My business partner, Depesh, is East Indian. Indians put a high priority on extended families. They believe that the family that prays together, eats together, plays together and works together will stay together.
Depesh’s wife is a physical therapist and has a patient who lost both his legs to frostbite. He was evicted from his apartment in the dead of winter, had to sleep in his car for two nights, got frostbite and then gangrene set in. The only solution was amputation of both legs. Depesh’s wife asked the patient, “Where was your family?” He said he had family but he would not ask anyone for help since he didn’t want them to know he was homeless. They really didn’t get along so he felt no one would help anyway.
What really are the issues here? Pride—he didn’t want anyone to know he was evicted and homeless. Other issues were relationship with family plus people having hardened hearts towards one another.
Where is the love of Christ in our hearts? It says in 1 Timothy 5:7-8: "Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
The first inclination in all of our “do-gooder’s” hearts is to form another non-profit to help homeless people. It hasn’t worked; it won’t work. I deal with the homeless every day; it’s not pretty. Many times the only way I can be a blessing to them is to remember that they were once someone’s little baby.
Let’s work to keep our families close and connected. Let’s forgive, let’s reconcile. “Forget it Jerry, it’s too much work,” you say. "It’s hopeless." We live in a time where we have personal trainers, good accountants, financial planners, nice homes, big bellies and empty, hardened hearts. We wince and write each other off at the slightest offense. Oh, how touchy we are. And in the meantime, our kids lose their legs from gangrene and end up going to hell for eternity all because we are proud and unforgiving.
“Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” ~ Jesus AD 30
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Thursday, June 05, 2008
God Shows No Favoritism
Acts 10:34-35: “Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.’
In the earlier part of Acts 10, Peter was praying when he receives a vision. Peter, being a devout Jew, had trouble understanding the vision which dealt with clean and unclean food as it pertained to Jewish dietary laws. Peter is called to meet the Gentile Roman centurion named Cornelius. Cornelius had assembled his relatives. For what reason did he do this? Addressing Peter, Cornelius says in verse 33, “Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Then in Acts 10:34 Peter says: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”
Later, to the astonishment of the Jews, the Gentiles are given the Holy Spirit and are baptized. God poured out His Spirit upon Jew and Gentile alike. God does not show favoritism.
What relevance does this have for us today? We are facing an election where one of the candidates is a black man. Much has been said and heard. Obama was a member of a church which preaches black liberation theology; they don’t like whites. Forty percent of black churches in American preach black liberation theology.
Yesterday I was listening to the radio when a black pastor from Minneapolis called in to remind people that not all black churches are black liberation churches. He said black liberation theology is for blacks as white Aryan supremacy theology is for whites. Each group believes they are God’s favorite and spew forth hatred at the expense of other races.
As we proceed towards election time, race will be an issue whether we like it or not. The racism issue in American culture has a thin veneer. We, as professing Christians, better be witnesses to Jesus Christ and not add fuel to the fire by our ill-informed comments.
God accepts people from every tribe and nation. It will be a racially mixed crowd in Heaven. God has no favorites, notice in Acts 10:35 who God accepts: “but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
How do we fear God? We only know who to fear or not fear until we have relationship with those people. If we don’t fear God (have awesome reverence and fear) could it be we don’t have relationship with Him? How do we know how to “do what is right”? By getting into God’s Word and develop a deep prayer life--have relationship with God the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ.
As we progress towards this election, we as professing Christians must keep our head. Tell the people that God does not show favoritism but accepts people from every nation but under what conditions? Not the ethnicity of their blood or the color of their skin but upon the fact “that they fear God and do what is right and have Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Acts 10:43: “All the prophets testify about him (Jesus) that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Brothers and sisters, we must keep our head. Get rid of black liberation theology and white Aryan supremacy theology; they are both poison. We need to witness to the truth. Read God’s word, pray and give God the glory.
In the earlier part of Acts 10, Peter was praying when he receives a vision. Peter, being a devout Jew, had trouble understanding the vision which dealt with clean and unclean food as it pertained to Jewish dietary laws. Peter is called to meet the Gentile Roman centurion named Cornelius. Cornelius had assembled his relatives. For what reason did he do this? Addressing Peter, Cornelius says in verse 33, “Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” Then in Acts 10:34 Peter says: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”
Later, to the astonishment of the Jews, the Gentiles are given the Holy Spirit and are baptized. God poured out His Spirit upon Jew and Gentile alike. God does not show favoritism.
What relevance does this have for us today? We are facing an election where one of the candidates is a black man. Much has been said and heard. Obama was a member of a church which preaches black liberation theology; they don’t like whites. Forty percent of black churches in American preach black liberation theology.
Yesterday I was listening to the radio when a black pastor from Minneapolis called in to remind people that not all black churches are black liberation churches. He said black liberation theology is for blacks as white Aryan supremacy theology is for whites. Each group believes they are God’s favorite and spew forth hatred at the expense of other races.
As we proceed towards election time, race will be an issue whether we like it or not. The racism issue in American culture has a thin veneer. We, as professing Christians, better be witnesses to Jesus Christ and not add fuel to the fire by our ill-informed comments.
God accepts people from every tribe and nation. It will be a racially mixed crowd in Heaven. God has no favorites, notice in Acts 10:35 who God accepts: “but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
How do we fear God? We only know who to fear or not fear until we have relationship with those people. If we don’t fear God (have awesome reverence and fear) could it be we don’t have relationship with Him? How do we know how to “do what is right”? By getting into God’s Word and develop a deep prayer life--have relationship with God the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ.
As we progress towards this election, we as professing Christians must keep our head. Tell the people that God does not show favoritism but accepts people from every nation but under what conditions? Not the ethnicity of their blood or the color of their skin but upon the fact “that they fear God and do what is right and have Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Acts 10:43: “All the prophets testify about him (Jesus) that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Brothers and sisters, we must keep our head. Get rid of black liberation theology and white Aryan supremacy theology; they are both poison. We need to witness to the truth. Read God’s word, pray and give God the glory.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Another Life Lost…
He was born on the streets of Korea, the son of a black American serviceman and a Korean woman. To be half black and Korean in Korea is not a good thing. An American family adopted him out of his misery; if memory serves me right, he was six when he was adopted. His adoptive family was loving and kind. They lived out their Christian faith; they were patient and caring.
He was very intelligent with a quick wit. He was athletic and popular and blessed with good looks. He went to the right schools, married well and moved in the right circles in Minneapolis’ social and business life.
Mike was a successful real estate broker. Mike had it all going for him but Mike fought a life-long problem with drugs. He had been through treatment numerous times. When he was straight, he was a joy; when Mike walked into the room, the room would light up; we smiled inside. When he was on “the juice”, he was undependable and obnoxious. We experienced both sides of his life. He had been straight this time for about one year. One month ago he fell off the wagon; drugs grabbed a hold of him again. His wife finally had enough and asked him to leave. He left. We would only hear from him sporadically. Wednesday morning I received a phone call telling me that Mike had overdosed on the weekend and died. He was 40 years old and left a wife and two children.
I asked God “why?” It seems so unfair. God’s sovereign hand brought him to America, gave him hope and joy yet drugs would not loosen their grip. He viewed his family’s Christian faith indifference. He wouldn’t talk about it.
Brothers and sisters, we must love and accept one another. We must love each other enough to confront them about their faith whether they like it or not. We must confront with respect and in love.
Some days I think the devil is winning. We must not be discouraged. We must push on in love and with God’s strength. I didn’t do enough; I thought there would be more time. There wasn’t. I can do no more. I must entrust him to God’s care but it hurts and it makes me angry. I have no right to be angry but sadly, I am. Forgive me, Lord Jesus. Amen.
He was very intelligent with a quick wit. He was athletic and popular and blessed with good looks. He went to the right schools, married well and moved in the right circles in Minneapolis’ social and business life.
Mike was a successful real estate broker. Mike had it all going for him but Mike fought a life-long problem with drugs. He had been through treatment numerous times. When he was straight, he was a joy; when Mike walked into the room, the room would light up; we smiled inside. When he was on “the juice”, he was undependable and obnoxious. We experienced both sides of his life. He had been straight this time for about one year. One month ago he fell off the wagon; drugs grabbed a hold of him again. His wife finally had enough and asked him to leave. He left. We would only hear from him sporadically. Wednesday morning I received a phone call telling me that Mike had overdosed on the weekend and died. He was 40 years old and left a wife and two children.
I asked God “why?” It seems so unfair. God’s sovereign hand brought him to America, gave him hope and joy yet drugs would not loosen their grip. He viewed his family’s Christian faith indifference. He wouldn’t talk about it.
Brothers and sisters, we must love and accept one another. We must love each other enough to confront them about their faith whether they like it or not. We must confront with respect and in love.
Some days I think the devil is winning. We must not be discouraged. We must push on in love and with God’s strength. I didn’t do enough; I thought there would be more time. There wasn’t. I can do no more. I must entrust him to God’s care but it hurts and it makes me angry. I have no right to be angry but sadly, I am. Forgive me, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Silver and Gold We Have
Acts 3:1-10: “One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”
Martin Luther was a Catholic monk who began reading and studying God’s word for himself. God convicted him of his sin and Luther’s life was transformed. The Reformation grew built upon the foundational truths of God’s word, the work of Christ, and the blood of the martyrs John Huss, John Wycliffe and others who came before.
One of the things that deeply offended Luther was the practice of the Catholic Church to sell indulgences. The program was that if you pay the church money, the priest would pray to get your loved one out of purgatory. If he needed more money, he came and asked for more money. Because of this practice, the Catholic Church became wealthy and powerful. A Catholic bishop was heard to say to his friend, “Now we’re not like poor old Peter; we have silver and gold.” His friend said, “We might have silver and gold but we can’t tell the crippled beggar ‘in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, walk’”…
The church today has silver and gold and we can’t tell the crippled beggar “in the name of Jesus, walk.” The truth is, we can do nothing to change ourselves or save ourselves. The only way we change is through the power of God.
We think we are rich (yes, we have silver and gold) but are we spiritual paupers, rich in the things of the world but poor in the things of God. We are in deep trouble and we could care less.
Come Lord Jesus, come. Amen.
Martin Luther was a Catholic monk who began reading and studying God’s word for himself. God convicted him of his sin and Luther’s life was transformed. The Reformation grew built upon the foundational truths of God’s word, the work of Christ, and the blood of the martyrs John Huss, John Wycliffe and others who came before.
One of the things that deeply offended Luther was the practice of the Catholic Church to sell indulgences. The program was that if you pay the church money, the priest would pray to get your loved one out of purgatory. If he needed more money, he came and asked for more money. Because of this practice, the Catholic Church became wealthy and powerful. A Catholic bishop was heard to say to his friend, “Now we’re not like poor old Peter; we have silver and gold.” His friend said, “We might have silver and gold but we can’t tell the crippled beggar ‘in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, walk’”…
The church today has silver and gold and we can’t tell the crippled beggar “in the name of Jesus, walk.” The truth is, we can do nothing to change ourselves or save ourselves. The only way we change is through the power of God.
We think we are rich (yes, we have silver and gold) but are we spiritual paupers, rich in the things of the world but poor in the things of God. We are in deep trouble and we could care less.
Come Lord Jesus, come. Amen.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Stuff, Mammon and Ice
Stuff is defined as “things we find in our junk pile that we thought we once needed.” ~ J. R. Seehusen
“The problem is not that we tried faith and found it wanting but that we’ve tried mammon and found it addictive, and as a result find following Christ inconvenient.” ~ Arthur Simon in “How Much is Enough; Hungering for God in an Affluent Culture” (Baker).
“Money is always there, but the pockets change.” ~ Gertrude Stein to Ernest Hemmingway; Stein was an American writer, she lived from 1874-1946.
“In life, everyone gets the same amount of ice. The poor gets theirs in the winter. The rich get theirs in the summer.” Author Unknown.
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Author: Jesus Christ (Matt.6:24)
“The problem is not that we tried faith and found it wanting but that we’ve tried mammon and found it addictive, and as a result find following Christ inconvenient.” ~ Arthur Simon in “How Much is Enough; Hungering for God in an Affluent Culture” (Baker).
“Money is always there, but the pockets change.” ~ Gertrude Stein to Ernest Hemmingway; Stein was an American writer, she lived from 1874-1946.
“In life, everyone gets the same amount of ice. The poor gets theirs in the winter. The rich get theirs in the summer.” Author Unknown.
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Author: Jesus Christ (Matt.6:24)
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Waiting for Cancer Tests—you got to walk that lonesome valley by yourself…or do we?
In the late fifties there was a popular song entitled “You Got to Walk that Lonesome Valley.” Some of the words are:
"You've got to walk that lonesome valley
Well you gotta go by yourself
Well there ain't nobody else gonna go there for you
You gotta go there by yourself."
Waiting for the results of your cancer test can seem like one is walking in a long, lonesome valley. People who go through this will agree with what I’m saying. Whenever I have upcoming tests to see if my cancer has returned, I get edgy. I get more depressed; I isolate myself on purpose. Problems at work seem much larger than they really are, relationships seem more tenuous. Every ache or twinge gets exaggerated… “has the cancer spread?” Every thought lost in mid-sentence raises the idea “I wonder has it spread to my brain?”
Some people may think I’m nuts but anyone awaiting tests has experienced this in some way or form. Most of us keep all this to our selves. We, by choice, walk that lonesome valley alone and it sucks. After some thought and inspiration from John Piper (“Let’s not waste our cancer, let’s live each day to the fullest”) whether we have cancer or not, today could be our last day. Let’s not keep all the pain and all the joy to ourselves. Whether we want to believe it or not, cancer can be a blessing. Yes, it shifts our priorities, shifts them back to what is really important. Our relationship with God, new found appreciation for our marriages, and our children. Work is still work but if we look for it a reward and satisfaction are somewhere in the mix.
Cancer is not a detour in life. It is life. Why do we think we’re exempt from getting it? Why should everyone else get cancer and not me? Why do other people lose loved ones in tragic accidents yet I’ve been spared that? Life in this sinful world is cancer and tragic accidents along with joy and sheer delight all mixed in…that’s life.
We must keep involved in life, we cannot withdraw. A lot of people don’t want to hear about our aches and pains. Yet if we pray and search, God has gifted certain people with the gift of encouragement and the long lost ability to just listen; to be still and yet love us and encourage us.
