A Heartfelt Prayer

While I was attending Crown College I had the privilege of listening to Rev Hank Elgersma preach every Sunday.  I also did my summer ministry internship under him.  Unfortunately Pastor Hank developed MS shortly before I graduated.  His health deteriorated rapidly.  A number of years later he went to be with Jesus.  I kept in touch with Hank annually through his wife, Elaine.  Shortly after Hank's passing she enclosed the following prayer in a letter.  I don't know if it is original with her or not.  I believe it was.  Anyway, once I read it I was immediately touched by it.  And I have kept it ever since.  I am posting here in the hope that it will touch and inspire you as well.

Lord, I'm yours.  Whatever the cost may be, may Your will be done in my life.  I realize that I'm not here on earth to do my own thing, or to seek my own fulfillment, or my own glory.  I'm not here to indulge my desires, to increase my possessions, to impress people, to be popular, to prove I'm somebody important, or to promote myself.  I'm not even here to be relevant or successful by human standards.  I'm here to please You.  I offer myself to You, for You are worthy.

All that I am, all that I have, I give to You.  I give You any rebellion in me that resists doing Your will.  I give You my pride and my self-dependence, which tell me I can do Your will in my own power if I try hard enough.  I give You my fears that tell me I'll never be able to do Your will in some areas of my life.  I consent to let You energize me....to create within me, moment by moment, both the desire and the power to do Your will.

I give You my body and each of its members....my entire being; my mind, my emotional life, my will.  I give you my loved ones...my marriage...my gifts & abilities...my strengths & weaknesses ...my health...my status (whether it be high or low)...my possessions...my past, my present & my future.  I'm here to love You, to obey You, to glorify You.  O, my Lord, may I be a joy to You.  Amen."

Isn't this a wonderful prayer?  I love its simplicity.  It's earnestness.  It's seeking after God and God alone.  Out of all the prayers that I have prayed in my life if God answered this one I would be overjoyed.

Lord, I thank you that during the toughest times of life You are with me.  Despite the tears and the heartache you give me comfort.  Strength.  Courage.  Peace.  Have Your way in my life.  Today.  And everyday.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Two And A Half

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”   Matthew 19:14

 

You have probably heard of the sitcom Two And A Half Men.  I can’t say that I’ve ever watched it.  I do know that it stars Charlie Sheen.  Or did.  It seems like everybody and his brother knows about ole’ Charlie these days.  In a bad way.  The show must be pretty popular.  It’s been on the air since 2003.  Well, the theme of this post has nothing to do with that!

In the late 1800's, D. L. Moody was the premier evangelist of our country.  He was the Billy Graham of his day.  He held countless crusades.  Tens of thousands were converted.  Many lives were changed.  One night after Moody returned from a service where he had preached a friend asked him, “How many converts did you have tonight?”  Moody responded, “Two and a half.”  The friend replied, “I suppose you mean two grownups and a child?”  “No,” said Moody, “Two children and a grownup.”  “How do you make that out to be two and a half?”  “Well, you see,” replied Moody, “The two children have a whole life before them, but a grownup person has only a half a life before him.”  What an observation!

This really underscores the value of children.  Moody was right in that children have their whole lives before them.  They are like a blank canvas that is waiting to be drawn upon.  What will be drawn is the question.  Will it be a masterpiece?  Something that inspires others?  Will it be an average painting?  Run of the mill.  Or will it be a below-average composition?  Something that gets thrown away?   This is why ministry to children is so important.  Their whole lives are literally ahead of them.  The sooner they give themselves to Jesus, the more liberty He has to make them into a masterpiece.  A thing of beauty.  Something that will reflect His glory.

It is during childhood that much of our personality, character, worldview and feelings about ourselves are formed.  With bad habits such as smoking, drugs, swearing, and pornography starting much younger it is imperative that we reach children with the Gospel early.  They need to attend church right from birth.  They need to be exposed to prayer and the Bible at an early age.  They need to learn the great stories of the Bible.  And the wonderful Christian children’s choruses.  They need to feel the warmth of a loving God who cares deeply for children.  They need to have parents who place a high priority on spiritual formation.  And a church that has that same priority as well.

In 1865, William Ross Wallace wrote his famous poem, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle.  Over the years it has given rise to the saying, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”  This is so true.  The battle is for the souls of children.  They are the future of our world.  They are the future of the church.  Whoever can reach children has a great opportunity to shape the future of the world. 

So, let’s do our best to be involved in the lives of children.  To lead them to Jesus.  To disciple them.  To raise them in the knowledge and ways of the Lord.  To pray for them.  To love them.  To be an encouragement to parents with children.  To be involved in children’s ministries.  To be role models.  If we will do this, our world will be a better place.  And someday these children will look back on us with reverence, respect and thankfulness to God.

Lord, I thank you for children.  Their enthusiasm.  Their laughter.  Their innocence.  I pray that You will help me to do all that I can to see them come to You.  And be raised in Your ways.  And make a difference for You in the world.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

And You Thought You Had A Bad Day?

Ever have a bad day?  Oh, yeah.  How about a string of bad days?  Or a bad month?  Or a bad year?  I know I have.  There was January 1982 when I was laid off from the paper mill.  I didn’t get any permanent employment until October.  And then it was for minimum wage.  At a box store.  Then there was 1988.  Late that winter we made the momentous decision to leave our native city, all of our family and friends, basically our whole lives, and move to Minnesota so that I could attend Bible College in August.  The uncertainty, the tears, the anger and rejection, was something I wouldn’t want to re-live.

So, the answer is yes.  All of us have bad days.  Or stretches of bad days.  And maybe even bad months or possible even a bad year.  The problem comes when our attitude goes south.  When we begin to indulge in a pity party.  Woe is me!  My life is so terrible!  My problems are worse than anyone elses.  Well, not quite, but our lives are still no picnic.  Of course, having a bad attitude can make bad times even worse.  The thing to remember is that, as bad as it is, it could always be worse.  Consider the French astronomer Guillaume Le Gentil.  (I know.  I can’t pronounce his name either.  Just call him ‘Gentile’!)

In 1760 Le Gentil wanted to observe a Venusian transit.  (I knew you were going to ask what it was!)  This is a rare occasion when the planet Venus passes directly in front of the sun.  This meant making a trip to India to observe it.  As you can imagine, travel in the mid-18th century was much different than today.  It was expensive and time-consuming.  We’re talking months of travel.  In primitive conditions.  So Le Gentil set off for India.  But the Seven Years’ War was going on throughout much of Europe.  (And around the globe too.)  The result was that Le Gentil arrived in India too late for his observation.

Rather than turn around and go home, he decided to wait for the next transit.  This wouldn't be for another 8 years!  June 3, 1769 to be exact.  (I told you that travel was rough back in those days.)  Le Gentil traveled to Madagascar and the Philippines during this time before arriving back in India with a year to spare.  Making good use of his time he built a small observatory.  On June 2, 1769 the sky was sunny and cloudless.  On June 3, the day of the transit, the sky was overcast.  Le Gentil saw nothing at all.  The next transit of Venus would not take place for 105 more years!  8 years of his life right down the drain.  It almost made him insane.  I suppose I would have reacted the same way.

Well, Le Gentil decided to go back home to France.  On the way back home he was shipwrecked.  Not once but twice!  He landed in Cadiz, Spain and had to cross the Pyrenees Mountains, on foot, in order to get home.  He finally made it back to Paris in 1771, 11 years after he had first left.  When he arrived, Le Gentil found that he had been declared legally dead.  (News didn’t travel very fast in those days either.)  His wife had remarried.  All of his belongings had been split up among his heirs.  And he lost his seat in the Royal Academy of Sciences.  At this point I guess you could say that his life was pretty much ruined.  Fortunately, Le Gentil remarried and regained his seat in the Academy.  Amazingly he lived another 21 years after his return.

So, still feel like you’re having a bad day?  Or week?  Or month?  I would dare say that for most of us, our problems pale in comparison to what Le Gentil went through.  That is precisely the point.  There is always someone around who has it worse.  Our problems are not as bad as they seem.  We just need to patiently endure them.  In Psalm 30:5 we are reminded that “weeping may last for the night but joy comes in the morning.”  This, too, shall pass.  Better days will come.  They are just beyond the horizon.

Let’s keep this in mind during those times when life is bad.  When nothing seems to go right.  When no one seems to care.  For us, as Christians, the future is always bright.  And in the midst of our bad days we still have many things to be thankful for.  Most of all, we have Jesus.  Our Savior.  Our Rock.  Our Shepherd.  Our Coming King.

