Finishing Well

Twelve years. It has been 12 years since my family moved back to the Bulkley Valley in northern British Columbia. My wife and I were married here 21 years ago. Both of our children (18 and 6) were born here. We love our community.

Now we are leaving.

This September, we will be moving to Winnipeg for the next two years. My wife and I will be training to become Salvation Army officers. It is a new adventure and we are excited to see what God has in store for us next.

Over the next 2 months we will be planning, packing and then departing. All this has gotten me to thinking about how I will finish here in the Valley. It would be easy to “check out” and leave the work to the next man/woman. However, I look at work as I do life. We should always strive to do our best. It has been said that the Christian life is like a marathon, not a 100-yard dash. I want to finish as well as I started.

In 2 Tim. 4:7, Paul says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

I want to finish well in the Bulkley Valley just like I want to finish well in life. I want to honor God with my life, my conduct, my work and my relationships with others. Jesus told a story in Matthew about a servant who pleased his master greatly.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' (Matthew 25:21)

When I leave this world for good and stand before our Heavenly Father, I long to hear those words. It starts now. I need to choose each day to walk with Him, to honor Him, and to strive to finish each day well.

I want to leave the Valley encouraging you to make that make that choice as well.

Finish Well!

We Pray For You

"We pray for you often!"

With those words, spoken by a gentleman in the congregation near the tail end of my sermon, tears began streaming down my face. I choked up and my voice cracked as I finished off my sermon and closed in prayer.

My message this Sunday had been on the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22).  I was drawing my message to a close and had just shared Matthew 22:36-40 where Jesus calls us to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbor as our self.  As I spoke briefly on that passage and it's meaning, I mentioned the sense of community within our fellowship and how touched I was by some of our street entrenched congregants who reached out with compassion when they heard of the recent passing of my dad.

It was then that one of the men, a homeless individual, spoke up. His words brought those aforementioned tears.

"Rick every day we all gather behind the library. We join in a circle and pray. We pray for you often during those times."

I cried.

I was humbled.

As my daughter said shortly after, "This is the side of homelessness people don't see."  It is true. Many will reach out and help but just as many will pass by, silently judging those on the street for their addictions. I have heard to many people say, "They brought it on themselves, the should just get a job, etc."

Today I heard their heart....and I wept.

Unashamedly.

Loving our neighbor has never been more concretely demonstrated to me than today.

It's Just A Cup

Readers of this blog know that I usually don't comment on "culture war" items and the insanity that erupts on social media.  Yet the recent Starbucks "controversy" has filled my social media feeds to the point where I decided to go against the grain.

For the few who may be unaware, Joshua Feuerstein, a former television and radio evangelist, decided to upload a video to his 1.8 million Facebook followers re. Starbucks new cups. Feuerstein calls himself a "social media personality."  This should have been a warning to people not to take him seriously!

Feuerstein went into a Starbucks with his Jesus t-shirt, a gun (don't ask), and his video rolling and gave his name as Merry Christmas so that the barista would be forced to say, "Merry Christmas." Feuerstein rails against Starbuck taking the Christ out of Christmas and encourages his followers to also give their name as Merry Christmas and started a hashtag for his followers to tweet about all of this.

Now Starbucks has never had Merry Christmas on their red cups.  They have had everything from minimalist snowflakes and hand-drawn reindeer to a winking snowman and decorative ornaments.  This year it was just a simple red design. 

Missing in this hoopla is the fact that Feuerstein claims to share a message of hope and healing.  I missed that in the midst of all his marketing and self promotion under the guise of "putting Christ back in Christmas."

The media picks up on this one guy's viral video and I have seen numerous stories about how Christians are boycotting and protesting Starbucks because of the assault on Christmas! 

Sadly, though many Christians will not support this one man's attempt at self promotion, some will embrace this as yet another battlefield and in an ongoing culture war against our faith. Meanwhile, unbelievers will shake their head, think Christians are off their rockers and never see the grace, hope and life that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

I have not found a place in the Bible where Jesus calls us to protest over red cups, chicken sandwiches or greetings at area businesses.  I do see where He calls us to share the Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20) and to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). 

