Last Wednesday we buried our Uncle Benny. He was married to our Aunt Lillian; they divorced but Benny remained our Uncle. He was our uncle by choice.
Benny was a farmer and up until his middle 80’s, owned and operated a lawn mowing business. After they took away his drivers license, he drove his lawn mower uptown. In his small town, the people left him alone; everyone in town understood his predicament and smiled. He was outgoing and friendly yet cautious.
Benny was more than a farmer and business owner. He was a veteran of World War II; he was an infantry man. He served in the European/African Theatre and Asiatic/Pacific Theatre of operations. Benny never talked much about his military experience. He was proud to serve. I never heard any self-serving bravado come out of his mouth.
In April 1969, I came home after a year and a half in Southeast Asia. Everybody I knew was involved in spring planting season so I went up and helped Uncle Benny for four days. He was appreciative; he was always appreciative. We had a good four days; we accomplished a lot. I enjoyed working with him; even when I was a kid I enjoyed working with him. After we finished supper the last night I was there, Benny said to me, “We need a drink to celebrate finishing our work and celebrating that you made it home ok.” I agreed.
As we visited, he began to talk about his experience in World War II. He said war is bad, but they must be fought; evil has to be challenged and stopped. As an infantry man, Benny saw first hand the pain and suffering of his friends. He told me of going five days straight without sleep, only catching a nap here and there. He told me that at the end of the five days, his uniform was soaked and caked with the blood of his dying friends; he lost many friends. Benny sat with his face down, tears flowed from his eyes. Some 25 plus years later, Benny wondered why he lived and others had to die. He understood—some will die so others can live. So goes the sadness and brutality of any war.
The priest at Benny’s service said, “If there is a good day for a funeral, today is a good day to bury a farmer and a veteran.” It was warm; farmers were beginning to work the lighter ground. You could smell spring in the air.
After the service as Benny’s casket was removed from St. Mary’s Church, it was quiet. The bell was rung, its sound rippled through the not-quite budded ash trees. The American Legion Color Guard stood at attention; no one said a word; we all watched as they put Benny into the hearse. Sadly, the world is not impressed with a man like Benny. He was too common, too simple, too unassuming BUT Benny was my friend and hero. It was a good day to lay Uncle Benny down. Thursday morning the sun came over the eastern horizon. Life must go on and I was blessed to have known him.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The One Thing Necessary, or Move over Martha
Luke 10:42: "but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Let’s save each other some time. Mary was suspected of sloughing off; not contributing to the work that needed to be done. She was judged as a woman with “her head in the clouds”. BUT Jesus praises her because Mary just wants to be with Jesus. She wants to learn from Him.
In Psalm 27:4 it says: "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple."
How can we be with Jesus even after He has ascended into Heaven? Get into His Word, the God-inspired Bible, and pray. Praying is relationship with the Almighty, Holy, and Sovereign God of the Universe. What a privilege to come into His presence and lay out our heart. Why such confidence? Our Savior Jesus has provided the way through His shed blood, His suffering, His resurrection and victory over sin and death, and the sending of His Holy Spirit. Yes, because of Jesus, we can approach the throne of grace confidently. Hebrews 4:16 says: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Do you want to be with Jesus? If so, get into His Word! Jesus died; men and women have died so we can hold and read God’s word in our own language. We spend money on The Truth Project, Walk Across the Room Evangelism classes; we’ve done Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life; we purchased and watched Reggie McNeal’s videos; Alpha Program; we’ve had __________ (you fill in the blank) and more.
Guess what? Has anything changed?? In spite of all those programs, nothing appears to have changed. I have observed us going to these sessions. In one church, no one had their Bible in the session. We love listening to men (no matter how well intentioned they are) who are mere men and nothing more happens.
When we hold God’s Word in our hands, (John 17:17 – “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”) we hold the truth in our hands. Jesus is the truth and the light. If you want to be with Jesus, read and study, consume, savor, immerse yourself in His awe inspiring, life transforming word. When we hold the Bible in our hands, we hold the collected work of God’s inspired word of the ages. It will never perish but we will. Isaiah 55:10-12 says, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
Do you want a transformed life? Do you want to live a life of praise amidst this age of lies, trials, and mistrust? Then read and savor God’s word. Get yourself a good study Bible in a language you can understand. Pray for God to transform your mind and He will make His word come alive. Psalm 119:103-105: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Sit at Jesus feet and just be with Jesus—the one necessary thing.
We don’t need any more classes written and taught by mere men. We need to devour God’s inspired words. Yes, we’ve been busy in the kitchen with every other program and class and the truth is, we are not changed; it has made little if any difference. Move over Martha is their room for us in your kitchen? Rather, let’s go sit at the feet of Jesus where there is room for all; come and do the one thing necessary--with Jesus. And yes, I also realize it is not popular these days either. There is always room at the foot of the cross. There is always room at the feet of Jesus. Come; come and be transformed! Come and savor God’s Word and pray over all of it!
Let’s save each other some time. Mary was suspected of sloughing off; not contributing to the work that needed to be done. She was judged as a woman with “her head in the clouds”. BUT Jesus praises her because Mary just wants to be with Jesus. She wants to learn from Him.
In Psalm 27:4 it says: "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple."
How can we be with Jesus even after He has ascended into Heaven? Get into His Word, the God-inspired Bible, and pray. Praying is relationship with the Almighty, Holy, and Sovereign God of the Universe. What a privilege to come into His presence and lay out our heart. Why such confidence? Our Savior Jesus has provided the way through His shed blood, His suffering, His resurrection and victory over sin and death, and the sending of His Holy Spirit. Yes, because of Jesus, we can approach the throne of grace confidently. Hebrews 4:16 says: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Do you want to be with Jesus? If so, get into His Word! Jesus died; men and women have died so we can hold and read God’s word in our own language. We spend money on The Truth Project, Walk Across the Room Evangelism classes; we’ve done Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life; we purchased and watched Reggie McNeal’s videos; Alpha Program; we’ve had __________ (you fill in the blank) and more.
Guess what? Has anything changed?? In spite of all those programs, nothing appears to have changed. I have observed us going to these sessions. In one church, no one had their Bible in the session. We love listening to men (no matter how well intentioned they are) who are mere men and nothing more happens.
When we hold God’s Word in our hands, (John 17:17 – “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”) we hold the truth in our hands. Jesus is the truth and the light. If you want to be with Jesus, read and study, consume, savor, immerse yourself in His awe inspiring, life transforming word. When we hold the Bible in our hands, we hold the collected work of God’s inspired word of the ages. It will never perish but we will. Isaiah 55:10-12 says, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
Do you want a transformed life? Do you want to live a life of praise amidst this age of lies, trials, and mistrust? Then read and savor God’s word. Get yourself a good study Bible in a language you can understand. Pray for God to transform your mind and He will make His word come alive. Psalm 119:103-105: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Sit at Jesus feet and just be with Jesus—the one necessary thing.
We don’t need any more classes written and taught by mere men. We need to devour God’s inspired words. Yes, we’ve been busy in the kitchen with every other program and class and the truth is, we are not changed; it has made little if any difference. Move over Martha is their room for us in your kitchen? Rather, let’s go sit at the feet of Jesus where there is room for all; come and do the one thing necessary--with Jesus. And yes, I also realize it is not popular these days either. There is always room at the foot of the cross. There is always room at the feet of Jesus. Come; come and be transformed! Come and savor God’s Word and pray over all of it!
Thursday, April 09, 2009
We are all beggars
The following is a quote from Frederick S. Leahy’s book The Cross He Bore. I feel it says it better than anything I could have prepared for Easter.
“As in thought and experience we stand before the cross, we tremble as we consider the wrath of God which flames forth against his Son. We tremble, too, when we think of the sin which incurred such fearful judgment—our sin. Here the awakened soul can only cry out, ‘God be merciful to me the sinner.’ That is all we dare ask for. Here and nowhere else abundant mercy is found. Christina Rossetti had it right—
'None other Lamb, none other Name,
None other Hope in heaven or earth or sea,
None other Hiding-place from guilt and shame,
None beside Thee.”
“The proud, self-sufficient, modern humanist despises the whole idea of forgiveness. Like the blustering W.E. Henley, he sees himself as master of his fate and captain of his soul. ‘Forgiveness’, said George Bernard Shaw, ‘is a beggar’s refuge. We must pay our debts.’ About the time of Luther’s death, a piece of paper was found in his pocket on which he had written in Latin and German, ‘This is true. We are all beggars.’ There is the contrast between the stony heart of unbelief and the heart of flesh that weeps for sin and looks in faith to the crucified and risen Savior for mercy.”
“The forgiven, restored sinner willingly takes up his cross and follows the Lord Jesus Christ. That cross is whatever the Christian suffers for the sake of Christ and his truth. In bearing that cross there is peace and blessedness as the Christian experiences the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. Not that we can share in the redemptive suffering of Christ, but rather that we seek by God’s grace to deny self, accept the anguish of the struggle against sin and bear meekly the scorn of a world that rejects Christ. ‘There are some’, said Samuel Rutherford, ‘who would have Christ cheap. They would have Him without the cross. But the price will not come down.’”
“The hand that reaches out for salvation must be empty. Everything of self must be disowned. We are debtors to mercy alone. We are all beggars.”
“As in thought and experience we stand before the cross, we tremble as we consider the wrath of God which flames forth against his Son. We tremble, too, when we think of the sin which incurred such fearful judgment—our sin. Here the awakened soul can only cry out, ‘God be merciful to me the sinner.’ That is all we dare ask for. Here and nowhere else abundant mercy is found. Christina Rossetti had it right—
'None other Lamb, none other Name,
None other Hope in heaven or earth or sea,
None other Hiding-place from guilt and shame,
None beside Thee.”
“The proud, self-sufficient, modern humanist despises the whole idea of forgiveness. Like the blustering W.E. Henley, he sees himself as master of his fate and captain of his soul. ‘Forgiveness’, said George Bernard Shaw, ‘is a beggar’s refuge. We must pay our debts.’ About the time of Luther’s death, a piece of paper was found in his pocket on which he had written in Latin and German, ‘This is true. We are all beggars.’ There is the contrast between the stony heart of unbelief and the heart of flesh that weeps for sin and looks in faith to the crucified and risen Savior for mercy.”
“The forgiven, restored sinner willingly takes up his cross and follows the Lord Jesus Christ. That cross is whatever the Christian suffers for the sake of Christ and his truth. In bearing that cross there is peace and blessedness as the Christian experiences the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings. Not that we can share in the redemptive suffering of Christ, but rather that we seek by God’s grace to deny self, accept the anguish of the struggle against sin and bear meekly the scorn of a world that rejects Christ. ‘There are some’, said Samuel Rutherford, ‘who would have Christ cheap. They would have Him without the cross. But the price will not come down.’”