Lord, when bad times come my way help me to remember that things will not always be this way.  Bad times won’t last forever.  Help me to remember that even in the worst of times I still have so much to be thankful for.  And I have a wonderful Savior who will walk right beside me.  Someone who will never leave or forsake me.  May I be encouraged by this.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Where Are The Showers?

Where are the showers?  That is the question that millions of Americans were asking this past summer in the South.  From southeast Arizona all the way to South Carolina, very little rain fell.  Creeks dried up.  Reservoir levels dropped.  Crops failed.  Cattle died.  Wildfires burned out of control.  It wasn’t a pretty picture.  Conditions have eased some but almost all of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona is still in a state of severe drought.  The longer the drought persists the more damage it will do.  The more lives will be affected.  Pray for showers.  They need them desperately.

Showers.  We all need them at times.  In the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, rain was a sign of God’s blessing.  In Psalm 68:9 we read, “You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance.”  In the hot, dry, drought-prone land of Israel, showers were more than just for settling the dust.  Showers were the difference between a meager harvest and an abundant harvest.  Showers were the difference between subsistence and wealth.  Showers were the difference between life an death.  I would say that makes showers pretty important, wouldn’t you?  The fact is that a couple drops of rain here and there wouldn’t cut it.   The same is true for us.

There is an old hymn whose words haunt me from time to time.  It’s entitled, There Shall Be Showers Of Blessing.  The chorus goes like this:
    “Showers of blessing, showers of blessing we need,
    Mercy drops ‘round us are falling, but the showers we plead.”

What really challenges me about this song is that I see a whole lot of Christians who are perfectly happy with ‘mercy drops’.  A blessing here and a blessing there.  They don’t expect much from God so they don’t receive much.  They have become so conditioned to enjoying so little of God’s blessings, so little of God’s Presence, so little of God’s power, that they don’t know what they are missing.  What they are missing is the showers.  The fullness of God.  His abiding Presence.  His mighty power at work in their lives.  An abundance of blessings.  The fact is that God wants to shower us with so many blessings that we won’t have enough room to receive them all. 

Then I look at my own life.  Am I a ‘settler’ too?  Do I settle for average?  For mediocre?  For ordinary?  Am I so overjoyed at a couple of mercy drops here and there that I don’t even realize that I am missing the showers?  I honestly don’t know.  I suspect at times that I am too easily satisfied.  I don’t want to be.

How about you?  Are you too easily satisfied as well?  Neither of us needs to be.  We should get down on our knees right now and beg.  Plead.  Demand.  Pray for the showers.  And not accept anything less.  God is willing.  We must be as well.

Lord, give me an intense, holy, burning desire for You.  Help me not to settle.  To be ordinary.  Average.  I want it all.  I want Your blessings.  All of them.  I want Your power.  All of it.  I want You.  All of You.  Help me not to settle for anything less.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Substitutes

Substitute.  What do you think of when you hear this word?  I think of the word ‘inferior’.  Something that is not as good as the original.  Like when I order something from a store and they no longer have the product I wanted.  So they send me a substitute instead.  A product that’s reasonably close to the one I wanted but one that also leaves something to be desired.  Something I ‘settle’ for.

The same can be said about substitutes in food.  The past couple decades has seen a huge array of substitutes hit the market.  Substitutes for eggs, milk, sugar, butter, as well as for certain snacks & desserts.  The idea of these substitutes is to lower the content of some ingredient - salt, sugar, sodium, fat, etc.  This is good.  And the reason why people purchase these products.  But at the same time they usually doesn’t taste as good.  Why?  They’re a substitute.  A substitute for the original.  One that it can’t quite match.

Then there is the world of sports.  When a regular player gets injured or is unable to play a substitute (or ‘sub’) comes in.  Hopefully they can play reasonably well.  But no one expects them to be as good as the player they subbed for.  (Otherwise they would be starting!)  And when a game gets out of hand and becomes unwinnable it is not uncommon for a coach to make mass changes by bringing in all the subs.  The game is already lost.  The subs certainly can’t do much harm.

One area where the ‘inferior’ tag does not apply to substitutes is Jesus.  According to the Bible, Jesus is our Substitute.  Because of our sins we incurred God’s righteous wrath.  We deserved to be punished for these sins.  We deserved to die for them.  We deserved to spend eternity in Hell.  Forever separated from God.  And that is exactly what was going to happen to us.  That is...until a Substitute was found.  Not an inferior Substitute but a superior one.  A Substitute who was without defect.  Sinless.  Perfect.  In I Peter 2:24 we are told that “He (Jesus) Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”  Another chapter over, in I Peter 3:18 we read, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God.”  In the greatest example of substitution in the entire history of the universe, Jesus became our Substitute.  Yours.  And mine.  He suffered in our place.  And He died in our place.

How humbling.  How amazing.  That the almighty Son of God would come to earth to be my Substitute is beyond my capacity to fully understand or appreciate.  But I accept it.  Gladly.  And the only way I can pay Him back is by living my life for Him.

Lord, how can I ever thank you enough for Jesus?  My Substitute.  The One who took my place on the cross.  The One who suffered for my sins.  The One who died for me.  What love.  What amazing, unconditional love.  I am overwhelmed by it.  May I never forget my Substitute.  I commit myself to living so that His sacrifice will not be in vain.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Random Acts Of Kindness

In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey tells of spending an evening with his two sons, Sean and Stephen.  They did some things together and then went  to see a movie.  It seems that Sean, only 4-years-old, couldn’t quite stay awake to the end and fell asleep.  Covey gently picked his son up in his arms, carried him to the car, and then laid him in the back seat.  Since it was somewhat cold, Covey took off his coat and carefully placed it over him.  Then they drove home.

Later that evening, when Covey went to tuck in 6-year-old Stephen, he asked his son what he liked most about the evening.  Unfortunately, Stephen wasn’t in the mood to talk.  Instead he turned his face to the wall and started to cry.  Covey was concerned and asked his son what he was crying about.  With his chin quivering and tears in his eyes, little Stephen looked up at Covey and said, “Daddy, if I were cold would you put your coat around me too?”  Of all the things they did together that night, what stood out in Stephen’s mind was a simple act of kindness that his father had shown to his younger brother.

Kindness.  It’s something that we don’t see a lot of these days.  People talk about being kind.  And how important it is.  But they don’t always act kind.  In our self-absorbed, fast-paced world people are often un-kind instead.  They say unkind things to others or say them behind their back.  They flip others off in traffic.  They pass by those who have a need.  They use and abuse others. No, our world is not the kindest of places at times.  Yet, at the same time, it cries out for kindness.

When Jesus walked this earth He was kind.  In fact, He was nothing short of radical in the kindness that He showed others.  He was kind to Samaritans.  To women.  To children.  To the bereaved.  To notorious sinners.  As Christians, we are called to be like Jesus.  To be kind.  This is the command from the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:32.  “Be kind and compassionate to one another.”   The fact is that kindness ought to come to us as naturally as breathing.  We do kind things to others because we are kind.  It’s one of the Fruit of the Spirit.  It’s who we are in our very being.

The amazing thing about kindness is that it truly is the thought that counts.  For little Stephen Covey it was as simple as having his father being willing to cover him up with his coat, if needed.  For someone around us kindness could be a hug.  Or a smile.  Taking the time to talk.  Holding open a door.  Letting someone cut in front of us in traffic.  There are literally a thousand different ways that we can show kindness to others on any given day.  The reality is that kindness costs us so little.  But it means so much to others.

A number of years ago someone came out with the saying, “Commit random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.”  This ought to be the slogan of every Christian.  We are called to make a difference in this world.  One of the best ways that we can do this is by being kind.  Kind to family members.  Friends.  Neighbors.  Co-workers.  Fellow Christians.  Complete strangers.

So, let’s get this on our radar screen.  Let’s make it a point that every day we commit some random act of kindness.  Who knows but that a single act of kindness done by us might make an eternal difference in the life of someone else.

Lord, I thank you for the kindness that You have extended to me.  In so many different ways.  Give me plenty of opportunities to be kind to others.  In so doing, may I be an encouragement to them.  And point the way to You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord Of The Schedule

It’s been several weeks since I’ve mowed the lawn.  About 3 actually.  Maybe more.  It’s due.  At least portions of it are.  Other sections probably won’t need it until Spring.  But I’m going to mow it all anyway.  So I get on my lawn-mowing clothes, start up the mower and mow.  Finishing the front and side yards I decide to make a quick phone call.  I shut the mower off to do so.  Bad mistake.  After the 3 minute call I return to the lawn mower.  It won’t start.  I crank it again.  And again.  (A little digression here.  Do you know why when you go to manually start a lawn mower they call it ‘cranking’?  Let me tell you.  It has nothing to do with mechanics.  It’s because after trying to start it for 10 minutes straight and throwing your shoulder out you become ‘cranky’!!)  Back to the story.

