HOW WILL YOU DIE?

Here is a simple fact of life. Each of us has an appointment with death. No one can escape it because everyone eventually dies.

We all have an important decision to make before the day we die. You see we all get to choose how we will die.

Perhaps you are thinking that the way we die is out of our control. I mean who would want to choose to die of lung cancer and struggle to breathe? Who would choose to die through a tragic accident? If I get to choose the way I die then I want to avoid the hospital all together. For me I just want to go to sleep and not wake up. No suffering. No pain. When it is time for my life to be over then just let it end. That’s the way we would all want to die right?

Well you are right none of us can choose the way we die—that is the manner or means of our death. But we can all choose how we die—that is the eternal condition of our soul. You see when we think about death this way, then there are only two ways to die. We choose whether we will die in our sins, or forgiven and free from our sins.

• For unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.
  John 8:24 NLT

Jesus made some bold claims that upset many of the Jews. He claimed God as His Father. He further said that those who did not recognize Him did not know God because if they had really known God then they would know that He was who He claimed to be. Then Jesus told them that the time was coming when He would leave, but they would be unable to find Him because they would die in their sins. Their only hope of finding Him, and in turn knowing God, would be to believe that He is God’s Son, the savior of the world.

I find what happened next very interesting.

• Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
  John 8:30 NIV

John does not record that Jesus performed any miracles on this particular day. Jesus just simple spoke the truth—God’s Word. Faith comes by the hearing the word of God. Jesus pointed to the final moments that each one listening to Him must one day face. What would happen when they died? Those who rejected Him would die in their sins. Ah but those who made the choice to believe in Jesus would be set free from their sins. So what do you think? How do you want to die?

SIBLING RIVALRIES

As the oldest of four siblings, I’ve had some first hand experience with the rivalries of growing up in the same home. As the father of five, I’ve also witnessed these brother and sisterly competitions. I know both how trivial these rivalries can be, and also the pain that they can cause. For some the commandment to “love thy neighbor” is easy—unless the “neighbor” lives under the same roof.

Jesus had his own share of sibling rivalries to deal with. The bible does not tell us a lot about Jesus and his siblings. One can only speculate as to what it must have been like to grow up in Mary and Joseph’s home. How much did these parents share with their children about the miraculous birth of their older brother? Did they ever talk about the visit of shepherds or the magi? Did Jesus’ siblings know how his life was threatened as a child, of their father’s dreams and the flight into Egypt?

As Jesus grew up we know that He became aware of His divine nature. His understanding of the scriptures marveled those at the temple as Jesus stayed behind to be about “His Father’s business.” Did Jesus’ family ever talk together about this visit to Jerusalem? Or did His siblings tease Jesus for trying to be a big shot? Was Jesus despised as Joseph was with his coat of many colors? What other family memories might they have shared growing up with Jesus?

While much remains a mystery, what we do know underscores the reality that even Jesus had to deal with sibling rivalries. As Jesus began His public ministry, teaching about the kingdom of God and performing miracles, those closest to Him were baffled by what they saw and heard. Could the brother they had grown up with really be the Messiah?

• For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
  John 7:5 NIV

If I were Jesus, I think that I would have turned these brothers into bugs or struck them with lightning. Of all people they should know better. They grew up with Jesus! How could they doubt Jesus, even challenge Him?

Sometimes we find ourselves facing the ridicule and rejection of our families for our faith in Christ. Parents can teach their children the truths of scripture and be involved in the ministries of a local church, yet their children choose not to believe. Let’s find hope in the life of Jesus and His siblings. While they were slow to believe, after the resurrection they too put their faith in Jesus. God will continue to work patiently in the lives of our family members to bring them to salvation. What do you think?

WORK TO BE DONE

Imagine you go to work today and tell your boss, “Hey I’ve got a great idea how I can do my job better.” You explain your idea to the boss, but then he shakes his head and tells you that what you have suggested has been tried before and is not acceptable. You are to do your job as you have been trained. Now if you are like me you may have heard what your boss said, but not really listened. You return to your work and decide that you can do the work better your way. After all, what does your boss know anyway sitting up there in his office? You are the one down where all the work is done. Isn’t getting the job done what is really important?

I can imagine several possible scenarios of how things might end up at work when you and I decide to do the job our way and ignore our boss’ instructions. We might be satisfied with our efforts; the work is easier our way. Over time we might even save the company some money by cutting some corners. Until . . . well you can fill in the blanks. The end of the story can’t be good. All of our work was unacceptable.

• 28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
  29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
  John 6:28-29 NIV

It sounds too easy doesn’t it? The work that pleases God is to believe in Jesus. In a word, ours is a work of faith. Is it any wonder that without faith it is impossible to please God? (See Hebrews 11:6)

We are saved by grace, through the work of faith and not good works. Yet how often do we try to earn our salvation? We strive to satisfy God through the things we do rather than with simple childlike faith. In the same way an acorn holds within it a mighty forest, so too our faith holds all the works that are acceptable to God. (See Ephesians 2:8-10)

Faith acknowledges God and depends upon Him. The man who trusts in his good works seeks salvation independently of God. Only through the work of faith do we submit to God and the work Christ has done for us. Therefore the work of faith gives honor and glory to Jesus as it is only through Him that we are saved. This is God’s way, not man’s. Let’s commit to doing the work that God requires—a work of faith. What do you think?

UNDEATH

Please forgive this crude illustration right from the start, but it illustrates the point. My computer was dying, so I killed it. Ah but then I brought it back from the dead and restored it. I had a picture of the kind of life I wanted it to live (computer geeks would call this the recovery partition and a full back up). Needless to say after hours of work yesterday my computer is alive and well today. Who would have thought that I have the power of undeath in my hands?

Actually God would. Ponder with me.

• "But you haven't seen the half of it yet, for in the same way that the Father raises the dead and creates life, so does the Son. The Son gives life to anyone he chooses.
  John 5:20-21 MsgB

Jesus had miraculously healed a cripple on the Sabbath, for which the religious leaders were giving Him a hard time. Such miracles were only the beginning. Like the Father, Jesus would soon bring life to the dead too. Now this meant more than just the resuscitation of life to a corpse like Jesus would do with Lazarus in John 11. God is not God of the dead but the living! (See Mark 12:18-27) Like the Father Jesus had come to bring life to the spirit and soul of a man—to give eternal life.

You and I have received His miracle of life through faith in Christ. God now wants to use us as His hands of life to touch those we know that they too might also have life in His Name. Life always multiplies. The Father raises the dead. Jesus does the same. Now the power of undeath is in our hands. The apostle Paul puts it this way.

• 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?
  2 Corinthians 2:15- 16 NLT

Apart from Christ we are dead and smell like the grave. But we have been saturated with His life. Our hands have been washed and have the smell of undeath.

Some may resist our touch—it offends them. But like my computer Christ has given us a picture of what their lives can become. We’ve been given the ministry of recovery and if we stick at it long enough even the deadest of sinners can be made new through the hands of undeath (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-20). What do you think?

OUTCASTS

I want to believe that I’m not prejudice. People are people regardless of their race, nationality, economic level, or anything else. Yet if we are all honest with ourselves we notice people who are different from ourselves. We must choose to break out of our comfort zone and welcome such people into our circle of friends lest we begin to build walls that would separate us from such individuals just because they are different. Unless we are building relational bridges, we are adding to a wall of prejudice.

Prejudice is not anything new. It has been around a long, long time.

• Now he had to go through Samaria.
  John 4:4 NIV

The orthodox Jew of Jesus’ day would avoid Samaria because of their deep seeded hatred for these half-breeds—part Jew and part Gentile. The division was so great that the Samaritans established their own place of worship at Mount Gerizim which only added to the hostilities between the two groups.

Jesus was on His way from Judea in the south to Galilee in the north. Samaria was right in the middle of the two. Three routes were possible for this journey. Most Jews would chose to either travel west going up along the Mediterranean coast, or to travel east making their way up along the Jordan River. Jesus chose the third path—straight north through Samaria.