It is beyond time for Christians to protest less and share the Gospel more.  If we want to truly change our culture, let us focus on sharing the work Jesus accomplished on the cross. 

Instead of protesting over a cup of coffee, why not buy a coffee for you and a friend (or a stranger) and share how Jesus Christ has changed your life.

The Suffering Christ

Matthew 20: 18-19,  “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”

As I was preparing a talk for a joint Good Friday service, I realized that I don’t reflect enough on the suffering that Jesus Christ went through on the cross.  I don’t mean that in a morbid sort of way.  It is just that, beyond Good Friday/Easter Sunday, I don’t often meditate on all that He suffered on the cross.

After His arrest, the Bible describes how Jesus had a crown of thorns crammed on His head. He was spit on, mocked and then He was scourged.  I read the word scourged and I realize I don’t think much about what that actually means. 

When the Romans scourged someone, it would quickly remove the skin. Deep lacerations, torn flesh, exposed muscles and excessive bleeding would leave the criminal "half-dead." The Centurion in charge would order a halt to the flogging when the criminal was near death.

Jesus Christ suffered a scourging before He went to the Cross.

At the cross, the condemned was thrown to the ground on his back, with his arms outstretched along the crossbar.  The nails…the iron spikes…were driven into His hands and feet.  During the time on the cross, Jesus would have been in excruciating pain, struggling to breathe, enduing unimaginable horror. 

Then came that final moment, when His earthly suffering was over….with His last Words…”It is finished.” Jesus, the innocent Son of God, who bore our sins, died.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (John 15:9)

I asked the people in our congregation what came to mind when they thought of Jesus on the cross.  One lady said, “Unfathomable Love.”  I couldn’t say it any better.

Jesus went through all that suffering because He loved us…He died so that we could be reconnected with God the Father. 

Today, I urge you to take some time and reflect upon the Cross.  Reflect upon His suffering AND His Love.

That Loving Feeling

Today in church, our guest speaker shared from Matthew 22:36-40.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

This is a passage I have come back to again and again over the last few years.  In fact, I share it quite frequently from the pulpit myself.  I have found this passage to be convicting and challenging on one hand yet very encouraging as well.

It is convicting because Jesus lists these 2 commandments as the ones that ALL the Law and Prophets hang on.  He could have listed anything in response to the question.  The first one makes sense to me.  Love the Lord with every part of your being!  I find that to be very convicting.  Do I love the Lord with all of my heart, all of my soul, all of my mind?  I would love to say YES to that.  Sadly, it is not always true.  I know there are times I put other things before the Lord.  In that I am convicted.

It is challenging because the second commandment he lists is to love our neighbors...as we do ourselves!  Honestly, I am often challenged by that. I want to ask who my neighbor is but I already know the answer to that.  It is everyone I meet from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to bed!  It includes my family, my friends, my co-workers and my enemies.  I find loving my enemies to be the challenging part.  I remember one of our special needs volunteers putting it plainly to me once.  He said if God calls us to love our enemies, that means loving the terrorists as well.  God does not make distinctions when He calls us to love!

It is encouraging because as Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  I am guilty of not always loving others as I should. There are times I need to repent when I fail to apply Matthew 22:36-40 to my life.  God is faithful and forgiving, calling me to something more, something better.  

As the speaker this morning shared, as we love God more it becomes easier to love our neighbor and as we do so, it impacts those around us.  I would say our lives are changed as we embrace that loving feeling! 

Sheep or Goats

I was listening to Keith Green's song, the Sheep and the Goats the other day.  If you have never heard of Keith Green here is a YouTube copy of the song for your enjoyment: 

The song is based on Matthew 25:31-46.  I have always read that Scripture through the eyes of the "sheep".  Another words, as the Christian who did those wonderful Christian things like feed the poor, visit the sick, etc.  I felt somewhat self righteous.  I have never looked at myself that way but I see now that I was very proud of being a sheep.  Every time I have looked at this passage I recalled all of the times I ministered to those less fortunate. 

