Gather together

 A friend posed the question: "Why did God put the church out of our buildings this spring?"

God's will is a multifaceted thing and many times a mystery. That said, there is His sovereign will, and then there are things he allows within his sovereign will which do not align with His written will (that being the commands of scripture). In this light, I look at it as more of God allowing human government (principalities, powers, and all that jazz) to force individual church congregations to close the doors of their physical meeting places.

That said, the church in America is fat and lazy (metaphorically speaking), very much like the Church of Laodicea mentioned by the Apostle John in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. We in the west are very attached to "rights" that we claim are given by God, when indeed it is impossible to find most of these rights in the pages of Scripture. We have a command: "forsake not the gathering together of yourselves," and there is nothing in the closing of church buildings (which did not exist as such in the time of the apostles), which should prevent us from gathering together for worship, even if the size of the gathering is small.

What I observe to have been revealed is that those who are true followers of Christ continued to seek Him out and continued to gather together with others of like faith in smaller groups, while many who were not of strong faith have fallen away. And yet many others are crying out about persecution, though the word doesn't really fit in this case. Getting back to perceived "rights," there is only one thing to which humankind has any right and that is death and separation from God because of our sin. 

I can say one thing that it has done for me. It has made me more introspective. It has made me seek out contact with brothers with whom I have not fellowshipped in a long time. It has caused me to seek more time in prayer and meditation. This has foster the nurturing of a closer relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ by the ministrations of the Holy Spirit. The current situation is not persecution, no; however, a time is coming, as laid out in the pages of scripture, when persecution will come and it will be fierce. if we do not now build our relationship with the Almighty during this calm before the storm, we will fall away into the sea of uncertainty when the persecution does start.

Love God, live through the Spirit, love your neighbor. 

Self-interest or selflessness in dark days.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." From Paul's second letter to Timothy as translated in the NIV.

"The darkest hour is just before the dawn" ~ Thomas Fuller

It is a truism that we are drawn as humans to focus on those things that are horrifying. Social media and the news media in general flood us with all the horrific things that are happening in the world and feed fear of "the other." Right now, at this very moment in history, the world is full of horrors. We have news of a disease that may or may not be highly infectious, we have people fearing death at the hands of government officials, we have rioting in the streets due to terrorist groups infiltrating protests causing even more fear of death, and we have hateful and angry speech being hurled back and forth mostly about who is to blame and how awful the "other side" is. That is only what is happening in the United States. In other parts of the world, there are even more horrors to be found, but the issues here in the U.S. are enough for the purposes of this writing. 

Human beings, by the very existence of sin in our hearts, are incapable of making any decisions on our own that are not tainted with self-interest. From the investment banker who thinks, "what if I just take a little bit here or there, no one will notice," to the man or woman who says to himself/herself; "I like what I see, so I'm going to take advantage of this other person and use them for my own physical pleasure," in spite of consent, outside the bond of marriage, or even outside the legal restrictions of age; to even something seemingly as innocuous as the person who says to themselves, "I see something happening over there that doesn't seem right, but I may be hurt in some way if I intervene, so I will not," all are acting in percieved self-interest. 

The believer in Jesus Christ should be different by nature of the "renewal of our minds." (see Romans 12:2) We are changed by the working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and this, through prayer, Bible study, and meditation on God's Word; subdues the natural human inclination toward self-interest. Our focus must be centered on others rather than how we feel about a situation. It is natural to form opinions, but will the opinions and the sharing of same be beneficial to those who hear? (see Ephesians 4:29). 

Another application is to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (See James 1:19). Part of wisdom and maturity in Christ is knowing when to listen, especially when to listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. When we, as Christ followers, rush to judgement and speak the first thing that comes to mind, we fall into a dangerous trap. The world is watching. They know what we claim to be, and when they see us act exactly like them (and sometimes worse), we blend with the darkness and they see no difference. 

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16 NASB) A light shines in the darkness, and our light is the light of Christ. We do not have it of our own selves, it comes from God through the Holy Spirit, and when we let that light shine we share the Spirit of God with others. Only the Light of God can overcome the darkness of this world. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." (John 1:5 NLT)

When we live as light, we show love to our neighbors. We know who our neighbor is, that particular illustration has been reiterated so many times that any American Christian who has not heard of the good Samaritan, has been hiding in a hole somewhere with no human contact. The instruction to love our neighbors is antithetical to self-interest. The Apostle Paul even goes so far as to say we should consider others as better than ourselves. 

Then there is the Apostle James, who tells us that the tongue (a metaphor for our speech, i.e. what we say), is like the rudder of a ship, which can either keep it on course, or scuttle it. 

We all have feelings, and there is a reason the Apostle Paul said, "be angry but do not sin." Our feelings need to be put under the submission of the Holy Spirit. We cannot let them control how we react or interact with others, but rather we should excercise compassion in all our interactions. Compassion, agape love if you will, is more than just a feeling; it is a pattern of behavior. 