The world and its songs may say “You got to walk this lonesome valley by yourself.” We can walk it alone or with someone else; the choice is ours. But, if we are a believer, we don’t walk it alone, the Lord is with us. Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” The Lord is with us. His rod (an instrument of authority; He rules the universe and eternity) and His staff (an instrument used to control, rescue, guide and protect sheep) comfort us. What is God’s comfort? It is His reassurance that He is on the throne in control of all things and we need not worry. Good news!!
Remember, whether we are on the mountain top or in the valley, whether we’re riding the horse given us or crawling to the finish line, we need to remember the Lord is with us. This is good news. Hang in there; the Lord is good. Amen.
"You've got to walk that lonesome valley
Well you gotta go by yourself
Well there ain't nobody else gonna go there for you
You gotta go there by yourself."
Waiting for the results of your cancer test can seem like one is walking in a long, lonesome valley. People who go through this will agree with what I’m saying. Whenever I have upcoming tests to see if my cancer has returned, I get edgy. I get more depressed; I isolate myself on purpose. Problems at work seem much larger than they really are, relationships seem more tenuous. Every ache or twinge gets exaggerated… “has the cancer spread?” Every thought lost in mid-sentence raises the idea “I wonder has it spread to my brain?”
Some people may think I’m nuts but anyone awaiting tests has experienced this in some way or form. Most of us keep all this to our selves. We, by choice, walk that lonesome valley alone and it sucks. After some thought and inspiration from John Piper (“Let’s not waste our cancer, let’s live each day to the fullest”) whether we have cancer or not, today could be our last day. Let’s not keep all the pain and all the joy to ourselves. Whether we want to believe it or not, cancer can be a blessing. Yes, it shifts our priorities, shifts them back to what is really important. Our relationship with God, new found appreciation for our marriages, and our children. Work is still work but if we look for it a reward and satisfaction are somewhere in the mix.
Cancer is not a detour in life. It is life. Why do we think we’re exempt from getting it? Why should everyone else get cancer and not me? Why do other people lose loved ones in tragic accidents yet I’ve been spared that? Life in this sinful world is cancer and tragic accidents along with joy and sheer delight all mixed in…that’s life.
We must keep involved in life, we cannot withdraw. A lot of people don’t want to hear about our aches and pains. Yet if we pray and search, God has gifted certain people with the gift of encouragement and the long lost ability to just listen; to be still and yet love us and encourage us.
The world and its songs may say “You got to walk this lonesome valley by yourself.” We can walk it alone or with someone else; the choice is ours. But, if we are a believer, we don’t walk it alone, the Lord is with us. Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” The Lord is with us. His rod (an instrument of authority; He rules the universe and eternity) and His staff (an instrument used to control, rescue, guide and protect sheep) comfort us. What is God’s comfort? It is His reassurance that He is on the throne in control of all things and we need not worry. Good news!!
Remember, whether we are on the mountain top or in the valley, whether we’re riding the horse given us or crawling to the finish line, we need to remember the Lord is with us. This is good news. Hang in there; the Lord is good. Amen.
Friday, May 02, 2008
The Super Nanny—required TV watching with something missing
The “Super Nanny” arrives on the scene in a British taxi. She looks proper and stern. Super Nanny is an ABC-TV program which is on Wednesday evenings. The purpose of the program is to bring hope and change for troubled families. It makes for good TV.
I have watched several episodes and have begun to see a pattern in these troubled families. Dad is uninvolved and distant. (Few dads realize the importance of their role in the family.) Mom is overwhelmed trying hard to hold the family together. She is overworked and disrespected. There are no schedules and no list of duties which need to be accomplished. There is no discipline; no consequences for wrong doing because there are no rules. It’s chaos. It’s an ongoing frat party with major amounts of head butting, disrespect, and outright disobedience.
The Nanny works with the family to put schedules into place. The family makes up a set of “house rules”: no cursing, no yelling, no fighting, no talking back, and no biting off the head of pet frog Elmer. She makes the parents enforce the “new found” rules. Disobedience results in a loss of privileges which have been agreed to beforehand.
The Nanny spends a week with the family helping put the new system in place. One thing I’ve noticed is there is never any mention of a spiritual component. (Maybe it was addressed in programs that I missed.) You may say, “so what Jerry?” I’m speaking from experience here; one spiritual point must be made.
When “Little Princess” and “Juvenile Junior” see no spiritual accountability in the parents, they will at some time question by what authority do parents have the right to tell them what to do? A time will come when Princess and Junior will rip the “veneer” off of the good family image and view Mom and Dad’s attempts to bring order and discipline as just two “old goats” trying to make their life miserable. Little Princess and Juvenile Junior are asked to be accountable to Mom and Dad but…who are Mom and Dad accountable to?
Mom and Dad, you are accountable to God for the gift of your children which God has given you. You are God’s chosen stewards of His beautiful creation. Start in Genesis, go through the Bible; the message of the Bible is clear, you will answer to God for your parenting. Genesis 18:18-19: “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." Eph. 6:1-4: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise--"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
You may say to me, “Jerry, I don’t believe that!” If that is the case, it doesn’t make any difference whether you believe it or not. God does not need your approval for anything. You will be held accountable.
Our children need to see that we, the parents and grandparents, are accountable to God for their care and upbringing. They need to see in our every day lives that we live recognizing God’s very present reality in every day events. We need to demonstrate our love and caring for our children and grandchildren by loving them enough to call them to account and to discipline them in love.
Watch the Super Nanny, put into practice what you need to do but remember we are all accountable to God.
I have watched several episodes and have begun to see a pattern in these troubled families. Dad is uninvolved and distant. (Few dads realize the importance of their role in the family.) Mom is overwhelmed trying hard to hold the family together. She is overworked and disrespected. There are no schedules and no list of duties which need to be accomplished. There is no discipline; no consequences for wrong doing because there are no rules. It’s chaos. It’s an ongoing frat party with major amounts of head butting, disrespect, and outright disobedience.
The Nanny works with the family to put schedules into place. The family makes up a set of “house rules”: no cursing, no yelling, no fighting, no talking back, and no biting off the head of pet frog Elmer. She makes the parents enforce the “new found” rules. Disobedience results in a loss of privileges which have been agreed to beforehand.
The Nanny spends a week with the family helping put the new system in place. One thing I’ve noticed is there is never any mention of a spiritual component. (Maybe it was addressed in programs that I missed.) You may say, “so what Jerry?” I’m speaking from experience here; one spiritual point must be made.
When “Little Princess” and “Juvenile Junior” see no spiritual accountability in the parents, they will at some time question by what authority do parents have the right to tell them what to do? A time will come when Princess and Junior will rip the “veneer” off of the good family image and view Mom and Dad’s attempts to bring order and discipline as just two “old goats” trying to make their life miserable. Little Princess and Juvenile Junior are asked to be accountable to Mom and Dad but…who are Mom and Dad accountable to?
Mom and Dad, you are accountable to God for the gift of your children which God has given you. You are God’s chosen stewards of His beautiful creation. Start in Genesis, go through the Bible; the message of the Bible is clear, you will answer to God for your parenting. Genesis 18:18-19: “Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him." Eph. 6:1-4: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise--"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
You may say to me, “Jerry, I don’t believe that!” If that is the case, it doesn’t make any difference whether you believe it or not. God does not need your approval for anything. You will be held accountable.
Our children need to see that we, the parents and grandparents, are accountable to God for their care and upbringing. They need to see in our every day lives that we live recognizing God’s very present reality in every day events. We need to demonstrate our love and caring for our children and grandchildren by loving them enough to call them to account and to discipline them in love.
Watch the Super Nanny, put into practice what you need to do but remember we are all accountable to God.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Peace with God
Peace with God comes only through Jesus Christ. Roman 5:1 says: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, “
Peace with God is not mere rest, mere solitude, and mere quiet or mere retreat behind our self constructed walls of escape from the real world. Christ calls us to a higher mission than to find comfort and tranquility in this life. Love of family is a law of God, but even this love can be self-serving and an excuse not to serve God or do His work. True peace with God is complete and total reconciliation with God; as a matter of fact, total and complete God driven reconciliation is our ministry. II Corinthians 5:16-21: “So 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. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
The process for peace is always war. Yes, war. Hard to believe? Jesus said in Matt. 10:34: "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
At first glance this sounds like a contradiction. In Isaiah 9:6 Jesus is prophesized as the “Prince of Peace”. In John 14:27 Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you.” It’s true that Christ came to bring peace between the believer and God and peace among men. Yet the inevitable result of Christ’s coming is conflict—conflict between Christ and the anti-Christ, conflict between light and darkness, and conflict between Christ’s children and the devil’s children and sometimes conflict between family members. The process for peace with God is conflict or war.
We don’t like conflict with one another. As a matter of fact, we go to great lengths to escape confrontation. Our failure to face our personal sins and our conflicts with one another leads to trouble. We compromise. We must never comprise with evil. God’s power transforms evil into good.
Christian families are in trouble. Why? Because we fail to confront (we hate conflict and the confrontation of truth). So, the truth seeker is labeled the troublemaker, and the compromiser with evil is viewed as a peacemaker. Yes, we may feel good for awhile when we compromise with evil but it’s a false peace that doesn’t last. Eventually, the chickens come home to roost. We must deal with the issue. To have true peace with God and others we must go through war, confrontation and even conflict, but the result is true peace…a lasting peace.
Let’s strive for peace on all levels; the process is never a compromise with evil. The Lord, by His divine power, transforms evil into good. To the world, the cross looked like failure but it purchased our freedom. The burial of Christ looked like the end but Resurrection brought victory over death and sin.
Yes, blessed be the peace makers. Work for peace and reconciliation with one another and with God; it is our ministry or purpose. That is true peace, not some cheap imitation which is a mushy although “popular” compromise with evil.
Brothers and sisters stand for truth and sacrifice for peace, for God alone, through Jesus Christ provides it.
Peace with God is not mere rest, mere solitude, and mere quiet or mere retreat behind our self constructed walls of escape from the real world. Christ calls us to a higher mission than to find comfort and tranquility in this life. Love of family is a law of God, but even this love can be self-serving and an excuse not to serve God or do His work. True peace with God is complete and total reconciliation with God; as a matter of fact, total and complete God driven reconciliation is our ministry. II Corinthians 5:16-21: “So 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. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
The process for peace is always war. Yes, war. Hard to believe? Jesus said in Matt. 10:34: "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
At first glance this sounds like a contradiction. In Isaiah 9:6 Jesus is prophesized as the “Prince of Peace”. In John 14:27 Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you.” It’s true that Christ came to bring peace between the believer and God and peace among men. Yet the inevitable result of Christ’s coming is conflict—conflict between Christ and the anti-Christ, conflict between light and darkness, and conflict between Christ’s children and the devil’s children and sometimes conflict between family members. The process for peace with God is conflict or war.
We don’t like conflict with one another. As a matter of fact, we go to great lengths to escape confrontation. Our failure to face our personal sins and our conflicts with one another leads to trouble. We compromise. We must never comprise with evil. God’s power transforms evil into good.
Christian families are in trouble. Why? Because we fail to confront (we hate conflict and the confrontation of truth). So, the truth seeker is labeled the troublemaker, and the compromiser with evil is viewed as a peacemaker. Yes, we may feel good for awhile when we compromise with evil but it’s a false peace that doesn’t last. Eventually, the chickens come home to roost. We must deal with the issue. To have true peace with God and others we must go through war, confrontation and even conflict, but the result is true peace…a lasting peace.
Let’s strive for peace on all levels; the process is never a compromise with evil. The Lord, by His divine power, transforms evil into good. To the world, the cross looked like failure but it purchased our freedom. The burial of Christ looked like the end but Resurrection brought victory over death and sin.
Yes, blessed be the peace makers. Work for peace and reconciliation with one another and with God; it is our ministry or purpose. That is true peace, not some cheap imitation which is a mushy although “popular” compromise with evil.
Brothers and sisters stand for truth and sacrifice for peace, for God alone, through Jesus Christ provides it.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
USAF not quite “Above All”
Psalm 138:2: “I will bow down toward your Holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word."
I am a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. My experience in the Air Force, even in the time of conflict, was excellent. The Air Force Training Schools are the best; we were good at what we did and we did it 24/7.
Recently the Air Force has launched an advertising campaign entitled “Above All”. It is a creative and impressive campaign but I want the Air Force Generals to know they are not above all.
For sake of illustration, the distance from the earth to the sun is 93 million miles. If we assume a line 93 feet long, that would mean each foot equals 1 million miles. Each inch on the line equals 83,333 miles. The Air Force can fly as high as 150,000 feet. Impressive yes, but compared to the distance between the sun and the earth 150,000 feet is a mere speck on the 93 foot long tape measure. We may think we are “above all” but in reality, we are a speck of dust.
To the Air Force Generals, I am impressed with what you do but God’s name, God’s word is above all things. In John 3:31 it says in part: “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.” He is not just above all things, Jesus is above all and that means all. We better not forget that.
I suggest a new Air Force advertising campaign—“not quite above all.” The Air Force may be above a lot of things but in retrospect, they are a speck of dust in God’s universe. Whenever we see these ads, let make it an opportunity to praise the one who is truly “above all” – Jesus Christ.
I am a proud veteran of the United States Air Force. My experience in the Air Force, even in the time of conflict, was excellent. The Air Force Training Schools are the best; we were good at what we did and we did it 24/7.
Recently the Air Force has launched an advertising campaign entitled “Above All”. It is a creative and impressive campaign but I want the Air Force Generals to know they are not above all.
For sake of illustration, the distance from the earth to the sun is 93 million miles. If we assume a line 93 feet long, that would mean each foot equals 1 million miles. Each inch on the line equals 83,333 miles. The Air Force can fly as high as 150,000 feet. Impressive yes, but compared to the distance between the sun and the earth 150,000 feet is a mere speck on the 93 foot long tape measure. We may think we are “above all” but in reality, we are a speck of dust.
To the Air Force Generals, I am impressed with what you do but God’s name, God’s word is above all things. In John 3:31 it says in part: “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.” He is not just above all things, Jesus is above all and that means all. We better not forget that.
I suggest a new Air Force advertising campaign—“not quite above all.” The Air Force may be above a lot of things but in retrospect, they are a speck of dust in God’s universe. Whenever we see these ads, let make it an opportunity to praise the one who is truly “above all” – Jesus Christ.
People watching in the Phoenix Airport—Marionette and HER Girls
Recently completing a business trip in Scottsdale, I took a flight from Phoenix to Las Vegas to visit our son Andy for the weekend. While waiting for my flight, I took up the ever popular sport of people watching. I noticed a group of women dressed in wind pants and jackets; most of them in their twenties. Some of the women were white and some were black; they were accompanied by an older black woman, in her 40’s. They sat down near me and I saw it said “Stage II Softball” on their windbreakers.