I was needing a good smack upside the head.

I got when just over a week ago.

I was coming back from a Salvation Army social service conference Abbotsford, BC.  It was a great few days of encouragement, refreshing and a challenge to embrace those God has called us to work with.

I left feeling pumped...and tired.

We left the conference after lunch to start the 13 hour drive home.  We had plans to overnight a little over halfway home.  A couple hours in we stopped at a convenience store and got out to stretch.  As we walked in the store, my wife noticed a lady hitchhiking on the road.  Unbeknownst to me she began praying and asking God if we should pick her up.  Apparently He said yes because as we pulled out on the highway, she asked me to stop and pick this lady up.

Let's just say I was not happy with the decision.  I was tired and didn't feel "up" for ministry.  I pulled over and the lady hopped in.  Over the next couple hours I had my own conversation with God, one I am ashamed to say was filled with grumbling and complaining.  Meanwhile Sarah was chatting this lady up in the backseat.  As she continued the conversation the lady began opening up and the next thing I know she was sobbing. 


You would think that would have softened me up a bit but even though I silently prayed for her and for Sarah, I was still miffed that our schedule was impacted by this distraction.  I was wondering what this adventure would "cost" us.

After awhile, she asked to be dropped off and Sarah again spoke with her about God bringing her into our path and the woman again broke into tears. 

I had a lot of repenting to do that day.  I was reminded of this passage of Scripture and on this day, I was acting much more like a goat than a sheep.

I was not wanting to inconvenience my plans.  MY PLANS!  God obviously had other plans but on this day I was not wanting to go along with them.  Only God knows where this woman is with her journey towards Him, but I know that if my thoughts had become action, it could have negatively impacted this woman to the Gospel.

Thankfully Sarah was listening to God.

I share this confession of my mistake because I don't want you to make the same one.  I thank God His mercies are new every morning. 

I never again want to act like a goat.  I was miserable. 

I want to reach those less fortunate but not out of pride.  I want to serve those God brings me into contact with in humility. 

I want to be a sheep because of Him!

Sheep or Goat? Which one are you today?

Hope Rising

I usually avoid books on alleviating poverty as I find that many are either unrealistic in their approach or the author heaps on so much condemnation you want to just give out of guilt or give up out of frustration.

What drew me to this book was the fact that it was written by Compassion International's Senior VP of Global Advocacy.  Though I was not familiar with the author, Scott Todd, I was very familiar with Compassion.  My wife and I have sponsored children via Compassion since 2001 and we love the organization and the work they do.

So, with that out of the way, I wasn't sure what to expect from Hope Rising.  What I found was a book that definitely fits the title.  I found that hope truly was rising within me.  The basic premise is that EXTREME poverty can be eradicated.  Scott Todd speaks about our low expectations that extreme poverty can dealt with and then goes about showing how much has truly changed even in the last 20 years.  I did not know so many inroads have been made in the war of poverty.  I found myself encouraged to do my part.

I really enjoyed Scott Todd's look at Matthew 26:11.  This oft-quoted verse on poverty has just as often been misquoted and Scott looks at the entire passage in context.  If anything else, this chapter should be required reading for anyone who feels nothing can be done re. poverty!

I highly recommend this book for every believer who believes God can make the impossible possible and wants to do their part in seeing lives forever changed!

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I received a free copy of this book via the Booksneeze review program

He Is Risen!

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:5-6)

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me." (Matthew 28:1-10)

This is a week of celebration.

Yes Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  He also came back from the dead, left an empty tomb behind and completed the victory achieved on the cross!

We have the opportunity to reconnect with the Father through the death and resurrection of His Son!

He Has Risen!

He Has Risen Indeed!

Eyes to See

"As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him."  (Matthew 20:29-34)

This was the passage of Scripture I was reading as part of my devotion time this past week.  I had to go back and read it a few times because it really resonated with me.  Though unplanned, it made it's way into my sermon on Sunday. It became an appropriate reference in conversation today with someone needing encouragement.

