life. Again he replied, “You cannot, for my life is hid with Christ in God.” The third threat was to take all of his treasures. His reply was, “You cannot, for my treasure is in heaven where my heart is.” Finally the emperor threatened to drive him away from anyone who may befriend him, leaving him all alone. Chrysostom had a ready reply. He said, “You cannot, for I have one Friend from whom you can never separate me. I defy you for you can do me no harm.” Chrysostom had learned the secret of living free under the most adverse conditions.

We do not face this kind of threat because of our religious faith. We are blessed to live where we can worship as we please. While we have political freedom, many of our people have not learned to live free. They remain enslaved to their own passions, habits and fears.

Jesus provided for us a way to live our lives totally free. He said, "So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘if you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free…So if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed”(John 8:31, 36 NASB). From these verses there appears to be three steps to realizing genuine spiritual freedom.

The first step is to believe in Jesus. In the scriptures belief in Jesus is more than an intellectual accent to the reality that He lived. Belief refers to the belief He was who He said that He was. It is the belief He is the answer to man’s sin problem. It is the belief He is the Savior and that through Him the relationship that was broken by sin can be restored.

The second step has to do with abiding in His word. While we have everything we need to live free, when we believe and receive Christ, we do not experience our freedom until we learn to abide in His word. When we abide in His word, it becomes the governing force in our lives.

The third step is to grow in our understanding of the truth. John 14:6 (NASB) reads, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” Jesus did not say he knew the truth; He said “I am the truth”. As our understanding of Him grows, we become equipped to truly live free, because He becomes the source of our freedom.

When we walk this path step by step we come to understand what it means to be “free indeed”. Chrysostom understood. Fear of death, loneliness, loss of treasure did not bind him. He found all that he needed in Christ. We have much to learn from his example.

Parable of the Prodigal Sons

Most of us are familiar with the Parable of the Prodigal Son found in the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. It is the story of a young man who took his inheritance, while his father was still living, and squandered it in a foreign land on fleshly desires. When he reached the bottom of the barrel, he decided to return home and to throw himself upon the mercy of his father.

Upon his return, his father welcomed him with open arms. He placed the finest robe upon him and had a feast prepared in his honor. The father and his entire household except for one individual rejoiced at the young man’s return. The one who refused to rejoice was the young prodigal’s older brother.

The older brother had not strayed from home. He had remained home and served his father faithfully. He had not yielded to the temptations of a worldly life. He had not been caught up in the sins of commission and omission like his younger brother. His self righteousness attitude made it difficult for him to understand the fuss being made over his brother, when he was clearly the most obedient one.

While the older brother appeared on the service to be the faithful one, he had fallen captive to the sins of resentment, envy, anger, and pride. Rather than celebrate the homecoming of his younger brother, he resented the attention his he was receiving. He found no joy in the fact that his brother had seen the errors of his ways and had returned home. In his own way, the older brother had also become a prodigal.

There is an important lesson to be learned from this older brother. It is possible to be a prodigal and to never leave home. The lesson of the prodigal that stayed home is a lesson for those who have been faithful to their church and have not wandered from the things they had learned as children. If they are not careful they can develop an attitude of superiority that makes it difficult to rejoice over those who have strayed, seen the error of their ways, and come home.

When one considers the actions of the older son, this could easily be called the Parable of the Two Sons, leaving us with two important lessons. First, it is a lesson about the foolishness of turning our backs on the truth of the teachings we have received and squandering our heavenly blessings on things that can only bring temporary satisfaction. Second, it is the lesson that teaches us that it is possible to serve the heavenly Father faithfully and still not be in fellowship with Him, because of our attitude toward those who have fallen away, seen the error of their ways and returned home.

Jesus used parables to teach practical truth. Reread this parable and let God’s Spirit speak to your heart. Ask him to show you where you fit in the story. Are you the one who needs to return home; are you like the loving father who welcomed his prodigal home; or are you like the older brother who resented the attention the younger brother received? Think about it.

The Common Thread of Humanity

I find Malls to be interesting places. As I walk through them, I can’t help but notice the diversity of people. There are young people, old people and somewhere in between people. The diversity isn’t limited to age. There are also many ethnic groups represented. There are Asian, Latin, Black, and White groups. The different accents reveal there are also different geographical areas represented. Then, of course, there are the many different socio-economic groups evident in the crowd.