As I boarded the plane and found my seat, I found the older black women to be my seat mate. I introduced myself and she said her name was Marionette (if you’re wondering, there were no strings attached!!). She is a US Air employee who works as a gate attendant supervisor in the St. Louis Airport. I asked her what “Stage II Softball” is and she said it’s a women’s softball team based in St. Louis which competes on a national level. They were going to Las Vegas for a tournament. They attend eight national tournaments a year. I said, “So you’re the coach?” She replied with a smile, “No, I’m the oldest player.” I was impressed, in her middle forties and still competing in women’s softball and on a national level; quite impressive.
We visited; she has a husband and a teenage son. She said, “He’s a big boy”—football player, defensive end, and is being recruited by many big time football programs. When I asked her why she still plays softball, she said, “These young girls need me; they are my girls. They talk to me, I help them.” Marionette is a devout, live-out-her faith Christian. Her motivation to keep playing softball is that the “girls need me.” Then she corrected herself. “Jerry,” she said, “they need the Lord and they also need me.” I realized I was sitting in the presence of a humble servant of Jesus Christ.
We visited more. I asked, “What is the biggest change you have seen in your work in the last twenty years?” She did not hesitate; she had an immediate answer. People have become more mean and impatient. She went on to tell me of incidents to back up her point. Just last week a women in her 50’s dropped off her 88 year old wheel-chair-bound mother at the St. Louis Airport and just left her at the curb. Marionette was called to help and help she did but dealing with this experience left her frustrated, tired and disgusted.
God’s Word says in part in 2 Timothy 3:1-5: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” Yet in the midst of these times, Marionette is on the front lines being Christ to her neighbor. Is she discouraged? Yes, but she keeps playing softball because “her girls” need her and in her words “they need Christ”.
Later in Chapter 4 of 2 Timothy, Paul writing to Timothy encourages him with these words in verses 3-5: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."
Paul’s words to Timothy apply to Marionette; she shares Christ with a hurting world in word and deed. Although disgusted, Marionette is, in Paul’s words, “keeping her head.”
When we arrived in Las Vegas, we both had tears in our eyes. She told me, “I never talked to anyone like you.” I told her, “I never talked to anyone like you.” I was in the presence of greatness; a humble servant of Christ on the frontline serving Christ and “her girls” and touching the heart of an old country boy from Minnesota. She is living proof that God will always have his remnant.
Thank you Lord, for people like Marionette. Amen
As I boarded the plane and found my seat, I found the older black women to be my seat mate. I introduced myself and she said her name was Marionette (if you’re wondering, there were no strings attached!!). She is a US Air employee who works as a gate attendant supervisor in the St. Louis Airport. I asked her what “Stage II Softball” is and she said it’s a women’s softball team based in St. Louis which competes on a national level. They were going to Las Vegas for a tournament. They attend eight national tournaments a year. I said, “So you’re the coach?” She replied with a smile, “No, I’m the oldest player.” I was impressed, in her middle forties and still competing in women’s softball and on a national level; quite impressive.
We visited; she has a husband and a teenage son. She said, “He’s a big boy”—football player, defensive end, and is being recruited by many big time football programs. When I asked her why she still plays softball, she said, “These young girls need me; they are my girls. They talk to me, I help them.” Marionette is a devout, live-out-her faith Christian. Her motivation to keep playing softball is that the “girls need me.” Then she corrected herself. “Jerry,” she said, “they need the Lord and they also need me.” I realized I was sitting in the presence of a humble servant of Jesus Christ.
We visited more. I asked, “What is the biggest change you have seen in your work in the last twenty years?” She did not hesitate; she had an immediate answer. People have become more mean and impatient. She went on to tell me of incidents to back up her point. Just last week a women in her 50’s dropped off her 88 year old wheel-chair-bound mother at the St. Louis Airport and just left her at the curb. Marionette was called to help and help she did but dealing with this experience left her frustrated, tired and disgusted.
God’s Word says in part in 2 Timothy 3:1-5: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” Yet in the midst of these times, Marionette is on the front lines being Christ to her neighbor. Is she discouraged? Yes, but she keeps playing softball because “her girls” need her and in her words “they need Christ”.
Later in Chapter 4 of 2 Timothy, Paul writing to Timothy encourages him with these words in verses 3-5: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry."
Paul’s words to Timothy apply to Marionette; she shares Christ with a hurting world in word and deed. Although disgusted, Marionette is, in Paul’s words, “keeping her head.”
When we arrived in Las Vegas, we both had tears in our eyes. She told me, “I never talked to anyone like you.” I told her, “I never talked to anyone like you.” I was in the presence of greatness; a humble servant of Christ on the frontline serving Christ and “her girls” and touching the heart of an old country boy from Minnesota. She is living proof that God will always have his remnant.
Thank you Lord, for people like Marionette. Amen
Thursday, April 03, 2008
God’s Favor
Favor is defined as an act of kindness; liking and approval; exceptional kindness; to give more than fair treatment.
Have you ever been a favorite? A favorite of your parents? Favorite of your teacher? None of us would admit to being a teacher’s pet but if I was a teacher’s pet, it would have been with Miss Novak. She was my first and second grade teacher; she was nice and really pretty. She was going to marry “this guy”. (I thought she should have waited for me but she didn’t.). She grew up in Olivia and her wedding was in St. Aloysius Catholic Church. I talked my aunt Lillian into taking me to the wedding. I remember I bought her a set of salt and pepper shakers for 59 cents; I handed them to her in the receiving line and she bent down and kissed me. I was on the top of the world but I still didn’t like the guy she was marrying!
If we are honest, we like to be favored. Look at the definition of the word: act of kindness, exceptional kindness, to give more than fair treatment. Who wouldn’t want that?
The prophet Daniel, writing in Daniel 9:13 (NIV) says: “Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.” Even in disaster, the nation of Israel did not seek the favor of the Lord. Would we do the same? I think so. We as a nation are so self-centered that in the midst of disaster we would not seek the Lord’s favor. What makes us think we would be any different from the children of Israel?
How do we seek the favor of the Lord? By “turning from sin and giving attention to your (God’s) truth”. Yes, it’s that simple. Daniel says “turn from sin”—quit it; quit it. We are not just to confess it but quit it. We are also to give attention to God’s truth. Where do we find the truth? In God’s Word! We need to give attention to God’s word; don’t just look at it, don’t browse it, don’t just talk about it…give attention to it, read it, live it, make it part of our lives. The truth shall set us free. And guess what? We will be in God’s favor; God’s favor—to receive more than fair treatment. We receive exceptional kindness. God has not treated us as we deserve. No, He has shown us exceptional kindness through the shed blood of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, today is the day of God’s favor.
Have you ever been a favorite? A favorite of your parents? Favorite of your teacher? None of us would admit to being a teacher’s pet but if I was a teacher’s pet, it would have been with Miss Novak. She was my first and second grade teacher; she was nice and really pretty. She was going to marry “this guy”. (I thought she should have waited for me but she didn’t.). She grew up in Olivia and her wedding was in St. Aloysius Catholic Church. I talked my aunt Lillian into taking me to the wedding. I remember I bought her a set of salt and pepper shakers for 59 cents; I handed them to her in the receiving line and she bent down and kissed me. I was on the top of the world but I still didn’t like the guy she was marrying!
If we are honest, we like to be favored. Look at the definition of the word: act of kindness, exceptional kindness, to give more than fair treatment. Who wouldn’t want that?
The prophet Daniel, writing in Daniel 9:13 (NIV) says: “Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.” Even in disaster, the nation of Israel did not seek the favor of the Lord. Would we do the same? I think so. We as a nation are so self-centered that in the midst of disaster we would not seek the Lord’s favor. What makes us think we would be any different from the children of Israel?
How do we seek the favor of the Lord? By “turning from sin and giving attention to your (God’s) truth”. Yes, it’s that simple. Daniel says “turn from sin”—quit it; quit it. We are not just to confess it but quit it. We are also to give attention to God’s truth. Where do we find the truth? In God’s Word! We need to give attention to God’s word; don’t just look at it, don’t browse it, don’t just talk about it…give attention to it, read it, live it, make it part of our lives. The truth shall set us free. And guess what? We will be in God’s favor; God’s favor—to receive more than fair treatment. We receive exceptional kindness. God has not treated us as we deserve. No, He has shown us exceptional kindness through the shed blood of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, today is the day of God’s favor.
Friday, March 28, 2008
March…I don’t always like it
Sometimes March in Minnesota is a cruel master. I remember as a kid, working through a cold winter grinding feed, hauling manure and lugging pails of feed and water. When March rolled around, I was tired of the work, the cold and the mud. Then the first days of March came warm and sunny with gentle warm south breezes, tempered by the melting snow. Spring was on its way. I felt optimistic. Then the hammer would drop, the wind would switch to the northwest. It would become bitterly cold in just hours; the cold would wring every ounce of water out of the atmosphere and dump 21 inches of misery in drifts and piles much deeper than that. It was disheartening.
I remember one March I did not go to school for a whole week. All I did was pray we would not lose power so we could keep feed and water in front of the animals. It was a boring, miserable life. I didn’t like March.
March is the month of my Mother’s birthday--March 2nd. One reason I probably don’t like March is that it is the month that Mom died, March 4th and we buried her on March 7th. I remember those days—cloudy in more ways than one; cold, actually more than cold, it was piercing cold—the wet cold that cuts to the bone. It was the type of cold that you don’t warm up from, it’s the type of cold you must forget.
Do I have any right to complain about March weather? Actually, no. God in His creative genius, His sovereign hand creates the weather and March. It would do me good to quit complaining.
Fast forward forty-some years; it’s March, and March still can’t decide if it wants to be winter or spring… Judi and I watch as the pups play outside. In the early morning, the large mud puddle northeast of the house is still frozen. Pups fight and wrestle on the ice, slipping and sliding in gleeful mayhem. We laugh at their antics. None of them have any footing, slipping and sliding it’s a comedy of errors. Sven chases Tubby behind the bird feeder tree and they come running back together to the frozen mud puddle with the sole intention of steam rolling the other three pups only to lose their footing and the pups crash together in playful anarchy. What a hoot! We can’t help but laugh at their antics.
The day warms up, the temperature rises, the ice turns to water, the frozen soil turns to mud and Duke and Sven decide to lie down to cool off right in the middle of the mud puddle. When they finish cooling off, they join the other three pups in the sun on the south porch and fall asleep. Yes, for 15 minutes they sleep or slumber, worn out from the previous antics. Even muddy pups are beautiful when they are sleeping. This day truly is a March Day in Minnesota.
When we went to church at Lake Jennie, John Johnston, an Irish man and old missionary to China came to speak. He was in China before World War II, was captured by the Japanese and was a POW. He grew up in Ireland, the son of an Irish farmer. During the service, someone asked for prayer for the weather. We prayed. After church John spoke to the adult Sunday School class and commented on the prayer request for the weather. He said that when he was a child, whenever anyone complained about the weather, his dad would say “Who is this who riles at God’s providence?” In other words: “who is this telling God what to do?”
Jerry, quit complaining, God’s still on the throne. I would do well not to comment on His sovereign rule. Who am I to rile at God’s providence? I may even come to like March; as a matter of fact, I better like it.
I remember one March I did not go to school for a whole week. All I did was pray we would not lose power so we could keep feed and water in front of the animals. It was a boring, miserable life. I didn’t like March.
March is the month of my Mother’s birthday--March 2nd. One reason I probably don’t like March is that it is the month that Mom died, March 4th and we buried her on March 7th. I remember those days—cloudy in more ways than one; cold, actually more than cold, it was piercing cold—the wet cold that cuts to the bone. It was the type of cold that you don’t warm up from, it’s the type of cold you must forget.
Do I have any right to complain about March weather? Actually, no. God in His creative genius, His sovereign hand creates the weather and March. It would do me good to quit complaining.
Fast forward forty-some years; it’s March, and March still can’t decide if it wants to be winter or spring… Judi and I watch as the pups play outside. In the early morning, the large mud puddle northeast of the house is still frozen. Pups fight and wrestle on the ice, slipping and sliding in gleeful mayhem. We laugh at their antics. None of them have any footing, slipping and sliding it’s a comedy of errors. Sven chases Tubby behind the bird feeder tree and they come running back together to the frozen mud puddle with the sole intention of steam rolling the other three pups only to lose their footing and the pups crash together in playful anarchy. What a hoot! We can’t help but laugh at their antics.
The day warms up, the temperature rises, the ice turns to water, the frozen soil turns to mud and Duke and Sven decide to lie down to cool off right in the middle of the mud puddle. When they finish cooling off, they join the other three pups in the sun on the south porch and fall asleep. Yes, for 15 minutes they sleep or slumber, worn out from the previous antics. Even muddy pups are beautiful when they are sleeping. This day truly is a March Day in Minnesota.
When we went to church at Lake Jennie, John Johnston, an Irish man and old missionary to China came to speak. He was in China before World War II, was captured by the Japanese and was a POW. He grew up in Ireland, the son of an Irish farmer. During the service, someone asked for prayer for the weather. We prayed. After church John spoke to the adult Sunday School class and commented on the prayer request for the weather. He said that when he was a child, whenever anyone complained about the weather, his dad would say “Who is this who riles at God’s providence?” In other words: “who is this telling God what to do?”
Jerry, quit complaining, God’s still on the throne. I would do well not to comment on His sovereign rule. Who am I to rile at God’s providence? I may even come to like March; as a matter of fact, I better like it.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Happy Easter
Wishing you all a Blessed Easter.
Please click on the Title above to link you to a remarkable phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston radio station KSBJ FM 89.3. So profound, the station has it posted on their website. It is the Easter story in a nutshell!
Please click on the Title above to link you to a remarkable phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston radio station KSBJ FM 89.3. So profound, the station has it posted on their website. It is the Easter story in a nutshell!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Irritabilty and a soul-searching conscience
Did you ever wake up irritable? Are you irritable for no specific reason? Over the years I’ve quit trying to figure out why these “irritable days” come into our lives. One lesson I have learned is that I must work hard not to make that “irritable” feeling ruin my whole day. At 11 o’clock yesterday morning I had to take an adult “time out” to gain proper perspective. I’ll tell you why…
Earlier I received a call from a trash hauler saying our recycled cardboard container at one of the smaller properties that we manage has been overflowing and that we need to increase our service. I asked her “What constitutes an overflowing container?” Her answer was “Anytime the lid doesn’t close completely.” “As a matter of fact” she said, “you were one ton over on the pick-up this week.” I told her I found it hard to believe we would get one ton of cardboard out of a 25,000 square foot building in six months much less be over one ton in one week.