“The hand that reaches out for salvation must be empty. Everything of self must be disowned. We are debtors to mercy alone. We are all beggars.”
Thursday, April 02, 2009
A Las Vegas Homeless Man’s Smile
James 4:13-15: "Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
Habakkuk 3:17-18: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior."
Andy was driving home from work when he approached an intersection for a right turn. He noticed a homeless man in the crosswalk walking his bike across the street. He was scruffy, not dirty; in his 50’s or 60’s. He had an American flag on his bike along with a small bed roll and two small bags of his “stuff”. He noticed Andy waiting to turn and began to walk a lot faster to clear the intersection quicker so Andy could turn sooner. Andy was in no hurry but appreciated the act of kindness. They exchanged glances and Andy waved a “thank you” his way. The homeless man smiled. Andy drove down the street with his spirits lifted because of a kind act from a homeless man. Then it hit Andy, “Give him some money.” Andy did a u-turn and back tracked to talk with the homeless man. Andy offered the money and the homeless man said “No; that’s ok, I have enough.”
The homeless man had enough?? Really, the homeless man said he had enough! We live in an age of massive bail-outs, Madoff’s Ponzi schemes, AIG million dollar bonuses and the homeless man says he has “enough”. I wondered, does he have health care? Could he be a veteran? He probably has no social security to trust in or become worried about. We fret and anguish over our diminishing resources and we worry while we sit, well fed, in our warm houses.
I realized the homeless man has more faith than I! Yes, he is on the front line, his tomorrows are not guaranteed. He has no guarantee he will have food and shelter to face another day. Come to think of it, I don’t have any guarantees either. I live each moment like he does—in God’s grace. Every beat of my heart, every breath I take is an undeserved gift from my Creator.
Through this brief encounter, this nameless, homeless man taught me and Andy a lesson. Quit our grousing, lift up our heads, and make someone else’s life better, even if it is a smile to a red-headed kid from Minnesota going home from work.
May God bless you and keep you this day. May we trust in you, Almighty God. Forgive us for trusting in our stuff and loving our stuff more than you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Habakkuk 3:17-18: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior."
Andy was driving home from work when he approached an intersection for a right turn. He noticed a homeless man in the crosswalk walking his bike across the street. He was scruffy, not dirty; in his 50’s or 60’s. He had an American flag on his bike along with a small bed roll and two small bags of his “stuff”. He noticed Andy waiting to turn and began to walk a lot faster to clear the intersection quicker so Andy could turn sooner. Andy was in no hurry but appreciated the act of kindness. They exchanged glances and Andy waved a “thank you” his way. The homeless man smiled. Andy drove down the street with his spirits lifted because of a kind act from a homeless man. Then it hit Andy, “Give him some money.” Andy did a u-turn and back tracked to talk with the homeless man. Andy offered the money and the homeless man said “No; that’s ok, I have enough.”
The homeless man had enough?? Really, the homeless man said he had enough! We live in an age of massive bail-outs, Madoff’s Ponzi schemes, AIG million dollar bonuses and the homeless man says he has “enough”. I wondered, does he have health care? Could he be a veteran? He probably has no social security to trust in or become worried about. We fret and anguish over our diminishing resources and we worry while we sit, well fed, in our warm houses.
I realized the homeless man has more faith than I! Yes, he is on the front line, his tomorrows are not guaranteed. He has no guarantee he will have food and shelter to face another day. Come to think of it, I don’t have any guarantees either. I live each moment like he does—in God’s grace. Every beat of my heart, every breath I take is an undeserved gift from my Creator.
Through this brief encounter, this nameless, homeless man taught me and Andy a lesson. Quit our grousing, lift up our heads, and make someone else’s life better, even if it is a smile to a red-headed kid from Minnesota going home from work.
May God bless you and keep you this day. May we trust in you, Almighty God. Forgive us for trusting in our stuff and loving our stuff more than you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
“We don’t need water” - Assuming God’s Great Grace
I happened to be present when a husband and wife were discussing where to locate their first garden in many years. The wife wanted it closer to the well so it would be easy to water. The husband had other thoughts; “we don’t need water” he proclaimed with a sense of superiority and disdain.
I am a product of these black land prairies of Western Minnesota. The soil runs deep and dark and it’s good soil. We raise sugar beets, edible peas, sweet corn, edible beans, corn wheat, oats, alfalfa and soybeans among other things. God has been good to us. Not only has He given us great land, but has usually given us abundant rain also. God has been good to Southwest and West Central Minnesota but we have a major league chip on our shoulder. It is this, we expect God to give us rain. God has always given us rain and he always will; it is a prevalent attitude on the prairie. As a matter of fact, in some ways we feel “God owes us.” Forgive us, Lord.
Why were the husband and wife planning their first garden in years? It is because they anticipate economic hard times. Recently on the news I heard that vegetable seed sales are up 20-30% across the nation. If we are expecting hard times, we’d better be on our face asking God for forgiveness rather than arrogantly assuming God will “give us rain, as usual.” In times past, God has taught nations a thing or two by not sending rain. It is dangerous when we assume “He wouldn’t dare do it to us.”
In Job 37:5-13 it says: “God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. 6 He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.' 7 So that all men he has made may know his work, he stops every man from his labor. 8 The animals take cover; they remain in their dens. 9 The tempest comes out from its chamber, the cold from the driving winds. 10 The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen. 11 He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through them. 12 At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them. 13 He brings the clouds to punish men, or to water his earth and show his love.”
Notice what God says in verse 11 through 13. God controls the direction of storms “to do whatever He commands them”!! He brings clouds to punish men and to water His earth and show His love.
God has been and IS good to us (He has shown us His love) but when we assume He will always send the rain, we can be in trouble. What arrogance on our part to assume God owes us anything. God help us. May we always be grateful for all things great and small. Amen
I am a product of these black land prairies of Western Minnesota. The soil runs deep and dark and it’s good soil. We raise sugar beets, edible peas, sweet corn, edible beans, corn wheat, oats, alfalfa and soybeans among other things. God has been good to us. Not only has He given us great land, but has usually given us abundant rain also. God has been good to Southwest and West Central Minnesota but we have a major league chip on our shoulder. It is this, we expect God to give us rain. God has always given us rain and he always will; it is a prevalent attitude on the prairie. As a matter of fact, in some ways we feel “God owes us.” Forgive us, Lord.
Why were the husband and wife planning their first garden in years? It is because they anticipate economic hard times. Recently on the news I heard that vegetable seed sales are up 20-30% across the nation. If we are expecting hard times, we’d better be on our face asking God for forgiveness rather than arrogantly assuming God will “give us rain, as usual.” In times past, God has taught nations a thing or two by not sending rain. It is dangerous when we assume “He wouldn’t dare do it to us.”
In Job 37:5-13 it says: “God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. 6 He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.' 7 So that all men he has made may know his work, he stops every man from his labor. 8 The animals take cover; they remain in their dens. 9 The tempest comes out from its chamber, the cold from the driving winds. 10 The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen. 11 He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through them. 12 At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them. 13 He brings the clouds to punish men, or to water his earth and show his love.”
Notice what God says in verse 11 through 13. God controls the direction of storms “to do whatever He commands them”!! He brings clouds to punish men and to water His earth and show His love.
God has been and IS good to us (He has shown us His love) but when we assume He will always send the rain, we can be in trouble. What arrogance on our part to assume God owes us anything. God help us. May we always be grateful for all things great and small. Amen
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Hiding behind our “glittering images”
I’m pigeon toed. I remember when I was young my Mom said to me, “Quit walking pigeon toed.” I guess she hadn’t noticed before. That night in bed I wondered why my Mom would think I would walk pigeon toed on purpose. She may not have noticed, but my brother and sisters and the kids at school had noticed for quite awhile.
I’m 61 years old and I’m still pigeon toed. I am also overweight; I have thin graying hair among other things. My question is this: What do people see when they see us? Do they see all our physical flaws or do they see our smile: Do they make assessment of our spirit and heart?
Today in our culture we go to great lengths to preserve the perceived “glittering image” of ourselves. We color our hair, wear body shapers, and get “uplift” surgeries for a number of different things in order to preserve our diminishing “glittering image”.
When we protect our “glittering image” what else might we be hiding? Self-deception is a cruel master. We may want to look good to impress others but in the process do we impress or deceive ourselves? When we practice self-deception, our conscience beckons us to be real, we squirm uncomfortably in our glittering wrappings hoping to impress one more time.
I think the kids I grew up with who are still my friends don’t even notice that I’m pigeon toed. We accept one another with all our flaws included. Should anyone think less of us because we have some physical flaw? I think not but some people do notice these things.
“Glittering images” can become dangerous when we need them to get through each day. We become tired when we run from one meeting, one relationship to another with the continual need to impress or even deceive. I do not advocate being a complete lout who never combs his hair or cleans up but some men and women have become very rich helping other people keep up their glittering images but how much “glittering” is enough? This current and upcoming recession may answer these questions for us. When the money is all gone and we can no longer impress with all the “glittering”, the decision will have been made for us.
I’m glad God is not impressed with “glittering images.” In Samuel – choice of David as King (I Samuel 16:7: "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
I Cor. 1:26-31: "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."]
The good news is this—God’s in the transformation business. He is the expert on personal makeovers. Paul says in I Timothy 1:15-17: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
I may not be what I should be but praise God I’m not what I once was. God uses the willing, not the qualified. God alone transforms; I still walk pigeon toed and God doesn’t care how I walk as long as I walk with him.
If your spirit is suffering today, if you feel stupid, foolish, weak, lowly and despised, lift up your head. God uses forgiven people like you and me to change the world and through us displays His unlimited patience. Oh, thank you, Jesus, thank you. Amen.
I’m 61 years old and I’m still pigeon toed. I am also overweight; I have thin graying hair among other things. My question is this: What do people see when they see us? Do they see all our physical flaws or do they see our smile: Do they make assessment of our spirit and heart?
Today in our culture we go to great lengths to preserve the perceived “glittering image” of ourselves. We color our hair, wear body shapers, and get “uplift” surgeries for a number of different things in order to preserve our diminishing “glittering image”.
When we protect our “glittering image” what else might we be hiding? Self-deception is a cruel master. We may want to look good to impress others but in the process do we impress or deceive ourselves? When we practice self-deception, our conscience beckons us to be real, we squirm uncomfortably in our glittering wrappings hoping to impress one more time.