Jesus had to go this way. He was on a divine time schedule. The Father had arranged for Jesus to meet a woman at Jacob’s well. As a result of this encounter this woman and many others within the village would put their faith in Jesus. Jesus resisted the Jewish prejudice and built a bridge for these people to make a connection with God.

Sometimes we might feel like one of these Samaritans. We believe that we are an outcast, unwanted. We try to might even make our way to God, but we are always reminded that we are not good enough. Our hands are dirty. We’ve been to the wrong places and hung out with the wrong people. And so we go through the routine of life, burying our hurts. The devil has us trapped right where he wants us—alone in our Samaria.

Jesus won’t listen to Satan’s lies that saying that you and I are outcasts. Jesus knows we are sinners. He knows every time we have failed. He saw us each time we tried to make our way to God through our human efforts. But Jesus also knows where we live, and He has to make His way to our front door. Jesus does not see us as outcasts but loves us just the way we are. What do you think?

HERE COMES THE BRIDE

When Susie calls my cell phone the ringer happily chimes the tune to the bridal march. I’ll answer the phone with a smile saying, “Hi my bride.” Though the years have piled up since our wedding day, one thing remains true. Susie is not just another bride among many. She is my bride.

Some wanted to stir up a jealous rivalry between John the Baptist and Jesus. John wouldn’t let that happen. He knew his place was to go before Jesus just like a best man stands beside the groom. The bride was not John’s but belonged to Jesus.

• The bride belongs to the bridegroom.
  John 3:29 NIV

Jesus is the bridegroom of His Church—that you and me who have put our faith in Him (and not only us, but all who do so—past, present and future). Think about the implications of what this means that Jesus is our bridegroom.

1. Jesus, our bridegroom, did not want to remain single. His greatest desire is to be united with us His bride! Jesus has chosen us to be His very own (see John 15:19).
2. Jesus has His Father’s blessing for the bride that He has chosen. Jesus “came from the Father” to do the Father’s will (John 1:14; see also John 6:34, 38; 14:31).
3. Christ has fixed His affections on us. We are not deserving of His love for we are all sinners.
4. Our bridegroom purified us from our sin. We are better off because we are His bride. All our righteousness is “like filthy rags” but Jesus has cleansed us by His blood and clothed us in His righteousness (Isaiah 64:6; see also Hebrews 9:14, 22; Isaiah 61:10).
5. Our bridegroom has wooed us from the enticements of sin and death. Jesus has given us eternal life and made us co-heirs together with Him.
6. Jesus has given us His name. Not only does this show that we belong to Him, but with His name comes authority. We will receive whatever we ask for in His name (see John 15:16; 16:23, 24).
7. The bridegroom waits patiently for the one He loves. Jesus warns us if our love is misguided and shows us the consequences of being united to this world. He stands patiently at our heart’s door knocking (see Revelation 3:14-22).

Here comes the bride—that’s you and me. Jesus is our bridegroom. What do you think?

SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING

Being skeptical is part of our human nature. We question things we don’t understand. We may be easily awed, but we wonder about the things we have seen.

The illusionist has his own special way of pulling the wool over our eyes. The hand really is quicker than the eye. Just how do they pull a rabbit out of a hat, make a dove disappear and then reappear, or any number of other tricks?

We’ve all learned to be even more skeptical. We’ve seen enough of TV and movie magic to know that our vision can be easily fooled. A walk in front of a green screen can become anything from a walk on the beach, to a walk on the moon. In the digital age nothing is impossible.

Jesus did the impossible. He opened the eyes of the blind so that they could see. The lame walked, lepers were cleansed, the deaf could hear, nothing was impossible for Jesus.

• 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.
  John 2:23-24 NIV

John doesn’t tell us exactly what miracles Jesus performed while in Jerusalem at this first Passover, but he does tell us how people responded. Many believed in his name. Jesus however did not “believe” or entrust Himself to those who believed (the Greek uses the same word in verse 23 and 24).

The same miracles had different effects upon people. Some believed while others rejected Christ. For instance Nicodemus, a Pharisee, comes to Jesus believing that He was sent by God while many other Pharisees rejected Jesus. Why? I guess that even with Jesus, seeing is not believing.

Jesus is full of God’s grace from which we receive one blessing after another (John 1:16). In some cases these are nothing short of miracles just like Jesus preformed in Jerusalem. However, Jesus came with more than grace. Jesus also brought truth (John 1:17).

We’re drawn to His grace; we may even say that we believe in Jesus because of His grace. But Jesus doesn’t stop with grace. Jesus speaks truth. God’s word exposes the truth of who we are. That’s why Jesus didn’t entrust Himself to those who believed in His name. Their faith was incomplete for they had not yet accepted the truth. Truth brings conviction which calls for a response. We will either confess our sins agreeing with God’s truth about our lives to receive His forgiveness, or we will harden our hearts and reject Christ—both His truth and His grace. What do you think?

FULLNESS

On Christmas Eve Scrooge is visited by three spirits. The Ghost of Christmas Present fills Scrooge’s home with the joyful decorations of the season and a great feast. Scrooge had never seen his home so adorned. As Scrooge walks with this spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Present sprinkles water upon those they encounter. This blessing is even more abundant for the poor so that they might fully enjoy even the little that they have as they celebrate Christmas.

You and I have received an even greater blessing. Ours is a blessing not limited only to our Christmas celebrations, but blessings which fill each and every moment of our lives.

• From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
  John 1:16 NIV

The grace of God comes not from a limited supply that may be proven inadequate. No! We are recipients of the “fullness of His grace.” God’s grace overflows in our lives through Christ Jesus. So much so that His is not a single blessing, but it is blessing upon blessing upon blessing without end.

Can our finite minds even begin to grasp the infinite supply of His grace that He has poured so freely into our lives? Ponder for a moment the grace we have been given. Out of His fullness:
a we have is mercy and forgiveness;
a we are adopted as His children;
a we are sanctified—empowered to live a holy life;
a we have His peace and comfort;
a we have faith to move mountains;
a we have the knowledge of truth;
a we have His Spirit living within us;
a we have His unlimited provision;
a we have . . . MORE!

All of these blessing are ours to receive out of the fullness of His grace! Scrooge’s encounter with these Christmas ghosts transforms his life. No longer an old miser unwilling to share even a kind word with others, Scrooge now overflowed with generosity and cheer. The blessings of Christmas were his all through the year.

We too have been changed by the blessings of Christmas and more. The fullness of His grace is ours today. What do you think?

EVERYTHING!

I got a call from my son Greg last Sunday. He informed me that he had been in an accident. As he told me what happened he said, “Oh my gosh the car is smoking; it’s on fire!” He and his brother were walking to a friend’s house for help and already a hundred yards or so away from the car. They were safe.

Three nights later Pastor George’s boys were in an accident. Josh rolled the pick-up and totaled it too. While the boys were treated at the hospital and sore for a few days, they too have now walked away from that accident and are fine.

Pastor George and I are both thankful that the Lord protected our sons. Each of them could have sustained greater injury and even possibly lost their lives in these accidents. The loss of a couple of vehicles means nothing. Our boys are alive and well.

Sudden events like these put into perspective what is really important. We can so easily become distracted by stuff that is really not all that important. We either struggle to take care of our abundance of things, or we fret over what we don’t have. What will it take for us to finally discover that Jesus is everything and the things of this world mean nothing?

• I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
  Lamentations 3:24 NIV

God has chosen us and made us His portion. Therefore, we can now make the Lord our portion. We are heirs with Christ![1] The all-sufficiency of God has been given to us. Think about it—we lack nothing because we belong to Christ.

“The Lord is my portion!” It does not say God is partly my portion. Nor does it say God is included within my portion. Jesus must be our everything, or the truth of the matter is that He means nothing at all to us.

God has not just given to me a little of His grace. I have not merely received of His love and mercy. God has given me more than just His peace and His promises. God has given me HIMSELF!

