Are we there yet?

Unlikely Guides

2011-12-11T21:27:00.000-05:00

Have you ever considered the prospect of someone pointing the way to Christ for you but they themselves were not a follower of Him?

Over 25 years ago I had a lengthy conversation one summer afternoon with a very close friend who was a mentor to me in a trade I was learning. He was externalizing some deep grief and personal doubt in God. As the conversation progressed it became evident that he was angry because he had friends that not too long prior, had lost a child to cancer. It was said that the child died in his mother’s arms crying that he did not want to die.

My friend had the classic attitude, “if there were a loving God, He would not have let this happen.” And who would want to deny him the right to express such genuine feelings in a season of sorrow? I think because of this, and other things he was exposed to in life, he easily bought into and was, at the time, a proponent of The Passover Plot: a theory popular among activists against Christianity that Christ’s death and resurrection were a hoax.

I was in my early thirties back then and not too strong in my study of scripture. The conversation that day rocked my boat as far as having my beliefs challenged so starkly and maybe for the first time in my life hearing someone so angry at God. The exposure to the Passover plot theory and such anger and doubt in God, led me to study scriptures more rather than less. This encounter with skepticism, over the years, led me to affirm my beliefs and strengthen my conviction.

Over the years, my friend continued to teach me some incredible knowledge about anatomy, physics, and the study of locomotion. This information eventually weighed heavily on my own journey to shape and form my beliefs about intelligent design and belief that our origins are in God’s creativity and not evolution. The science and knowledge passed on to me continued over and over to affirm that the wonder of all living things is far too complex to be the collective outcome of happenchance / random evolutionary changes that leave us with the interwoven, interdependent life chain that we know.

Now how strange is that, that a person who professed not to be a follower of Christ and believer in a creative God be one of the strongest influences to lead me to strengthen my faith?

Well to tie us in with God’s Word, consider if you would the experiences of the Magi when they were looking for the Christ. Matthew Chapter 2

The Visit of the Magi

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6 " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' "7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Look at that passage closely. Was King Herod a follower of Christ? Hardly! He eventually was looking to kill Him as potential competition! Were the chief priests and teachers of the law believers in the Messiah who had been born in recent months? Extremely doubtful. They were intimately familiar with the prophetic road signs that pointed towards the entrance of the Christ child, but if they even knew or heard of this world changing event happening right under their very noses, they certainly hadn’t pick it up on their spiritual radar as such.

But God in his omnipotence and omnipresence, did use their ulterior motives and ignorance to be a part of the Magi’s road to finding Christ! Only a Real Creative Interactive God would orchestrate such opposing influences to be involved in His plan. That is the evidence of a Sovereign God who moves in our interest, as our Advocate, for our Salvation. He takes the improbable and uses it for his glory!

So I ask you again, after pondering these things, have you ever considered the prospect of someone pointing the way to Christ for you, but they themselves were not a follower of Him?

(Oh and that friend who rocked my boat over 25 years ago? He’s still my friend, love him like a big brother, not sure he has ever changed his position or his beliefs, and I’m waiting to be able to revisit the topic someday at his invitation.)

Anticipatory Joy!

2011-07-08T20:06:00.000-04:00

Often in ministry to the dying, and to the families of the dying, we use a phrase to describe the emotions that people go through because there is a painful awareness that a moment of departure is looming heavily in the not too distant future. It's called "anticipatory grief." It was a real "duh!" moment for me when I first heard it. In our humanness we anticipate the upcoming death of a love one and we begin the grieving process before the event takes place. As quickly as it sounded new and foreign to me it made total sense. I immediately felt right at home using it as part of my working vocabulary as a hospice chaplain.

There is another human emotion I have begun to realize exists that also looks forward to the same event but with such an "out of this world" different perspective. It is called anticipatory joy. It springs from the well of knowing in one's heart that life here on earth is our temporary home. That it's not where we belong. That it's just windows and rooms that we're passing through (Yes I did steal/borrow some lyrics here).

A couple of weeks ago I left a Pt's home feeling like I had somehow upset the natural order of things, I found myself leaving the PT feeling like I left with more than I had brought. It was because of anticipatory joy. As I reflect back my experience, I cannot help but remember one of the smirks that john Belushi was so noted for with his raised eye brow. When I was finished visiting with the Pt I asked how I could pray for him. With such sincerity and humility this man who had little voice left asked, "pray that Jesus comes for me soon, . . . very soon!" And with that he threw one of those, you just had to be there, John Belushi looks at me followed by a smirk and a smile. You couldn't help but want to burst out laughing about it as you heard the words and saw him do it. I was so blessed to be in the presence of someone who loved Jesus so much he felt the freedom to joke about his own imminent death.

How courageous and peace filled are those who have such a faith in the promises of God received through Jesus. They are the ones who face the end of life knowing that they are not defined by having had a body of flesh but rather by being a permanent spiritual individual created with a unique identity all intended for eternity with God. They know they are made in the image of God and are reconciled to him by faith in Christ. They know the deeper their intimacy and love for Christ the more prepared and anxious they are to be in a fuller presence of Him. They are ready for the metamorphosis!

Yes they are ready for death because it has been conquered for them by Jesus on their behalf. They face their last breath with a fearless expectancy of what lays ahead: an end to their struggles and sufferings, a threshold to step through, a continuation and further manifestation of what they became the hour they first believed: a new creation in Christ They truly know understand and trust that to be absent from the flesh assures them to be in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Anticipatory Joy! It is a contagion of the redeemed!

God's Love for us

2011-04-18T06:06:00.001-04:00

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16)

A meditation to share. Sorry, I do not know the origin of this as to who might be the author.

For: Because

God: The greatest lover

So loved: The greatest degree

The world: The greatest company

That He gave: The greatest act

His only begotten Son: The greatest gift

That whosoever: The greatest opportunity

Believes: The greatest simplicity

In Him: The greatest attraction

Should not perish: The greatest promise

But: The greatest difference

Have: The greatest certainty

Everlasting life: The greatest possession.

Help me understand this . . .

2011-03-22T20:06:00.005-04:00

So there was this guy who said he believed in the "teachings of Jesus but, not the miracles," and that "there is no heaven or hell." Now that makes my head hurt!

If there is no heaven or hell, and there are no miracles connected with Him to affirm His authority and divinity, why subscribe to His "teachings"? What gives them any credence?

If we remove anything that is connected with a miracle in the gospels, And take out the references to heaven and hell, what do we have left? It looks pretty dismal and hopeless. It becomes a chain stitch that has no end to unraveling.

Examples:

If Jesus teaches, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it up again in 3 days." what does that mean? That He's a liar? Then why believe in His teachings?

If Jesus teaches, "I go to prepare a place for you," where is that? Heaven? Or someplace else? Or was he talking about the local hostel house?

If he teaches He is the only way and the Truth, then, dude! without the miracles to back it up, He's a lunatic!

And if there are no valid miracles, then there was no being conceived by the Holy Spirit, there was no being fully God, fully human. And there was no resurrection. (even though its documented that over 500 people saw the resurrected Christ)

And what about the teachings from the Sermon on the Mount . . a great source of counsel for better living, but, there's a promise for a miracle or two in there:

Matthew 5:

     3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Great advice but oops, gotta cut that one out because it promise one of them "thar" miraculous places.

     8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Circular file for that one . . It would be a miracle if someone could see God!

     9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Nice idea. .. but really, a child of God? Too far fetched so, chuck that one too.

     10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Looks like there is no place for martyrs. no reason to stand up for something fake like heaven. no promises guaranteed here either . . too miraculous to promise that "heaven thing" again.

We could go on and on. One more "teaching" to look at: Jesus taught that God so loved the world that He gave His only son that whoever would be believing in Him would have eternal life. But if there were no miracles then God could not offer His only son nor could there be something as ludicrous as eternal life, nor could there be something even more ludicrous as eternal life being a gift that can't be earned. So that pretty much makes the teachings of Jesus a lie, right?

So am I missing something here? What's left? the faith of a mustard seed? Out! What would give Jesus any credibility to have teachings worth following without the miracles? This same Jesus who was a mere carpenter? A Nazarene? Gimme a break!

Perhaps a more critical question to be answered would be this: if the miracles of Jesus are deemed "invalid" or "fabricated." where does the evidence come from that proves they are fake?

Wow, I'm trying to follow the logic of "the miracles of Jesus were lies yet his teachings are worthy of being followed" . . it's not working for me, . . and you?

"but I have nothing like that to give."

2011-02-20T19:17:00.001-05:00

There are some people I run into who are so ready, so at peace, so sure of what they believe and just can't wait for the moment that their sovereign God causes them to take their last breath because they know it will mean stepping across a threshold of eternal bliss.

And then there are others like this woman. Eighty some year old individual raised by what she called a "Christian" family. Raised her family in what she considered a "Christian home" as well, taking her children to church on Sunday. At end of life she finds herself worrying about if she can get into heaven.

I just continue not to get it. How? How can that be? What was she getting fed? What was she paying attention to? Makes me want to go out and do a survey of exclusively "churched" people and ask: How do you think people get to heaven? These are statements made by folks professing to be Christians. I can understand doubts and fears coming from unbelievers.

I have heard one individual say in recent times,"I'd really like to see my kids start going to church and come to know the Lord." When I asked her what it meant to "know the Lord," she replied, "I don't really know." that was followed by a profoundly sorrowful look; like the ferry just pulled away and she was left on the dock.

Another person recently said, " I tried my best to raise my kids to believe in church." Believe in church? Ehhh?

This most recent one though was priceless. After hearing the very familiar words of John 3:16 her response was, ""but I have nothing like that to give." She thought she had to "ante up" in order to be accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven! I am bewildered. Where does that kind of theology come from? One could argue for the fact that some of those who I end up talking with have delusional influences on their present state of mind which may be the root of their bungled theology. That might be the case in some instances but it can't be so in every single case.

Is it no wonder that we are a post Christian Culture when these kinds of things are racing through the minds of people who wear the label "Christian" ?

Questions beg to be asked to get at the root of how so many people, self proclaimed Christians, can be so ill equipped at end of life. Does the responsibility fall to the individual or to the church? or both? Has the Church done its job in the last 100 years? Where has it's focus been? What has the church collectively taught the world around it by word or deed? What can we look back on and see as it's major accomplishments in the United States? Has the culture sufficiently permeated the church that the message of the gospel has gotten lost in the archives?

I wonder how many people who have been a confessing Christian for a year or more are ready and prepared to give an explanation of the faith and hope they believe in?

So, talk to me: "what's in your wallet" so to speak? Do you believe in Christ? Do you know why you believe in Him? Do you believe in heaven? do you believe what scripture teaches arbour entry into heaven/eternal life?

Just words . . . .

2011-01-12T21:59:00.001-05:00

A couple days ago I met someone who made all the empty moments of doing ministry shrink away into obscurity. I met a man who was hopelessly disabled and most likely terminally ill. A middle aged man who never had the opportunity to lead the kind of life most of us take for granted.

But first let me back up to earlier in the day. Someone came to me and asked me if I knew what the Hebrew word Shammah meant. (unfortunately, right after completing Hebrew language courses at seminary about 7 years ago, I accidentally forgot to transfer all that data from brain's "ram" (or was it cram) to my brain's hard drive. I think I lost most of it in a power outage to my head.) It wasn't too hard to find it on the Internet. It means "to be present." Jehovah Shammah "The Lord is there." It comes from the closing statement of Ezekiel (48:35). Can you imagine what heaven is going to be like someday? Jehovah Shammah! As one of the other chaplain's stated, "You just can't capture the depth of that statement with the English language."

Back to my story, I was doing this visit with Shelly, my co-worker who is the social worker on the team I serve with. She too is a Christian. We often do initial visits together because the information we are assessing for has a few areas of overlap. As a chaplain one of my responsibilities is to report a brief summary of a spiritual background/beliefs on our incoming patients. I try to get to know people a little and let them warm up to me before I go to the deeper questions. I never ask presumptive questions at the onset like, "What church do you belong to?" I first listen to the person talk about who they are and where the journey in life has taken them. As I listen I try to be alert for language that gives me a hint or a glimpse of that person's world view. I also look for clues in the home like wall decorations, literature, music they are listening to, even TV they might be watching.
With this new gentleman, (I'll just call him Mike, not his real name), I was already beginning to come to some conclusions before I asked him about his beliefs. I heard him use the word "blessed" several times and . I heard instrumental Hymns of the Christian faith on his CD player.

When I got to where I was ready to broach the subject of spiritual beliefs, I said, "Tell me about your spiritual beliefs, Mike." Not a whole lot of people come right out and say, "I am a Christian." Most say they believe in God or that they believe they are going to heaven or that they are a member of such and such church. Mike went right to the heart of his beliefs.

He replied, "I believe that Jesus was born into this world to save me. I believe He is the Son of God who died to pay for my sins and I believe that after he was buried He rose from the dead. I believe I'll be in heaven someday because I believe in Him." This said with the most humble, sincere, meek attitude and yet with such faith and conviction.

Mike then went on to talk about the different congregations he has fellowshipped with over the years. As well, Mike also talked about the challenges of having a disability all his life and the tragedies he has experienced especially over the past couple of years. In summary of it all he said, "In spite of it all, I really feel like God has blessed me and my family all my life." Not one drop of bitterness towards God or his own lot in life. I was in the presence of a man whose heart, mind, and soul were totally surrendered to the sovereignty of God.

As we talked, I was choking back the tears. Oh that I could have this man's testimony of faith on a video or CD so that other's would see how small there problems are in comparison to this man's. And even more importantly to see how trusting and rock solid his faith in Christ is! If only the lady around the corner from his room could hear what this man has been through and what he believes!

AS we talked more he shared that about a year ago a sudden event in his personal health almost took his life. His life was spared and now the only spiritual issue in life was that he felt totally inadequate: unable to serve the Lord and physically be able do something to glorify God. "I feel like God brought me back from that for a reason but I just don't seem to know why."

In an instant I truly felt God leading to use the moment to teach this gentle spirit how valuable he still was to God. 'MIke, hang with me for a moment, I think I can help you with this. How was this universe created?"

God spoke it into existence." he replied.

"Correct", I said. "And the Gospel of John, first chapter: 'In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.' Everything was created through 'the Word' and 'the Word became flesh' just like you stated a while ago, right?" He responded with an affirmative nod of his head. "Mike, you don't have much left in life, but what is it that you still have an unlimited supply of?"

After a few moments, you could see his face change with that "ah ha" look that a person gets when they get it, "Words", he responded quietly.

"Mike, for the last 20 minutes you have been blessing Shelly and I with your testimony. Do you understand how powerful your words are?"

Oh Wow, you could see the looks coming across his face! Relief! Excitement! Revelation! Empowerment! Mike suddenly found meaning and purpose for this season of his life. Shelly asked him to consider making a video of his faith and testimony. WE offer this service to anyone who wants to make any kind or recording for any reason for their family and friends. Mike said he would think about it.

After I prayed with him and left the room, I looked back. I wanted to remember what God had done in there that day. It was, in every sense of the word, a "Jehovah Shammah" experience.

(Psalms 34:18-19 NKJV) The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

It's what you leave behind when you go

2010-12-31T10:36:00.001-05:00

What a day yesterday was in terms of seeing God working in people's lives. I started the day tuning in to a country station in Wooster to keep up with local weather conditions. We were starting the day with freezing rain and I wanted to keep up with what I was looking at ahead. I wasn't two hundred yards down the road before I found someone off in the ditch. No one was hurt but the young man was very grateful that after 45 minutes someone finally stopped just to check and see if he was okay. Help was on the way as he had a cell phone. There was nothing I could do as it was going to take a winch to get him out. We talked for a few moments and then parted ways. I said, "God bless you," to him as I climbed in my truck. You could tell people didn't say that to him often because there was a long pause after which he said, "God bless you!."

As I traveled to Wooster ,just before I got into the office, there was a Randy Travis song that came on. "Three Wooden Crosses." Had never heard it before, but what a touching reminder that the seemingly small things we do in life can have a huge impact in exponential ways on other people's lives. A dying pastor places his worn out Bible in the hands of a hooker which leads to things that only God can accomplish. Wow!

A couple hours later I found myself sitting in on a bereavement session with one of my co-workers who is a Social Worker. We often team up. There are professional lines that they as SW's cannot cross when it comes to spiritual conversation. I can tread where they know we need to go but they are prohibited from doing so. At our agency there are several SW's willing to partner with chaplains this way and more often than not it is a very symbiotic formula benefiting the client.

The woman who she was meeting with has been in several times and I have participated in the last 3 sessions. As I walked in the room to join the session already in progress one could tell by the woman's face that there had been significant change is this woman's life. . . for the better. Her countenance spoke for her. (Countenance describes a person's facial expression in terms of revealing their emotional or spiritual state of being.) Her problems had not gone away but her perspective of them had radically changed. She was beginning to understand that losses, tragedies, conflict and challenges could not only be endured but be gloirify God when turned over to Christ. She spoke of the new levels of intimacy with God she was beginning to experience, the reading she was doing, the changes in her attitude, the positive affect it was having on her family, the overall spiritual growth she was having. We had a great session, shared some scripture. She was so eager to pray as I closed our time together.

All that was enough to give anyone an excitement about the day and things to ponder while taking inventory of the day's events but it wasn't even noon yet.

At 11:00 am I found myself again with the SW but also the hospice RN sitting in the living room of a new patient. There were a couple of small decorative crosses on shelves as I looked around the room, but the biggest object in the room that spoke about her faith was about an 18" tall wall hanging that is very familiar to many of the Christian faith as an accepted rendition of what Jesus might have looked like. As we got around to talking about her faith background, she shared how she had been brought up in a strict religious environment where guilt was a big factor and requirements to participate in many activities made the whole church scene seem more like prison than a means to know God and grow in his Love.

As we talked she eventually made a statement that she hoped she was going to get into heaven. I asked how she was going to get there and she replied she hoped she had led a good enough life to get into heaven. I paused for a moment.

l pointed to the wall hanging and asked, "Who is that to you?" she replied, "Jesus, of course."

I then asked, " what is the purpose of having Jesus in our lives if we have have to earn our way into heaven by doing enough good?"

She thought for a moment and replied, "Jesus is there to help us be good." (I thought wow, over 12 years in a very main line denomination and this is all she came away with!)

You never want to burst a person's bubble and leave them with chewing gum all over their head!. I first said, "You are absolutely right, Jesus is there to help us do good, but did you know there is more, more that will make the thought of heaven more wonderfuland easier to attain than doing good works?"

At first she had a look on her face of grave concern as though she had done something wrong or I had shared something that was suspect. What came next was so tender. Her sister in law drew to her side and said, "Let me hold your hand." Wow did they have a supportive relationship!. The sister in law obviously knew what was coming and she wanted to give her some assurance that it was okay to hear it.

First I asked, "Are you familiar with John 3:16?"

"No." she replied, but when I started to recite it she did acknowledge familiarity with it. I went on to do a little teaching about the difference between believing and doing as it relates to the promise of eternal life. Then I asked, "Can I read a few verses to you from YOUR Bible?"

This gave her great relief to see that I was going to give her more information from a source she trusted. They quickly found her neatly preserved Bible and handed it over to me. I turned to Ephesians 2 and began to read and explain as we went through the verses about being saved by grace through faith in what Christ already did for us. This lady about jumped out of her recliner! When the moment hit that she already was assured of her salvation because of her love for, belief in and submission to Jesus, you could almost see the choir of angels in the room singing the Hallelujah chorus. She had gone from guardedly hopeful to jubilantly joy filled in an instant. Oh what a releif it was for her. What a day this turned out to be! Could it get any better? (And I get paid to do this!).

I finished out the work day got home early, spent the evening quietly at home but the day was still not over. As I lay in bed preparing to fall asleep Mary did something I rarely see happen. She was channel surfing and stopped on a christian station. Usually it's a flamboyantly dressed individual running a phon-a-thon or preaching a health and wealth gospel message but tonight was different. It was Don Piper, pastor and author of "90 minute in Heaven."

We laid there and listened to his personal testimony of being clinically dead for 90 minutes and how that all played out. His faith before he died, his experience in heaven, his faith through his recovery, his being used by God to take the message to others to leave something behind a message of hope before he left this world again permanently. I pondered the connections between my "little" accident, my recovery, my ministry and his as I tried to fall asleep. I never lost consciousness during my accident and my wounds seem so minor compared to his but there was so much I could relate to in how it affects one's life and others

I had to get up. It certainly wasn't too much God for one day, I don't think I'll ever say that but it definitely was a too much to ponder, too much "Divine Conspiracy", too much "I'm talking to you, Bob," to think about as I thought through the day.

I heard the words from that song several more times before I finally went to sleep in the wee hours of the next day.

"It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you,
It's what you leave behind you when you go."

Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Winter Solstice

2010-12-21T18:41:00.005-05:00

Happy Winter Solstice? I mean, what do you do with that? One of my FB friends wrote that this morning and well, at first it kind of rubbed me the wrong way. This is the Christmas season! How could we have our eyes and our mind focused on anything else? Are we becoming that much of a post Christian culture?

But wait! Me thinks that makes me out to be a hypocrite for it is I just less than a week ago was a harbinger of spring to someone lamenting it was winter. It is I who look forward to the first day of spring with such anticipation and relief. It is I who start a countdown to spring right after Thanksgiving. It is I who cross off the days until that joyous 3rd week in March. In fact I now begin the celebration early – as soon as we go to daylight savings time!

How can I be so shallow in my thinking that it would be sacrilegious to say happy winter solstice? It is a season of joy for those who love winter! My errant thinking assumes that someone else might observe it as a celebration of some weather god or goddess.

I never look forward to the first day of spring as the celebration of a pagan festival. Nay! I look forward to it with assurance that the God who created the universe and who created me will usher in the seasons with such punctuality, such predictability, such dependability!

If we therefore can look at the seasons and the cycles of the moon and sun not as something to be worshipped themselves but as evidence that glorifies the One who created them, what more reason to celebrate their arrival!

It is we, mankind, who chose Dec 25 to plunk down as a time to celebrate the birth of Christ. How can we hold in contempt an act that Christ himself ordained as part of creation?

Let us celebrate even more the Word which created it all; the Word that became flesh through the birth of Jesus Christ! Happy winter solstice, happy summer solstice, happy autumnal equinox, happy vernal equinox all in the name of the One who created them!

MSG © Deu 4:19 And also carefully guard yourselves so that you don't look up into the skies and see the sun and moon and stars, all the constellations of the skies, and be seduced into worshiping and serving them. GOD set them out for everybody's benefit, everywhere.

John chapter 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. 2 The Word 4 was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc--ZYUyE2M

Looking for the Mars Hill moments

2010-11-20T06:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was talking to a man that I knew was going to have a tough time, “letting me on to his ranch” emotionally so to speak. I did my customary ice-breaker questions with him and when the timing seemed right I asked if he had any doubts,fears, or unanswered questions that were of a spiritual nature.

Doubts? None. Fears? None. Curiosity? Yes!! ”When does God have time to take care of Himself?” Some folks might brush that off as a childish theologically underdeveloped misunderstanding of who God is. However, when a person is facing their own death in a matter of weeks or less and they can ask you a question like this, it is indeed an indicator that God and eternity are on their mind!