I think the kids I grew up with who are still my friends don’t even notice that I’m pigeon toed. We accept one another with all our flaws included. Should anyone think less of us because we have some physical flaw? I think not but some people do notice these things.
“Glittering images” can become dangerous when we need them to get through each day. We become tired when we run from one meeting, one relationship to another with the continual need to impress or even deceive. I do not advocate being a complete lout who never combs his hair or cleans up but some men and women have become very rich helping other people keep up their glittering images but how much “glittering” is enough? This current and upcoming recession may answer these questions for us. When the money is all gone and we can no longer impress with all the “glittering”, the decision will have been made for us.
I’m glad God is not impressed with “glittering images.” In Samuel – choice of David as King (I Samuel 16:7: "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
I Cor. 1:26-31: "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."]
The good news is this—God’s in the transformation business. He is the expert on personal makeovers. Paul says in I Timothy 1:15-17: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
I may not be what I should be but praise God I’m not what I once was. God uses the willing, not the qualified. God alone transforms; I still walk pigeon toed and God doesn’t care how I walk as long as I walk with him.
If your spirit is suffering today, if you feel stupid, foolish, weak, lowly and despised, lift up your head. God uses forgiven people like you and me to change the world and through us displays His unlimited patience. Oh, thank you, Jesus, thank you. Amen.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wake up American church… or is it too late
In a week with a church shooting in Marysville, Illinois killing 3 people; a shooting rampage in three small Alabama towns killing 12; we stand and scratch our heads and ask why.
This week Michael Spencer wrote an article in The Christian Science Monitor entitled” The Coming Evangelical Collapse,” it says in part:
“The evangelical investment in moral, social, and political issues has depleted our resources and exposed our weaknesses. Being against gay marriage and being rhetorically pro-life will not make up for the fact that massive majorities of Evangelicals can't articulate the Gospel with any coherence. We fell for the trap of believing in a cause more than a faith.”
This week Michael Spencer wrote an article in The Christian Science Monitor entitled” The Coming Evangelical Collapse,” it says in part:
“The evangelical investment in moral, social, and political issues has depleted our resources and exposed our weaknesses. Being against gay marriage and being rhetorically pro-life will not make up for the fact that massive majorities of Evangelicals can't articulate the Gospel with any coherence. We fell for the trap of believing in a cause more than a faith.”
“We Evangelicals have failed to pass on to our young people an orthodox form of faith that can take root and survive the secular onslaught. Ironically, the billions of dollars we've spent on youth ministers, Christian music, publishing, and media has produced a culture of young Christians who know next to nothing about their own faith except how they feel about it. Our young people have deep beliefs about the culture war, but do not know why they should obey scripture, the essentials of theology, or the experience of spiritual discipline and community. Coming generations of Christians are going to be monumentally ignorant and unprepared for culture-wide pressures.” (And may I add, not just young people but most Christians are in the same predicament. )
I ask, “Is the evangelical church going to collapse or is it already gone? ”
In Ezekiel 34 God addresses shepherds (church pastors and leaders—elders, deacons, board members, youth leaders, etc.) and sheep (us or them depending on your perspective). God accused the leaders of the following in Ezekiel 34:1-16:
1) Taking care of themselves not the flock (v.2)
2) Not strengthening the weak (v.4)
3) Not healing the sick (v.4)
4) Not binding up the injured (v.4)
5) Not bringing back the strays (those who left the church for whatever reason) (v.4)
6) Not searching for the lost (v.4)
7) Ruling harshly and brutally (v.4)
Because of Shepherds lack of Godly leadership, the sheep (God’s disciples) have “become food for wild animals;” the world has consumed them and used them and threw them away like last week’s magazine. The sheep were scattered and no one bothered to get off their duff and search for them (1960-2009).
The Shepherds (v. 8) cared for themselves rather than “my flock” (VIP parking and a sense of privilege and exaltation exhibited in some of our leaders). The Lord says, “I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock.” The consequences for the shepherds (v.10): They will be removed from tending the flock and they won’t be able to feed themselves. As I see it, the Lord is through playing games with us pastors and church leaders. God forgive us and help us. Amen
The Lord does not need our help; He chooses to use us. If we do not lead, He will do the following (according to Ezekiel 34)
1) Search for the lost Himself (v. 11)
2) He will look after them (v. 11)
3) “I will rescue them” (v.12)
4) “I will bring them in” (v.13)
5) “I will gather them” (v.13)
6) “I will pasture them” (feed us physically and spiritually) (v.13)
7) He will tend His people (He will do what he promised) v.14
8) He will again search for the lost (v.16)
9) He will bring back the strays (He will go into the world and find the lost, lonely, abused, and forgotten)
10) “I will bind up the injured” v. 16 (the drug user, the abused, the old, the young, the lost sheep)
11) God will strengthen the weak (v.16)
BUT “The sleek” (the slick and creepy ) “and the strong, I will destroy” - v.16 (His words, not mine).
Wake up American Church. Wake up.
And He ends v. 16 with this, “I shepherd the flock with justice.”
Thank you, Jesus; come quickly Lord Jesus. Save us from sin. Amen
Ezekiel 34:1-16: 1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.
7 " 'Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD : 8 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, 9 therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD : 10 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.
11 " 'For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
The McNuggets-less Woman
I thought it was a joke. The headline on my computer news block said, “Woman calls 911 three times when told McDonalds was out of McNuggets.” It was no joke; this actually happened.
The McDonalds was out of McNuggets so it offered her an alternative and she said she didn’t want a McDouble—whatever that is.
If we as a nation need to call 911 when we can’t get our McNuggets, I don’t want to be around when the food shelves go empty or raging inflation drives food prices so high the average person will not be able to afford the food.
In our business we are beginning to see our customers (clients and/or tenants) getting into problems. Rent collections are becoming harder. As I see it, hard times are ahead and we are losing our head. Not only “the McNuggets-less woman” but others are reeling and bounding off the wall. We live in a society with an entitlement mentality whether it is McNuggets or not paying my home mortgage.
A close associate told me that five houses on his street in suburban Minneapolis are in foreclosure. Some people are not paying their home mortgage because they hear of other people essentially being bailed out. One party made a deal with the bank to pay $1200 less a month than they were currently paying (after not paying their mortgage for seven months). In addition, they were told they could stay living in the house. What a deal! The associate told me, “I must be stupid for paying my mortgage on time.” The attitude of entitlement says, if someone else gets a perceived free ride so should I. What has happened to our integrity?
Listen, the God of the ages will honor honesty and integrity and doing our best to fulfill our obligations. Don’t become disheartened because your neighbor’s financial malfeasance (the doing of an act which a person ought not to do; evil conduct; an illegal deed) “seems” to be working in his favor for now. Yes, times have changed but God’s laws are eternal and reign supreme and do not change.
Matthew 22:36-40: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Deuteronomy 30:5, 19-20: “He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.” “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
1 John 2:4-6: "The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
Walk on in Christ Jesus, brothers and sisters; walk on in Christ Jesus. Amen
The McDonalds was out of McNuggets so it offered her an alternative and she said she didn’t want a McDouble—whatever that is.
If we as a nation need to call 911 when we can’t get our McNuggets, I don’t want to be around when the food shelves go empty or raging inflation drives food prices so high the average person will not be able to afford the food.
In our business we are beginning to see our customers (clients and/or tenants) getting into problems. Rent collections are becoming harder. As I see it, hard times are ahead and we are losing our head. Not only “the McNuggets-less woman” but others are reeling and bounding off the wall. We live in a society with an entitlement mentality whether it is McNuggets or not paying my home mortgage.
A close associate told me that five houses on his street in suburban Minneapolis are in foreclosure. Some people are not paying their home mortgage because they hear of other people essentially being bailed out. One party made a deal with the bank to pay $1200 less a month than they were currently paying (after not paying their mortgage for seven months). In addition, they were told they could stay living in the house. What a deal! The associate told me, “I must be stupid for paying my mortgage on time.” The attitude of entitlement says, if someone else gets a perceived free ride so should I. What has happened to our integrity?
Listen, the God of the ages will honor honesty and integrity and doing our best to fulfill our obligations. Don’t become disheartened because your neighbor’s financial malfeasance (the doing of an act which a person ought not to do; evil conduct; an illegal deed) “seems” to be working in his favor for now. Yes, times have changed but God’s laws are eternal and reign supreme and do not change.
Matthew 22:36-40: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Deuteronomy 30:5, 19-20: “He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.” “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
1 John 2:4-6: "The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
Walk on in Christ Jesus, brothers and sisters; walk on in Christ Jesus. Amen
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Three Lonely Men
This week in my work and ministry, I talked to over 2 dozen different men. They ranged from a lawyer to a recovered drug dealer. In the midst of these contacts I found three lonely men; two pastors and the recovered drug dealer.
In days like these, I think all men are lonely in some way. The pressures of economic times, a culture of hyper negativity, the license to spew forth criticism without of thought of the implications has put a heavy load on our lives. Some of the men told me that their wives are lonely also. Some just don’t fit in to the community where they live. Some feel they are too busy to have relationships with one another. Time seems to be an ever decreasing commodity for all people. Connectivity is the highest ever (email, Facebook, etc.) but we have overloaded schedules, full bellies and yet we have lonely, empty hearts.
What I found this week was gut-wrenching loneliness; so lonely that one has contemplated suicide. Oh, he knows that much of the pain in his life was self-inflicted. Viet Nam got him into drugs; he didn’t kick them until he was 52; Jesus freed him from the bondage. He has no relationship with any of his children and has no one he can call a friend. He has a good job, lives a life of service to his fellowman but he is afraid to re-establish his relationship with his estranged children. It will not be easy to re-establish those relationships but it took over 30 minutes to convince him that his children may be just as lonely as he is. He can’t comprehend that any of them would want a relationship with their Dad.
We prayed about the hope of reconciliation and the hard work involved. He said they are going to bring up a lot of bad things. I said “yes, but I bet they won’t be any worse than the truth you have continually told yourself over the last twenty years.” He smiled and agreed that he won’t be surprised as he’s been very hard on himself. We are going to meet and pray for God’s guidance to develop a reconciliation plan for him and his children. This brother needs our prayers; please play for Ricky; he needs a friend.
The last two lonely men are pastors, actually pastors and their wives. I’ve always said that the two loneliest people in town are the pastor and his wife. One pastor said, “When I enter a room, it’s as if I have a ten foot bubble around me and no one dare enter.” One problem seems to be that we hold pastors to such high expectations (entertain us, look good and always do it well) that when we begin to see the “real” man behind the image, we become critical rather than understanding. Yes, a pastor has a high calling, but he is a sinner just like us.
