I meet many different people, some through work (mainly in the twin cities area), some through preaching (Central and Western Minnesota) and some just being on the farm. Recently I met the mom of a wounded American soldier; I have never talked to her before. Her son is home after a long recovery in hospitals but he is not healed. As the mom said, he will never be completely healed. Tears poured down her face as she talked.
In war, more than the soldier gets wounded; his wife is wounded, his mom and dad are wounded, the rest of the family is shaken and wounded. Their world is turned upside down, the constant reminder of media statistics pound on their psyche. The wounds are permanent, it would be completely depressing if not for hope.
I asked her what the family is doing to heal. She said she talks to mothers of soldiers who are severely wounded. She cried as she told me about having to bring a form of “reality” to the families whose loved ones have been severely wounded in combat. They all want it to be “over” and it’s preferred that this happens quickly. Through her tears, she said it will not “get over quickly” but they must persevere and hang on; it will be a lifetime of coping for most.
In previous wars, sadly many severely wounded died on the battlefield; they didn’t come home. Today, more severely injured are coming home and we are forced to deal with this sobering reality. We will see them on the street, at ball games, at family reunions, at work, at church. Yes, they will be there to serve as a constant reminder of the reality of war. No longer will we be able to turn away and pretend we don’t see. We will have to deal with it, whether we like it or not. Yes, our tranquil Western Minnesota rural lifestyle will be intruded upon by the reality of war and its aftermath.
As I stood in the color guard on Memorial Day, I realized most of us are Viet Nam era vets. I don’t know if anyone of their group has ever told their story; the reality is, most people don’t give a damn if they heard it at all. If we don’t talk about the past, it doesn’t exist and not talking is the protocol for our day. But today these wounded vets are walking our streets, living next to us, worshipping with us and will serve as a constant reminder we all need to heal. Oh, we won’t heal completely on this side of heaven but we have that hope that one day we will all be completely healed.
It is with the hope of Christ that they can carry on. The hurts are real and lasting; the pain just does not go away. The tears are real and fall often and we must be here to listen to the hurting (I mean really listen) and share hope and love. Love them not just in word but in action. Live out our faith with deeds. Remember God’s word says, “No greater love is this than a man lay down his life for a friend.” Remember, every veteran who has ever signed on the dotted line was willing to lay down his life for us. We need to thank each and every one for this unselfish act of devotion.
In the meantime, let’s pray for peace, healing and protection for our soldiers—those serving and those healing. We need to pray for wisdom for our leaders in this trouble time. May we serve those in need and work to bring an end to all pain and suffering and pray for the Lord’s return.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
The Manipulation of Providence
If I’m going to read a book, I prefer non-fiction. I mean, why waste your time reading something man created, something which never happened. I prefer the real thing; “truth is better than fiction” it’s often said. Yes, I guess I prefer non-fiction.
But I understand why fiction is attractive. To the writer, he can manipulate providence. In a creative way he can be God, creating characters, bestowing on them greatness or debauchery. I’m impressed with fiction writers; their span and depth of creativity is impressive. I can understand how they can be consumed with writing fiction; creative bursts, using fiction to lift up, using fiction to challenge the status quo. For the creative moment they are a “manipulator of providence”. J. P. Philips used that term in a book “Your God is too Small.” I don’t remember what he said, but it still sets me thinking.
Even if a writer has the gift of weaving a tale of intrigue and suspense, it is still but a “tale” played out on the stage of time and eternity. The writer weaves his story and gives no thought let’s say, to gravity; he just assumes it’s there. God could for a moment suspend gravity and the world would explode or implode and the writer’s creative work would mean nothing. Yet God allows some of man’s great creative work to endure; great works of literature, the genius of great art, building of structures, and technology that out lives us.
I can manipulate reality in the garden. Creating something more beautiful than if left to itself. BUT God can send in a hail storm and wind and change or eliminate my garden in a moment making me realize God is still sovereign and mighty and I’m just a bit player on the stage of life and time. This shouldn’t make me feel depressed or inferior. My ego shouldn’t suffer; I shouldn’t lose any sleep due to unwarranted worry. He is God and He’s still on the throne and all of men’s creative outbursts are subservient to His sovereign rule. I will let Him be God. I won’t crawl on my belly in the dirt but I will stand amazed at His power and grace and it’s by that grace and mercy that I can stand. I need to thank Him and I will stand directly, totally in awe—awe reserved only for Him.
Thank you Lord, that you are God. Thank you Lord, that we are not God. I trust your sovereign rule. I’m amazed and in awe and I thank you. Amen
But I understand why fiction is attractive. To the writer, he can manipulate providence. In a creative way he can be God, creating characters, bestowing on them greatness or debauchery. I’m impressed with fiction writers; their span and depth of creativity is impressive. I can understand how they can be consumed with writing fiction; creative bursts, using fiction to lift up, using fiction to challenge the status quo. For the creative moment they are a “manipulator of providence”. J. P. Philips used that term in a book “Your God is too Small.” I don’t remember what he said, but it still sets me thinking.
Even if a writer has the gift of weaving a tale of intrigue and suspense, it is still but a “tale” played out on the stage of time and eternity. The writer weaves his story and gives no thought let’s say, to gravity; he just assumes it’s there. God could for a moment suspend gravity and the world would explode or implode and the writer’s creative work would mean nothing. Yet God allows some of man’s great creative work to endure; great works of literature, the genius of great art, building of structures, and technology that out lives us.
I can manipulate reality in the garden. Creating something more beautiful than if left to itself. BUT God can send in a hail storm and wind and change or eliminate my garden in a moment making me realize God is still sovereign and mighty and I’m just a bit player on the stage of life and time. This shouldn’t make me feel depressed or inferior. My ego shouldn’t suffer; I shouldn’t lose any sleep due to unwarranted worry. He is God and He’s still on the throne and all of men’s creative outbursts are subservient to His sovereign rule. I will let Him be God. I won’t crawl on my belly in the dirt but I will stand amazed at His power and grace and it’s by that grace and mercy that I can stand. I need to thank Him and I will stand directly, totally in awe—awe reserved only for Him.
Thank you Lord, that you are God. Thank you Lord, that we are not God. I trust your sovereign rule. I’m amazed and in awe and I thank you. Amen
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Early Morning on the Prairie
The prairie is usually windy but at sunrise this morning it’s dead still. It’s spring time in agricultural country. Sometimes in the early morning the prairie tranquility is broken by the drone of the yellow bi-plane crop duster working on the Voelz brothers’ farm; he has come this morning. He swoops low at break-neck speed, rising above the lake bottom trees, seeming to miss them only by a few feet. The bright yellow plane sparkles in the morning sun; a bright contrast to the dark green fields and beautiful blue sky.
The spray hangs over the field as a man made mist. It doesn’t hang long but settles on the sugar beet field to do its work so I can have sugar in my coffee. (Why did I say that, I hardly drink coffee much less with sugar?) It’s for you to have sugar in your coffee, for latte schmatty, whatever.
After the plane leaves the area, the quietness returns. Geese honk at the pond; meadow larks share their beautiful call, red wing blackbirds proudly whistle their distinctive song; blue jays jostle and play at the bird feeders; pheasants call back and forth to one another; a deer comes out from Judit’s grove to drink at our pond. Morning Doves coo, sounding far away yet I see them in the black walnut tree on the east side of the garden.
As I sit here, Judi has a vase of flowers on the table with lilacs, Columbine, and fern peony blossoms; they are more beautiful than anything man could create. I realize I am blessed. May I never forget it; may I never take it for granted.
Isaiah 42:5-9 - This is what God the Lord says-- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. "I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
The Lord is good. Amen
The spray hangs over the field as a man made mist. It doesn’t hang long but settles on the sugar beet field to do its work so I can have sugar in my coffee. (Why did I say that, I hardly drink coffee much less with sugar?) It’s for you to have sugar in your coffee, for latte schmatty, whatever.
After the plane leaves the area, the quietness returns. Geese honk at the pond; meadow larks share their beautiful call, red wing blackbirds proudly whistle their distinctive song; blue jays jostle and play at the bird feeders; pheasants call back and forth to one another; a deer comes out from Judit’s grove to drink at our pond. Morning Doves coo, sounding far away yet I see them in the black walnut tree on the east side of the garden.
As I sit here, Judi has a vase of flowers on the table with lilacs, Columbine, and fern peony blossoms; they are more beautiful than anything man could create. I realize I am blessed. May I never forget it; may I never take it for granted.
Isaiah 42:5-9 - This is what God the Lord says-- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. "I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."
The Lord is good. Amen
Saturday, May 19, 2007
On Being Well-Fed Sheep And Loving It or Laying by the Feed Bunk and Loving It
In the 21st Chapter of John, Peter is reinstated by Jesus. Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
In the United States today, we as Christians are well fed sheep. I mean in the spiritual sense (in the physical sense also). We have freedom of religion, abundance of scriptures, Christian radio, books; satellite TV with “Christian” channels, lots of impressive church buildings with impressive “programs”. Yes, we are well fed and we like it that way.