The lawn mower plain won’t start.  I am hot and sweaty.  I didn’t really want to mow the lawn in the first place (anyone got a goat?) but at this point I want to mow it NOW!  Not Monday.  Not an hour from now.  NOW.  I already have plans for later.  (Actually I don’t but I certainly didn’t plan on mowing the lawn then.)  So what to do?  I calmly (that’s right, calmly) began to do a few other things that needed done.  Then I returned to the lawn mower to give it another crank.  No go.  So I decided to make use of my time and blog about it.  It’s the electronic version of complaining.  Beth loves it.  “Blog all you want.  Just don’t complain to me!”  What’s a man have to do to get some sympathy around here?

I figured I would blog about this incident because we all have times when our schedule gets interrupted.  Things we want to do or get accomplished get delayed.  Or don’t get done at all.  Meanwhile, things we weren’t planning on doing, or at least doing now, are what we end up doing.  It’s enough to make someone lose their sanctification!  Actually it’s days like this that promote our sanctification.  Let me explain.

I am firmly convinced that much of our sanctification happens in the little moments of life.  Such as those times when our schedules get changed.  Without our permission.  A child gets sick.  Or spills something.  We can’t get on the Internet.  Or the printer won’t work.  We get a phone call at an inopportune moment.  Or we meet someone at the store that we didn’t really have time to talk to - but did anyway.  It’s how we react during times when our schedule gets changes that is directly proportional to our spiritual growth.  Get frustrated, upset, or angry and we go backwards.  More work for the Holy Spirit to do in our lives.  Stay calm, cool and collected and we move forward.  The Holy Spirit give us a high-five!

In Proverbs 19:21 we are told that “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”  At some point in time, as Christians, we have to come to the realization that we are not Lord of our schedule.  God is.  Now the vast majority of the time we might indeed be able to do what we want to do when we want to do it.  But not always.  That’s because as God, He gets the final say.  And well He should.  God knows the beginning from the end.  He can factor in all kinds of situations and people that we are clueless about.  As we deal with unplanned interruptions of our plans and schedules we need to trust God.  Maybe, just maybe, someone else needed our attention at the moment.  Maybe our ‘delay’ kept us from being in an accident.  Or a better deal came our way.  Maybe God knew we need to learn a lesson in patience.  There are literally hundreds of reasons behind the scenes of why our schedules get rocked at times.  The bottom line is that God is Lord of our schedule.  As we concentrate on serving Him everything that He wants us to do will get done.  And some of those things that we thought were so important?  Well, they just might not get done at all.  And that’s OK.

So, after 45 minutes I went out and tried the lawn mower.  Started right up.  (I think I flooded it earlier.)  And I finished mowing the lawn.  An hour later than what I had originally planned.  But that’s OK.  God wanted me to take a little test.  And I passed.  With flying colors if I must say so myself!  Now, to continue on with my, er, God’s schedule.  Let’s see, “Lord, I’m going to do this now.  That is unless you have other plans for me.”

Lord, I thank you for what You are teaching me.  That You are Lord of my Schedule.  I don’t always realize this.  Or even appreciate it at times.  Sorry!  Thank you for being so patient with me.  Help me to be patient when things don’t happen in my timetable or the way I thought they would.  Help me to realize that Father always knows best.  Help me to be an instrument in Your hands to accomplish Your will on this earth.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Obeying The Holy Spirit

One of the requirements, as it were, of being filled with the Holy Spirit is that we also obey Him.  All the time.  In things big and small.  Even when it doesn’t make sense.  Not too long ago I came upon the following excerpt from the book TGIF, Today God Is First, by Os Hillman.  It was so good and so appropriate for today I decided to post it here. 

“So often we as a society equate numbers with success.  The larger the conference, the more successful we deem it.  The larger a church, the more we believe that God is blessing.  And so on.  I recall planning a conference one time.  Registrations were not where I felt they needed to be a few weeks before the date of the event.  It wasn't long before I began to get "under the pile" about the level of attendance.  My friend, who was organizing this conference with me, called and asked how I was doing.  I had to confess where I was.  He immediately reminded me of my own teaching in this area.  We are all called to be led by the Spirit, not by outcomes.  "If God called us to put on this conference, then the outcome is up to Him if we have done our part."  He went on to explain how he learned this lesson in a similar way a few years earlier.

He and a friend were led to host a Bible study group.  His friend was to speak.  It was nine o'clock and they were the only two people there.  His friend was discouraged and was ready to leave.  "No," said my friend.  "We have done what the Holy Spirit directed."  He then stood up and began to welcome people as though there were many in the room.  (No one was in the room.)  He introduced his friend and they began the meeting.  A few minutes later, people began to straggle in.  By the time the meeting was over, ten had shown up, and one man in particular was impacted by the meeting.

Being led by the Spirit often means we must not use the world's standard for success as our measuring stick.  You never know what an act of obedience will yield at the time.  We must leave results to God.  Our role is to obey.  His role is to bring results from our obedience.

Do you make decisions based on the potential outcome or by the direction of the Holy Spirit in your life?  Do you overly evaluate the pros and cons without consideration to what the Holy Spirit might be saying deep inside?  We are all prone to make decisions based on reasoning alone.  Ask God to give you a willingness and ability to hear the Holy Spirit and to obey His promptings.”

Wow.  What an article.  Now you know why I posted it here.  We are all prone to this.  Getting discouraged when something we thought the Holy Spirit wanted us to do doesn’t work out like we’d planned.  We witness to a co-worker and get an icy reception.  We try to help someone and we get our head handed to us.  You know.  You’ve been there.  Pastors are especially prone to this.  You pour your heart and soul into a lesson.  Or a sermon.  Or some kind of event.  And people don’t show up.  (Some do.  But not many.  And not the ones who really needed it!)  This can be discouraging.  I have found over the years that very few things work out just like I expected them to.  But if we keep in mind that God is in control, what a difference that makes.

Pray for me that I’ll remember this lesson.  And I’ll pray for you.  Bottom line = do whatever the Holy Spirit wants you to do.  Leave the results to Him.  You will never go wrong!

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord.  ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’”   Isaiah 55:8,9   

Lord, I thank you for that still, small voice that constantly speaks to my heart.  May I be quick to follow You.   Thorough in my execution.  And confident in Your leading.  I will leave the results in Your hands.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Angry Missionary

I remember shortly after I entered ministry that we had a Missions Conference here at our church.  This involved one of our missionaries (now known as ‘International Workers’) come for part of a week.  In the midst of all the activities this particular missionary and I had some time to talk in my office one afternoon.  Being somewhat new to dialoging with missionaries I asked him what was the most difficult challenge that he faced on the mission field.  I expected something such as being away from family, isolation, the language, etc.  Instead he told me it was anger.  Surprised?  I was.  He went on to say that it was very frustrating to live in another culture. 

They do things differently than we do here in America.  There is so much red-tape from the government.  Visas.  Permits.  Inspections.  Then there is the whole transportation issue.  Driving is akin to taking one’s life in one's hands.  The same for walking.  Or taking the bus.  Or the train.  Or flying.  Even ministry was  frustrating.  Little fruit.  Little interest.  Little commitment.  Everything seemed to move so slowly.  The result was that this missionary was frustrated - and frustration generally leads to anger.  I prayed for him.  And I have remembered our conversation ever since.

Since then I have had the privilege of going on 3 short-term missions trips.  In doing so I have encountered some great missionaries.  People who love the Lord.  Who love people.  Who enjoy what they are doing and how God is blessing them.  But I have also met the ‘angry missionary’.  After the pleasantries have been exchanged and you get to know them, a distinct streak of negativity surfaces.  They hate traffic.  And other drivers.  They hate the government and all the bureaucracy they have to go through.  They are frustrated with the slowness of progress in the local church.  And the lack of commitment.  All they seem to do is complain, complain, complain.  Sometimes I feel like asking them why they became a missionary in the first place?  They certainly don’t seem to being enjoying it.