So before we speak or post the tweet or facebook comment that will "show the other guy," we need to stop, take a breath, and make sure that it meets the following criteria:

1. Is is true? If yes, go to #2. If no, stop and do not post or say it. If uncertain, stop and do not post or say it. 

2. Is it compassionate or is it loving? If you are certain it is, go to #3. If the answer is no, or you are not sure, go to prayer and seek counsel from scripture or someone wise in the faith.

3. Is it beneficial? If I say what I am thinking, will it lead people closer to Christ or might it push them away? 

I hope this is helpful to those who read it. If you are touched by what God has given me, please share it. Let us encourage each other toward the Light. 

A modern Laodicea

(If the image doesn't display fully, click it to view)

The above meme is circulating about as we are in the midst of yet another election cycle, in the middle of a tulmultuous time in world history. It got me to thinking. 

When we try to tie the Church to any political entity, we must consider that the Church started under Roman rule. Rome was openly hostile to what they viewed as a new sect of Judaism primarily because it rejected the ways of the world around it. The Christians did not worship the Roman gods. The Christians would not fight in the army. The Christians would not indulge in any of the debauchery of the Greco-Roman world. They were different.  

The Apostles taught "Crucifixion of the flesh," but also respect for those in authority. There is no place in the teachings of Christ or the Apostles where we can find that Christians are instructed to take part in the political landscape. The Apostle Paul did use his Roman citizenship as a tool to further the Gospel, but he did not seek power through politics. 

Fast forward 2000 years to modern America, where many Christians hold firmly to a sort of manifest destiny, in which it is difficult to find where their devotion to country ends and their faith in Jesus Christ begins. This is not what was intended. Christians in America fear persecution rather than embracing it. The idea of taking up one's cross is terrifying because it means giving up the comfort that we love so much.

The Apostle John spoke of the Church of Laodicea. “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”—Revelation 3:15–16 

Modern America is the very embodiment of Laodicae. It was a wealthy city, we are the wealthiest nation on earth. They were comfortable, we are also comfortable. If you wonder why there is no mention of a great western power in the various apocalyptic passages in the scripture, it is easy to infer that like Laodicea, we will be expelled for our lukewarm behavior.

So the challenge is this: Do we continue to live as if we have the power to change the world, putting our faith in elected leaders, or do we place our faith and trust only in God and live and speak the Gospel of Jesus Christ as if our very lives depended upon it? 

If we are in Christ, this is not our home. Certainly, there is nothing to prevent us from voting in an open election. By all means, we should; however, in light of the freedom we have in Christ, we should vote for Biblical principles. If a man or woman does not uphold or exemplify those things which are right and in line with the teachings of scripture, they should not have our vote. In the end, God is sovereign above all, and this allows us to vote our conscience. If we do this, we have no need for shame. 

A plaque hung in my parents' home as long as I can remember. I do not know the author, but I read it so many times it is etched upon my memory: "Only one life, 't will soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last."

Love God. Love your neighbor. Live Christ. 

Image bearers

"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

We are created in the image of God. This doesn't mean that we physically appear like Him, since the scriptures are clear "God is spirit, and those who worship Him worship in spirit and in truth." Indeed, it means that like God, we are spiritual beings and those who follow Jesus Christ are "created in Him to do good works."

Christ followers have used their love of Him to create images of what they believe He would have looked like, not for the sake of worshiping those images, but rather to express their love for Him. There are beautiful depictions of Jesus Christ showing Him in every shade and appearance that the human race has to offer, even though Jesus was Jewish, that show in awesome contrast how He bridges the barriers that humans set up.

In Christ, we know there is no race. In Christ, there is only one family of believers and we can rejoice in our diversity. Just so, as humans we are still bound to our senses when we create things out of adoration of Him and will often create that which is familiar. As an artist, I can completely identify with this; I paint and sculpt what I know.

Currently there is a call to destroy any depiction of Christ that shows him as Eurocentric. This call is coming both from outside the fellowship of believers and from folks who claim to be within it.

On the one hand, the law of Moses forbade the creation of images for worship. As well, we are to worship in Spirit and in truth. That said, most icons are not worshiped, even though there are a few sects that may venerate them (which could be considered a form of worship). On the other hand, the modern iconoclastic calls for "social justice" when it comes to depictions of the Christ come directly from the flesh. They are attempts to sow division rather than celebrate diversity. Among the acts of the flesh mentioned by Paul in Galatians 5 are: "enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions," which are opposed to the fruit of the spirit. (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). If it doesn't fit with those things, it is not of the spirit.