I have received Jesus as my portion. He is the God of all comfort, the Prince of Peace. He is the mighty God the Everlasting Father. He is the I Am, the all-sufficient One. Is it any wonder that we can say “I will wait for Him?” Without Him I have nothing. Jesus is everything! What do you think?
_____________
[1] See Romans 8:17

PROPERTY DISPUTES

I know someone who went to their mailbox one day and discovered that he was being sued. Normally this might seem like bad news, but not this time. He was not being sued for anything that he had said or done, nor was the suit filed to take anything that he had. Instead this lawsuit informed him that someone wanted to claim his portion of an estate that he didn’t even know belonged to him.

Sometimes you find out what is yours in the most interesting ways. The flip side is also true. It might surprise some of us to discover that what we think belongs to us isn’t ours at all.

• For the Lord's portion is his people.
  Deuteronomy 32:9 NIV

Perhaps you know someone who considers themselves a “self-made man.” Or maybe you have pulled yourself up by the proverbial bootstraps to be the person you are today. You might be surprised to learn that you are not your own. You belong to God (and so do I). How is this so?

First, we are God’s by His sovereign choice. We do not belong to God because of any choice we have made. God decided to pour out His mercy and love upon us apart from any act of righteousness on our part. God determined to demonstrate His love for us while we were still sinners—still God’s enemies. God chose us to be his very own even before the world began. His was a choice motivated by His great love for us.[1]

We also belong to God because He purchased us. The price has been paid in full—God didn’t buy us on credit with a balance due. It was not with perishable things like silver and gold that we were bought, but with the precious blood of Christ. Jesus bears the scars to prove that He made full payment for us.[2]

We also belong to Christ by conquest. Satan held us captive to sin. We were sin’s slaves. But Jesus has set us free. Satan has been disarmed and his authority is broken by the cross of Christ. Now we are led by the Lord as trophies of His grace in a victory parade.[3]

I for one am glad that I belong to Christ. No suit can be filed to take me away from Him. I have nothing to fear because God will take care of what belongs to Him. What do you think?
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[1] See: Titus 3:5; Romans 5:8; Ephesians 1:4
[2] See: 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1Corinthians 6:19-20
[3] See: Galatians 3:22; Romans 6; Colossians 2:14-15; 2 Corinthians 2:14

STANDING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE

Apparently for Mrs. Clinton it’s hard to take a stand in presidential politics. In the October 31 Democratic debate she tried to be on both sides of the same issue. Should illegal immigrants be given a driver’s license? She had claimed that it makes sense for the New York governor to want to do this, but when asked about it in the debate claimed not to be in favor of such a plan. Then within two minutes as the debate continued she said, “It makes a lot of sense.” I’m confused. Does it make sense or doesn’t it. You can’t have it both ways.

Mrs. Clinton and countless other presidential candidates are no the first to try to straddle the fence. People have been playing this game for a long, long time.

• 5 I'll get rid of the people who sneak up to their rooftops at night to worship the star gods and goddesses; also those who continue to worship God but cover their bases by worshiping other king-gods as well; 6 Not to mention those who've dumped God altogether, no longer giving him a thought or offering a prayer.
  Zephaniah 1:5-6 (MsgB)

The Lord called Zephaniah to speak against those who were trying to straddle the fence of faith. Many God fearing Jews were secretly worshiping other so called gods. The idolater who wholeheartedly worshipped a false god committed one less sin than those who divided their hearts publicly worshiping Jehovah God and then bowed to worship other gods.

James says that the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways and should not think that he would receive anything from God. The sin of idolatry mixed with the sin of betrayal—a loving embrace that is a stab in the back because loyalty is divided. We so easily doubt God’s provision when we have also bowed to worship at the altar of materialism. How can we have a vibrant faith in God when we also give ourselves to the so called gods of pleasure or entertainment?

God will judge those who try to stand on both sides of the fence. We must choose who or what we will have as our god. Will we make Jesus our God? Or will we give our hearts to the gods of this age? Jesus Christ must be all or nothing.

Ask the Lord to examine your heart today. Have you given yourself wholeheartedly to the Lord, or is your heart divided? I’m glad Jesus is willing to forgive even those who have straddled the fence. What do you think?

FISTS RAISED

Perhaps you remember this song. “Gloom, despair and agony on me; Deep dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all. Gloom, despair and agony on me.” This song was a weekly part of the Hee-Haw show as Hank and Buck would share their troubles. As they cried on each other’s shoulders the rest of America laughed.

Believe it or not I sometimes find myself singing the blues. When I find myself depressed I try to remember not to take myself too seriously. What I need is to find a way to laugh at my troubles because it certainly beats crying.

The experience of life has taught me that the circumstances of life that get me down can basically be broken down into three categories. First, God sometimes will use the hardships of life as discipline for my sin and disobedience because “the Lord disciplines those he loves” (Hebrews 12:6). Closely connected to the first is the reality that many of my difficulties are the result of my own choices. My actions have consequences; “A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7). The third possible cause of life’s hardships is the attack of our adversary the devil. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12).

The unfortunate reality is that more often than not it is God who gets the blame whenever people go through tough times. We raise our fists toward heaven asking God “Why?”

• A man's own folly ruins his life,
  yet his heart rages against the Lord.
  Proverbs 19:3 NIV

How foolish to pick a fight with God! The Lord does not seek to destroy us but to restore us. Though painful, God’s discipline is intended for our good. Yet like a rebellious teen-ager we harden our hearts and just get angry with God. Fortunately God is not moody and patiently works in our lives to accomplish His purposes.

Raising our fists to fight against God is like the ’98 pound weakling taking a swing at a heavyweight champion. We keep swinging but God is unshaken by our tantrum. God patiently waits for us to see that He is really in our corner; the Lord is for us and not against us!

Let’s learn to laugh at our folly of raising our fists against God. That will be a big step toward getting out of our depression. Maybe then we will be able to see who or what we should really be fighting. What do you think?

RETURN TO NORMAL

Sometimes it is amazing how quickly life returns to normal. Granted someone has said that “normal” is only a setting on a dryer, but the routine of life finds its way of overcoming even the most difficult of circumstances. For instance think about the hundreds of thousands of people who were forced to leave their homes due to the California wildfires. As the fires continue to burn many are now being permitted to return to their homes. Even for those whose homes have been destroyed, it won’t take long before they rebuild and their everyday schedule returns to “normal.”

Each of us has faced our own unique situations that more than toppled our proverbial apple cart. The death of a loved one, a prolonged illness, the loss of a job, an accident or burglary, a natural disaster: these are but a handful of events that can strike suddenly in any of our lives. And while the routine of life may return to normal, our hearts can carry the pain of loss for months and even years.

The psalmist knew what it was to sing the blues. “As the deer pants for steams of water so my soul pants for you, O God . . . My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’” (Psalm 42: 1, 3 NIV). Have you been there, feeling forsaken even by God?

Grief lingers. Depression can overwhelm us and transform a “normal” day into the deepest of sorrow. While the intensity may vary, we all know what it is like to be lost in regret. What are we to do when “abnormal” emotional pain becomes “normal?”

• Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
  Psalms 42:5 NIV

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and live a new “normal” of sorrow. The palmist pushes past singing the blues to purposefully sing God’s praise. We can choose to linger in the mire of self pity or we can look up. Put your hope in God! Come to Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and let Him mend your broken heart. He will bring you into green pastures and lead you along quiet waters. Jesus will restore your soul. He will walk with you even through the dark shadows of Death Valley. Out of His abundant storehouse our Shepherd will provide for us.

All who hope in God will never be hopeless. What do you think?

FOUR SEASONS

The coal burner has been lit. The Owens family will keep this fire going to heat their home. It provides warmth on the coldest of days, and if it gets to hot you just open the windows. I, on the other hand, have resisted the pleas of family members to simply turn on our furnace. I’ll put on a sweater or wear a jacket, but to turn on the furnace is the final surrender to the inevitable change of seasons.

• You laid out the four corners of earth,
  shaped the seasons of summer and winter.
  Psalms 74:17 MsgB

Nothing happens by accident. God established the seasons; it is by His design that the year is divided into winter, spring, summer and fall.

