I smiled at the cashier looking at her name tag and said, “The last time I met someone with that name, I married them!” The person next to me suddenly looked shocked thinking I was blatantly flirting. He seemed shocked because he is my Music Minister and knows my wife’s name is Cathy. He also knew I was not flirting because he has been with me long enough to know there is a method to my madness. The cashier was…well bless her heart, not petite (different ethnic background) and probably not used to people being nice but she flashed a lovely smile when I finished my sentence…after my dramatic pause. Yes, I did marry someone with your last name. I was the preacher who performed the ceremony. My wife is Cathy. Her smile and my acknowledgement of my relationship with Jesus opened the door to a wonderful conversation about her faith, love for music in her church and brightened both of our days.
I have been on staff at this church for nearly a year and the staff jokes that they can’t take me anywhere. I seem to cause a stir everywhere I go talking to folks and having a little fun and trying to help them enjoy the love of Christ. The key is doing it with everyone. This morning the cashier was Chris and the conversation starter was his tattoo. He wound up telling me about his daughters. When we finished our transaction we both were smiling.
The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, “Jesus wept”. However, the second shortest verse is “Rejoice Always” (I Thessalonians 5:16 NKJV). Four more letters make a huge difference. This is also a command not an option. I take the commands from the Father seriously. So, I look for reasons to rejoice, smile, get happy and share this with others. There are plenty of people who think their contribution to the planet is to find dark clouds in every silver lining so I think my place is to be the Light of Christ and let people know there are reasons to rejoice (seems I read that somewhere). Every screw up I have ever made, and I have made plenty is completely forgiven and forgotten. The worst thing that will happen to me is that one day I will die…and then I will spend the rest of time in Heaven. How bad is that?
Life is too short not to rejoice at every opportunity. That is why I look for reasons to get happy ASAP. When my wife and I have some of those discussions that growing marriages have (don’t look at me funny you know what I mean). I will often say, “OK how long do we have to be mad about this and when can we start having fun again…is five minutes long enough or can we do it in one?” (Please pray for Cathy…she is a special woman to put up with me.)
Oh, I know we can’t laugh and smile about everything. I know there are serious times in life. As a pastor I am the guy who has held hands and prayed with a spouse or parent as their husband or child eased into eternity. I am the guy who sat in the waiting room with the family when the doctor came and said, “It is worse than we thought.” I am the guy who was on the operating table twice nine years ago facing major surgery wondering if I would wake in the recovery room or heaven (I will share more about this experience in a couple of weeks). Believe me, I do know serious!
I also know Jesus. He is in the daily business of transforming serious into joy. He transformed death into everlasting life. Top that! So, if you having a bad time turn things to Jesus. Let him turn it transform despair to joy. If you are looking for motivation or for a verse to learn & live try the 2nd shortest and give it a whirl every day with every opportunity and everyone you encounter. It is fun and contagious!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Maybe You Can Go Home
Last week I had a chance to go back home for a brief visit. I reconnected with dear friends and rekindled wonderful memories to remind myself the importance of a good foundation, maintaining good friendships and the importance of home and security. I went back and visited the house I lived in as a child. Many memories of a good foundation of my life were rekindled. All of us need a strong foundation. I was blessed to grow up in a good home with a good family. Not everyone has such a blessing. One cannot control the home or family we are born into. Some, like me, are blessed to be born into a loving nurturing home and learn the gift of love, laughter and joy (don’t be misled, it could be strict I am not a perfectionist and driven for no reason). Others are born into homes with dysfunction or abuse and have to struggle for much of their lives to overcome the warped foundation that was their groundwork for life.
Having a safe secure home is critical. There is good news for all. If the home you were born in was not safe or happy you could not help that but you can change how it affected you. If the home you are currently living in is not safe or happy you can change it and how it affects you. There is a way everyone can have a safe and secure home, no matter what type of home we came from or live in today. Jesus tells us about his Father’s house, the safest and most secure home that exists. In the 14th chapter of John he lets us know that there are many rooms available. I know many beautiful gospel songs talk about mansions but the actual Greek word used is monai which means abiding place or room. So the picture Jesus is describing is a large house with many rooms, a nice big rambling house or safe comfortable home with a loving father.