In place of calling for the destruction of images of the Christ, let us instead call for the celebration of their diversity. Let us join with our brothers and sisters, "in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all..." (Colossians 3:11). We are all the same in Christ, but we are also parts of the body of Christ and different parts of the body serve different purposes and are all play a part.

Live love, pursue peace. Celebrate your brothers and sisters in Christ. Celebrate that Jesus Christ died for all mankind so that all may rejoice in Him.

May you be safe, well, and blessed.

Who is my neighbor, what is my idol

"And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them."                                              Romans 1:28-32 (NASB)

I've probably written about this before, but in this broken world we live in, we should come back to this teaching again and again until it sinks in.

The world is on fire, well, parts of it are physically so, but we're speaking in the metaphorical sense. People are angry. People are angry because they are hurting and afraid. The outflow of this is a world in chaos.

When I listen to the people around me, the majority of what I hear or read is anger at what I call "the other." "The other" is anything that is not me that I distrust or (perish the thought), even hate. Fear of "the other" has been around for centuries. Where does this fear of "the other" come from? It comes from worshiping the created rather than the creator. It comes from trusting in our own understanding and not loving our neighbors. All of the things the Apostle Paul lists as the fruits of a "depraved mind" come out because we are selfish.

Another concerning trend (and an old one), is the attachment to people of power and symbols. The first commandment is "you shall have no other gods beside me." The fourth commandment is "make no graven image." Certainly, I understand that these were commands for the people of Israel as they were starting their fledgling nation, and I understand that the Apostle Paul is clear that we are free from the law, but he also said "all things are permissible but not all things are beneficial." When we place so much value on symbols on this earth, we lose sight of the goal. The goal is the kingdom of God. If we are so focused on a statue, or a celebrity, or a political leader, or a flag, that we have lost sight of the pain of our neighbor, to the point of being angry with our neighbor, and worse yet, hurl insults, we have sinned directly toward them and God.

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be [l]liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell."                       Matthew 5:21-22

We need to get on our knees and pray that we are living the example that Jesus talks about here. It is natural for human beings to attach to that which we can perceive with our senses. For those who follow Jesus Christ, we are no longer simply natural creatures, but also need to be open to the Spirit of God so that we may know and live His perfect will. When we live by the spirit, it transforms us into a likeness of Christ in which we live the fruits of that spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindess, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

And from that same letter to the Galatians by the apostle Paul: "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another."

So many times we are living by the flesh, seeking to fulfill its basest desires, instead of living by the Spirit. My good friend, Rev. Michael Booth, states it well. "Everyone has a different journey." If we are in Christ, we must recognize that my life experience and your life experience is going to be different from the life experience of another. We do not know the hidden pain that another person carries with them. We cannot understand the effect that monuments, or flags, or other earthly symbols may have on the mind and heart of another person. We can empathize. We can love. We can refrain from making selfish and hurtful statements. 

A flag is a piece of cloth, but when it brings pain to someone else, listen to them; hear their voice. Flags are temporary things of this world. Do not cling to this world. 

A statue is a piece of stone, metal, wood, or polymer, but when it brings pain to someone else, listen to them; hear their voice. Statues are temporary things of this world. Do not cling to this world. 

Nations rise and fall. Nations are governed by fallible humans. When the actions of a nation bring pain to someone else, listen to them; hear their voice. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God. Do not cling to this world. 

Do not be conceited. Seek justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with your God. 

Vendors in the temple

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires...

II Timothy 4:3 (NASB)

"Live your best life now!"

"God loves you because you're special!"

"You're worth it!"

Sounds good on the surface doesn't it? This is the theme of so many sermons from so many pulpits and piped over the airwaves...

And it's a lie.

God loves you, oh yes, that is very true. God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but will inherit everlasting life. Because God did not send His son into the world to judge the world but rather to save it (rough paraphrase of John 3:16, 17). This is not because the world (that's us), has any value, but rather because God loves us despite ourselves. 

Isaiah rightly said: all our good works are like filthy rags. When it comes to approaching God, we have nothing. We bring nothing to Him that is of any value. Our sin is too much and he cannot abide it.

That's why we need Christ. He doesn't need us, but He gave His life for us anyway because He loves us. Our value comes not from within, but from Christ. 

So, God loves you. He wants a personal relationship with you. You don't deserve it, I don't deserve it, and that is why it is so special. The Apostle Paul wrote that "all have sinned and come up short of God's glory." (again, a rough paraphrase from memory). This means that we can't make it on our own. That's why Jesus gave Himself, to be that bridge between God and humankind. 

You cannot make it on your own, neither can I. There is an old hymn that says, "nothing in my hand I bring, only to your cross I cling." Jesus, by His death on the cross makes the way for us.

We are loved by God, not because we deserve it but because of His mercy. All that is needed is to repent of our sins and ask Him to take our lives as His.

Amen.