These experiences have caused me to do some thinking.  And evaluating.  Whether it’s being a missionary, or a pastor, or someone is serving the Lord in their local church, we all face the same difficulties.  No one said that serving the Lord was going to be easy.  In fact, Jesus said just the opposite.  In Luke 9:23 He said, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.”  Doesn’t sound like a picnic to me.  This has caused me to take a little inventory of my life.  And no doubt it would be beneficial if you did the same.  We can start by asking the following questions:

1 - Do I complain about serving the Lord?  Isn’t it supposed to be a privilege?  Hasn’t He given me certain gifts and talents to use to help others?  Isn’t helping others a good thing?  Shouldn’t that bring a sense of joy and satisfaction?

2 - Do I really love others?  The reality is that I am not going to influence very many people in my culture (or any other culture for that matter) if I don’t love others.  If all I see are their faults.  Negativity repels.  Love attracts.

3 - Do I really believe that You are leading me?  If not, then all the delays, denials, and defeats in my life are going to make me angry.  If so, then I am going to be confident that somehow they are all a part of Your plan for my life.  A plan I embrace with eagerness.

So, ponder this.  Better yet, ask someone who knows you very well how they perceive you.  Is serving God a joy?  Or a duty?  Do you love others?  Or tolerate them?  Do you get frustrated with circumstances?  Or are you content no matter what the situation?  The answers to these questions will help us to know whether we are an ‘angry missionary’ or a joyful one.

Lord, help me not to be an ‘angry missionary’.  Someone who constantly complains.  About people.  The government.  Inconveniences.  The difficulty of serving You.  Instead, help me to be a joyful, content, faithful servant.  One who loves You.  And others.  And serving You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Refueling

Ever have one of those days where you feel like you can conquer the world?  You know, those days when you’re well-rested.  Full of energy.  Optimism.  When there’s no stressful situations in your life.  Those are great days, aren’t they?  We almost feel invincible.  But are we?  Not really.  The reality is that after a few hours we need to eat.  And we need to drink.  Oh, sure we can skip a meal if we are really busy.  Or not drink anything for a while.  But then something happens.  We begin to run down.  We get tired.

In addition to eating and drinking, we also need to rest.  Usually we kill 3 birds with one stone here.  We sit down and rest as we are eating and drinking.  Talk about multitasking.  But sometimes we just need to sit back and relax.  This is not an option.  It’s a necessity.  Then there is the whole subject of sleep.  As a self-professed night owl, I don’t do well in this department.  And the truth is that since mid-August I’ve been doing terrible at it.  At this point I figure I’m getting about 7 hours of sleep a night instead of 8.  After a week that adds up.  The result being that I’m tired.  Sluggish.  The thinking process isn’t quite what it should be.  The enthusiasm wanes.  I am more susceptible to being discouraged.  The fact is that even on our best days, we need to periodically refuel.  Eat.  Drink.  Rest.  Relax.  Sleep.  If we don’t, we get tired.  Slow.  Less focused.  Irritable.

The same thing happens to us spiritually.  There are days when we are on top of the world.  We had a great devotional time.  Or we spent some time in worship.  Spiritually-speaking our spirits are up and we feel like we can handle anything that the world or Satan throws at us.  And maybe we can.  For a short period of time.  Then we begin to lose steam.  An unholy thought enters our mind.  We are faced with a temptation.  The flesh suddenly comes to life over an unkind word or attitude that was directed our way.  Before long, instead of being on Cloud 9 we drop down to Cloud 5.  Or 2.  Or fall right back to earth.  We are spiritually-weak.  Tired.  Exhausted. 

The answer to this is to refuel.  We see this process in Ephesians 5.  In verse 18 we are commanded to, “...be filled with the Spirit.”.  In the original Greek this implies continuous action.  In other words, a literal translation is, “Keep on being filled”.  The reason why we need to do this is that we leak.  In the same way that we get physically tired, we get spiritually tired.  As Christians, we are constantly under attack.  The world, our flesh and Satan never let up.  They keep assaulting our spirit, hoping to wear us down.  To gain entry and wreak havoc.  This is why we need to constantly be filled with the Spirit.  So, as soon as we realize that we have gossiped about someone, or lost our temper, given in to a lustful thought or worry, we need to stop.  Right then and there we need to repent and ask for forgiveness.  Then we need to refuel.  To ask the Holy Spirit to refill us.  And He will. 

So, let’s seek to make refueling a regular habit in our lives.  To refuel multiple times throughout the day.  If we will do this we will find that we are refreshed.  Excited.  Empowered.  Ready to go out into the world and conquer for Jesus.

Lord, help me to realize my neediness.  And Your supply.  Give me a holy awareness of when I’m under-powered.  Help me stop right then and refuel.  To allow Your Spirit to completely fill my life.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Power Of Veto

Veto.  It’s a word that you hear about in the news from time to time.  (No, not Danny DeVito!)  Veto is Latin for ‘I forbid’.  The veto was initially used in the early Roman Republic where individuals could veto certain measures that they disagreed with.

In my research I found out that there are 2 kinds of vetos - absolute and limited.  An absolute veto is used in the United Nations.  Once a particular nation vetoes a bill or measure it is dead.  Gone.  Never to be resurrected in its original form.  The limited veto (which is the more common of the two) is used in our system of government.  When a bill comes to the President to sign, if he signs it, it becomes law.  Instead of signing it, however, he can choose to veto it.  This involves not signing it and sending it back to Congress.  This means that the bill will die unless it receives a 2/3rds majority vote from Congress.  If it does, this is called an ‘override’ and the bill then becomes law.  The fact is that most bills, once vetoed, die.  An interesting feature of the veto is that it can only stop changes.  It can’t adopt or make them.  Very interesting stuff.

I say ‘very interesting stuff’ because the concept of the veto has some profound spiritual implications.  In His Divine Providence, God has given humankind the power of veto.  That’s right.  Almighty God, the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe, has given mortal humans the right to veto His plans for their lives.  Isn’t that incredible to think about?  It borders on being insane!  If I were an all-powerful God would I give my creatures veto power?  Are you kidding?  You already know the answer.  But then again, I’m not God.  Which is a very good thing.  For everybody.

In Jeremiah 29:11 we are told, “‘For I know the plans I have for you’, says the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future.’” The fact is that God has plans for everyone’s life.  These plans were designed way back in eternity past.  Long before anything was even created.  The Scriptures also tell us that God’s plans are perfect.  The best.  Yet we can veto God’s plans and will for our lives anytime we want to.  That’s right.  We can say ‘I forbid’ and it won’t happen.  Now God being God, He has the power to override our veto.  And He does this from time to time.  But most of the time He respects our veto.  He quietly retreats.  Then He initiates another action in our lives.  And we can veto that one, too.  Man, this is some pretty heady power that God has given us.

The result is that some people use their power of veto more than Obama hands out stimulus money.  And they enjoy it.  They are the captain of their own soul.  They and they alone will determine how they live their life.  Sadly, each time they use their power of veto they drift further and further from their God-given purpose in life.  Used enough times, their vetoes will eventually land them in Hell.  Unfortunately there is no power of veto in God’s last judgment.  His judgment is final.  And eternal.

For Christians, the use of the veto, though not quite as devastating, is equally sad.  Why are so many Christians not living victory-filled, spiritually-impacting lives?  Because they use their power of veto.  "Sorry God.  I’m not going to do what You want me to do in this matter.  Or that one.  This one, OK.  Oops, not on that one either."  And then they wonder why God seems so distant and irrelevant in their lives.

I love the part about a veto being reactive only.  That it can only prevent change from occurring.  It cannot initiate or adopt change.  That is what is truly sad about our use of the veto.  Not only does it put us in the place of God in determining what is best for our lives.  Not only does reek of pride and disobedience.  It also stifles any spiritual growth in our lives.  It attempts to keep things as ‘status quo’ which is a lie from the pit of Hell.  The reality is that if we are not moving forward spiritually, we are moving backwards.  There is no standing still.

So, the next time that the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart about a course of action He wants you to take, stop.  Think long and hard before you decide to use your power of veto.  Better yet, pray.  Ask God to soften your heart.  To help you put your veto stamp away.  Better yet, give Him the power to destroy it.  It will be one of the best decisions that you ever make!

Lord, I thank you for this new insight into spiritual realities.  Incredibly You have given me the right to veto any and all of Your actions in my life.  I am deeply ashamed of how many times I have used it.  To my own detriment.  I give You my power of veto.  I don’t want to use it any more.  I want Your will and only Your will for my life.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Seven Days In Utopia

Beth and I went out to the movies last night.  This is something of a rarity.  We don’t go all that often.  Three years ago someone gave us a gift card to Signature Theaters and we finally used it this past July.  We went to see a movie to celebrate our anniversary.  The only reason we went last night is because someone else invited us.  We actually went to a movie that I wanted to see.  The reality is that I wasn’t going to get around to seeing it.  At least not in the theater.  The movie was Seven Days In Utopia.