When animals (sheep, cows, hogs) are “well fed” they lay down. Remember “contented cows make contented milk” an old Kemps Dairy ad on TV? Well, fed sheep lay down. Yes, we’ve laid down by the bunk…and we are not going to be moved. We like hanging around the bunk. It’s warm-fuzzy and familiar. It’s safe.
There are two types of sheep—breeding stock and feeders. Breeding stock’s purpose is to multiply, produce more sheep. Feeders are short-lived; their only purpose is to be slaughtered for meat. Breeding stock are around longer (more years) thus they are sheared of their wool and they eventually are sent to slaughter also, laying down their lives for us so we have warm clothes and meat to eat.
What kind of sheep are you? Breeding stock? Have you multiplied your self spiritually? Have you been willingly sheared for the benefit of others? Do you give of yourself, your time, effort, money so others can benefit? Or are you a feeder lamb whose only purpose is to be slaughtered for meat? Are you willing to lay down your life for a friend?
What kind of sheep are you? Well-fed sheep? Are you lying contented by the bunk, well fed, and satisfied while the world goes to hell? We belch and doze and it doesn’t matter to us because we’re well fed sheep and we like it that way.
Mount up with the Holy Spirit; become an attack lamb pack. Put on sheep’s armor and attack the gates of hell. Well fed contented sheep or Holy Spirit inspired, Godly armor protected attack lamb pack? Rise up oh men of God. Go to work. Live life to its fullest. Love Jesus and live vibrant, expectant lives for God’s glory.
In the United States today, we as Christians are well fed sheep. I mean in the spiritual sense (in the physical sense also). We have freedom of religion, abundance of scriptures, Christian radio, books; satellite TV with “Christian” channels, lots of impressive church buildings with impressive “programs”. Yes, we are well fed and we like it that way.
When animals (sheep, cows, hogs) are “well fed” they lay down. Remember “contented cows make contented milk” an old Kemps Dairy ad on TV? Well, fed sheep lay down. Yes, we’ve laid down by the bunk…and we are not going to be moved. We like hanging around the bunk. It’s warm-fuzzy and familiar. It’s safe.
There are two types of sheep—breeding stock and feeders. Breeding stock’s purpose is to multiply, produce more sheep. Feeders are short-lived; their only purpose is to be slaughtered for meat. Breeding stock are around longer (more years) thus they are sheared of their wool and they eventually are sent to slaughter also, laying down their lives for us so we have warm clothes and meat to eat.
What kind of sheep are you? Breeding stock? Have you multiplied your self spiritually? Have you been willingly sheared for the benefit of others? Do you give of yourself, your time, effort, money so others can benefit? Or are you a feeder lamb whose only purpose is to be slaughtered for meat? Are you willing to lay down your life for a friend?
What kind of sheep are you? Well-fed sheep? Are you lying contented by the bunk, well fed, and satisfied while the world goes to hell? We belch and doze and it doesn’t matter to us because we’re well fed sheep and we like it that way.
Mount up with the Holy Spirit; become an attack lamb pack. Put on sheep’s armor and attack the gates of hell. Well fed contented sheep or Holy Spirit inspired, Godly armor protected attack lamb pack? Rise up oh men of God. Go to work. Live life to its fullest. Love Jesus and live vibrant, expectant lives for God’s glory.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
On Being Still
The phone rings, the e-mails need to be read, people come through the office door with problems. The world is busy; we rush head-long into another busy, fearful day.
Luke 1:74 in the New Living Translation says: "We have been rescued from our enemies, so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness forever." Luke 1:74 - "to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear" (NIV). Our days are fractured into a number of time sensitive incidents that need attention now. Oh, for tyranny of the urgent.
The Lord tells us to be still. Ps 37:7 – “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” I don’t think we’re very good at it, being still that is. I hear little, if any, talk about meditating on the Lord-being still before Him. Are we afraid to be quiet? Why do we need background “noise” (radio, TV, music) to occupy our mind? How long has it been since you just listened to the Lord; not prayed, not worried, did not become antsy, just waited and listened, became still…still before Him?
It says in Ps 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Ask the Lord to visit you, pray for spiritual protection (John 17:15 – “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”) and wait and listen; just listen…Be still and know…Be still and know…
Luke 1:74 in the New Living Translation says: "We have been rescued from our enemies, so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness forever." Luke 1:74 - "to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear" (NIV). Our days are fractured into a number of time sensitive incidents that need attention now. Oh, for tyranny of the urgent.
The Lord tells us to be still. Ps 37:7 – “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” I don’t think we’re very good at it, being still that is. I hear little, if any, talk about meditating on the Lord-being still before Him. Are we afraid to be quiet? Why do we need background “noise” (radio, TV, music) to occupy our mind? How long has it been since you just listened to the Lord; not prayed, not worried, did not become antsy, just waited and listened, became still…still before Him?
It says in Ps 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Ask the Lord to visit you, pray for spiritual protection (John 17:15 – “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”) and wait and listen; just listen…Be still and know…Be still and know…
Friday, May 11, 2007
How are we using our imagination?
Crawford Gribben, writer and university teacher in the UK, has written an article on a lesson to be learned from the Virginia Tech tragedy. In it he writes: “It’s not fashionable to lament the slow death of the Western imagination but there can be little doubt that the death of our collective imagination, and our collective preoccupation with scenes of violence and death has lead to repeated incidents of enacted violence. Our collective imagination is the key to our social future—what we choose to fill our minds with is a real indication of what our societies will choose to become."
Luke 6:45 - The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Romans 8:6 - The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;
Collective imagination - do we use ours for good or are we just occupying space? What goes in determines what comes out. What are we putting in our mind? Do we dwell on the negative things of life?
What do we think about when there’s nothing to think about? Do you like what you found in these times? No, I’m not suggesting a “Positive Mental Attitude Rally” but I am suggesting we look for the good. Fill our minds and hearts with God’s grace, patience, tenderness, and forgiveness. In Romans 2:4 it says: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” Let’s put these things in our mind; it leads us to repentance. Let’s go live our faith. Be light in the darkness. Be hope in a sea of despair. We must use our collective imagination to the Glory of God. God help us. Amen
Luke 6:45 - The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Romans 8:6 - The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;
Collective imagination - do we use ours for good or are we just occupying space? What goes in determines what comes out. What are we putting in our mind? Do we dwell on the negative things of life?
What do we think about when there’s nothing to think about? Do you like what you found in these times? No, I’m not suggesting a “Positive Mental Attitude Rally” but I am suggesting we look for the good. Fill our minds and hearts with God’s grace, patience, tenderness, and forgiveness. In Romans 2:4 it says: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” Let’s put these things in our mind; it leads us to repentance. Let’s go live our faith. Be light in the darkness. Be hope in a sea of despair. We must use our collective imagination to the Glory of God. God help us. Amen
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Some Good News
When I go to a church for the first time, it’s always interesting. During the last year, I was asked to speak at a church where I had never spoken before. Our contact with this church is through some members we know socially. This church has quite a variety of people attending; I was impressed. The pastor of the church asked if I would speak on a specific topic, “Using our spiritual gifts”, which I did.
In my sermon I said, if we are believers, we have a spiritual gift and God uses people of all ages and talents. He uses what the world would call insignificant people. One example of insignificant people is the servant girl to King Naaman’s wife; she was unnamed. She encourages Naaman to see a prophet in Samaria so he could be healed. 2 Kings 5:2-5: Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. "By all means, go," the king of Aram replied.” King Naaman listened to the servant girl and he was healed by God.
Sometimes we view the use of spiritual gifts as gifts used by only the people in the front of the church—the pastor, worship leaders, praise team, elders and deacons, board members, etc. as using their spiritual gifts. Not so. If you’re wiping the nose of a little child in the nursery, you’re being used by God. Oh, the Body may never “see” your work and dedication but God does; for just as He notices the nameless servant girl of Naaman, He notices your work and dedication. (“Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto Me.”)
As I spoke, I noticed a woman sitting in the back off to the side; she listened intently to my sermon. As she turned her head, I could see tears in her eyes. We talked after the service; she was a first time worshipper at the church and this is what she told me. She said: “If you knew my past, God wouldn’t use me.” I reassured her that God has always used men and women “with a past” to carry His message of hope to a hurting world. Romans 3:22-24: This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
God uses flawed, sinful, cracked-pot people like us to further His kingdom. Through the blood of Christ, He forgives our sins. Psalm 103:12 says: “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” He uses humble, forgiven people to further His kingdom.
Paul wanted to know the power of Jesus resurrection (Phil. 3:10: I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death ) Do you want to know the power of Jesus’ resurrection? Has your life been transformed by the power of Christ’s resurrection? Yes, God uses forgiven, transformed, insignificant people (insignificant in the world’s eyes) to further His kingdom. Hold up your head. Move forward. Put on your armor (Eph. 6). Go to battle. You are a child of The King not a king. THE King, Lord God Almighty.
In my sermon I said, if we are believers, we have a spiritual gift and God uses people of all ages and talents. He uses what the world would call insignificant people. One example of insignificant people is the servant girl to King Naaman’s wife; she was unnamed. She encourages Naaman to see a prophet in Samaria so he could be healed. 2 Kings 5:2-5: Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. "By all means, go," the king of Aram replied.” King Naaman listened to the servant girl and he was healed by God.