There are many who want to sell you something else. They want you to think they have some special corner on God and that you can get closer to God if you just believe what they have to say. They might tell you that God wants you to be rich (you won't find that in the Bible), or that he wants you to be happy (Joy, is promised, not happiness, and they are two disparate things), or that if you believe hard enough, God will give you the material possessions that you want. 

Again, it sounds good, but it's a lie. Jesus went into the temple after coming into Jerusalem and He found hawkers and money changers on the temple grounds and he chased them out with a whip. These false teachers of our modern day are just like those sellers of sacrificial animals and money changers. 

Be wise and discerning. If someone tells you something is so, search the scriptures. 

As the scriptures say: "be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

Transformed worship

Romans 12:1,2 (NASB)

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

We who are disciples of Jesus Christ are different. We are supposed to stand out. We live in a world that hates what we believe and hates Him in whom we trust. We are the counter culture. 

This is not in any way judging the worship styles of others, but rather a subject to ponder and consider, seriously and prayerfully. I will say, quite honestly, I do not know if I have an answer to the quandary, but here it is. The Apostle Paul talks about being living sacrifices and worshiping God with our lives. 

The early church sang "psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs." Obviously we know what the psalms were, but as to what hymns and spiritual songs would have been sung, what style they followed and so on, we can't really say because this has been lost to us. We can guess that the music focused on the holiness and worthiness of God, but beyond that, we have little to go on.

For centuries, the music of the church was completely different from the secular folk music the people sang in bars and festivals. The music of the Roman Catholic Church in the middle ages was primarily chanting and eventually some chorale music. The separation of sacred music separate from secular music was extremely important.

Luther and some of the other reformers were the first I know of to mesh sacred and secular music, often setting worship songs to the music of bar tunes. Some of the most cherished hymns are set to tunes that would have had bawdy and possibly unwholesome lyrics, but the people knew them. Of course, considering Luther's heart and mindset, it seems unlikely that he wanted to do other than give the common people tunes they could connect with so they could better worship God. The lyrics of his hymn writing are some of the most moving ever penned. 

Worship, in the modern Church, has become something of a spectacle. It feels less about actually connecting with God and more about making a show to entertain. This becomes more evident when we look at modern worship music. The argument that church music needs to compete with secular music so it will hold people's interest prevails. 

I'm not sure that's really so. If we are not supposed to be conformed to the world, shouldn't the music we use to honor God also not conform to the world? Worship is not about us. It is not about entertaining people. Worship is about giving glory to God. 

Are we allowing ourselves to be transformed by God and the Holy Spirit's work in renewing our minds, or are we instead being conformed to the world by copying their music styles so that we'll look cool? Isn't the message of the Gospel enough by itself without gimmicks? Do we really think God isn't able to use His word without our intervention?

Again, I'm not trying to bash Christian musicians in any way. I actually enjoy a lot of what is billed as "praise and worship" music. What I'm trying to do is start a thoughtful conversation on how we can give worship back to God instead of making it about us. 

God is the one who does the work of transformation. He can and will use us despite ourselves, but should we not still endeavor to worship Him just for the sake of worship? Why does it have to be about how many people fill the pews? When did we become so distant from God that we don't just follow His word and let Him do the work? 

God is bigger than us and His will is eternal. If we submit to Him and let Him do the work, His kingdom will benefit far more than when we try to do it our way.

Do they hate us for the right reason?

John 15:18-25

18 “If the world hates you, [a]you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have [b]sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have [c]sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’"

I've heard the above passage used as a defense for people hating those who call themselves Christian. It's an interesting defense because it seems true on the surface. The trouble is, most of us who either claim the name or to whom the name is applied, fail to "slaves" to Christ. Oh, certainly, we give lip-service to the idea, but when it comes down to brass tacks, our service to Christ often falls to the side so we can feed whatever lust may be the flavor of the day. We see something that strikes our fancy and we put all our time and energy into it. We all do it.

And eventually those things eat away at us. We become prideful, disdainful, all the things the Apostle Paul warned us are fruits of the flesh in Galatians 5. But before that, in verses 13-15 (NASB), he says the following:

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another."

We spend so much time being cantankerous and finding ways to tear down other people that the message of Christ is lost. Not only do people hate us because we come across as jerks, they come to hate Christ and all that He stands for. This is a horrible thing and must not be.

Let us be like Christ. Let us love our neighbors, that being everyone we come across to the end that Christ is glorified, then, if people still hate us, that is for God to sort out. We will have done right.

The psalmist wrote about a tree planted by flowing streams of water which never dies and just keeps growing. Let us plant ourselves in the knowledge of the Word of God, in prayer and in meditation. Let us do good for those around us and love them as the Father has loved us. Let us not be that tree that dies away leaving only a gnarled trunk and branches behind.