Without giving away too much of the plot, the movie is about a promising young golfer who folds under tremendous pressure.  As he storms off the green and out of town he finds himself in a little Texas town.  There he providentially hooks up with an eccentric rancher.  Over the course of one week the rancher speaks into the golfer’s life - both in the area of golf and God.  The golfer ends up being impacted in ways that he never could have imagined a week earlier.

The movie is good, clean, and Christian-based.  The rancher tries to point out to the aspiring golf pro the futility of success without God.  It’s a dead-end street.  That’s a lesson that a lot of people need to learn today.  Especially aspiring athletes.  And aspiring singers.  And aspiring anyones.  So many times people who have great aspirations think that in achieving their dream they will also find happiness.  Fulfilment.  Love.  And you know what?  It rarely happens.  All one needs to do is to check out all the athletes, singers, actors and entrepreneurs whose lives are dysfunctional to know that success does not guarantee happiness.

If you get the chance, go see it.  I checked the theater’s website and it will be playing in Kalispell at least through September 29th.  It’s a good movie, with a solid, Christian message.  Not only will you enjoy it but so will some of your friends or neighbors.

Lord, I thank you for all the great Christian-based, high-quality movies that are being produced.  May I do my best to support these movies and to invite some of my unsaved friends who could also benefit from its message.  May You use this film to bring others into the Kingdom.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Good Connection

A couple of years ago I received an iPod nano for Christmas.  It was one of my best Christmas gifts ever.  I love music.  Especially Christian music.  I listen to it frequently.  Whenever I’m in my car I listen to my Christian CD’s.  On Saturdays when I’m working around the house or out in the yard I listen to my iPod.  Every night when I take a shower I listen to a Christian CD in the bathroom.  Every night when I go to bed I plug in my earbuds and listen to Christian music on my Nano.  As I said, I love music.  A lot.

Lately, however, the original ear buds that came with my iPod haven’t been working very well.  I have to turn the volume on my iPod well over halfway to get much volume and I noticed that one earbud works better than the other one.  So yesterday when I was out at Walmart I decided to pick up a new set of earbuds.  For $9.  Blue.  My favorite color.  (Do you know that Amazon offers Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 Noise Isolating Earphones for $227.99!  Really?  Who's going to pay that much for a set of earbuds?  Not me!)  Anyway, I brought my new earbuds home and plugged them into my iPod before I went to bed last night.  Sheer joy.  I can now put the volume down to one-quarter and hear perfectly.  And out of both earbuds!  How much more I enjoyed listening to my music.

There is a spiritual lesson in this.  For lack of a better term, sometimes in the Christian life our ‘connection’ with God gets a little old.  Worn out.  The flow of power, peace and strength just isn’t what it used to be.  There are a number of reasons for this.  Busyness.  Sin.  Distractions.  Anyway, all of a sudden we notice that we’re not hearing God’s voice quite as clearly as we once did.  We have strain to hear anything.   What we do hear seems garbled.  Unclear.  It’s at times like these that we need to look at our connection.  Something’s wrong with it.  We need to repent and confess the sin that’s in our lives.  We need to slow down and plug in.  Read our Bibles once again.  Take some time for quality for prayer.  When we do, something amazing happens.  We begin to hear God speak to us again.  Loud and clear.  Words of comfort.  Challenge.  Peace.  Hope.

Isaiah 28:23 - “Listen and hear My voice; pay attention and hear what I say.”

Lord, there are times when I can’t seem to hear Your voice.  When you seem far away.  Distant.  When I can’t make out what it is that You are saying to me.  Help me to realize at times such as this that the problem is on my end of the line.  Give me the desire to remove any hindrances that have built up.  Help me to reestablish the connection between me and You.  To hear Your voice loud and clear.  In Jesus’ name, Amen,

The Chronicles Of Narnia

Beth and I watched The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader a few months back.  (Yeah, we're always a little behind in our movie watching).  Our son Brian is the video king of the family so we just borrowed his DVD.  I simply refer to it as Narnia 3.  It’s easier to remember that way.  I don’t know about you, but these sequel movies can be a little challenging - challenging from the standpoint that I don’t always remember where the last one left off!  Anyone else have the same problem?  I think what I need to do in the future is to re-watch the previous movies so that I can be fully up to speed when the latest sequel comes out!

Anyway, I like the Narnia series.  I am glad for good, quality Christian -based movies (also The Lord Of The Rings) that we have that appeal to everyone, Christians and non-Christians alike.  In the first movie, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy help Aslan save Narnia from the evil White Witch.  In so doing, they become Kings & Queens of Narnia.  In the next 2 movies, the children, who are ordinary when they are in England, return to their royal status when they return to Narnia.

What has really resonated with me thus far in the Naria movies is the whole concept of royalty.  As Christians, that is what we will be.  In Heaven.  What a fascinating aspect to think about.  I admit that I don’t think about this very much.  Actually, not at all.  But it’s Biblical.  And maybe this is why it interests me so much.  Several Scriptures to support this:

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.”  I Peter 2:9a

"And has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father.” Revelation 1:6a

"You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”  Revelation 5:10

“Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.  The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”   Revelation 20:6

Wow.  We are royalty–in-waiting.  Just like William and Kate.  Only our kingdom is not of this world.  We will reign with Jesus Christ over the entire universe forever!  If that doesn’t perk you up on a dreary day, nothing will!  What an absolutely amazing Savior we have that He would not only die for us, but allow us reign with Him.  No wonder we love Him so.

Lord, I thank you for the absolutely, amazing, awesome truth that I am going to reign with Jesus in Heaven.  What a privilege!  What an honor!  How undeserving I am of it.  Help me to remember my royal status.  Even now I am royalty-in-waiting.  Help me to conduct myself as such.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You Ruined Me

Yesterday I mentioned how it was the 5 year anniversary of my Dad’s passing.  One of the interesting insights that I’ve discovered since then is how much I learned from him.  I never realized that before.  For some reason I thought that I had just developed into the man I am today.  I didn’t understand that he had so much to do with it.  Call me clueless.  Through the years some of the things that he taught me were:

    To work hard.
    To be responsible.
    To not waste anything.
    To be kind.
    To be respectful.
    To be honest.
    To be loyal.
    To be a man.
    To laugh.
    To persevere and not give up.
    How to catch a baseball properly.
    How to use a paint brush.
    How to drive a nail straight.

Now, as I get on the other side of life, I realize how much I’m like him.  This is a good thing. 

I was privileged to be able to preach at and conduct his memorial service.  It was one of the great privileges of my life.  I also wrote a poem for the occasion.  My sister wrote one too.  My poem was a tribute to him.  It’s entitled, You Ruined Me.  You will understand what I mean as you read it.

                                                              YOU RUINED ME

There are times when I want to call in sick to work....when I’m tired, the warm bed is hard to leave, or the weather is bad.....but I can’t
    Instead....I trudge faithfully off to work......you ruined me

There are times when I see others fail to follow through on their commitments.... when they make promises that they have no intention of keeping.....and I’m tempted to do the same.....but I can’t
        Instead...I keep all of my promises...I keep all of my commitments...you ruined me

There are times when I want to complain about my lot in life.....how bad I have it, how hard it is, how my situation is worse than anyone else’s.....but I can’t
    Instead....I end up being thankful that it’s not worse than it is....you ruined me

There are times when I get tired of focusing on the needs of others....when I want to be selfish and focus on my own needs.....when I want to be on the receiving end for a change.....but I can’t
    Instead....I continue to put the needs of others ahead of my own....you ruined me

There are times when I don’t want to pull my share of the weight.....when I just want to coast and let others do the heavy lifting......but I can’t
       Instead...I lower my shoulder once more....and help carry the load....you ruined me

There are times when I want to lash out at my detractors.....when I want to put them in their place.....and tell them like it really is.....but I can’t
    Instead.....I keep silent....and humbly continue on....you ruined me

There are times when I get tired of doing good....when it seems like my efforts don’t matter.....when I just want to throw in the towel.....but I can’t
    Instead....I keep on doing what I know is right.....trusting God for the results.... you ruined me

Now that I’m older, wiser, more mature.....I look back on those I once envied....on those who always took the easy road.....and I am shocked....for that is not who I wanted to become after all

Instead.....I find that all those years of taking the hard road.....of doing the right thing.....of following your example....has built character in me....and made me into the man I am today.....the man I always wanted to be

So....here I stand.....I’ve reached my goal....I’ve realized by dream
     And.....I say to you, with all my heart....Dad, I’m glad you ruined me!