We expect our pastor to be at our beckon call whenever we need or want him, but he should not be too intrusive to cramp our style. We get bucky when he seems to be spending too much time with Bubba and not enough time with us; oh, we’re good at keeping track. The pastor and his wife and children cannot have the same depth of relationship with everyone in the church; it is not physically possible. Jesus is our example. Jesus worked with twelve men; he was very close to three, Peter, James and John; and he called one His dear friend—John.
Get off your high horse of criticism and allow your pastor and his family to have a life. It floors me to see how picky people are about pastors, and I don’t mean spiritual things. It’s everything from “his damn dog” to the color his wife dyes her hair or the way his kids dress, Oh how petty we are.
I must admit some pastors like being on the pedestal. They relish the adulation and attention. If they have no one to hold them accountable, trouble can be on the horizon; we’ve seen this all too often. They know all too well that adulation and attention is fleeting and they live in fear of the day when the other shoe will drop.
Some people have shared with me that they feel pastors don’t live in the real world. Some feel the pastor doesn’t work as hard as the rest of us, they have “not so” free rent and a good benefit package. Some feel pastors do not speak about real issues. I ask, how can they know what the real issues are when we are critical and keep them at a distance from our real, everyday lives? Pastors and all of us as well, must minister to a hurting world. Go and minister! Sad to say, most of us, pastors and church members alike, are out of touch with the real world.
Pastors and their wives hide out. Past experience has taught them to be cautious, even distant. If they trust you with a deep hurt, keep your mouth shut. Many deep hurts are the result of broken trust. The hurt they experienced has become covered with large scabs; they don’t want to hurt again so they are distant. We don’t work for true healing and reconciliation. We criticize some more and the chasm between the pastor and his people becomes wider than ever. We stand and point fingers and look stupid.
On several occasions we have been out with various pastors and their wives. If we meet someone we know we introduce them without identifying them as pastor. Have you noticed that when women meet, the second question they usually ask is “Do you have children?” Men’s second question is “What do you do?” When the answer is “Pastor,” I see the walls go up.
I’m sure I’m sounding like the whining old coot I’ve been criticizing. I am! But our pastors and their wives and children are lonely. Let’s control our critical spirit; let’s minister to them and then we can minister to the world. When we minister to a hurting world, we won’t have time to be whining, picky, critical old codgers or codger-etts.
I don’t want to see any more “empty eyes”. Lonely men and women will always be with us but let’s not accept the status quo; let’s move up the bar. Love one another; forgive one another; let’s start over. Christ did that for us. Let us do it for one another.
Some ideas but the list could be endless—:
• Ask your pastor to help you with something such as moving to a new house, pouring concrete, clean out your woods
• If you are a friend, be a trustworthy friend
• Baby-sit the pastor’s children; give them a night out.
• Take the pastor & his wife out. Pay for the night out.
• Share a joke with him—laugh together.
• Plan an outing with his wife—coffee, lunch, shopping, whatever.
Please share your ideas or what you have done. May God bless your ministry.
In days like these, I think all men are lonely in some way. The pressures of economic times, a culture of hyper negativity, the license to spew forth criticism without of thought of the implications has put a heavy load on our lives. Some of the men told me that their wives are lonely also. Some just don’t fit in to the community where they live. Some feel they are too busy to have relationships with one another. Time seems to be an ever decreasing commodity for all people. Connectivity is the highest ever (email, Facebook, etc.) but we have overloaded schedules, full bellies and yet we have lonely, empty hearts.
What I found this week was gut-wrenching loneliness; so lonely that one has contemplated suicide. Oh, he knows that much of the pain in his life was self-inflicted. Viet Nam got him into drugs; he didn’t kick them until he was 52; Jesus freed him from the bondage. He has no relationship with any of his children and has no one he can call a friend. He has a good job, lives a life of service to his fellowman but he is afraid to re-establish his relationship with his estranged children. It will not be easy to re-establish those relationships but it took over 30 minutes to convince him that his children may be just as lonely as he is. He can’t comprehend that any of them would want a relationship with their Dad.
We prayed about the hope of reconciliation and the hard work involved. He said they are going to bring up a lot of bad things. I said “yes, but I bet they won’t be any worse than the truth you have continually told yourself over the last twenty years.” He smiled and agreed that he won’t be surprised as he’s been very hard on himself. We are going to meet and pray for God’s guidance to develop a reconciliation plan for him and his children. This brother needs our prayers; please play for Ricky; he needs a friend.
The last two lonely men are pastors, actually pastors and their wives. I’ve always said that the two loneliest people in town are the pastor and his wife. One pastor said, “When I enter a room, it’s as if I have a ten foot bubble around me and no one dare enter.” One problem seems to be that we hold pastors to such high expectations (entertain us, look good and always do it well) that when we begin to see the “real” man behind the image, we become critical rather than understanding. Yes, a pastor has a high calling, but he is a sinner just like us.
We expect our pastor to be at our beckon call whenever we need or want him, but he should not be too intrusive to cramp our style. We get bucky when he seems to be spending too much time with Bubba and not enough time with us; oh, we’re good at keeping track. The pastor and his wife and children cannot have the same depth of relationship with everyone in the church; it is not physically possible. Jesus is our example. Jesus worked with twelve men; he was very close to three, Peter, James and John; and he called one His dear friend—John.
Get off your high horse of criticism and allow your pastor and his family to have a life. It floors me to see how picky people are about pastors, and I don’t mean spiritual things. It’s everything from “his damn dog” to the color his wife dyes her hair or the way his kids dress, Oh how petty we are.
I must admit some pastors like being on the pedestal. They relish the adulation and attention. If they have no one to hold them accountable, trouble can be on the horizon; we’ve seen this all too often. They know all too well that adulation and attention is fleeting and they live in fear of the day when the other shoe will drop.
Some people have shared with me that they feel pastors don’t live in the real world. Some feel the pastor doesn’t work as hard as the rest of us, they have “not so” free rent and a good benefit package. Some feel pastors do not speak about real issues. I ask, how can they know what the real issues are when we are critical and keep them at a distance from our real, everyday lives? Pastors and all of us as well, must minister to a hurting world. Go and minister! Sad to say, most of us, pastors and church members alike, are out of touch with the real world.
Pastors and their wives hide out. Past experience has taught them to be cautious, even distant. If they trust you with a deep hurt, keep your mouth shut. Many deep hurts are the result of broken trust. The hurt they experienced has become covered with large scabs; they don’t want to hurt again so they are distant. We don’t work for true healing and reconciliation. We criticize some more and the chasm between the pastor and his people becomes wider than ever. We stand and point fingers and look stupid.
On several occasions we have been out with various pastors and their wives. If we meet someone we know we introduce them without identifying them as pastor. Have you noticed that when women meet, the second question they usually ask is “Do you have children?” Men’s second question is “What do you do?” When the answer is “Pastor,” I see the walls go up.
I’m sure I’m sounding like the whining old coot I’ve been criticizing. I am! But our pastors and their wives and children are lonely. Let’s control our critical spirit; let’s minister to them and then we can minister to the world. When we minister to a hurting world, we won’t have time to be whining, picky, critical old codgers or codger-etts.
I don’t want to see any more “empty eyes”. Lonely men and women will always be with us but let’s not accept the status quo; let’s move up the bar. Love one another; forgive one another; let’s start over. Christ did that for us. Let us do it for one another.
Some ideas but the list could be endless—:
• Ask your pastor to help you with something such as moving to a new house, pouring concrete, clean out your woods
• If you are a friend, be a trustworthy friend
• Baby-sit the pastor’s children; give them a night out.
• Take the pastor & his wife out. Pay for the night out.
• Share a joke with him—laugh together.
• Plan an outing with his wife—coffee, lunch, shopping, whatever.
Please share your ideas or what you have done. May God bless your ministry.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Let Scripture speak in days like these…Trudge on Pilgrim
We are bombarded daily with negative news; even the President says things that are dire. Unemployment continues to rise while upper management of bailed out banks and Wall Street firms pocket million dollar bonuses. After a while it begins to wear on us.
As I trudge through life, some days I become disheartened. Please don’t be disheartened. Trudge beside me through God’s wonderful word; may it lift up your head and spirit.
Daniel 4:34-35, 37: "At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble."
Jeremiah 22:13-15a: "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor. He says, 'I will build myself a great palace with spacious upper rooms.' So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar and decorates it in red. "Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him."
Micah 6:6-8: "With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 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."
Speaking of Jesus coming in Luke 1:68-75: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”
Luke 24:25-32 (after Jesus’ resurrection): “He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
I John 1:8-10: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
I Corinthians 1:18-19, 26-31: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
I John 3:16-17: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"
I Peter 1:6-9: "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
II Corinthians 1:3-6: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer."
Psalm 107:42-43: "The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths. Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.”
Zephaniah 3:17: "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
Jude 24-25: "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."
In spite of these “momentary” troubles, the Good Lord will welcome home all of us fellow trudgers. Trudge on to the Glory of God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
As I trudge through life, some days I become disheartened. Please don’t be disheartened. Trudge beside me through God’s wonderful word; may it lift up your head and spirit.
Daniel 4:34-35, 37: "At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble."
Jeremiah 22:13-15a: "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor. He says, 'I will build myself a great palace with spacious upper rooms.' So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar and decorates it in red. "Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him."
Micah 6:6-8: "With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 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."
Speaking of Jesus coming in Luke 1:68-75: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us— to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”
Luke 24:25-32 (after Jesus’ resurrection): “He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
I John 1:8-10: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”
I Corinthians 1:18-19, 26-31: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
I John 3:16-17: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"
I Peter 1:6-9: "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
II Corinthians 1:3-6: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer."
Psalm 107:42-43: "The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths. Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.”
Zephaniah 3:17: "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
Jude 24-25: "To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."
In spite of these “momentary” troubles, the Good Lord will welcome home all of us fellow trudgers. Trudge on to the Glory of God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Experiencing glee at the sin of another appointee
It was early this morning when I heard that President Obama’s cabinet appointee for the Department of Labor has tax problems. How many of President Obama’s appointees have had tax problems, four or five? As I heard, this I chuckled to myself. These liberals are getting what they deserve. When you have no God, then all things are permissible. Yes, another one bites the dust (The rock group Queen had a song entitled “Another One Bites the Dust.”) and inwardly I enjoyed it. I experienced a moment of private glee; bad for them, good for me. At least I haven’t been caught or is it because I have a better accountant? I enjoy seeing other people squirm, especially if it is people I do not like. Oh, really? Is that how I should feel?
My “glee” was short lived. What kind of sick glee is this that I would have a private moment of hubris over the failings or sin of another person? How sad am I, joyful over the sin of another?