Let us be a remnant

Matthew 5:43-48 (NASB)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

It's interesting that the early believers did not embrace the name Christian. "Christian" means "little Christ." It was originally intended as a slur against early believers.

So many claim the name in our modern time, but so few seem to understand what it means. I do believe what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians, that we are known by our fruits and those who are redeemed and living by God's Spirit will produce fruit in accordance with that spirit: "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

Two days ago, on the anniversary of a horrible event in the history of the United States of America, over a hundred people lost their lives in a tragic accident in the city of Mecca. It was tragic because people died without having heard of the saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ.

I find myself heartbroken by the response of people who call themselves Christian, who rejoice even now because people were killed, rather than mourning that souls passed from this world without Christ. Even more so, when they are questioned about their response and shown how it does not match Biblically with what they claim to believe, they became verbally abusive and try to find ways to justify their hatred.

It feels so hollow, so unlike the picture of Jesus Christ who did not cast a stone at the adulterous woman, despite being himself sinless. Jesus could have killed the woman right then and there and been blameless in the eyes of God, but he instead forgave her sins, and told her to go, change her ways and stop sinning.

I believe we are lost as a nation and as a people of faith. If what I am seeing is the way that people are interpreting the scriptures; if such hatred is to be accepted rather than condemned, then we have fallen from the path of discipleship and we are truly lost.

Thankfully, God is greater and His will is above all things. His Holy Word, Jesus Christ, reigns from His throne in the heavens, waiting for the final trumpet to return and claim those who truly believe in his name: "He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”.

But until that time, He calls us to love our neighbors and our enemies. Where we see evil, let us not repay it with evil but with good so God and His Son my be glorified by it. Let there be a remnant who honor God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit not only in word, but in deed.

27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved; 28 for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, thoroughly and quickly.”

Romans 9:27-28 (NASB)

A Father's gift

Matthew 6:7-12


“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."


To those of us familiar with the trials of parenting, we know that above all things, even when we don't see eye to eye with our children, we want the best for them. God provides for us, even though we are imperfect, so how much more so do we provide for our children as we are able.


It's actually painful when we cannot provide the things we want to give them, over and above the things they need. Just today, God granted a huge answer to prayer allowing me to provide a huge need for my own son. I don't agree with all of his life choices, but I still want what's best for him and have been praying about this particular need for months.


God loves us. We don't always understand, but He always, always gives us exactly what we need. Always, no exceptions.


So, if you have a need, ask God to provide. He won't always give us what we want, but if we need something, He never fails.

All the good it does...

Read Isaiah 64

"You welcome those who gladly do good,
    who follow godly ways.
But you have been very angry with us,
    for we are not godly.
We are constant sinners;
    how can people like us be saved?
We are all infected and impure with sin.
    When we display our righteous deeds,
    they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,"

The concept of being a neighbor, of being a "good" person, is alien to my natural inclinations. Yes, most people see me as a nice person, a "good" guy, but they don't see how I have to work at it. Inside, I'm a sarcastic, cynical jerk.

Just a few nights ago at work, a co-worker said something to me, and I immediately took offense. My first inward thought was; "Why is she being so nasty to me?" It started to rankle, but I had to force my own feelings aside. My thoughts then turned to "Is there something I have done that has caused a problem?" Of course, this was also a selfish response, because I was still thinking about me. When I did eventually say something, it was simply to ask if she was ok, because she didn't seem like herself. Do you know, she was so grateful that someone noticed? She had been in pain all day from arthritis and was really suffering. This allowed me to have an opportunity to truly minister to her.

This goodness is attributable solely to the work of God in my life. This is a multi-faceted work. As a disciple of Christ, there are many things that work together to help fight the natural inclinations that fight against the goodness of God. These factors include the impact of many Godly men and women (including parents), knowledge of the Word of God, and repeated time spent in prayer and meditation. It's not me, it's Him.

When we think of someone as a good person, we do not see their inward motivations. The prophet juxtaposes God's welcome for those who do good with the realization that our own goodness pales in comparison to the goodness of God Himself. His goodness is far beyond our ability to conceive, let alone copy.

But...

There is hope.

While in Romans, the Apostle Paul writes that all have sinned, in Ephesians 2:8-10 he clarifies that the gift of Christ, salvation through the blood is there, to enable us to do good.

"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

See, like the Word says; "it's not me, it's Him."

What's in a name?

Read Acts 2:42-47

Christian.

We use the word a lot. We call ourselves by it. If someone asks what we believe, we say that is what we are. Are we?

The word started nearly 2,000 years ago as a slur in the city of Antioch in what is modern day Syria. It is literally translated; "little Christ" and was intended to mock the believers in the newest religious movement of the time. Over the years, it came to be embraced by believers as a badge of honor. More years passed and it's meaning has changed to a more ambiguous moniker for any person or group even loosely associated with a church. Many of us, especially in the west, who use the name to describe our faith, don't really resemble anything close to Christ Himself, not even a little.