For me, it was also a door opener to build a rapport with this man. I saw wrapped up in his question, a genuine sincere appreciation for the wonder and complexity of God’s creation: his acknowledgement of an Intelligent Designer, a Divine Creator, a power much greater than himself.

Don’t miss this: while all other indicators observed might point to a life of irreverence, his question was flowing from his reverence for God. I acknowledged it as such and from that point on you could see the wall coming down and a bridge of trust beginning to be developed.

It wasn’t long before he was sharing he grew up in a mainline protestant denomination and how church had become irrelevant and a turnoff to him over the years. I don’t try to preach in these situations, I mostly listen. Eventually he went on to mention the word Jesus in a respectful manner!

Listening in an attentively without coming across like you are going to correct or admonish everything that is said goes a long way in building a relationship wherein you can share God’s truth . . . eventually.

At the end of the visit I asked for permission to pray for this man. He surrisingly let me. Do you have any idea how information you can share in a prayer? It is there you can remind them of God’s forgiveness of sins, his sacrificial love through Christ, the concept of unconditional grace, and their potential to be a child of God without earning it rather just by asking. There were tears in the room when we we’re done.

We have to look for the Mars Hill moments in life! (Mars Hill is the location of the Areopagus where Paul preached in Athens in Acts chapter 17) These moments are found when someone else creates a touch point with the living God giving you an opportunity to continue on in a conversation about the truth of who God is in a relevant respectful manner. That to me is God’s invitation to join Him in the work that is already being done in this person’s spirit.

Acts 17:23:b –26 “Now what you worship as something unknown, I am going to proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth ” 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[c]

that all important "membership"

2010-08-03T21:54:00.001-04:00

Church

What does it mean to “attend a church”? Be a “member”? When you have the privilege like I do to ask people about their faith history it leads to some interesting data. I have learned that just because a person belongs to a Christian church doesn’t always mean they know what it means to be a Christian. If some one told you they were Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, Brethren, Methodist or Presbyterian et cetera, wouldn’t you assume they meant they were telling you they were a Christian? I can tell you from my experiences that it is not always the case!

I get some pretty amusing comments sometimes. Here are some statements all made by people who identified themselves as being “members” of a church.

“All that preacher wanted to do was talk about Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! I got tired of it!”
(As Tim the Tool Man Taylor used to say, “Eeehhh?”)

“I believe there is a God and I hope I’ve been good enough to go to heaven someday.”
(And that would be a Christian belief because. . . . ?)

And here is one I got today. In responding to a question, “what brings peace into your life?” the individual gave a good 20 seconds of deafening silent thought and then said to me, “I don’t know! What gives you peace?” Bravo! First person to throw the question back at me! (Yes I was ready and I had an answer.), but sadly, “the Christian” didn’t know what could give them peace in their life! Are you picking up what I’m laying down?

What is “the church” doing these days or more specifically in the last 100+ years or so to instruct its inhabitants on the basics of Christianity? How can people be “members” of a church for decades and at the end of their life only have a shaky fear-filled “hope so” about whether there is a God, what Jesus was able to accomplish, or if there is a heaven and whether they can purchase a ticket to get in?

In the Book of James there is a verse that says “you do not have because you do not ask.” I’m thinking a lot of folks “have no hope because they do not know!” The church of the Kingdom of God/Heaven is responsible for conveying the gospel: the life transforming facts about the atoning redemptive work of Christ on our behalf.

Yet as Mike Erre frames it in his book, Death by Church, we all to often see, not the church of the Kingdom of Heaven, but the kingdom of the church: a cultural saturated entity existing for its own glory and purpose. A place where members receive benefits and are served. A place where commitment and accountability are marginally optional. A place where discipleship is for those “fanatics.” A place where discipline never takes place so as not to offend anyone. A place where the unspoken norm is that it’s okay to be silent about out faith because everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and besides there are other pathways to God we must tolerate. A place where attendees are not worshipers but rather an audience for a performance (and a critical audience at that.

The long term affect: no hope, no faith, no ability to explain what they thought they believed but were never challenged to think it through, verbalize it, and explain it to someone else.

I was once told that in the military, a helicopter pilot can not enter actual flight training until he has the entire section from the operations manual memorized by heart for emergency landing procedure due to mechanical failure and can recite it out loud. Why? So that at the moment of crisis there is no lack of knowledge or faith. I get to see the “Christians’ who never learned what they had (or didn’t have) the opportunity to believe. As they approach death, they are panicked like an untrained pilot who is about to crash land. There is often fear, doubt, depression, anger, or hopelessness needlessly built into these people’s lives.

Is it too much to ask that everyone who calls him or herself a Christian to be instructed in such a way that they can comfortably verbalize the principles of their faith so that they can pass along a believable story about the gospel of Jesus Christ? Is that too much to ask about someone who is trusting their future to this “Jesus” fella?

What is “the church” if it cannot turn out a believer who can explain the biblical truth about what they are living for and dying to become?

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…

Hmmm . . . so maybe it’s a heart issue as well?

open ended questions

2010-07-22T20:59:00.000-04:00

Recently I had an opportunity to pray with someone who has had a particularly rough life. Without revealing personal information, let’s just say he journeyed though just about every low spot the human experience could touch on. Before I prayed for him, I asked him, “If you could ask God one question, what would it be?”

His first reaction was much like Christopher Lloyd’s character from the old TV series “Taxi.” “Whoaaaaaa!” I like to call them “Jim Ignatowski” moments. He was at a loss for words . . . briefly. Then, he blurted, “I do have a question, . . . ‘God, what did you expect of me?’”

Wow! Did I ask for it! What a deep question! What potential for assumptions buried in that question:

Was there a sense that whatever he perceives those expectations were, he has not achieved them?

Was there a sense of failure?

Was there a sense of past tense and completion: that there is an irreversible finality to something in his mind?

Was there a sense that there is no chance of reconciling whatever is broken or dysfunctional?

Yet the question itself affirms the man’s willingness to talk: a willingness to hear God.

Of course my first instinct was to start spewing scripture to ”encourage” him. Instead, I complimented him for the deep thought and said I’d like to talk about that next time. (I generally see him 2 times a month).

It’s on occasions like this that most of us want to blurt out what we think God would say. My instincts tell me that would be disastrous with this chap. He was probably thinking in his mind, “you’re gonna tell me all the things I already know I have done wrong, make me feel worse than I already do about myself and tell me I need to get down on my knees, repent, and be saved.” He is in a place spiritually and emotionally that is very resistant to listen to someone with a spiritual agenda. He requires trust and credibility and they take a long time to be established.

There is a journey I suspect that this man still has to travel before he is ready to hear answers. Call it a defiance disorder if you like, but I know for sure a person like him knows a person like me has not seen all the things he’s seen so there is almost an unspoken disqualification of anything I might offer. I haven’t “walked the walk” with him. This guy doesn’t need Captain Obvious preaching to him. He simply needs someone to listen, make reflective statements to him and assist him in externalizing and verbalizing his beliefs about himself and God. One would want to be careful not to use phrases like “ you need to . . .” “you ought to . . . .” or, “you should . . . .”

So what did I do? Well I prayed for him, I lifted his prayer requests and also asked God to answer his question for him. Then I walked away . . . so tempted to answer his questions, but I just walked away. As it turns out, the circumstances that brought us together a couple times a month were removed and that was the last time I saw this man, at least for a while.

Some people reading this might say, “Bob, you didn’t lead this guy through the Sinner’s Prayer or show him the Roman Road. You left this guy hanging!” Absolutely correct. I did not and I would not do either of those things and I sure did leave him hanging.

Why? Because I believe God is not a helpless buffoon who can’t get the job done without our help. He is capable, self sufficient; omnipotent and almighty. He invites us to join Him in what He is doing but He is very capable of getting the job done Himself. I realized my role for the day and then stepped out of the way. Can’t God bring someone else along side to help? I believe God will provide opportunity and circumstance for this man to truly get his question answered if he truly wants an answer.

So what about you? Do you ever ask people open-ended questions about spirituality?

Can you ask them in a way that causes them to think deeply and are you okay if you don’t have an answer for them?

I’d love to hear some of the questions that you all ask!

Please feel free to leave them as a comment!

Orphans

2010-07-04T08:10:00.004-04:00

The Orphan

We have a new resident in the house these days. She will have been here two weeks tomorrow. Like any newcomer who gets grafted into a family, in their own unique way, they bring disruption to the routine and flow of things. There are adjustments that need to be made. Schedules might have to change. Routines might have to be altered. Space might need to be rearranged. Relationships, de facto, might be affected by the new addition. And sometimes when an orphan is brought into a home, the pitiful waif can be a constant reminder of the tragedy or trauma that left them in such a condition.

On top of that, no refugee can totally leave everything behind when they go to start a new life somewhere. It’s hard to leave culture, history, experience, tradition and other baggage behind. The material things can be abandoned but the very nature of who we are and where we’ve been and whose we’ve been can’t be altered or erased very well.

I ‘m sitting here this morning starring at my mother’s dog Maggie. Mom passed away just a few days ago. I think one of the things holding her here was just her wanting to make sure that Maggie was going to assimilate into our family okay.

So here’s Maggie: a 12 year old mutt. She’s part beagle and part something else; supposedly Chihuahua. She has bad breathe, crooked teeth, came to us un-housebroken, and has that hound dog kind of heavy oily smell to her skin. She’s so ugly that she's sort of cute; She’s not the first pick for someone like me who loves Jack Russell’s. She is a real ragamuffin in every sense of the word.

Before she came here she spent 6 weeks at a boarding kennel while mom went from one hospital to the next. Maggie lost a lot of weight in that time, which really was good for her health. Mom had a bad habit of feed her all the wrong stuff and had her grossly obese.

Our other dog, CoCo, a three year old Jack Russell mix, has been tolerant of her, occasionally expressing some jealousy. Over all though, their new relationship seems to be symbiotic: it’s good for both them to have company as they have both been isolated from the rest of the dog world and, be it good or bad, Maggie has learned to bark, jump and even run a little bit. It’s been quite the awakening for her.

But there she lies quietly this morning on the old towel that is now her corner of the kitchen. She’s looking a little lost and sad as I stare at her. Truly we didn’t want another dog in the family right now, but out of charity and honor for mom, we took her in. She has attached herself to me without my solicitation. She whimpers when I leave and has begun to assimilate in her own way, Coco’s celebration dance that “daddy’s home.”

She will be a constant living reminder of my mom for the rest of her days. I’m sure when Maggie passes some day it will be a time to grieve mom’s passing one more time. But, I’m finding this morning that she’s more than a reminder of mom: she is at the moment a reminder of how we should live reflecting God’s grace.

Weren’t we in the same condition when we came to know how unconditionally God loves us? Pitiful orphaned sinners that we are with our bad breath, crooked teeth and smelly skin, God allows us into the kingdom by His grace and by His mercy.

Through His son Jesus there is a way provided for all us ragamuffins to be a child of God. And as followers of Jesus, are we not called to a new life in Christ? One in which we are called to see the world as God sees it: offering love to the un-loveable, charity to the destitute and providing a seat at the table for those who would find it no where else.

In the stillness of a quiet summer Sunday morning I am flooded with God’s presence. Welcome Maggie, to the little kingdom that is part of the greater Kingdom. It is by grace you have been saved . . . just like us.

2 Samuel Chapter 9

God is still in the small stuff

2010-03-03T20:41:00.004-05:00

God is still in the small stuff

Today was an incredible day at work in regards to seeing things happen that affirm once again that God is in the small stuff.

One of the nurses I work with was used today in a powerful way to minister to the daughter of a former patient of ours. For my friend, the nurse, (we’ll just call her Kay) it started on the drive to work. “Something” triggered Kay to remember a family that our team took care of last year. The patient died in the month of March. Maybe it just being the month for the anniversary of her passing was enough to bring it to mind. Nonetheless “for such a time as this” it came to her mind today.

I got into the office late today. After Kay left for her rounds, one of our supervisors came looking for her to convey a phone message he took. We talked a few moments trying to connect the dots on when this Pt was taken care and what we could remember about the family. Later in the day I met Kay and some others from our team for lunch.

There was much to talk about at lunch As five of us sat around the lunch table we talked about spiritual concerns of two other families we are presently talking care of. Their situations are challenging and raise a lot of questions.

As we were talking, I asked Kay if one of our supervisors had gotten to talk to her since she left the office. She affirmed that he had. “You know it’s the strangest thing, I was just thinking of that family this morning. What do you make of that Bob?” My reply was, “sounds like God is getting ready to do something and it involves you.” I went on to share some of my own experiences where God “called someone to mind foe me” and there was a clear need for prayer as time unfolded in the situation.

We went our separate ways after lunch. As the day progressed, Kay gave me a call to update me on her phone conversation with the patient’s daughter at the end of the afternoon. We’ll let the details of the conversation remain private. They really aren’t needed to finish the story.

Kay said, “by the time I got around to calling her back, (by the way, circumstantially, she could not call her back until late in the afternoon) I had thought all day about the patient, the family, all the dynamics of family relationships, the challenges this woman faced as a caregiver for her mother, and all that we talk about at lunch. I knew exactly what this woman needed to hear from me for encouragement and healing when I found out what she called for.”

“So Kay,” I said, “ Can you see how God took the whole day to prepare you to get ready to speak just exactly the words this woman needed to hear so that she could receive the healing message of affirmation she so desperately needed to hear?”

“Yes” she replied, “ I can now.”

Isn’t it wonderful, incredible, stupendous and engaging to know that God wants to invite us to do things for Him, with Him, that he could do quite well without our participation?

Esther 4:14 says:
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Queen Esther was being reminded by her uncle that God placed in that moment of time for a specific purpose and plan. Maybe she couldn’t see it coming but it was at this critical moment of crisis for her people that she had risen to a position of influence to do something positive. The choice was hers: if she declined, God would find another person to fulfill His plan.

How often do we miss God’s fingerprints in the small stuff? How often do we miss the invitation that God is giving us in the minor details of life? How often do we miss or decline the opportunity to be used by Him in the epic story of someone else’s faith journey?

And if he can be so pervasive in the details of our lives how hard is it to believe that He did such an incredible act of grace and mercy for us on our behalf through the ministry death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? How hard can that be? Really?

Thank you, Kay for surrendering to His will today.

Blessure

2010-02-23T20:11:00.002-05:00

I love it when God reveals himself and catches me off guard. It’s really a delightful feeling to be surprised in a way that profoundly yet simply affirms that God is in the moment with you. Sometimes it can sneak in with such subtly but finish off like the roar of a lion with His sovereignty and succinctness.

Today I experienced just that. I was visiting with one of my hospice patients. Both the social worker and one of the volunteers and shared with me that this man was in tears because he missed his dear deceased wife, was sure that if there was a heaven she was there and was struggling with disbelief on his own part that neither heaven nor God were a sure thing for him.

H was struggling with what is common to a lot of people today: lack of information; lack of faith; a void of hope; a sense of right and wrong but an inability to acknowledge that the definition of right and wrong emerges from a supreme being. Add to that a view point that the Bible is a great literary work but cannot be trusted to represent a God if He did exist because the authorship is assumed to be fallible mankind. In short, no on-board compass to believe in anything unseen.

I tried several different approaches to logically and lovingly present an apologetic for the existence of God: Talking about the spiritual nature of the law; of love, of human emotion and when he referred to someone as evil, our inherent ability to recognize good and evil.

It seemed like he enjoyed the conversation and appreciated the effort but just could not believe in the unseen. It had to be tangible and palpable.

Referring back to his wife, his son, his career and all the other things he felt so grateful for, He said, “ I have been one very lucky man in my life.”

I responded by stating that he might want to consider that he was blessed instead. He muttered back something to the effect that blessing meant wounded. Now me being who I am I replied to that with a Tim Allen, “eeehhh?”

What he was referring to, he explained, was that the phonetic cross over of “blessed” in English sounds close to the French word blessure which is a noun for injury or wound.

Now you all can make of that whatever you want but this was the moment that God interceded and established His awareness of the conversation and His contribution at least for my benefit.

My first reaction was that these two words are about as far apart as you can possibly get. And then . . . it hit me, “ by His wounds we are healed.” The ultimate blessing we have received was because Christ was wounded for us. And it went on from there: Was I not blessed myself this past year through the wounds I received in the accident I experienced? Have I not also been blessed by those whose wounds drew them to a deeper intimacy with the God that loves us? I was overwhelmed with God’s love and His presence.

Now throughout the entire conversation my patient, a man in his early 80’s would reach for a tissue and wipe a tear from his eye. As this epiphany hit me, I said’ “ pardon me but my turn to reach for the tissues.”

I was in awe of what had just happened. Not just that God had spoken to me; I’m used to that. More awesome was the fact that he spoke to me through an unbelieving spirit such as this man who lacked faith.

The irony was that as I shared the explanation for my tears of joy, this man was actually happy for me but could not spiritually embrace what he just witnessed. How sad is that?

As on previous visits, he was very receptive to prayer and his hand trembled as we prayed. And also like former occasions, he thanked me for going out of my way to visit and welcomed the notion of my stopping by again another time.

I believe this man is a work in progress. I won’t force my beliefs on him any further than what he will permit me to share, but I can see God is working in his life. He (the patient) even taught me previously (at my request) how to say “God loves you” in a foreign language that he taught for many years. (So I could say it back to him in his heart language?)

I can only walk away from all of this today being assured and blessed that God was in the moment with me today. I did not walk alone.

I am also prayerfully hoping that tonight as this man falls asleep, he is praying through the words spoken to Jesus in Mark 9:24b " . . . help me overcome my unbelief!"

A letter from Jesus at Christmas

2009-12-14T11:53:00.000-05:00

This has been floating around the internet via email.

If you know the author, please let me know, they deserve the credit!

Letter from Jesus about Christmas --

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember:
I LOVE YOU,
JESUS

Censorship of Merry Christmas

2009-12-09T09:19:00.000-05:00

I wonder,

The other day I heard a rumor that a retail manager threaten to fire an employee if they said “Merry Christmas” one more time to a customer. A sad reflection of the world we live in. Just yesterday I was in a local franchise restaurant that was decorated with wreaths, fake evergreen trees, a toy train, wrapped gifts, tinsel with a dash of fake snow here and there. Not only did I not see “Merry Christmas” anywhere, I didn’t even see “Happy Holidays” either. How’s that for a paranoid retailer?

I don’t get it (or do I?). Is it really all about not offending non-Christians?

What has Christmas become to the world around us? What’s the real issue about saying “Merry Christmas”? Is it really all about being respectful of other world religion holidays or is something else going on? Is it more accurate to say that Christianity has given up its front seat in our culture today and this is one of the resultant effects?

Here is an interesting quote regarding Christmas from the internet encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

Well it seems this very objective web site has defined Christmas as originally being Christian (that’s a relief since “Christ” is embedded in the word Christmas) but also recognizes that non-Christians have come to love and enjoy the holiday as well.

Hmmmm . . .so, what would retailers do if the Christians decided to abandon December and choose another month to celebrate the birth of Christ? And, de facto, we took our propensity for gift purchasing for our friends and family with us? Would there be enough non-Christians left who celebrate Christmas (apparently for no reason) to maintain the December season of economic prosperities for retailers?

If we choose a month that had no other world religious holiday being celebrated at that time, (August maybe?), where there would be no temptation to pluralize the event and call it “the Holidays”, would we “be permitted” to say “Merry Christmas” without the risk of offending someone else?

I wonder if a move like that (moving Christmas to another month) would adequately “cull us out from the herd” so that we might then be considered a significant minority group. Then, might we be worthy of having specific marketing strategies developed catering to our aberrant errant Christian worldview?

Would those retailers suddenly become “friendly” to the Christians and put up “Merry Christmas” on their stores to attract the Christian market share if we all moved to a distinctly separate spot on the calendar?

“Merry Christmas” I guess to the majority, alludes to a worldview that no longer has a front seat in the world we live in. The world as a whole (the United States very specifically) is drifting away from its belief in and reliance on God/Christ. Gone with that is respect for Biblical truth and principles. As a result it must (to avoid embarrassment and humility) logically revolt against the very core of what has previously given meaning, purpose, and value to life and therefore as well . . . Christmas.

Well, what ever. If you see me out and about, please, wish me a Merry Christmas. For myself and many people I hang with, it’s special to us.

Stay close to Jesus!

Bob

Why me? Part Deux

2009-11-11T08:16:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 8:00 AM, EST

a letter to a friend

Dave,

As a follow up to your question, "Have you ever thought, 'why me?' " I was pretty quick to answer no. But I thought about it a lot throughout the day.

I believe there are three reasons that I can so quickly give an answer of "no."

First I think I have a pretty realistic worldview that we live in a fallen world that is not perfect. Being followers of Christ does not assure us a carte blanche exemption from catastrophe, Rather, it gives us a means to cope with the problems of today looking ahead to the perfection of heaven where there will be no more catastrophes.

Second, having served two years now in hospice ministry, it gives one a very sobering perspective that anything can happen to anyone at any time. As a pastor and a chaplain, I have seen people accept that and struggle with it. Both have taught me a lot in regards to preparing me for my own catastrophe.

Finally, I can't really say that I heard God speak in terms of a real voice, but somewhere in the midst of all the events that were taking place the day of the accident, and to the best of my memory, while I was still alone in the car waiting for the sound of another human voice, I "came to understand" that this day was not to be the day I died and that there were indeed still plans for me to serve the Lord.

It makes it much easier, to accept the "bad things that happen to good people," to endure the pain, and accept the hardships, knowing full well that Jesus will not let it go to waste and better yet will use it for His Glory.

One bit of evidence to support all this is revealed in something that happened before we met for lunch. (I should have shared it at lunch.) On the way to the restaurant I had occassion to drive right down the road where the accident took place. I was running pretty early so I decided to stop in at the farm along side where my accident took place. I had been wanting to meet one of the two woman who held my hand and prayed with me before the EMT's and fire department arrived. (I had already met the other woman as she was my night nurse in rehab one night back in July) I just wanted to say thank you.

One of the farm employees saw me pull in and greeted me immediately. I told him who I was and why I was there. He was very cordial and told that he was sure the lady of the house (respecting people's privacy by not giving too many details here) would love to meet me but that she had just gotten back from having some medical tests done earlier in the morning. It "knocked her out" so to speak, He knew she was sleeping but (revealing his hand as a fellow believer), he said, "Maybe it's no accident that TODAY you decided to drop by to visit."

Well I left my phone number for her to call when she felt up to it, but clearly I got the message. Again maybe not a voice but yet a clear understanding from God, "she prayed for you, now it's your turn to pray for her."

There were several other accassions when I have driven past the farm in the last 5 weeks, but for "such a time as this" I unknowingly was led to stop by today.

. . . and the epic story of a believer's life continues to be written interwoven and intersected with the lives of other people.

"Why me?" How about, "why not me?"

Monday, November 9, 2009 5:53 PM, EST

Scattered thoughts

Take a letter

2009-11-01T18:14:00.004-05:00

So in worship today I used a scripture from 2 Corinthians 3:3. It says:

3You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

What I believe Paul was trying to convey was that whatever is in a person’s heart is a spiritual message that, whether we intend for it to be or not, is a letter to the rest of the world as to who we are as Christians. His plea was for them to be an example of Christ to the world around them.