This is one of the most loving pictures of our permanent dwelling place, if we follow Jesus, in the Bible. Jesus, who learned carpentry from Joseph, his earthly father, tells us that none other than he is going to go and prepare our room in the Father’s house. In other words, when I placed my faith in Christ and decided to follow him as my Savior and Lord. Jesus, the master carpenter began construction on my room in Heaven. When he has it completed and perfect for me to move in he promises he will come and escort me to my permanent safe and comfortable home. It is a room in a house where other loved ones who have gone before me are waiting and we will live safely together forever. What a great way to look at the future. He even said we could trust him and not be troubled as he shared this truth! Wow!
There is still a bonus, we don’t have to need a GPS or worry about how to get there. I know many worry about the trip (I am using easy language and I enjoy life and we have to die to get there…Duh). I do not know anyone who enjoys life as much as I but it does not last forever. Trust someone who does funerals for a living. Death is a frightful thought for most and we fear the journey but Jesus tells us we don’t have to worry. He has been there, done that and when the time comes he will come and take out hand and he will be the one to escort us along the way safely (he has already been there). He will walk us to our room he has prepared and I have a feeling there will be a welcoming party with familiar faces who have been waiting for us to join them in our permanent safe, comfortable perfect room at home. Look forward do seeing you Mom!
Having a safe secure home is critical. There is good news for all. If the home you were born in was not safe or happy you could not help that but you can change how it affected you. If the home you are currently living in is not safe or happy you can change it and how it affects you. There is a way everyone can have a safe and secure home, no matter what type of home we came from or live in today. Jesus tells us about his Father’s house, the safest and most secure home that exists. In the 14th chapter of John he lets us know that there are many rooms available. I know many beautiful gospel songs talk about mansions but the actual Greek word used is monai which means abiding place or room. So the picture Jesus is describing is a large house with many rooms, a nice big rambling house or safe comfortable home with a loving father.
This is one of the most loving pictures of our permanent dwelling place, if we follow Jesus, in the Bible. Jesus, who learned carpentry from Joseph, his earthly father, tells us that none other than he is going to go and prepare our room in the Father’s house. In other words, when I placed my faith in Christ and decided to follow him as my Savior and Lord. Jesus, the master carpenter began construction on my room in Heaven. When he has it completed and perfect for me to move in he promises he will come and escort me to my permanent safe and comfortable home. It is a room in a house where other loved ones who have gone before me are waiting and we will live safely together forever. What a great way to look at the future. He even said we could trust him and not be troubled as he shared this truth! Wow!
There is still a bonus, we don’t have to need a GPS or worry about how to get there. I know many worry about the trip (I am using easy language and I enjoy life and we have to die to get there…Duh). I do not know anyone who enjoys life as much as I but it does not last forever. Trust someone who does funerals for a living. Death is a frightful thought for most and we fear the journey but Jesus tells us we don’t have to worry. He has been there, done that and when the time comes he will come and take out hand and he will be the one to escort us along the way safely (he has already been there). He will walk us to our room he has prepared and I have a feeling there will be a welcoming party with familiar faces who have been waiting for us to join them in our permanent safe, comfortable perfect room at home. Look forward do seeing you Mom!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Living 60 Seconds at a Time
I had a strict curfew when I was growing up. I had dates that could stay out later than me. It was a bone of contention, but I have to admit it did keep me from trouble. I grew up in a small town and there was often not much going on late (that was worth being involved in). But, I was always afraid that I would miss something. No matter how dull the evening, I just knew something might happen when I went home and I was afraid I would miss it. That passion to get the most out of life drives me today. I don’t want to miss anything. I guess I got some of that from my father. We believed in making the most of each moment, not lingering on problems to let them hinder progress and getting over anger to find joy as soon as possible. He had a plaque on his desk that read, “For every moment you are angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness.”
The first message I preached was about living a full life (John 10:10; Jesus said, “The thief comes to rob, kill, steal and destroy. I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly). I am amazed at the way so many toss away the ticks of life’s clock as if we will get them back. It is mind-boggling to me to spend one’s time on something that is not an investment that will outlast your life here. Life is a sacred fragile gift. It zooms by at an alarming rate, even a long live of 80+ years seems like a blink. Now I have not lived that long, at my pace I may not make 60, but I have met and talked at length about the subject with many who have, including my grandmother who missed 100 by two years.