As I observe the wide diversity of people, I am reminded I share two things in common with every person that passes by. First, each one of us is guilty of sin and have fallen short of the glory for which God has created us. Paul made this clear when he wrote, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 NASB). The key word is “all”. It isn’t some or many or most. It is all.

Later, Paul explains the penalty for sin. He writes, “For the wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23a NASB). If I understand this correctly, since we have all sinned, we all are deserving of death. In Scripture death means separation. In this verse death is referring to a separation from God. Since God is completely holy, our sins stand between us and the fellowship He wishes us to have with Him. The news becomes worse when we are reminded that there is nothing we can do to bridge the gap that our sin has created between God and ourselves. We can not do enough good works to bridge the gap. We can not buy our way across the chasm that exists between us.

Our dilemma, leads to the second thing we all have in common. We all need a Savior. The good news is that God wasn't caught off guard by our disobedience. He knew that man would choose to sin. He knew that He would have to provide a way for the chasm between Him and man to be bridged. He chose to give His son for our salvation. John wrote, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John3:16). Paul wrote, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardy die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8 NASB).

Like each one who passes me in the mall, each one who reads this article shares the same common problem. Everyone has sinned. The important question is have we accepted God’s solution for the problem that sin causes? Have we received the gift of His Son in order that the chasm our sin has caused might be bridged? Have we received the free gift of Jesus Christ into our hearts? Paul described the gift this way, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b). If you have not received this wonderful free gift, I urge you to consider doing so today. Confess that you are guilty of sin and that you need a Savior. Decide to turn from your sins with His help. Ask Christ to come into your life and to be your Savior. Commit your life to Him today. Only He is able to cure the one problem that we all share in common.

If you have made this decision and you know you have received Him and you strive to obey Him, take a moment to give Him thanks for what He has done and is doing for you.

The Importance of a Father

A pro golfer was conducting a clinic at an upscale golf course. His fourteen-year-old son accompanied him. In the middle of his presentation, he asked his son to come forward and to demonstrate something that his father had taught him. The son slowly moved toward the golf cart to retrieve an iron. He took the iron out of the bag and slung it as high and as far as he could. This may not have been the demonstration that the father had anticipated but it demonstrates the fact our children are watching and learning from the good and the bad we model for them.

Men, whether we like it or not, we are models for our children. They are watching every move we make. The do as I say not as I do philosophy that many of us were taught does not work. It is no accident that children of smokers are more likely to smoke. Children of addicts of any kind are more likely to be addicted. Children who see abuse modeled in the home are more likely to grow up and to be abusive. On the other hand, children who grow up in a home where the rights of others are respected and where there is an open demonstration of genuine care are more likely to grow up with a loving, caring, nurturing personality. There are always exceptions to the rule but the odds are greatly increased a child will turn out well, if he/she has had positive modeling in the home.

As fathers think about being a successful model, they would do well to listen to the following poem.
You can use most any measure when you are speaking of success,
You can measure it in fancy home, expensive car or dress;
But the measure of your real success is one you cannot spend,
It’s the way your son describes you when he’s talking to a friend.
(Author Unknown)

With this in mind, here are some things that fathers would do well to model before their children.

F aithfulness
A father would do well to model faithfulness to God, family and job
in that order.
A ffection
A father should not be ashamed to model affection to his wife and to his
children. A strong hand of discipline needs to be tempered with a gentle
hand of comfort and care.
T hankfulness
A father teaches his children to be appreciative by demonstrating
appreciation to those closest to him.
H eart for God
It is a father’s responsibility to demonstrate leadership in the spiritual
life of his family.
E ncouragement
Father’s would do well to heed the words of Paul, “So then let
us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one
another” (Romans 14:19 NASB). Positive reinforcement normally works best
in the long run.
R epentance
A father should never be afraid to admit he is wrong. He should be
willing to accept responsibility for mistakes and to teach his children
that it is all right to say I am sorry.