A letter . . . . I am reminded of a comedian of days gone by, Groucho Marx. In the classic comedy Animal Crackers there is a scene where he wants to distract and confuse people. “Take a letter,” he demands as he tries to get everyone to focus on a threatening letter he intends to write. If you would, take a trip over to YouTube and watch this humorous but none-the-less teachable moment as to what a letter ought to have in it. When you are done, come back over and we’ll talk some more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbbz6pNDOeI

Welcome back! Pretty silly, wasn't? And at the end of the day what did he really accomplish? Nothing.

In the Capitol One credit card commercial they pose the question, “What’s in your wallet?” Well, with that same inquisitive nature, if you are a Christian, what’s in your letter? Does it have a nice envelope? Fancy stationery? A tremendous greeting? That’s all fine, but does it have substance? Does it have content? Or is it full of smoke and mirror moves to distract the reader from seeing who the real you is? Is what is written on your heart something that translates into a letter that will draw someone o Christ?

Lord Jesus, Come into our hearts, flush out the negative, the critical, the cynical and the sinful and replace them with the things that only Your Spirit can write on our hearts. Make it be a letter of warmth, grace, and the pathway to Your salvation when people read us. It is in the power of Your Name that we pray, Amen.

Trust in the Living God

2009-08-18T22:18:00.002-04:00

When I was in seminary one of my professors had an incredible gift for slowing us down and getting us to meditate on God’s word. Often as a means to center us for the day and prepare us for our time with him in class, he would have us read silently from a selected psalm. After a few minutes of contemplation, he would ask us to share just one word that speaks to us from that passage. One word that for us personally summarizes the spirit and essence of the psalmist’s message.

He has written me twice since I have had my accident and I am blessed that he so kindly remembers me. In one of the cards he sent me, he cited the first 5 verses of Psalm 20. It was no doubt intended to be a prayer and a blessing that he was pronouncing over me as his thoughts and prayers were lifted to heaven on my behalf.

This evening,in honor of his influence on my life, I went back and read through the psalm again to practice this spiritual discipline. The “word” that unquestionably came to the forefront for me was “trust.”

Everything within this psalm is predicated on trust in a living God.

Trust that there is a God who hears us.
Trust that there is a God who can protect us and help us.
Trust that there is a God who knows us intimately and personally and is involved in the details of our life.
Trust that there is nothing in our world as worthy of our trust as He is.
Trust that our victories come through Him and not our own designs.
Trust that He is more than worthy of our praise and worship.
Trust that our lives and our fate are in His hands.
Trust that He is sovereign even we cannot comprehend or understand.

And I would add to all that: trust that there is meaning and purpose in everything we experience in life even when suffering is involved.

Thank You Dr Flora for always pointing the way toward The Master, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Stay close to Jesus,

Bob

Psalm 20 (New International Version)
1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.

4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.
6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
9 O LORD, save the king!
Answer [a] us when we call!

Why me?

2009-08-16T20:52:00.001-04:00

God’s sovereignty

A couple of days ago I was on the phone talking with my uncle in North Carolina. He has been a Reformed Baptist pastor and counselor for over 35 years. We were doing some “catching up” since it had been way to long since we had last talked. Much of what we did talk about was the way God preserved me and brought me through the accident and how He has used other people to touch my life and vise versa.

We talked about Romans 8:28. We also acknowledged that suffering was part of a deeper spiritual experience to draw us close to the Lord and to also prepare us for ministry to others in unique ways. We both agreed that God allows us to experience suffering so that in the end, He is glorified though us. (Got to be a maturing follower of Christ to believe that and also live it.)

I am the midst of walking through this valley of physical suffering but after I hung up I realized that my uncle and his family have suffered emotionally and spiritually far beyond my present sufferings.

You see my uncle has already lost two sons. The first one died shortly after birth roughly 50 years ago. The second one died just a few years ago in his 20’s in an automobile accident just a few weeks before he was to be married. He was in the prime of life and he died. I’m soon to be 56 and I didn’t die.

Now my uncle never lamented with me that life is unfair. Rather he acknowledged that we are in the hands of an awesome God who loves us and is always at work in the circumstances of our lives for our good and His Glory. My uncle is not bitter but instead is surrendered to God’s will and trusts, even joyfully, that He must be in control if He really is God. He knows he will see his sons again someday. He knows, like myself, that there is meaning to what I am going through.

But still there are the unanswered questions. Why were my cousin’s epic journeys shorter than mine? What things am I left on earth to accomplish still?

In Ephesians 2 it states we are saved for the purpose of doing good works. That doesn’t mean saved from car wrecks but to be saved from judgment and to live with Christ in all eternity. And those who are saved have a purpose: doing the good works, while still here on earth. Not that those works have the power to save us (earn our salvation) but they are our mission as saved people.

So what is my unfinished business since I didn’t depart that day? I don’t exactly know but I do know that staying the course, being obedient to His ways and His statutes, being obedient to sharing my faith, and being available to be used by Him will all lead to the answers to my questions . . . someday.

Stay close to Jesus

Bob

A Parable on 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

2009-08-14T16:53:00.003-04:00

Lots of changes in a couple of days. Got my exteranl fixator removed. Dealing with some anticipated pain and discomfort but managing okay. Was a little unsure where it was leading to pain wise yesterday so I spent much of the day with ice packs on my knee. Figured out I need to use a bungee strap to hold my leg on the wheel chair leg support. (pretty bulky and too wide with the leg brace on)

Now I'm learning what I can do with my right leg now that the fixator is off. My leg and I have kind of led separates lives under the same roof and it’s time to get reacquainted so we can act like we are one body again.

There are concessions to negotiate. This is what I have been dealing with.

Leg says, “You have to find another way to lift me now that I’m not artificially locked in one position”

I say “Can’t you cut me a break? It’s not as if I were the one laying around doing nothing for 6 weeks. Won’t you rise up on your own just a little and make some effor to bend a little?”

Knee says, “ I’m not ready to bend yet.”

I say, “ But the surgeon bent you 90 degrees yesterday, surely you can give me 45 degrees!!!!.”

Knee says, “ I don’t recall the surgeon asking me how I felt about the idea of going 90 degrees the first day out of “lock down”!!!

I say, “ Well being isolated in "lock down" and being bent 90 degrees first day out WAS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. WE needed time so the part of the bone where the patellar tendon inserts could heal back in place! And you never would have agreed to stretching to your limits if you weren't on propofol.

Knee and leg scream, "Propofol!!! You let them put us on Propofol? How dare you!"

I say, "Get a life, it's perfectly safe when used in the O.R.

Knee says, “All right - End of conversation, the leg and I, we have feelings you know!”

I Say, “ I know YOU have feelings! Have you forgotten we are “joined at the hip’?” Just look at how great the pin site wounds are healing. Why can’t you cooperate like them? And remember the ribs? They were healed in less that 4 weeks. Look: just give me a few degrees today, no more than 45 and Leg just try to lift up with me just a couple times. Deal?

Knee says, “30 degrees max.

Leg says, "I’ll maybe give you half a dozen lifts if you are nice to me."

I concede, “ Deal!”

Leg and knee say say, "deal!”

(Body parts: they can be such a pain!)

12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire[e] the greater gifts.

What about the other guy?

2009-08-08T09:17:00.003-04:00

Since my accident, many people have asked me what I know about the other driver. Well, I have since learned his name and age and the town he lives in. I have no desire to share that information here. I have heard rumors of his injuries sustained and have also learned some details of how the accident happened.
One thing that was communicated to me was that as he was being extracted from his vehicle, he said, “ Tell the other driver I’m very sorry.”

We can get into the “shoulda coulda woulda’s” of the accident but the bottom line is that it happened and nothing we can do now will change that. I could just as easily be in my current state by loosing control on an icy road in winter and having a single car accident. Accidents do happen. People die and people get hurt every day.

So what about the other guy? He knows his vehicle was at fault. Since I was in the process of trying to ditch my car on my side of the road to avoid the accident, I know that there was nothing I did to contribute to making the accident happen.
He knows I was badly injured. He knows I will be out of commission for a significant amount of time. He had his own set of injuries to deal with. He has his own set of medical bills, sacrifices, and inconvenineces that the accident created for him. The accident may end up being more of a personal and finanacial hardship for him. The injuries may be more permanent for him than for me.

So can I forgive him? My answer is, yes I can. There are so many reasons that lead me to that declaration.

Part of the Lord’s Prayer says, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us.” That kind of is where the rubber meets the road isn’t it? I am instructed by Christ to forgive him. I should also be quick to remember that this man did not single me out to be the object of an intentional act.

Ephesians 4: 32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgive each other just as in Christ God forgave you.” Not to forgive goes against the counsel of scripture. This particular verse causes me to ask, am I disrespecting the grace I received by not extending it in my actions? Do I devalue it in my eyes by not offering grace and mercy as I am able to? Do I express a disbelief in or disloyalty to the free gift of forgiveness I profess to have received by not offering it?

I know that one of my favorite expressions in talking to people about unforgiveness would really affect me if I did not choose to forgive. “ Unforgiveness is a poison that we drink waiting for someone else to get ill or die.” The emotional upheaval that it would cause me not to forgive the other driver is not worth it to me.

Finally, I am no more favored and no less favored by God than then man who hit me. God is especially fond of both of us, not just me. Who knows, this man might end up being my neighbor in heaven someday. Or maybe I might have an opportunity to share the hope I have with him some day here on earth. What if my accident was part of God’s plan so that might happen?

Sobering thoughts.
Stay close to Jesus

Bob

Living the Serenity Prayer

2009-08-05T09:49:00.004-04:00

Many people are somewhat familiar with the first few lines of Reinhold Niebuhr’s well-known Serenity Prayer. Sadly they are unaware it is much longer. Don’t know how that got started but the prayer in its longer version is rich with a fuller understanding of what the first stanza of the prayer positions us to experience.

As you can see I have had that posted as a side bar on my blog as a permanent fixture. Why? Because I believe that the petitions being presented in the prayer do give us the power to experience life on earth in an emotionally spiritually healthy manner.

If you are reading this and don’t know me too well, I need to give you some background. Back on July 1, I was involved in an auto accident that quickly turned my world upside down. If you want the details you can go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/bobgrover.
The bottom line at the moment is that I have received some significant injuries from that accident that will keep me sidelined for weeks and maybe even months to come. The accident was not my fault but none-the-less I was in it and nothing we can do can reverse that.

Truly I find myself engaging the words of the Serenity Prayer with a sobering reality. I have the choice to accept the things I cannot change or rebel against them. I have the opportunity to change the things that are within my sphere of influence to do so or sit and do nothing. At the heart of it all is perspective and attitude.

Perspective for me is what my worldview is. I see life as an experience here on earth that has a finite length to it; a beginning and an end for me, the day I was born and the day I will die. But my perspective goes beyond all this earthy experience because I believe God created us with eternal intentions and therefore our earthly journey is only a short leg of the journey. (That belief alone draws a radical line in the sand when it comes to perspective. Those who cannot grasp that as a reality immediately head down a different road when it come to perspective and attitude.)

Further, I believe I was created to be in a living dynamic real relationship with God. I believe God provided a means for my intimacy with Him through the sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ on my behalf so that nothing other than my potential to have a stubborn attitude could ever come between us. I believe that because of this sacrifice (specifically for my sins) I am assured that I will have eternal life. I have accepted Christ as my Savior and equally as important I have submitted to Him as Lord

This perspective radically affects my attitude. There are things that come into play as a follower of Christ that have a significant influence in my attitude toward my circumstances because I have a different perspective.

Below is an "inventory" of things I would list as perspectives and attitudes

First, it’s not the end of the world. Even if I had died that day (which at the moment I thought was a sure thing) I knew it wasn’t over. It gave me courage in the moment.

I am not angry with God because this happened. (I also know because of my familiarity with the conversations in the Book of Psalms that He would have lovingly let me wrestle with Him had I chosen to be angry or disappointed) I know He is a sovereign God and has reasons for allowing good people to die young and painful suffering to enter into anyone and everyone’s life.

I know that scripture assures me that throughout all of this God has never stopped loving me and my family (Romans 8:38-39)

I know that God assured me, sometime after the moment of the accident, that I was not going to die that day and that He still had plans for me. I am open to considering that these current circumstances will be used as part of that plan.

I know that my current sufferings are temporary and I have the opportunity to glorify Him as I work through these circumstances. I know that God will use these events to for my good as well as others (Romans 8:26).

I know that I am healing remarkably fast because of God’s grace and the petition of many prayers being lifted on my behalf.

I know already that my experiences on this current journey are enriching my ability to minister to people who face worse circumstances than mine.

I know that God is using these circumstances to teach me patience, and help me sort out how I need to serve him in the future.

I am learning to truly take one day at a time and not have expectations on the outcome.

I am learning to transform hardship as a pathway to peace (which I believe is only done by casting all my cares upon Christ.)

I am learning to take things just the way they are and to be content. “Philippians 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” That secret is knowing and trusting that God is on control and has His eye on my circumstances.

I am trusting that things will turn out according to His will not mine.

I am learning that my happiness cannot be based on my circumstances but rather my relationship with Him and the attitude it produces.

Yes the Serenity Prayer is a crucial reality for me these days and I am blessed that I was intimate with it before I entered this season of my life. As time goes by I am sure my list of perspectives and attitudes will increase.

Take care, and stay close to Jesus,
Bob

A God who compassionately cares

2009-06-08T22:58:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I don’t even begin to understand everything there is to be gleaned from a passage until I look deeper into it to prepare to preach on it. I suppose that’s a no-brainer for anyone who has prepared to preach. At the same time for anyone who does preach they know the excitement I feel when God reveals something deeper because of that willful intent to study the passage.

In John 11 1- 44 a story unfolds that displays the miraculous power that Jesus posses. The story goes that Jesus hears of the grave illness that a friend has been struck with. A messenger comes to inform him and he seems unaffected by the news. The omniscience of Jesus is revealed in that some time after he gets the report that Lazarus is sick, without a second message being sent, Jesus reveals the fact that he knows Lazarus is dead.

most of us see that in this passage that Jesus eventually resuscitated Lazarus from the dead to display his power and take the opportunity to educate everyone that the resurrection life is only attained thru Him.

Now what really struck me this time around as I read the passage was the compassion that Jesus had for everyone who was grieving. He knew everything that had happened and everything that was about to happen. He knew that things were going to turn out all right in the moment and in the future. He could have cut their conversations short and not let them carry on in front of him.

Waht he did do was speak words of comfort and hope to them. That would be expected, but he also, because of his deep love and sensitivity for people, showed compassion and empathy toward them. He let both Martha and Mary vent their frustrations with him and to him. He let the grief of his friends and their friends deeply affect him. He grieved with them even though he knew the outcome. Jesus wept because they wept.

But Jesus goes even further. He even asks Mary to show him where Lazarus is buried. (if he is omniscient would he not know where he was buried?). What I see new and fresh is that he facilitates their grief. He did not gloss over their grief but took time to validate their genuine heartfelt emotions as they understood, with limitations, the events that took place.

Often times in the awkwardness of not knowing what to say, rather than validating the grief, we suppress it with what we think are helpful statements. “I’m sure God has his reasons.” “God needed another angel in heaven.” “In time you’ll get over it.” “Time heals all wounds.”

How often do we take the time to genuinely facilitate grief? How often do we weep with others as they grieve in front of us? How many of us can say we unabashedly weep with the weeping? And why shouldn’t we? We are created in His image.

How awesome a God we have who loves us so much that he does not interrupt the bereaved in their grief even when he knows the outcome is for the better. Can we strive to do the same?

John 11 (New International Version)
John 11
Jesus Comforts the Sisters
17On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18Bethany was less than two miles[a] from Jerusalem, 19and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."
23Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
24Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
27"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ,[b] the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
28And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34"Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.
35Jesus wept.
36Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
37But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39"Take away the stone," he said.
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
40Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."
43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

blessings of the day . . .and counting

2009-05-07T11:48:00.002-04:00

I’m back. . . .And I hope for a longer stay this time. It has been months since I have written reflections but moments ago I knew I needed to share some of what’s going on today.

It’s National Day of Prayer. I started the day with about 25 other individuals who were pastors and ministry leaders to start the day in prayer. That alone is a blessing . . . to be able to star tthe day in prayer for about an hour with so many other people. Among the things we prayed for, we asked that the Lord bless the day and show us how He is working in the world. Well not even 2 hours have gone by and I have been blessed twice.

The first blessing was after the prayer time. I was having some conversation with another pastor and also an individual who is a dear friend. We, the pastor and I, eventually came to realize we were planning missional events in the same neighborhood this summer. We have some dates that might coincide. I offered to join our efforts toward a common goal. I hope the conversation will continue to see how we can partner together to accomplish common victories for Kingdom work.

The second blessing happened to me just minutes ago. Our congregation rent space for a worship center at a local shopping center. It has seen several different owners over the years but there has been a gentleman who has held a custodial position here probably since he was a teenager; over twenty years I am told. He has some speech problems and other cognitive issues but can function at a level that makes him a very committed loyal reliable employee for the work he does. I have had God speak to me through the innocence of this tender spirit more than once in the nearly 5 years I have known him.

. I took today off kind of as a Sabbath day just because it is National Day of Prayer. I didn’t want to be rushed today. I wanted to be ready for worship tonight.

I was throwing some things in the back of my car for this evening when Robert ( that’s his name too) came around the corner of the building. He was a little overdressed for the weather. It was about 60 degrees out, sunny and promising to be a great day. Robert was wearing sunglasses, a toboggan hat and a winter coat. He squealed with delight as he realized he had finally found me.

I know its been months since I had seen him and quite possibly a year since we last talked. Since I took a part time job a bout 20 months ago, I have not been around the worship center much during the daytime. He was so delighted to see me he came up to me with arms wide open and embraced me with the hug of a long lost brother. I am weeping at this moment just to know how much I was missed.

“I missed you. I was worried about you!” he said in his awkward hard to understand voice. I hugged him back with all the intensity and love that I was receiving from him. “I missed you too and It is so nice to know someone is worried about me when I’m not there.” I replied. We talked for a moment and celebrated the fact that it is Spring with some “high fives” and then he was off to diligently keep to his tasks.

Thank you Lord, for giving me a hug through this child of yours today. I am blessed beyond measure. I am reassured that you often have unsung heroes, saints, praying for me. I am humbled by your Grace. Amen

Face to face with who we are

2009-02-14T21:04:00.002-05:00

Earlier today I had a conversation with a promising young man who loves the Lord and has truly given his life over to Christ. If ever there were someone who exemplifies 2 Corinthians 3: 16 (whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away) and 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!)it is this young man.

What he shared with me broke my heart. "The Church" has been judging him with a worldly view. They have been holding his past against him and condemning him over and over .. . . just as the world would do. Once again I am sorry to say the trouble with churches is that they have people in them. This young man had to spend time in prison. He paid his debt to society but it seems the church is more interested in holding his past against him than society is!

I've dealt with this kind of situation before. While it may be challenging and painful for this young man, one thing it does swiftly to a faith community: it prunes hypocrites swiftly. People come face to face with their own hard core prejudice and immature faith when they find an individual like this seeking the Lord in THEIR fellowship. Some choose to leave because they don't want themselves or their family to be "exposed" to this kind of person.

This young man that I was talking to had recently experienced a church "tribunal" because of what was in his past, not his present!!! In other words the church does not believe there is truth in 2 Cor 5:17; the church doesn't believe that this is possible.

"The church" forgets it is called to practice perfect love; the church forgets God says, "I will remember your sins (remind you) no more" when we confess our sins and repent (turn away from the old life).

I would rather do ministry with 200 people like this young believer in Christ than 20 whining hypocrites. I have learned the hard that the hypocrites are high maintenance, emotionally draining, and a distraction from the true calling of the church: discipleship and evangelism.

I hope this young man accepts the invitation to come and fellowship with our congregation. We could use his experience knowledge and passion for Christ.

I think the hypocrites ALL left. But we'll see.

the tipping point

2008-11-19T23:03:00.002-05:00

In recent weeks in more than one conversation I have come up with the perplexing question that gnaws at people’s spirit at times: how much faith is enough faith?”

Faith is a spiritual matter. Spiritual things have no dimension to them that can be measurable and yet spiritual things are so real! Can one measure love in a tangible way? Some might want to use a worldly standard of showering someone with gifts as a way to measure love but somehow I feel that sooner or later one really would be stuck in the dilemma of how much is enough, how often is enough, and for how long is enough?
Love in it’s truest form is an emotion of the heart that can inspire us to go to the extreme of laying down our lives for someone but at the end of the day there is no true measure no true scale to measure love with. Yet we know it exists.

Can one measure hope? can one measure belief? Is there a quantitative measurement for anything that is spiritual? I think not.

Faith in particular as defined in Hebrews 11: 1 is a sure and unwavering belief in something that cannot yet be seen because it is a future hope (hope being something that drives us forward because of the truth that substantiates it.) but we have come to understand it and embrace it as an irrefutable truth.

Jesus more than once refers to the faith of a mustard seed in the gospel being able to move mountains. Now you and I know that there has ever been a recorded historical event of a mustard seed that did move a mountain so, knowing Jesus would totally ruin his credibility by lying, what does this statement really mean?

Well I believe that the kind of faith that Jesus is referring to is not a faith in our own power but a faith in His power! Biblical faith is not stand alone faith; it is faith that is predicated on trusting in God’s power. Faith appears the moment we first believe.

Faith is an indicator that a tipping point has been achieved. When we move the concept from our head to our heart that Jesus died for us personally, suddenly faith is there where it was not before. It is nurtured and built up not by our power or might but by His Holy Spirit. Faith is sufficient in that there only need be enough to exist that God immediately grabs hold of it and in an epic journey for all of us, by the power of His Holy Spirit makes it grow. It cannot be of us it must be of Him.

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

Getting back into the swing of things

2008-10-31T20:45:00.002-04:00

Sorry it's been so long since I posted. I've had to adjust to a temporary and unexpected work schedule that has me working about 65-70 hours a week. I will probably be sporadic in my posts between now and the first of the year.

Global Financial Crisis: Duh!

2008-10-06T19:51:00.004-04:00

The economic times we are in right now are bringing us face to face with the gluttony and greed that mankind has fallen into globally. It has been a long steady race to accumulating wealth based on risk and speculation. Because of this we seem to be at a watermark event in world history. The not too distant future will probably determine whether we are headed into a recession or a depression. Could it all have been avoided? Is there anything in the Bible that is relevant to what we are experiencing? (Well of course I believe there is because I asked the questions!)