A friend of mine happens to have a son who is a former driver for the company and is now the current Safety Director. I called him about the situation. He said the recycled cardboard is never weighed and felt that the comment was a total lie.
I called the lady back and confronted her about what she had said. She finally admitted that the only purpose of the call was to intimidate me (my description, not hers) into signing up for more service. What concerned me was this—she was not the least bit contrite. What has happened to us as a society and a nation? When a nation loses its conscience, hard tough days are ahead. Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky said: "If God does not exist, everything is lawful."
There is a limit to God’s patience. In Romans is says: “God gave them over…”; over to what? Romans 1:28-32 (NIV) says: “Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”
In light of the truth of these verses, I need to do some personal soul searching, an “adult time-out” as it were. I read Romans 2:1-4: “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” What have I done to bring this lady the truth of Jesus Christ?
No, I may not do exactly as this woman did but I need to be reminded that I sin also, and every day, every hour, I need God’s grace and forgiveness. Yes, I do, and I’m grateful.
This week it would be easy to point our finger at Elliott Spitzer. But before we point, let’s do some serious soul searching.
Thank you Jesus, forgive me. Don’t give me over. I thank you that you love me not for what I’ve done or not done but you love me because I’m yours. Amen.
Earlier I received a call from a trash hauler saying our recycled cardboard container at one of the smaller properties that we manage has been overflowing and that we need to increase our service. I asked her “What constitutes an overflowing container?” Her answer was “Anytime the lid doesn’t close completely.” “As a matter of fact” she said, “you were one ton over on the pick-up this week.” I told her I found it hard to believe we would get one ton of cardboard out of a 25,000 square foot building in six months much less be over one ton in one week.
A friend of mine happens to have a son who is a former driver for the company and is now the current Safety Director. I called him about the situation. He said the recycled cardboard is never weighed and felt that the comment was a total lie.
I called the lady back and confronted her about what she had said. She finally admitted that the only purpose of the call was to intimidate me (my description, not hers) into signing up for more service. What concerned me was this—she was not the least bit contrite. What has happened to us as a society and a nation? When a nation loses its conscience, hard tough days are ahead. Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky said: "If God does not exist, everything is lawful."
There is a limit to God’s patience. In Romans is says: “God gave them over…”; over to what? Romans 1:28-32 (NIV) says: “Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.”
In light of the truth of these verses, I need to do some personal soul searching, an “adult time-out” as it were. I read Romans 2:1-4: “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” What have I done to bring this lady the truth of Jesus Christ?
No, I may not do exactly as this woman did but I need to be reminded that I sin also, and every day, every hour, I need God’s grace and forgiveness. Yes, I do, and I’m grateful.
This week it would be easy to point our finger at Elliott Spitzer. But before we point, let’s do some serious soul searching.
Thank you Jesus, forgive me. Don’t give me over. I thank you that you love me not for what I’ve done or not done but you love me because I’m yours. Amen.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Clinging to our average days or pleasing God
W. H. Auden wrote a poem entitled “September 1, 1939” it says in part:
“Faces along the bar
Cling to their average day
The lights must never go out
The music must always play
Lest we know where we are,
Lost in a haunted wood,
Children afraid of the dark,
Who have never been happy or good.”
Is your life boring? Do you cling to your average day? Is your life so routine the sameness drives you up a wall? Do you appear to the world as if you “have it all together”? Yet, in the words of Thoreau, “you are living a life of quiet desperation.”
We of all people are blessed. And even with this in mind, some days I feel guilty about how little vision and purpose I live out my life. In many ways our lives are routine and boring but what are we looking forward to?
Do you have any plans to march into hell for a Heavenly cause? Do you truly believe, with God’s help, that we can impact our society for Christ? Or, do we cling to our average days just running out the rest of our life, living as Auden would say “in a haunted wood, afraid of the dark.” Don’t be afraid of the dark. Share Christ, the light of the world. Proverbs 15:33-16:7: The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The Lord works out everything for his own ends-- even the wicked for a day of disaster. The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil. When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.”
Do you have any vision for the future? Commit it the Lord. Remember in all you do, “fear the Lord” but never forget to please the Lord. In the end, in all we do, our overriding ambition should be to please the Lord.
The question was asked: “what is the purpose of man?” The answer: to know God and enjoy Him forever. Do away with your average days. Let’s enjoy God forever. Have vision. This is the vision: Zechariah 9:16-17: “The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.”
Lord, by your power, turn our average days into days where we fear you and please you and may we enjoy you forever. Amen
“Faces along the bar
Cling to their average day
The lights must never go out
The music must always play
Lest we know where we are,
Lost in a haunted wood,
Children afraid of the dark,
Who have never been happy or good.”
Is your life boring? Do you cling to your average day? Is your life so routine the sameness drives you up a wall? Do you appear to the world as if you “have it all together”? Yet, in the words of Thoreau, “you are living a life of quiet desperation.”
We of all people are blessed. And even with this in mind, some days I feel guilty about how little vision and purpose I live out my life. In many ways our lives are routine and boring but what are we looking forward to?
Do you have any plans to march into hell for a Heavenly cause? Do you truly believe, with God’s help, that we can impact our society for Christ? Or, do we cling to our average days just running out the rest of our life, living as Auden would say “in a haunted wood, afraid of the dark.” Don’t be afraid of the dark. Share Christ, the light of the world. Proverbs 15:33-16:7: The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The Lord works out everything for his own ends-- even the wicked for a day of disaster. The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil. When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.”
Do you have any vision for the future? Commit it the Lord. Remember in all you do, “fear the Lord” but never forget to please the Lord. In the end, in all we do, our overriding ambition should be to please the Lord.
The question was asked: “what is the purpose of man?” The answer: to know God and enjoy Him forever. Do away with your average days. Let’s enjoy God forever. Have vision. This is the vision: Zechariah 9:16-17: “The Lord their God will save them on that day as the flock of his people. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown. How attractive and beautiful they will be! Grain will make the young men thrive, and new wine the young women.”
Lord, by your power, turn our average days into days where we fear you and please you and may we enjoy you forever. Amen
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Cottonwood, Minnesota. So easy to be angry…so hard to forgive
Cottonwood, Minnesota is 40 miles down the road from our farm. Until this week, a typical sleepy Western Minnesota town; a good place to live. Cottonwood got world-wide attention this week. This attention came about in a most tragic way.
A school bus accident resulted in the death of four students and sent 14 other people to the hospital. As the details of the accident came out, passions were lit up on the Western Minnesota prairie. A 23 year old, illegal immigrant woman driving without a driver’s license blew through a stop sign at fairly good speed hitting the bus, causing the accident. As of today, authorities do not know her real name and country of origin. She had broken-up with her live in boyfriend and was heading to work. The woman has been charged with four counts of vehicular homicide. It may be possible that she will serve 60 years in jail.
In light of all of this, the people of the prairie are angry. What the driver did was wrong, no doubt about it. Emilee’s mom will never take pictures of her on prom night. Reed will never get a chance to play football to the cheers of his family. Hunter and Jesse will never enjoy a sunny winter’s day ride on the snowmobiles. I cannot imagine the depth of hurt for these families. I have not walked in their shoes but people who have lost children say the hurt is long-lasting and the pain cuts deeply.
The Latino community and illegal immigrants have taken the brunt of the anger. I ask a question: “Why was she here?” She probably came for economic opportunity; the same reason most of our ancestors came to America, but she came illegally. Who’s fault is that? Hers, yet politicians in America and other Latin American countries have little, if any, urgency to even attempt to solve the illegal alien problem. And, we don’t hold them accountable. Why did she leave her home country? Possibly just because she was hungry. She was willing to risk death to eat and have a low paying, menial job…
Why does America need her labor so badly? Could our own actions be the major part of the problem? Since 1973 approximately 1 million babies a year have been aborted; from 1973 to 2008, totaling approximately 35 million children. If 25% of these 35 million replace themselves, the total then moves to 42 million people. Forty-two million lives snuffed out of our economy and they were never able to go to the prom either. We sacrificed our own flesh and blood at the altar of convenience and at the altar of preserving our own flawed reputations. We sat while we murdered a generation of our people. America, our hands in this are not clean…
Because of this accident, I heard really sad things being said on the radio; things written on the internet and in local papers. What’s happening to us? Yes, what was done was, and is, and will forever be wrong. Can we forgive her?
Jesus taught His disciples to pray “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” In our rush to judgment, have we forgotten what Jesus taught us?
I’m sure some of you consider me a milk toast mush headed Bible thumper; so be it. Whether we like it or not, Jesus calls us to complete obedience to his will. He should be Lord of our whole life. If He isn’t Lord of our whole life, He is not our Lord at all. Wake up.
In our rush to condemn all illegal immigrants, remember they are children of our Heavenly Father also. While we rush to judgment, may I remind you, as a fill-in lay preacher, I have preached in over 30 different churches in West and Central Minnesota and I have yet to fine one church with a ministry to reach Latinos or Hispanic people. God forbid we would ever stir from our comfortable pews. Let’s be honest, we don’t even look at them or wave at them as we pass by on our way down the street. I must be fair, this is a two way street and the Latino community has not always been open and willing to embrace the American culture.
Brothers and sisters, if ever, now is the time to keep our head. Now is the time for committed Christians of all races and ethnic groups to rise above the anger, hate, and bitterness. We must forgive. Why? Because Jesus said so. Let’s confess our own sin of indifference. Indifference to the millions aborted, indifference to our political situation and confess our sin and indifference of sharing Christ with our neighbors and co-workers. “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do unto me.” Jesus said that, we must obey. We must do it.
Micah, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said it best in Micah 6:8: He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
We must pray for the families, the community and yes, even the woman driver. We must act justly, we must seek justice in this case and we must love mercy, like Christ has loved us. Then, yes then, we will walk humbly with our God.
A school bus accident resulted in the death of four students and sent 14 other people to the hospital. As the details of the accident came out, passions were lit up on the Western Minnesota prairie. A 23 year old, illegal immigrant woman driving without a driver’s license blew through a stop sign at fairly good speed hitting the bus, causing the accident. As of today, authorities do not know her real name and country of origin. She had broken-up with her live in boyfriend and was heading to work. The woman has been charged with four counts of vehicular homicide. It may be possible that she will serve 60 years in jail.
In light of all of this, the people of the prairie are angry. What the driver did was wrong, no doubt about it. Emilee’s mom will never take pictures of her on prom night. Reed will never get a chance to play football to the cheers of his family. Hunter and Jesse will never enjoy a sunny winter’s day ride on the snowmobiles. I cannot imagine the depth of hurt for these families. I have not walked in their shoes but people who have lost children say the hurt is long-lasting and the pain cuts deeply.
The Latino community and illegal immigrants have taken the brunt of the anger. I ask a question: “Why was she here?” She probably came for economic opportunity; the same reason most of our ancestors came to America, but she came illegally. Who’s fault is that? Hers, yet politicians in America and other Latin American countries have little, if any, urgency to even attempt to solve the illegal alien problem. And, we don’t hold them accountable. Why did she leave her home country? Possibly just because she was hungry. She was willing to risk death to eat and have a low paying, menial job…
Why does America need her labor so badly? Could our own actions be the major part of the problem? Since 1973 approximately 1 million babies a year have been aborted; from 1973 to 2008, totaling approximately 35 million children. If 25% of these 35 million replace themselves, the total then moves to 42 million people. Forty-two million lives snuffed out of our economy and they were never able to go to the prom either. We sacrificed our own flesh and blood at the altar of convenience and at the altar of preserving our own flawed reputations. We sat while we murdered a generation of our people. America, our hands in this are not clean…
Because of this accident, I heard really sad things being said on the radio; things written on the internet and in local papers. What’s happening to us? Yes, what was done was, and is, and will forever be wrong. Can we forgive her?
Jesus taught His disciples to pray “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” In our rush to judgment, have we forgotten what Jesus taught us?
I’m sure some of you consider me a milk toast mush headed Bible thumper; so be it. Whether we like it or not, Jesus calls us to complete obedience to his will. He should be Lord of our whole life. If He isn’t Lord of our whole life, He is not our Lord at all. Wake up.
In our rush to condemn all illegal immigrants, remember they are children of our Heavenly Father also. While we rush to judgment, may I remind you, as a fill-in lay preacher, I have preached in over 30 different churches in West and Central Minnesota and I have yet to fine one church with a ministry to reach Latinos or Hispanic people. God forbid we would ever stir from our comfortable pews. Let’s be honest, we don’t even look at them or wave at them as we pass by on our way down the street. I must be fair, this is a two way street and the Latino community has not always been open and willing to embrace the American culture.
Brothers and sisters, if ever, now is the time to keep our head. Now is the time for committed Christians of all races and ethnic groups to rise above the anger, hate, and bitterness. We must forgive. Why? Because Jesus said so. Let’s confess our own sin of indifference. Indifference to the millions aborted, indifference to our political situation and confess our sin and indifference of sharing Christ with our neighbors and co-workers. “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do unto me.” Jesus said that, we must obey. We must do it.
Micah, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said it best in Micah 6:8: He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
We must pray for the families, the community and yes, even the woman driver. We must act justly, we must seek justice in this case and we must love mercy, like Christ has loved us. Then, yes then, we will walk humbly with our God.
Monday, February 18, 2008
A Joyous Biker Wedding
On a cold Saturday in February, my friend and Christian biker, Mike, married the wife of his dreams. For both of them, this is an answer to prayer.
Mike grew up tough in a home with a father who was a drunk. Mike’s life turned into a biker lifestyle—drugs, drinking, hell raising; riding the hog to the limit, living life to its fullest just at the edge of Hell’s door. He married and had a family; the wife left him for another. He had cancer; he sat alone in his recliner tired, fed up, depressed. Before he fell asleep, he asked Jesus to save him. He woke up the next morning and for the first time in many years, was refreshed, relieved, and optimistic; freed of the burdens of his past sin. Mike was saved!
Brenda, his new wife, works at a law firm; she’s a godly, sophisticated, beautiful woman. This is her second marriage also. Mike has often asked, “What does she see in me?” His friends remind him it’s not so much that Mike’s attractive but it is Christ working in him and through him. It’s called a transformed life for both of them; Christ has transformed their lives. Only God can put together a tough old biker with a sophisticated lady and make it work. It will work because different from their first marriages, Christ is the foundation of this marriage. They view each other as an undeserved gift from God. I’d say that’s a good foundation. Those of us who are married should view each other as a gift from God.