For this reason, I personally don't prefer to refer to myself as a Christian. I know I don't deserve such a title: I just don't measure up.

The believers in the early days of the Church were active neighbors. This is, after all, the second greatest commandment; "Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself." They sold possessions and used the money to care for the needs of others. They shared what they had with those around them.

There are grand cathedrals in Europe which sit empty on a Sunday, or have been repurposed because no one bothers to go anymore. Here in North America, congregations of Bible preaching Churches continue to shrink. We're comfortable. We're Lot in a land of indulgence.

Lot lived in a land of selfishness, Godlessness, and excess. He was comfortable. His faith didn't spill out to those around him. He lost his home, his wife, and the innocence and integrity of his children. In the end, God spared his life, but even then he didn't really change.

So too do we live, surrounded by excess and indulgence, even surrounding ourselves with those who tell us what we want to hear instead of what we need. These voices tell us that we deserve to indulge, while the Christ of the Bible was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," who Himself said, "it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Religion isn't about what I can get, or how I can benefit. The Apostle James wrote that "pure religion" is to care for the less fortunate (paraphrased). James spends a good bit of time telling his readers not to elevate the rich over the poor, but here we are, doing just that in western society. For certain, having wealth is no sin, but loving wealth, as the Apostle Paul wrote "is the root of all sorts of evil."

If our faith is real, we will step out of our comfortable spaces, love our neighbors, and focus not on what we want, but what is best for those around us. Lot's failure wasn't that he didn't speak out about the excess and indulgence around him. Lot's failure was indulging in that excess. He was comfortable.

So, I pray that god will work in me so I can seek to touch the lives of those around me in a tangible way, not judging their actions since that is not my place, but rather showing them they are loved. In time, God will work to correct their self-destructive behaviors, but I am called to love my neighbor, to be a "little Christ", and to live a life of service, not a life of selfishness. I pray that others who may read this would be convicted in much the same way.

A Troubled Heart.

Read Psalm 34

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;

    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed."

I find the above to be poignant. In recent months expecially, It's been difficult to sleep at night due to a troubled heart. Those who know my situation are familiar with what troubles me and others can likely identify with the overwhelming sadness at watching a loved one destroy themselves.

In the passage referenced above, the psalmist, David, was on the run from someone who had at one time taken him in as family, his father-in-law; Saul. He had taken refuge in a foreign land, pretended insanity to escape harm from that land's ruler, and lived each day not knowing what the next would bring.

Yet, here he writes: "I will praise the Lord at all times.

    I will constantly speak his praises.

2 I will boast only in the Lord;

    let all who are helpless take heart.

3 Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;

    let us exalt his name together."

I wish I were that strong. I know that God promises He is with us through all the difficult paths of life. I know that He has a plan in all the troubles, so I hold these promises up and remind myself of them constantly.

I struggle with anger, hurt, frustration, and a host of other emotions. Yet, here, the Psalmist is in danger of his very life, and he spends each day praising God for His faithfulness. Though he could have thrown up his hands and given up, thinking this was his darkest hour, David instead continues to trust God to fulfill His promises.

So, I've been meditating on this passage, ruminating on it, keeping it in my thoughts. As the psalm continues:

"The righteous person faces many troubles,

    but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

20 For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous;

    not one of them is broken!"

Treasures in heaven

Matthew 6:19-34 (NIV)
 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy,and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

For the last several weeks we've been studying the sermon on the mount at church in the adult Sunday School class. I've been struck each week by something different. The last two sessions dealt with the above passages.

Lately, it has seemed that my family's needs have been building and building with no foreseeable change for the better. But here's the kicker; We have all we need to eat, we have a place to live, we have clothes to wear, transportation to the places we need to be, cell phones, a computer, tablets, televisions, books galore, and so much more.

We have so much more than God ever promised, yet still my eye sees something shiny and new and I want it.

I forget to be thankful for what I do have and the enormous blessings God has given.
See, God's promise is provision for our needs. If I don't have it, I must not really need it. I have to ask myself if what I want is indeed something I need, or just an earthly treasure.

As disciples of the Nazarene, we are challenged to be different. We are challenged to not chase after the impermanent in place of the things that last.

So, the challenge here is; when I feel that the gifts God has provided are not enough, I need to step back, look at the thing I am longing for and put it in God's hands. If I need it, he will provide it. If He does not provide for it, then I don't need it.

God is good and His mercies endure forever.

The little things

A smile

A kind word

A cold cup of water on a hot day

It's the little things that mean so much.

For the last eight years I've worked in a field that seems thankless. There have been no merit based raises as long as I've been there, no yearly bonuses for the last four or five years,  and not even a real cost of living allowance in about seven years (with the exception of a meagre wage increase of a few cents an hour a few years back). It's not enough to run a household on, and there are times when the bills have outnumbered the income.