(Got’ta take a bunny trail early in this devo. I know there are a lot of cynics of the church both from within and without who feel pastors abuse people by using scripture to intimidate them into giving money to the church. Some of them have such a bad attitude that as soon as they hear one of us bring up the subject of money they tune out. I have no doubt that there has been just cause for such accusations throughout the history of the church. Unfortunately this clouds and obscures the truth contained in a lot of worthy biblical lessons. Sound teaching from trustworthy individuals gets ignored because people affected by the corrupted ones are quick to shut down their attention. That’s unfortunate because there actually are trustworthy ministers of the gospel who are stewards of kingdom resources and not out to “get a cut of the action.” In fact most are making a great sacrifice just to be in ministry. So maybe I can make a run at it this morning. )

One of the harder lessons in life a lot of people never learn is putting God first. For most people, God rises to the top of the priority list in times of severe want and need. The rest of the time He is marginalized. We can acknowledge he exists, acknowledge he created us, and acknowledge he has executed a fail safe plan of salvation for each one of us but a lot of people go through life missing incredible blessings because God is not first in their life.

There was a time when the people of Israel turned their hearts away from God (“A” time? Well many times actually) God spoke to them through the prophet Malachi. The last book of the Old Testament contains the prophetic message of Malachi. It addresses the depraved condition of people who are morally bankrupt: the condition of those who know the truth and yet trivialize its importance in their lives. The people who Malachi addresses clearly know who God is and what His will is and yet they choose to keep their relationship with Him at a distance. They have put God first only from the perspective of being the first “go to” resource when things run a muck. Only then do they come home runnin’. In Malachi’s prophecy, God has had enough of that kind of relationship.

God desires to be our first love. God wants to be sought first, before earthly wisdom, pleasure, wealth, or love. God want us to seek Him first and honor Him above all things and not be treated like a pet that an ungrateful child has tired of. Yes, from faith to finances, God wants to be first.

If we look at the current national financial catastrophe our country is facing (and the global impact it is having), it is easy to see the warnings of Malachi being lived out. Malachi 3: 9 says: “You are under a curse – the whole nation – because you are robbing me.” Money may at first appear to be the main issue, but I believe all it really does is reflect the real problem: lack of relationship with God. Economics 101 defines money as a measure of worth and a medium of exchange. What we do with our money simply measures our value of God’s worth.

Finances are just one area where it is easy to do a reduction process to determine that value. The Truth of who we are boils to the surface with little effort when we look at whose we are determined by where our resources are spent and what gets first priority. Either God comes out first or He doesn’t and there’s not a whole lot of sorting to do to determine that.

The good news is, God does have a solution for us. Malachi 3:10, to my knowledge, is the only place in scripture where God invites us to test Him. (Not that people don’t go ahead and test Him anyway) It is not a test to see how rich we can make evangelists and pastors. It is a test to see where our priorities and trust are. And it’s a test that promises blessings in return that far exceed the sacrifice required.

10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

I love what Paul says in Philippians 3: 7 & 8 “What ever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ . . . I consider them rubbish.” (I invite you to look into the original Greek word for “rubbish” to get a deeper feel for Paul’s expression here).

What captivates the passionate focus of our life also reveals where God stands in our lives. Do we live for Him or for our own glory and gain? Is Jesus Christ really first in your life?

I struggle daily but the good news for all of us is that recognizing there is a struggle indicates there is hope of a desire for Him to be #1.

Stay close to Jesus!

Survey says

2008-10-01T07:32:00.002-04:00

I was watching a rerun of Family Feud and a rather interesting question came up for them to find the top 5 answers to: “Where are you most likely to find a sinner?”

First I found that refreshingly daring that they would even bring the topic up. Secondly I knew I was going to be amused and informed by the answers because the top five give us a pretty good cross section of where the culture is at.

The #1 answer was in a bar. So the fact that the majority of people think that, is, de facto, an indication that you are a sinner if you go to a bar. Interesting. Not sure I agree with it 100% either. I presume the fact that casino was another top answer would hold true for them as well.

Two other answers amused me as they revealed some other things to think about. The # 3 answer was church. Now did they mean that we are all sinners and need to be in church or did they mean that all who are in church are hypocrites and are really sinners like the rest of the world out side the church?

Not too surprisingly “hell” came in fourth as a place to find sinners. I thought, “Well good! The vast majority of people still will admit there is a hell, at least on a survey!”

But a reality that perhaps the world doesn’t fully understand is that there was another answer that would have been 100% accurate but never made it to the top 5. It may not be the #1 answer but it is undeniably true: heaven. Heaven is populated with nothing but sinners when it comes to surveying its human inhabitants. The difference is the sinners in heaven made a decision to trust Jesus for their salvation rather than their own deeds. They realized that no one can earn their way into heaven.

Ephesians 2

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

lessons from the beach 2

2008-09-29T15:57:00.004-04:00

This morning I got up early before sunrise. Decided to head over the dune to see if I could catch the sunrise. Got there not a moment too soon. The sun was just making its appearance. It was rising a bit to the south on the eastern horizon.

As I surveyed the beach there was a young mother carrying an infant in a snugly sack. She was headed north and kept looking back as the sun began to crest. At just the right moment she stopped, sat down in the sand, and tried to get her child to engage in experiencing the sunrise with her. I surmise, even at this early age, she was teaching her child about creation: the world she was born in to. I hope and trust that the child will learn about the Creator in the process as well.

How many of us stop and take a moment to wonder at God's creation? Do we have to be on a vacation to catch a sunrise or marvel at a sunset? Do we have to be on a retreat to take time to appreciate how God can speak to us through His creation?
And . . . how many of us take time to share our wonder with the generation that will chase behind us?

Psalm 78
O my people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter hidden things, things from of old-

3 what we have heard and known,
what our fathers have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their children;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD,
his power, and the wonders he has done.

5 He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our forefathers
to teach their children,

6 so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.

7 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.

Stay close to Jesus
REG

Lessons from the beach

2008-09-29T05:12:00.002-04:00

Arrived yesterday for a few days vacation on the Outer Banks. As we got out for a walk on the beach this morning, there were things that had not changed and there was much that had change. As we walked up the steps to trek over the dune to get to the beach it was much the same place where we had stayed 2 years ago. As we stepped on over to the seaward side, that's another story. We could see that the forces of nature had different intentions for the long term shape of the landscape.

I remember two years ago the owner of the rentals where we are staying came in for the weekend. He remarked that nearly 20 years ago when this group of three homes was built, the sand dunes were level with the third story decks. When we were here 2 years ago they were level with the second story decks and now after a few significant storms in 2 years, while the dunes aren’t any shorter, they are significantly eroded and about ½ the thickness from seaside to land side.

Snow fencing used to attempt to inhibit erosions is gone or battered in many areas. The remaining slats on some sections look like lonely soldiers holding their positions desperately waiting for reinforcements to come rushing over the horizon.
As we got to the end of the deck steps stepping onto the beach, it was obvious the last 6 or 8 steps were new. Waking further down the beach we saw more and more stairways to the beach missing or recently rebuilt. Then we began to see the many homes built out over the dunes that had attempted sand bagging.

The sand bags were probably much the same as what was brought in around New Orleans to do emergency repair to the levies. They are about 8 ft long and maybe 3 ft at their deepest; very intimidating to look at. I’m guessing just one would fill a heavy duty pick up truck to its capacity.

They would work well laid on a concrete surface that doesn’t sit on sand. The problem is: you have to lay them on the sand. Anything laid on the sand from concrete to pilings to boulders may be intended to be permanent but the sand gets its marching orders from the sea. The water can shift the sand around and under the bags. Nothing is safe from the sea.

And if those huge sand bags get one rip, one snag, then they become subject to the ruthless pounding surf that at first may only tear a little but with each blow from the waves the tear becomes larger and soon the bag is ripped wide open.

Boy if you want to see a real big picture of denial you could probably go to any coastal area in the world and see how people deny truth. The wise man DOES NOT build his house upon the sand!!!! Snow fencing does not help, sand bagging does not help, breakers do not help and, seawalls do not help. When the stormy seas come, they come and nothing man builds will stand the test of time. Nothing.

The rich man or the foolish man builds anyway. Why? I think because mankind has a track history of wanting to do things in defiance of the brutal truth.

So nature is a material reflection of and/or illustration of God’s truth (And go figure: He’s the one who created both )

Jesus says in Matthew 7:26: But whoever hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand.

There is also another scripture that comes to mind today too. It’s from Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will remain the same.

Christianity: it’s supposed to be on the edge

2008-09-24T07:00:00.002-04:00

Revelation 3:15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

So after finishing the posting right before this one I realized ”the church” in its broadest sense isn’t always able to bring itself to be “all things to all people.” Sometimes it can loose sight of what the church is meant to be in attempting to be all things to all people.

Here is what I mean. First, how many congregations in an attempt to attract and keep people by having golf leagues, softball leagues, quilting clubs, adventure clubs, field trips to sport outings, scrap booking clubs etc. There’s nothing inherently “wrong” with any of these. Matter of fact I’ve participated and promoted one or two myself (not the quilt club though). The problem is: it’s pretty easy for some folks to “hide” in these activities and never learn to share their faith with someone who doesn’t know Christ. It’s easy to be a member of a church by participating in these activities and never be challenged to grow spiritually. We might be all things but certainly not for the purpose of saving people and equipping people to share a life saving message.

Secondly, we can become so caught up in living “the Christian life” that we risk socially cut ourselves off from non-Christians. We do anything but become “all things to all people so that we might win them to Christ.” Instead we provide all things for all us insiders so that we don’t have to deal with that “sinful” world out there. We find a Christian dentist, insurance agent, attorney, mechanic, painter, doctor, furnace repair guy and so on down the line. Eventually, if we are not careful, we can get to the point where we would not even think of going to lunch with anyone other than someone “from church.” We want nothing but a “nice” church where our kids get raised in a nice hermetically sealed environment where they are taught, de facto, to segregate themselves from the “unsaved sinful unclean” world because that is what their parents have done.

Churches die or become spiritually dead because they exist for the churched rather than the unchurched. There is a wake-up call going on for the church in our generation: we are not called to seal ourselves off expecting the unsaved world to come to us. Shame on us when our church buildings for all intents and purposes are nothing more than a fort for “the saved” rather than an oasis for those who are dying. The church must relearn to exist for the unchurched instead of for the churched. We shouldn’t expect “them” to be ready to instantly be like ‘us” because we appear to have an attractive Carnival Cruises Christian lifestyle.

The Great commission’s operative word is “go”. The church as a whole in the 20th century sent some people out, but by and large their greatest trademark became “waiting . . . for them to change and to come to us.” That goes against the grain of who Jesus is.

Is it any wonder that most people who are not Christians have no reason to mingle with the church because there is nothing genuinely attractive about it in terms of being relevant to them offering a life changing relationship and hope in a broken world?

Stay close to Jesus . . . but go where he wants you to go out there!

REG

P.S Would you rather sit at a church board meeting deciding what color to paint the narthex listening to a side conversation on the latest gossip or would you entertain talking to someone who has a deep hunger for spiritual things but needs to talk about it on his turf at the local pub?

Chameleons for Christ

2008-09-23T06:48:00.002-04:00

Ever notice I come up with some rather bizarre titles to these blogs?

A chameleon is a little critter I’m guessing is a member of or relative to the lizard family. He’s noted for his ability to change his body color to match his environment so that he will blend in.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:22 . . . . I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

Coupled with the verses preceding that, this verse means that Paul is willing to adapt to the ethnic/cultural/social environment he steps into in order to convey a relevant message of hope to them. He becomes like them so he can blend with them and relate to them. He’s a social chameleon for the gospel of Christ.

What is the first thing that a missionary does before entering a foreign mission field? Learn the language and the dialect of the region they are going into. The second? The culture. The third? The history. The result? They know the heart language of the people.

Paul was way ahead of the game when it came to knowing the heart language of the variety of cultures he invaded. He was perfect for the job. Given his background he could: speak Greek and Hebrew because of his multicultural parents; mingle with the philosophers because of his superb education, relate to the Pharisee (he was one before his conversion) mingle with the blue collar workers (he was a tent maker by trade). He had the qualifications to cross a lot of boundaries that not everyone was privileged to do. He had the ability to mingle with a lot of people and know their heart language.

Well how does that relate to you and me today? What if we are not “called” to go to the foreign mission field? Can this passage of the Bible still have relevance to us? I believe it does.

Even if you find it difficult to cross socio/economic or ethno/cultural lines, there are still things about who you are that make you a unique persons to talk to a unique group of people. Your age can be a common denominator. Your social activities as well. Are you a soccer mom? Then you have a “tribe” you can relate to! Are you sports enthusiast? Then you have multiple tribes to relate to.
Lost a loved one recently? Then for a season there will be others who grieve that you can relate to. Cancer survivor? Then there is someone to talk to. Victim of a violent crime? Somebody needs to hear your story.

How has God uniquely equipped you to be “all things to all people?”

Stay close to Jesus

REG

Nothing too insignificant for God

2008-09-20T21:43:00.002-04:00

Sometimes we only think of God as only doing big miracles and speaking to us only about the most critical things in our life. God is so capable of holding all of creation together and being everywhere all the time that I believe he actually has time to exercise his sense of humor with us.

Earlier this evening I went to my car to pull my Bible out so that I could read something of worth to see how it could connect with something I might have experienced this week. Well I came in the house, bible in hand, and remembered to go over to check my work cell phone to see if the charger was working properly. I picked it up looked at it, set it down and began to walk away when it rang. Its not suppose to ring on the weekends unless it's an on call emergency. I answered it. It was one of my co-workers who was taking a bible course at a local college. she needed some help with her assignment and wanted to know if I had a moment to find something in the Bible for me.

So here I am next to the phone bible in hand when they call. Just a coincidence? NOT!!!!!!!

I felt like God was saying, “Yo! Bob! Did you not think I pay attention to everything you do?
Did you not think I can set you up to use you even when you are not aware I am getting you ready?
Did you not think I know your every move?
What is it to you if I choose to reveal myself to you in the grandest most magnificent way or in the quiet insignificance of a Saturday evening at home?
What part of Omnipotent don’t you understand?”

Okay, I think I had my lesson for the day

God is THE Original multi –tasker, isn’t He!

Just who do you think you are?

2008-09-18T06:39:00.001-04:00

That title probably got your attention. How often have you heard that said when party A feels that party B is stepping out of line with arrogance or audacity?

Well I put another spin on that question last night as we started another season of recovery ministry for our church. I have found that when there are dysfunctions in our lives, especially ones that deeply affect our perception of worth as a human being, we need to ask, “Just who do you think you are?”

Sometimes we lose sight of just who we are. Genesis 1:26 and 27 tells us very clearly that God created us in his image. That means we are intended to reflect only good, holy and righteous qualities of God. We were created for that.

Jeremiah 1:5 and Psalm 139:13-16 remind us that God intimately knows the details of each one of us and had a creative purposeful, wonderful and awesome reason to bring each one of us into existence. He knew each one of us before we were created in our mothers’ wombs.. There is nothing in the Bible to indicate any of us are a mistake or “junk.”

For God to create us in His image seems kind of worthless unless it is to be interactive with Him. God does not intend for us to be abandoned after he creates us. We may buy into a lie to believe that, but it can’t be true.

We can certainly think that God does not want to be in relationship sometimes when it becomes apparent that we have done something that would not please God or when things are just not going “our way.” Just do a word search in Psalms, and you will find there are many occasions where the Psalmist asks God why he “hides his face” from him or petitions God not to “hide his face.” That line of thinking affirms what is meant to be. We inherently know that it feels right for God to have his face toward us and not away from us.

Whether we ever come to realize how important we are to God does not affect his awareness of who we are. There is not one detail in our lives that goes unnoticed. Think about that!

You are special to God!!!!
Luke 12:7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (NIV)

Psalm 139 (New Living Translation)

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me,[b] O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!

Stay close to Jesus!

REG

The sin of Silence

2008-09-15T06:37:00.001-04:00

There is a faith sharing course we are currently presenting as part of our teaching ministry. It’s called “Share Jesus Without Fear” (By the way if you have never read the book it’s an easy read and I highly recommend it for anyone struggling with how to share their faith. The Author is Bill Fay). In the book and on one of the video presentations the concept of the “sin of silence” is mentioned. One of our younger newer individuals questioned such a sin as he had never heard of it before.

Well he was right in the sense that the actual words linked together as sin of silence isn’t likely to be found in a literal translation of the Bible. But the implication that it exists sure can have a case made for it. In a generic sense the sin of silence is not speaking up when we know we should. As it is applied to sharing our faith it simply means that when we do not share our faith with others it’s a sin.

The closing verses of Matthew 28 would be a great illustration of this sin being implied. It’s known as the Great Commission. We are to disciple baptize and teach. That’s a mandate to Jesus’ disciples pro temp then, but if we choose to follow him now it becomes our mandate too. So not to obey the commission is the sin of silence.

Strangely, the day before this came up in our Saturday morning class it was something I felt the urge to look into and revisit for myself. Not that I had a reminder or cue that it was going to come up in class but instead just that I had been in this one passage before and I just felt the urge to go back to it as a reminder to what it said to me.

Its Ezekiel 33:7-8 there is a charge to the watchman that if he knows from where he stands in the tower that there is danger on the horizon, it’s on him to warn everyone. Should all be lost, and they had not been forewarned their blood is on his hands; he is responsible for their fate. In other words, it’s a grievous sin to pay for if you had the opportunity to give warning and you choose to remain silent.

Doesn’t seem like we need a Rhoades Scholar to help us figure out the imagery in that passage. If the opportunity arises for us to share our faith seems like it’s not an option because it is dealing with someone else’s eternity.

In the book and on the video the author says that most Christians are afraid to share their faith and only about 10% do in a year’s time. Some are afraid of failure and rejection; some could care less; some don’t have a clue how to go about doing it. Others think sharing your faith means standing on a street corner with a sign in our hand or going door to door telling the rest of the world what they must do! The signs of the street corner evangelist that say “turn or burn” “Repent for the end is near” “you must be born again” are all messages that indeed state truth but aren’t getting people’s attention. I wonder if that message isn’t really more for someone one who already knows the word of God?

In today’s world the starting point for a lot of people is atheistic. No God, no heaven or hell; no hope and certainly no understanding of a need for a Savior. For others the starting point is believing they can define who God is or believe there is more than one god.

As we try to overcome the sin of silence, the challenge in today’s world is to share the Good News without being obnoxious, condescending, or condemning. The challenge is to find a way to make the Good News relative, logical and convincing and outrageously attractive instead of being a “turn off.” The challenge is to offer people an opportunity to receive the free gift of grace rather than make them feel like hell if they don’t (a lot of them probably already do feel like hell already). The challenge is to share the truth in a relevant loving way so that the truth will set them free.

Lord,
Help me recognize the opportunities that you put in front of me to become your partner in spreading the good news. Give me the right words to say that come individually tailored by you for that person.

Stay close to Jesus

REG

Chain Stitches

2008-09-11T22:41:00.002-04:00

I don’t know if any of the previous meditations on truth were of interest to you. I found out today that, if nothing else, they were drill exercises for me for what I had to face today.

I had someone get into a discussion with me regarding their struggle to believe whether there is a heaven, a hell, a devil. He was also struggling to get his mind around who God is too.

I had to establish from the start whether we could both agree on what truth is. Threw in the whole law of non-contradiction thing; what truth looks like etc. Got him to agree with me pretty quickly on the fundamentals of the attributes of genuine objective truth.

Then went on to establish God has to be the source of truth. Covered some territory as far as God is Spirit, God is love, God is truth in the sense that these are attributes of Him as well as the source of our human experience of these things. In other words we only experience things like truth, love, a sense of righteousness, a source of moral integrity because God is the well spring of all of these things.

So then I went to John 14:6 and reminded the man of the scripture he had heard before. “I am the way the truth and the life.” Truth or not the truth; can’t be both. Lord, liar or lunatic.

Have you ever seen the Holy Spirit give an intelligent person a left hook? I did just then.

So once I got his attention there, we moved on to address heaven, hell, and the devil. “Okay. Now let’s talk about whether there’s a devil, a hell or a heaven”

“Jesus talked about all three” Once again truth or not the truth. Lord Liar or Lunatic. But only one.

And on the heels of that . . . MAN! . . . Did I feel God shout in my ear! "Bob remind him about what he already knew: Jesus was tempted by the devil right after He was baptized. They had a conversation! Does he exist or doesn’t he? Only one answer is the truth.”

Holy Spirit: right hook and upper cut. A stunned look and then there was almost a look of embarrassment on this man’s face.

My goal was not to upstage him, embarrass him or belittle him. I was only there to share the truth with him. I tried to keep a smooth energy level not take on an attitude of competitive debate, and remain a soft calm spirit to share these things with compassion.

I saw scripture quicken this man. We threw in the towel for the day; I trusted the Holy Spirit was going to continue to work on him because I could see he was familiar enough with scripture that the momentum was now going for him to rethink every thing he had doubted.

And what echoed through my mind as I processed the day was from John 8:32

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

So you are probably wondering where the heck I got the title for today’s meditation. Well it’s like this. If we can’t accept the word of God as Truth, Jesus as truth, everything he said as truth, then everything in the Bible has open season declared on it. It will unravel like a chain stitched fabric. Everything fails miserably. Nothing is the unchangeable immutable truth anymore and we are left with no moral compass.

Further, the whole chain of not accepting God as truth his word as truth, His son as truth, all will eventually lead us to rationalize that there is no reason to even be decent or respectful toward one another because the snowball of disbelief in truth can run right over the 10 commandments and our sense of right and wrong.

New Living Translation of the Bible Romans 1:
18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

No Jesus, No Hope
Know Jesus, Know Hope!

Stay close to the truth, stay close to Him!

REG

Double nickels

2008-09-10T00:24:00.002-04:00

Back when I used to drive a lot and use a CB radio “double nickels” was (and probably still is) slang for “55 miles an hour.” Well today is double nickels for me. Yeah it’s official. Next time I go to Eat N Park I can’t be insulted if I get the senior discount. I now deserve it! I have arrived! As one of my seminary professors used to say sarcastically, “Thrilling!”

Twenty- five years ago seems like 25 months ago. Twenty-five years from now seems way too comfortably close and I’m not too sure I’m real anxious to see what that’s going to look like! (Coincidentally, my mom, bless her heart just turned 25 last month so I guess I have a rough picture in front of me.) The older I get, the younger I was.

Sometimes on occasions like this people get asked, “If you had a chance to do it over again what would you do differently?” I don’t know about you, but I’m not the best to give an impromptu answer to questions like this. So in the event someone might ask me that in the days to come I guess I need to think this through.

I could ask for help answering the question and I’d probably have people coming out of the wood work for miles around to stand in line to take their turn to me answer that question.

“Well ya should have done this then.”

“And you should have done that the other time.”

“Ya should have bailed when you stuck it out.”

“You should have stuck it out when you bailed.”

“Do you realize that because you chose to do that you won’t be able to enjoy this later on?”

Well. Actually, I’m not 100% sure I would change anything. I’m not trying to imply that everything I have done I did without error, without regret, and only with perfect execution. Rather, I know myself too well. If I could change the past to improve my “handicap” in life, I’m inclined to believe I’d just use the “corrected” opportunities to free myself up to make other mistakes in different ways. Come to think of it, if I could change my past, would I even be guaranteed I’d be alive today?

In 55 years of living I have learned that life is full of choices. Not all of them will be good ones. Some of them will be down right painful. Some of them will be prudent and full of wisdom. Some of them will be made without forethought and some will be made without even realizing until a much later point, there was a choice made at some point in time and I did not consciously recognize the mile marker or the consequences.