If fathers would be faithful to model these characteristics they would have little to worry about when their children are describing them to a friend. More important, they will be laying a foundation of learning that can help their children grow to maturity and to become responsible adults. There are no other accomplishments in life that can surpass these.

Do You Practice Dial-Up or Broadband Spirituality?

In his book, Signs of Life, David Jeremiah wrote about the difference between dial-up and broadband spirituality. He wrote, “Too many Christians log on to God once a day when they have their quiet time or once a week when they go to church. They pray; they read their Bible; they’ve connected with God. And that’s good…as far as it goes. The problem with that approach to the spiritual life is that there is no sense of being ‘always on’ __ no sense of living in the moment with God once you’ve finished your quiet time. You open your Bible, bow in prayer, conduct your business with God, and then log off for the day” (p. 17).

The reality is that there are more dial-up Christians than there are broadband ones. They pride themselves on the few minutes that they allot to God each day. There biggest concern is whether they should give Him the five or ten minutes in the morning or at the end of the day. They pride themselves on their faithfulness to this special time. Besides the time allotted, they remain disconnected for the remainder of the day unless a problem arises that they do not feel capable of fixing.

Before you start having thoughts of how judgmental this sounds, let me add that we all have the tendency to be dial-up Christians. Our mistake is to believe that we can handle most things on our own. We do not want to bother Christ with the mundane things of life. We make all kinds of decisions without consulting Him and, when our decision proves to be faulty, we blame Him for letting us fall into the mess we find ourselves in. The truth is most of the messes in our lives would never occur, if we would switch from dial-up to broadband.

Broadband Christians may set aside a special time each day with the Lord, but they understand that this time is not enough. They understand the importance of Paul’s mandate to the Thessalonians. He told them to “pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians. 4:17 (NASB). They know that they need God’s input throughout the day. This doesn’t mean that there is a constant stream of information being passed to them, but it does mean their mind is open to receive directions anytime God wishes to send them. They recognize it is dangerous to tell God that He must wait till morning or evening to give His input.

The benefits of being broadband Christians are many. They are always open to the divine appointments that God puts in their path during the day; they are never turned off to God’s directions; and they do not miss the divine opportunities that God provides each day. As a result, they fulfill God’s command to be salt and light in their world.

It would behoove us all to make a commitment to broadband spirituality. Thank Him for the little blessings. Develop a constant awareness of His presence in your life. Always remember He is with you. Switch to broadband Christianity today. To do so would increase your ability to live your live in the center of God’s Will. It enables you to become a blessing to yourself and to the people around you.

Pig Headed or Wise, Which Do You Choose to Be?

My father-in-law was a farmer at heart. He always planted a big garden and raised enough meat for the family table. One particular pig he owned was interesting. It appears the pig had been bitten several times by the electric fence that surrounded him. He got to the point where he would get back from the fence, paw the ground, squeal loudly, and charge. He knew he was going to be shocked but his desire to escape became greater than his fear of the pain. He would run full speed into the fence squealing all the way. When he was on the other side he would usually head to the neighbors yard to destroy the lawn.

The electric fence was not there to torture the pig. It was there to provide a place of safety, where he would have access to all he needed and would be free from the dangers of traffic and the neighbor’s gun. Apparently, the pig was not smart enough to realize this. He saw the fence an infringement on his desire to roam. He chose the inevitable pain from wandering over the comfort of remaining within the boundaries set by his owner.

Many people are like this pig. I guess you could say they are pig headed. While they are aware of the boundaries God has placed on their lives, they do not seem to understand God’s reasons for placing them there .They see them as hindrances to the happiness they seek. They believe they drain all the fun out of life. Of course, this thinking is completely wrong. God’s boundaries are not to deny us the joys of living but to protect us from the accesses within our hearts. So much of the pain people suffer is directly the result of their own or someone else’s refusal to live within his boundaries.

What we do not seem to understand is that there is no safer place than within the boundaries God has given. To live outside them, makes us vulnerable to the pain the world has to offer. To live within them gives us a place of security and comfort in good times and in bad. These truths leave each one of us with a choice. We can choose to be pig headed or we can make the more reasonable choice of living within the boundaries God has given us. One makes us vulnerable to all kinds of dangers and the other gives us the cover of God’s provision. Which will you choose?