I think God was trying to get my attention.

Jesus certainly got the attention of the 2 blind men.

These guys were not about to let Jesus pass by without making some noise.  I can just picture a large crowd, the normal crowd noise, and 2 guys shouting to be heard!  "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"

They were obviously loud because the crowd told them to shush!

Obviously they were not to be deterred because they cried out all the more.  They had no way of knowing if Jesus heard them but they were going to give it their best shot.

Jesus stops and asks what they want Him to do for them.  I like what they ask for....they asked for their eyes to be opened.  Think about that for a moment.  Let it sink in.  They asked for their eyes to be opened and Jesus touched their eyes.

It says they regained their site AND followed Him.

I believe their eyes were opened literally and also spiritually.  They saw Jesus and they SAW Jesus.  Jesus healed people but not everyone followed Him.  However these 2 guys FOLLOWED Jesus.  They had eyes to see, not just the world around them, but the King of Kings. 

I want to see what God wants me to see, who He wants me to see and how He wants me to see!

After reading this passage, my prayer is Lord, I want my eyes to be opened!

Am I Ashamed of Jesus?

Apparently I am ashamed of Jesus.

I don't truly love Him.

I have worked in and out of ministry for 22 years and been a Christian for 29 years.  I have been a pastor, missionary and counselor. Throughout the week I share Jesus with those I meet via my job in ministry. I spend time sharing with others and trying to point them to the Savior.

However, nearly every week I am told on Facebook that if I do not forward the latest "Christian" post spam, then I am ashamed of Him and that He would deny me before God because I had denied Him before men!

How did this happen? How did Scriptures like Mark 8:38, where Jesus had been talking about taking up our cross and following Him, get misappropriated to mean if we did not forward Facebook posts we were dishonoring God? Why is Matthew 10:33 flying around on my Facebook telling me to forward various of nonsensical stuff to everyone on my list? Why am I being browbeaten by Luke 9:26 and told that I don't love God enough if I don't forward these posts to all my friends?

Enough!

You can call this a rant. It's ok.

I find myself disturbed by this misuse of Scripture.

The Bible is God's Word. According to 2nd Timothy 3:16, "Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval."

Now I believe the internet can be used as powerful tools in sharing God's Word. To teach, encourage, correct and train people in the the Word. However when we manipulate Scripture to encourage people to send cutesy (or spiritually manipulative) posts around the world we do a major disservice to the body of Christ!

It's sad really.  The internet can be used to share your testimony, encourage the body of Christ and to be a true witness but when I read a misuse of Scripture I immediately delete the posts from my page. So before sending the next forward of the latest Christian Chain Image stop and look at the Scripture you are sending. Is it applicable, appropriate and used in a way that will glorify God? If it is then by all means send it. If it only furthers the "blessings and cursing" of a chain letter with a bit of Scripture added, do everyone a favor and hit delete.

(This post originally appeared back in 2009 and was geared more towards emails I was receiving at the time.  I have now updated and adapted it for Facebook.)

Get Out

"On the Plains of Hesitation bleach the bones of countless millions who, at the Dawn of Victory,

 sat down to wait, and waiting - died."  William A. Lawrence

I love this painting by the late James E. Seward.  He is one of my favorite artists.  This depiction of Peter stepping out of the boat is quite encouraging.  Usually I see this Bible scene (Matt. 14:22-33) depicted with Peter already sinking and Jesus reaching His hand out to lift Peter back up.

However, before that happened, Peter WAS walking on water.

He got out of the boat, in faith, and began walking towards Jesus.  It was only when fear and doubt crept in that he began to sink.

Those other 11 guys, they stayed in the boat.  Maybe some were scared, doubtful or even amused at Peter's boldness.  One thing they all had in common...not one of them joined Peter in stepping out of the boat! 

If I had been in that boat watching Peter do what I saw Jesus doing--walking on water--, I would have forever asked myself, "What if?"