Sometimes we view the use of spiritual gifts as gifts used by only the people in the front of the church—the pastor, worship leaders, praise team, elders and deacons, board members, etc. as using their spiritual gifts. Not so. If you’re wiping the nose of a little child in the nursery, you’re being used by God. Oh, the Body may never “see” your work and dedication but God does; for just as He notices the nameless servant girl of Naaman, He notices your work and dedication. (“Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto Me.”)
As I spoke, I noticed a woman sitting in the back off to the side; she listened intently to my sermon. As she turned her head, I could see tears in her eyes. We talked after the service; she was a first time worshipper at the church and this is what she told me. She said: “If you knew my past, God wouldn’t use me.” I reassured her that God has always used men and women “with a past” to carry His message of hope to a hurting world. Romans 3:22-24: This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
God uses flawed, sinful, cracked-pot people like us to further His kingdom. Through the blood of Christ, He forgives our sins. Psalm 103:12 says: “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” He uses humble, forgiven people to further His kingdom.
Paul wanted to know the power of Jesus resurrection (Phil. 3:10: I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death ) Do you want to know the power of Jesus’ resurrection? Has your life been transformed by the power of Christ’s resurrection? Yes, God uses forgiven, transformed, insignificant people (insignificant in the world’s eyes) to further His kingdom. Hold up your head. Move forward. Put on your armor (Eph. 6). Go to battle. You are a child of The King not a king. THE King, Lord God Almighty.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
A thousand blackbirds and thirty-seven deer
It’s April on the western Minnesota prairie. This means one day it’s 81 degrees and for the next week we have blowing snow, 40 mile per hour winds with nighttime temperatures in the low teens. In Minnesota, we only need to be patient; things will change on short order. Yesterday the temperature started to rise with scattered sunshine.
The scattered sunshine seems to cause the migrating birds to begin moving again. Blackbirds are in the south field so thick the field seemed to move and oscillate as they picked the soil for some morsels of food. Birds amaze me; why do they all jump up at the same time, fly in the same direction, flowing in graceful form, coordinated in smooth flight and at whose command? Is there a first-sergeant bird who silently barks out orders to the obedient flocks?
The group of birds leap-frog over each other, out of the south field into the lawn to the east of the house. Continuous flights, continuous noise, all moving closer to the pond for water and an evening respite in our trees.
The other evening Judi came home from work just at dusk. She called and told me to get my shoes on for she was taking me for a ride. She took me down to the lake bottom where we observed over 30 plus deer frolicking and playing in the darkening shadows. What a sight! What a blessing! God’s handiwork is all around.
Today Judi and I went for a walk in the wood with our lab, Lily. The sound of the birds was impressive. It was loud, long and steady—a sure sign of hope at the end of winter on the Minnesota prairie.
This morning the sunrise broke over the horizon just north of the Long Lake Mission Cemetery on Johnnie’s hill. It reminded me of Lamentations 3:22-23: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” My mind went back to last night and I marveled at what a privilege it was to see God’s creation in its entire splendor. It is free for us to see and praise. I praise the Lord for His creative genius, a reminder of His generous providing hand. Psalms 19:1 - "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."
Remember if we do not praise the Lord, the rocks will cry out. Oh Lord, may I never become so calloused as to not notice the beauty, grandeur, and magnificence of your creation. May the rocks in Section 17 of Winfield Township have no need to cry out. May we forever praise the Lord. Amen.
The scattered sunshine seems to cause the migrating birds to begin moving again. Blackbirds are in the south field so thick the field seemed to move and oscillate as they picked the soil for some morsels of food. Birds amaze me; why do they all jump up at the same time, fly in the same direction, flowing in graceful form, coordinated in smooth flight and at whose command? Is there a first-sergeant bird who silently barks out orders to the obedient flocks?
The group of birds leap-frog over each other, out of the south field into the lawn to the east of the house. Continuous flights, continuous noise, all moving closer to the pond for water and an evening respite in our trees.
The other evening Judi came home from work just at dusk. She called and told me to get my shoes on for she was taking me for a ride. She took me down to the lake bottom where we observed over 30 plus deer frolicking and playing in the darkening shadows. What a sight! What a blessing! God’s handiwork is all around.
Today Judi and I went for a walk in the wood with our lab, Lily. The sound of the birds was impressive. It was loud, long and steady—a sure sign of hope at the end of winter on the Minnesota prairie.
This morning the sunrise broke over the horizon just north of the Long Lake Mission Cemetery on Johnnie’s hill. It reminded me of Lamentations 3:22-23: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” My mind went back to last night and I marveled at what a privilege it was to see God’s creation in its entire splendor. It is free for us to see and praise. I praise the Lord for His creative genius, a reminder of His generous providing hand. Psalms 19:1 - "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."
Remember if we do not praise the Lord, the rocks will cry out. Oh Lord, may I never become so calloused as to not notice the beauty, grandeur, and magnificence of your creation. May the rocks in Section 17 of Winfield Township have no need to cry out. May we forever praise the Lord. Amen.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Beating the drum slowly…A baby’s death in Oakdale
A story ran as headlines throughout last week about a 16 year old girl who gave birth to a baby; she stabbed the baby over 100 times and disposed of the baby in a trash can. We were outraged. We shook our heads in disgust, and said isn’t this sad. Yes, it’s easy to point the finger in a case like this; what she did is wrong, it’s unconscionable but I ask: “Why was this girl so hopeless? Why was she so afraid and lonely? Why was she so isolated that she talked to no one? Why was she so angry that she stabbed the baby over 100 times?”
As a professing Christian, I must ask myself: “Why didn’t she know the hope and love of Christ? Why didn’t someone notice this girl, have some type of relationship with her so she would be able to talk to someone she trusted? What is she angry at?”
If she was our neighbor, would we get involved in her life? If not, why? May I suggest we would not because we don’t care? Some of you may feel old Beef here is a negative old coot. I may be, but when are we going to pull our collective heads out of the sand and care about girls like this? I think I know the answer; do you really want to hear it? We will pull our head out of the sand when the girl who does this is our daughter, our neighbor or our grandchild. We will pull our heads out of the sand when it is too late. Just like the people of Oakdale.
God’s love for us should motivate us to take the message of the hope of Christ, the love of Christ, the care of Christ to a hurting world—to people like this young 16 year old girl in Oakdale. Jesus told us to go so let’s go and do.
Let’s quit playing games. Let’s be Christ to our corner of the world. Let’s show compassion where none exists. Let’s forgive when no forgiveness exists. Let’s light our light in the darkest hour. Let’s die to ourselves like Christ died. Let’s sacrifice our comfort, pride, our self-centered isolated life style, and lay them at the foot of the cross. The world is hurting and the love of Christ is the only hope. Go, go, go! Go and Do! Let’s live for Jesus. Amen.
As a professing Christian, I must ask myself: “Why didn’t she know the hope and love of Christ? Why didn’t someone notice this girl, have some type of relationship with her so she would be able to talk to someone she trusted? What is she angry at?”
If she was our neighbor, would we get involved in her life? If not, why? May I suggest we would not because we don’t care? Some of you may feel old Beef here is a negative old coot. I may be, but when are we going to pull our collective heads out of the sand and care about girls like this? I think I know the answer; do you really want to hear it? We will pull our head out of the sand when the girl who does this is our daughter, our neighbor or our grandchild. We will pull our heads out of the sand when it is too late. Just like the people of Oakdale.
God’s love for us should motivate us to take the message of the hope of Christ, the love of Christ, the care of Christ to a hurting world—to people like this young 16 year old girl in Oakdale. Jesus told us to go so let’s go and do.
Let’s quit playing games. Let’s be Christ to our corner of the world. Let’s show compassion where none exists. Let’s forgive when no forgiveness exists. Let’s light our light in the darkest hour. Let’s die to ourselves like Christ died. Let’s sacrifice our comfort, pride, our self-centered isolated life style, and lay them at the foot of the cross. The world is hurting and the love of Christ is the only hope. Go, go, go! Go and Do! Let’s live for Jesus. Amen.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Three Little Words: A Teachable Moment
Because of three words, Don Imus lost his reputation, his job and any creditability he might have had. He is “over with”—history in the eyes of the world. Don Imus’ very public sin (it was wrong what he said) was played out across the airwaves and other media. Most of us are aware of the uproar over the three “misspoken” words.
We are not public icons so when our time comes over three “misspoken words” it will not be played out on the national stage. Oh, I can criticize someone to my son on the phone but only Andy and I will have heard the spoken word. This seems safe to us, just keep the criticism contained and no one will know the difference—except God!!
In God’s word it says “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment." (Matt. 12:36 NKJV) Every half truth, every exaggeration, every lie, every cheap shot at our neighbor, every self-righteous finger pointing moment, every repeated rumor or possible scandal shared only between two people has been and will be heard by God and God will call us to account.