There have been some great choices, some rewarding choices, and some life changing choices. There have been some incredibly bad choices. I even believe that a lot of times when I though I had some great plans, God sat back and laughed.

Through it all; through all the good and bad choices I’m grateful to have a wife that chooses to love me when I know I’m not very lovable. I’m glad I have friends who forgive me when I have hurt them and maybe didn’t even know I did. I’m glad I have a God who loves me despite all my imperfections.

I’m actually to some degree content that I have not always made the best choices in life. It’s been in the brokenness of botched up living that I’ve come face to face with the sufficiency of Christ. Maybe I have not achieved success by other people’s standards, but my “trip-ups” in life have been the times when God has shown his grace towards me. That’s priceless.

I believe God has used and will continue to use all my “my bad”‘s to teach me and guide me if I try to humble myself and learn what He wants to teach me in the moment. God does not waste anything. He can take the most hideous things in life and turn them inside out to glorify Himself. How many times have you seen God take an experience you went through and use it as a connection point with someone else? Or have you ever even considered the uncanny precision with which that happens over the years? Is it really just coincidence that you end up coming along side someone who needs some encouragement in life that only you can offer? Or vise versa? I am so relieved that God is in control. He can take our mistakes and transform them into teachable usable experiences to do His kingdom work.

Romans 8:28 We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan. (New Century Version)

He sure has done that with me!

Jeremiah 29:11 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (New International Version)

I continue to learn how to seek him with all my heart.

Because of his Grace poured out for me, I know what I want most for the remainder of my time on this earth is to be put into situations where people need the good news and I can be a part of sharing that.

Lord,

Thank you for letting me get this far in life. I have met many who have not made it even to this simple milepost.

Thank you for keeping me around for purposes I have not yet fulfilled.

In these next 25 years, continue to be my guide more and more each new day and help me to ignore the things that distract me from you.

Help me be a better husband, dad, friend, and pastor. Use my past to touch the future.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen

Stay close to Jesus

REG

What is truth? Part deux

2008-09-09T21:02:00.004-04:00

Picking up from yesterday, a friend once said to me, “God is whoever you define him to be.” At the time he said it, I hadn't been challenged yet to really think deeply about such things. There was something inherently irksome about it to me. It just didn't set well. I'm glad my experiences, education and most importantly journey to know Christ more deeply, led me to where I am today. I know that can’t be true. (Although a lot of people believe its true.)

We are in a funky age where people think truth is subjective rather than objective. Believing something is true is not what validates it to be the truth. Truth is self evident and non contradictory. It stands alone and is independent of any opinion we have of it. Saying God is what we define him to be, de facto, puts us in the position of being God to make that defining statement. God can define himself and that would not be contradictory but for us to define him is not logical.

In a effort to validate ourselves to “look good” and maybe appear religious, we could buy into the notion it is a "right thing to do" if we at least acknowledge there is some sort of spiritual hierarchy in the universe, some sort of higher power. But we are fools to think that each one of us has the right to individually define that higher power that created and holds the universe together.

In order for God to be God he must be the essence of truth in nature, self defined, eternally existent. He must always be all knowing (omniscient), all powerful (omnipotent) and ever present (omnipresent).

Deuteronomy 6:4 (Contemporary English Version)
4Listen, Israel! The LORD our God is the only true God!

Isaiah 43:10-11 (New International Version)
10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
"and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
11 I, even I, am the LORD,
and apart from me there is no savior.

It either is the Truth or it isn’t but it can’t be both and still be the truth.

Lord,
Help us to understand there is just one truth not many.
Help us to understand you are the source of all truth.
Help us to wrap our minds around the greatness of who you, the authenticity of who you are and the authority of your written word that reveals to us who you are.
Amen

Stay close to Jesus
REG

What is the truth?

2008-09-07T21:21:00.002-04:00

That’s a critical question in deciding what you want to believe.

I can remember back to some conversations I had in the “closing moments” of my shoeing days. They took place while I was in the early days of seminary (I was a slow learner by the way: it took me 5 years to get through a 3 year program). There were two separate occasions with people I had known for over twenty years. Just one remark from each person has left a lasting impression. I guess that’s because they were a representation of what I was going to face on a regular basis if I was going to risk leaving the comfort zone of ”the church” and get out into the world to share my faith in Christ.

One statement was, “that may be true for you but that does not necessarily mean it’s true for me.” The second statement at another time and place from the other person was, “God is who you define him to be.”

Are you okay with either one of those statements? Well I wasn’t and still am not. I’m not going to get on a soap box and render an opinion of those two friends. That’s not my goal here. I haven’t seen either one in a long time but I still love ‘em. I actually needed to hear those statements to make me wiggle with my faith.

So what’s so penetrating about either one of those statement? They take me to a place intellectually where I can’t let it go. They touched me both where my faith lives and also where my logic reside: in my heart and in the head.

Lets take the first statement: “that may be true for you but that does not necessarily mean it’s true for me.” Can something really be true in one application and not another? A simple illustration to answer that question can be found by using arithmetic. Can 1+2 = 3 for you but = 4 for me?

There is a concept I was introduced to several years ago called the law of non-contradiction. It basically states that nothing is able to coexist in a state of being something and not being something at the same time. (It’s okay. I smelled electric wires overheating the first time I heard that too. . . .I’ll wait a few moments for you to catch up)

Trying to state that another way it means: a statement cannot be the truth and not be the truth at the same time.

A great illustration of an attempt to defy the law of non-contradiction is to make the statement, “there are no absolute truths.” This is something a lot of people actually believe today but in order for it to be true it must be absolutely true and it can’t be absolutely true without defeating itself. Are you with me?

So, where does that leave us? Truth is absolute. Unchangeable. Irrefutable. And at least for me there is a bone chilling reality that hits the person seriously considering the reality of the Christian faith square it the heart and the head. It is a statement that Christ made.

Jesus says, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6)

That cuts to the core of who I am and what I believe. Once confronted with the “either or but not both” decision demanded by this statement, I can never be the same again. Ultimately it led me to make a critical decision that is intimately tied in with who I am and what I believe.

Our personal intersection with this one statement confronts us and demands personal decision.

He either did say it or he didn’t.
He either had the authority to say it or he didn’t.
It either is the truth or it isn’t.

We do get to choose whether we believe it or not. But that does not change whether it is the truth or not. Truth exists independent of our opinion: it either is the truth or it isn’t but it cannot be both.

At the end of the day, Jesus Christ is either Lord, liar or lunatic. Everthing about him either is true or it is not.

Only one choice is the truth.

What will you choose to believe?

Choose wisely for only one opinion embraces the reality and leads to eternal life.

Enough for one day

I’ll save the other statement for another day.

Stay close to Jesus!

REG

for a special group of friends

2008-09-04T21:59:00.006-04:00

It's nice to know I have a few friends from my former career reading these devotionals. Got a great video a while back from a friend of mine that I know only you guys can cross reference and appreciate especially if you were around in the late 80’s early 90’s when Politt began to come out with his research

Enjoy

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=152b5103d741aca61093

I miss you all

Stay close to Jesus!

REG

We can't always feel the Spirit leading

2008-09-03T17:47:00.003-04:00

JN 14:8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

JN 14:9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, `Show us the Father'? [10] Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. [11] Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. [12] I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13] And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. [14] You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

(this is a meditation written about 9 years ago; didn't realize back then what I'd have avaialble now.)

I would like to share with you a life changing experience from a few years ago. What I went through in one brief morning brought me face to face in a spiritual sense with the power of these words from the book of John. It all started with a sincere faith and belief in Jesus Christ and a desire to surrender myself totally to Him to do His will for one late summer morning....

In September of 1996 Hurricane Fran hit the coast of North Carolina and did significant damage inland. It so happens I have an aunt and uncle in a little town called Spivey’s Corners NC. (about a 40 minute drive from Wilmington). (My Uncle Roger is a Baptist Minister who also has a radio counseling program) Their region was severally hit by the storms. Tornadoes and high winds ripped through the countryside uprooting those beautiful southern pines as though they were tooth picks. Homes were destroyed and power outages were common throughout the state.

In 1989 I had gone with a group of men from our church to do relief work just 30 days after Hugo had hit the Charleston area. I was hoping to rally the gang to go and do a similar trip again this time. As it turned out I had the time in my schedule and no one else was able to go with me. I truly felt led by the Spirit to go and so I did.

I was amazed when I got there how well organized everyone was and how just two weeks after the storm they were much further into recovery than the greater Charleston area had been 7 years earlier.
On the second day after I arrived at my aunt and uncle’s home, there were only my young cousin Joshua (then 14), and myself available to go out and do volunteer work. We were headed out to “free lance”. Just find somebody that need help clearing trees and hop out of the truck to help them.

As we pulled out of the driveway I uttered a breath prayer, “Lord you know what needs to be done. Show us the way.” I drove and Josh navigated. At each intersection he called the turns as we wandered through the countryside looking for someone to help. As we scoured the countryside there came a point in time when I felt compelled to go against Josh’s directions to turn right. “I need to go left,” I told him.

At the next intersection Josh said, “I suppose you need to go left again.”

“As a matter of fact I do” I replied.

About 200 hundred yards down the road I spotted an older woman coming around from behind her home in her bathing suit.

“Look,” I said, “I’ll bet that little old lady needs some help!” Of course I was acting a little sarcastic when I said it.

Her house was set in a very rural area with most other homes 100 yards away or more. As we drew closer she began to wave at us frantically.

“See!” I told Josh. “She even needs our help!” That was the last smart remark I made for several days. Our lives were about to be impacted permanently.

I’ll spare you all the conversation that passed in the next few minutes. The reality of the situation was that this 83 year old legally blind woman had just come back to consciousness as we rounded the corner onto her road. She had been robbed, sexual assaulted, beaten and left for dead in broad daylight in the middle of a beautiful sunny morning.

She was not in a bathing suit, she was in her underwear. She wanted us to leave her, call for the sheriff department, and bring them back to her home. She felt the assailant was still there. We finally persuaded her to hop in the truck and that we would seek help at the first neighbor that was home. Her head had a nasty wound still bleeding on the back side. Her eyes were starting to swell from the beating. Dried blood was all about her face and the front of her clothes indicating the incident probably took place over an extended period of time.

As we waited for sheriff deputies and an ambulance to show up at a neighbor’s house, she could not thank us often enough. She held both Josh’s and my hand and said over and over again that we were guardian angels sent from God and that it was a miracle we had found her. She said over and over again that we were the answer to her prayers as she lay on her kitchen floor assuming she was going to die. We both assured her that we were no angels but there was no mistake that God led us there.

Well, this Buckeye boy thought for sure that he was going to be pulled in for questioning at the least. Who was going to believe that I was 1000 miles from home and just happened to be in the neighborhood looking for someone to help. The sheriff’s department took my name and address and I never heard from them again. I did not even learn the lady's name. I did hear a couple of weeks later that she was released from the hospital and plans were being made for her to be cared for by her daughter.

Josh and I will never forget what we witness that day. I learned so many things about the Holy Spirit.

God does answer prayer!

God uses us to do his work and to answer other people’s prayers!

When he answers even a breath prayer I now understand what “Thy will be done” means!

God does perform miracles even today!

When we surrender ourselves to the Lord, we truly are used by Him.

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." I saw enough that day to make my faith leap to a new level that will never let me go back to being a mediocre pew potato again.

He knows my name,
He knows my every thought,
He sees the tears that fall,
And hears me when I call.

Deep searching theological questions

2008-09-03T09:35:00.002-04:00

If some say there is no God; that there is no intelligent design, why do puppies have perfect lines coming down their face?

healthy obsession

2008-09-03T09:16:00.001-04:00

2 Corinthians 10:5b. . . . and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

There are lots of scriptures, Old Testament and New, that point us toward, if I might borrow the expression, “brain washing.” I know the phrase has a negative context when its application is to describe a forced regimen of psychological manipulation for the purpose of controlling people’s mind (and I am painfully aware that it has been used to critically describe the Christian community at times and in some isolated instances the criticism has been valid. I would hope we all can agree those instances are aberrant and atypical of the essence of Christianity).

But we really are called to flush things out of our head and get something radically new in there. There are verses in Proverbs that clearly define the line between chasing things that transform us into a fool or seeking wisdom instead. Much of the historical literature carries a subtle message of letting your mind chase after a worldly pleasures and powers verses going after intimacy with God. There are verse all through the New Testament that encourage us to be proactive in the activities of rethinking our perspective of life, of God, of Eternity, and of how we should “be” as transformed people in this world.

But with all that sitting before us with instruction and encouragement, we all struggle to give into it 100%. At first I wanted to right down, “Well it’s God’s fault: He’s the one that made us, He’s the one that gave us the mind capable of rebelling against Him.” I could agree with myself on all of that except that it’s not a “fault.” God is perfect and blameless so it’s not His fault but he did make us that way on purpose!

So wow let’s look at this again. God created us with purpose and right from the very beginning that purpose involved being independently capable of choosing to be or not to be obedient and respectful to Him. If we are not given the freedom of choice in our relationship with God then we would not be capable of understanding his enduring love for us.

Our free will, our pride, our desire to pursue vengeance on our own, our vanity, our susceptibility to being corrupted by power and to be seduced in a variety of ways all speak of our vulnerability to get our focus on the wrong things. A recent devotional from Purpose Driven Life was entitled, “we move toward our focus.” (August 26, 2008 - PDL - Daily Devotional) We don’t have to dig very deep to understand that; we do move toward our focus, physically, emotionally, spiritually. We can quickly grab hold of the concept if we’ve ever driven a bike, or a car. Glance away from where you are headed long enough and your vehicle will soon follow whether you intended it to or not! So why is that so hard to understand spiritually and emotionally? We are so blind to see the reality of that in non tangible ways.

What ever we intentionally focus on transforms us! God does not want us to cross the center median or end up in the ditch spiritually or emotionally and that is why He has some great instructions for us! The Bible indicates that a transformation is going to take place in us if we willing shift our focus to the things God wants us to be focused on. We should be therefore in the pursuit of God.

We are called to seek the wisdom God; to be devoted to the transforming and renewing of our minds; to live by the Spirit; to “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” In other words, our goal should be to willfully, submissively, take every thought we think and or action we purpose to carry out and critically analyze it to see whether it will honor the one who gave His life for us. I believe this is a critical component of leaving a life of sin as well as also what begins to bring us out of addictive and compulsive behaviors.

As Steven Curtis Chapman describes it in his song titled by the same words, in our pursuit of God and desire to wash our brains of the negative and the sinful, Jesus becomes our “Magnificent Obsession.”

For those of you who don’t have a computer and are reading this by other means, I will close by posting the lyrics below. For the rest of you, well, I know now God was many steps ahead of me in thinking through this devotional because embedded in this video are tons of scripture that illustrate exactly what I was referring to leading up to the close.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PprCvi3fvxs

Lord,
Help us in our frail humanness. Enable us to become more and more like you and less and less the one we were before we came to know you. Empower us to make you our Magnificent Obsession.

Lord, You know how much
I want to know so much
In the way of answers and explanations
I have cried and prayed
And still I seem to stay
In the middle of life’s complications
All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I’m chasing down the wind
But now it’s brought me back to You
And I can see again

This is everything I want
This is everything I need
I want this to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus
Be my magnificent obsession

So capture my heart again
Take me to depths I’ve never been
Into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy
Return me to the cross
And let me be completely lost
In the wonder of the love
That You’ve shown me
Cut through these chains that tie me down to so many lesser things
Let all my dreams fall to the ground
Until this one remains

You are everything I want
And You are everything I need
Lord, You are all my heart desires
You are everything to me

You are everything I want
You are everything I need
I want You to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You
I want it all to be for You

keeping the main thing . . . the main thing

2008-09-01T23:02:00.003-04:00

Well here we are looking at a natural disaster that is beating our Gulf coast again. It has stirred a flurry of energy in a variety of ways which I think are all positive. The government (state local and federal) at least at this point (the first 24 hours of landfall for Gustav) appears to be organized in its reactions to the hurricane from the early evacuations to enduring the storm to responding to the damage left in its wake. We seem to have learned much as a nation from Katrina.

The news media embedded their reporters for more exclusive coverage knowing that the nation is keeping a more watchful eye because of the vulnerability of the geography and the people within it, and to see how well we have learned our lessons. Disaster recovery groups were in place or are starting to take their places at strategic locations before the storm hit or while it was approaching landfall. Politicians on both side of the fence have realized that the needs of the people in these areas is going to be more important than impressive speeches and strategic. They seem to have attempted to adjust their agendas realizing that at times like this we need to keep the main thing the main thing: taking care of people.

Haven’t heard them yet but, somewhere in the Christian community, someone will rise up this time as they did last time to make some real authoritative theological statements about how they perceive these events are to be interpreted. There will be someone who says, “Make no mistake! Look at the rising incidence of natural disasters worldwide: earthquakes hurricanes, tsunami’s, droughts and famines, global warming. They are all signs that the end that Jesus predicted is now closing in on us.” Or, another will say, “God is judging this region of the country for its sinfulness."

Can we talk for a moment?

Suffice it to say that preachers have been preaching that “the end is near“ as though it is right around the corner for a loooong time. A lot of them have come and gone over the years never living to see the day they thought was pregnant to break through in their own life time. Each generation has had its own voices to preach the clichéd message “repent for the end is near.”

Well, we don’t need natural disasters and terrorist attacks as occasions to capitalize on preaching that the end is near. For each one of us the end is always near from two perspectives: either Jesus might very well come at any moment, or we might loose our life in the flesh at any moment. Neither one of those events have guaranteed predictable dates on the calendar. Many people have lived shorter lives than they have expected and Jesus will come without warning. The end always is near, and always has been.

So responding first to the “repent for the end is near” I say this: in Matthew 24:36 Jesus says "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. So anybody who looks at these events and says “repent for the end is near” with the attitude that they know authoritatively that the day is arriving, in my humble opinion, boarders on committing spiritual abuse. They are capitalizing on fear, emotions, and destitute times to intimidate the listener. Noone knows the day or the time! Jesus said so. If it’s the word of God, it’s the truth and it can’t be anything but. (Truth cannot be the truth and not be the truth at the same time.)

My second response is to those who feel they have the authority to make a prophetic statement of judgment amidst the disasters. Hebrews 1:1-2 pretty much tells us that there is no need for prophets anymore because of what has been revealed to us through the very words spoken by Christ!

1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

This one piece of Scripture expands the viewpoint to make us realize we have been living in end times since the advent of Jesus and His word is sufficient for us to interpret the times we are living in. We don’t need someone to say “this happened because God is punishing us.”

My take is that God has the power to command the forces of nature to do as He pleases but we as humans should not be thinking we can speak for Him. Further, I believe that if God wants to punish a nation or a region, He has historically been very thorough and doesn’t leave much behind to salvage or rebuild. (Read about the Great Flood or the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis.)

So, once again I believe that anybody who looks at these kinds of events and says, “God is punishing us/you/them” with the attitude that they know authoritatively that they can speak for God, in my humble opinion, a. they are setting themselves up for judgment as a self proclaimed prophet and b. also once again boarder on committing spiritual abuse. Just like in the first instance they are capitalizing on fear, emotions, and destitute times to intimidate the listener.

But having said all that, I see these events as excellent opportunities to capitalizing on “fear, emotions, and destitute times.” These are the times that people are already ready ripe with an awareness of God. Because of the great personal loss they experience, some victims are angry with Him, others are desperately searching for Him for “shelter”, still others give up hope that He even exists. Great time for “the church” to show up!

We don’t need to beat these people up with more fear and intimidation. they've had enough of that enduring the trauma of the storm they just escaped. These are the times we can be the body of Christ full of compassion and mercy. These are the times we can share the love of Christ with people by coming along side them. These are the times we can follow what Jesus said and serve one another in humility and love. These are the times we can carry out acts of kindness in the name of Jesus.

(There is buried within the heart of most human beings the natural inclination to pitch in and help out. Why? Because God engineered us that way! We almost instinctively know that to come to the aid of disaster victims is “the right thing to do.” But, something, somebody has to define it as being the right thing! It shouts of evidence that God must be there to show is what love is, to show us what mercy is, to show us what ”right is. There has to be a preexisting independent higher power to reveal to us what right and wrong is otherwise it would constantly forever be in the state of being redefined.)

It is time again for the segment of “the church” who are given the recourses, the passion, the gifts, and the time to go and serve in the name of Jesus and let our actions be the message that draws people to a loving God. There will be time to preach the message of judgment and end times another day.

For now let’s keep the main thing the main thing. For now, there is such opportunity to be the church! There are still things that need to be done recovering from Katrina, recovering from the floods in the Midwest earlier this summer, recovering from Gustavo, recovering from new disasters still to come.

Jesus gives us all a chilling commission to take care of those in need.
Mathew 25:34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

How will you respond to the need? How will your local congregation respond? How will your denomination if you are part of one, respond?

Stay close to Jesus

REG

the fine print on cheap fire insurance

2008-08-30T21:59:00.003-04:00

There are a lot of people in the world who think they are assured a place in heaven and are, well, pardon the expression, dead wrong. They sort of have the mentality that they have an easily acquired insurance policy. Seems pretty simple to categorize them into identifiable groups. So let me give it a whirl.

First, there are those who look at their baptism as the sole means of assurance for their salvation. It really doesn’t matters whether it was as an infant, youth, or adult. The act of baptism is not a stand alone means by which someone will get into heaven. Baptism is not a cheap insurance policy guaranteeing you’ll get into heaven. Guarantee ya that there are people that when you ask them how they are going to get into heaven they’ll reply, “My parents had me baptized when I was a baby.” Well that and $2.79 will get you a real nice cup of coffee at Panera’s.

The second group are those who when asked if they will get into heaven will say, “Well, I believe there is a God so I sure hope so.” Well even the devil believes that God exists! There are also many other world religions outside of Christianity that believe there is a God. Believing there is a God does not get you into heaven. It’s a nice starting place to believe there is a God but that can’t stand alone either. Simply believing there is a God and assuming this will get you into heaven is about the same as acknowledging that Donald Trump exists and therefore you ought to be rich.

The third group out there thinks their membership in a church body and/or attendance at worship will get them into heaven. I’m not the first one to think of these two analogies but that’s as silly as assuming you’ll be a car if you stay in the garage long enough or a football player if you attend the games. Doing things does not get you into heaven nor does it make you a Christian.

Those three groups aren’t too hard to identify but now we come to the next group, Category Four: those who went through the motions of confessing Christ as their Savior but never have a changed life thereafter. Now this group really thinks they came across some cheap fire insurance! They think because the words came across their lips they are saved for all Eternity. Saying the sinner’s prayer with no true inner conviction, no desire to make Jesus Lord of your life is making a mockery of God. Do not go there! God will not be mocked!

They are the ones who go right on doing the things they were doing before. They know they are doing things contrary to God’s will and His holiness and claim exclusion from judgment saying that they are “covered by grace.” There is no forensic evidence that could convict them of being a Christian yet they think they are saved because they “said the sinner’s prayer.” When you look at their life there is no evidence of a regenerated spirit. Confessing Jesus as your savior is not an excuse to go on sinning and it will not get you into heaven if that’s how you understand it!