Mike is a member of the motorcycle club “Bond Slaves for Jesus.” This is printed in large letters on the back of their vests. The name bond slave means “ones who are slaves to another.” In their case, they are bond slaves to Jesus; they are slaves by choice. They minister to other bikers or motorcycle clubs. The club was founded in Princeton, Minnesota and is nationwide and is also in foreign countries.
For my first biker wedding, I liked it. We traditionalists could learn a lot. Christ was the center of this service not Mike and Brenda. Crusty old bikers, wearing their leathers, sat next to well coiffure women, escorted by husbands who have done quite well in the business world but guess what, all this did not matter. We were all one this day; all one in the Lord.
Communion was held at the end of the service. The Chaplain for the motorcycle club told us communion was for all--old people, young people, crippled people, people of every tribe and nation. It is the Lord’s Supper. Each of us believers must examine our hearts. Bankers and bakers and candlestick makers, bikers in colors from Minnesota and other states and Canada, sang, laughed, smiled, hugged, and worshipped the Lord. It was a little bit of Heaven for this country boy and his wife.
As people went forward for communion, I was moved to tears. The words to the song “The King is Coming” rang in my head. “Happy faces line the hallway, those whose lives have been redeemedBroken homes He has mended, those from prison He has freedLittle children and the aged hand in hand stand all a-glowWho were crippled, broken, ruined, clad in garments white as snow”
The most marvelous thing about this wedding was that seven people were saved! Now, that’s my kind of wedding! Isn’t it interesting how Jesus works? On a cold February Saturday a biker and his beautiful wife were married, Christ was worshipped, seven people were called into God’s eternal kingdom, and all of us experienced a touch of Heaven. Come quickly, Jesus, come.
Mike grew up tough in a home with a father who was a drunk. Mike’s life turned into a biker lifestyle—drugs, drinking, hell raising; riding the hog to the limit, living life to its fullest just at the edge of Hell’s door. He married and had a family; the wife left him for another. He had cancer; he sat alone in his recliner tired, fed up, depressed. Before he fell asleep, he asked Jesus to save him. He woke up the next morning and for the first time in many years, was refreshed, relieved, and optimistic; freed of the burdens of his past sin. Mike was saved!
Brenda, his new wife, works at a law firm; she’s a godly, sophisticated, beautiful woman. This is her second marriage also. Mike has often asked, “What does she see in me?” His friends remind him it’s not so much that Mike’s attractive but it is Christ working in him and through him. It’s called a transformed life for both of them; Christ has transformed their lives. Only God can put together a tough old biker with a sophisticated lady and make it work. It will work because different from their first marriages, Christ is the foundation of this marriage. They view each other as an undeserved gift from God. I’d say that’s a good foundation. Those of us who are married should view each other as a gift from God.
Mike is a member of the motorcycle club “Bond Slaves for Jesus.” This is printed in large letters on the back of their vests. The name bond slave means “ones who are slaves to another.” In their case, they are bond slaves to Jesus; they are slaves by choice. They minister to other bikers or motorcycle clubs. The club was founded in Princeton, Minnesota and is nationwide and is also in foreign countries.
For my first biker wedding, I liked it. We traditionalists could learn a lot. Christ was the center of this service not Mike and Brenda. Crusty old bikers, wearing their leathers, sat next to well coiffure women, escorted by husbands who have done quite well in the business world but guess what, all this did not matter. We were all one this day; all one in the Lord.
Communion was held at the end of the service. The Chaplain for the motorcycle club told us communion was for all--old people, young people, crippled people, people of every tribe and nation. It is the Lord’s Supper. Each of us believers must examine our hearts. Bankers and bakers and candlestick makers, bikers in colors from Minnesota and other states and Canada, sang, laughed, smiled, hugged, and worshipped the Lord. It was a little bit of Heaven for this country boy and his wife.
As people went forward for communion, I was moved to tears. The words to the song “The King is Coming” rang in my head. “Happy faces line the hallway, those whose lives have been redeemedBroken homes He has mended, those from prison He has freedLittle children and the aged hand in hand stand all a-glowWho were crippled, broken, ruined, clad in garments white as snow”
The most marvelous thing about this wedding was that seven people were saved! Now, that’s my kind of wedding! Isn’t it interesting how Jesus works? On a cold February Saturday a biker and his beautiful wife were married, Christ was worshipped, seven people were called into God’s eternal kingdom, and all of us experienced a touch of Heaven. Come quickly, Jesus, come.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Pampered Love or Perfecting Love
(Note: This blog was posted in error the end of January along with the intended blog for that day so it appeared to be a previous entry. We had planned to publish this one the first week in Feb. when we were on vacation. If you did happen to read both blogs that were listed on that day, forgive me for running it again. ~ Judi)
Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so…
What kind of love do you expect from Jesus, a pampering love? We like to be pampered don’t we? I mean He promised us a more abundant life, right? Should I not expect the best? Pamper me, Lord. I find it interesting that we like to be pampered yet Jesus had no home, or as He said it, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matt 8:20.
We live in a time of increased expectations. We want it all, if not all, at least a little more than enough. But, I believe Jesus love is not a pampering type of love but a perfecting love.
(Hebrew 12:2-12: “Let 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. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.”
Job was tested. He got frustrated with all of it and in a sense, lipped off to God. God is patient but finally He had enough of it and tells Job in Job 38:1-3 Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind: "Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.” Brace yourself like a man…”We need to talk.” Sixty-six questions later, Job speaks in Job 42. Job said in verse 3b: “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”
Job repents. Yes, he sees God and his life in a different light, from God’s perspective. He repents and gets right with the Lord; a perfecting love.
If you’re facing trials, don’t get angry and become embittered because you were expecting to be pampered. God has sent trials and tribulation to perfect us. He does this because He loves us and we are His. It hurts, but in the end He will take us Home to glory. (Read Ps. 73:23-24).
Lord, thank you that you have called me; I am yours. Correct me Lord but only with justice not in your anger lest you reduce me to nothing. (Jeremiah 10:24): Perfect me, Lord. Amen.
Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so…
What kind of love do you expect from Jesus, a pampering love? We like to be pampered don’t we? I mean He promised us a more abundant life, right? Should I not expect the best? Pamper me, Lord. I find it interesting that we like to be pampered yet Jesus had no home, or as He said it, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matt 8:20.
We live in a time of increased expectations. We want it all, if not all, at least a little more than enough. But, I believe Jesus love is not a pampering type of love but a perfecting love.
(Hebrew 12:2-12: “Let 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. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.”
Job was tested. He got frustrated with all of it and in a sense, lipped off to God. God is patient but finally He had enough of it and tells Job in Job 38:1-3 Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind: "Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.” Brace yourself like a man…”We need to talk.” Sixty-six questions later, Job speaks in Job 42. Job said in verse 3b: “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”
Job repents. Yes, he sees God and his life in a different light, from God’s perspective. He repents and gets right with the Lord; a perfecting love.
If you’re facing trials, don’t get angry and become embittered because you were expecting to be pampered. God has sent trials and tribulation to perfect us. He does this because He loves us and we are His. It hurts, but in the end He will take us Home to glory. (Read Ps. 73:23-24).
Lord, thank you that you have called me; I am yours. Correct me Lord but only with justice not in your anger lest you reduce me to nothing. (Jeremiah 10:24): Perfect me, Lord. Amen.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
More Good News—God has a Learning Disability
Daniel 2:20-22: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.”
Yes, this is good news; God has a learning disability. God is and has been forever. God cannot learn anything because He knows everything, created everything and sustains everything. God is present everywhere; there is nothing that escapes His gaze or control. God is never surprised. God never wonders; He knows. In light of all of this, He has nothing to learn.
Everything we do, everything we create must operate under the laws of universe established by God. The Russian lunar rover was modeled after the legs of ants. Yes, ants. The legs are multi-jointed with great flexibility and strength. Scientists are also trying to duplicate the suction on the feet of a gecko. Man may think he is creative but we imitate the Master Creator; God is the Master Creator and Designer.
The Psalmist says God’s understanding has no limit. Psalm 147:4-11: “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”
The infinite all-knowing God doesn’t need or ask our opinion of things. God’s infinite knowledge is exercised for our good. At times we doubt His Sovereign Hand. We wonder, “Is He still on the throne? Is God still in control?”
I am sixty years old; I have lived long enough to know that things that occurred when I was young, things that hurt me were for my ultimate good. I will admit that, at times, these things are hard to understand. Be patient; God is refining you, making you pure gold.
A.W. Tozer said this: “With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures.”
Oh Lord, our God, the God of wisdom and knowledge beyond measure. Forgive our desire to be considered wise before men who are as ignorant as ourselves. We praise you and thank you for your sovereign, all-knowing knowledge and grace found only through Jesus Christ. Amen
Yes, this is good news; God has a learning disability. God is and has been forever. God cannot learn anything because He knows everything, created everything and sustains everything. God is present everywhere; there is nothing that escapes His gaze or control. God is never surprised. God never wonders; He knows. In light of all of this, He has nothing to learn.
Everything we do, everything we create must operate under the laws of universe established by God. The Russian lunar rover was modeled after the legs of ants. Yes, ants. The legs are multi-jointed with great flexibility and strength. Scientists are also trying to duplicate the suction on the feet of a gecko. Man may think he is creative but we imitate the Master Creator; God is the Master Creator and Designer.
The Psalmist says God’s understanding has no limit. Psalm 147:4-11: “He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”
The infinite all-knowing God doesn’t need or ask our opinion of things. God’s infinite knowledge is exercised for our good. At times we doubt His Sovereign Hand. We wonder, “Is He still on the throne? Is God still in control?”
I am sixty years old; I have lived long enough to know that things that occurred when I was young, things that hurt me were for my ultimate good. I will admit that, at times, these things are hard to understand. Be patient; God is refining you, making you pure gold.
A.W. Tozer said this: “With the goodness of God to desire our highest welfare, the wisdom of God to plan it, and the power of God to achieve it, what do we lack? Surely we are the most favored of all creatures.”
Oh Lord, our God, the God of wisdom and knowledge beyond measure. Forgive our desire to be considered wise before men who are as ignorant as ourselves. We praise you and thank you for your sovereign, all-knowing knowledge and grace found only through Jesus Christ. Amen
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Of Politics and Pups and other earthly stuff – Part 2
I’m going to make a prediction. I can tell you who will be the next President of the United States. (Please do not call FOX News—we don’t need satellite uplink trucks in our yard!) Let’s approach this Biblically. Daniel 4: 17: “The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.'” Daniel 4:32: "You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes."
2 Chronicles 20:6: "O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you."
The next President of the United States will be…the exact person God intended. Yes, the exact person God intended. If your candidate doesn’t win, don’t pull the hair out of your head. Chill out, don’t trust in men, and trust in God who put them in their place. We live in a marvelous system; work for your candidate but if he or she is not God’s sovereign choice, relax.
This said, we as men and women get into trouble when we trust men rather than God. When Ronald Reagan was President, I was happy because I thought he was the one of the finest Presidents ever but when he was in office, Nancy Reagan was consulting astrologists. We should trust God, not men. As men we will fail one another. Don’t trust in men, trust in the God who made them and put them in place of leadership.
One other earthly thing we worry about is our health. We want good health to prolong our life. We should work towards that; the choice is ours how we get to the finish line. Psalm 139:16b says: "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." It says our days on earth were numbered before one of them came to be. We will not die one day too soon or one day too late. The Sovereign Lord has our days numbered; in many ways this is all hard to understand. Let’s make every effort to be healthy; let’s live each and every day God has given us with passion and with fire. Let’s make the most of the time God has given to us.
I think of the words of the song “What a Friend we have in Jesus;” the words in part say, “Oh what needless pain we bear.” Yes, what needless pain we bare when we worry about earthly things that God has taken care of. In John 3:12 it says: "I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"
May we trust the Lord for these earthly things until He brings us home to be with Christ. Yes, those Heavenly things…bring on those Heavenly things.
2 Chronicles 20:6: "O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you."
The next President of the United States will be…the exact person God intended. Yes, the exact person God intended. If your candidate doesn’t win, don’t pull the hair out of your head. Chill out, don’t trust in men, and trust in God who put them in their place. We live in a marvelous system; work for your candidate but if he or she is not God’s sovereign choice, relax.
This said, we as men and women get into trouble when we trust men rather than God. When Ronald Reagan was President, I was happy because I thought he was the one of the finest Presidents ever but when he was in office, Nancy Reagan was consulting astrologists. We should trust God, not men. As men we will fail one another. Don’t trust in men, trust in the God who made them and put them in place of leadership.
One other earthly thing we worry about is our health. We want good health to prolong our life. We should work towards that; the choice is ours how we get to the finish line. Psalm 139:16b says: "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." It says our days on earth were numbered before one of them came to be. We will not die one day too soon or one day too late. The Sovereign Lord has our days numbered; in many ways this is all hard to understand. Let’s make every effort to be healthy; let’s live each and every day God has given us with passion and with fire. Let’s make the most of the time God has given to us.
I think of the words of the song “What a Friend we have in Jesus;” the words in part say, “Oh what needless pain we bear.” Yes, what needless pain we bare when we worry about earthly things that God has taken care of. In John 3:12 it says: "I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"
May we trust the Lord for these earthly things until He brings us home to be with Christ. Yes, those Heavenly things…bring on those Heavenly things.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Things we say to ourselves…
For illustration: it is early morning as you shuffle across the kitchen floor to get your first cup of hot coffee but you drop the hot coffee on your bare foot, burning your foot, breaking the cup, spraying hot coffee over the floor, the cupboards, the stove face, etc. You stand still for a moment and what do you call yourself; jerk, idiot or even worse. We say things to ourselves we would never say to anyone else.
As we stand there, we need to make a decision; should we soak your foot in ice? Should we pick up the broken cup? Should we wipe down all the coffee spills? As we do these three separate tasks, we talk to ourselves heaping more stupid, self-talk comments upon our head.
I ask you this “Is dropping a cup of hot coffee really that big of a deal?” I mean, what will it matter in one hour, one day, or one week? But in the process, we beat ourselves up about our dorkiness, clumsiness, being a klutz, whatever. Then we wonder, why do I feel downhearted?
There is much emphasis on how we treat others. That is good; but I wonder, how do we treat ourselves? I mean, how do we react to life’s situations and battles with a Christ-like attitude?