And I become discouraged because I can't see the active hand of God.

I forget that He called me to this field. I forget that He promised: "whoever is faithul in the little things,  is faithful in much."

I forget and I lose sight of my faith.

But then someone else is faithful in the little things and my faith is refreshed, and I see the Hand of God work and know that somehow, if I just stay faithful to what I know is right, God will do an even greater work.

Faithful...in the little things.

Like a good neighbor...

Read Luke 10:25-37

Yes, I know, this is a common topic of my musings, but I think it's important, and with it being a subject close to my heart, it's what I write about.

Love your neighbor. It's such a simple command. We hear it, and it sounds good, but how often do we live it. A recent viral video shows an example of this which parallels a raggedly dressed man with a well dressed man. Both men fall to their knees as if hurt, both cry for help, but in the video, only one person shows even a passing interest in the poorly dressed person, while few passerby don't stop to aid the better dressed man.

The point of the video is to point out how we judge people by appearances, but it illustrates the story of the good Samaritan rather well. After being asked "who is my neighbor?" Jesus tells about a man who has been mugged (by today's definition), beaten, and left to die. The man is ignored by a priest, then by a teacher of the law (the religious and civil arms of the Jewish government), but then a social pariah, a man hated by the leaders of the Hebrew culture of the day because he was not a pure example of Judaism, has compassion on the victim of this brutal crime and sees to his needs.

Here in America, the idea of a neighbor has become something of an enigma. We see the neighborhood cookouts on television shows and movies, but few such events actually take place. We may know the names of our next door neighbors, or maybe even the names of those a few doors down, but beyond that, it's a stretch. We put up fences and walls so we won't be bothered by the noise of the neighbors' conversing on their deck. If their dog happens to relieve itself in our yard, we grumble and protest, or even put up another fence as a silent show of annoyance.

We don't see our neighbors' pain because we don't know their stories. We don't learn their stories because we don't show ourselves as interested. When we do see the need, it's usually too late, and then we say, "oh, they can get government help with that."

We've forgotten our personal responsibility to love our neighbors. It isn't someone else's job. It isn't something we should leave to the government (they usually make things worse instead of better). It's our job. Sure, most of us aren't made of money (I know I'm not). We all have our own needs, but at the very least, we need to become neighborly agai; have a chat over the back fence, share a soda or other cool beverage. Have a neighborhood cookout.

But don't stop there.

We need to keep growing our love outward. Jesus said "...even to the ends of the earth." Yeah, those are our neighbors too. It starts local. It starts with us.

A Father's wisdom

Read Proverbs 4

It's been nearly ten years. It's surreal to even think it's been that long. Shelly and I went north to see my Dad who had been admitted to a hospital in Worcester, Mass.. We visited with him on a Friday afternoon, then when he started to get tired, we left the hospital and went to our motel. He was a little tired, but seemed to be doing ok. The next morning, we received the call that everyone dreads...My dad was gone. We were at Old Sturbridge Village at the time, and I remember closing my phone and heading for the car without saying a word because I knew I'd be incomprehensible. Shelly figured it out pretty quick though.

We met my mom at the hospital, prayed around the body that had so recently held my dad's spirit, then headed back to Westfield. The week was a blur. I know I sang at Dad's funeral. I remember being upset because they had an open casket viewing against his wishes and refused to go in until the casket was closed because that was something he'd been adamant about. I remember a full church at the memorial service held the Thursday after his death. And I remember my dad in my dreams. Even now, it's usually only once a week, but my dad is still there.

Above and beyond that, I remember my dad always pushing me to be wise and not foolish, to embrace wisdom. He seemed to always have a proverb to quote to me from the Bible, and always in the KJV: "Go to the ant thou sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise," or "a rod is for the back of fools," or any number of others.

My dad also taught me the value of integrity. Some people find it strange that I refuse to lie. I've even quit a job because I was asked to lie and I refused to work for an employer who would ask me to be dishonest. But every time it's suggested that I lie, I remember my dad saying: "Always tell the truth, never lie, but you don't have to volunteer information until you're asked." Usually this speech was given after I'd shared a bit of personal family information as young children are apt to do.  

I didn't always agree with my dad, but I always respected him.

Now, I have a son of my own. At times I find the wisdom my own father passed on to me coming out of my own mouth. I know that it may not take root for some years yet, but I hope that my father's wisdom will one day be of use to his grandson.

The thing about my father's wisdom is that it was his Father's wisdom. The values my dad drilled into me when I was young are the values, not of his earthly father, who was a good man in his own right, but rather the values of the Heavenly Father who laid down His wisdom in the Bible for us to read and understand. The apostle James wrote that we should pray for wisdom, and God would grant it to us in abundance so long as we trust Him to do so.