As the days continue to grow shorter, it won’t be long until the snow begins to fall and the cold winds cut like a knife. These are reminders that God keeps his covenant with the day and night. As surely as God has fixed the seasons and the length of each the day, so too has God established the covenant that He has made with you through Jesus Christ.

As we look at the world around us it is easy to find people who are experiencing a winter season of the soul. Just as the bitter cold of the winter season is by no means comfortable, the hardships of life chill our souls. Unexpected tragedy can hit us as suddenly as a fall on the ice.

I can think of many who are going through such a winter season of the soul. Let me encourage you to find comfort in the knowledge that God controls the seasons. Unlike the White Witch who ruled Narnia with an endless winter, God always sends springtime and summer.

Beyond our sure hope of a brighter tomorrow we have the assurance that Jesus is with us even in the midst of the coldest of days. He has made a covenant with you, sealed with His blood, to never leave you nor forsake you. God will strengthen even the feeblest of heart whose hope is in Him. His Spirit within you will sustain you through the darkest night.

How cheerful the glow of a fire on a winter day. He is our source of warmth and comfort in times of trouble. Come to the Jesus and let Him renew your peace; find joy in the Lord. Wrap yourself secure in His promises. Finding hope in Lord is even better than sitting next to the coal burner on a cold winter day. What do you think?

GOD AT WORK

I sat waiting for my turn to drive through the work area wishing the road could just fix itself. Like other motorist I found nothing wrong with the road. The workers walking the roadway could see what I couldn’t see driving quickly over the smooth pavement. Small cracks crisscrossed the roadway. Left unattended these cracks would become huge potholes as snow and ice would break the roadway into pieces.

As we hurry through our lives we often don’t see the cracks of sin within our lives. God sees what we often overlook. If the sin within our hearts remains unattended to, then like the road it is just a matter of time before our lives are falling apart.

• 10 Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a faithful spirit within me. 11 Do not force me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience.
  Psalms 51:10-12 GW

We only deceive ourselves if we think we are free from sin. Each of us can so easily fall from grace. Sometimes it happens quickly; we turn and forsake God and willingly yield to our lust for sin. Sometimes the process is gradual; little by little we all backslide when left to ourselves. We need to slow down and let God show us the sin that seeks to destroy us.

None of us can renew ourselves any more than the road could fix itself. Only God can save us from our sin, and only God can restore us once again. As surely as we needed to repent on the day of our salvation, we need to repent today.

David started out ignoring his sin. He was the king and could do what he wanted. Later David tried to cover-up his sin with Bathsheba through deception and when that failed he had Uriah murdered. David continued to ignore his sin taking Bathsheba home as his wife. He made it appear that he was honoring one of his fallen soldiers by providing for Uriah’s wife. God saw what David ignored. David’s sin was destroying his life. Once confronted with the reality of his sin David knew he was powerless to restore himself. David cried out to God, “Purify my heart; renew a right spirit in me. Let your Spirit fill my life filling my heart again with your joy. Empower me to obey You!”

Let’s stop hurrying through our lives. Let’s slow down and let God show us our sin. Let our prayer always be "God do your work of grace in me." What do you think?

REVIVE MY HEART TO PRAISE HIM

I must confess that when I got up this morning my thoughts changed quickly. I took two steps from my bed and discovered that our bedroom floor was soaked. I said, “Oh—God bless America.” I don’t think it really counted as a prayer for our nation. What a way to start the morning!

Having cleaned things up, I sit here aware of my need to confess my sin to the Lord. While I didn’t start my day wanting to praise the Lord, I have reason to be thankful. First, God graciously forgive me of ALL my sin. I am His child and nothing can separate me from His love. Second, we have needed the rain. God has watered the earth and some of it just overflowed in to my bedroom is all. Third it could have been a much bigger mess. We’ve had up to three inches of water cover the floor, but thankfully it only affected about a third of the room.

• I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart;
  I will tell of all your wonders.
  Psalms 9:1 NIV

Praise should be a natural part of our day. God has been gracious to you today. Regardless of the circumstances that you may face, have you been made aware of His goodness to you? Have you stopped to give thanks to God today? If we remain silent and let a day go by without giving praise to the Lord then we are guilty of the sin of ingratitude.

Ten lepers cried out to Jesus for mercy. Because of their disease these men had become outcasts excluded even from being with their family. Jesus sent them to show themselves to the priests according to the requirements of the law. As they went all ten were cleansed of their leprosy. Only one stopped and ran back to find Jesus. With a loud voice this man gave praise to God and fell at Jesus feet thanking Him for healing him (see Luke 17:11-19).

It’s easy to be like the other nine, to go on about the activity of our day and forget to give praise to the Lord. Yet when we neglect to praise the Lord with thanksgiving we forfeit the benefits of praise. Through our worship we grow strong in the Lord and are spiritually energized. Praise excites our hope and increases our faith. Praise lifts our burdens and our hearts are renewed. Our praise also spills over to benefit others as well. Others who walk through the valley of despair or carry the weight of anxiety will be encouraged to likewise praise the Lord. The weak will be strengthened and revived through our song of praise. Magnify the Lord with me! (Psalm 34:3)

I will revive my heart to praise Him today. What do you think?

SAPS A RISIN’

Early each spring our family goes to a “Saps a Risin’” festival. We enjoy walking through the woods and seeing how maple syrup was made through the years. They say it takes over 40 gallons of sap to be boiled down to produce just 1 gallon of syrup. That’s a lot of water!

• The trees of the Lord are full of sap.
  Psalms 104:16 NKJV

Sap gives life to a tree. Other versions translate this verse saying the trees of the Lord are “watered abundantly” or “well cared for.” Unless a tree’s roots drink in water the sap dries up and the tree dies.

We can be the trees of the Lord overflowing with life by the Holy Spirit living within us. Calling yourself a Christian or attending church is meaningless, a dead thing that our culture does not understand. Being a “Christian” is popular in America, but means nothing more than attending church, trying to live a moral life, and being a part of the conservative political movement that voted for Bush. For many, Christians are hypocrites who preach one thing but do another. Sadly this is the case as many so called Christians live lives that are virtually indistinguishable from those who claim no Christian faith.

In the same way sap is mysteriously drawn into a tree to give it life, true Christians, disciples of Jesus Christ, must be filled with the Spirit of life. The spiritual life of a believer is a supernatural work whereby we are born again to live a new life. We were dead in our sins, but now we have been made alive—full of SAP, Spirit and power!

As the roots of a tree dig deep into the soil, our Root is Jesus. Our life comes from Him. And just as the sap actively gives life to a tree so it can grow and produce fruit, the life of Christ in us is permanently active within us energizing us to be fruitful, not just in season but always! The fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are graces that flow from within us moment by moment—day by day. Yes, we are trees of the Lord full of SAP!

What our family enjoys most about “Saps a Risin’” is sitting in the park lodge eating fresh maple snacks. The natural sweetness is a treat that brings us back year after year. That’s how our lives should taste in the world. The sweetness of the life of Christ should be evident drawing others to Jesus. Why? We are full SAP—Spirit and power! What do you think?

SEED FOR YOUR SIDEWALK

Yesterday I had to make room along the road for a combine. A farmer was taking this massive machine from one field to another to bring in the harvest. These machines were designed for the wide open fields and are out of place on the road.

It won’t be long and another large machine will be needed on area roadways designed for a specific purpose. The snowplow will be clearing the way for us to travel. But magine with me that we wake up one morning to discover that the road in front of our house is covered, not with freshly fallen snow, but with an abundance of grain ready to harvest. Snowplows won’t do. We will be looking for the combine to not only clear the roadway, but to reap the harvest as well. Sound farfetched? Don’t forget that nothing is impossible with God.

• You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
  Psalms 65:11 NLT

The psalmist thanked God for the abundance of His provision. Not only were the fields overflowing but the harvest was so great that it even abounded on the hard pathways. Talk about a bumper crop! God gave a harvest where none was expected.