The prophet Nathan confronted King David about his sin with Bathsheba in II Samuel 12. As I see it, Nathan’s mission was to call David to account not view his failure with glee or derision. Nathan’s mission was to get David to mourn for his sin, to be accountable. David’s mourning would not appease a Holy God but all sin is to be mourned. David’s, President Obama’s appointees, and yes, even mine.
What right do I have to experience private glee at the expense of the sin of another? God help me! To a pure and Holy God, all sin is reprehensible. So left to myself, I am reprehensible to a Holy God! Without Christ, I could not stand in the presence of God; I should mourn, face down in the dirt, a sinner no better than anybody else!
Oh, but my Savior comes by my side, extends His nail pierced hand to mine and says “stand up”. I stand in the presence of a Holy God only because of what Christ has done for me. Jesus paid for all my sin once and for all at the cross. Amen.
How sad can I be—judging others, relishing with glee their misfortune, even if my relishing is in private!
How happy I am! I am forgiven of my sin not through any merit of my own. I live in grace, an undeserved gift from my Savior. When I am found on my face in the dust, may it be in worship not disgrace. May I mourn not only for my sin but for the sin of my nation. May we strive for holiness.
Lord save us from ourselves. Amen.
My “glee” was short lived. What kind of sick glee is this that I would have a private moment of hubris over the failings or sin of another person? How sad am I, joyful over the sin of another?
The prophet Nathan confronted King David about his sin with Bathsheba in II Samuel 12. As I see it, Nathan’s mission was to call David to account not view his failure with glee or derision. Nathan’s mission was to get David to mourn for his sin, to be accountable. David’s mourning would not appease a Holy God but all sin is to be mourned. David’s, President Obama’s appointees, and yes, even mine.
What right do I have to experience private glee at the expense of the sin of another? God help me! To a pure and Holy God, all sin is reprehensible. So left to myself, I am reprehensible to a Holy God! Without Christ, I could not stand in the presence of God; I should mourn, face down in the dirt, a sinner no better than anybody else!
Oh, but my Savior comes by my side, extends His nail pierced hand to mine and says “stand up”. I stand in the presence of a Holy God only because of what Christ has done for me. Jesus paid for all my sin once and for all at the cross. Amen.
How sad can I be—judging others, relishing with glee their misfortune, even if my relishing is in private!
How happy I am! I am forgiven of my sin not through any merit of my own. I live in grace, an undeserved gift from my Savior. When I am found on my face in the dust, may it be in worship not disgrace. May I mourn not only for my sin but for the sin of my nation. May we strive for holiness.
Lord save us from ourselves. Amen.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
The Miracle of Flight 1549 or for some, an opportunity to wallow at the trough of victimization
I’m sure we have all heard of the miraculous nature of the ditching of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in New York. Many things had to go right. The perfect pilot was in place; a Texan by birth, a crop duster at age 15 (anyone in agricultural areas knows the potential danger a crop duster faces on a daily basis) and an Air Force pilot who flew fighters in Viet Nam. Yes, Chesley Sullenberger was by God’s sovereign choice the right man at the right place at the right time. From all accounts, the rest of the crew also exhibited exemplary behavior and expertise.
More miracles: the river had to be clear of tugs and boats. People saw the plane struggling, 911 knew of the problem before the plane ditched in the river. The tug boats were manned by people who made the proper decisions at precisely the right time. The rescue boats and tugs were on the scene within minutes. What a blessing for all involved.
U.S. Airways gave each passenger $5,000 for lost luggage and other incidental costs due to the ditching. The passengers were also upgraded to the highest customer status for one year. They had an opportunity to fly to Europe at highly reduced rates. By all accounts, U.S. Air and all the other people involved acted in a truly all around professional manner. On all fronts, a high level of expertise and sensitivity was displayed.
Yet, some of the passengers are complaining. They feel they have not been compensated enough. “What about my stress?” “I flew last week” one said “and the tension and stress were present.” Yes, I think tension and stress would be present but get over it. Why in America today do we think any stress or tension we experience should be compensated for by someone else?
We have become a nation of whining, money grubbing victims who at the drop of a hat wallow up to the trough of “woe is me” and now you must really pay. Yes, owe me something (preferably a lot of money) for my so-called suffering.
Listen people, on take off, U.S. Air could do nothing about the geese in the air at precisely the right time and right altitude! The response to this encounter by all accounts was superb to the last detail. People were compensated for their inconvenience and given future privileges and benefits and yet they complain.
Listen up you whiners, YOU’RE ALIVE! Yes, you are alive; isn’t that reward enough? Because the actions of everyone involved, you are alive when in most cases you should have been dead. You ungrateful louts! Do you value your life so little that the preservation of your life was not reward enough? How sad.
I guess if we think about it, in America we do not value life very much whether it is the unborn, the aged, the young, the deformed, the developmentally disabled, or even our own! Oh America, how bankrupt we have become. The passengers of Flight 1549 should shout for joy; they should dance in exhilaration; they are alive! We should dance with them.
It is easy for me to point my finger at the passengers of Flight 1549 but how would I have reacted? Do we value the every day God sovereign, protecting love that He shows to us? In reality, many times we are unaware of that from which He has saved us? (Were we spared an accident, a fall, a fire, a lost child, etc?) I must be grateful for all things.
God bless the aircraft crew and all the boat operators and all the unnoticed, unrecognized people who worked together to make the survival of all 155 passengers and crew possible.
Forgive us Lord, for our ungrateful whining.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Amen.
More miracles: the river had to be clear of tugs and boats. People saw the plane struggling, 911 knew of the problem before the plane ditched in the river. The tug boats were manned by people who made the proper decisions at precisely the right time. The rescue boats and tugs were on the scene within minutes. What a blessing for all involved.
U.S. Airways gave each passenger $5,000 for lost luggage and other incidental costs due to the ditching. The passengers were also upgraded to the highest customer status for one year. They had an opportunity to fly to Europe at highly reduced rates. By all accounts, U.S. Air and all the other people involved acted in a truly all around professional manner. On all fronts, a high level of expertise and sensitivity was displayed.
Yet, some of the passengers are complaining. They feel they have not been compensated enough. “What about my stress?” “I flew last week” one said “and the tension and stress were present.” Yes, I think tension and stress would be present but get over it. Why in America today do we think any stress or tension we experience should be compensated for by someone else?
We have become a nation of whining, money grubbing victims who at the drop of a hat wallow up to the trough of “woe is me” and now you must really pay. Yes, owe me something (preferably a lot of money) for my so-called suffering.
Listen people, on take off, U.S. Air could do nothing about the geese in the air at precisely the right time and right altitude! The response to this encounter by all accounts was superb to the last detail. People were compensated for their inconvenience and given future privileges and benefits and yet they complain.
Listen up you whiners, YOU’RE ALIVE! Yes, you are alive; isn’t that reward enough? Because the actions of everyone involved, you are alive when in most cases you should have been dead. You ungrateful louts! Do you value your life so little that the preservation of your life was not reward enough? How sad.
I guess if we think about it, in America we do not value life very much whether it is the unborn, the aged, the young, the deformed, the developmentally disabled, or even our own! Oh America, how bankrupt we have become. The passengers of Flight 1549 should shout for joy; they should dance in exhilaration; they are alive! We should dance with them.
It is easy for me to point my finger at the passengers of Flight 1549 but how would I have reacted? Do we value the every day God sovereign, protecting love that He shows to us? In reality, many times we are unaware of that from which He has saved us? (Were we spared an accident, a fall, a fire, a lost child, etc?) I must be grateful for all things.
God bless the aircraft crew and all the boat operators and all the unnoticed, unrecognized people who worked together to make the survival of all 155 passengers and crew possible.
Forgive us Lord, for our ungrateful whining.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Amen.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A time to be Irrelevant
I recently heard the following story. On the same day at a California High School, all four of the military services were giving presentations. The Army, Navy and Air Force made their pitches; the Marines were the last to make their presentation. Knowing that his audience was young, impatient and possibly bored the Marine’s message was short. “I’m going to be straight and to the point. Most of you here will not qualify to be a Marine. If you are serious about being a soldier and you are willing to die for a cause greater than yourself, come and see me.” When it was over, the Marine recruiter had by far the largest number of people talking to him.
The call to excellence, sacrifice and dedication is mostly lost in the church today. The modern church wants to “be relevant”, mushy, tolerant to a fault and does not demand much from its members, and it shows. We, as Christians, have been losing our influence because we are lukewarm and indifferent. Some of us make Jesus want to puke (Revelation 3:16: "So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.") When the church is on the move, it is always counter culture. The church thrives when it is persecuted or threatened; people will die for a worthy cause greater than themselves. The Marines are proof of this.
It is high time the church gets back to its “high calling” Christ has given us. Are we ready to lay down our life and with the help of the Holy Spirit, turn our family, friends, and neighbors from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light? In Acts 26:17-18 Paul recounts his conversion experience. The Lord says, “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'”
Brother, raise your head; you are a Child of the King, our God still reigns. Read this (Paul speaking): Acts 26:19-23 -- "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles". If we believe tradition, Paul was beheaded on a road outside of Rome.
We are powered by the Holy Spirit and protected and saved by Christ Jesus (John 17:15-23 – "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one,(this is for us today) Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." Do we honestly believe all the promises and prayers the Lord has made?
Lord, make us willing to lay down our life for you. Let us do the same as Paul. It is time to be irrelevant. May the Good Lord be with us in these days. Amen.
The call to excellence, sacrifice and dedication is mostly lost in the church today. The modern church wants to “be relevant”, mushy, tolerant to a fault and does not demand much from its members, and it shows. We, as Christians, have been losing our influence because we are lukewarm and indifferent. Some of us make Jesus want to puke (Revelation 3:16: "So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.") When the church is on the move, it is always counter culture. The church thrives when it is persecuted or threatened; people will die for a worthy cause greater than themselves. The Marines are proof of this.
It is high time the church gets back to its “high calling” Christ has given us. Are we ready to lay down our life and with the help of the Holy Spirit, turn our family, friends, and neighbors from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light? In Acts 26:17-18 Paul recounts his conversion experience. The Lord says, “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'”
Brother, raise your head; you are a Child of the King, our God still reigns. Read this (Paul speaking): Acts 26:19-23 -- "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles". If we believe tradition, Paul was beheaded on a road outside of Rome.
We are powered by the Holy Spirit and protected and saved by Christ Jesus (John 17:15-23 – "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one,(this is for us today) Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." Do we honestly believe all the promises and prayers the Lord has made?