What if I had gotten out of the boat?  What would have happened?  Would I have sunk, or walked in faith despite what I saw around me.  Those thoughts might have even turned into regrets.

Who wants to live a life of regrets?

Peter may have been impulsive.  He might have spoken without thinking.  He definitely was not afraid to step out in faith and out of the boat when most people would say his idea of walking to Jesus was impossible.

Not only did he walk to Jesus but after Jesus did lift him back up out of the water, he walked WITH Jesus back to the boat.

I for one want to live a life with no regrets.  I want to walk in faith to and with Jesus.  How about you?

God Doesn't Make Sense

Isaiah 55:8-11 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

God called Joshua to MARCH around Jericho instead of just attacking the city. How did that make sense? Abraham was told that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age. Make sense? Moses received a message from God via a burning bush. Imagine trying to make sense of that! Jesus walked on water, fed the 5,000 with a few loaves of bread and some fish, raised the dead, healed the sick, died and rose again...you get the picture. Of course none of this made sense. Human reasoning was defied by miracles and unparalleled love.

His ways are higher than ours, His thoughts are not our thoughts.

I'm a sci-fi junkie. I love Star Trek. In the original TV show, 79 episodes, Captain Kirk never once said "Beam me up Scotty." Despite that, people will insist he said it.

That got me to pondering this week about some of the things we THINK are in the Bible.

I have been told that "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" is in the Bible. Another one is that "God helps those who help themselves!" Sounds great but it's not there. One that I have heard often is that "God will not give you more than you can bear!" I hate to say it but you won't find that in the Scriptures either. It's just not there. The closest you can find is in 1 Corinthians 10 where it says, "But God is faithful. He won't allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it."

That verse talks about temptation, not about overwhelming circumstances, family problems, sickness, etc.

Matthew 11:28-30 says, "Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carry heavy loads, and i will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I'm gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light."

God has promised us rest, he has promised to sustain us, but he never said we would not have hardship!

Look at what Paul says is 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, "Brothers and sisters, we don't want you to be ignorant about the suffering we experienced in the provinces of Asia. It was so extreme that it was beyond our ability to endure. We even wondered if we could go on living. In fact, we still feel as if we're under a death sentence. But we suffered so that we would stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God, who brings the dead back to life."

The key to this is right there in verse 9: "so that we can stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God."

God may not make sense to us, but though we don't understand His ways, we can come to know and understand more of His heart. He wants us to surrender fully to Him!

The Father's Love Letter

My Child,
   

You may not know me, but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

 For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

Father's Love Letter used by permission Father Heart Communications
© 1999-2011 www.FathersLoveLetter.com

Faith Matters

Life is filled with incredible highs and discouraging lows.  One moment we seem to be having the best day ever, but the next minute we can come crashing down to earth.  The ups and downs of life are enough to give us emotional whiplash.

This, to me, is why faith matters.  I personally need the steadying influence that only Jesus Christ can offer.  Jesus has this to say in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.”

Who doesn’t crave rest?  We run around to and fro, trying to get more and more done each day, yet it seems we never catch up.  In fact, we seem to slip further behind.  Everyone seems tired and exhausted and a day “off” seems to be more of a myth than a reality.

In Psalm 46:10 we are encouraged  to  be still and know that He is God.  How can we be still?

Well, if we look at the example of Jesus in the New Testament, we see that He would go away to the mountains.  He would go off by Himself to pray and rest. 

I believe we need to intentionally retreat at times.  It might mean going for a hike, a walk or a bike ride.  We might need a stroll by the river, or just to lay down on the couch and veg!  It is possible to prioritize rest. 

The second part of that Scripture  is to know that He is God!  To know something is to understand it with clarity and certainty.  How do we know God?  Scripture says,  “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8)

Why not stop for a moment, read the Bible and pray to the Lord?  Maybe you too will see that faith matters.

No Distractions - Just A Thought #53

"Dad! Don't talk to me when I am in town!"