God has given us life and riches beyond what we deserve. Romans 3:23 & 6:23 teach that in spite of being created in God’s image we have fallen short of the mark and death is what we earn. However, the gift of eternal life is available and we have received his grace in ways we take for granted each day. You may think you struggle with your check book but simply by being born in the USA you are well ahead in the game. You have a better home than 80% of the rest of the world. Many (24%) have no electricity. Think about that when you flip on the heat or A/C. If you are reading this you are better off than 67% of the rest of the world who can’t read. Many of you graduated from college. That places you ahead of the class from 99% of the rest of the world with no college education.
Many are working on New Year’s diets because 66% in the USA are overweight while half of the rest of the world are malnourished. You are reading this on the Internet. Even in today’s advanced society some 90% of the rest of the world do not have easy access to the internet as do you. So if you have a meal in fridge, dressed with shoes, bed & roof you are better off than 75% of the rest of the world. Those with a bank account and money in pocket have it better than 92% of the rest of the world. When you go church and give thanks for your blessings remember also as you enter the church without fear of arrest, harassment or death you are taking for granted a privilege 3 billion around the world do not have.
All of this is not to lay a guilt trip, but to encourage one another to make the most of each moment. The blessing of the moment is what we have. We can not help what we are born with whether they be problems or privileges in our sight. The question is; “What are you doing with your day & time on earth?” Do you realize you have as many seconds in your hour as Oprah, Bill Gates and the President of the USA or anyone else for that matter. No one has more time in their account than anyone else. Since we all have the same amount of time in each hour or day the question remains; "What will you do with your time this day, hour or moment?"
Jesus tells us, to whom much is given much shall be required in Luke 12:48. Make the most of each moment to have joy, share love and help others to find the riches to make the most of their day. This is the only chance you get for this day! Eternity waits.
The first message I preached was about living a full life (John 10:10; Jesus said, “The thief comes to rob, kill, steal and destroy. I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly). I am amazed at the way so many toss away the ticks of life’s clock as if we will get them back. It is mind-boggling to me to spend one’s time on something that is not an investment that will outlast your life here. Life is a sacred fragile gift. It zooms by at an alarming rate, even a long live of 80+ years seems like a blink. Now I have not lived that long, at my pace I may not make 60, but I have met and talked at length about the subject with many who have, including my grandmother who missed 100 by two years.
God has given us life and riches beyond what we deserve. Romans 3:23 & 6:23 teach that in spite of being created in God’s image we have fallen short of the mark and death is what we earn. However, the gift of eternal life is available and we have received his grace in ways we take for granted each day. You may think you struggle with your check book but simply by being born in the USA you are well ahead in the game. You have a better home than 80% of the rest of the world. Many (24%) have no electricity. Think about that when you flip on the heat or A/C. If you are reading this you are better off than 67% of the rest of the world who can’t read. Many of you graduated from college. That places you ahead of the class from 99% of the rest of the world with no college education.
Many are working on New Year’s diets because 66% in the USA are overweight while half of the rest of the world are malnourished. You are reading this on the Internet. Even in today’s advanced society some 90% of the rest of the world do not have easy access to the internet as do you. So if you have a meal in fridge, dressed with shoes, bed & roof you are better off than 75% of the rest of the world. Those with a bank account and money in pocket have it better than 92% of the rest of the world. When you go church and give thanks for your blessings remember also as you enter the church without fear of arrest, harassment or death you are taking for granted a privilege 3 billion around the world do not have.
All of this is not to lay a guilt trip, but to encourage one another to make the most of each moment. The blessing of the moment is what we have. We can not help what we are born with whether they be problems or privileges in our sight. The question is; “What are you doing with your day & time on earth?” Do you realize you have as many seconds in your hour as Oprah, Bill Gates and the President of the USA or anyone else for that matter. No one has more time in their account than anyone else. Since we all have the same amount of time in each hour or day the question remains; "What will you do with your time this day, hour or moment?"
Jesus tells us, to whom much is given much shall be required in Luke 12:48. Make the most of each moment to have joy, share love and help others to find the riches to make the most of their day. This is the only chance you get for this day! Eternity waits.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Marking Time or Making the Most of Each Opportunity
Over the years I have made a practice of writing thoughts, feelings & observations. It has helped me express, share and understand what God is teaching me in my journey on this planet. At the end of each calendar year I would look back and journal thoughts, feelings, events and things learned and experienced during the past 365 days as a way to grow and prepare for the coming year (or as much time as God would allow me to survive in the days ahead). I hoped this practice would be a way to help me improve and mature each year. In some cases the jury may still be out as they seek to come to a clear decision on that case.