Dad, I still miss you.  Thanks for being such a great Dad.  Such a good example.  For loving Jesus so much.

Lord, I thank you again for my Dad.  For the man who was larger-than-life to me.  For the man who was so respected.  And loved by so many people.  I am glad that he knew You.  And loved You.  And served You.  And I am glad that he ‘ruined’ me.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Dad

It’s been 5 years today since my Dad died.  He was 80 so I can’t complain.  It was expected-unexpected, if you know what I mean.  He had an infected hip replacement.  But his heart was too weak to undergo an operation to have it removed and replaced with a better one.  So for the last 2 years of his life he lived with a lot of pain.  That was my Dad, Mr. Tough-It-Out.  On September 15, 2006 he ate breakfast.  Then he went into the living room and sat down in his favorite chair.  By the time Mom went to wake him up for lunch he was already gone.  While there’s no good way to die, dying in your sleep in your favorite chair is pretty close to perfect in my book.

I remember getting a panicked phone call from my sister while I was at the office.  Dad had a heart attack she said.  The paramedics were trying to revive him even as she spoke.  Little did we realize it at the time but he was already gone.  Soon it became official.  Dead.  Gone.  I remember the wave of emotion that swept over me.  Even though I was expecting it sometime, I wasn’t expecting it now.  I started to cry.  Of course, there were phone calls to be made.  To Beth.  And then to each of my kids.  I wanted to be the one to tell them.  I cried each time.  I was shocked by how forcefully the wave of emotion hit me.

It’s tough when you lose your Dad.  Especially when he was a good one.  That was my Dad.  He only had an 8th grade education but he didn’t let that stop him.  He came across the border from Canada and joined the military at 17.  He made it over to Germany at the end of the war.  He married and had 8 kids.  I’m the oldest.  And proud of it.

In many ways my Dad was a very special man.  His word was golden.  If he said he was going to do something, he did it.  And he was Mr. Commitment.  When he did something he was all in.  He never complained.  He loved to laugh.  He loved to serve.  He loved his family.  And would do anything for them.

In the early years, things were pretty lean.  My Dad worked 2 jobs just to put food on the table.  There was nothing extra.  We were poor.  And us children didn’t even know it.  Still, somehow my Dad came through for our birthdays and Christmas.  No wonder why he wore the same pants until they had holes in them.  The man knew about sacrifice.

My Mom never learned how to drive and so Dad drove us everywhere.  The store.  To doctor’s appointments.  Church.  He worked 8 - 10 hours a day.  A half-hour commute each way.  Came home and mowed the lawn.  Worked around the house.  Visited people in the hospital.  Helped widows.  Played with us kids.  The guy only slept 4 hours a night.  Quite frankly, I don’t know how he did it.

In 1982, he had a quadruple by-pass.  Boy, was that a wake-up call for him.  He immediately changed his eating habits.  Lots of chicken.  He lost weight.  No more all-you-can-eat buffets. (In his younger days his eating habits were legendary.  He told me once that after a meal he had 17 pieces of pie.  I don’t care how you slice it, that’s a lot of pie!)  And he began to exercise.  By riding every night (after he came home from work) on his stationary bike.

The connection that Dad & I always had, beside being the oldest, was that I was used by God to bring him to Jesus.  At age 8 or so I was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Lots of 20-mile trips to Children’s Hospital in Buffalo during that time.  He came up to see me every night.  Finally they decided to operate.  The prospects for my survival were bleak.  The night before the operation my parents (who were not Christians at the time) made a bargain with God.  If He would spare my life, they would serve him.  Next morning, they didn’t go through with the operation.  Something had changed.  I don’t know what but I do know Who.  I never did have that operation.  And the brain tumor disappeared.  Miraculously.  The brain surgeon even said so.  We started to go to church.  One that didn’t preach Jesus.  Several years later, we started attending one that did.  One Friday night I went forward during a service and gave my life to Jesus.  Dad said that he was proud of me.  He was next.  Then the rest of the family.

Years ago Joni Mitchell sang a song that included the line, “Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got until it's gone.”  Ain’t that the truth.  No matter how much we try to appreciate people and not take them for granted, we do.  I miss Dad.

Fortunately I know that I am going to see him again.  We’re going to hug.  And laugh.  And talk.  And serve.  And worship Jesus.  Sounds like Heaven to me.

Lord, I thank you so much for the earthly father that You gave me.  How great an impact he had on my life.  Thank you for the many years that You gave him.  And all the lessons that I learned from him.  Help me to be half the man that he was.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Best Of Times - The Worst Of Times

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...”.  So goes the first line of Charles Dickens’ epic novel, A Tale Of Two Cities.  Though I have never read the book (I would like to someday) I am familiar with the famous first sentence.  One day I remembered this opening line as I was thinking.

What I was thinking about was life.  On a global scale.  Every once in a while I feel it’s good to do this.  To get beyond our own little world and what’s happening in it.  On this particular day I was struck by the thought that for an unknown amount of people, it was the best day of their lives.  That’s right, the best day.  Perhaps this was due to a birth.  Or a wedding.  Maybe it was due to a graduation.  Or an unexpected inheritance.  Maybe they purchased their first car.  Or their first home.  Maybe it was a long anticipated reunion.  Or getting out of the hospital after an illness or an injury.  Whatever the circumstance was, they were happy.  Very happy.  We all love being happy, don’t we?

Unfortunately, I thought about the other side of life.  On this particular day I was struck by the thought that for an unknown amount of people, it was the worst day of their lives.  That’s right, the worst day.  Perhaps this was due to a death.  Or a divorce.  Maybe it was due to being expelled from school.  Or the loss of a lot of money.  Through gambling.  Or the stock market.  Maybe their car was re-possessed.  Or their house was foreclosed on.  Maybe it was being separated from someone they loved.  Or being involved in an accident or diagnosed with cancer.  Whatever the circumstance was, they were sad.  Very sad.  None of us likes being sad, do we?

So there it is.  On any given day, it is the best day of someone’s life and the worst day of another person’s life.  This is multiplied thousands of times over around the world.  And the cycle repeats itself.  Daily.  Tomorrow will be the best day of someone’s life while for another person it will be the worst day of their life.  And the day after tomorrow will bring more of the same.  And the day after that.

What to do with this?  Well, the Bible gives us a little clue.  It’s found in Romans 12:15.  “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.”  This makes sense, doesn’t it?  On any given day I just might run into someone who is having the best day of their life.  I want to be happy for them.  And rejoice.  But I could also just as easily run into someone who is having the worst day of their life.  I want to cry with them.  And enter into their sadness.

Fortunately, the vast majority of days (including our own) are going to fall somewhere in between.  And that’s OK.  I’m not sure that a steady diet of either day would be beneficial for anyone.  Me or you.  In the meantime, I want to rejoice in this day.  Good, bad or routine, it will never be repeated.  Once it becomes tomorrow it is history.

So I will be glad for today.  I will try to enjoy today.  I will try my best to live for God today.  And I'll try to make a positive impact in the lives of others today.

Lord, thank you for those times when You lift my awareness from my own little world to what’s happening in the lives of others.  As I encounter people in various circumstances, may You give me the wisdom, strength and grace to respond accordingly.  To rejoice with those who rejoice.  To weep with those who weep.  To rejoice in this day that You have made for me.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

To God Alone - Aaron Shust

I came across this song a month or so ago.  It is the song that begins playing when you connect to my blog.  I find that I like a lot Aaron Shust’s songs.  This one especially.  It is simple and strait-forward.  And the words are so powerful.  It is yet another song that could easily be the theme of my life.  Once again I’ve included the words as well as a link.  Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID6vmuF6r8M

To God Alone - Aaron Shust

Can You take me by the hand, can You use me as I am,
Break me into who You want me to be,
When the time is finally right, will You open up my eyes,
Show me everything You want me to see,
This life is not my own

To God alone be the glory, to God alone be the praise,
Everything I say and do, let it be all for You,
The glory is Yours alone, Yours alone.

Take the offering I bring, You want more than what I sing,
Can I give You ever part of me,
Turn these pennies into gold, take this life I call my own,
Until I'm running after Your heart,
I'm needing to let go.

To God alone be the glory, to God alone be the praise,
Everything I say and do, let it be all for You,
The glory is Yours alone.