Lord, make us willing to lay down our life for you. Let us do the same as Paul. It is time to be irrelevant. May the Good Lord be with us in these days. Amen.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Afraid, ashamed and alone
From birth, Jacob was a “grabber” (grabbing a hold of his older twin brother Esau’s heel as they were being born). He wanted to “grab all the gusto” as it were. Although second born, Jacob wanted to be the first born and benefit from all the blessings bestowed on the first born. This grabber, Jacob, connived a way of getting Esau’s birthright and he also stole Esau’s blessing from their father Isaac. Jacob was not a “good” man.
His story begins in Genesis 25 and ends, as it were, in Genesis 50. In Chapter 32 of Genesis, after many years of separation, Jacob is lead to reconcile with his brother Esau. Jacob was afraid (Esau vowed to kill Jacob when he stole their father Isaac’s blessing). Jacob was ashamed of his past sin and in Genesis 32:34, Jacob is alone in the middle of the desert. God came to visit Jacob in the person of the Angel of God (or some think the pre-incarnate Jesus) and they wrestle one another through the night. At daybreak, with just a touch, the angel dislocates Jacob’s hip. I have this vision of Jacob lying on the desert floor in pain. Jacob realized he has just fought with the Angel of God and lived and he realized he is still alive by God’s grace. Jacob realized he was a sinner, lived his life his own way, and God beat him into submission and yet let him live… God loves and tolerates us sinners to a point (although there is a limit to God’s patience – Romans 1) but God works out His plan in our lives and we are not capable of understanding His entire plan for our lives. In spite of his sin, Jacob was the one chosen to become the nation of Israel. God never works in our lives like we think He should; He is God, we’re not and the quicker we accept this fact, the easier our life will be. God is Holy and Sovereign and He does not need our input or help or opinions.
Jacob asks the Angel of the Lord in Genesis 32:29: “Jacob said, "Please tell me your name.’ But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he (the Angel of the Lord) blessed him there.”
Why did the Angel of the Lord ignore Jacob’s request for His name? In Judges, Samson’s Mom and Dad had an encounter with the Angel of God (Judges 13:17-18: “Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, "What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?" He replied, "Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.”
Listen people, we go through life questioning God’s moving and shaping of our lives. If we saw the plan from the beginning, we wouldn’t understand much less believe it. As sinners, redeemed by God, growing towards spiritual maturity, God will wrestle with us, put trials in our life to refine us and in many ways we won’t understand much, if any, of it. When in the midst of a trial we become angry because we think God is saying “no” when in reality He is not revealing the truth to us because “it is beyond our understanding”. We couldn’t take it all in. We want to tell God what to do and we can’t even understand His name. Without Christ Jesus, we are hopeless, lost and miserable. We are, like Jacob, afraid, ashamed and alone. Thank you, Jesus. Never let me go. Hold on. I need you just one more minute, one more hour, one more day. My time and future are in your grace-giving hands even if I don’t understand it, I will trust you. Amen
His story begins in Genesis 25 and ends, as it were, in Genesis 50. In Chapter 32 of Genesis, after many years of separation, Jacob is lead to reconcile with his brother Esau. Jacob was afraid (Esau vowed to kill Jacob when he stole their father Isaac’s blessing). Jacob was ashamed of his past sin and in Genesis 32:34, Jacob is alone in the middle of the desert. God came to visit Jacob in the person of the Angel of God (or some think the pre-incarnate Jesus) and they wrestle one another through the night. At daybreak, with just a touch, the angel dislocates Jacob’s hip. I have this vision of Jacob lying on the desert floor in pain. Jacob realized he has just fought with the Angel of God and lived and he realized he is still alive by God’s grace. Jacob realized he was a sinner, lived his life his own way, and God beat him into submission and yet let him live… God loves and tolerates us sinners to a point (although there is a limit to God’s patience – Romans 1) but God works out His plan in our lives and we are not capable of understanding His entire plan for our lives. In spite of his sin, Jacob was the one chosen to become the nation of Israel. God never works in our lives like we think He should; He is God, we’re not and the quicker we accept this fact, the easier our life will be. God is Holy and Sovereign and He does not need our input or help or opinions.
Jacob asks the Angel of the Lord in Genesis 32:29: “Jacob said, "Please tell me your name.’ But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he (the Angel of the Lord) blessed him there.”
Why did the Angel of the Lord ignore Jacob’s request for His name? In Judges, Samson’s Mom and Dad had an encounter with the Angel of God (Judges 13:17-18: “Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, "What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?" He replied, "Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.”
Listen people, we go through life questioning God’s moving and shaping of our lives. If we saw the plan from the beginning, we wouldn’t understand much less believe it. As sinners, redeemed by God, growing towards spiritual maturity, God will wrestle with us, put trials in our life to refine us and in many ways we won’t understand much, if any, of it. When in the midst of a trial we become angry because we think God is saying “no” when in reality He is not revealing the truth to us because “it is beyond our understanding”. We couldn’t take it all in. We want to tell God what to do and we can’t even understand His name. Without Christ Jesus, we are hopeless, lost and miserable. We are, like Jacob, afraid, ashamed and alone. Thank you, Jesus. Never let me go. Hold on. I need you just one more minute, one more hour, one more day. My time and future are in your grace-giving hands even if I don’t understand it, I will trust you. Amen
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Eternal Star Namer
Each holiday season I hear ads for a company that will name a star in your honor. They think this is a fantastic gift to give someone and it only costs $59.95.
Brothers and sisters, be aware that the stars are already named. Yes, each one. They do not and should never need anyone to name them; God has and will always name each star. Isaiah 40:26 says: “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”
“Calls them each by name”? Yes. In Chile, the European Union has built a VLT. VLT means “Very Large Telescope”. I like that name; it’s quick, simple and completely to the point. The lens for the telescope is 27 feet across! There are three of them in series; a VERY LARGE TELESCOPE! The VLT has allowed astronomers to see out to the edge of the universe and what they see are “new” stars being born. The creator God, who is alone worthy of our praise, honor and respect, is still in the star making and star naming business and He doesn’t need our help or our $59.95! How does God make a star? God breathes and speaks the stars into existence. Psalm 33:6 says “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” That’s impressive. How can mere man comprehend this? Psalm 8:3-4 says, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”
The God of the ages, who loves, cares, redeems, restores, protects, saves, sustains and holds the future in His hands, has given His one and only Son for our salvation. I cannot comprehend any of this and yet God is mindful of us.
Isn’t God good? Do you want to know what’s beyond the stars? It is His Glory! What is His Glory? It is all of God’s beauty, honor, magnificence, praise and splendor. “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.” Psalm 8:1.
Next holiday season, ignore the star naming ads. Remember this, God names the stars and His Glory extends beyond the stars. We name our children; what a privilege. But God alone names the stars.
Brothers and sisters, be aware that the stars are already named. Yes, each one. They do not and should never need anyone to name them; God has and will always name each star. Isaiah 40:26 says: “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”
“Calls them each by name”? Yes. In Chile, the European Union has built a VLT. VLT means “Very Large Telescope”. I like that name; it’s quick, simple and completely to the point. The lens for the telescope is 27 feet across! There are three of them in series; a VERY LARGE TELESCOPE! The VLT has allowed astronomers to see out to the edge of the universe and what they see are “new” stars being born. The creator God, who is alone worthy of our praise, honor and respect, is still in the star making and star naming business and He doesn’t need our help or our $59.95! How does God make a star? God breathes and speaks the stars into existence. Psalm 33:6 says “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” That’s impressive. How can mere man comprehend this? Psalm 8:3-4 says, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?”
The God of the ages, who loves, cares, redeems, restores, protects, saves, sustains and holds the future in His hands, has given His one and only Son for our salvation. I cannot comprehend any of this and yet God is mindful of us.
Isn’t God good? Do you want to know what’s beyond the stars? It is His Glory! What is His Glory? It is all of God’s beauty, honor, magnificence, praise and splendor. “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.” Psalm 8:1.
Next holiday season, ignore the star naming ads. Remember this, God names the stars and His Glory extends beyond the stars. We name our children; what a privilege. But God alone names the stars.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Spoiled Brat Christians
2 Timothy 3:1-2: "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves…"
Romans 12:3: "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."
The property management business often reveals the true character of our tenants. We have dealt with domestic violence, terrorist threats, suicide attempts, and suicide; some days we see all joy and celebrations. In our business we can see the full scale and range of human emotions.
We manage properties for Christian organizations. We also manage multi-tenant properties that have Christian organizations as tenants.
In our company, we have employees with a mix of faiths. One day we were discussing bothersome, irksome, unhappy tenants. One employee said that the Christian organizations have more than the usual number of people who are complainers and prima donnas (for example: requiring special parking spots next to the building, etc.). If we plow the parking lot in the morning and additional snow occurs during the day, one Christian organization wants us to clear the snow next to their cars in the parking lot. No one else has ever made this request. They pay extra for “this service” but it angers me when I envision people giving sacrificially to these prima donnas.
I asked some of our employees why they thought these Christian organizations and Christian people act this way. One man, who grew up poor on the south side of Chicago, had a most interesting comment. He said most of the people that work in these organizations are Christian. They grew up Christian, had two parents, stable homes with two incomes, stable finances, and lived in stable slightly up-scale communities. Most have college educations and most have been blessed but along the way “they have become spoiled brats” (his words). His insight is very interesting.
If we accept his analysis, God has blessed us as Christians, and yes, he has but, along the way, we have served ourselves rather than the Lord and other people. We have become Christian narcissists not humble, willing and obedient servants of Christ. I hope this will not be the epithet of the Christians of this age. In some ways, I must agree with his ideas about this. In so many ways I do not want it to be true. Any wonder why Christians are losing their influence?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
"Gallup: Americans See Religious Influence Waning
Religion News Service reports that two-thirds of Americans think religion is losing its influence on U.S. life. This shows a sharp jump from just three years ago when Americans were nearly evenly split on the question, according to a new Gallup Poll. Sixty-seven percent of Americans think religious influence is waning while just 27 percent say it is increasing. That perspective demonstrates a continuing downward trend, Gallup said. But the 27 percent figure is still higher than the record low, set in a 1970 poll, when just 14 percent of Americans thought religion was increasing in influence. The latest poll also finds that the percentage of Americans believing that religion "can answer all or most of today's problems" has reached an all-time low."
Source: http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11597507/
Romans 12:3: "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."
The property management business often reveals the true character of our tenants. We have dealt with domestic violence, terrorist threats, suicide attempts, and suicide; some days we see all joy and celebrations. In our business we can see the full scale and range of human emotions.
We manage properties for Christian organizations. We also manage multi-tenant properties that have Christian organizations as tenants.