As the years in the past account pile higher I have come to some basic conclusions (Careful they may apply to you also):
First: GOD'S HAND WAS WITH ME ALL MY LIFE (even when I did not realize it…often and especially when I did not realize it!). As I look back over my life I see God’s hand clearly guiding me, preserving, protecting me and leading me (sometimes in spite of myself). That does not mean I have not stumbled and struggled but He has kept me from destroying my life and will always redeem me for His purpose as well as use the experiences in my past to honor Him today when I follow and trust Him. Romans 12: 1& 2 tells me to offer myself completely to God not conforming to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind. In other words as I give myself completely to Him, thinking & seeing different from the rest of the world I will then be more able see and understand His will for my life. I will then see more how He has been with me, kept me for this time and His purpose and will.
Second: I AM A UNIQUE CREATION. I often tell my wife I know that I am weird and I feel as if I am on the wrong planet (she never argues that statement…Hmmm). Psalm 139:14 tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am not an accident of birth. I have been on 5 of the 7 continents and never seen anyone like me (thank goodness, huh?). There is a divine design behind His creation of me. That same Psalm tells me God knit me together in my mother’s womb. There is also a divine purpose and plan behind my creation. I was not created just to bump around, pay taxes and die. As with Paul, in Galatians 1:15, who was set apart at birth and Jeremiah, who was appointed before birth, (Jeremiah 1:5) God has a divine purpose and plan. That is why His hand was evident in guiding me, preserving, protecting me and leading me to be where I am today for his purpose as I submit to Him.
Finally: LIFE IS FRAGILE AND PASSES QUICKLY. James 4:14 describes life as a mist. It is truly fragile. A mist is something that is frail and can disappear in a second. Next month I will share my annual blog about my miraculous preservation from early death by rupture from any one of three thin aneurysms as God still had work for me in His plan. I KNOW life is fragile and needs to be handled with care. That is why I seek to make the most of each moment. I do not know what will happen tomorrow. I do not have tomorrow promised. I may not be able to journal the end of next year. I may not make it home from work today. However, I DO have this moment. As I learn from my journals of the past I need to make the most of this moment. This is why God has me here!
As I think I guessed correctly these conclusions do not apply only to me. I think you see these conclusions applying to you as well. Some people mark time while others choose to do as Ephesians 5:16 guides us and make the most of every opportunity. This is the only opportunity we have here; let us make the most of it!
As the years in the past account pile higher I have come to some basic conclusions (Careful they may apply to you also):
First: GOD'S HAND WAS WITH ME ALL MY LIFE (even when I did not realize it…often and especially when I did not realize it!). As I look back over my life I see God’s hand clearly guiding me, preserving, protecting me and leading me (sometimes in spite of myself). That does not mean I have not stumbled and struggled but He has kept me from destroying my life and will always redeem me for His purpose as well as use the experiences in my past to honor Him today when I follow and trust Him. Romans 12: 1& 2 tells me to offer myself completely to God not conforming to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind. In other words as I give myself completely to Him, thinking & seeing different from the rest of the world I will then be more able see and understand His will for my life. I will then see more how He has been with me, kept me for this time and His purpose and will.
Second: I AM A UNIQUE CREATION. I often tell my wife I know that I am weird and I feel as if I am on the wrong planet (she never argues that statement…Hmmm). Psalm 139:14 tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am not an accident of birth. I have been on 5 of the 7 continents and never seen anyone like me (thank goodness, huh?). There is a divine design behind His creation of me. That same Psalm tells me God knit me together in my mother’s womb. There is also a divine purpose and plan behind my creation. I was not created just to bump around, pay taxes and die. As with Paul, in Galatians 1:15, who was set apart at birth and Jeremiah, who was appointed before birth, (Jeremiah 1:5) God has a divine purpose and plan. That is why His hand was evident in guiding me, preserving, protecting me and leading me to be where I am today for his purpose as I submit to Him.