Someone once said, humility is knowing the truth about ourselves. I need to realize God orders the small things in my life. Daniel 1:9: Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel,
I need to recognize my lack of control and I need to let go of my need to control, comment or pontificate on everything that happens in my life. I need to stop making a mountain out of a molehill. When we make mountains out of molehills, it rings of self-exaltation, making ourselves a larger part of the mosaic of life than we really are. This is all a form of human pride.
We need to ask ourselves, what is the center of our life, me, myself and I or is it the Lord? I ask you what do you think about when you have nothing to think about? Whatever it is, it’s a good bet it is the center of your life.
Let’s not overstate our importance, lets not beat ourselves up saying things about ourselves we would never say about or to anyone else. Lets be humble, knowing the truth about ourselves.
Yes Lord, I’m a sinner saved by grace. Because of Christ, I’m your child. Ah, sweet, sweet Jesus. Amen.
As we stand there, we need to make a decision; should we soak your foot in ice? Should we pick up the broken cup? Should we wipe down all the coffee spills? As we do these three separate tasks, we talk to ourselves heaping more stupid, self-talk comments upon our head.
I ask you this “Is dropping a cup of hot coffee really that big of a deal?” I mean, what will it matter in one hour, one day, or one week? But in the process, we beat ourselves up about our dorkiness, clumsiness, being a klutz, whatever. Then we wonder, why do I feel downhearted?
There is much emphasis on how we treat others. That is good; but I wonder, how do we treat ourselves? I mean, how do we react to life’s situations and battles with a Christ-like attitude?
Someone once said, humility is knowing the truth about ourselves. I need to realize God orders the small things in my life. Daniel 1:9: Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel,
I need to recognize my lack of control and I need to let go of my need to control, comment or pontificate on everything that happens in my life. I need to stop making a mountain out of a molehill. When we make mountains out of molehills, it rings of self-exaltation, making ourselves a larger part of the mosaic of life than we really are. This is all a form of human pride.
We need to ask ourselves, what is the center of our life, me, myself and I or is it the Lord? I ask you what do you think about when you have nothing to think about? Whatever it is, it’s a good bet it is the center of your life.
Let’s not overstate our importance, lets not beat ourselves up saying things about ourselves we would never say about or to anyone else. Lets be humble, knowing the truth about ourselves.
Yes Lord, I’m a sinner saved by grace. Because of Christ, I’m your child. Ah, sweet, sweet Jesus. Amen.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Of politics and pups and other earthly stuff – Part I
Lily is our black lab. She had strayed to my cousin, Keith’s place and we couldn’t find the rightful owner. She ended up at our place. Lily has been a special addition here at the Seehusen farm; always happy in demeanor, always ready for a walk. She leaps for joy when she realizes we’re going for a walk.
I took her in to the vet; some work was done but we planned on spaying her later. (You can see it coming can’t you?) We didn’t get the job done in time; yes, Lily was pregnant.
Last Saturday a.m. Lily was her normal, buoyant, joyous self, somewhat slower due to the fact that she was carrying pups. She was begging for treats and needed a lot of Ol’ Jer’s attention; a typical day for a very pregnant Lily. Judi checked her at 3:30—two pups; I checked at 9:30 p.m.—nine beautiful pups! When I was cleaning up the nest, Lily was all business; no treat begging dog here; no fawning for Ol’ Jer’s attention. Inside of three hours her demeanor changed completely. She became a dedicated mom and was 100% focused on those new pups.
I marveled how great God is. By His creative genius He made all this possible. It is a thing of beauty. This mundane process of having pups makes me marvel. The instinct of the pups to seek, the mom’s instinct to protect and provide and the provision and timing of their birth, on a day when we were home and it was warm.
You may say “big deal” you’re dog had pups. I know I’m a simple country boy but I still marvel at the new birth of animals, sunrises and birds who find enough feed to make it through a cold winter. Call me simple but I still marvel. Only God could do all this; yes, only God.
Do you, as a professing Christian, believe God created and sustains all His creation? Or do you believe in evolution? Do you doubt God’s ability to create or sustain? These are all earthly things. Why should He trust us with heavenly things? Why should God bless us with heavenly things when we doubt His obvious presence in earthly things? “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” John 3:12
Friends of ours grew up in Romania under the communist system. Their families were some of the few Christian families in Romania in the 1950’s and 1960’s. They suffered for their faith. If you are a communist you must believe in evolution. Our friends believed God created them. They would tell their childhood friends who pestered them because of their belief, “You may be descended from monkeys but God created us.”
Earthly things, origins, standing up for truth; “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” John 3:12
I took her in to the vet; some work was done but we planned on spaying her later. (You can see it coming can’t you?) We didn’t get the job done in time; yes, Lily was pregnant.
Last Saturday a.m. Lily was her normal, buoyant, joyous self, somewhat slower due to the fact that she was carrying pups. She was begging for treats and needed a lot of Ol’ Jer’s attention; a typical day for a very pregnant Lily. Judi checked her at 3:30—two pups; I checked at 9:30 p.m.—nine beautiful pups! When I was cleaning up the nest, Lily was all business; no treat begging dog here; no fawning for Ol’ Jer’s attention. Inside of three hours her demeanor changed completely. She became a dedicated mom and was 100% focused on those new pups.
I marveled how great God is. By His creative genius He made all this possible. It is a thing of beauty. This mundane process of having pups makes me marvel. The instinct of the pups to seek, the mom’s instinct to protect and provide and the provision and timing of their birth, on a day when we were home and it was warm.
You may say “big deal” you’re dog had pups. I know I’m a simple country boy but I still marvel at the new birth of animals, sunrises and birds who find enough feed to make it through a cold winter. Call me simple but I still marvel. Only God could do all this; yes, only God.
Do you, as a professing Christian, believe God created and sustains all His creation? Or do you believe in evolution? Do you doubt God’s ability to create or sustain? These are all earthly things. Why should He trust us with heavenly things? Why should God bless us with heavenly things when we doubt His obvious presence in earthly things? “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” John 3:12
Friends of ours grew up in Romania under the communist system. Their families were some of the few Christian families in Romania in the 1950’s and 1960’s. They suffered for their faith. If you are a communist you must believe in evolution. Our friends believed God created them. They would tell their childhood friends who pestered them because of their belief, “You may be descended from monkeys but God created us.”
Earthly things, origins, standing up for truth; “I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” John 3:12
Friday, January 04, 2008
2008 – The Bride sits…
Joshua 24:31: Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.
What happened to Israel after Joshua and the elders died? They fell into sin and disobedience. Joshua had a clear call to occupy all the land God promised to them. They only occupied part of the land God promised them. After Joshua and the elders died, the leaders thought “Hey, we’ve arrived; we live in the Land of milk and honey. This is cool, let’s just occupy and not push to occupy the rest of the land."
The assignment they were given was not completed; not completed for almost 500 years up until the time of King David. In their complacency, they forgot about their God given assignment and just loved to occupy the land.
The purpose of war is to gain victory. When victorious, we are to occupy. What’s the purpose or reason we occupy? Its purpose is to promote advancement.
We are in spiritual war; God versus the devil, good versus evil. God has equipped us for victory but before we have complete victory we decided to occupy. We rub our fat bellies and almost totally forget our assignment to advance the Kingdom of God… We love to sit and occupy.
Joshua reminded the leaders who would follow of God’s complete and total provision in Joshua 23:14 ("Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”) Every one of God’s promises has been kept/fulfilled; kept to the full. God has, God will, and will forever accomplish all His purposes and He has called us to be tools used of Him to participate in the accomplishment of our assignment. Our assignment is to take the love, hope, and freedom of Jesus Christ to the hurting world. BUT the church, the Bride of Christ, seems more interested in occupation rather than advancement. We sit because we have become aware of whom we are rather than who God is! We want our agenda not His. We are self centered, self consumed, occupied, and we love it.
The safest place for Christians to be is on the front line not sitting and protecting what we have. We must become like the first “fisherman disciples” who when they met Christ abandoned their boats. We need to pull our boats of self sufficiency, pride, and self-confidence onto the shore and burn them.
In Luke 10 Jesus commissions the 72. He sends them out and tells them “you will be like lambs among wolves.” Not a reassuring statement as wolves like to eat sheep. But the disciples come back…Luke 10:17: The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
The Lord issues the assignment and provides the means to accomplish it. Pull the boats onto the shore, burn them, and go to the front lines. For the only thing that is truly safe is what God protects. Rise up, Church. Go to war, fight until there is complete victory, never quit, occupy where you can but never be content to sit. Advancement of God’s Kingdom is our assignment. Let’s go do it! “Go into all the world…”
What happened to Israel after Joshua and the elders died? They fell into sin and disobedience. Joshua had a clear call to occupy all the land God promised to them. They only occupied part of the land God promised them. After Joshua and the elders died, the leaders thought “Hey, we’ve arrived; we live in the Land of milk and honey. This is cool, let’s just occupy and not push to occupy the rest of the land."
The assignment they were given was not completed; not completed for almost 500 years up until the time of King David. In their complacency, they forgot about their God given assignment and just loved to occupy the land.
The purpose of war is to gain victory. When victorious, we are to occupy. What’s the purpose or reason we occupy? Its purpose is to promote advancement.
We are in spiritual war; God versus the devil, good versus evil. God has equipped us for victory but before we have complete victory we decided to occupy. We rub our fat bellies and almost totally forget our assignment to advance the Kingdom of God… We love to sit and occupy.
Joshua reminded the leaders who would follow of God’s complete and total provision in Joshua 23:14 ("Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”) Every one of God’s promises has been kept/fulfilled; kept to the full. God has, God will, and will forever accomplish all His purposes and He has called us to be tools used of Him to participate in the accomplishment of our assignment. Our assignment is to take the love, hope, and freedom of Jesus Christ to the hurting world. BUT the church, the Bride of Christ, seems more interested in occupation rather than advancement. We sit because we have become aware of whom we are rather than who God is! We want our agenda not His. We are self centered, self consumed, occupied, and we love it.
The safest place for Christians to be is on the front line not sitting and protecting what we have. We must become like the first “fisherman disciples” who when they met Christ abandoned their boats. We need to pull our boats of self sufficiency, pride, and self-confidence onto the shore and burn them.
In Luke 10 Jesus commissions the 72. He sends them out and tells them “you will be like lambs among wolves.” Not a reassuring statement as wolves like to eat sheep. But the disciples come back…Luke 10:17: The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
The Lord issues the assignment and provides the means to accomplish it. Pull the boats onto the shore, burn them, and go to the front lines. For the only thing that is truly safe is what God protects. Rise up, Church. Go to war, fight until there is complete victory, never quit, occupy where you can but never be content to sit. Advancement of God’s Kingdom is our assignment. Let’s go do it! “Go into all the world…”
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Having Nothing
“He who has God and everything has no more than he who has God alone.” - C. S. Lewis
“We always pay dearly for chasing after what is cheap.” - Aleksander Solzhenitsyn
Karl Marx taught that in our world people exist because of what they have. Thus, if they have nothing, they do not exist.
Who are you if you lost all your “stuff”? For me this is hard to imagine and understand. Yet all this “stuff” seems permanent yet it is all passing away. What will last is spiritual; our spirit lives forever.
If we had nothing, we could be in serious bondage (having to get something) or in spirit lifting freedom (I don’t need anything, its just me and the Lord.)
If you had nothing, would you be in bondage or would you experience spirit lifting freedom? As a Christian, I would like to think I would be spiritually free but my “realistic” nature would take control. I would need to work towards getting shelter, clothes, and the other necessities in order to survive. How much do I trust the Lord? We trust who and what we know. How can we trust the Lord if we don’t know Him? Would we trust Him even if we had nothing? What would be important then?
I know my answer, like I said, I would take matters in my own hands, work to get the necessities (very practical) but I’d take my life into my own hands. I’d be as self-sufficient as possible. I would pursue what was needed (cheap) first and than pursue what was valuable.
Life is not easy. We exist in the practical world but we long to be spiritually free. To do this, I must trust God. That’s easier said than done.
Lord, deepen my trust of you. Get my priorities right. May I pursue what is right and pure. May I live in realistic dependence upon you every minute whether I have my stuff or I have nothing. Guide me sweet Jesus. Amen.
“We always pay dearly for chasing after what is cheap.” - Aleksander Solzhenitsyn
Karl Marx taught that in our world people exist because of what they have. Thus, if they have nothing, they do not exist.
Who are you if you lost all your “stuff”? For me this is hard to imagine and understand. Yet all this “stuff” seems permanent yet it is all passing away. What will last is spiritual; our spirit lives forever.
If we had nothing, we could be in serious bondage (having to get something) or in spirit lifting freedom (I don’t need anything, its just me and the Lord.)
If you had nothing, would you be in bondage or would you experience spirit lifting freedom? As a Christian, I would like to think I would be spiritually free but my “realistic” nature would take control. I would need to work towards getting shelter, clothes, and the other necessities in order to survive. How much do I trust the Lord? We trust who and what we know. How can we trust the Lord if we don’t know Him? Would we trust Him even if we had nothing? What would be important then?
I know my answer, like I said, I would take matters in my own hands, work to get the necessities (very practical) but I’d take my life into my own hands. I’d be as self-sufficient as possible. I would pursue what was needed (cheap) first and than pursue what was valuable.
Life is not easy. We exist in the practical world but we long to be spiritually free. To do this, I must trust God. That’s easier said than done.
Lord, deepen my trust of you. Get my priorities right. May I pursue what is right and pure. May I live in realistic dependence upon you every minute whether I have my stuff or I have nothing. Guide me sweet Jesus. Amen.
Monday, December 24, 2007
A Distracted Christmas
I drove home Friday night in the fog. I’ve driven Hwy. 7 over 100 times this year; I know it like a glove but in the fog, if I get distracted, I can forget where I’m at.
A young man once asked me, “What’s all this Christmas stuff really about?” A good question amidst the fog and distraction of the busyness of the season. I thought awhile and told him “Christmas is all about Jesus who came to earth to be among men and go to the cross.”
Even at Christmas, “the cross” should be at the center of all we do. The cross has seemed to lose its popularity over the years. Yes, it’s gory and bloody, but it is central to our faith; the idea of Jesus (God Incarnate) coming to earth. Remember the Christmas story, the angels, the virgin, the shepherds, and the manger? They all point to the cross. It was not a cosmic mistake that Jesus was sent to the cross. No, God the Father was not asleep when God, the Son, Jesus was handed over to the Roman authorities to be skewered to a tree for your sins and mine. It was the plan from the beginning.