Oh, we can point our self-righteous finger at Don Imus, knowing we have thought or said things of similar nature ourselves. God hears our words and knows our thoughts from afar. This ought to make us weak in the knees. We all need some time of individual and collective soul searching. Lord help us. Lord help us. Amen.
We are not public icons so when our time comes over three “misspoken words” it will not be played out on the national stage. Oh, I can criticize someone to my son on the phone but only Andy and I will have heard the spoken word. This seems safe to us, just keep the criticism contained and no one will know the difference—except God!!
In God’s word it says “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment." (Matt. 12:36 NKJV) Every half truth, every exaggeration, every lie, every cheap shot at our neighbor, every self-righteous finger pointing moment, every repeated rumor or possible scandal shared only between two people has been and will be heard by God and God will call us to account.
Oh, we can point our self-righteous finger at Don Imus, knowing we have thought or said things of similar nature ourselves. God hears our words and knows our thoughts from afar. This ought to make us weak in the knees. We all need some time of individual and collective soul searching. Lord help us. Lord help us. Amen.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
What do we think about when we have nothing to think about?
I just read a news report about Pope Benedict’s concern for the future of Europe. The concern expressed was in response to a study that looked at the ever decreasing birth rate in the European Union countries. The Pope said many of the people in the EU have become self-centered, viewing children as a hindrance to their own pursuits.
Should we be surprised? When the Lord is pushed out as the center of our lives, we get busy and rush in to fill the vacuum. We become our own god. Sound familiar?
What is the center of your life, the Lord or other things? The easiest test to take to find out what truly is the center of our life is to ask this question. What do I think about when I have nothing to think about? This may sound silly at first glance, but I believe this to be a powerful question. Whatever the answer is, it is more than likely the center of our lives.
In response to the previous question, did you like what you found? I believe we Americans are as self-centered as the Europeans. Listen to how we converse with one another; most of the time our discussions are about what we do. We talk about our kids, our grandkids, our jobs, and our personal world. We talk superficially almost all the time. We talk about $30,000 cars, $800 purses and all the while we have full bellies and empty hearts.
Do any of us have a vision for our families, our communities, our churches, our country, our world beyond those driven by our own vested self-interest?
This week a woman at my home church asked a great question. “Jerry what are you seeing out there when you preach at those other churches?" I told her God has his people everywhere and many of them are lonely, worried and hurting people.
I spoke at a church from part of Mark 8, it’s about “Some people” who bring a blind man to Jesus and beg Jesus just to touch him. Not heal him, just touch him. When I finished preaching, I was greeting people when an 80 year old widow came by and asked “Could you just give me a hug?” I gave her a hug; we had a long warm conversation.
Are we pursuing our own self-centered pursuits, while people around us just need a hug? Are we distracted while studying “Ten easy steps to Victorious Christian Living” while in our presence lonely, hurting people are in need of just a hug? Do we even notice them?
In utter darkness, the littlest light shines the brightest. This woman taught me an important lesson. Am I going through the motions, or do I truly care about my fellow man?
Do I take time for the children that come into my presence? Do I make an effort to talk and hug Annie even though she can’t lift her head anymore?
Do I use my home as my castle? Do I retreat behind its walls to escape a hurting and needy world I don’t want to understand? Do I get irritated when someone calls to chat when I’m watching March Madness?
Jesus said “what you do unto the least of these you do unto me”. I do not believe the Europeans have a corner on the “self-centeredness” market. I believe it’s alive and well in our American culture and sadly, alive and well inside our churches.
Lord forgive us for our self-centeredness, Lord help us, wake us up. May we use our gifts as a blessing to a hurting world, and in the end may you, Lord truly get all the Glory - Amen.
Should we be surprised? When the Lord is pushed out as the center of our lives, we get busy and rush in to fill the vacuum. We become our own god. Sound familiar?
What is the center of your life, the Lord or other things? The easiest test to take to find out what truly is the center of our life is to ask this question. What do I think about when I have nothing to think about? This may sound silly at first glance, but I believe this to be a powerful question. Whatever the answer is, it is more than likely the center of our lives.
In response to the previous question, did you like what you found? I believe we Americans are as self-centered as the Europeans. Listen to how we converse with one another; most of the time our discussions are about what we do. We talk about our kids, our grandkids, our jobs, and our personal world. We talk superficially almost all the time. We talk about $30,000 cars, $800 purses and all the while we have full bellies and empty hearts.
Do any of us have a vision for our families, our communities, our churches, our country, our world beyond those driven by our own vested self-interest?
This week a woman at my home church asked a great question. “Jerry what are you seeing out there when you preach at those other churches?" I told her God has his people everywhere and many of them are lonely, worried and hurting people.
I spoke at a church from part of Mark 8, it’s about “Some people” who bring a blind man to Jesus and beg Jesus just to touch him. Not heal him, just touch him. When I finished preaching, I was greeting people when an 80 year old widow came by and asked “Could you just give me a hug?” I gave her a hug; we had a long warm conversation.
Are we pursuing our own self-centered pursuits, while people around us just need a hug? Are we distracted while studying “Ten easy steps to Victorious Christian Living” while in our presence lonely, hurting people are in need of just a hug? Do we even notice them?
In utter darkness, the littlest light shines the brightest. This woman taught me an important lesson. Am I going through the motions, or do I truly care about my fellow man?
Do I take time for the children that come into my presence? Do I make an effort to talk and hug Annie even though she can’t lift her head anymore?
Do I use my home as my castle? Do I retreat behind its walls to escape a hurting and needy world I don’t want to understand? Do I get irritated when someone calls to chat when I’m watching March Madness?
Jesus said “what you do unto the least of these you do unto me”. I do not believe the Europeans have a corner on the “self-centeredness” market. I believe it’s alive and well in our American culture and sadly, alive and well inside our churches.
Lord forgive us for our self-centeredness, Lord help us, wake us up. May we use our gifts as a blessing to a hurting world, and in the end may you, Lord truly get all the Glory - Amen.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Easter Week Thoughts
When talk shows and the like talk about Jesus, the most popular title for Him is prophet. Prophets usually are considered weird people; we can listen and ignore them because most really aren’t prophets, they are frauds. Therefore, there are no consequences for what they say. We like it that way. Oh, they might ruffle our feathers but on the whole, we don’t take them seriously. So, when it comes to the claims of Jesus, let’s ignore them, just keep Him a prophet.
People say times change, sometimes they don’t. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowds rolled out to welcome Him. In Luke 19:37 it says in part…”the whole crowd of disciples began singing joyfully to God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: Blessed is he King who comes in the name of the Lord…” Notice why they were praising Him: “for all the miracles they had seen.” These disciples quoted scripture; they knew who He was.
In Matthew 21 scripture about the triumphal entry says this: (verse 10) “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city stirred and asked, “Who is this?” vs.11, the crowds answered “This is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” The crowds saw Him as prophet not as King, Lord or Savior.
Deep down, who is Jesus to you; just a prophet or Lord, Savior and King? In Matt. 16:13, Jesus asked, “Who do the people say the Son of Man is? Verse 14 they replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Jesus asked His disciples “Who do you say I am?” And Peter replied “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Peter confirmed and believed he was the Son of God.
From that time on, Jesus begins to explain to His disciples that He must be killed. Peter takes Jesus aside and says, “Never Lord, this shall never happen to you.”
The world can tolerate Him as a prophet. But when we call Him “Christ, the Son of the living God” things change. This being killed, tortured, beaten beyond human recognition stuff (Is. 52) having to die a miserable death stuff just doesn’t seem to fit into the worlds plan.. I mean this really sounds messy. It’s easier for us if He just stays a prophet. That way we don’t have to struggle with guilt and sin and all that other messy stuff.
We can sit around, be cool, contemplate and discuss who we are; why are we here; and where are we going? We can debate evil, the reality of it. We desire to seek human justice (making everything right in this world); we all hunger for love, desiring to know we are all of value. We want all of this to “work out” some way. We want an end to this misery…we know deep down, left to itself, it won’t work out; history proves that. In our heart we long for a Savior but because of pressure from the world, we only accept Him as prophet, not Lord and Savior. Just a prophet.
On Calvary, the one act of the God/man Jesus dying for our sin addresses evil and deals with it. Justice is achieved, not in a human way, but in a supernatural way, “the just (Jesus) dying for the unjust (us)." Oh, what a thought.
Romans 5:6-11 "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
Our hunger for love is played out in our writings, poems, movies and music. We know deep down these things will not satisfy. Oh we are blessed with faithful husbands and wives, moms and dads, loving children and grandchildren. This is good but it does not fill the God shaped hole in our heart…only Christ Jesus, dying for us on the cross, can grant forgiveness and reconciliation and fill that God shaped hole. Nothing else can satisfy our hunger for love. This one act was played out on a hill called Calvary, where the Son of God was skewered to the cross so you and I could be free from sin and guilt and be made right with God once and for all. No, He is not just a prophet; He is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
People say times change, sometimes they don’t. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowds rolled out to welcome Him. In Luke 19:37 it says in part…”the whole crowd of disciples began singing joyfully to God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: Blessed is he King who comes in the name of the Lord…” Notice why they were praising Him: “for all the miracles they had seen.” These disciples quoted scripture; they knew who He was.