What’s a regenerated spirit? A person with a changed life because they made a heartfelt profession of Christ as Lord and Savior. The regenerated spirit is changed in perspective, attitude and actions because they have given themselves over to Christ as their Lord after having understood and personally accepted how he could be their Savior. They are totally turned around or in the process of turning from who they were before. No one is perfect in their thoughts, words, and deeds immediately upon becoming a Christian but upon receiving the free gift of grace by faith alone in Christ alone there is transaction that has taken place. By accepting God’s grace, we recognize and acknowledge we were paid for at the highest price ever. In appreciation and gratitude for this free gift we voluntarily surrender our spirit, our will, our soul to Christ (the one who created it in the first place).

And that my friend is evidence of someone who will be in heaven. They believed enough in what a miserable sinner they were that they accepted Christ first as Savior, but also inseparably as Lord. It’s a person with an intimate personal relationship with Christ.

I’m thankful that we have a patient God because I know that I was a “Category 4” Christian for a long time before I “got it” and I’m still surrendering little pieces of “my ranch” that I’ve held onto that really need to be given over to the Lord.

1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:1-2

Stay close to Jesus!

REG

Butterflies in the stomach

2008-08-30T00:32:00.004-04:00

The message of the cross seems foolish to those who are lost and dying. But it is God's power to us who are being saved. It is written,
"I will destroy the wisdom of those who are wise.
I will do away with the cleverness of those who think they are so smart." (Isaiah 29:14)

1 Corinthians 1, verse 18 and 19.

I have to admit to some degree I live a sheltered life. I grew up in times when most of the country still was Christian and I was raised in a family with Christian values. My faith probably never got challenged to any degree until I reached college in the early 1970’s and by that time the tide in the mainstream thinking of the culture had already begun its recession away from Christianity. (As a sinner I know, at least for a season, I rode that wave that was headed away from God)

Today, nearly forty years later, the tide has receded so far that theologians refer to the culture as “post Christian.” The culture for the most part is oblivious to such terminology as “post Christian." I believe it'S because it is so caught up in the revolution against God having authority or influence over our government or moral standards of living thaT it's beginning to forget we ever were a Christian nation/culture.

Well back to my statement that I feel like I have been living in a sheltered life. Most often I run into people with no faith, a fractured faith, a wounded faith, or a dormant faith. Maybe it’s because I am so immersed in sharing my faith among those who need Christ that it’s a shocker when I run into a proactive anti-Christian. It’s so unsettling! On the one hand Scripture affirms that it’s going to be there, but it’s such a sobering reality of prophetic truth when you really encounter it. It’s not like I've never run into it but I have never gotten used to it!

Recently I had such an encounter by way of the TV. I don’t really think it will do any good to mention names, suffice it to say I saw a celebrated TV personality recently giving his take on a variety of topics; primarily religion and politics. During the interview he comes down on Rick Warren as a leader in the Christian community as well as taking Christianity over the coals as being fools for what they believe, manipulators of weak minded people, focused on passing the plate to stay in business, and actually believing that there is a heaven.

Here are a couple links to give you a flavor of the conversation

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/19/lkl.01.html
This is the entire interview in transcript form.

And here is the link for a segment of the interview on You Tube that will pretty much give you the essence of what I’m referring to as his anti-Christianity sentiment.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-CWiASiqDdU

I’m not out to attack the individual as a person; that’s one of the reason I’m not mentioning his name. Who he is, is irrelevant to me save only that he’s in a position to influence a lot of people and sadly because he’s popular for his opinions but not necessarily his knowledge (as he even admits in a way in his interview). No, rather than attack him, I’d rather pray that God would be patient with him long enough for him to come to understand salvation and grace and accept Jesus as his Lord. Let’s just say he’s a face: a personification of what we are told to expect as scripture teaches us.

My point is this: as a listen to a man like this I get the gutsy butterfly feeling of “wow this stuff is real and I’m not sure I want to “play this game anymore” in my stomach. The heart of Satan is within his words. Maybe you get that feeling too or maybe it makes you so angry you want to punch the guy. Either reaction is not what we are called to do.

The first thing I need to remember is that God is in charge of saving the world through his son Jesus Christ, not me.

Secondly, I am responsible for speaking the truth of scripture to the degree I know it whenever the occasion arises. So it’s best that I be an ongoing student of the scripture for the times when I might run into a sharp witted intelligent intellectual who thinks Christianity is for fools. What I should not do is shy away from the occasion. As a Christian I need to live by the verse from Romans 1:

16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:

Thirdly, rather than getting a militant attitude towards the individual, I should remember to pity the person who gets in my face to confront my faith. He may think I’m a fool for believing “the message of the cross” but he’s worse off; he’s “lost and dying.”

Finally I should welcome the occasions. I don’t have to be a five time gold medalist from the debate team to have a conversation with a radical anti Christian. I can even “loose” a conversation and be made a fool of. It’s okay. In the end God will still love me and even be proud of me for standing up for Him.

1 Peter 4:14 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

These occasions are actually to be looked forward to!

James 1: 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

This I know from experience: when I do know that I am headed spiritually into “enemy territory” I do ask for wisdom and I will come up with thoughts that I know were way to logical and intelligent for my feeble little brain to construct!

If we truly accept the message of the cross we have both a responsibility and a "response ability." The responsibility is the Great Commission. The “response ability” is the power of the Holy Spirit working in us!

Stay close to Jesus!

knited scarves and old friends

2008-08-26T21:16:00.006-04:00

I read in the paper today that one of my senior friends passed away. She was 92. She was more than a friend; she had the gift of encouragement. Her name was Helen Steiner and she was a saint. I probably knew her for over 30 years. We were members of the same church at one time. She was one of the people who gave me a lot of encouragement to live a life for Christ. She was a prayer warrior, had a wonderful heart for serving people, and even in her 90’s found ways to volunteer.

Shortly after Christmas 07 she gave me a call and invited me over to visit her. I had not run into her probably for about 3 or 4 years. She said she had some things she’d like to give me. It certainly sounded intriguing and so within a few days I found myself sitting in her living room. I spent probably 2 1/2 hours that day visiting with her and hearing a lot of things I had never known before about her travels and adventures in her younger years.

Also that afternoon, Helen gave me three big huge study Bibles and a black scarf she had knitted. “Had to be black,” she said, “because a preacher needs one that color for when he has to do a funeral on a cold winter day.” She also knew I was admiring the huge framed print of a blacksmith shoeing a horse hanging on her wall. She said, “I’ll see that you get that some day.” It will be nice if I do get the print but, ya know, I already feel like I've been blessed just having her think of me that way. Whether I get that picture now is somewhat immaterial because knowing that she thought that much of me as a friend is priceless.

I wept on the way home as I am now writing this because I was fully aware that this grand lady knew her days were numbered and she had chosen me as someone to remember and honor while she was still living. People like her are rare but I hope you all have people like that in your lives and I also hope we all can become like them somehow. She has become part of the “great cloud.”

For some of you who might not be students of scripture, I need to explain that to you. In the New Testament, Hebrews chapter 11 talks about people who had lived before that time who had lived with great faith in God

The author of Hebrews says this in the beginning of Chapter 12
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

My friend Helen has joined the cloud of witnesses who have inspired me to follow Jesus. she lived a life of faith serving and loving her Savior Jesus Christ. Her race is done but ours continues. In honor of those like her who have been found faithful and gone on ahead of us into a life eternal, we press on toward the goal living a life for Jesus!

Are we there yet?
REG

Tough Love; real tough Love

2008-08-25T23:39:00.000-04:00

Last night a group of us were taking a close look at 1 Corinthians. In chapter 5, Paul recommends taking a person with a hard heart and turn him over to the devil so he can get beat up and worked over. All this so he might be saved! Specifically Paul was talking about a man who continued to commit sexual sin and would not give it up.

1 Corinthians 5: 4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature[a] may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

Now at first this seems contradictory to anything that has to do with God. The very idea: that you would turn someone over to Satan for their own good so that the end result is that the person would be saved!

So we were thinking how does this look in the real world of faith? Well, it came to mind that this is in actuality much like what Jesus describes in the parable of the lost son. The Father let the son go to “do his thing.” For the son’s own good, the father turned him loose on the world so that the evil in the world would beat him up and make him appreciate what he left behind. He let him hit rock bottom.

Often it’s only when we get to the end of ourselves, that we realize where God is supposed to be in our lives and what He can do for us. Again as in the previous post, there is purpose in the suffering if it glorifies God and brings us closer to Christ. We should not avoid it but instead work through it

The challenge for all of us is to be able to let go of the hard hearted believer. We have to remember, even if they are friend or family, that what they are doing will damage and destroy the bride of Christ, the church. It’s hard to just stand back and let them go into a season of deeper sin without rescuing them. But like the father with the prodigal son, we don’t take our eye off this individual we have cast out. Rather we wait for them to sink deep enough and become desperate enough that they hunger for the Lord more than the sinful nature. WE wait and watch expectantly and when they turn for home, then is when we “come a runnin”.”

I had a pastor once use the illustration of a life guard for another ministry situation, but it might work well here too: if you are trying to rescue someone and they continue to climb all over you dragging you down with them, you have dive deep, swim out and away, resurface, and wait for the drowning victim to become more cooperative.

So sometimes there may be an occasion when we have to put some distance between ourselves and another individual so that a change of heart can take place. It will be for the health of the church and the eventual salvation of the individual.

Tough love, real tough love.

Stay close to Jesus!

REG

Codependency in the Bible? You bet cha’

2008-08-25T13:45:00.003-04:00

Reference: Matthew 16: 21 -28

When Jesus told the disciples that he was going to have to suffer at the hands of the Sadducees and Pharisees, 22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"

Jesus turned right around and jump on his case and said , "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Jesus was telling Peter that He needed to look at things from a spiritual, kingdom of God, perspective rather than the predictable worldly perspective.

There is often meaning and purpose in struggles and suffering that are best seen from a spiritual prespective. It would have been far greater undesirable consequences if Peter’s wishes had been followed rather than staying on course with the destiny that Jesus had waiting for Him. If Peter’s wishes were carried out it would interfere with the development of the great plan of salvation that God was revealing for all those who trust in Jesus.

Peter’s intentions were honorable out of a deep love and respect for the one who he had just recently acknowledged correctly as the Messiah: meaning the one who came to save all of Israel. He did not want to see harm come to his leader and he was willing to go to any length to see to it that none would. But, to do this would interfere with what had to happen, what needed to happen so that Jesus’ mission and purpose would be fulfilled.

As I look at Peter’s well intentioned love for the master, I am reminded that that there are things in life that we do not want to see our loved ones go through. But, for the sake of enlightenment to better understand God’s ways or, for the sake of learning life’s valuable lasting lessons, we must get out of the way and let the process happen so that the greater cause can take it’s course.

The mark of a codependent is the addictive desire to want to be someone else’s savior / rescuer because we think it’s for their good if we come to their rescue and a lot of times it is. But sometimes this is not the case. When we interfere to save someone from ”the battle,” and we think we might be saving them from something evil, in reality we may actually be enabling evil to continue its course because we did not let our loved one work through the struggle.

A butterfly prepares and strengthens itself for flight by struggling through the escape from the cocoon. We can cripple it for life if we “help” it out of its cocoon. Likewise, we must evaluate our decisions to “step in and help out.” We must ask,
Why is this happening in the first place?
Are we helping for the right reason? What are my motives?
What will be the long range result of my interference?
Is there actually a benefit to this person if I don’t interfere?
Might something good result if for the individual or for many if I let the
person struggle?

You think Peter “got it” that day when Jesus rebuked him? Do you think he understood his codependent nature as a result of that conversation? Do you think he never gave it another thought after that day? Eh, I’m not so sure. Look at John 18:10-11. What do you think? I’m thinking even when we are standing right next to Jesus, our own human will can get in way the of recovery.

Stay close to Jesus!
REG

Double blog Friday!

2008-08-22T08:37:00.001-04:00

posting twice today to try and get caught up!

God's perfect timing

2008-08-22T08:29:00.003-04:00

John 15:13 (New International Version)
13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

Several days ago I was invited to do some grief ministry at a facility where one of the staff members was found unconscious and eventually passed away. This was a young healthy individual who had a young family, and was loved by all. She had everything going for her and everything to look forward to.

I was in a group talking with the young woman who was actually the first on the scene. These two individuals had lunch together every day and on that particular day circumstances separated them from doing so. Not surprisingly, she was lamenting that she had not found her coworker and friend sooner so that she might be saved. I’m sure any of us would feel that way. If they had just had lunch together everything would have turned out all right. But it didn’t that day. This woman felt helpless that she did not get there in time

Out of this tragedy though came a tremendous blessing. The individual who passed was a Christian as was the woman who found her. It was mentioned in conversation prior to our arrival that the deceased was an organ donor and that it had been identified in time so that many people would benefit from this death. As I sat there at the table I trying to help this grieving young woman work through her grief, I felt God nudge me to tell the woman that she got there just in time. I couldn’t remember chapter and verse at the moment, but immediately I thought of John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

When I shared these thoughts with the woman there was a significant amount of healing that instantly took place. She realized she had not gotten there in time to save her friend but in God’s perfect timing, she got there at the right moment to save many. Although her friend was dying, she was found in time to honor her wishes: to donate her organs so that others might live. This certainly did not remove all this young lady's pain and sorrow but it did help her try to make sense of the whole tragedy.

In this small moment in human history we saw a huge reflection of God’s love for us: that one should die so that many would be saved.

REG

God's power to reverse the curse

2008-08-22T07:37:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I was reading in Matthew about the trial of Jesus. When Pontius Pilat asked the people what they would have him do with Jesus they said, “Crucify him. Crucify him.” After that they all chanted, “Let his blood be on us and all of our children.” Now they meant that to mean, “let the responsibility of his death be on them and the generations to follow.” I believe that would also mean that if it were found that Jesus was truly innocent they were still willing to take the blame and suffer the consequences.

But, God, in his infinite sovereignty, omnipotence, creativity, and mercy, took those very words and turned them into a blessing for all generations. The people shed Jesus’ blood that day, but God received it as an offering to cover the people’s guilt. Jesus’ blood is now on the people but not as a curse, instead as a blessing!

God foreshadowed this event long before that day. Before they left Egypt, God told the Israelites, to kill a sacrificial lamb and use its blood to paint on the door mantle of their homes. This was to protect them from the curse of death that would sweep through Egypt. The blood saved them from death.

On the day when Jesus was crucified, God took what was meant for evil, and used it for the salvation of all who would feel the call to choose to put their faith and trust in Jesus. God the Father took the blood of the God the son, Jesus, and let it be on the people to save them rather than condemn them.

A great explanation of this is found in the First letter of Peter in the New Testament. I leave it here as expressed in The Message translation

1 Peter 1 (The Message)
A New Life
3-5What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all—life healed and whole.
6-7I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.
8-9You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don't see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you'll get what you're looking forward to: total salvation.
10-12The prophets who told us this was coming asked a lot of questions about this gift of life God was preparing. The Messiah's Spirit let them in on some of it—that the Messiah would experience suffering, followed by glory. They clamored to know who and when. All they were told was that they were serving you, you who by orders from heaven have now heard for yourselves—through the Holy Spirit—the Message of those prophecies fulfilled. Do you realize how fortunate you are? Angels would have given anything to be in on this!
A Future in God
13-16So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that's coming when Jesus arrives. Don't lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn't know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."
17You call out to God for help and he helps—he's a good Father that way. But don't forget, he's also a responsible Father, and won't let you get by with sloppy living.
18-21Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ's sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It's because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.
22-25Now that you've cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That's why the prophet said,

The old life is a grass life,
its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers;
Grass dries up, flowers droop,
God's Word goes on and on forever.
This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.

Got Jesus?
REG

Work work work work

2008-08-19T21:50:00.002-04:00

It’s funny that as I talk to people, (frequently those who know they are facing the end of life,) I find there is a common misunderstanding of what it takes for people to get into to heaven. I hear people who describe themselves as Christians say, “I hope I’ve been good enough to get into heaven. I am especially baffled when I hear it from a Christian. I can understand it when I hear it from someone who is not a Christian. ” Where does that come from in the Christian faith community? What is getting taught? (What was getting taught I should say because I hear it a lot from the over 60 crowd)

Let’s think this through: if a Christian thinks they have to meet a certain performance level of being good in order to get into heaven, then what is the point of Jesus? Does not compute.

Sometimes I feel like Knute Rockne “Gentlemen, this is football . . .” as he takes his team back to the very basics in order to understand the game. Well as a pastor I sometimes feel the need to say, “Christian, this is the gospel.”

So let’s all take a quick refresher so that we can help those who think they are on a quest to earn their way into heaven.

First

John 3 :16
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. That means whoever is in an ongoing faith walk personal relationship with Christ believing that He died for you individually, you will not die spiritually; you will live on and someday receive a resurrection body

Ephesians 2 8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

That means we are saved (for the purpose of living in eternity in heaven with God) through grace (meaning that “being saved” is a gift that is given to us that we could not earn by our own works) so that no one could claim to be better than the next person. ( not to mention the fact that we could never be perfect enough to earn it on our own.

We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

2 Corinthians 5 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

When we become a follower of Christ, the old spiritual person no longer exists but a new one is born; one who will live in eternity with Jesus

And finally
Romans 8: 1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

In a nut shell, yes there will be a judgment day but if you are in Christ Jesus, meaning willingly surrendered to him in response to the gift of grace you have received from him, there will be no condemnation for you. There’s only Grace instead!

Did you see anything in there saying we have to be good to earn a spot in heaven? Absolutely not!

So where does “being good” come in? It’s our humble, willing, yielded response to what we have already received by Grace

Now, unless there’s any questions, let’s get out there and play ball!

Stay close to Jesus

REG

Storm chasers

2008-08-18T07:31:00.003-04:00

Yesterday’s message was on some lessons learned from looking at two instances where Jesus calmed the storms. They are from Matthew chapter 8 and Matthew chapter 14. Both incidents took place on the seas of Galilee. Both incidents involved Jesus and the disciples, Both took place in the night. It’s probably also a universal conclusion that Jesus is teaching the disciples about trust both times.

Earlier this summer I had heard a sermon on the radio wherein the pastor preaching pointed out that Jesus sent the disciples on the boat into the storm. It’s by no means hidden from us. It’s just there: a subtle fact that sits in front of us as we read these passages but does need to be pointed out to slow thinkers like myself. Jesus sent them out on the boat: that means He knowingly sent them into the storm. The huge difference is that while both storm encounters start out with Jesus sending them into the storm, the second one finds the disciples going into the storm without Jesus aboard.

So the first instance in chapter 8 isn’t too hard to take because Jesus went into the storm with them. He was on the boat when the storm came up and was conveniently there to take care of everything. But the second time around, in chapter 14 he stayed behind.

There’s a few things I would have been thinking about if I were boarding the ship going into the storm the second time. I would have been the one saying, "Hey guys, doesn’t anyone remember the last time we sailed on the Galilee at night? Don’t you think it would be a good idea to just wait for Jesus?” Or maybe I’d be saying, “Feels like a good night for a walk, I’ll catch up with you guys in a couple of days. I’ll wave to you from the shoreline.” Well Bob wasn’t one of the 12. Jesus sent them and they all obeyed and went.

Scripture says the storm hit them around sundown but Jesus didn’t come to them until the fourth watch which would have started at 3 AM. That means He left them struggle in the storm for a minimum of 6 hours and maybe as much as 9 hours or more depending when sundown was that day. In the Gospel of John it says they had rowed against the wind for 3 to 31/2 miles. That’s kind of like walking the wrong direction on a people mover at the airport. So to actually cover 3 miles they might have had to row enough to cover 2 or more times the distance had they been in calm waters. That’s a lot of rowing! And I’m sure although there were a few fishermen among them, nobody was a member of the Jerusalem U crew team. They had to be well beyond the point of exhaustion by the time Jesus got to them and probably already beyond hope of being saved.

So in the second storm Jesus let them struggle significantly before he came to them. Now that’s an observation in life we can all relate to: Jesus doesn’t always seem to show up to rescue us at the first sign of a struggle. Sometimes he waits until we have exhausted all our own resources and are ready for him to do the rescuing. Sometimes Jesus intentionally let’s us struggle in the storms of life so he can have our full attention! But no matter where we are in the storm he has not abandoned us and has always had his eye on us.

Now we know that many people actually have lost their lives at sea and in many other disasters in life. So how do we handle that? Well what Jesus did for us on the cross saved us from the worst storm: death. If we understand that we are created for eternity, Jesus has already saved us from the biggest storm we’ll ever face.
Because he died for us, we have the opportunity to live for ever if we trust in Him for our salvation.

One closing side bar remark. We should never assume that every storm we encounter in life is one we were sent into by Jesus. Some times we create our own storms. I don’t know if in the end that really matters. The important thing is that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us whether it’s our storm or His.

Faith in the midst of a storm

2008-08-14T20:39:00.001-04:00

first the story, then the song

Feel the worship

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ_ny8hMgRY&feature=related

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=x4xsWldmqAo&feature=related

For such a time as this

2008-08-05T15:58:00.003-04:00

Having kind of a stream of consciousness that I’m sharing with you today.

It started with a conversation I had with a friend this morning whose situation in life is extremely challenging from a lot of different angles but he remains calm and relentless in his ability to be a long suffering incredibly loving and encouraging caregiver. Upon reflecting on his comments I was reminded of a lesson I learned a while back that God does not waste a single thing in our lives.

About a decade ago I was introduced to a unique way of looking at God’s presence in the events of our lives. A friend shared something they were reading from a book wherein it was explained that when we are surrendered to God’s will in our lives, Jesus will take our disappointments and turn them in to divine appointments. He will, in time, open our spiritual eyes to see the “bigger picture” and the purpose for why we are in the time and place that we are. Often times the overwhelming challenges in our life bring us to a divine appointment: a way God uses us in circumstances where we realize no one else is so uniquely qualified.

Well that led me to another thought that connects me with just a small phrase of a scripture verse. It’s from the book of Ester in the Old Testament. The phrase is simply this, “. . . for such a time as this. . . ’ (Esther 4:14).

At this point in the story, Cousin Mordecai is explaining to Esther that there was a divine reason for her to end up in the harem of a foreign king. It may have seemed at first to be a disappointment for a Jewish peasant girl to be separated from her family, whisked away to the king’s harem, and be placed in the midst of many strangers and foreigners. Mordecai points out that there was a divine reason for her disappointment. It was to be in place “for such a time as this” in a position of influence and persuasion to be able to save the day for the Jewish nation. She found favor in the king’s eyes and in a critical moment of crisis for the Jews, drew his attention to an evil unjust plot to persecute and annihilate them. She saved the day because she was the right person in the right place at the right time to be God’s servant. There was a reason for her disappointment all along; it had a divine appointment hidden in it.