Perhaps you are traveling a hard path today. Circumstances seem overwhelming. Humanly speaking nothing good can come from the place you are at. I’ve got good news for you. God does not share our limitations. He can, and will bring good out of anything regardless of how hard the road may be that we travel. Check and see if Romans 8:28 is still in your bible.

Why was the harvest abundant even along the hard pathways? It wasn’t just good luck, nor was it simply an act of God. Rather it was God’s response to prayer.

• You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior.
  Psalms 65:5 NLT

God will not ignore a heart cry of faith. His blessing and provision comes to those who earnestly seek Him. Parched, dry and barren is the soul that has no time for prayer. But those who pray will, like Elijah, find God’s provision of rain upon a dry and thirsty ground. Fertilize your hard road with prayer. Gain confidence to face each day by time spent with Jesus. He will awaken you to an abundant harvest—even on your hard road. What do you think?

PIG PEN WISDOM

All of us go through it at one time or another. Life seems to treat us unfairly; comfort is a meaningless word, and our faith in God is weak. Those are the times we find ourselves asking God, “Why?” Instead of answers, we find only silence and heartache.

It has been said that we may never have an answer to our why God questions. As for me I’m just simple minded enough to believe that God has answered all our questions within His word. Dare I say it? Childlike faith trusts the Father’s word. Perhaps our problem is we don’t like God’s answers. Maybe we are just unwilling to listen or even look to His word for an answer.

Here is one of the many ways I believe God answers our why questions. Read it slowly, and then read it again aloud.

• For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.
  Psalms 36:9 NLT

Now imagine God speaking personally to you. Your heavenly Father says, “I am your fountain of life, the only light by which you can see.” Can you hear the Father’s love for you?

With a little help from Charles Spurgeon* I’m just foolish enough to offer an answer to our some of our many whys. Could it be that the reason we endure some of the hardships of life is because we have drifted too far from God?

When we forsake God, we begin to live life in our own strength and with our own wisdom. We claim the blessings and prosperity that God has given us as our own and use it as we desire. None of us do this all at once; rather it is a subtle change of thinking that slowly separates us from God.

This is what happened to the prodigal son. He did not ask for his inheritance because he despised his father, nor did he forget his father’s love when he set out for the city. Little by little he forgot as he spent all his father had given on himself. By the time everything was gone the prodigal had forgotten his father’s love. Instead of immediately returning home he hired himself out as a farm hand. The pay wasn’t good. He ate with the animals. Amazing how when we get used to living for ourselves that even slop from the swine-trough is appealing. Finally the prodigal came to his senses and remembered his father.

It seems to me that when we begin to wander away from God, the Lord takes the things we are trusting in away from us. At first, like the prodigal, we ask why but forget the abundance of our Father’s love which satisfies our desires and gives us light to see. Eventually we too come to our senses. When we get thirsty we will eagerly return to God, the only fountain that will satisfy our the desires of our heart. What do you think?

* Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening; October 16th evening.

VOLLEYBALL

• 1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow evil men's advice, who do not hang around with sinners, scoffing at the things of God. 2 But they delight in doing everything God wants them to, and day and night are always meditating on his laws and thinking about ways to follow him more closely.
  Psalms 1:1-2 TLB

I’m sitting at a WCS volleyball game. The whistle blows—one point for our team, finally. How could our team have done so well, winning divisively in the first game, and so poorly in this one? Volleyball is a game of team work. Six players for each team rotate around the court hitting the ball back and forth over the net. Our problem seems to be that this time we have six individuals playing instead of a team of six players.

So you might be wondering, “What does volleyball have to do with Psalm 1?” I’m glad you asked.

David understands the importance of teamwork. We are blessed when we do not follow the counsel of the wicked or hang out with sinners. Now I’m not saying that the wicked don’t know how to play as a team. However, when you stop to think about it the recommendation and guidance of sinners will tend to be self-centered. Sin makes you selfish. The wicked are more interested in what’s in it for them personally than what they can give to others.

Our greatest joy is found when we learn to take delight in God’s word, and this is important, we live in obedience to His commands. Jesus summarized the entirety of the Law in two commands: [1] love God, and [2] love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 12:29-31). Jesus’ prayer was that His disciples (that’s you and me) would be one that is to live in unity (see John 17:20-21). To put it another way God wants us to work together, and yes play together too, as a team because of our love for one another. We can’t do that if we are always thinking of ourselves.

David says the righteous are like trees planted along the river’s edge bearing fruit in season (verse 3). Or we might say they are like a winning volleyball team. I wish I could tell you that our girls won, but they lost the match two games to one. We would have a lot more joy on our side if they had worked together as a team in those last two games. Teamwork—what do you think?

FISHING FOR JOY

It is major league baseball playoff time again. Four teams remain in the hunt to capture the World Series championship. With each hit fans go crazy cheering in joyful anticipation. With each run players strut their stuff with high-fives and other displays while the fans are ecstatic.

It has been ten years since the Cleveland Indians last made a run for the championship. The team was confident and fans were sure that ’97 was the Tribe’s year. Unfortunately the Indians ended up losing the seventh and deciding game in eleven innings to the Florida Marlines. I’m sorry but there is something fishy about the anticipation of joy turning to disappointment with the swing of the opponent’s bat.

• Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
  Philippians 3:1 NIV

People look for joy in lots of different places. Paul encourages us to rejoice in the Lord (something he repeats again and again). If Paul depended upon his circumstances for joy then he was in trouble. Being a prisoner in Rome with an uncertain future is about as low as you can go. Nevertheless Paul encouraged the Philippians to rejoice because Paul knew that rejoicing in the Lord was a safeguard. The same is true today. Think with me about how it is a safeguard to rejoice in the Lord.

1. Rejoicing in the Lord gives us an absolute assurance of being in right standing before God. It’s hard to rejoice and praise the Lord when there is sin in our lives separating us from the Lord.
   
2. Joy in the Lord protects our hearts form resentment and bitterness. People may disappoint me but God never will. Once more God will enable me to build bridges of reconciliation instead of walls of anger and disappointment.
   
3. When we rejoice in the Lord our confidence is in God and not in ourselves. I can do all things through Christ.
   
4. Our yearning for more and more stuff is disciplined and controlled when we learn to rejoice in the Lord. Only the content can truly rejoice.
   
5. We have strength to stand firm through any and all situations when we rejoice in the Lord because the joy of the Lord is our strength.

So that’s a handful of ways rejoicing in the Lord is a safeguard, and there’s nothing fishy about it. What do you think?

IT’S UP TO YOU!

Greg invited me to get up and run with him early in the morning. He ran about two miles Monday morning and then about four that evening. He was up again the next morning to go run some more. I felt a little sorry for him when he complained about how sore he was, but no one made him go out to run. Besides I knew that I would feel even worse if I had done even half the running he had. Nevertheless when all is said and done, it is Greg who is getting himself into better physical condition. No pain; no gain! I will never benefit from Greg’s morning run unless I am get up and run with him.

Now before I lose half of you, physical exercise may be of some benefit. But we all need to pay the price and take personal responsibility for another kind of “work out.”

• 12 . . . Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
  Philippians 2:12-13 NIV

Some may wonder who is really doing the work out—you or God? Paul encourages us to work out our salvation, but then adds that it is God who is at work with in you. I for one am grateful that God will without doubt bring to completion the work He began in me (see Philippians 1:6). Yet God’s work is a lot like Greg’s morning workout. The only way I will benefit from God’s work is to decide to work together with God.

Your sin is yours alone and will result in your own condemnation. I may participate with others in sinful pleasure, but we will each carry the personal guilt of it. The only way to be set free from the weight of sin that we all carry is to receive a personal pardon, to individually repent of our sin and believe that Jesus paid the price for our sin on the cross by His death.

I must personally pay the price for my sin; I must die. Jesus’ work was to die in my place, to bear the punishment of my sin and yours. The work Jesus did need never be repeated. That’s why from the cross He said “It is finished.”

But God’s work through Jesus is only effective in my life if I choose to do my own spiritual “work out” of my salvation. When I die I will either be personally comforted by the assurance of heaven, or personally fearful of my damnation in hell. What I receive that day will be the result of my personal workout with Jesus. No one else can do it for me and no one else can do it for you. Yes, it’s up to you! What do you think?