In Matthew 21 scripture about the triumphal entry says this: (verse 10) “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city stirred and asked, “Who is this?” vs.11, the crowds answered “This is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” The crowds saw Him as prophet not as King, Lord or Savior.
Deep down, who is Jesus to you; just a prophet or Lord, Savior and King? In Matt. 16:13, Jesus asked, “Who do the people say the Son of Man is? Verse 14 they replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Jesus asked His disciples “Who do you say I am?” And Peter replied “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Peter confirmed and believed he was the Son of God.
From that time on, Jesus begins to explain to His disciples that He must be killed. Peter takes Jesus aside and says, “Never Lord, this shall never happen to you.”
The world can tolerate Him as a prophet. But when we call Him “Christ, the Son of the living God” things change. This being killed, tortured, beaten beyond human recognition stuff (Is. 52) having to die a miserable death stuff just doesn’t seem to fit into the worlds plan.. I mean this really sounds messy. It’s easier for us if He just stays a prophet. That way we don’t have to struggle with guilt and sin and all that other messy stuff.
We can sit around, be cool, contemplate and discuss who we are; why are we here; and where are we going? We can debate evil, the reality of it. We desire to seek human justice (making everything right in this world); we all hunger for love, desiring to know we are all of value. We want all of this to “work out” some way. We want an end to this misery…we know deep down, left to itself, it won’t work out; history proves that. In our heart we long for a Savior but because of pressure from the world, we only accept Him as prophet, not Lord and Savior. Just a prophet.
On Calvary, the one act of the God/man Jesus dying for our sin addresses evil and deals with it. Justice is achieved, not in a human way, but in a supernatural way, “the just (Jesus) dying for the unjust (us)." Oh, what a thought.
Romans 5:6-11 "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
Our hunger for love is played out in our writings, poems, movies and music. We know deep down these things will not satisfy. Oh we are blessed with faithful husbands and wives, moms and dads, loving children and grandchildren. This is good but it does not fill the God shaped hole in our heart…only Christ Jesus, dying for us on the cross, can grant forgiveness and reconciliation and fill that God shaped hole. Nothing else can satisfy our hunger for love. This one act was played out on a hill called Calvary, where the Son of God was skewered to the cross so you and I could be free from sin and guilt and be made right with God once and for all. No, He is not just a prophet; He is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Family Secrets—sweeping the past under the rug
Last night as I watched the news, I learned that Winona Judd’s husband was arrested for sexual abuse with a child under thirteen. I thought, how tragic; why this epidemic of sexual abuse and exploitation? I wondered how sad that the Judd family has to face its sin in such a public manner. What about the child? I thought a little bit more, at least it can’t be swept under the rug, and probably the public exposure should be viewed as a blessing.
Families have secrets, families have a past, sometimes they are unseemly. We like to keep certain things about our past secret because we fear it would embarrass us; we would appear less to our fellowman. Our response is to sweep it under the rug but we continue to see the bump under the rug and it bothers us. We keep sweeping more under the rug and pretty soon someone in the family trips on the bump. They get hurt but we keep right on sweeping.
Along the way, a family member gets tired of seeing the bump under the rug and gets tired of seeing people tripping over the bump, falling and getting hurt. This family member gets tired of seeing fellow family members lying on the floor wounded, being judged for "their" failure when in reality they tripped and fell over all the garbage that has been swept under the rug for generations.
So, this truth seeking family member finally picks up the rug to see what’s there. They are chastised for seeking the truth and are quickly labeled “the problem”. The person who wants to find out the truth about the garbage under the rug is labeled a trouble maker, the problem, just because they desire the truth.
We all can act like we are waltzing through life, but a day comes when we must deal with our past or our family secrets. Look at King David. A king, powerful, anointed by God, distracted from his real job (being king he should have been in battle with his soldiers) but he stays back, becomes a peeping Tom and because he is king, orders Bathsheba to his bedroom, you know the rest. If not, read I Samuel 16-I Kings 2:11, I Chronicles 11-29). King David, forgiven as he was, still suffered the consequences of his sins.
Two things we need to learn from this: our sin will be found out AND we need to deal with it. It happened to David with the Prophet Nathan and it will happen to us. If it doesn’t happen in this life, it will be revealed on Judgment Day.
We, as a people, cannot ignore our personal or collective past. I see too many people who have tripped over the bump under the rug and are lying on the floor of life deeply hurt and wounded. Pick up the rug; deal with the stuff under the rug. Stop labeling the Truth Seeker, the trouble maker. We need to get rid of our pride and our over inflated image of ourselves.
Life is miserable when we won’t face our past and our sin. I know from experience.
Practical advice: We need to pray for courage to stand up to, address, and face our sin and our family’s sin. We need to stop making the Truth Seeker the problem. We need to address the past honestly and live with expectation remembering what the Apostle Paul said, “God will do more than we can ever imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). Our goal should be forgiveness and restoration, not revenge. We need to humbly thank the Truth Seeker for his courage. What will you be, a sweeper or a Truth Seeker? We must do the right thing. Come Holy Spirit, help us.
Families have secrets, families have a past, sometimes they are unseemly. We like to keep certain things about our past secret because we fear it would embarrass us; we would appear less to our fellowman. Our response is to sweep it under the rug but we continue to see the bump under the rug and it bothers us. We keep sweeping more under the rug and pretty soon someone in the family trips on the bump. They get hurt but we keep right on sweeping.
Along the way, a family member gets tired of seeing the bump under the rug and gets tired of seeing people tripping over the bump, falling and getting hurt. This family member gets tired of seeing fellow family members lying on the floor wounded, being judged for "their" failure when in reality they tripped and fell over all the garbage that has been swept under the rug for generations.
So, this truth seeking family member finally picks up the rug to see what’s there. They are chastised for seeking the truth and are quickly labeled “the problem”. The person who wants to find out the truth about the garbage under the rug is labeled a trouble maker, the problem, just because they desire the truth.
We all can act like we are waltzing through life, but a day comes when we must deal with our past or our family secrets. Look at King David. A king, powerful, anointed by God, distracted from his real job (being king he should have been in battle with his soldiers) but he stays back, becomes a peeping Tom and because he is king, orders Bathsheba to his bedroom, you know the rest. If not, read I Samuel 16-I Kings 2:11, I Chronicles 11-29). King David, forgiven as he was, still suffered the consequences of his sins.
Two things we need to learn from this: our sin will be found out AND we need to deal with it. It happened to David with the Prophet Nathan and it will happen to us. If it doesn’t happen in this life, it will be revealed on Judgment Day.
We, as a people, cannot ignore our personal or collective past. I see too many people who have tripped over the bump under the rug and are lying on the floor of life deeply hurt and wounded. Pick up the rug; deal with the stuff under the rug. Stop labeling the Truth Seeker, the trouble maker. We need to get rid of our pride and our over inflated image of ourselves.
Life is miserable when we won’t face our past and our sin. I know from experience.
Practical advice: We need to pray for courage to stand up to, address, and face our sin and our family’s sin. We need to stop making the Truth Seeker the problem. We need to address the past honestly and live with expectation remembering what the Apostle Paul said, “God will do more than we can ever imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). Our goal should be forgiveness and restoration, not revenge. We need to humbly thank the Truth Seeker for his courage. What will you be, a sweeper or a Truth Seeker? We must do the right thing. Come Holy Spirit, help us.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Repost from Sunday, June 18, 2006
For some of you new to the blog, we will repost a few of the older blogs during the week. Look for a new post from Beef this Thursday or Friday.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Meet Myrtle from "Mrs. Beef"
Let me tell you about Myrtle. Myrtle is the sweet, lovely lady who used to live across the street from us when our children were growing up. She’s the one where the children would always visit to get candy, see pictures and hear stories of her family, and always learn more about Jesus; she was everyone’s “adopted Grandma.” And what a testimony she is. If you would see Myrtle when she was out walking, Myrtle never waved and I believe everyone knew why--she was busy praying for everyone that lived in the houses that she passed. She prayed for everyone in the neighborhood by name every day and continues to do so today.
One day Beef received a phone call from Myrtle. She knew that he had a men’s Bible study that met once a week in our home and she told him about someone that was in desperate need of help. She told Beef he needed to call this young man immediately and invite him to his group and she would be praying for them and hung up. It made no difference that Beef did not know this young man but Myrtle did and she knew that God wanted this young man on His team! Even if most people had given up on him, it was no surprise to Myrtle that this man would become a happy, vibrant Christian who loves the Lord and has even participated in several mission trips sharing that love with others in need. Myrtle’s faith is unstoppable!
Myrtle has a vision—she takes seriously Christ’s command to us to “Go and make disciples of all the world.” Her single-handed (NO, I should say FOLDED-hands!) prayer ministry and been her mission all her life. She is fulfilling her purpose. Read on…
This weekend I was at a wedding of one of the neighbor kids and what a delightful surprise to see Myrtle. She is now living in Albert Lea, is close to 90 years old, extremely tiny and walking with a walker BUT she is not just curled up in a chair at the nursing home, playing cards, or knitting or sleeping; she has a RADIO MINISTRY!! A call in show where she prays for people!! How many of us will be doing anything close to that when we are her age? (How many of us do anything close to that TODAY???) Let Myrtle’s vision be a challenge for you!!