Over 300 prophecies needed to be fulfilled for Jesus to be born that day in Bethlehem. It was God’s plan. But I wonder if we live in a fog, distracted from the full message of Christmas. God with us mere men, so God Himself, Jesus, could go to the cross for you and me.
Don’t get disheartened, sadly we are no different than generations before; yes, they were distracted also. After Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24) we find two of Jesus disciples leaving Jerusalem, heads down, sad and disheartened. The Romans had killed their Messiah. They wanted an earthly Messiah, a king, not a heavenly one.
They are walking along a road when the resurrected Jesus comes by their side but disguises Himself and asks “what were you talking about as you walked along? " (Luke 24:17 CEV). In short they replied, “have you not heard all that has happened in the last week concerning Jesus from Nazareth? We thought He was going to be our Messiah, but He was handed over to the Roman authorities and killed.” To help them understand, Jesus took scripture and showed them what He had to suffer before He entered His Glory. Yes, God’s plan was for Jesus to suffer and die for our sins and rise again from the dead victorious over sin and death.
What do we get? We are sons and daughters of the Most High. We will live and reign with God eternally. Jesus will come again some day. He will come as King and Judge. Remember this, brothers and sisters, the manger is empty, the cross is empty, the tomb is empty. I am waiting for the day when God the Father turns to the Son and says, “Go get my people.” Jesus will rise from His seat at the right hand of God and come and get us. The seat on the right hand of God the Father will be empty also. God will be with us and we will be His people.
Let not the fog distract us this Christmas. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, Come!
May God bless you and your family this Christmas season.
A young man once asked me, “What’s all this Christmas stuff really about?” A good question amidst the fog and distraction of the busyness of the season. I thought awhile and told him “Christmas is all about Jesus who came to earth to be among men and go to the cross.”
Even at Christmas, “the cross” should be at the center of all we do. The cross has seemed to lose its popularity over the years. Yes, it’s gory and bloody, but it is central to our faith; the idea of Jesus (God Incarnate) coming to earth. Remember the Christmas story, the angels, the virgin, the shepherds, and the manger? They all point to the cross. It was not a cosmic mistake that Jesus was sent to the cross. No, God the Father was not asleep when God, the Son, Jesus was handed over to the Roman authorities to be skewered to a tree for your sins and mine. It was the plan from the beginning.
Over 300 prophecies needed to be fulfilled for Jesus to be born that day in Bethlehem. It was God’s plan. But I wonder if we live in a fog, distracted from the full message of Christmas. God with us mere men, so God Himself, Jesus, could go to the cross for you and me.
Don’t get disheartened, sadly we are no different than generations before; yes, they were distracted also. After Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24) we find two of Jesus disciples leaving Jerusalem, heads down, sad and disheartened. The Romans had killed their Messiah. They wanted an earthly Messiah, a king, not a heavenly one.
They are walking along a road when the resurrected Jesus comes by their side but disguises Himself and asks “what were you talking about as you walked along? " (Luke 24:17 CEV). In short they replied, “have you not heard all that has happened in the last week concerning Jesus from Nazareth? We thought He was going to be our Messiah, but He was handed over to the Roman authorities and killed.” To help them understand, Jesus took scripture and showed them what He had to suffer before He entered His Glory. Yes, God’s plan was for Jesus to suffer and die for our sins and rise again from the dead victorious over sin and death.
What do we get? We are sons and daughters of the Most High. We will live and reign with God eternally. Jesus will come again some day. He will come as King and Judge. Remember this, brothers and sisters, the manger is empty, the cross is empty, the tomb is empty. I am waiting for the day when God the Father turns to the Son and says, “Go get my people.” Jesus will rise from His seat at the right hand of God and come and get us. The seat on the right hand of God the Father will be empty also. God will be with us and we will be His people.
Let not the fog distract us this Christmas. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, Come!
May God bless you and your family this Christmas season.
Friday, December 14, 2007
If we make it through December…
In the northern climes, December is the darkest month. The Prairie Hawk (the wind) creeps slowly, relentlessly, and coldly across the prairie, raising its head and velocity to remind us of how vulnerable we could be if it were not for modern technology.
It’s a time when people struggle with depression. The darkness, the cold, the pressure and busyness of the holidays add to the mix. Merle Haggard’s song “If We Make It Through December” in part says: “If we make it through December everything’s gonna be alright I know; It’s the coldest time of winter and I shiver when I see the falling snow;” (check out the following site & scroll down for the words.) http://members.fortunecity.com/ctymidi/LYRICS/if_we_make_it_through_december.htm
In Minnesota in December it’s dark, it’s cold, and we have January cold and March snow yet to look forward to… “In the midst of this darkness there is hope, a light that burns, the Little Child, the King of Kings some day will return” words of a song sung by Scott Wesley Brown entitled “This Little Child.” (Click Link above to hear this song) We can become pessimistic and depressed or we can choose to look for the good. Here are some good examples:
* Last Sunday morning Tim Tebow and Danny Wuerffel were on Fox and Friends. Tebow was named the Heisman Trophy winner and Danny Wuerffel, a former Heisman winner, was his mentor. Both men are devout Christians, both kept their heads, both gave glory to the Lord. They were powerful Christian witnesses. God will get His message out; in the midst of darkness, there is light that burns.
* On a recent Dr. Phil Show, he was dealing with what Dr. Phil deals with…broken relationships, sins of all sorts. T. D. Jakes, a Texas Pastor, was also a guest who, in the space of one hour, told people that their only hope and victory over sin is found only in Jesus Christ. God gets His message out; in the midst of darkness, there is a light that burns.
* The Three Amigos of Cokato, Jerry Terning, Rollie Severson and Russ Irving are three boyhood friends. Now retired Christian businessmen, they were just named Citizens of the Year in Cokato. A front page article in the paper told of their humble service to the community. They gave all the glory to the Lord. God gets His message out; in the midst of darkness, there is light.
* A Minneapolis police woman was fired for not being truthful; she went to Colorado, met Christ and her life was transformed. She is a member of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs and since she is licensed to carry a weapon, has volunteered as a security person there. On Sunday morning, Matthew Murray, a Christian hater, came to the church with 1,000 rounds of ammunition to do much harm. He did as he killed two young sisters. Out of the hallway came Jeanne Assam; the former policewoman. She was the right person in the right place at the right time. God once again displayed His sovereign power. In her own words she was strengthened by God’s power. She shot the young shooter and lives were saved. God gets His message out; in the midst of darkness there is a light that shines.
Christian, it is not the time to be depressed; it is the time we go to our prayer closet, get on our knees, confess our sin, and thank God for His sovereign grace. We then need to get up, put on our God given armor (Ephesians 6) and step outside for the battle has come to us. Yes, it has come to us. God will accomplish His purposes whether we go with Him or not. He doesn’t need us but chooses to use us. Are we ready for the battle?
Remember this, yet in the midst of this darkness there is a hope, a light that burns, this Little Child, the King of Kings some day will return. Heads up people, the battle belongs to the Lord.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Never too old…
Joshua 13:1: When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the Lord said to him “You are very old and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.”
I’m 60 years old. Yes, I’m heading to geezer Ville; or in the opinion of some, I’ve been there for awhile. Getting old is something we try to delay. Getting old is inevitable; it will happen no matter what we do to delay it.
The question I have is “How do we grow old?” In America, we retire. I have no problems with that but what I see that concerns me is that we also retire from Christian service. “I’ve done my share;” “Let the young people do it” are some of the things said.
What I like about Joshua 13:1 is this—the Lord tells it like it is—Joshua you’re old, no getting around that but…you have not finished your work. Joshua, you have work to do; get with it.
We look forward to retirement. That’s ok but what has God called you to do? What is your Spiritual passion? What gifts has God given you? What talents has God blessed you with? Are you still doing it or have your spiritually retired? Have you given up and given in to a spirit of pessimism and sloth? We don’t have to “be old” to fall into this trap. Joshua had work to do; the Lord wanted him to do it, and he did. The Lord is faithful. Joshua 21:43-45 says: “So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”
Joshua is nearing the end of his life. He says farewell to the leaders. In part he says, "Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed” (Joshua 23:14).
As I write, the early morning news is reporting on the shootings yesterday at the shopping mall in Omaha, Nebraska. The young man who did the shooting was kicked out of his home a year ago. Another family took him in and was trying to help him.
Is there work for us to do? I think so. Brothers and sisters, lift up you head, you’re a child of the King. There is work to do. I don’t care if you’re young or old, people need to know Christ. The Lord is willing to use us all—young and old. “You are very old,” the Lord said to Joshua—no spin doctoring here. “Joshua, you’re old but get to work.”
And besides all of this, the Lord fulfills all His promises, not one has failed.
We should not be afraid of anything the Lord will prevail.
“Lift High the Cross, the Love of Christ Proclaim.”
I’m 60 years old. Yes, I’m heading to geezer Ville; or in the opinion of some, I’ve been there for awhile. Getting old is something we try to delay. Getting old is inevitable; it will happen no matter what we do to delay it.
The question I have is “How do we grow old?” In America, we retire. I have no problems with that but what I see that concerns me is that we also retire from Christian service. “I’ve done my share;” “Let the young people do it” are some of the things said.
What I like about Joshua 13:1 is this—the Lord tells it like it is—Joshua you’re old, no getting around that but…you have not finished your work. Joshua, you have work to do; get with it.
We look forward to retirement. That’s ok but what has God called you to do? What is your Spiritual passion? What gifts has God given you? What talents has God blessed you with? Are you still doing it or have your spiritually retired? Have you given up and given in to a spirit of pessimism and sloth? We don’t have to “be old” to fall into this trap. Joshua had work to do; the Lord wanted him to do it, and he did. The Lord is faithful. Joshua 21:43-45 says: “So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”
Joshua is nearing the end of his life. He says farewell to the leaders. In part he says, "Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed” (Joshua 23:14).
As I write, the early morning news is reporting on the shootings yesterday at the shopping mall in Omaha, Nebraska. The young man who did the shooting was kicked out of his home a year ago. Another family took him in and was trying to help him.
Is there work for us to do? I think so. Brothers and sisters, lift up you head, you’re a child of the King. There is work to do. I don’t care if you’re young or old, people need to know Christ. The Lord is willing to use us all—young and old. “You are very old,” the Lord said to Joshua—no spin doctoring here. “Joshua, you’re old but get to work.”
And besides all of this, the Lord fulfills all His promises, not one has failed.
We should not be afraid of anything the Lord will prevail.
“Lift High the Cross, the Love of Christ Proclaim.”
Friday, November 30, 2007
“You made your nest, now sleep in it!” - A lesson from the prairie in Christian compassion
I grew up on the prairie of Western Minnesota with other first and second generation Americans of German, Dutch, Czechoslovakian, and Scandinavian descent. The rules were simple: believe in the Lord, work hard, obey God and things will work out for you--most of the time.
Once in awhile someone would not play by the rules. Someone would marry outside their own church or ethnic group for example. It was said of them, and sometimes to them, “Well, you made your own nest, now sleep in it.”
We thought of ourselves as “good” people although hard headed. We felt like we believed in all the right stuff. One lesson of the prairie was this, you screw up, and you pay the price. The price paid was usually being isolated from the “good” people who hadn’t screwed up. People talked, sometimes ridiculed them behind their backs and sometimes ridiculed them to their face. Growing up and seeing this type of attitude kept us in line, for awhile, and we lived in fear of the day when we would “make our own nest.”
What if God would have “left us” in the nest we made? I mean we are all born sinners, right? God gave Adam a chance; he blew it. As a result of that, we blow it also. We were screwed before we started. But tough for us—God has His standards; we fall short and we honestly know that. We do suffer the consequences of our own sin. We made our nest now we must sleep in it.
Not so with God. He came and gave us a gift. He gave us the gift of forgiveness of our sins. He restores our relationship with Him through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. We did nothing but earn His wrath but the Lord sent His own Son to the cross to die for our sins. This is the good news for us.
I ask you a question: What right do we have as Christians to look down our noses at people “who made their own nest” and pass judgment on them?
I heard about a Christian who ended up in a wheel chair for life because of an accident. Yes, in some ways a stupid accident. He spends a lot of his life alone. He senses peoples unspoken “you made your own nest attitude.” This may be true but God has not left him alone. This is good news. In Psalm 103:13-18 it says: As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”
We as fathers are to have compassion on our children. Yes, we are to have compassion on our children. Then it says the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him (those who have an awesome respect for who He is.) In verse 14 it says: “for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are but dust. We are fragile “crumbling dust” sinners in need of a Savior.
The Lord has compassion on us even when we show little, if any, to other people. We “good” people are good at justifying our lack of true Christian compassion because we have not fully realized the depth of our sin, the darkness of our own heart, and yes, we even squirm away from the calling of our God given conscience. If we would only stop and consider those “who have made their own nest.” If it were not for God’s grace, we could be in the same position. In a wheel chair for life…by the grace of God go I.
In Psalm 103 compassion is mentioned three times. It is mentioned in the same sentence with love and grace. We would do well to remember that. When we judge a brother or sister in trouble, we would do well to remember grace and love.
God help us. Amen
Once in awhile someone would not play by the rules. Someone would marry outside their own church or ethnic group for example. It was said of them, and sometimes to them, “Well, you made your own nest, now sleep in it.”
We thought of ourselves as “good” people although hard headed. We felt like we believed in all the right stuff. One lesson of the prairie was this, you screw up, and you pay the price. The price paid was usually being isolated from the “good” people who hadn’t screwed up. People talked, sometimes ridiculed them behind their backs and sometimes ridiculed them to their face. Growing up and seeing this type of attitude kept us in line, for awhile, and we lived in fear of the day when we would “make our own nest.”
What if God would have “left us” in the nest we made? I mean we are all born sinners, right? God gave Adam a chance; he blew it. As a result of that, we blow it also. We were screwed before we started. But tough for us—God has His standards; we fall short and we honestly know that. We do suffer the consequences of our own sin. We made our nest now we must sleep in it.
Not so with God. He came and gave us a gift. He gave us the gift of forgiveness of our sins. He restores our relationship with Him through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. We did nothing but earn His wrath but the Lord sent His own Son to the cross to die for our sins. This is the good news for us.
I ask you a question: What right do we have as Christians to look down our noses at people “who made their own nest” and pass judgment on them?