THE EYES OF THE HEART

They say that love is blind. When it comes to romance that may or may not be true. Spiritually we begin our lives with the eyes of our heart darkened (see 2 Corinthians 4:4). The love of Christ opens our hearts to see with increasing clarity of vision.

• 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God.
  Philippians 1:9-11 NIV

Paul’s prayer is that love will continue to grow, or could we say that the eyes of our heart will gain a greater power of sight. How does Paul pray that our love will see more and more clearly?

1. In Knowledge. Love sees what they eyes alone cannot see. Let’s make it our prayer that God will help us to know Him better that we might see His unfailing mercy for us, the sustaining power of His Spirit in us, and His unfailing promises for all who know God as Father.
   
2. In Depth of Insight. Oh that we might see the truth. Lord, please help us see clearly the gospel of Christ and your Word. Give me insight to see myself in the light of Your truth.
   
3. In Discernment. Love has vision to see the difference between what is right and wrong. The eyes of the heart see what is best with a passion to hold onto it while letting go of the inferior pleasures of this world.
   
4. In Relationships. The eyes of the heart are pure and blameless. No one finds fault or points an accusing finger because love sees the way to bring restoration and healing to broken relationships.
   
5. In Righteousness. The eyes of the heart see the way to follow in Christ’s footsteps. Love gives no place to sin because Jesus is seen always before the believer leading the way. Without love I stumble and fall blind to the entanglement of sin.

Love never fails. Love will continue to grow more and more with clarity of vision. In the eyes of the heart love isn’t blind. What do you think?

FEARLESS

During the Vietnam War it is estimated that 2 out of 10 soldiers did not fire their weapons. The reasons for their lack of engagement with the enemy varied. Some soldiers new to the battlefield did not pull the trigger because they were overwhelmed with fear. These same soldiers would later engage the enemy if they were not killed in the initial firefight.[1]

Courage to take a stand against the enemy is one thing every soldier needs. To overcome their personal fear may be the greatest challenge a soldier may face. This is just as true for each of us as believers. We are engaged in the ongoing struggle against Satan and the powers of darkness. Will we take our stand against the enemy or be overcome by fear?

• Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
  Ephesians 6:10 NIV

Paul’s encouragement to be strong in the Lord reminds me of what God said to Joshua. Three times the Lord told Joshua to be strong and courageous, and not be afraid. God had promised to be with Joshua and to go with him and the nation of Israel to inhabit the Promised Land. However, the only way the people could receive what God had promised was to stand up against their enemies and take possession of the land. But they didn’t have to do it alone. God would be mighty to help them—unless of course they were paralyzed by fear.

We too must overcome our fears and take our stand filled with faith. We are to be “strong in the Lord.” We are not to have self-confidence but God-confidence. God is mighty to save and His power has no limits. Through faith I have a God-confidence whereby “I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 1:13 NLT). My ability to stand and overcome the enemy is not found within myself. My ability comes from the person of Christ and His limitless resources.

Being strong in the Lord I am to put on the full armor of God. With the weaponry God provides I lack nothing; I am fully equipped to stand firm against the enemy. Yet no matter how superior the armor of God may be against our adversary, the best armaments are useless if my heart fails me. If I lack courage and am overcome by fear then I am beaten even before the battle starts. Be strong in the Lord and no attack of the enemy will prevail against you! What do you think?
________________________
[1] Russell W. Glenn, http://www.historynet.com/wars_conflicts/vietnam_war/3038266.html

JUST LIKE DADDY

With five children you can only imagine how often we have heard someone say something like, “She has her mommy’s nose,” or “He looks just like his daddy.” The comparisons between parents and children abound. But such similarities don’t stop with appearance. Children are also copycats of their parent’s behavior and mannerisms.

• Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.
  Ephesians 5:1 NIV

“Watch what God does, and then you do it” (MsgB). Paul is not making a suggestion or merely stating his opinion. We can’t just take it or leave it. As Christians we are to imitate God. It is an imperative command that requires obedience.

If you and I are going to imitate God it requires action. We cannot just meditate upon God’s word nor can we simply ponder what it means live like Jesus. Regardless of how elementary our understanding of how God would act we are to act the same way. We are to mimic God; that is to say we are to resemble God in what we say and do.

How can we reproduce God in our day to day lives? I’ve never seen God, so how can I emulate the Lord in my life? Jesus is God with skin on. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be like Jesus. Study God’s word and put what it says into practice. As James says, “Don’t merely listen to the word . . . do what it says” (James 1:22); in other words act on what you know to do. We can also follow the example of other believers who have learned to practice godliness in their lives. These are all ways we can begin to imitate God, but the key is to take action today to be as much like God as you can be.

Now I don’t know about you but imitating God sounds kind of intimidating to me. I mean what if I mess up and get it wrong? Fear not! I’ve got good news for you.

We are to imitate God “as dearly loved children.” God is our heavenly Father! We can follow in our Daddy God’s footsteps. God smiles when he sees His children act like Him. And when we fall He is right there to pick us up and brush us off to make a fresh start. Our heavenly Father forgives us and is right by our side to help us live just like Him.

Let’s live today with the hope someone will say, “You are just like your Daddy.” You know what I mean. What do you think?

CUTTING OFF FINGERS

Several years ago I was working with my brother siding a house. I was cutting a piece of trim to put over one of the windows when our work day came to a sudden end. Let’s just say that it was the closest I ever came to cutting off a finger.

• 15 . . . Speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
  Ephesians 4:15-16 NIV

Paul likens us as believers to being members of the Body of Christ. Just like our fingers, toes and countless other body parts we are all connected to each other. But how does this connection work?

The nerve that unites us to Christ and one another is love. Through the love of Christ we are forgiven of our sins and accepted as members of His body. Without God’s love we would forever be separated from Him and each other.

The nerve of love further animates us as His body. Christ is the head the body. Jesus was compelled by love to go to the cross so that we might be reconciled to God. As members of His body His love should likewise be the motive of everything we do and say. His love directs us to reach out to the lost that they might be saved. And it is His love that knits us all together as members of His body.

I’m glad that I’m connected to Christ, but the connection does not stop there. Notice Paul says, “The whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love.” Love connects believers to each other. We need each other because we all play a part in the function of the Body. This is especially true within the local church. The nerve of love feels the pain when believers separate themselves from one another.

My finger has healed. All that remains is a small scar, a reminder of how painful and handicapped I would be if I try to cut it off again. Division in the church is even more painful, handicapping the body from effectively being who are called to be and doing what Christ has empowered us to. Scripture says, “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). I guess love works like the Band-Aid to heal our self-inflicted wounds too. Trust the heart; forgive the hands. What do you think?

THRIVING IN ADVERSITY

A botanist hired himself as an under gardener to a nobleman in a foreign country. His master received a beautiful plant as gift. Neither the nobleman nor his upper gardener was familiar with this plant. Believing it to be a tropical plant it was placed in the greenhouse, but soon the plant began to wither and die. The botanist happened to see this plant and immediately recognized it as an arctic plant. He immediately took it out of the greenhouse packing ice and snow around the pot and exposing the plant to the winter frost. Soon the plant was thriving again.

I’m sure that I too would have done a good job of killing that plant. I would have done my best to take care of it and protect it from the cold of winter. But I would not have thought to provide it with what was really needed either—the harsh conditions of adversity.

• . . . I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles.
  Ephesians 3:1 NIV

Paul was a prisoner. He knew what it was to be in chains and held captive by armed guards. But Paul was not a prisoner of Rome. He was a prisoner of Christ Jesus! Paul understood that through his captivity his faith was being strengthened and built up. Persecution did not weaken him. It made him stronger as a believer. Thus Paul saw himself as the prisoner of Jesus. He would not try to escape, nor would he complain or become embittered. Paul was strengthened through adversity.