~ Mrs. Beef
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Meet Myrtle from "Mrs. Beef"
Let me tell you about Myrtle. Myrtle is the sweet, lovely lady who used to live across the street from us when our children were growing up. She’s the one where the children would always visit to get candy, see pictures and hear stories of her family, and always learn more about Jesus; she was everyone’s “adopted Grandma.” And what a testimony she is. If you would see Myrtle when she was out walking, Myrtle never waved and I believe everyone knew why--she was busy praying for everyone that lived in the houses that she passed. She prayed for everyone in the neighborhood by name every day and continues to do so today.
One day Beef received a phone call from Myrtle. She knew that he had a men’s Bible study that met once a week in our home and she told him about someone that was in desperate need of help. She told Beef he needed to call this young man immediately and invite him to his group and she would be praying for them and hung up. It made no difference that Beef did not know this young man but Myrtle did and she knew that God wanted this young man on His team! Even if most people had given up on him, it was no surprise to Myrtle that this man would become a happy, vibrant Christian who loves the Lord and has even participated in several mission trips sharing that love with others in need. Myrtle’s faith is unstoppable!
Myrtle has a vision—she takes seriously Christ’s command to us to “Go and make disciples of all the world.” Her single-handed (NO, I should say FOLDED-hands!) prayer ministry and been her mission all her life. She is fulfilling her purpose. Read on…
This weekend I was at a wedding of one of the neighbor kids and what a delightful surprise to see Myrtle. She is now living in Albert Lea, is close to 90 years old, extremely tiny and walking with a walker BUT she is not just curled up in a chair at the nursing home, playing cards, or knitting or sleeping; she has a RADIO MINISTRY!! A call in show where she prays for people!! How many of us will be doing anything close to that when we are her age? (How many of us do anything close to that TODAY???) Let Myrtle’s vision be a challenge for you!!
~ Mrs. Beef
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Worrying About Worry
The ads on TV have changed over the years. Many of the ads are for legal drugs. If you weren’t sick, after watching some of these ads, a person can begin to believe we must have a myriad of undiagnosed diseases. Drug manufacturers have become relentless in promoting their products. They ask questions and prompt you with questions to ask your doctor. The TV ads are backed up with two page ads in magazines with more detail than we need to know.
I heard an ad about anxiety attacks or panic attacks. I wondered what produces worry and anxiousness--the future, our health, finances, concerns about extended family and such. The ad implied if I’m anxious I only need to take a dose of “Bluesblasta” and everything will be ok; medicate myself into drug induced tranquility.
We are a nation that wants the pain killers first. Emergency room doctors and nurses will verify this. Our first demand when we come into the emergency room is “Give me something for the pain!” rather than “What’s wrong?”
Has this shift in cultural values made us a nation of worry warts? Do we want tranquility at any cost? Have we as Christians bought into the worry and also the drug tranquility which is a temporary solution until we pop the next pill.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-34: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I believe Jesus main point is “Do not be anxious; do not worry.” John Piper wrote about that very thing in his book What Jesus Demands from this World. "We ought not be anxious about food and clothing because food and clothing cannot provide the great things of life--the enjoyment of God, the pursuit of his gracious favor, the hope of eternity in his presence. We get anxious about food and clothing to the same degree that we lose sight of the great purposes of a God-centered life." Lord, may we grow in knowledge to have a greater depth of relationship with you to know you and trust you. Continue in your work in us. Come Holy Spirit. Amen
I heard an ad about anxiety attacks or panic attacks. I wondered what produces worry and anxiousness--the future, our health, finances, concerns about extended family and such. The ad implied if I’m anxious I only need to take a dose of “Bluesblasta” and everything will be ok; medicate myself into drug induced tranquility.
We are a nation that wants the pain killers first. Emergency room doctors and nurses will verify this. Our first demand when we come into the emergency room is “Give me something for the pain!” rather than “What’s wrong?”
Has this shift in cultural values made us a nation of worry warts? Do we want tranquility at any cost? Have we as Christians bought into the worry and also the drug tranquility which is a temporary solution until we pop the next pill.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-34: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I believe Jesus main point is “Do not be anxious; do not worry.” John Piper wrote about that very thing in his book What Jesus Demands from this World. "We ought not be anxious about food and clothing because food and clothing cannot provide the great things of life--the enjoyment of God, the pursuit of his gracious favor, the hope of eternity in his presence. We get anxious about food and clothing to the same degree that we lose sight of the great purposes of a God-centered life." Lord, may we grow in knowledge to have a greater depth of relationship with you to know you and trust you. Continue in your work in us. Come Holy Spirit. Amen
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Just do your job
Early every morning my partner or I walk through all the properties we manage. We feel it’s important to have “eyes on the ground” as it were.
About three weeks ago, I was in the passenger elevator when I noticed the floor indicator lights were not working. The replacement of all indicator lights is under a contract for all our elevator maintenance. We pay $2300 a month for elevator maintenance in this building. I made a note to call the maintenance company.
As I worked through my “to do” list, the phone rang; it was a satisfaction survey from the elevator maintenance company. I told him I wasn’t very satisfied since we have had continual on-going “simple” problems. The maintenance company has not carried out the basic maintenance procedures as required in the contract.
Within the hour, our elevator company representative, a young lady named Leslie, called. She wanted to bring her supervisor and have a sit-down meeting to discuss these problems. I told Leslie, “We don’t need a meeting, waste numerous man hours. All I ask is that the bulbs are replaced and all agreed to terms of the contract are adhered to.” Promises were made, assurances given; it wouldn’t happen again.
On my early rounds Monday, I noticed the indicator lights had not been changed. This was the third instance Monday morning when sub-contractors were not adhering to terms of their contract.
I called Leslie again except I wasn’t as nice as the first time. After that, supervisors called, vice presidents called, meetings were suggested, incentives offered. Much time was wasted, tempers and emotions frayed and all I want is the indicator lights changed! Please, just change the indicator lights, just do your job. Please, I’m a simple man with a simple request.
Spin doctoring and fluff and mush are a major part of our business world, our society and sadly, even our churches. If I bring a simple down to earth “tell it like it is” sermon, sometimes I feel it is not taken well but I am to preach the truth not conduct a popularity contest. As for me, I need my toes stepped on once in a while; I welcome it. I personally feel that it’s ok. A steady diet of “toe stepping” is not good either but we love “spiritual mush.”
Spiritual mush is rooted in an easy faith; all the blessings but no sacrifice. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
Let’s tell each other the truth. No spin doctors required. Let’s just do our jobs. No fluff, no excuses, no corporate gobbledygook no mushy psycho-babble.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:37, “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” And in James 5:12 it says: “Above all, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.”
Amen.
About three weeks ago, I was in the passenger elevator when I noticed the floor indicator lights were not working. The replacement of all indicator lights is under a contract for all our elevator maintenance. We pay $2300 a month for elevator maintenance in this building. I made a note to call the maintenance company.
As I worked through my “to do” list, the phone rang; it was a satisfaction survey from the elevator maintenance company. I told him I wasn’t very satisfied since we have had continual on-going “simple” problems. The maintenance company has not carried out the basic maintenance procedures as required in the contract.
Within the hour, our elevator company representative, a young lady named Leslie, called. She wanted to bring her supervisor and have a sit-down meeting to discuss these problems. I told Leslie, “We don’t need a meeting, waste numerous man hours. All I ask is that the bulbs are replaced and all agreed to terms of the contract are adhered to.” Promises were made, assurances given; it wouldn’t happen again.
On my early rounds Monday, I noticed the indicator lights had not been changed. This was the third instance Monday morning when sub-contractors were not adhering to terms of their contract.
I called Leslie again except I wasn’t as nice as the first time. After that, supervisors called, vice presidents called, meetings were suggested, incentives offered. Much time was wasted, tempers and emotions frayed and all I want is the indicator lights changed! Please, just change the indicator lights, just do your job. Please, I’m a simple man with a simple request.
Spin doctoring and fluff and mush are a major part of our business world, our society and sadly, even our churches. If I bring a simple down to earth “tell it like it is” sermon, sometimes I feel it is not taken well but I am to preach the truth not conduct a popularity contest. As for me, I need my toes stepped on once in a while; I welcome it. I personally feel that it’s ok. A steady diet of “toe stepping” is not good either but we love “spiritual mush.”
Spiritual mush is rooted in an easy faith; all the blessings but no sacrifice. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
Let’s tell each other the truth. No spin doctors required. Let’s just do our jobs. No fluff, no excuses, no corporate gobbledygook no mushy psycho-babble.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:37, “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” And in James 5:12 it says: “Above all, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.”
Amen.
Friday, March 09, 2007
If chickens had teeth -- Ruth 2:10-12
When I was young, it seemed more summer storms came out of the northwest. We had a large grove of trees to the northwest which blocked our view of approaching summer storms in the prairie. I was home alone one summer day when a storm rolled in from the northwest and was upon me before I knew it.