Finally: LIFE IS FRAGILE AND PASSES QUICKLY. James 4:14 describes life as a mist. It is truly fragile. A mist is something that is frail and can disappear in a second. Next month I will share my annual blog about my miraculous preservation from early death by rupture from any one of three thin aneurysms as God still had work for me in His plan. I KNOW life is fragile and needs to be handled with care. That is why I seek to make the most of each moment. I do not know what will happen tomorrow. I do not have tomorrow promised. I may not be able to journal the end of next year. I may not make it home from work today. However, I DO have this moment. As I learn from my journals of the past I need to make the most of this moment. This is why God has me here!
As I think I guessed correctly these conclusions do not apply only to me. I think you see these conclusions applying to you as well. Some people mark time while others choose to do as Ephesians 5:16 guides us and make the most of every opportunity. This is the only opportunity we have here; let us make the most of it!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
The Times Are Changing
The world has come to an end…no I did not see the latest doomsday movie and think it was real. Nor is this writing about the end of human history but the end of the world as we know it. But, the world as we know it is dying each day. It changes and moves forward as we cling to the ideas and thoughts of the past, if our memory is accurate, and struggle with an uncertain future, for many. The times are indeed constantly changing. The world we knew has come to an end. Depending on your age many things you once treasured are gone for good. I am of the age when I can remember people saying, “I will walk before I pay $1 for a gallon of gas!” Of course, not many are walking today.
As each old year passes and each New Year approaches there is a place for nostalgia as well as dreams for the future but there is a better place for realism. The forecasters and trend predictors are rarely right about the future and the good old days were not always so good. We enjoy thinking of a simpler time when we remember being more religious but there was just as sin, evil and injustice. We just did not have as much access to instant information.
The struggle of good and evil has existed since Eden. It inhabits each heart. Church is not necessarily the answer. That is why attendance has been steadily declining for the past 25 years. Still we are very active as a churched society. About 100 million Americans attend sporting events each year, however although church attendance is declining over 130 million children/adults still come in contact with church each month! Don’t get too excited. Coming in contact does not mean they are spiritually changed. In fact the inverse seems to be true. We are overchurched and ineffective. People are no longer looking to the church for spiritual guidance. There is much confusion from movies, TV, recycled philosophies and cults as people seek God but are not necessarily doing so in the right place.
We will always seek God because we are made in his image. Jesus is a part of all things (John 1:4) so he makes sense of all things. But many outside the church have a negative image of the church and many in church have negative image with much of the unchurched world. Evidence of both are shown by a t-shirt “Jesus save me from some of your followers” and quote from a famous author, Mark Twain; “After spending time with good people of the church, I understand why Jesus spent time with tax collectors & sinners”
George Barna, who studies these things more than anyone says, less than 10-15% of our churches are rated Highly Effective. The Bible is unknown (1/2 who call themselves ‘born again’ read the Bible during week). 12% think Joan of Arc was married to Noah. 80% claim to be Christian but 4 of 10 are unable to name the four Gospels. I wonder if some thing Amos next to the book of Andy. Comedian Jay Leno’s Man on the Street interviews asked two college students to; "Name one of the 10 commandments"; they said, “Freedom of Speech?” They were next asked to complete, “Let he who is without sin…” to which they replied, “Have a good time?” The third question was, “Who was swallowed by a great fish in the Bible?” Pinocchio got the third big laugh of the routine but it was really a sad commentary as we continue the same pathway to confusion and separation from each other and God. The new progressive sounding truths are only old reworded confusion from the past. A famous female celebrity who many looked to for spiritual truth said, to a stadium giving rousing applause, “find your own truth.” That profundity was reminiscent, for those who read the Bible of one of the most wicked times in Old Testament history (Judges 21:25) when “every man did what was right in his own eyes”. We think we are changing and progressing but the secret is still found in connecting with God through his word.
Yet we all struggle with adjustments to change. The clinical definition of death is, “A body that does not change”. However, we are better at this change thing than we realize. You are in constant change right now. Your skin replaces itself every month (Cheek cells replace themselves 3 times a day). You have a; new stomach lining every 5 days, new Liver every 6 weeks, new skeleton every 6 weeks and 98% of the atoms in your body are replaced each year. So as you sit there with 5 pounds of dead skin flaking and flushing off right now don’t tell me you have trouble with change. It is time to make some real eternal changes. Romans 12:1-2 tells us to be different, transformed, not like the rest of the world and renew our minds.