It began with my two year old son playing in the yard. I was resting in the hammock and smiling as I watched him play throughout the yard with his little riding car. He had moved to the farthest edge of the yard and was fiddling with the back of his car. He was definitely in his own world.

I called out to him, "Caleb are you fixing your car?" He hollered out, "Dad!" and then marched back across the yard to finish his statement, "Don't talk to me when I am in town!" I am sure some parents might see that as disrespectful, but I saw something different.

I saw an intense focus.

Caleb was focused on what he was playing and by talking to him, I brought distraction, thus taking him out of the moment.

Proverbs 4:25 says "Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you."

I have found at various times in my life, when my focus is distracted, I take my eyes off of Jesus Christ and I stumble and fall.

When I keep my gaze firmly planted on Jesus Christ, when I focus on Him day in and day out, my joy is firm, my faith refreshed, my strength renewed. When I seek God with my whole heart, I find that nothing seems impossible because we serve a God of the impossible.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

No distractions are worth missing all that God has for us. I don't know where you are at right now but God knows. Fix your gaze on Him

Lessons From A Leper

When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them." (Mat 8:1-4)

This is a very rich passage of Scripture and it led to me to a myriad of thoughts.

1. The leper's approach - Lepers had to declare themselves. They walked around announcing "unclean" for all to hear. It was a declaration of sickness, a warning to all those who were healthy to stay away. This leper stepped out in faith to meet the Lord. As non-Christians, we had a kind of spiritual leprosy, we were unclean in our sin and had to approach Christ in faith for our spiritual healing as well.

2. If you will - I like the faith the leper had here. He obviously had a severe need of healing and knew the Lord could do it, yet his approach acknowledged that it would only happen if it was the Lord's will. I read this and recognize that even in my worst state, I do not always seek God's will when asking Him to answer prayer. I just want answers. A humbling reminder to seek God's will more than my own.

3. Jesus touched him - He could have spoken a word. He could have told him to wash in some river. Instead, Jesus reached out and touched the leper. Physically contacting this diseased man in order to heal him. This would have, according to Jewish law, made Jesus unclean as well. It also reminds me that the Lord took on our disease at the cross. He bore our sin so that we could be healed spiritually.

4. A Testimony - Jesus told the now healed leper to tell no one, but to go to see the priest and make the required offerings. This was to be a testimony to what the Lord did in His life. It would have come at some expense and travel for this man to put his faith in action again. When the Lord heals us today, it is so that He will receive glory, as a testimony of His power!

As I said, a few thoughts stirred by this passage of Scripture.

The Bell - I KNow Who I Am

I was sent this in an email and really liked it so I thought I would share it with all of you. Merry Christmas!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
2 Corinthians 5:17

.

THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3 :20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8: 31 -34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 )
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 )
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 )
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph.. 3: 12 )
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13 )
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5)
I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)
I belong to God
Do you know
Who you are?

Love and Alzheimers

Televangelist Pat Robertson (yeah that Pat Robertson) answered a viewers question this week in regards to Alzheimers and dating, by saying it would be understandable to divorce a spouse with the disease.

As you let that sink in you can see more on the story at Thinking Out Loud, an awesome blog by Paul Wilkinson that you should check out.

I don't want to comment too much on the story, beyond saying that I am appalled that this televangelist would make such a flip comment.

The issue it raises in my mind, though, is what value we, as believers, put on our marriages period.

I am saddened when I see the divorce rate among Christians equaling that of non-Christians. It seems that as we imitate the world, we are also forgetting the plain words spoken by Jesus on the matter:

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?" Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."(Matthew 19:4-9)

Divorce was clearly not part of God's plan. In fact, it says that it was because their hearts were hard that Moses even spoke to the subject.

Hardened hearts should scare the HELL out of every Christian.