I wonder if we as Christians we are a lot like that artic plant. We are safe and warm inside the greenhouse (the church that is), but what we really need is to be put out in the cold (to face the adversity of the world that is). We enjoy being in the church, free from conflict and persecution. But what is the condition of our faith? Is it beginning to wither and die? Does our faith need to face the cold cruelty of a world still lost in sin?

Paul was a prisoner with a passionate purpose. He was Christ’s prisoner for the sake of the Gentiles—those considered outsiders. It seems that not only was Paul’s faith strengthened through adversity, but others came to faith in Christ too. All this happened because Paul was Christ’s prisoner.
I like being comfortable, but is the prosperity of the church actually our undoing? Are you willing to let Jesus arrest you and become His prisoner regardless of the cost? What do you think?

GOD’S MASTERPIECE

A lifetime ago I took a required art appreciation course. I passed the class, but I’m not sure if I acquired an appreciation for art. Don’t misunderstand, I enjoy artwork. I just can’t tell the difference between the nock-off reproduction and the original masterpiece hanging on museum walls. While I see little or no differences, the art enthusiast will notice not only the obvious differences (like “Reproduction from China” stamped in the corner), to even the subtle differences of brush strokes and the various hues of color that are out of place.

I wonder if we have an appreciation for God’s masterpiece. All of us enjoy the painted colors of the sunset and the way God transforms the trees from greens to yellows, orange and red. These and other wonders of God’s creation are works of art that no painter can reproduce or even the best camera capture the fullness of what God created. But above all the marvelous beauty that fills creation one stands out far above all others.

• For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
  Ephesians 2:10 NLT

Our appreciation for the masterpiece which God has made in our lives should grow with each passing day. I’m not talking about thankfulness for what God has done. While our gratitude should continue to overflow, we should also develop an appreciation of God’s workmanship in our lives by which we can discern the subtle differences between God’s handiwork and human effort.

It’s not just paintings and other artwork that are being reproduced en mass. Many so-called Christians are trying to make themselves what only God can create. Can we tell the difference between good works marked with the finger of God and human effort? Can we see the subtle difference between the overflow of God’s love and a duty or obligation done simply to look good in the eyes of others?

The work God begins in our lives only He can complete. When we take the brush in our hands we ruin God’s masterpiece. Can we tell the difference, or have we accepted the cheep nock-off reproduction? What do you think?

SPIRITUAL “GIMMIES”

As a father I want to give my kids lots of good things. They may not get everything they want, but they have received everything they needed and then some. Nevertheless my ability to give is limited by what I have. Some things I would like to do for my kids are just beyond my reach. I’m glad that my heavenly Father does not share my limitations.

• Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
  Ephesians 1:3 NIV

What has God given to us? We have received spiritual blessings. God is not interested in just giving us temporal or material blessings but wants to give us the best. Just like me God wants His children to have everything they need.

Now let’s be honest. Many of us would prefer to have the material blessings. I confess, I too have been guilty of having a case of the “gimmies.” Just this morning I wished God would just give me enough money to pay off our house and the girls school bills. I mean what’s $120,000 or so to God right? It sure would make my life a whole lot easier.

God gives us what endures and does not change. The spiritual blessings we have received are far greater than any of the stuff of this world that God could give us. Actually spiritual blessings overflow into the natural. For instance, God has given me an inner peace that He will provide for all my needs and He has never left me empty handed. Unfortunately, it does not work the other way around. Material blessings can actually get in our way of receiving spiritual blessings from God.

In the Greek Paul says God blesses us with spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. In fact the word “realms” or “places” does not occur in the Greek. It seems that Paul wants to emphasize the reality of the spiritual blessings God has given us. In other words, God gives us spiritual blessings by way of heavenly things. I don’t have to look for spiritual blessings in heavenly places. God has given you and me spiritual blessings or heavenly things in the here and now!

That’s the overflow of God’s blessings. The Lord takes from the eternal and blessed us today with spiritual blessing that cannot be taken away. Gimmie more of that! What do you think?

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

Sometimes it is good to revisit a familiar story. Take a moment and do that with me. As you read Jesus’ conversation with Peter take time to notice what Jesus asked. As you do, listen for the Lord to ask you the same question.

• 15 . . . Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
  "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
  Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
  16 Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
  He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
  Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
  17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
  Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
  John 21:15-17 NIV

Three times Jesus asked, “Do you love me?” Lot’s of sermons have been preached about Jesus questioning of Peter. Some point out that Jesus restored Peter in the same way Peter had denied the Lord. Thus regardless of how often we may fail God, Jesus is ready and able to forgive us and restore us to a place by His side. Others draw a contrast between Jesus question “Do you love me (agape)” and Peter’s response, “I love you (phileo).”

All of this is good to think about, but stop and come back to Jesus’ question. “DO YOU LOVE ME?” Jesus did not ask Peter if he loved sheep—literally other Christians. Jesus didn’t ask if Peter loved being in a place of ministry. Jesus didn’t ask if Peter wanted recognition, if he wanted to be needed, if he could teach or preach. Jesus didn’t ask any of these things. Jesus asked, “Do you love me?”

This gives us cause to stop and ask ourselves why we do the things we do. When our motive is simply because of our deep love for the Lord then we can put up with all kinds of problems and difficulties. Children who love their parents don’t mind watching their brothers and sisters. Does our heart overflow with love for God? That will change the motive for everything we do. What do you think?

OVERTAKEN

Not all of us are football fans, but I want you to think with me about something. What is the difference between a player getting tackled and a player making a run for the end zone to score a touchdown? Let’s face it there are eleven guys that want to crush the guy with the ball. They will too unless the ball carrier’s teammates prevent the defensive team from taking hold of him and throwing him to the ground.

Sin is kind of like that. Satan wants to catch us with temptation to sin in all kinds of ways. Our adversary’s desire is to overtake us and crush us spiritually. From time to time he succeeds and sacks us for a loss. What are we to do when we find ourselves overtaken by sin? We all may know the answer, but when we are in that situation we may find it hard to do the right thing.

I’ve never played organized football, but I’m told that sometimes when you get hit it really knocks you for a loop. Pastor George has told me that the last time he was hit he was knocked unconscious and woke up looking out the ear hole of his helmet. When you take such a hard hit you need help to get up. I think that better describes what it is like to be overcome by sin.

Just like the football player who has his ‘bell rung,’ sin makes you stupid, so that your head is spinning and you don’t know how to find your way back to God. Thankfully we are not in this alone. We are a part of a team, the family of God—the church, charged with the responsibility of helping each other.

• Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself,
  or you also may be tempted.
  Galatians 6:1NIV

The fact of the matter is that while I may know that I need to repent of my sin, if I have be caught by sin then I’ve been trapped and need the help of other believers to come to my rescue. Paul charges the Galatians with the responsibility of restoring fallen believers. This is not an easy process, for the on who has sinned or for those who go to help.

For the one who sins their restoration may be a painful process of repentance and healing. When a finger or a shoulder is dislocated it hurts to put it back into its socket. Likewise those who restore the fallen believer must be aware that the enemy wants to overtake them as well. If we aren’t careful we too can be hit hard by sin.

When it comes to overcoming sin we need to remember that we are a team. None of us can stand alone. What do you think?

DEAD BROWN LEAVES

Summer’s grip is weakening as autumn prepares to paint the horizon. The leaves will soon begin to fall from the trees, well at least most of them will. Some leaves just don’t want to let go. They may be hard and brown but they manage to remain on the tree through out the cold winds of winter. Yet the relentless grip of these leaves will not last forever. Spring is coming and with it comes the buds of new life from deep within the tree. The old dead leaves from last year are finally pushed off the tree as the new green leaves break forth and life renews itself again.

This may surprise you but I am sometimes like those leaves that don’t want to let go of the tree. You are most likely just like them too from time to time. How? Our old life of sin sometimes is relentless in its grip to hold onto our lives. Some of our bad habits, I mean sin, dies hard. Many of us have had areas of our lives that we wondered if we would ever gain victory and finally be free from the seemingly unbreakable grip of sin. If that’s you then I’ve got some good news for you!