So, what am I taking so long to say? The best place to connect with God is still in his word, the Bible. Find a copy of the scriptures that is easy to read and understand and let him speak to you in a fresh new way. Then, if you are not already there, find a group of believers that will help you correctly understand the scriptures (there is much confusion), grow, keep you accountable as you walk in the Spirit and continue to change into the image of Christ…that is the change that is eternal. Time is fleeting and too precious to waste. Isaiah 43:18-19 tells us God is in the change business. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
Happy New Year!
As each old year passes and each New Year approaches there is a place for nostalgia as well as dreams for the future but there is a better place for realism. The forecasters and trend predictors are rarely right about the future and the good old days were not always so good. We enjoy thinking of a simpler time when we remember being more religious but there was just as sin, evil and injustice. We just did not have as much access to instant information.
The struggle of good and evil has existed since Eden. It inhabits each heart. Church is not necessarily the answer. That is why attendance has been steadily declining for the past 25 years. Still we are very active as a churched society. About 100 million Americans attend sporting events each year, however although church attendance is declining over 130 million children/adults still come in contact with church each month! Don’t get too excited. Coming in contact does not mean they are spiritually changed. In fact the inverse seems to be true. We are overchurched and ineffective. People are no longer looking to the church for spiritual guidance. There is much confusion from movies, TV, recycled philosophies and cults as people seek God but are not necessarily doing so in the right place.
We will always seek God because we are made in his image. Jesus is a part of all things (John 1:4) so he makes sense of all things. But many outside the church have a negative image of the church and many in church have negative image with much of the unchurched world. Evidence of both are shown by a t-shirt “Jesus save me from some of your followers” and quote from a famous author, Mark Twain; “After spending time with good people of the church, I understand why Jesus spent time with tax collectors & sinners”
George Barna, who studies these things more than anyone says, less than 10-15% of our churches are rated Highly Effective. The Bible is unknown (1/2 who call themselves ‘born again’ read the Bible during week). 12% think Joan of Arc was married to Noah. 80% claim to be Christian but 4 of 10 are unable to name the four Gospels. I wonder if some thing Amos next to the book of Andy. Comedian Jay Leno’s Man on the Street interviews asked two college students to; "Name one of the 10 commandments"; they said, “Freedom of Speech?” They were next asked to complete, “Let he who is without sin…” to which they replied, “Have a good time?” The third question was, “Who was swallowed by a great fish in the Bible?” Pinocchio got the third big laugh of the routine but it was really a sad commentary as we continue the same pathway to confusion and separation from each other and God. The new progressive sounding truths are only old reworded confusion from the past. A famous female celebrity who many looked to for spiritual truth said, to a stadium giving rousing applause, “find your own truth.” That profundity was reminiscent, for those who read the Bible of one of the most wicked times in Old Testament history (Judges 21:25) when “every man did what was right in his own eyes”. We think we are changing and progressing but the secret is still found in connecting with God through his word.
Yet we all struggle with adjustments to change. The clinical definition of death is, “A body that does not change”. However, we are better at this change thing than we realize. You are in constant change right now. Your skin replaces itself every month (Cheek cells replace themselves 3 times a day). You have a; new stomach lining every 5 days, new Liver every 6 weeks, new skeleton every 6 weeks and 98% of the atoms in your body are replaced each year. So as you sit there with 5 pounds of dead skin flaking and flushing off right now don’t tell me you have trouble with change. It is time to make some real eternal changes. Romans 12:1-2 tells us to be different, transformed, not like the rest of the world and renew our minds.
So, what am I taking so long to say? The best place to connect with God is still in his word, the Bible. Find a copy of the scriptures that is easy to read and understand and let him speak to you in a fresh new way. Then, if you are not already there, find a group of believers that will help you correctly understand the scriptures (there is much confusion), grow, keep you accountable as you walk in the Spirit and continue to change into the image of Christ…that is the change that is eternal. Time is fleeting and too precious to waste. Isaiah 43:18-19 tells us God is in the change business. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Image is Everything (or is it?)
A highly successful marketing campaign combined the media darling of tennis, Andre Agassi, and Canon cameras a few years ago. Commercials would show the then popular handsome athlete energetic action poses stroking his long flowing hair and concluding with a close-up as Andre said, “Image is Everything!” As it turned out most everything was image. The long flowing hair was a wig and much of the energy was assisted by crystal meth. However, the public continues to buy into the ‘image’ of celebrities whether they are politicians, sports or movie stars. Some even enjoy idolizing their favorite pastor. Time after time we see these images collapse in some moral failure as one celebrity after another will disappoint us with failure. Tiger Woods is the latest example in a long line that will continue.