We will rise, and we will fall, but You remain after all,
You're glorious and beautiful, You're beautiful.

To God alone be the glory, to God alone be the praise,
Everything I say and do, let it be all for You,
The glory is Yours alone, the glory is Yours alone,
Yours alone, Yours alone.

Lord, may my life reflect Your glory.  In everything I say and do.  It all belongs to You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Mickey For Jaydon

Our 2-year-old grandson, Jaydon, has two things that he really likes at this stage in his life.  The Wiggles.  (If you’re the parent of a preschooler you know who they are).  And Mickey Mouse.  For his birthday in February Jaydon alternates between wanting a ‘Wiggles birthday’ and a ‘Mickey birthday’.  If he had his choice he’d have 2 birthdays, one with each.

A week or so ago Beth saw a toy in the Target sales paper.  It was a Fisher Price Rock Star Mickey.  As you can see in the picture it’s a rockin’ Mickey Mouse with cool sunglasses.  He also has a guitar and a foot that moves to the beat of a song that he sings.  When Beth saw it she immediately knew that Jaydon would like it.  At $50+ he’d better!  As soon as she was able to, Beth went out to the store and purchased it.  When she brought it home she had to demonstrate to me how it worked.  (This is the advantage of buying toys for children and grandchildren.  You get to play with them first!).  The Mickey is so cute!  Since Jaydon loves playing his little, blue plastic guitar and Mickey Mouse this will be a toy that he absolutely loves.  Right now Mickey is hidden away in the closet awaiting being wrapped and put away for a special grandson on Christmas morning.

Now, the question is, why did we pay that much money for a toy?  Because we know that he will love it.  And because we love him.  Since we love Jaydon we want to make him happy.  And when we see the smile on his face and the look in his eyes on Christmas morning, it will make both of us happy as well.

Isn’t it great to purchase or do things for the people we love in life?  A child.  A grandchild.  A parent.  A spouse.  There is something about knowing how much they will like our gift or our good deed that gives us joy.  We are happy making them happy.  This is a picture of God.

In Psalm 147:11 we are told that “the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.”  The key word in this verse is ‘delights’.  It is the Lord who delights.  And who does He delight in?  Us!  Wow!  What a great thought this is.  What kind of image does this evoke in our minds?  An eager Father.  Someone who wants to do something special for his child.  Someone who wants to make them happy.  Someone who wants to make their dreams come true.  As a result, we read in I Corinthians 2:9 that “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him.”  God is so overjoyed at the prospect of our spending eternity in Heaven with Him that He has pulled out all the stops to provide us with things from His heart.  I don’t know what those ‘things’ are since I couldn’t even conceive of them.  But I do know that, whatever they are, they will make us happy.  They will cause us to appreciate God.  And love Him.

What a great God we have!  A God who has provided for our salvation.  A God who gives us all kinds of blessings in this life.  A God who wants to show His love for us in unimaginable ways for all of eternity.  Our response?  Gratitude.  Worship.  Service.

Lord, how wonderful You are.  Not only can I not conceive of the blessings that You have waiting for me in Heaven, I can not conceive just how wonderful, how special, how glorious You are.  How blessed I am to know, love and serve You!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Regarding Bad Habits

As soon as someone puts their faith in Jesus as their Savior the process of transformation begins.   One of the first things that happens is that bad habits immediately begin to go away.  With seemingly little effort on their part these habits miraculously disappear.  This might be anything.  In some cases it is smoking.  Or drug use.  Or anger.  This is really great to see and it provides a tremendous spiritual boost to the new believer who sees God at work in their life.  It also is a great witness to unbelieving friends and family of this person’s obvious change.

Unfortunately not all bad habits disappear instantly or miraculously.  Some of them linger.  For quite some time.  In some cases, years and years.  Again, these bad habits could be anything.  Swearing.  Lust.  Anger.  Smoking.  This is almost always puzzling to the new believer.  Why doesn’t God take away all of their bad habits?  He took some away.  Why not others?  I had this conversation with someone in my church 6 months or so ago.  Fortunately, I had already asked the question in regard to my own life so I had some insight into the issue.  Before I became a Christian I had a terrible anger problem.  Shortly after I put my faith in Jesus, He took it away.  I didn’t memorize any verses about it.  I didn’t take any anger management classes.  God simply removed it from my life, hallelujah!  But other habits He didn’t.  Like lust.  And worry.  And pride.

To answer the question as to why God doesn’t take away all of our bad habits we have to start with the fact that He could.  He has that power.  When a person becomes a Christian the power of sin in their life is broken.  They no longer are slaves to sin.  They are free.  So, if God has the power to miraculously free us from every bad habit, but doesn’t, the question then is why?  The answer is - for our own good.  Our own spiritual growth and transformation.  Let me explain.

As I said, I think that God immediately takes away some bad habits at conversion in order to encourage us.  As to the reality of our conversion.  And to demonstrate His power.  But He leaves some bad habits because He wants to avoid what I call ‘spiritual welfare’.  In other words, God isn’t going to do everything for us.  He leaves a few bad habits behind so that we will “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling”, Philippians 2:12.

You see, God wants us to have a stake in our own growth.  He wants to see us want to be free.  To change.  To be transformed.  He also wants us to learn such things as patience.  And perseverance.  And dependence upon Him.  So He purposely leaves some bad habits behind so that we will form good habits - habits related to spiritual discipline.

So, if you wonder why some bad habits in your life didn’t just miraculously disappear after your conversion, know that it’s not because of any limitation of God’s power.  And it’s not because He doesn’t love you.  It’s precisely because He does love you that He didn’t take every bad habit away.  Like a parent who purposely allows their child to struggle at times so that they learn and grow, God wants you to wrestle with some of your bad habits so that you will learn and grow. 

So, get to work!  Pray.  Read and memorize Scripture.  Fast.  Allow the Holy Spirit to develop a deep longing in your heart for God and nothing & no one else.  In time, God will meet you.  Those irritating, resistant, disgusting bad habits will begin to weaken.  And disappear.  And by the time that they do you will have developed some strong, spiritual disciplines.  Disciplines that will lead to your maturity.  Disciplines that will make you strong.  Disciplines that will make you an overcomer!

Lord, it is true that Your ways are far above my ways.  Thank you for those bad habits that you miraculously removed shortly after my conversion.  And thank you for the ones that you have left behind.  Habits that you want me to struggle with.  Habits that drive me to depend on You.  Habits that develop spiritual discipline in my life.  May these habits do the work that You want them to do in me.  Use them for my spiritual growth and for Your glory.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reluctant Or Eager?

This morning, before I went to Dickey Lake Bible Camp for the Men’s Retreat I was praying as I was getting ready.  I do this often.  Praying while I’m getting ready.  Praying in the car.  This morning, however, I suddenly had one of those profound glimpses.

If I had to categorize my prayer life I would say that it is spiritual-begging.  God has the power to do something I want or need.  Give me strength or wisdom.  Help me to know Him better.  Help someone else experience healing.  Provide them with a job, etc.  So I ask.  I seek.  I knock.  Unfortunately, when I finish praying, I don’t feel satisfied.  By this I mean that I continue to carry the burden around with me.  I am still concerned.  I am still anxious.  I don’t experience any peace.

My profound ‘glimpse’ was that my view of God is not correct.  You see, when I pray to God I think of Him as being reluctant.  The result is that I beg and plead with Him, hoping to change His mind.  To convince Him that I need what I am asking for.  When I am done, I never know whether I have convinced Him or not.  I don't know if He's heard my prayer.  Or is going to answer it.  It’s a terrible place to be.

What my view of God ought to be is that He is eager.  He is eager to grant my request.  (As I pray according to His will).  So, if I am praying to become more holy I not only have the assurance that He hears me but that He will answer my prayer.  Why?  Because God wants me to become holy.  And He will eagerly grant my request.

What a difference this makes!  When I view God as eager I am not pleading with Him so much as sharing with Him.  I don’t have to worry about ‘storming the gates of Heaven’ because the doors are already open.  I don’t have to be anxious and continue to carry the burden.  I can have peace, knowing that He is working on my request.  He wants to help me.  And He will!
 

I John 5:14 - "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."