• 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
  Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

Maybe for you it has been your temper, or profane language that has not let go. Perhaps it’s pornography or an addiction that you just can’t break free from. No matter what it is you just wish it was gone and the fruit of the Spirit would be evident in your life. You wish that you could be more loving, patient, kind, or gentle. If only you had more joy, peace and self-control. Why is it that these things sometimes seem to be missing from our lives?

If you are in Christ, then Jesus has not only forgiven you of your sins, but He has caused His Spirit to live IN YOU. Now I want you to know that if the Spirit is alive in you then that life will be revealed from the inside out. In the same way the life of a tree is proved each year as the sap begins to flow, the buds form and new life busts forth in green leaves, so too the Spirit of God in you will transform your life.

The dead leaves of past habitual sin will finally let go because it will be pushed aside by the life of the Spirit. If you look closely you will find the buds of new life growing in your life today. These signs of life don’t just produce green leaves, but fruit that has the seed of life within it to share with others. Sin has been defeated by the life of the Spirit in you. What do you think?

MORE THAN GENETICS

Maybe you’ve heard this too. Two girls were talking. The first goes on about how she her brown hair, brown eyes, dark complexion and height from her mom. The other girl wonders how that is possible because she knows that her friend’s mom has blond hair, blue eyes, fair complexion and is short. The first girl then says, “I was adopted.” This public service announcement ends with a voice over saying, “Adoption gives your child more than you can give them yourself.”

Parents cannot give their children anything they don’t already have. I’m thankful for my mom and dad, but they have passed on more than genetics. They gave me their nature. They got it from their parents and I’ve passed it on to my kids. You have the same nature. As sons of Adam and daughters of Eve we have received a heart of sin and death. None of us are “good people” because we are wired for rebellion. It’s all our parents had to give us, but that all changes when you are adopted by God.

• Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."
  Galatians 4:6 NIV

Our Father God gives us more than our parents ever could themselves. Have you ever stopped to think about what we have received because the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Adoption has been given to us?

With our adoption God causes us to be born again. That means I no longer just have the family resemblance of my mom and dad. Because I’ve been born again I have received the nature of God. He enables me to reflect His image and righteousness to the world. In fact God’s purpose is for all of His children to look like His Son Jesus (see Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18). As a child of God, His Spirit enables me to be obedient to His word and free from sin (see 1 Peter 1:14).

But that’s not all. Because I’ve been adopted I have been given a new name and am the recipient of our Heavenly Father’s abounding love (see 1 John 3:1; Revelation 2:17). Furthermore, I have an inheritance far greater than anything this world could ever give (see Romans 8:17).

Still there is more. As a child of God I receive His provision and protection. The Father is with me to give comfort and when needed discipline. He has set me free from guilt and fear. I could go on and on about what our Heavenly Father has done. I’m glad I’m adopted. What do you think?

NO ESCAPE

There was no escape from “The Rock.” Throughout the 29 year operation of the federal prison on Alcatraz Island no prisoners were reported as ever successfully escaping. Thirty-four prisoners were involved in 14 attempts; seven were killed by guards, two drowned, five were unaccounted for (their bodies most likely carried out to sea), the rest were captured.

We have all been imprisoned in a penitentiary with an even better record than Alcatraz. For over 6,000 years no one has ever escaped—period. Everyone born into the human race except One has been locked up in the prison of sin with no way of escape. The law serves as our warden and guard. No one can break free from the long arm of the law.

None escape, but many have been set free. You too can be released from this prison, not by a pardon for good behavior, good works or anything else that you might do for yourself. You can have a complete pardon through faith in the One, Jesus Christ.

• Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.
  Galatians 3:23 NLT

Deliverance from the prison of sin is not possible by having faith in yourself. Faith in a priest, pastor, rabbi, imam, or any other so called ‘holy man’ has no power to set you free. It’s not good enough to have faith in religion. Freedom comes only to those whose faith is in Jesus Christ.

When you put your faith in Jesus your freedom is complete. You are no longer a slave; now you are a Child of God. You were dead in sin, but through faith in Jesus you are now alive! You were blind but now you can see. You were naked and covered by the filth of the world, but now you are clothed in His righteousness. By faith in Christ you are no longer under the power of the law but are under grace.

Our freedom from the prison of sin through faith is not the result of a plea bargain. No secret deals were made to gain our release. Our freedom is the result of a promise. By God’s Word and by an act of His sovereign will we can be set free through faith in Christ. It is the free gift of God.

Freedom through faith, a lot better deal than trying to escape from the prison of sin. What do you think?

SHADE

It’s hot! The sun is shining. You are soaked with perspiration. If only you could find shade. You turn around and see a shadow on the ground. You move to get beneath it, but regardless of what you do, you are unable to position yourself under this shadow and find relief from the heat of the sun. Why? No one can find comfort in the shade of his own shadow.

Each of us can find it easy to take comfort in our self-righteousness. More than comfort we are easily given to pride. We see the evil that is so apparent in others around us. We have never been guilty of such grievous transgressions. We are a good person. We know what is right and wrong and would never be found in certain places. Yes we are righteous.

Have you notice how easy it is to take the next step? Because we are such a good person and do everything God requires of us, we deserve the blessing and favor of God. We’ve earned it. How could God ever withhold answered prayer from us?

We’re not the first to deal with such thoughts (or dare I say doctrines of devils). Paul had to confront self-righteousness and earning our salvation through what we do. What goes around comes around; maybe with a new label. For Paul and the churches of Galatia it was obedience to the law of circumcision. For us it might be any number of self-imposed restrictions to appear righteous.

• I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!
  Galatians 2:21 NIV

Paul makes it clear. At no time can we set aside God’s grace. Even as the best of Christians I can do nothing to earn anything that God might give to me. I deserve a death sentence, but God chose to let Jesus die in my place. Nevertheless it is so easy for me to fall into a trap of self-righteousness. I become the ‘older brother’ who became angry at his father when the prodigal son returned home. I’ve been a good son (or daughter) and worked hard; I’ve done nothing to embarrass the family or cause the father pain. How easily I forget the father’s love for me and accuse him of neglecting me.

I for one am glad I don’t have to find shade under my own shadow. Jesus is the rock that is higher than I (see Psalm 61:2). In Him alone can I find shade and healing for my sin-sick heart. It is by grace that I am saved. What do you think?

TEACHER APPRECIATION

I grew up going to Sunday School. I remember the flannel board lessons learning about Jesus feeding the 5,000, walking on water, healing the sick and of course rising from the dead. I remember coloring pictures of the fiery furnace, Jonah in the whale and so many other Bible stories. We had sword drills and memory verse competitions. The foundation of my faith was laid as a child through people who loved the Lord and were willing to teach me and other kids from the Bible.

The Apostle Paul might say he grew up in the Jewish equivalence of Sunday School. He too was being taught the stories from the Old Testament and about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was advancing in the Jewish traditions and was zealous for his faith in God as he knew him. All that changed for him on the road to Damascus.

• 11 Know this — I am most emphatic here, friends — this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism. 12 I didn't receive it through the traditions, and I wasn't taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ.
  Galatians 1:11-12 MsgB

Paul wanted the believers throughout Galatia to know that the Gospel he preached was not the invention of any man. Nor was it something he had been taught by someone else. What Paul preached was good news he received directly from Jesus.

Paul was not opposed to those who teach others about Christ. His point was to emphasize the authenticity of the gospel because what he preached came from a firsthand experience with Jesus. Paul would later write to the Ephesians, one of the churches in the province of Galatia, to tell them that it was Jesus who gave pastors and teachers to the church to help believers grow in maturity of faith (see Ephesians 4:11-13).

Through the years I’ve come to know that just head knowledge is not enough to keep us “in the faith.” If we are going to have a vibrant living faith in Christ that will be able to endure the hardships of life we must have a personal revelation of Jesus. I won’t make it just knowing the lessons I’ve learned or hearing about other people’s experience. I need a personal encounter with the living Christ. I’m thankful for the teachers I’ve had in my life. They didn’t just teach religious stories. They pointed the way to Jesus who revealed Himself to me. What do you think?