How often do we find ourselves in a “mess” wondering how the heck we got there and what we did to deserve such circumstances? I can’t tell you the number of times in either my own situation or other people’s situations that the theme of “for such a time as this” bubbles to the surface. We go through disappointment and hardship only to come the other side to recognize that God had a divine purpose and did not waste the hardship we went through. But oh, that is so hard to realize the first time when we are in the middle of the disappointment and have not yet had the revelation of the divine appointment yet.

I see three things that disappointments can lead to in the life of someone surrendered to Christ
1. They can bring us closer to God in our search for answers and solutions.
2. They can place us as the right person, at the right time, to be God’s servant for something we are totally out of tune with until the “aha” moment arrives.
3. They shape us to be the perfect person to minister to someone with similar experiences in the future (“the wounded healer” as Henri Nouwen would say).

As I listened to my friend this morning, he shared how his experiences in his youth shaped his attitude toward life to become the patient, caring, loving person that he is. When he was young he came to a point where he recognized that spending energy being angry at the world wasted a lot of time and emotions and never profited him anything. That realization, for him, was a milestone in his life. I believe (whether he realizes or not) that God took that decision and began to prepare him for “such a time as this.” He is by far the perfect fit to minister to and take care of his wife.

And I already know that once this crisis has passed in their life, God will have another “for such a time as this” for both of them. He will place them in a position as “wounded healers” to be able to say to someone, “I know how you feel, we went through the same thing and these are the lessons of hope and faith we learned on the journey."

Abba Father (“Daddy”)

Thank you for using the Bible to teach us that there is always some divine purpose for our lives as we surrender ourselves to you.
Thank you for preserving other peoples testimonies of your faithfulness in their lives to be an inspiration to mine.
Thank you for showing us purpose and glory for you in the midst of our sufferings.
Thank you for using the tragedies and calamities of life to position us to be vessels of your hessed to other people.

checking in

2008-08-05T08:46:00.003-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days. I came down with some UR crude this weekend. Had a voice and enough energy to get through Sunday morning but by Monday morning I was a pretty sick puppy. Feeling somewhat better today but still not much of a voice and not much energy.

Since I'm taking a sick day today, will try to post something later today.

Keeping an eye out

2008-08-01T22:12:00.003-04:00

There are so many things in the Bible that can mess with the mind of a new reader. Now please don’t think I’m trying to say something negative about the Bible. It’s just that sometimes it requires help from the Holy Spirit and some due diligence to study it, understand it and apply it to our lives.

Consider Matthew 5:29-30
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Now I’m thinking if Jesus meant for that to be taken literally, I’d have been blind along time before I could even learn to drive.. . .and there probably wouldn’t be much traffic on the roads either. Is that any more ludicrous than for me to say, “I’ll keep an out for you” and then have you expect me to be holding it in my hand the next time you see me?

Does Jesus really want you to gouge your eye out or cut your hand off? Of course not! So what did Jesus mean if it was figurative? Perhaps more scripture might help us understand this.

Colossians 3:5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

So how ’bout if we take these two passages and come up with this for a conclusion: what ever causes us to be tempted to sin, we need to cut ourselves off from it. In Matthew Jesus was talking specifically about adultery. He was saying that if you are going to lust and then commit adultery, it’s better not to look in the first place. Cut your vision off from the temptation.

I believe Paul expands the thought to include all types of sin in his letter to the Colossians. Put to death whatever connections you have with the trigger that causes you to go down the wrong path: whether it's what you see, hear or think. We can apply that to a lot of things in life.

· If I start to gossip, its best to cut the conversation off. I also need to steer clear of gossips.

· If I find myself flipping the channels on cable and there’s something free you that don’t have to pay for, that’s pornographic in nature, I need to turn it off

· If I am trying to quit smoking I need to stay in smoke free areas and not hang around people who smoke and will offer me a somke too.

· If I’m trying to quit using drugs I need to not be where drugs are used and/or sold

If I am trying to fight sugar addictions, I need to stay out of the candy isle.

· If I have issues with alcohol, I need to stay away from it and anyone who would not respect my desire to stay away from it.

· If am tempted to do anything that doesn’t honor God I need to cut it off.

· I’m sure you could help me make a rather lengthy list

What’s the best way cut all the sinful things in life? Get it at the roots.

Earlier this spring when I was prepping the flower gardens, my wife asked me to spread some stuff called Preem. It’s a special herbicide that kills weeds when they are pre-emergent: before they take root and break through the surface.

Paul says earlier in Colossians 3 that his "Preem" recommendation for spiritual weeds is this:
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

He also says in 2 Corinthians 105:b in the NCV says
We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.

In other words, before things get out of hand in our imagination or in our stinkin’ thinkin’, we ought to grab hold of that thought, acknowledge it, turn it over to Jesus and, with His help, replace the thought with something from God’s Word to drive it on out.

So keep an eye out for what you are thinking and for what you are exposing yourself to spiritually each day. It might increase your depth perception so you can see the world as Jesus sees it!

Stay close to Jesus!

REG

Going to the Well

2008-07-30T15:06:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I had kind of a neat reminder that God gave me regarding a model of discipleship.

One of the individuals I’ve been doing pastoral visits with is on a long road to recovery from many issues. With great joy, I realized a change had been taking place in this individual’s life.

When I first met them they were desperately in need of hearing the Truth. I listened with an attentive ear and brought them “living water” from the “well.” I spoke words of encouragement based on truths found in the Bible. I realized that as time was passing I was taking them “to the well” by showing them where the “water” was coming from: I would read directly from scripture to point out the truth. Eventually we progressed to where we both looked up scripture and now I could see we were drawing water from the well together. Well over the weekend the individual took the challenge to draw from the well on their own. They picked a shorter book from the New Testament and told me about the Truth they found . . . on their own!

There was a reaction of accomplishment and fear when I shared the well analogy with them. Accomplishment that they could see something they did on their own; fear that they thought I was indicating it was time for them to make a go of it alone.

Will I was quick to point out we all need to be in the word together and individually. Acts chapter 8 came to mind as I remember Phillip, lead by the Holy Spirit coming along side an Ethiopian who was reading scripture on his own. Phillip asked him if he understood what he was reading and the Ethiopian relied, “How can I without someone to explain it to me.” (Acts 8:31).

We all need someone to help us understand scripture. The Holy Spirit is our most effective helper but it’s good to read scripture individually and together to share the gems of what we mine from them and to be able to talk about how they apply to us as “living water.”

There is still another stage in this person’s recovery to arrive at. I’m looking forward to the day when this individual is so excited about the change in their life they go running from the well to their friends and say, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (John 4:9) I’m looking forward to them sharing their story of how Jesus came into their life. I’m looking forward to this person taking water from the well and giving it to someone who needs Jesus in their life.

2 Timothy 2 1-2 says: 1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

Do you have someone in your life that is in need of living waters?
Do you have someone who you meet at the well regularly to share scripture with?

Lord,
Thank you for the many people who have taught me scripture and who have challenged me to read and teach. Thanks for those who have written commentaries who I have never met and thank you for those who I have spent time along the journey of life with.

May I help someone help someone else go to the Well. Amen

Stay close to Jesus.

REG

The God of Second Chances

2008-07-29T07:10:00.001-04:00

2 Chronicles 7: 14 says, “if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray; if the seek my face and call on my name, I will hear, I will forgive, and I will heal their land..”

Flash back: Garden of Eden; Adam and Eve sin. Pride first, then sin, after that they immediately feel shame, then they try to cover their sin, and along with that they hide from God. And they are about as “God’s people” as they come!

What would have happen if they had gone right to God with their mistake?
What would have happened if they humbled themselves and prayed?
What would have happened if they called on His Name??

IF you are looking for answers I don’t have one. But I do have some observations.

First of all , God knew! Second, He asked questions that he already knew the answers to! Third. I believe he did that so that Adam and Eve would have the opportunity to be reconciled to God.

Until today, I never gave it much thought but Adam and Eve are not recorded as having said, “I’m sorry to God.” What’s up with that? When confronted with the truth they bailed and played the blame game instead.

Excellent opportunity for a demanding self centered god to display his omnipotent powers and just end everything right then and there because he was as we say today “diss’ed” Just destroy the human race blow up the world and say, “next.”

But he didn’t.

Don’t miss this: right in Genesis we see evidence of a God who does not want to cast us aside but wants to be in a loving relationship with us. Yes, there were consequences to pay, a curse as a result of the sin. God none-the-less in his steadfast love did not destroy them but instead, in what could be a nearly overlooked act, initiated sacrifice to cover their sin. He killed animals to use their hides to cover them. He did something on their behalf. Right there in the opening pages of Genesis is the foreshadowing of the future coming of Christ.

So even today, we have the opportunity to do things a bit better than Adam and Eve when it comes to staying reconciled with God when we sin.

2 Chronicles will hold true for us if we humble ourselves, pray, ask forgiveness and seek his face. He will still hear and forgive and heal us.

Seek Him while He might still be sought.

Stay close to Jesus

REG

It's not an option

2008-07-28T08:52:00.005-04:00

Ever notice people do not want to die as a general rule of thumb?? They usually tell you. “I don’t want to die” or “I’m too young to die.” Or “I want to live forever!” Could it be because we were meant to live forever?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says God has put eternity on all men’s hearts.

10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.

How does that work that we are going to die but we have this carrot (eternity) dangling in front of us? Let’s try this on for size: perhaps we are living life in the here and now so that we can know what life is so that we can understand this is not all there is to life.

If God has eternity on our hearts I’m thinking there isn’t an option. We will live forever! We know we are currently living in a world that is in a state of decay but there will be another place that will take its place someday. We have to break free from the mindset that life at is fullest (at least in our culture) is the toy grabbing, pleasure seeking, wealth accumulating, complete our kids resume before the age of 10, get ahead of the neighbors, stay healthy game we play . . . for what we think is “keeps.” The real “keeps” is eternity.

Rick Warren in Purpose Driven Life says something to the effect, “life here on earth is a dress rehearsal for eternity.” The confusion comes when we think the dress rehearsal is the reality of eternity. For those who think the dress rehearsal is “the event,” it is not. The stage is real, the props are real, the director is real, the actors are real, the emotions are real, but this is not where the full production will be presented Eternity is!

The Bible teaches us is that our earthly flesh bearing body is going to die but there is a reality of existence that we know some things about, but not everything about, that which is yet to come. So many people live like this is all there is and that might be because without understanding or hearing what God has spoken, we cannot fathom what he has done from beginning to end. (For those of you old enough, remember the song “Is that all there is?” by Peggy Lee). But God has set eternity on our hearts!!!

So wouldn’t it be a refreshing approach to dive into a conversation with someone who says, “I don’t want to die.”

And you reply, “Well actually, that’s not an option.”

Now they are going to think you mean that it’s not an option: we all have to die. But then you could go on to explain, “Dying is not an option. Oh sure, your body is going to die but you, spiritually, are created for eternity. What really is not an option is whether you live or not. You will live forever. So the question begs, where do you plan on spending it?” talk about looking at things from a different perspective!

Now that all segues to what is an option: where we spend eternity. There are only two neighborhoods that we have to choose from: Choose wisely!

Reservations are now being taken for where you want to live forever.

Jesus says, “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me” (John 14:6)

Stay in the Word and stay close to Jesus.
REG

Word!

2008-07-26T15:39:00.003-04:00

There is this slang usage of the word “word”, indigenous to the late 20’s early 30’s crowd as far as I know. I found an online slang dictionary to help me out. It can be a statement of agreement, an affirmative response to a question, a substitute for taking an oath indicating you are telling the truth and an inquiry to the veracity of a statement.

What got me started on that?

Jesus says, in John 8: 51, “I tell you the truth, If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death!” Now that calls for two pitches for the use of “word, ”:

“Word?” (is that true?)

And “Word!” (affirmative response!)..

So what “word” is Jesus referring to? Well I went back to the beginning of the conversation that this sentence is extracted from and find Jesus making this statement in 8:12, “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." The Greek word for word is logos. Its application can refer to a thought , a statement or a single word.

Now that statement in 8:12 can be considered a thought and the use of the logos in verse 51 may be referring back to the introductory statement.

That being said, I can only say “word!” (that’s exciting, that’s great news!) If we follow Jesus we will have the light of life! Eternal life!! But there’s more!

“Word?”

“Word up!”

IN John 1: 1 it says “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. . . .” In verse 14 it says , “ And the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

That means God is Divine Expression (thought reason knowledge intelligence logic etc.) In Genesis, God said “let there be light." He spoke the universe into existence!

“Word!!!!!”

And in John chapter one, it's basically saying that Jesus is the word of God: the spoken creative (creating out of nothing!) power of God!

“”Word!!”

Therefore, whatever Jesus says is the divine, authoritative, creative, redemptive, inspirational, power of God! What ever he says, goes! It's the Truth!

Hey kid! All I can say is “Logos!”

Lord
Thank you for being the creative force that made this world
Thank you for knowing us intimately from before we were conceived!
Thank you for coming to us in the flesh to make the “Word” available to us to be intimately known by us.

Amen!

Stay close to “the Word!!”

REG

Vision, Clarity, Understanding

2008-07-25T13:52:00.004-04:00

Was reading in proverbs today. Came to one that many people are familiar with, Proverbs 29:18
Take a look at the widely different translations and then lets’ talk.

NIV
Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law

The Message
If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves;But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.

New Living Translation
When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

New American Standard
18Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.

KJV
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

NCV
Where there is no word from God, people are uncontrolled, but those who obey what they have been taught are happy.

TNIV
Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;but blessed are those who heed wisdom's instruction.

Amplified
Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]--blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.

Young’s literal Translation
Without a Vision is a people made naked, And whoso is keeping the law, O his happiness!

NRSV
Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint, but happy are those who keep the law.

So, . . . an interesting buffet of words to choose from, No?
Look at the broad range of translation of the Hebrew word pronounced phonetically in English: chazòn A text book for studying biblical Hebrew called a BDB Dictionary lays out these possible definitions

vision
vision (in ecstatic state)
vision (in night)
vision, oracle, prophecy (divine communication)
vision (as title of book of prophecy)

You can almost see where different groups of translators chose their particular meaning and took off in that particular direction. I lean toward the third offering of the definition so with that I am going to try to offer a comprehensive statement of what we are looking at in this witty proverb

“When in the course of human events” (okay so that’s not very original, but it is relative) people do not receive, or worse yet reject, an opportunity to know God, it’s not going to be a pretty sight. They will not have a revelation (understanding) of who He is, and therefore an understanding of what His will is for their lives. This vision, revelation, understanding, prophecy, Word of God is intended to give meaning, direction, protection and discipline in their lives. It is at worst beneficially instructional guidelines for living but spiritually it is life giving and essential. It is the forth telling of truth: the inarguable reality of who God is and what our interactive relationship with Him is supposed to be.

Without this divine communication, the people will live a wild life, have no moral standard, be accountable to no one, have no sense of meaning and purpose to their life, be subject to a march toward anarchy and be found “naked” or spiritually dead. Not knowing the Truth they will stumble over themselves believing in and falling for anything.

But with an understanding of who God is, they will joyfully and willingly obey the Law knowing that it delights the Lord to do so. They will be blessed, favored by God. They will receive wisdom from God. They will strive to avoid sin. They will have order and respect in their lives but most importantly they will have purpose and meaning to their lives individually and as a people.

Knowing the God who created us, having a divine communication from Him, gives us a sense of belonging; a sense of knowing whose we are. It gives us a deeper richer understanding of the origins of love, righteousness, holiness, grace, mercy, justice, good and evil, and a host of other things related to understanding God.

Having that revelation given to us also helps us understand that we are participants in God’s plans. Sometimes we are the “messenger”, If we do not pass on the message someone will “perish.” Sometimes we are the “huggers” extending God’s love. Sometimes we are the “forgivers”, extending God’s mercy. Sometimes we are the “blessing giver” extending grace: giving to others things not earned or deserved.

Given the BDB definitions of chaòzoòn I cannot totally rule out receiving a vision in the form of a dream or ecstatic concept of what tomorrow holds but I don’t think I can buy into its application where some can take it. Have you ever seen anyone take just the first stanza of the verse (usually from the KJV translation), spice it with some cultural influence and tell you that this is instruction to the church to come up with a 1, 5, and 10 year plan for ministry with measurable goals, objectives and strategies? Not that these things are evil but is church meant to look like a business?

In his book, Ruthless Trust, Brennan Manning tells about a reporter named John Kavanaugh who sought clarity about what to do with his life. (I would interpret this to have a contemporary application of vision for his life). He had volunteered to work at "The House of the Dying" in Calcutta, founded by Mother Teresa. Before they parted ways, Mother Teresa asked him, “What can I do for you?” He replied by asking that she pray for him. “What do you want me to pray for?” she asked. “Pray," he said, "that I have clarity.”

Her abrupt response took him aback. “No," she told him, "I will not do that.” When he asked why not, she told him, “Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.” When Mr. Kavanaugh observed that she seemed to have the kind of clarity he wanted, she laughed out loud and told him, “I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.”

Is it possible that we can have such an understanding of God that we simply blindly trust Him?

JOhn 17: 25-26
Righteous Father though the world does not know you, I know you and they know you have sent me. I have made you known to them and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.

Lord,
Help me to continue to learn what chazòn really is!
"In the secret in the quiet place I want to know you more"
Help me to relay your "Divine communication," the liberating message of the gospel , to other people.
Lead me to your laws that I might find happiness and joy in obeying them and pleasing You.
Help me to blindly trust You.

Open my eyes if I am to receive something such as a “vision.”
Help me to know that it would truly be from You!

In Jesus Name I Pray.
Amen

Stay close to Jesus
REG

Troubled Hearts

2008-07-23T17:15:00.003-04:00

Trust

Well its mid-afternoon. I just had lunch with a treasured friend of over 25 years. He was sharing some of the incredible burdens he’s been enduring. Not just him; his family too. None of these burdens are the result of any poor decisions, lack of discretion, or failure to be proactive about anything in life. He’s as faithful as they come and I have to add him to the list of those I prayed for just two days ago. He and several other family members are bearing the cup of suffering as we talked about a couple days ago due to nothing more than the imperfections of this broken world we live in.

I want to go to John 14:1. Jesus speaks these words, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.” Easier said than done as we all know. Jesus was referring to a future point in time in the specific instance that we see him speak these words. John 14 is often quoted at funerals because it is a comforting reminder that we can go where Jesus is going. He is going ahead of us to get things ready. We are to not let our hearts be troubled because we are not yet home in our eternal destination.

Is our problem just rooted in the fact that we live too much in the here and now and can’t seem to focus on the then and where? Maybe, at least when we forget about how things will play out into eternity. I can fast forward, jump to the future, and think about eternity. With relative ease as a believer I am able, with victory, to not let my heart be troubled . . . about that. But, there are other things in between that trouble our hearts

I believe it troubles us when we think about the process of concluding things here and stepping into eternity. It is in our nature that when potentially lethal things threaten our earthly existence we are troubled because of the unknowns it presents. We all struggle with the 100% mortality rate when it comes to our earthly bodies. Is it because we become so attached to them that we struggle to stand on and believe in the truth promises about eternal life? Why? Maybe because we know dying is going to take us out of our comfort zones. It troubles our hearts when we think about end of life issues. But Jesus say, “Trust in Me.”

There are everyday situations before we even get to the dying part that can make our hearts troubled too. How will a soldier and his family survive as he returns home missing an arm or leg or both? How will a family survive with both husband and wife out of work? How does person get along with the recent lose of a spouse, a parent at the loss of a child, a child at the loss of a parent? How does a family cope when one of theirs is captivated by addictions? Jesus says, “Trust in Me.”

And ow about when plans unravel? I tend gravitate towards the worrisome thinking if I’m not careful. “Now what?” Then the depression comes from dwelling on it too long followed by the negative attitude it cultivates. When circumstances go against the plans we have made (plans that intentionally were made to glorify God) we must still hear and submit when Jesus says, “Trust in me.” (That’s real hard for some of my friends who feel they need to be in control of every detail of their lives.) When we wait and trust, eventually God reveals the better plan. I have learned this lesson several different times in the last few years. I have seen people I respect go through their own journeys with their version of the unraveling of “the plan.” Often the waiting gets too unbearable and we cry out, “When Lord when?”

I also thought there is something engineered in our hearts to trouble them in another way. Because we are created in God’s image, there are attributes that come from Him that are designed to make our hearts troubled. We are created by a God of righteousness therefore when we see or suffer an injustice it rubs against our moral fiber because we feel the raw emotions of the injustice and it makes our heart troubled. We know when we’ve been robbed, cheated, violated, lied to, or abused. When there is not an quick fix for the injustices it really troubles our hearts

Going along with being created in God’s image and to be in relationship with him, there is another way still that our hearts can be troubled. I know from personal experience, when we have unconfessed sin, the Holy Spirit brings a troubled heart on us because we are not right with God. Guilt can give us a troubled heart Confession and repentance can fix that. At least cause and cure are almost tangible with that kind of troubled heart.

The unfairness of life, sin, circumstances, failed plans, death and dying: they all trouble our hearts but Jesus says, “Trust in Me.” Everything was created through Him as we learn in John chapter one. Everything will also be resolved and made right through Him as well as we read in Revelation 21:5. Each one of us lives out an epic story. Even though we may not like some of the things we go through and even though they may seem unbearable at times, we must trust Jesus because he is the author of the final chapter of each one of our lives. If we are believing in Him we will not be lost or forsaken.

One thing that helps me to trust in Jesus is to remember that we are not just animate beings who, by happen chance, are having a temporary spiritual encounter created by our own minds and limited only to the days we live out on earth. Instead, we must see the big eternal picture and realize that we are created with purpose as permanent spiritual beings having a temporary earthly experience in preparation to spend all eternity with Jesus.

1 Peter 5 :6-7 says, “Humble yourselves under God’s might hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.”

Stay close to Jesus, stay real close!

REG

Come Just As You Are

2008-07-22T19:31:00.002-04:00

There is a beautiful praise song by this title that is an invitation to come to Christ and accept him as Savior. Some of words in the song invite the listener to taste the living waters. This of course is a reference to the life that springs forth from hearing and internalizing the words of truth spoken by a living Savior.

Now you would think that people would get that and not have any hang-ups but the #1 and #2 (no scientific survey conducted, just my personal opinion) reasons why I see people decline the invitation to accept Christ is that they either think they have done so much wrong they will never be accepted or they think they have to do all this changing to get themselves all straightened out before they present themselves to Christ for his approval: bad theology all the way around. (by the way, my third reason would be that they don’t know they need a Savior: we’ll save that one for another day).

I often find myself talking to such individuals saying, “it’s not about who you were; it’s about who you want to be. It’s not about what you have to change first; it’s about Christ making the changes in you after you come to Him.” As I was going down the road today I was thinking neither one of those statements are specifically made in scripture vebatum, can I back them up? Well take my privilege to preach and teach away if I can’t!

First scripture that comes to mind is the scene where Jesus is confronted for mingling with “undesirables”, the sick, the sinners, In Matthew 9: 12 and 13b He says to the Pharisees “it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. . . . . for I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” There you have it: not reformed, conformed, or transformed sinners. Rather, simply, sinners just as they are. A similar statement again made by Christ in Luke 19:10, “For the son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

A second proof is from Romans, 5:8, “While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” In context that is a statement about the universal plan of salvation for us as a lot, the whole human race. From start to finish, God provides a plan for all who would choose to receive it through one single act done on our behalf. It has its personal application to each one of us on our horizon of history when we realize God did that way before we even realized we as individuals are sinners.