We seem to be a people of short memories as we soon turn our eyes to the next celebrity figure hoping this will be the one we can honor as a role model and place upon a pedestal. We forget that behind what is presented as intelligence, talent, charisma or attractive appearance (much of which is often a carefully crafted marketing image) beats a heart like ours susceptible to the same sins and temptations. More often than not, as they are awarded the privilege of celebrity status an attitude known as ‘hubris’ develops. This ancient Greek term indicates overweening pride, haughtiness, or arrogance, outrageous acts or exhibitions of pride or disregard for basic moral laws often resulting in fatal retribution. Hubris leads people to think they are above normal laws of the land, nature or morality that apply to everyone else. Eventually that pride leads to a fall as well stated in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Our fascination and desire to honor people and give them celebrity status is illustrated as a liability early in human history in I Samuel chapter 8. God desired his people to look to him and only follow leaders he appoints who have integrity and Spiritual leadership qualities given by him. The people were warned of consequences from following earthly kings but verses 19 and 20 gives their reply; "No! We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations”. The desire to follow others, even to give others celebrity status goes back to the desire for a king. We want to be like everyone else, and look up to others rather than God.
However, God created us to be different. We are to exalt God not fellowmen. We are to look to God for leadership before men. We are to look for guidance from his word before listening to words of men. There are times when God uses people to lead but we should be very careful then to only follow those people who exhibit Godly qualities, even then they should be held accountable and not be given celebrity status lest they develop pride. Scripture gives many such warnings such as I Corinthians 10:12-13, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
Back to the Canon commercial, time has shown us Andre is bald, used drugs and Canon cameras have been topped by iPhone. “Image is not Everything”. Image us usually just that, image. Faith in God and integrity may not be as flashy but they are real, not image. They will last long beyond a carefully crafted celebrity image and never disappoint.
We seem to be a people of short memories as we soon turn our eyes to the next celebrity figure hoping this will be the one we can honor as a role model and place upon a pedestal. We forget that behind what is presented as intelligence, talent, charisma or attractive appearance (much of which is often a carefully crafted marketing image) beats a heart like ours susceptible to the same sins and temptations. More often than not, as they are awarded the privilege of celebrity status an attitude known as ‘hubris’ develops. This ancient Greek term indicates overweening pride, haughtiness, or arrogance, outrageous acts or exhibitions of pride or disregard for basic moral laws often resulting in fatal retribution. Hubris leads people to think they are above normal laws of the land, nature or morality that apply to everyone else. Eventually that pride leads to a fall as well stated in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Our fascination and desire to honor people and give them celebrity status is illustrated as a liability early in human history in I Samuel chapter 8. God desired his people to look to him and only follow leaders he appoints who have integrity and Spiritual leadership qualities given by him. The people were warned of consequences from following earthly kings but verses 19 and 20 gives their reply; "No! We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations”. The desire to follow others, even to give others celebrity status goes back to the desire for a king. We want to be like everyone else, and look up to others rather than God.
However, God created us to be different. We are to exalt God not fellowmen. We are to look to God for leadership before men. We are to look for guidance from his word before listening to words of men. There are times when God uses people to lead but we should be very careful then to only follow those people who exhibit Godly qualities, even then they should be held accountable and not be given celebrity status lest they develop pride. Scripture gives many such warnings such as I Corinthians 10:12-13, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
Back to the Canon commercial, time has shown us Andre is bald, used drugs and Canon cameras have been topped by iPhone. “Image is not Everything”. Image us usually just that, image. Faith in God and integrity may not be as flashy but they are real, not image. They will last long beyond a carefully crafted celebrity image and never disappoint.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Immature Church Members
There is not much that extinguishes a movement of the Holy Spirit, turns people away from church and Jesus more than immature church members. I am not speaking of new members that are in the early stages of their Christian pilgrimage into discipleship. They are usually eager to grow. I am referring to those who have been around for a while and are still like the little boy who was tucked into his bed by his father. As the father quietly reached the door leaving his son’s room he heard a thud and turned to see his son had rolled out of bed onto the floor. The boy looked up and said, “I guess I stayed too close to where I got in.” To grow in Christ one must move deeper into discipleship and become more mature as a member of the body of Christ.