Lord, I thank you for this great reminder that when it comes to me, You are eager and not reluctant.  You want me to become like You.  You want to answer my prayers for wisdom.  Strength.  Peace.  Patience.  Love.  May I remember this great truth and may it totally transform my prayer life.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lawn Chairs - Part II

In yesterday’s post I mentioned how ashamed I felt of my 2 old lawn chairs last Saturday.  I suppose that, all things considered, there are much worse things to feel ashamed about.  Like getting a traffic ticket on a busy highway.  Or getting arrested.  But that’s not the point.  The point is that it is this same peer-pressure and wanting to 'fit in' that often hurts our Christian witness.  Me, where a T-shirt with a cross on it?  No thanks.  Say grace in public before I eat?  Umm, no.  Carry a Bible with me?  Heaven forbid!  Talk about Jesus?  Are you crazy?  We all want to be liked, not laughed at.  Accepted, not rejected.  Respected, not disrespected.  Our culture has done a very good job of dictating what’s acceptable and what isn’t.  And any show of religion, of genuine spirituality, is unwelcome.  Even offensive.

Then I am reminded of the words of Jesus.  In Luke 9:26 He said the following.  “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”  Wow.  If Jesus was good at anything it was at getting straight to the point.  If we are ashamed of Him, in our home, at school, at work, in our dorm room, the local restaurant, He will be ashamed of us when He returns.  Can you imagine what that might look like?  Here’s Jesus, in all of His splendor and glory, surrounded by tens of thousands of glorious angels, and He is ashamed of us.  I don’t know exactly how this plays out but maybe He avoids looking at us.  Or turns His back on us.  Pretends that we aren’t even there.  Now that would be embarrassing.

So, everyday we have a choice to make.  Do we want to be accepted, admired and respected by the world?  Or Jesus?  Ultimately we can’t have both.  For a number of years we, as Christians, could.  But not any more.  Now we must make a choice.  Like Joshua of old, as for me, I want to publicly align myself with Jesus.  I want others to know that I believe in Him.  That I am His child.  That I follow Him.  And love Him.

So, I going to wear T-shirts with an evangelistic message.  And I’m going to say grace in public.  No matter how many people are around me.  I’m going to carry my Bible to church.  And up to the hospital when I visit.  I’m going to mention the name of Jesus in public.  I don’t care what others think.  Because I care more about what Jesus thinks.  And I don’t want Him to be ashamed when He returns.  I want to be vindicated.  I want Him to put His arm around me, point to me with pride and say, “This one's Mine!”

Lord, the world around me exerts a very powerful influence on me.  Every day.  I find it hard not to care what other people think of me.  There are times when I am secretly ashamed of You.  When I want to hide my love and devotion for You.  Help me to be strong.  To go against the tide of popular opinion.  To live for You in such a way that there is no doubt whom I serve.  To live for you in such a way that I will be a faithful witness.  And draw people to You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lawn Chairs - Part I

This past Saturday Beth & I went up to the Kids Sports Complex north of town.  Our 4-year-old grandson, Brett, was playing in his 1st football game.  Flag-football.  It’s supposed to be non-contact but the kids still largely tackle each other anyway.  It’s so cute.  (I can’t believe I’m old enough to have grandkids playing sports!)  Brett did well.  He got to run the ball once (everyone on the team takes turns).  He ran the wrong way and everyone chased him.  Then he turned upfield with everyone still chasing him.  Finally he ran out of bounds just short of the goal line.  With all those kids still chasing him.  It was so hilarious!  If only I’d been videoing him!!  On to the subject of this post.

After Beth & I arrived at the field (all the kids were practicing at this point) she decided that she wanted a lawn chair so that she could sit down.  We’d dutifully prepared ourselves by putting a couple in back of her SUV.  Well, one thing that I noticed (and I am not always the most observant guy around) is the lawn chairs that everyone else had.  They were all the new kind.  You know, the collapsible, canvas-type.  There must have been 40 chairs along the sidelines and 39 of the were exactly the same.  Red fabric.  Black metal finish.  Along the fence were all these red canvas bags that they fold up into.  It looked to me like there must have been a chair rental place somewhere near by.  They were all the same.  I noticed.

So I go back to our vehicle to get our lawn chairs.  And start carrying them toward the field.  Boy, do I feel dated.  Our 2 lawn chairs are the old-fashioned kind.  You know.  Silver metal tubing.  Large.  Crisscrossed webbing.  I sheepishly carried them behind the crowd hoping no one would know what I was carrying.  I gotta say I was embarrassed.  I’m not taking those chairs anywhere again!

Do you know why?  It’s not that they don’t work.  We both sat on them and they held us fine.  It’s not that they are a problem to unfold.  In fact, I would challenge any one of those other people with their modern, fandangled chairs to a contest.  I can open my lawn chair and be sitting in it in 2 seconds flat!  They wouldn’t even have the draw string undone on their chairs in that time.  So, why won’t I take them with me anymore?  Because of peer pressure.  The need to conform.  They are not in style.  I don’t want to be seen as old-fashioned.  Un-hip.  Not 'with it'.

Come to think about it, it is rare to see a person who marches to their own drum.  Who really doesn’t care what other people think.  Who wears what they want to wear.  Who drives what they want to drive.  Who sits in what they want to sit in.  Saturday I found out that I do care what other people think.

Chances are that you do too.  Isn’t this what drives our clothing selections?  And the kind of vehicles we drive?  And our need to have the latest phone?  Or iPad?  Or Kindle?  We desperately want to ‘fit in’.  And we thought that peer pressure and wanting to 'fit in' was only the domain of teenagers.  Guess again!  I will look at the spiritual ramifications of this tomorrow.

Lord, it is absolutely amazing how much I keep learning about myself!  How much I long to be liked.  And admired.  And respected.  How much I really want to fit in.  Deliver me from the fear of man.  Help me to live in fear of You instead.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Trying New Things

People are different.  Some have no problem trying new things.  New foods.  New recipes.  New technology.  Others are not quite that bold.  They have to be encouraged to try new things.  Or, in some cases, coerced.  Still others don’t like trying anything new.  And if they do, and it doesn’t work out, they will never try it again.  Period.

Yesterday I ran across an interesting quote.  I believe that it has a lot of merit.  The quote is by Virgil Garnett Thomson and goes like this: “Try a thing you haven't done three times.  Once, to get over the fear of doing it.  Twice, to learn how to do it.  And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not.”  Wow.  Why didn’t I think of that?  Probably because I didn’t try! :)

I’ve gotta tell you, I like the thinking here.  Think back to something that you tried once and never did again.  Now, I’m not talking about something illegal or dangerous.  Rather something exploratory.  Like a new food.  Or a new sport.  Or a new style of clothing.  Or a new computer program.  Why did we only try it once?  Were we pretty sure that we wouldn’t like it in the first place?  Or was it that bad?  Or were afraid we’d look foolish to others?  Or were we too impatient?  (New technology falls into this last category for me.)  It could be any of these reasons.  Whatever the reason, we made a quick decision.  No more.  Now in some cases, trying whatever it was 100 x’s would still have meant that we wouldn’t have liked it.  But in others?  I’m not so sure.  I guess I’ve lived long enough, at this point, to have changed my mind on a few things.  Which only goes to show that my track record isn’t perfect.

Sometimes what we need to do is to give ourselves a chance.  We see this with children.  They try to do something once and when they fail they convince themselves they can’t do it.  Tie their shoes.  Open a door.  Dress themselves.  Drive a car with a manual transmission.  But we know that they can do it.  All they need to do it to keep on trying.  Eventually, with enough practice, they will be able to do it.

Maybe God feels the same way about us.  We finally get the courage to teach a Sunday School class.  Or work in the nursery for a Sunday.  Or witness to a friend.  And we bomb.  We fumbled our way through the lesson.  The children fought and cried the whole time.  Our friend went stone silent.  So, what do we do?  We vow to never, ever do that again!  But who knows but that we are missing out on a significant ministry?  Who knows but that it will never be that bad again?  The answer is that we don’t, unless we try it again.

I like Thomson’s idea of trying things 3 x’s.  For the reasons he stated.  Maybe we ought to do more of that in ministry.  Try it.  Get some advice.  Some training.  Try it again.  And a 3rd time.  Then see how we feel about it.  Of course, for the Christian, the real test of what we should be doing is God.  If He tells us that He wants us to be involved in a particular ministry, then we know that we will eventually succeed.  Moses did.  Gideon did.  Jeremiah did.  And we can too!

Lord, you know that not all of us are adventurous.  Some of us are pretty cautious.  And when we do step out in faith and it doesn’t immediately work out, we retreat.  Quit.  Give up.  Help me to be more bold in my service to You.  To try new things.  New ministries.  New ways of doing things.  And if it doesn’t work out the first time, help me to try again.  And again.  Until I know Your will in this area.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.