A third proof ( I tihnk the most powerful one) is found in the story of the lost son. (Luke 15: 11-32) In the parable the father accepts the son just as he is; even throws his arms around him and kisses him before the son can say anything. I am reminded of the time I was trying to make this “come just as you are” point in a Bible study at jail. To test everyone on how well they knew this story, I started to read it and when I got to the very part where the father runs to greet the son, I deviated from the story and said, “ And while the son was still along way off, the father shouted,’ Stop!. Don’t take another step. Don’t you dare step foot back on this land until you have cleaned yourself up, repaid the fortune that you squandered, and confess and make right all the wrongs you have done!’ ” No one stopped me!!!! Don’t worry, I confessed and it became a powerful moment to explain what the world expects of us in making things right and what Jesus expects of us as we come to Him who has made things right.

What gets people thinking they are too far gone as a sinner or too helpless to become worthy? Well ultimately it is a lie Satan wants all people to believe. Sadly, I believe it’s transmitted through people and even the church. Some people abuse their authority as a parent or spouse or other influential person in an individual's life by saying things like, “you’ll never amount to anything.” Or, “God is going to strike you dead in your tracks for the things you have done.” Or, “you’ll never get into heaven. You’re too evil.” IF a person is in a fragile emotional state of mind these kind of statements can leave wounds that can only be healed by Jesus.

When the church fails to lovingly communicate the transformation that is going to take place in a person’s life (and also fails to be patient while that is taking place) the only message an unsaved person can hear from the church is, “If you want to be accepted by us (and therefore God) you have to follow these rules.” The message of being saved by grace through faith gets lost in the may lay of “following the rules.” That’s what the Pharisees were so crafty at and that’s what the church can still do today if we focus on how to live a holy life and not on who makes us Holy.

Honoring God’s law does not justify us. Filling ourselves with the truth about God’s love, grace and mercy along with the work of the Holy Spirit living in us leads to a transformation of the heart that makes us want to follow the law to honor Him.

I know many of you can share more scripture to support “come just as you are” and I invite you to do so in the comments.

Lord
Thank you for not demanding anything other than a broken contrite heart ready to receive your grace.
Thank you for not making us change first before being accepted into your kingdom.
Help us to not be spiritual abusers like the Pharisees.
Enable us to communicate the truth of grace to overcome the lies embedded in people’s heart that keep them on the outskirts of the joy of your salvation.
Amen

Come Just As You Are – J. Sabolick
Come just as you are. Hear the Spirit call. Come just as you are.
Come and see, come receive, come and live forever.

Life everlasting, strength for today, taste the living water, and never thirst again.

Come just as you are. Hear the Spirit call. Come just as you are.
Come and see, come receive, come and live forevermore.

Stay close to Jesus
REG

Can you drink from the cup?

2008-07-21T08:59:00.003-04:00

There is this metaphor often used in scripture that must seem rather peculiar and hard to understand to someone who is reading the Bible for the first with the hopes of understanding. It’s the use of the word “cup”. There is the cup of joy, cup of sorrow, cup of wrath, cup of judgment and a few more. Probably the most well known use from the Old Testament is found in Psalm 23 “my cup overflows” (NIV). Not too hard to understand in context that David meant he was blessed more than what he thought was his share. It creates for me a picture of a child not having to worry when asking for a cup of water. The imagery indicates there is always so much to be given that there is no concern for overflowing the cup.

But there are a couple other places where the word “cup” is used that requires more cultural and contextual understanding (sorry, one of the hermeneutical phrases from when my “cup” was being filled at seminary). You can go here for a nice article on the use of the word cup in the bible: http://www.bible-history.com/isbe/C/CUP/ . Where I want to focus on today is found in Mathew 20:22 and 26:39.

IN 20:22 the sons of Zebedee and their mother come before Jesus to petition him for a seat of honor and authority when his kingdom is fully established (Was this a codependent mom? :) ). Jesus implies there is a price to pay for that honor and he asks “can you drink from the cup I am going to drink?” Now if you are someone who doesn’t know the whole story, how it comes to play out in the not too distant future of that statement, it really doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to use the word cup. So let me take a more practical attempt to explain the word so we all can help those who are trying to study the Bible. A simple way to put it is that cup is used to refer to an experience that one has been through or is about to go through.

Jesus was asking, “if you want sit to my left or my right, can you endure the same things I am about to endure?” As we fast forward to Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, (Matthew 26:39) we find him wrestling through the potential for Him to succumb to his being in the flesh. He does not give in to the temptation but, toes to the chalk line, he knows he is about to experience the ultimate infliction of pain and suffering and ultimately death by torture on his earthly journey. In His human anguish over this in His conversation with the Father he says, “My Father if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will but as you will.”

Now I can relate to that. There are things we all go through that we would rather not experience. A lot of times we can look ahead and know full well what "the cup” is going to be: the cup of suffering or the cup of sorrow, etc. Further, more often than not, the cup is not of our choosing. But the hope we can get from looking at the passion of the Christ is that on the other side of the experience is something that makes enduring the journey worth it. We have to trust that the reward is in the hands of a loving Savior. Ultimately, as we mature in the faith, we know we will honor Christ best and be strengthened most by submitting to the process.

Sometimes we are blessed in a way that we experience that reward in “real” time: the suffering is short and the blessing comes soon after in this life. On other occasions there is a ‘long suffering” to that cup. Sometimes the suffering is for a life time or nearly that. They can be seasons that last years and can be either emotionally or physically painful or both. The woman from Luke 8:43 is specifically identified to have been suffering for 12 years.

I know far too many people who have suffered this long or longer. I have some very special friends who are reading this that have been through incredibly long seasons of suffering. You probably know some people too. I want to honor them here today for their faithfulness to Christ in the midst of their cup of suffering.

To my suffering friends:
You are an inspiration to me because your faithfulness while enduring “the cup.” I realize that your experience does not come without great pain, grieving and expressions of frustration and anguish but I admire your courage for not giving up and, in your own way, expressing the words, “My Father if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will but as you will.” The world may try to offer you antidotes for an end to the suffering, but you have chosen the right cup, the cup of salvation, Jesus Christ to help endure the suffering.

Father I pray that you bless my friends who are drinking from a “cup" they did not choose, a “thorn" they did not expect. May we who are not chosen for that cup recognize these friends as someone who has a place of honor in your courts because they have been found strong and worthy enough to endure something I do not (yet?) have as my appointment in life. Remind us daily to lift them up to you as honored martyrs of the faith knowing that if what they seek, the end of this suffering, is not fulfilled totally in this life, may they know that they will have earned a place of honor at your table in heaven because of what they have endured here on earth. May they know now, right now, how special they are to You and how loved they are by You and may that bring them spiritual healing for the day. Thank You for their testimony of faith that edifies the rest of us.

Father I endure to petition You. In the name of Jesus I lift my many friends who suffer emotionally and physically to You and petition You like the persistent widow of Luke 18 that they be healed now so that we may have the joy of celebrating with them and the opportunity to hear their testimonies of a God who still performs miracles today. Amen

Stay close to Jesus!
REG

When not to play hide and go seek

2008-07-19T20:24:00.007-04:00

I ‘m going to rely on the fact that I’m preaching on Jonah for the second week tomorrow and lean on my interaction with these scriptures to provide some food for thought.

Never gave it much thought until tonight but Jonah and I actually have some things in common: Point # 1: he was the son of a Samaritan prophet, I’m the son of a preacher man,. Point #2 He got called, I got called. Point # 3 He ran, I ran. I’m sure we probably had similar thoughts as we ran, “No Way Jose! I grew up around that stuff and I DO NOT want to go there!” Been there; done that.

Now I didn’t end up in the belly of a big fish but I do remember the defining moment of surrender for me. I was driving to Columbus to work one day all in a huff about these nagging people who had been telling me I should become a minister, I should go to seminary, I should do this do that . . . And then suddenly I realized, “Hey, I’m not arguing with these people. They aren’t even here in the truck with me. I’m all by myself in this truck, so why should it even be bothering me? . . . . . . . . .Oops. I’m not alone,. . . . am I? I found myself boxed in the cab of a pick up truck with an overwhelming presence of God right there with me.

Well I knew what the outcome was gonna be then and there but I still insisted on playing a couple of “Gideon” cards after that (you know, “God if its really you then I’ll do this and if it’s you then you’ll do that. . . .”). Not too surprising to anybody but me, it all played out in God’s favor . And the rest is history

So why do we even think we can run from God?

Psalm 139 says:

1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue, you know it completely, O LORD.
5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me,"
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

That’s pretty convincing testimony: that you can run but you can’t hide. David wrote these words a considerable amount of time before Jonah was even born. I know it wasn’t in the Berean Christian book stores yet, but don’t you think Jonah would have at least heard this through oral tradition before he bought his ticket to Tarshish? I mean with that kind of info starring you in the face how could you even think of running from God?

Wait, I should criticize Jonah? I sure had a lot more available to me than he did to get the point across before I decided to run. Aha! point #3: We were both in denial! “If we just ignore God’s call it will go away!” NOT! God is everywhere and knows everything. (And I paid $28,000 dollars to learn the upscale description of that: omnipresent and omniscient).

Lesson learned: You can not play hide and go seek from God!

I know more people who have learned this lesson from their own experience of running than not. This is definitely one of those things that in our human stubbornness each one of us is too bullheaded to take the lesson from someone else’s experience. We insist on running first, then listening to someone else’s story after we’ve surrendered.

But I guess that‘s not such a bad thing in the end. The “running” experience draws each one of us closer and more intimate to Jesus by the time we’re finished. Plus by hearing other people’s “Jonah run” it affirms that Jesus is the author of each of our own epic stories. Wow!

Lord, thanks for being kinder to me in my answer to your call than you were to Jonah
Thank you for not sending a storm at the time.
Thank you for not sending me a big fish to swallowed me up
Thank you for being patient with me while I came to my senses about running from you. Amen

Stay close to Jesus!

REG

our little "friend"

2008-07-18T12:42:00.006-04:00

Have you ever read Romans chapter 7: 7-25?

It will start messing with you around verse 14. I’ve often heard people express their frustration at trying to follow it at first. It’s not a fast read. Matter of fact, you’ll wonder if Paul didn’t have his trolley off the track a little if it’s a first time read for you. If you aren’t paying attention it can come across as nonsensical as, “So if you know that I know that I know that you know I know then I know that you know that I know.” And I pity those who feel they can’t depart from the KJV on top of that!

Well anyway, I’ll let you go look it up and, please, try several literal and paraphrased translations to really get the feel of what Paul was talking about. (By the way, a great place to go get multiple translations on line is http://www.biblegateway.com/)

What struck me today was verse 21 The NIV says:
7:21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

Eugene Peterson in The Message” paraphrase’ it this way:
21 It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up.

Well isn’t that thrilling,? We’ve got this little “friend” that is there not to look out for us! (I'm reminded of the little critter Gollum in the of Lord of The Rings trilogy) Nothing new I might add. He’s been around for a long time. I’m pretty sure he was wearing a Halloween costume dressed up like a serpent when Adam and Eve got into some unpleasantness that cost us all big time. And verse 21 also reminds me of a conversation God had with Cain shortly after “the fall” (Yo, kid: we’re not talking about winter here).

God said ( Genesis 4:6-7)
6 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Ya see, our little buddy sin has always been there like a loyal faithful companion. And he’ll try his best to persuade you he is too. But oh how untrue!

If you are kind of new on your faith walk you might have the perception that he’ll go away someday. I think what Paul is trying to tell us is that he never goes away but we can keep him off “our ranch” and outside its walls if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and His words of truth for us. Please notice I said we. Pastors aren’t exempt from this perplexity. Paul wasn’t exempt, why should we be any different? There is a battle going on every day within all of us, but the good news is found in verse 7:24- 8:1.

Christ is the “bouncer” who keeps that little pest at bay. He’s our “spiritual” body guard 24/7. What we all need to do is not let that little pest, sin, get our attention. Again as a couple of days ago, our eyes need to be trained on Jesus.

A counselor friend of mine recommended I see a movie called “A Beautiful Mind.” It was about a college professor who was schizophrenic and was forever plagued by his uninvited “friends” who always appeared and spoke to him, tempting him to follow the wrong path, feeding him lies, and keeping his perception of self rather poor.

I’ve not seen the movie all the way through but by then end of the movie, he has progressed enough to have some victory in his life. The “friends” still try to visit with him but he has learned to keep them at a distance, far enough away he can’t hear them and remembers to not give them the attention they want even though he knows they are off in his peripheral view.

Isn’t sin kind of like that with us? Got to put up with the annoyance in this life, but with Jesus' help we can keep our little friends at bay. But there is even "gooder" news: this little annoying friend or friends of ours will never be able to come where we are going!! Thank You Jesus!!!!!

Lord, thank you that we don’t have to be perfect to be accepted by you.
Thank you that we can be victorious over evil as we keep our face turned towards you.
Thank you that you give us the ever increasing strength to stay reliant upon you!
Thank you for accomplishing the ultimate eternal victory over sin just for us!

Stay close to Jesus!
REG

Pilgrim

2008-07-17T21:14:00.004-04:00

So I open up my emails this evening and there waiting for me is a message from my 28 YR old son who lives miles away in Chicago. the message: "You're burnin' daylight, pilgrim." In other words its late in the day and you haven't posted your daily meditation.

He knows I'm a fan of "the Duke." I used that line on him a few times, and still do use it even to this day when someone is slacking off the pace. It comes from a movie that John Wayne made in the later years of his life in 1972. The movie was called "The Cowboys." Its a story wherein Wayne plays the part of a cowhand who reluctantly has to use teen and preteen boys to get a cattle drive done. They are mere boys still wet behind the ears and there is a scene where Wayne comes barging through camp before sunrise kickin' everyone out of the sack shouting, "Alright let's get a move on, we're burning daylight!" Somewhere along the line I picked up"pilgrims" and added that to it. (I think from McClintock).

so I'm sitting her thinking, "okay its after 10:00 Pm and I need to look at scripture and get this thing done for the day so I hit my goal." And God speaks to my heart saying," Be still and know that I am God" before I can even reach for the Bible.

the verse comes from Psalm 46

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

Be still (but I've got to get this meditation done)
Be still ( but I need to read something and then write)
Be still ( but but but . . . . )

I left for a few minutes. I had a song begin to flood my mind and I went to find it.
I ended my day with it, maybe you'll start yours with it. Doesn't really matter. the more important thing is to take the time to be touched by His "hessed"

Be still for a few minutes and be brought to tears knowing the One who loved you before you even knew Him.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GBkUS9Pp1wE

Yea Pilgrims, we're burnin' daylight, but its good to be still and know the One who provides it!

REG

Philippians 2:5-11

Pay day!

2008-07-16T14:07:00.008-04:00

I asked God to speak to me throughout the day today. It's only mid-afternoon and He's spoken to me twice in unique circumstances. (I did make it to the computer this morning. a stretch farther than yesterday, was pouring through some scripture on line, more meditation on Matthew 19 expanded from yesterday.)

So God gave me the illustration first and the lesson second. Most everyone who knows me, knows I've been working P/T as a chaplain. I love the work. It's a great match for my gifts. Two months ago, I was drawn in to minister to a particular individual who has been under the care of the agency for an extended period of time; much longer than most people stay under this type of care. (Want to respect the HIPPA laws here and the confidentiality of the position so I have to speak in very general terms.) In a nut shell, the person showed strong evidence of a turn around today in front of several people. That is, they showed signs of some spiritual emotional healing. It was a simple statement, "I am blessed." This from a person who has spent so much energy lamenting their diagnosis and doubting they were worthy of being forgiven. when I heard the news it was spiritual payday! Not because of me but because of what Christ has done for this person!

The shift has been taking place I think for a couple weeks, maybe three. The individual is changing from focusing on the problem and turning to some life changing Truth that is the solution for the problem. That person is slowly letting go of the lies that tempt and convict them to believe untruths about themselves and beginning to embrace the truth of a God who personally loves them. In addition to today's statement, yesterday they self corrected themselves without my prompting acknowledging that what they were feeling was not the truth (Hallelujah!).

Now that's the illustration. The lesson came through listening to Dr. David Jeremiah on the way home from the office. he was teaching on 1 Corinthians 10:13

13No 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.

One thought he said was a real no-brainer, (but oh how slow we humans are to learn this lesson) but never-the-less it profoundly struck me. I will try to paraphrase it here: if we stay focused on our struggle with the problem, our weakness in dealing with the problem, we tend to stay surrendered to or enslaved by the problem. He said the victory starts to come when we turn our focus on Christ to distract us from the feelings of helplessness and replace them with the truth of a loving Savior.

Now I'm not, nor do I think Dr Jeremiah was, trying to say we can drown our troubles if we don't think about them. I think the point is that the power to heal comes from focusing on the truths that set our spirits free. As we internalize truth about God's love for us, it counters the lies that keep us captive in negative self images. The "way out" is to turn away from the problem and turn towards Christ.

The evidence, the illustration is being shown in the changing attitude of our special PT.

I am reminder of a chorus to a wonderful prayer song:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His Glory and Grace

A few more words from Scripture to affirm the healing power of intimately knowing a loving Savior

Colossians 3:1-3 1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

and finally,

John 3:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Stay close to Jesus!

REG

Buckeyes

2008-07-15T20:08:00.002-04:00

I know, you all thought that since I didn't post this morning I must have run out of steam and commitment already. Not true, I just couldn't get access to the 'puter early this AM. but I did meditate and pray.

I looked outside and notice the buckeye tree just outside my window was showing the beginning signs of the branches giving way to the weight of the buckeyes. I really enjoy the long days of summer and wish I could enjoy them with the freedom and pleasure they seemed to offer when summers seemed endless, the days seemed soooo much longer and mom didn't have to worry about us even when we were two miles from home.

I still enjoy summer but it just seems to whip by anymore and seeing those buckeyes start to take shape reminds me that it won't be long and they will be on the ground. And a few weeks after that the leaves start falling off. I've seen summers, dry ones, when the leaves are well on their way before labor day. Yea, those buckeyes that I used to collect by the buckets when I was a kid in New York and PA (We had horse chestnuts over there) now are a cruel clunk on the head that time is fleeting, the days of summer are numbered, and so are the days of our lives.

Now if I was fatalistic I'd lament that "I've seen more yesterdays than I have tomorrows" (the only line I ever thought Bill Clinton said that was worth quoting by the way). But the truth is the very fact that God keeps this cycle of the seasons right on track every year is evidence of his faithful promise that life on earth is just one brief season of our life because we were created to be eternal.

Matthew 19:28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

So what's the beef here? Why do we let the brevity of life on earth steal our joy when we KNOW it's only temporary and something better is waiting for us in eternity? Why do terminal diseases, the relativity of time, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, floods, storms and famines all give us a case of the worries and depression? Like its all coming to an end some day! Yea. . . . So? This is not all there is! We are not home yet!

So let the buckeyes fall and the days get shorter. Let the wind blow and the storms come. I mean, just what do think King David meant when he said ". . . and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever"?

But I want to know: when we do get home . . . will the buckeyes stay on the trees . . . or not?

Lord help me to be patient and learn the things you still want me to learn because I know we are not there yet.

Stay close to Jesus!

REG

Whose are you?

2008-07-14T07:15:00.002-04:00

At a Bible study and fellowship group last Saturday we were talking about the benefits of daily devotionals. The study material was challenging us to commit to 30 days practicing the spiritual discipline of starting the day in scripture, prayer and meditation.

Lord knows there are many pastors and lay people that do this better than I do. I get into scripture everyday by some means but I often (who am I kidding- ALWAYS) fall short of the daily practice of starting the day in prayer and the WORD.

Now I talk to Jesus all throughout the day at various times and I will listen to teaching programs on Christian radio with hunger and thirst for a gem of wisdom to carry me through the day. But the discipline of early, daily, dedicated, and yielded prayer and meditation - well I might best be described as a slob in that area. I could rationalize and say that it requires way too much organization: I might even really try to justify it and say that organization falls under administration and I got overlooked when that spiritual gift was being passed out.

The sobering reality that I came to realize myself (better yet through the conviction of the Holy Spirit) was that we can be labeled Christian and be busy "doing" things for Christ which helps define "who" we are but the deeper identity is "whose" we are. I can proudly wear the label "I'm a Christian" and know that the world is going to expect me to be a church goer and someone who ideally has a moral standard that rises above the average expectation of social behavior. But anyone can do that and still not belong to Christ.

I realized in our conversation about daily devotion, meditation, and prayer that to voluntarily submit to the process, (regardless of whether we are organized enough to do it) and WANT to do it is a clarifying moment about "whose" we are. To have a hunger to know Christ so much that we define "who" we are by "whose" we are. I think Paul describes it beautifully in Philippians chapter 3.

(In between this paragraph and the last I got my lesson for the day. I left here for a moment to go copy the above Scripture that I knew would express "whose" we are. I guess God had a plan because he knocked me up side of the head with an admonishment that comes after "my favorite" verses)

I'll close by quoting them here:

Philippians 3:
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pressing on Toward the Goal 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I usually stop my quote at verse 14 but today Jesus hit me with a great big H-E-L-L-O!!!!! And here was my wake up call:

15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Okay then I believe He did make that clear to me!

Lord may I start this day with You in mind and I ask Your help to willingly surrender everything I do to You

Have a great day and stay close to Jesus!

in the beginning . . . welcome!

2008-07-11T21:35:00.002-04:00

Welcome,

Don't know if you find what you are looking for here but please feel free to browse around. My intent is to have some space to think things out and share my questions and comments about life.

Took me a while to come up with the blog URL site name. I needed to name it something that reflects my wrestling matches with life's unanswered questions. It struck me, today especially, that there are questions in life that never seem to get answered to our satisfaction.

I was at a funeral today for a promising young 24 YR old man who was loved and respected by more people than he probably ever realized. I had only met him a couple of times but know his parents as acquaintances. He was a PK (preachers kid) who had just finished his first year of seminary and was engaged to be married next March(09.

Now the question that ruminated in every one's mind (including my own) was and is pretty universal and generic. It is simply, "Why God?" And not too surprising we could surmise the best answer we will have for now is a gentle Parental reply,"Because. . ."

And of course it reminded me of thoughts we Christians share amongst each other at times like this, "when we get to heaven we can ask God personally."

There are a lot of questions we all want answers to now but instead we have to wait. . . . until we get there . . . .

Now that thought lead to still another thought. I'm sure we all would agree that the #1 question in the world is "why?" But running a close second to that has to be the never ending question that we all have either been the babe from which it sprang or later the parent who had to deal with it. It is the gnawing nagging question, "Are we there yet?"

No, I guess we are not, but for those who have gone on ahead of us, their questions have been answered, their journey is complete.

And we who still must "press on towards the goal" find ourselves searching for more answers until we hear Jesus reply to the question of our impetuous youth, "Are we there yet?" when He finally says, " Yes, my child, we are."

Welcome to "Are we there yet?"

Stay close to Jesus!

REG