Far too many church members stay too close to where they came in. It is these that Paul addresses in I Corinthians 3:1-3 saying, he “could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” Once we make a decision to follow Christ and unite with his church we have made a commitment to deny self, and take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23). The command to deny self and take up our cross daily to follow Jesus is a call to put self, ego, feelings, desires and anything that is personal to death. It is a call to put self completely and sacrificially aside to follow Jesus.
When church members remain immature they make themselves the issue and are often a continual source of conflict, disruption, distraction and hurt feelings needing to be pampered or enticed to attend or serve as if they were doing the Lord a favor by their presence or offering their service. Jesus, himself gave us the ultimate lesson on service in John 13. Verse three tells us when Jesus knew the Father had given him all authority he did not worry about his desire, plans, ego and feelings. He showed his disciples, then and now, the example of mature leadership and sacrificial action by ultimate humility in lowly servanthood performing one of the lowest and most menial tasks allowed in that culture, washing the feet of his disciples. His disciples were first stunned then amazed but he said, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” We are to learn and grow from his teaching to put ourselves (ego, agenda and feelings) aside for sacrificial service.
When we uncontrollably give ourselves completely to Jesus putting self totally aside we no longer are worried about our plans, agenda, feelings or ideas there is immense freedom, release and joy that religion absolutely cannot produce. We simply seek to follow Jesus by faith in total obedience through the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit. Whatever he calls us to do, the Spirit equips and enables us to do and we move forward by faith as enjoy the ride while God works through us in miraculous unity. This is the body of Christ at its best. When believers do this there is harmony. If we are all following the same Christ there is no division, disunity or disruption in the unity in the body of Christ. We all remain different and unique but blend the different blessings and gifts the Father has given as we place ego aside and work together sacrificially for his glory.
When others see this they are amazed and realize they see something that can not be explained in human terms and they are drawn into the Kingdom. This is the answer to the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane (John 17:20-26). Our mature submission and harmonious service to him answers his prayer. Our Spiritual maturity, our self-less submission and harmony is the answer to his prayer. We expect Jesus to answer our prayers but he leaves it up to us to be the answer to his. He is waiting for his prayer to be answered through us. Why not today?
Far too many church members stay too close to where they came in. It is these that Paul addresses in I Corinthians 3:1-3 saying, he “could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” Once we make a decision to follow Christ and unite with his church we have made a commitment to deny self, and take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23). The command to deny self and take up our cross daily to follow Jesus is a call to put self, ego, feelings, desires and anything that is personal to death. It is a call to put self completely and sacrificially aside to follow Jesus.
When church members remain immature they make themselves the issue and are often a continual source of conflict, disruption, distraction and hurt feelings needing to be pampered or enticed to attend or serve as if they were doing the Lord a favor by their presence or offering their service. Jesus, himself gave us the ultimate lesson on service in John 13. Verse three tells us when Jesus knew the Father had given him all authority he did not worry about his desire, plans, ego and feelings. He showed his disciples, then and now, the example of mature leadership and sacrificial action by ultimate humility in lowly servanthood performing one of the lowest and most menial tasks allowed in that culture, washing the feet of his disciples. His disciples were first stunned then amazed but he said, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” We are to learn and grow from his teaching to put ourselves (ego, agenda and feelings) aside for sacrificial service.
When we uncontrollably give ourselves completely to Jesus putting self totally aside we no longer are worried about our plans, agenda, feelings or ideas there is immense freedom, release and joy that religion absolutely cannot produce. We simply seek to follow Jesus by faith in total obedience through the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit. Whatever he calls us to do, the Spirit equips and enables us to do and we move forward by faith as enjoy the ride while God works through us in miraculous unity. This is the body of Christ at its best. When believers do this there is harmony. If we are all following the same Christ there is no division, disunity or disruption in the unity in the body of Christ. We all remain different and unique but blend the different blessings and gifts the Father has given as we place ego aside and work together sacrificially for his glory.
When others see this they are amazed and realize they see something that can not be explained in human terms and they are drawn into the Kingdom. This is the answer to the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane (John 17:20-26). Our mature submission and harmonious service to him answers his prayer. Our Spiritual maturity, our self-less submission and harmony is the answer to his prayer. We expect Jesus to answer our prayers but he leaves it up to us to be the answer to his. He is waiting for his prayer to be answered through us. Why not today?
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