Divorcing a sick spouse is, in itself, sickening. And while we're thinking about it, might I add that way too much justification takes place in Christian circles, when it comes to the breakup of marriages--"I was lonely; I was bored; I was dissatisfied; He could never make me happy; she didn't meet my needs; I hated his job; she wasn't submissive; he didn't take leadership seriously..." Unless something's changed overnight, we don't live in a perfect world--we live in hopes of a perfect heaven, where Jesus meets our every need.

However, there is another issue at play here as well. While we may think we would never divorce because of illness, the enemy may gain ground in our marriages all the same. Are we even honoring our spouses? Where do we place our priorities? Are we chasing after our own pleasures or are we seeking to honor and bless the spouse (and maybe kids) that God has blessed us with?

Jesus loved extravagantly--sacrificially. He laid down His life for us out of love, yet in some marriages, it seems we forget to love as Christ loved and each seeks to get their own way.

It's a challenge to us all.

Can we love our spouses as Christ loved us? Will we put their needs and wants above our own? If both husband and wife seek to do that, then no matter what response it gains in the home, a harvest of righteousness is being sown, and there is peace in obedience.

Ultimately we are called to love though, without expecting a return!

I would love to see more Christians putting a priority on their marriages, above their own desires.

*Since this is about marriage, my wife and I wrote this piece together.

Walking Forgiveness - Just A Thought #47

I have been thinking about forgiveness a quite a bit lately. What does it look like? Am I living out my faith and forgiving those who I feel have wronged me? Am I following the commands of Jesus to forgive "seventy times seven?"

One thing I know for sure and that is, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace," (Ephesians 1:7)

If His blood can wash away my sins and He has shown me His amazing grace, how can I then judge others for the wrong they have done to me?

Jesus himself asked God to forgive those who were crucifying Him! "And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments." (Luke 23:34)

Of course I am not Jesus and I'll tell you what, it is hard to forgive someone who has burned you...sometimes more than once. I have struggled with forgiveness more than I care to remember. I can relate to Peter asking Jesus how often we should forgive someone...and in the past, found the response of Jesus hard to swallow. "Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22) Jesus makes it pretty clear here that there is no cap on forgiveness. He is still forgiving those who were never born when He was crucified!

Forgiveness is made even more clear to me when I see these verses in Mark: "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.] (Mark 11:25-26) This sounds like we shouldn't be holding grudges....it says if YOU have anything against anyone, FORGIVE!

Sometimes offering forgiveness means we actually have to humble ourselves and let go of our pride! The "I am in the right and justified" attitude just doesn't cut it. Neither does taking on the offense of others.

In this world we are going to get hurt, stepped on and abused! Do we let the enemy rob our joy or do we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord and remember that He forgave us much, so how much more should we forgive others? I know, you've been hurt badly...so was Jesus. I know you were in the right...so was Jesus. You have every reason to be angry...so did Jesus.

Yet He chose to die so that you AND the person who hurt you could experience His forgiveness.

I'll leave you with 2 verses I am chewing on right now. May they speak to you as you think on this topic.

Romans 12:18, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."

James 1:19, "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;"

Are you walking out forgiveness?

Baby Praise

But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant, and they said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read, "'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise'?" (Matthew 21:15-16)

I love that verse and saw it illustrated this past week in my son's life. He is now 15 months old. Two recent incidences have brought this Scripture to mind. The first happened Sunday. My wife and I always pray together as we are preparing to start church. On this Sunday, as my wife prayed for my message, my son wandered into the room and stopped in his tracks with his eyes fixed on his mom. I have not seen him this still before but he watched and watched with a small grin appearing on his face.

When my wife finished her prayer, we looked at my son who both signed and spoke the word, "More." We asked him, "Do you want us to pray again?" He shook his whole body in the affirmative, (He hasn't figured out he only has to bob his head.) Again we prayed, again he asked for more.

My wife then asked if he wanted to come pray with us and he ran into our arms and held our hands as we prayed.

This morning during family devotions, he did the same thing when we prayed. He wanted us to pray and pray. We switched to praise songs after a bit and his smile grew wider as he watched us intently.

Our prayer is now that he grows in this desire for the things of God.