I heard about a Christian who ended up in a wheel chair for life because of an accident. Yes, in some ways a stupid accident. He spends a lot of his life alone. He senses peoples unspoken “you made your own nest attitude.” This may be true but God has not left him alone. This is good news. In Psalm 103:13-18 it says: As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children--with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”
We as fathers are to have compassion on our children. Yes, we are to have compassion on our children. Then it says the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him (those who have an awesome respect for who He is.) In verse 14 it says: “for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are but dust. We are fragile “crumbling dust” sinners in need of a Savior.
The Lord has compassion on us even when we show little, if any, to other people. We “good” people are good at justifying our lack of true Christian compassion because we have not fully realized the depth of our sin, the darkness of our own heart, and yes, we even squirm away from the calling of our God given conscience. If we would only stop and consider those “who have made their own nest.” If it were not for God’s grace, we could be in the same position. In a wheel chair for life…by the grace of God go I.
In Psalm 103 compassion is mentioned three times. It is mentioned in the same sentence with love and grace. We would do well to remember that. When we judge a brother or sister in trouble, we would do well to remember grace and love.
God help us. Amen
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Thanksgiving Day Heroes
I have Thanksgiving Day off; some people, though, are working and some are ministering.
One person who is out helping is our one-time neighbor boy, former Army Ranger, Roscoe. Roscoe was a member of an elite Army Ranger Unit, served three tours of duty in the war zones and is now back in Minnesota going to school.
Roscoe got a call this week that one of his best Army Ranger friend's had been killed in the line of duty. Roscoe dropped what he was doing and headed to Georgia to be with his friend’s wife and family to help in any way he could. Ranger’s always stick together. I talked to Roscoe’s dad and he said that today Roscoe is driving his friend’s wife and family from Georgia to New York for the Army Ranger’s funeral. Roscoe is doing not talking. He is a true friend. I’m thankful for soldiers and the example of faithful friends.
My friend Bruce is ministering today to the street people in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Bruce is a recovered drug addict, Christian Brother, family man, business owner and proud descendent of Irish mercenaries. Bruce is tired of traditional “sit in the pew and smile” Christianity. He is out doing. Yesterday he took $100, went to Menards early in the morning to buy as many stocking caps and gloves possible for the $100. The store manager found out about his mission and promptly cut the glove and cap prices in half. Other people overheard what he was doing and began to donate. Bruce left the store with over 150 pairs of gloves and over 150 stocking caps. He was so excited he called me. I had tears and goose bumps; we shouted Halleluiah. We praised the God who will do more than we ever imagined. I am thankful God has surrounded me with friends who live out their faith and expect no praise from men.
In the beautiful hills and plateaus of Western Wisconsin at 5:30 this morning, the same as every other morning of the year, dairy farmer Gary Brunner begins another 16 hour day as he walks to the dairy barn to begin milking. Gary is married to my niece Laurie. Gary is a powerfully built, low to the ground, Packer fan, and Wisconsin dairy farmer of Austrian descendent. He is quiet and unassuming. Gary has always milked cows.
Every day in America we go to the store and expect milk and cheese to be there so we can buy it. It’s always there. Do we ever stop and contemplate one minute the work, effort and sacrifice that has been expended to have that gallon of milk at our grasp anytime we want it?
Thank you for dedicated farmers like Gary, Laurie, Austin, Katie and “my buddy” Jordan; they make my life easy. May I never take them for granted.
May God Bless Roscoe, Bruce, and the Brunner family. May God Bless you and keep you on this Thanksgiving Day.
One person who is out helping is our one-time neighbor boy, former Army Ranger, Roscoe. Roscoe was a member of an elite Army Ranger Unit, served three tours of duty in the war zones and is now back in Minnesota going to school.
Roscoe got a call this week that one of his best Army Ranger friend's had been killed in the line of duty. Roscoe dropped what he was doing and headed to Georgia to be with his friend’s wife and family to help in any way he could. Ranger’s always stick together. I talked to Roscoe’s dad and he said that today Roscoe is driving his friend’s wife and family from Georgia to New York for the Army Ranger’s funeral. Roscoe is doing not talking. He is a true friend. I’m thankful for soldiers and the example of faithful friends.
My friend Bruce is ministering today to the street people in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Bruce is a recovered drug addict, Christian Brother, family man, business owner and proud descendent of Irish mercenaries. Bruce is tired of traditional “sit in the pew and smile” Christianity. He is out doing. Yesterday he took $100, went to Menards early in the morning to buy as many stocking caps and gloves possible for the $100. The store manager found out about his mission and promptly cut the glove and cap prices in half. Other people overheard what he was doing and began to donate. Bruce left the store with over 150 pairs of gloves and over 150 stocking caps. He was so excited he called me. I had tears and goose bumps; we shouted Halleluiah. We praised the God who will do more than we ever imagined. I am thankful God has surrounded me with friends who live out their faith and expect no praise from men.
In the beautiful hills and plateaus of Western Wisconsin at 5:30 this morning, the same as every other morning of the year, dairy farmer Gary Brunner begins another 16 hour day as he walks to the dairy barn to begin milking. Gary is married to my niece Laurie. Gary is a powerfully built, low to the ground, Packer fan, and Wisconsin dairy farmer of Austrian descendent. He is quiet and unassuming. Gary has always milked cows.
Every day in America we go to the store and expect milk and cheese to be there so we can buy it. It’s always there. Do we ever stop and contemplate one minute the work, effort and sacrifice that has been expended to have that gallon of milk at our grasp anytime we want it?
Thank you for dedicated farmers like Gary, Laurie, Austin, Katie and “my buddy” Jordan; they make my life easy. May I never take them for granted.
May God Bless Roscoe, Bruce, and the Brunner family. May God Bless you and keep you on this Thanksgiving Day.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
What pleases God? Let the Scriptures speak…
I read in Ephesians 5:10 where it says in the NIV, “and find out what pleases the Lord.” What pleases the Lord?
Hebrews 11:6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 13:16: …and do not forget to do good and share with others for with such sacrifices, God is pleased.
Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 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.
Psalm 69:30-31: I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.
Micah 6:7-8: Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
I Timothy 5:4: But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
I Timothy 2:1-3: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
Colossians 1:10-13: And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
I Thessalonians. 4:1-12: Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Galatians 6:7-8: Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Romans 15:2-4: Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
1 John 2:17: The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Hebrews 11:6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 13:16: …and do not forget to do good and share with others for with such sacrifices, God is pleased.
Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 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.
Psalm 69:30-31: I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.
Micah 6:7-8: Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
I Timothy 5:4: But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.
I Timothy 2:1-3: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
Colossians 1:10-13: And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
I Thessalonians. 4:1-12: Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Galatians 6:7-8: Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Romans 15:2-4: Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
1 John 2:17: The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
A Veterans’ Day Reminder
In early October in Danube, Minnesota, The American Legion presented eleven World War II Veterans with their World War II Medallions. The medallions were given in conjunction with the unveiling of the Minnesota World War II Memorial in St. Paul earlier in the year. For those who could not go to the ceremony in St. Paul, the Danube Legion presented the veterans’ medallions that day.
In the group was a former POW of Germans; another man who went in on D-Day who also fought in North Africa, at Anzio in Italy and survived the Battle of the Bulge. We were in the presence of heroes but you wouldn’t know it. There was no chest pounding bravado; no stories told of great exploits. The afternoon was an afternoon of subdued respect and reflection.
One of the veterans commented, “I wonder if those Frenchmen and Germans remember what we did over there?”
In the 1960’s Charles de Gaulle, President of France, wanted all American soldiers off French soil. Then President John Kennedy sent Secretary of State Dean Rusk to France to talk to de Gaulle. Rusk asked de Gaulle if his request to have all American soldiers off French soil included those buried at Normandy. De Gaulle said nothing. Rusk returned to Washington, D.C.
We have a long relationship with the country of France. In the Revolutionary War against Great Britain, the French supported us when we fought for our freedom. We owe them. Have we forgotten their sacrifice? Have they forgotten America’s sacrifice in World War I and World War II?
Yesterday, November 7th, French President Sarkozy addressed a joint session of Congress. In part, this is what he said: “The United States and France remain true to the memory of their common history. Our duty is to remain true to the blood spilled by our children on both sides of the Atlantic in common battles. France will never forget the sacrifice of your children.” (Referring to the arrival of American troops on the beaches of Normandy to liberate the French from the Nazi occupation in World War II.) "At a time when my country had reached the final limits of its strengths, the time when France was exhausted, had spent its strength in the most absurd and bloodiest of wars, France was able to count upon the courage of American soldiers and I have come to say to you on behalf of the French people that never, never will we forget that.”
The French have not forgotten; neither should we. To be free, a price needs to be paid. In a political sense, “our children”, as Sarkozy said, shed the blood.
It’s good to be reminded that in the political realm, a price has been paid and we must call on men to continue to pay the price of freedom with vigilance and yes, even personal sacrifice.
To be free spiritually, blood needed to be shed. In the spiritual realm, God shed the blood in the person of His one and only Son Jesus Christ. Have you accepted His gift of ultimate freedom?
In the spiritual sense, the price has been paid; the work is already done. Jesus paid the complete pardon for our sin thus we are free, yes free, indeed.
Remember on this Veterans’ Day, if you are a believer, you are free indeed. Free indeed. We are blessed. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
In the group was a former POW of Germans; another man who went in on D-Day who also fought in North Africa, at Anzio in Italy and survived the Battle of the Bulge. We were in the presence of heroes but you wouldn’t know it. There was no chest pounding bravado; no stories told of great exploits. The afternoon was an afternoon of subdued respect and reflection.
One of the veterans commented, “I wonder if those Frenchmen and Germans remember what we did over there?”
In the 1960’s Charles de Gaulle, President of France, wanted all American soldiers off French soil. Then President John Kennedy sent Secretary of State Dean Rusk to France to talk to de Gaulle. Rusk asked de Gaulle if his request to have all American soldiers off French soil included those buried at Normandy. De Gaulle said nothing. Rusk returned to Washington, D.C.
We have a long relationship with the country of France. In the Revolutionary War against Great Britain, the French supported us when we fought for our freedom. We owe them. Have we forgotten their sacrifice? Have they forgotten America’s sacrifice in World War I and World War II?
Yesterday, November 7th, French President Sarkozy addressed a joint session of Congress. In part, this is what he said: “The United States and France remain true to the memory of their common history. Our duty is to remain true to the blood spilled by our children on both sides of the Atlantic in common battles. France will never forget the sacrifice of your children.” (Referring to the arrival of American troops on the beaches of Normandy to liberate the French from the Nazi occupation in World War II.) "At a time when my country had reached the final limits of its strengths, the time when France was exhausted, had spent its strength in the most absurd and bloodiest of wars, France was able to count upon the courage of American soldiers and I have come to say to you on behalf of the French people that never, never will we forget that.”
The French have not forgotten; neither should we. To be free, a price needs to be paid. In a political sense, “our children”, as Sarkozy said, shed the blood.
It’s good to be reminded that in the political realm, a price has been paid and we must call on men to continue to pay the price of freedom with vigilance and yes, even personal sacrifice.
To be free spiritually, blood needed to be shed. In the spiritual realm, God shed the blood in the person of His one and only Son Jesus Christ. Have you accepted His gift of ultimate freedom?
In the spiritual sense, the price has been paid; the work is already done. Jesus paid the complete pardon for our sin thus we are free, yes free, indeed.
Remember on this Veterans’ Day, if you are a believer, you are free indeed. Free indeed. We are blessed. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Coming and Going
Matt. 28:16-20: “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Luke 14:23: "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full."
The church today is enamored with programs. If we choose the right program “they” will come. We need to have a “good” praise team; we buff up everything physical and spiritual. We hope people will be impressed by our church. They come and they stay until they see our warts. (Yes, we all have a flat side.) They come and stay until they see the good and the bad. Then they leave to visit another “buffed up” church and the endless search goes on for the perfect church, one they will never find this side of Heaven.
Jesus told us to go; go to all the world; go to the world’s turf. It is rarely done today in the “real world” or “the street”. The world sees us (the church) as irrelevant and out of touch; distant and afraid.
But when we go to a hurting world, we meet them where they are—no preconceived notions here. When we meet the world on their turf they will wonder “they must be different because no one has come to us before.” When we go to the world, they are comfortable with us. We see them as they are and they see us as we are, warts included, in the midst of pain, suffering, mourning, hassle, and dirt. They see us for who we are, no buffed up image here. In these situations we do not impress, we minister.
When we go to the back roads, the out of the way places and share Christ, the “street” and we (the church) don’t have any buffed up image to maintain. Their expectations of us, the church, is real. We see them for who they are, we remember who we once were; we are not puffed up, and pumped up “suits of hot air.” We live out our compassion. We are to live our faith and they see it.
The “street” is smart; it sees a fraud a mile away. They have had to be “street smart” to survive and survive they will. But if they don’t know Christ, they struggle and survive this life only to spend eternity in hell. How sad.
How will they know Christ? When we go to the street and the world and reveal Christ to them. When Christ graciously chooses them, He says: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
To the world He says come. He tells us to go…
Luke 14:23: "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full."
The church today is enamored with programs. If we choose the right program “they” will come. We need to have a “good” praise team; we buff up everything physical and spiritual. We hope people will be impressed by our church. They come and they stay until they see our warts. (Yes, we all have a flat side.) They come and stay until they see the good and the bad. Then they leave to visit another “buffed up” church and the endless search goes on for the perfect church, one they will never find this side of Heaven.
Jesus told us to go; go to all the world; go to the world’s turf. It is rarely done today in the “real world” or “the street”. The world sees us (the church) as irrelevant and out of touch; distant and afraid.
But when we go to a hurting world, we meet them where they are—no preconceived notions here. When we meet the world on their turf they will wonder “they must be different because no one has come to us before.” When we go to the world, they are comfortable with us. We see them as they are and they see us as we are, warts included, in the midst of pain, suffering, mourning, hassle, and dirt. They see us for who we are, no buffed up image here. In these situations we do not impress, we minister.
When we go to the back roads, the out of the way places and share Christ, the “street” and we (the church) don’t have any buffed up image to maintain. Their expectations of us, the church, is real. We see them for who they are, we remember who we once were; we are not puffed up, and pumped up “suits of hot air.” We live out our compassion. We are to live our faith and they see it.
The “street” is smart; it sees a fraud a mile away. They have had to be “street smart” to survive and survive they will. But if they don’t know Christ, they struggle and survive this life only to spend eternity in hell. How sad.
How will they know Christ? When we go to the street and the world and reveal Christ to them. When Christ graciously chooses them, He says: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
To the world He says come. He tells us to go…
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