In our company, we have employees with a mix of faiths. One day we were discussing bothersome, irksome, unhappy tenants. One employee said that the Christian organizations have more than the usual number of people who are complainers and prima donnas (for example: requiring special parking spots next to the building, etc.). If we plow the parking lot in the morning and additional snow occurs during the day, one Christian organization wants us to clear the snow next to their cars in the parking lot. No one else has ever made this request. They pay extra for “this service” but it angers me when I envision people giving sacrificially to these prima donnas.
I asked some of our employees why they thought these Christian organizations and Christian people act this way. One man, who grew up poor on the south side of Chicago, had a most interesting comment. He said most of the people that work in these organizations are Christian. They grew up Christian, had two parents, stable homes with two incomes, stable finances, and lived in stable slightly up-scale communities. Most have college educations and most have been blessed but along the way “they have become spoiled brats” (his words). His insight is very interesting.
If we accept his analysis, God has blessed us as Christians, and yes, he has but, along the way, we have served ourselves rather than the Lord and other people. We have become Christian narcissists not humble, willing and obedient servants of Christ. I hope this will not be the epithet of the Christians of this age. In some ways, I must agree with his ideas about this. In so many ways I do not want it to be true. Any wonder why Christians are losing their influence?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
"Gallup: Americans See Religious Influence Waning
Religion News Service reports that two-thirds of Americans think religion is losing its influence on U.S. life. This shows a sharp jump from just three years ago when Americans were nearly evenly split on the question, according to a new Gallup Poll. Sixty-seven percent of Americans think religious influence is waning while just 27 percent say it is increasing. That perspective demonstrates a continuing downward trend, Gallup said. But the 27 percent figure is still higher than the record low, set in a 1970 poll, when just 14 percent of Americans thought religion was increasing in influence. The latest poll also finds that the percentage of Americans believing that religion "can answer all or most of today's problems" has reached an all-time low."
Source: http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11597507/
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Hiding behind our “Sinner” labels…
He and his family are typical new church-goers. Both growing up in the faith, and they both know the truth. In college and early career days, church was not on their agenda. The children came along and they decided they must go back to church. They wanted a church that lived the truth not just talked about it. They found one; some fellowship, and the truth was being preached and lived out. They were beginning to feel comfortable.
They were involved in ministry to the poor, soup kitchens and other forms of outreach. A project was scheduled; they arrived to find they were the only ones there. They left voicemails to find out where and when or what happened. They heard from no one. E-mails were sent, voicemails left, no one responded.
The man said, “If they treat potential new members this way, how do they treat the people they minister to?”
The man said to me, “I thought I found a church that lived out their faith, but the way we were treated leaves me wondering. If my business treated their customers and potential customers this way, we would be out of business.” Then he said, “What kind of people would do this?”
I said, “Sinners. Yes, sinners just like us.” I thought some more. How long will we as Christians hide our personal failures behind the fact that we are sinners? We use it as an excuse to justify our lack of competence or just plain decency.
Yes, the truth is, we are all sinners but we are to be on the road to Spiritual maturity (sanctification). We are to live our faith with love, kindness and humility. Why couldn’t the people who forgot to tell the young couple of the change in schedule just call them back and confess the failure? These people would have understood; they understand we all fail at some time and they would be willing to continue on. Instead, a lack of response, no attempt to right a wrong, drives another young couple away from the church. They are left wondering “What kind of people are they?” “Just another church which says one thing and their people do another,” the wife said. “Why would we want to be part of a group like that?” Good question.
Brothers and sisters, let us stop justifying our incompetence by hiding out behind the fact we are sinners. Yes, we are sinners but Christ has redeemed us and supposedly transformed us. Let’s cut out the good ol’ boy back slapping, oh, we’re just sinners, crap and live a changed life and get serious about our faith. If we cannot treat new families that come to our churches with a minimum of decency, how do we expect to reach out beyond our walls to a hurting world?
Let’s stand up, admit our mistakes, ask for forgiveness, change our ways and go to work. Do I believe this will happen? I can only say, please Lord, help us.
They were involved in ministry to the poor, soup kitchens and other forms of outreach. A project was scheduled; they arrived to find they were the only ones there. They left voicemails to find out where and when or what happened. They heard from no one. E-mails were sent, voicemails left, no one responded.
The man said, “If they treat potential new members this way, how do they treat the people they minister to?”
The man said to me, “I thought I found a church that lived out their faith, but the way we were treated leaves me wondering. If my business treated their customers and potential customers this way, we would be out of business.” Then he said, “What kind of people would do this?”
I said, “Sinners. Yes, sinners just like us.” I thought some more. How long will we as Christians hide our personal failures behind the fact that we are sinners? We use it as an excuse to justify our lack of competence or just plain decency.
Yes, the truth is, we are all sinners but we are to be on the road to Spiritual maturity (sanctification). We are to live our faith with love, kindness and humility. Why couldn’t the people who forgot to tell the young couple of the change in schedule just call them back and confess the failure? These people would have understood; they understand we all fail at some time and they would be willing to continue on. Instead, a lack of response, no attempt to right a wrong, drives another young couple away from the church. They are left wondering “What kind of people are they?” “Just another church which says one thing and their people do another,” the wife said. “Why would we want to be part of a group like that?” Good question.
Brothers and sisters, let us stop justifying our incompetence by hiding out behind the fact we are sinners. Yes, we are sinners but Christ has redeemed us and supposedly transformed us. Let’s cut out the good ol’ boy back slapping, oh, we’re just sinners, crap and live a changed life and get serious about our faith. If we cannot treat new families that come to our churches with a minimum of decency, how do we expect to reach out beyond our walls to a hurting world?
Let’s stand up, admit our mistakes, ask for forgiveness, change our ways and go to work. Do I believe this will happen? I can only say, please Lord, help us.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Do you have any dreams for 2009?
The winter brings a special problem to us in the property management business—snow. It does not cooperate with our schedules. We clear seven blocks of sidewalks in downtown Minneapolis each snow event. The snows have been coming early in the morning or during the evening rush hour. When we have people around, we cannot use some of our blowers because of potential injury to pedestrians. All this brings me out early in the morning.
I like doing snow in the early morning; surprisingly, early morning street traffic is busy. By early, I mean between 5 and 6 a.m. Every morning AA meets at the Dunn Brothers Coffee Shop down the street. People who come to AA meetings are a cross section of our society. One man I notice drives a Jaguar car, dresses impeccably, he carries himself with dignity and class; an obvious success. He looks like a successful businessman.
Other mornings on the same street in the loading dock, “Mike”, the homeless guy, rummages through our dumpster to find food thrown out by Eddie’s Café. Mike is a little weird but friendly. He has been on the street by choice for over 10 years. He definitely is not a success by our world’s standards.
I ask a question: Is the homeless man a failure? I think it depends. Most of us believe that he is a failure. But, we can achieve our dreams like the man with the Jaguar (my assumption) and yet not feel fulfilled. We can have accomplishments, possess the symbols of success and yet feel unfulfilled. Dreams accomplished don’t necessarily bring contentment and fulfillment. (Notice: The well dressed man driving the Jaguar is going to an Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting.) He is still searching for something but what is it?
We see the dumpster-diving Mike with his stark hollow look, his disheveled life and presence, and view it with sadness. What’s he really looking for; probably something not much different than the Jaguar driving successful businessman. We just don’t see the scavenging going on in the businessman’s life, searching for meaning in his successes and accomplishments but we very openly see Mike’s scavenging.
Where are you today in a dumpster or a Jaguar? What dreams do you have? “None” you say; you’ve accomplished it all yet you’re looking for fulfillment and hope in drugs, booze, food or whatever.
I think many of us don’t have dreams because we are bored. Ravi Zacharias once said “We know that hopes come and go and that life returns to the common and the repetitive. If that fluctuation and disappointment were only momentary, we could endure it. But life is not what we thought it would be. The problem with life, then, is not that a man ends up burrowing through garbage looking for something to fill his stomach but that no matter what we have achieved or attained in our life, we still find ourselves burrowing deep within, trying to assuage (diminish) the hungers of our soul.”
We are bored to death. We lack passion for life. We lack passion for our family, work, our faith, and our community, whatever!
Do you have a dream? We should have. I believe the more impossible the better. The secret is this—serve someone else. Jesus said in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Serving other people takes the focus off ourselves and our problems; purpose and meaning return to our life when we become Christ to others. Let’s go and serve one another. Jesus is our example.
Joel 2:28 says: "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” Yes, we all need to dream.
Remember this, dream your dreams, but their fulfillment may not satisfy. Only a transformed Christ-centered life satisfies. Hold on to that in these perilous days.
I like doing snow in the early morning; surprisingly, early morning street traffic is busy. By early, I mean between 5 and 6 a.m. Every morning AA meets at the Dunn Brothers Coffee Shop down the street. People who come to AA meetings are a cross section of our society. One man I notice drives a Jaguar car, dresses impeccably, he carries himself with dignity and class; an obvious success. He looks like a successful businessman.
Other mornings on the same street in the loading dock, “Mike”, the homeless guy, rummages through our dumpster to find food thrown out by Eddie’s Café. Mike is a little weird but friendly. He has been on the street by choice for over 10 years. He definitely is not a success by our world’s standards.
I ask a question: Is the homeless man a failure? I think it depends. Most of us believe that he is a failure. But, we can achieve our dreams like the man with the Jaguar (my assumption) and yet not feel fulfilled. We can have accomplishments, possess the symbols of success and yet feel unfulfilled. Dreams accomplished don’t necessarily bring contentment and fulfillment. (Notice: The well dressed man driving the Jaguar is going to an Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting.) He is still searching for something but what is it?
We see the dumpster-diving Mike with his stark hollow look, his disheveled life and presence, and view it with sadness. What’s he really looking for; probably something not much different than the Jaguar driving successful businessman. We just don’t see the scavenging going on in the businessman’s life, searching for meaning in his successes and accomplishments but we very openly see Mike’s scavenging.
Where are you today in a dumpster or a Jaguar? What dreams do you have? “None” you say; you’ve accomplished it all yet you’re looking for fulfillment and hope in drugs, booze, food or whatever.
I think many of us don’t have dreams because we are bored. Ravi Zacharias once said “We know that hopes come and go and that life returns to the common and the repetitive. If that fluctuation and disappointment were only momentary, we could endure it. But life is not what we thought it would be. The problem with life, then, is not that a man ends up burrowing through garbage looking for something to fill his stomach but that no matter what we have achieved or attained in our life, we still find ourselves burrowing deep within, trying to assuage (diminish) the hungers of our soul.”
We are bored to death. We lack passion for life. We lack passion for our family, work, our faith, and our community, whatever!