Our job in the yard was to secure all the doors on all the barns and other buildings so the wind would not rip the doors off. I ran and ran making all the rounds to end up in the dairy barn, looking out a south window to see a hen with chicks trying to move towards the brooder house in the ever increasing wind. The old hen made a wise choice. She sat down in the middle of the yard, turned her butt into the wind, sat down spread out her wings, and gathered her chicks close beside her, put down her head and protected her little chicks from the vicious wind. As the storm grew in intensity, I found myself rooting for the old hen and her chicks. The wind buffeted her, she rocked and moved some but her claws must have been grabbing for all the Winfield Township dirt she could muster. If chickens had teeth, she was gritting them.
The storm ended; she still sat there with her chicks under her wings protected and when she was sure it was over, stood up, ruffled her feathers, checked that all her chicks were ok, and went about her business of being a mom to 7 little chicks.
Why did she do what she did? Because of instinct; yes, God at creation put that instinct in the chickens. I know it was instinct but she protected these little chicks because they were hers. Yes, because they were hers. She protected them not for recognition or any other benefit (she didn’t even know I was watching and 50 years later relating the story to you). She protected the chicks because they were HERS. I love that.
In the Book of Ruth, Ruth, a Moabite woman, comes back to Judah with her Jewish mother-in-law Naomi. Things had not gone well in Moab for Naomi and her daughter-in-law. Naomi lost her husband and two sons, and one daughter-in-law stayed in Moab. But her daughter-in-law Ruth stayed with Naomi and returned to Judah when they heard “there was food in the land.” Ruth goes to work gleaning in a barley field belonging to a man named Boaz, a relative of her dead father-in-law. Boaz watches out for her, making provision to help Ruth in numerous ways. He is a good man.
Ruth, the foreigner without a husband or children and little hope of a good future, responsible for a mother-in-law, is overcome with Boaz’s kindness and provision. In Ruth 2:10-12 it says: “At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me--a foreigner?" Boaz replied, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband--how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."
In verse 12, Boaz in a sense blesses Ruth and closes by saying: “The God of Israel under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Just like the old hen on our yard in a fierce summer storm provided refuge for her chicks at her expense and danger, she loved her chicks and was willing to sacrifice herself for their safety, God provides refuge and safety for us, not because of what we have done or because of our bloodline. He provides refuge because we are His; His creation, His child, His son and daughter of His own choosing. Boaz the man recognized Ruth faithfulness and allegiance to Naomi even when Ruth was not obligated to do that. Boaz pronounces a blessing in a sense upon Ruth because of her actions. Whether Boaz recognized Ruth’s good deeds or not made no difference to Ruth, she came to take refuge under the wings of the Almighty. Her good works were recognized but were not a requirement for her to take refuge.
Bottom line—it’s all a gift from the Almighty God—no works, no groveling required on our part; it’s grace, the undeserved gift of God. What did it cost the Father--the death and suffering of His one and only Son. Jesus came to earth, became an ovum, was born, lived a holy life, suffered, died, and rose again so we could take refuge under the wings of the Almighty God. A gift, grace, just because we are His. We ought to dance for joy.
Our job in the yard was to secure all the doors on all the barns and other buildings so the wind would not rip the doors off. I ran and ran making all the rounds to end up in the dairy barn, looking out a south window to see a hen with chicks trying to move towards the brooder house in the ever increasing wind. The old hen made a wise choice. She sat down in the middle of the yard, turned her butt into the wind, sat down spread out her wings, and gathered her chicks close beside her, put down her head and protected her little chicks from the vicious wind. As the storm grew in intensity, I found myself rooting for the old hen and her chicks. The wind buffeted her, she rocked and moved some but her claws must have been grabbing for all the Winfield Township dirt she could muster. If chickens had teeth, she was gritting them.
The storm ended; she still sat there with her chicks under her wings protected and when she was sure it was over, stood up, ruffled her feathers, checked that all her chicks were ok, and went about her business of being a mom to 7 little chicks.
Why did she do what she did? Because of instinct; yes, God at creation put that instinct in the chickens. I know it was instinct but she protected these little chicks because they were hers. Yes, because they were hers. She protected them not for recognition or any other benefit (she didn’t even know I was watching and 50 years later relating the story to you). She protected the chicks because they were HERS. I love that.
In the Book of Ruth, Ruth, a Moabite woman, comes back to Judah with her Jewish mother-in-law Naomi. Things had not gone well in Moab for Naomi and her daughter-in-law. Naomi lost her husband and two sons, and one daughter-in-law stayed in Moab. But her daughter-in-law Ruth stayed with Naomi and returned to Judah when they heard “there was food in the land.” Ruth goes to work gleaning in a barley field belonging to a man named Boaz, a relative of her dead father-in-law. Boaz watches out for her, making provision to help Ruth in numerous ways. He is a good man.
Ruth, the foreigner without a husband or children and little hope of a good future, responsible for a mother-in-law, is overcome with Boaz’s kindness and provision. In Ruth 2:10-12 it says: “At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She exclaimed, "Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me--a foreigner?" Boaz replied, "I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband--how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge."
In verse 12, Boaz in a sense blesses Ruth and closes by saying: “The God of Israel under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Just like the old hen on our yard in a fierce summer storm provided refuge for her chicks at her expense and danger, she loved her chicks and was willing to sacrifice herself for their safety, God provides refuge and safety for us, not because of what we have done or because of our bloodline. He provides refuge because we are His; His creation, His child, His son and daughter of His own choosing. Boaz the man recognized Ruth faithfulness and allegiance to Naomi even when Ruth was not obligated to do that. Boaz pronounces a blessing in a sense upon Ruth because of her actions. Whether Boaz recognized Ruth’s good deeds or not made no difference to Ruth, she came to take refuge under the wings of the Almighty. Her good works were recognized but were not a requirement for her to take refuge.
Bottom line—it’s all a gift from the Almighty God—no works, no groveling required on our part; it’s grace, the undeserved gift of God. What did it cost the Father--the death and suffering of His one and only Son. Jesus came to earth, became an ovum, was born, lived a holy life, suffered, died, and rose again so we could take refuge under the wings of the Almighty God. A gift, grace, just because we are His. We ought to dance for joy.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Fifteen Second Kiss
About three weeks ago I was asked to speak at my niece’s wedding. One of the points I made was the importance of keeping up a close physical relationship. (In case you’re wondering, I’m not just talking about sex.)
In my mini-sermon, I challenged them to give each other a 15 second kiss on the lips every day. Time it, a 15 second kiss. Why? I believe we live in a busy fractured culture and couples begin to drift apart; deep down we all long for that human touch. If we practice our 15 second kisses, we keep up that human contact plus you cannot go to bed angry with anyone if you give them a 15 second kiss.
In Mark 8:22 it says: “and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.” Wow! “Some people,” not family, not friends, not fellow parishioners, just “some people” (These must be some special ‘some people’.). Who would bring a blind man, and beg Jesus? How long has it been since we got on our knees to beg Jesus to heal our Mom or Dad, our son or daughter, our family and friends? No, not heal them, just touch them. Touch them! Touch them! Just touch them, Jesus, and we have the faith you will heal them!
If you are blind physically or spiritually blind, have you lived your life in such a way that “some people” would bring you to Jesus to be touched or healed? How long has it been since you brought some people to Jesus to be touched or healed?
We all need to be touched. We all need to be loved. We all need to be healed…how long has it been?
I realize I am blessed to have a wife. What if I was alone? I have been alone in my life. I would have welcomed a smile, a touch on the arm, a hug, a pat on the back, a kind word. Brothers and sisters, in the proper way, let us demonstrate the touch of Jesus to a hurting, cold, distant, superficial world. I guess the old telephone ad was right—“Reach out and touch someone.” Touch the young, old, the rejected, and the indifferent and reach out and touch them with the Love of Christ.
Oh Lord, give me the courage to be “some people” who would bring the blind to you just to be touched. Give me faith to believe and persist. Come Lord Jesus; come touch my hurting blind world. Touch me; heal me. Amen.
In my mini-sermon, I challenged them to give each other a 15 second kiss on the lips every day. Time it, a 15 second kiss. Why? I believe we live in a busy fractured culture and couples begin to drift apart; deep down we all long for that human touch. If we practice our 15 second kisses, we keep up that human contact plus you cannot go to bed angry with anyone if you give them a 15 second kiss.
In Mark 8:22 it says: “and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.” Wow! “Some people,” not family, not friends, not fellow parishioners, just “some people” (These must be some special ‘some people’.). Who would bring a blind man, and beg Jesus? How long has it been since we got on our knees to beg Jesus to heal our Mom or Dad, our son or daughter, our family and friends? No, not heal them, just touch them. Touch them! Touch them! Just touch them, Jesus, and we have the faith you will heal them!
If you are blind physically or spiritually blind, have you lived your life in such a way that “some people” would bring you to Jesus to be touched or healed? How long has it been since you brought some people to Jesus to be touched or healed?