And that is what my earthly father passed along to his children. Wisdom is valuable. It is priceless. I hope I never forget the wisdom of my father. I hope that one day, my son embraces it as I have. His memory lives on.

Open palms

Read Matthew 21:1-17

The story of Palm Sunday was presented in most churches this morning.  It's a great story of Christ's triumphant entrance into the city on a donkey's colt. That's all well and good, but what about the rest of the story?  

Jesus went into Jerusalem to the adulation of the crowd, and went to the temple where He found people using the Hebrew faith as a means to make money. He threw over tables and kicked out the people who were making a profit off religion. Yes, this story gets talked about a little, but it seems to be often glossed over because we don't really want to think of its implications. 

Here in America, there are many Christian religious leaders who preach a health and wealth gospel many of whom are very wealthy because of their "ministry." 

Yet, the Man of Sorrows, the Son of God, was not a man of earthly riches. He was a man who said: "it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." That doesn't square well with the idea of Jesus wanting us to be rich. Riches clutter our lives. Material possessions draw our focus away from the Father and His love. They clutter the "temple" of the heart and crowd the space we should reserve for Jesus and the practice of His teachings.

So, on this Palm Sunday, let us come to Jesus with open palms, our hands outstretched to receive the blessing of His love and teaching. Let us clear the temples of our hearts of the materialism and selfishness that crowd Him out and make room for Jesus Christ to teach and lead us. Let us live in faith that He will provide our needs and not stockpile possessions. Let us offer up those possessions we have in service to Him so He can use them to bless others through us.

Everyone has something to give

Read Matthew 25:14-30

It's known by a few different names. Many call it "The Parable of the Talents," to others it's the "Parable of the three Servants," but by any name, it's a great story of God given gifts and responsibility.

We're all different. Some are more different than others, but that's what makes us individuals. We all bring something to the table. Working with people who are looked down upon as "disabled" by the world at large gives one a perspective to observe just how true this is. Over the years, I've ministered to dozens of folks from all levels of ability and I've found that those who've ministered the most to my own heart would probably fall into the category of "the least of these."

I can't really say how it is in the rest of the world, but here in the United States, there is an immense focus on finding out what's wrong with people and trying to fix them. There's a label for every kind of behavior or mental condition imaginable. I'm not discounting or dismissing mental illness, not at all, but it seems some in the mental health field go a little overboard. A therapist once told me that everyone has at least a touch of personality disorder, which begs the question: if everyone has something, how is it a disorder? Why not just call it a personality and be done with it?

Looking into the scriptures we find a different perspective from that of the world of psychology. We find a perspective that everyone has a gift. Everyone has an ability that they can give back to God by using it to serve others. Yes, some of us are a little cracked. Even in the pages of the Bible, we find people who were imperfect, but God used them anyway. Samson had some very deep character flaws, Gideon was no gem, Jonah wanted to see an entire civilization wiped out, and Peter couldn't keep one foot out of his mouth long enough to switch to the other. And that doesn't even scratch the surface!

You are valuable to the God of Heaven. He loves you. He sent his only Son to live on earth as a human and die for your sins. His Son Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day to secure that gift. You have value! Don't think that because the world labels you as defective that you somehow are not valuable. Yes, we are all sinners. We all have sinned and fall short of God's glory, but that gift of Salvation is freely given so that we can move on from that and use the wonderful gifts God has given to us through the blood of Jesus Christ.

You are loved.

You have value.

You are not alone. 

We're all prodigals...

Read Luke 15:11-32

The story of the prodigal son is possibly the best known Parable of Jesus Christ. The story touches on the love of a father for a son who treats him with contempt. Most parents of teenagers can probably identify with that; I know I can.

The son leaves takes his inheritance and leaves home, squandering his limited wealth and destroying his life and future. He eventually finds himself homeless and alone, living off the garbage fed to a farmer's pigs. It is at this point in the son's life that he realizes how good he really had it at his father's house, so he goes back, ready to plead to be taken in as a servant, and his father throws a feast and welcomes his son back into his home with joy and rejoicing.

I am finally in a place where I can identify with that father's pain. There is so much hope, and so much work put into the training of a child, perhaps a bit of a "spit and a promise" at times as well, but in the end, the child must make his or her decision as to what to do with all that nurturing and training that has been given to them.

When the child seems to have caught on and seems to embrace what you've tried to teach them, there is a sense of pride and accomplishment we parents feel, but when they turn their back on everything they've been taught, it hurts.

But then, we're all broken. God loves us as we are, cracks and all. He may not approve of our choices and actions, but he accepts us through the blood of Jesus Christ. Even as I feel my heart wants to shrivel up inside of me, I know that acceptance and I place my own son in the hands of my Heavenly Father.

As He spoke the words through the Prophet Jeremiah: "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)