Do you have a dream? We should have. I believe the more impossible the better. The secret is this—serve someone else. Jesus said in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Serving other people takes the focus off ourselves and our problems; purpose and meaning return to our life when we become Christ to others. Let’s go and serve one another. Jesus is our example.
Joel 2:28 says: "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” Yes, we all need to dream.
Remember this, dream your dreams, but their fulfillment may not satisfy. Only a transformed Christ-centered life satisfies. Hold on to that in these perilous days.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Hope on a cold December day in Western Minnesota
Friday, December 12th was Barb Miller Slagter’s funeral. I’m sure that in hundreds of different towns across the prairie they had a funeral also. This Friday morning broke cold and raw even by Minnesota standards. I walked to the car to drive into Danube. The snow crunched under my feet and the west northwest wind was starting finger drifts from the west side of the road. The wind blew serpentine drifts we call “snake drifts” across the road in an almost soothing manner.
This week Barb, 62, lost her long battle with Parkinson’s disease. A year ago November her husband Gary died from a genetic lung disease. It’s been a tough year for the Slagter kids.
Barb was a Miller. They lived north of us; she rode the bus with us—No.6, always driven by Elgin Kurtz. My first memory of the Miller’s was when the tornado hit their place. It came out of the southwest, nicked the Freiborg place and then wiped Miller’s place off the map. It was a stormy night. When a tornado rumbles on the prairie during the night, it is extra scary; especially if you are a 7 year old girl like Barb was.
Her Dad, Otto, farmed and worked construction. He was killed in a construction accident the week before she graduated from Danube High School in the spring of 1964. She married Gary in 1965. They were a good pair, raised a good family, worked hard, and kept their noses clean. Yesterday as I sat at the funeral, I had a nagging feeling, “This isn’t fair.” God forgive me. I know You are sovereign, you do as you please and I have no problem with that. But, I must be honest, I wondered why.
I saw the procession move towards the south cemetery, thirty cars and trucks. It was a good day; she is with Jesus. Gary and Barb are back together. It was a sad day as children and grandchildren wept.
When Barb was confirmed, her class sang “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less.” We sang that as a closing hymn at her funeral. On this cold, dark blustery December morning, hope seemed hard to find. I left Danube with the words of the hymn ringing in my ears… "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus love and righteousness."
I had to go to Renville to drop off a donation at Mentorworks Too-Kinship run by Lori Dobmeier Clasemann. Lori’s a local girl, an eternal optimist in ministry to the down and outs in Renville County. The store front she works out of is unmarked. It is a conglomeration of boxes of food, clothes, and other goods. It is cold in there, not warm in the least bit. Its noon, Lori sits in the back room eating soup with a smile from ear to ear. She is a dreamer; she loves the poor and ministers to them quietly without much help from the traditional church. We like to talk about ministry more than we like to minister. She ministers rather than talking about it—she just ministers.
Across the street, Dan is the manager at Maynard’s Grocery. A relocated Nebraska corn husker, he’s built low with an open smile. He does it all and doesn’t seem to get the least bit flustered. He has the pulse of this small prairie town community. Dan loves to minister to men. Recovered drunks and drug addicts are comfortable in his presence. He’s busy most nights of the week, ministering beyond just the local community.
I had left Danube with a somewhat sad, empty feeling, only to find the hope being lived out just five miles away in downtown Renville. God’s plans are never thwarted. His message will reach His people. No, He’s not God at a distance but God with us—Immanuel. Yes, He was at Barb Slagter’s funeral and He is also in the backroom of Mentorworks with Lori and across the street with Dan, grinding meat in the grocery store.
God is with us. I need not be afraid; God is with us this Christmas—Immanuel; a light for the Gentiles and the only hope for the future. God bless you this Advent season.
This week Barb, 62, lost her long battle with Parkinson’s disease. A year ago November her husband Gary died from a genetic lung disease. It’s been a tough year for the Slagter kids.
Barb was a Miller. They lived north of us; she rode the bus with us—No.6, always driven by Elgin Kurtz. My first memory of the Miller’s was when the tornado hit their place. It came out of the southwest, nicked the Freiborg place and then wiped Miller’s place off the map. It was a stormy night. When a tornado rumbles on the prairie during the night, it is extra scary; especially if you are a 7 year old girl like Barb was.
Her Dad, Otto, farmed and worked construction. He was killed in a construction accident the week before she graduated from Danube High School in the spring of 1964. She married Gary in 1965. They were a good pair, raised a good family, worked hard, and kept their noses clean. Yesterday as I sat at the funeral, I had a nagging feeling, “This isn’t fair.” God forgive me. I know You are sovereign, you do as you please and I have no problem with that. But, I must be honest, I wondered why.
I saw the procession move towards the south cemetery, thirty cars and trucks. It was a good day; she is with Jesus. Gary and Barb are back together. It was a sad day as children and grandchildren wept.
When Barb was confirmed, her class sang “My Hope is Built on Nothing Less.” We sang that as a closing hymn at her funeral. On this cold, dark blustery December morning, hope seemed hard to find. I left Danube with the words of the hymn ringing in my ears… "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus love and righteousness."
I had to go to Renville to drop off a donation at Mentorworks Too-Kinship run by Lori Dobmeier Clasemann. Lori’s a local girl, an eternal optimist in ministry to the down and outs in Renville County. The store front she works out of is unmarked. It is a conglomeration of boxes of food, clothes, and other goods. It is cold in there, not warm in the least bit. Its noon, Lori sits in the back room eating soup with a smile from ear to ear. She is a dreamer; she loves the poor and ministers to them quietly without much help from the traditional church. We like to talk about ministry more than we like to minister. She ministers rather than talking about it—she just ministers.
Across the street, Dan is the manager at Maynard’s Grocery. A relocated Nebraska corn husker, he’s built low with an open smile. He does it all and doesn’t seem to get the least bit flustered. He has the pulse of this small prairie town community. Dan loves to minister to men. Recovered drunks and drug addicts are comfortable in his presence. He’s busy most nights of the week, ministering beyond just the local community.
I had left Danube with a somewhat sad, empty feeling, only to find the hope being lived out just five miles away in downtown Renville. God’s plans are never thwarted. His message will reach His people. No, He’s not God at a distance but God with us—Immanuel. Yes, He was at Barb Slagter’s funeral and He is also in the backroom of Mentorworks with Lori and across the street with Dan, grinding meat in the grocery store.
God is with us. I need not be afraid; God is with us this Christmas—Immanuel; a light for the Gentiles and the only hope for the future. God bless you this Advent season.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
America as I know it, slips away
Isaiah 3:8-9: "Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence. The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves."
We have entered into the annual spendathon—Christmas shopping season. Yes, I have the privilege to drive all over the country, wait in line to buy cheap, Chinese junk that I really don’t need. In reality most of it will (or should) be in the dumpster in two years.
The “good news” about this is that I can put it on the credit card and according the ads bombarding my desk, I don’t have to pay the bill. Yes, I can avoid bankruptcy, settle with the credit card company for 20 cents on the dollar and preserve my somewhat damaged credit rating. Isn’t this America great? I can have my pie and eat it too.
I also see ads on TV on how to settle delinquent taxes for only a fraction of the original cost. A fifties something woman with jacked-up hair sitting next to her docile, somewhat ashamed husband, chortles, “I settled my $115,000 tax obligation for $7,500 with the help of ‘Tax Busters’.” Not a bad deal. I mean with the money I save by not paying my credit card bills and taxes, I can have a good old time this Holiday Season.
As I listen to these ads, I hear our core values being eroded away. In our culture there always seems to be an out for ridiculous, immature, irresponsible behavior. People, it’s no free lunch, the rest of us pay the bill. We pay the bill with higher prices for goods and higher taxes to ease the insurmountable deficit.
On Channel 4 News the other evening, a woman psychologist reported they are doing a land office business with people struggling with economic issues. The Doctor said, “What is sad this time is the people who have done everything right, worked hard and saved their money, are now losing it. The system has failed them.” A sobering comment in these days.
On December 10, 2008, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said "The federal government of the United States of America is broke.” “What they are proposing to do is pay credit card debt with more credit card debt." "They are engaged in a very elaborate Ponzi scheme," said Pawlenty. "It is a house of cards and it is eventually going to collapse, I will predict to you, sooner rather than later." If this will come true, it will be sobering.
America, I hardly know you. In these days we would do well to remember the words of Scott Wesley Brown in his song, “This Little Child.” In verse two, it says in part: “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!” (Click on the Blog Title above)
Speaking of Jesus in John 1:1-5: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” Church, rise up—be the light in this dark, dark world.
We have entered into the annual spendathon—Christmas shopping season. Yes, I have the privilege to drive all over the country, wait in line to buy cheap, Chinese junk that I really don’t need. In reality most of it will (or should) be in the dumpster in two years.
The “good news” about this is that I can put it on the credit card and according the ads bombarding my desk, I don’t have to pay the bill. Yes, I can avoid bankruptcy, settle with the credit card company for 20 cents on the dollar and preserve my somewhat damaged credit rating. Isn’t this America great? I can have my pie and eat it too.
I also see ads on TV on how to settle delinquent taxes for only a fraction of the original cost. A fifties something woman with jacked-up hair sitting next to her docile, somewhat ashamed husband, chortles, “I settled my $115,000 tax obligation for $7,500 with the help of ‘Tax Busters’.” Not a bad deal. I mean with the money I save by not paying my credit card bills and taxes, I can have a good old time this Holiday Season.
As I listen to these ads, I hear our core values being eroded away. In our culture there always seems to be an out for ridiculous, immature, irresponsible behavior. People, it’s no free lunch, the rest of us pay the bill. We pay the bill with higher prices for goods and higher taxes to ease the insurmountable deficit.
On Channel 4 News the other evening, a woman psychologist reported they are doing a land office business with people struggling with economic issues. The Doctor said, “What is sad this time is the people who have done everything right, worked hard and saved their money, are now losing it. The system has failed them.” A sobering comment in these days.
On December 10, 2008, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said "The federal government of the United States of America is broke.” “What they are proposing to do is pay credit card debt with more credit card debt." "They are engaged in a very elaborate Ponzi scheme," said Pawlenty. "It is a house of cards and it is eventually going to collapse, I will predict to you, sooner rather than later." If this will come true, it will be sobering.
America, I hardly know you. In these days we would do well to remember the words of Scott Wesley Brown in his song, “This Little Child.” In verse two, it says in part: “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!” (Click on the Blog Title above)
Speaking of Jesus in John 1:1-5: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” Church, rise up—be the light in this dark, dark world.
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