We all need to be touched. We all need to be loved. We all need to be healed…how long has it been?
I realize I am blessed to have a wife. What if I was alone? I have been alone in my life. I would have welcomed a smile, a touch on the arm, a hug, a pat on the back, a kind word. Brothers and sisters, in the proper way, let us demonstrate the touch of Jesus to a hurting, cold, distant, superficial world. I guess the old telephone ad was right—“Reach out and touch someone.” Touch the young, old, the rejected, and the indifferent and reach out and touch them with the Love of Christ.
Oh Lord, give me the courage to be “some people” who would bring the blind to you just to be touched. Give me faith to believe and persist. Come Lord Jesus; come touch my hurting blind world. Touch me; heal me. Amen.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Always having clothes
Have you ever thought about being naked? I do not mean being naked by choice but being naked because we have no clothes?
I was deep in the jungle in the Republic of the Philippines during my military days and we came across tribes of people who were totally naked. The old farm boy here was set back a few notches but I hadn’t ever known of anyone who was totally without clothes.
Isaiah talked about providing for the naked in Isaiah 58:6-7. "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
I did not grow up rich but I never lacked for warmth, water, food or clothes and never thought about being without clothes. What I took for granted as a boy, is the biggest dream to many of the children of the world today.
If I was naked in the middle of the prairie in the cold of February, my life would continue for only a few hours at best, yet everyday I take clothes for granted.
In Acts 17 it says in part, “He gives us life and breathe and everything else” –clothes included. I need to get on my knees and thank God for always having clothes.
Thank you, Lord. May I never take your providing, sovereign and gracious hand for granted. Thank you, Lord for the reminder.
I was deep in the jungle in the Republic of the Philippines during my military days and we came across tribes of people who were totally naked. The old farm boy here was set back a few notches but I hadn’t ever known of anyone who was totally without clothes.
Isaiah talked about providing for the naked in Isaiah 58:6-7. "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
I did not grow up rich but I never lacked for warmth, water, food or clothes and never thought about being without clothes. What I took for granted as a boy, is the biggest dream to many of the children of the world today.
If I was naked in the middle of the prairie in the cold of February, my life would continue for only a few hours at best, yet everyday I take clothes for granted.
In Acts 17 it says in part, “He gives us life and breathe and everything else” –clothes included. I need to get on my knees and thank God for always having clothes.
Thank you, Lord. May I never take your providing, sovereign and gracious hand for granted. Thank you, Lord for the reminder.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Why are believers so afraid of the world?
"Because we don’t believe Jesus has overcome the world" is my short answer.
John 16 :33 says: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
I spoke awhile ago in the Village of Splatsville (names and places have been changed to protect the innocent) and I asked the question: “How long has it been since the village drunk in Splatsville has been saved?” Blank, pale faces stared back at me with no response.
After the service a young man came by and said “We have been concerned about ourselves, we don’t even know the name of the town drunk”. They had become so isolated from their community at large they didn’t know who the town drunk was. Not that knowing the name of the town drunk is the measure of a church's influence in a community, but what influence do we have, if any?
Christians wake up! Quit worrying about global warming, we aren’t going to survive until that becomes a serious problem because our Western culture will be long gone before that point.
I know and discuss things with people with a myriad of views. I know this sounds trite, and you’ve heard it before - “They like our Jesus, but they don’t like us, His followers. I am including myself as one of His followers.
As I wrote “His Followers” I realized I may have put my finger on the problem unintentionally. We are followers, not Disciples. To me a follower of someone does not paint a passionate picture. I envision people quietly trudging across a desert in a long silent line.
Now Disciples make me nervous. Disciples are doers. They are serious about their beliefs. They put themselves on the line, stand for truth and have courage. I don’t have to agree with them, but I respect them because they live out their passion.
Over the last two weeks I heard Christians decry Anna Nicole Smith and Britney Spears. We are quick to point out that Ms. Smith was in Playboy and her only accomplishment was that she married some 86 year old rich man. We lollygagged while Anna Nicole Smith may have very well slid into Hell for eternity but did any of us give a damn?
A pastor friend called me and told me he shared with his church his burden for Britney Spears (the one who shaved her head). As I see it she is crying out for help. She needs Christ, she needs a dad, she needs a mom, she needs the unconditional love of Christ. Are any of us besides this pastor praying for Britney Spears?
We here in rural Minnesota will most likely not rub shoulders with the likes of Britney Spears, but we can pray. We need to pray for her but also pray that our hearts would be tendered towards the “unlovely people” all around us.
We as believers are sitting in huddles, in little groups called churches, tentatively looking out our stain glassed windows, hoping the town drunk does not show up and disrupt our church service as it is printed in the church bulletin.
God helps us to be courageous, gives us strength to go “into” the world, but being “not of it.” We must go into the world and be the sweet fragrance of Christ’s love, hope and forgiveness. Jesus said, “Go”, we say “Come”. And the truth is, they never come because they do not know what they will find inside our church. They don’t know us, and we don’t know them. We are scared of "Them" and "They" are scared of us.
Jesus said he overcame the world! Do we believe it? Jesus prayed for us in John 17: 13-19: "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 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." If that’s what Jesus said and prayed, what are we afraid of? Notice we are to stay here and do what? Minister to people, be a servant to others.
In Acts 1, at the ascension of Christ, Christ ascends and His disciples stand around looking into the sky. "They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1: 10-11. "Why are we standing around and looking into the sky?" May I suggest, because it’s the easy way out. Keep my hands clean and keep my Holy Huddle secure while the world around me goes to Hell.
Mount up Christians, let’s march into Hell for a Heavenly cause. It’s later than we think. Go to the hurting people in our communities and minister to them.
We need to ask ourselves -
John 16 :33 says: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
I spoke awhile ago in the Village of Splatsville (names and places have been changed to protect the innocent) and I asked the question: “How long has it been since the village drunk in Splatsville has been saved?” Blank, pale faces stared back at me with no response.
After the service a young man came by and said “We have been concerned about ourselves, we don’t even know the name of the town drunk”. They had become so isolated from their community at large they didn’t know who the town drunk was. Not that knowing the name of the town drunk is the measure of a church's influence in a community, but what influence do we have, if any?
Christians wake up! Quit worrying about global warming, we aren’t going to survive until that becomes a serious problem because our Western culture will be long gone before that point.
I know and discuss things with people with a myriad of views. I know this sounds trite, and you’ve heard it before - “They like our Jesus, but they don’t like us, His followers. I am including myself as one of His followers.
As I wrote “His Followers” I realized I may have put my finger on the problem unintentionally. We are followers, not Disciples. To me a follower of someone does not paint a passionate picture. I envision people quietly trudging across a desert in a long silent line.
Now Disciples make me nervous. Disciples are doers. They are serious about their beliefs. They put themselves on the line, stand for truth and have courage. I don’t have to agree with them, but I respect them because they live out their passion.
Over the last two weeks I heard Christians decry Anna Nicole Smith and Britney Spears. We are quick to point out that Ms. Smith was in Playboy and her only accomplishment was that she married some 86 year old rich man. We lollygagged while Anna Nicole Smith may have very well slid into Hell for eternity but did any of us give a damn?
A pastor friend called me and told me he shared with his church his burden for Britney Spears (the one who shaved her head). As I see it she is crying out for help. She needs Christ, she needs a dad, she needs a mom, she needs the unconditional love of Christ. Are any of us besides this pastor praying for Britney Spears?
We here in rural Minnesota will most likely not rub shoulders with the likes of Britney Spears, but we can pray. We need to pray for her but also pray that our hearts would be tendered towards the “unlovely people” all around us.
We as believers are sitting in huddles, in little groups called churches, tentatively looking out our stain glassed windows, hoping the town drunk does not show up and disrupt our church service as it is printed in the church bulletin.
God helps us to be courageous, gives us strength to go “into” the world, but being “not of it.” We must go into the world and be the sweet fragrance of Christ’s love, hope and forgiveness. Jesus said, “Go”, we say “Come”. And the truth is, they never come because they do not know what they will find inside our church. They don’t know us, and we don’t know them. We are scared of "Them" and "They" are scared of us.
Jesus said he overcame the world! Do we believe it? Jesus prayed for us in John 17: 13-19: "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 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." If that’s what Jesus said and prayed, what are we afraid of? Notice we are to stay here and do what? Minister to people, be a servant to others.
In Acts 1, at the ascension of Christ, Christ ascends and His disciples stand around looking into the sky. "They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1: 10-11. "Why are we standing around and looking into the sky?" May I suggest, because it’s the easy way out. Keep my hands clean and keep my Holy Huddle secure while the world around me goes to Hell.
Mount up Christians, let’s march into Hell for a Heavenly cause. It’s later than we think. Go to the hurting people in our communities and minister to them.
We need to ask ourselves -
- What have we done with the gifts God has given us?
- How will we as Christians answer for our loss of impact on our society?
- How do we continue to justify our spiritual deadness?
“Quit bugging me Jerry! Pass me a coke, I just want to watch American Idol.” Ya baby. Slumber on Church, slumber on.
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