Gaze into God's Mirror

It was 6:45 am and my eyes weren't quite awake yet.  Getting ready to shave,  I gazed in the mirror and realized that my scalp was much more noticeable than my hair.  Maybe it was my sleepy eyes.  So, I closed my eyes, rubbed them and reopened them hoping that it was just an optical illusion.  Nope, it was true.  I was loosing my hair.  The mirror doesn't lie. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.  But what does this have to do with faith?

Mirrors.  They reveal what we look like on the outside.  Important?  Not really but we all care, at least a little, about our outward appearance.  God, on the other hand, cares about what we look like on the inside.  Jesus was chastising the Pharisees when he called them "whitewashed tombs" beautiful on the outside but on the inside were full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. We can look at the Pharisees and say, "Yeah!  You guys are hypocrites!"  But, we better be careful not to throw stones in glass houses.


First I'd like to remind us that our spiritual mirror isn't made of glass but God's Word.  All of the make-up, hairspray, neatly pressed shirts, plastic surgery, and hours in the gym can't hide our true selves.  God sees right through them.  He knows us.  Comforting and convicting at the same time.  When we look into God's Word what do we see about ourselves?  Do we look like Jesus or do we look like the World?  I venture to say that most of us look a lot more like the World than like Jesus.


So, we run to the spiritual cosmetic shop and do a little cover up; couple nice things here, a church service there, tune into the local Christian station, and say "Amen!" when someone says something we agree with.  Bad things?  Heck no but maybe only window dressing. Trust me.  I've deck myself out with Christian garments only to look into the mirror of God's Word to see a little Pharisee. So, if you're like me you might want to gaze for a second in the light of the Word and see what God sees.  Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount is a good place to start:


“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment." Matthew 5:21-22


 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  Matthew 5:27-28


“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:43-45


Wow, that's some tough teaching. Do we honestly live lives devoted to God or do we live like the world, doing religious things on Sunday and Wednesday evenings? Do we read the same novels, watch the same vile TV shows, and listen to the same music? Do we get a little buzzed on the weekends with our friends and laugh at the same off-color jokes?  Do we speak the name of Jesus to anyone outside of the Church building?  Do we praise God on Sunday and curse those made in his image on Monday?  If we look in the spiritual mirror, do we look a little like I did that awful morning in the glass mirror - lacking something?  


I pray that you look closely at yourself today reevaluate your spiritual reflection.  We all need to do that time and again so that we don't get to content with were we are in our walk with Christ.


Peace in Jesus,


David

False Gospels and Golden Calves

I don't know a whole lot about sheep but from what I can tell they are pretty fickle and are followers not leaders.  Although you can cast some blame on a sheep that wanders from it's pasture, getting lost in the wilderness, you can surely be justified in blaming the shepherd who willing leads them there.  With that in mind I want to share something God revealed to me this week.

I have been spending time digging through Rob Bell's book "Love Wins" and as I've begun to share some of my thoughts with others I am finding that people are very unsettled when they hear anything about God that is not soft, coddling, accepting, peaceful, or "tolerant".  The funny thing is that they don't become angry with God but with me.  That's cool.  I tend to "shoot the messenger" at times as well.  So if you are one of those people who only like to hear the easy messages, the comforting messages, or the ones that don't make you uneasy please stick with me for a moment because I think this might give you some fresh insight into the true character of God, of leaders, and of followers (i.e. sheep).  By the way, the hard parts of the Bible make me uneasy as well but they've also helped me to appreciate much more the love and grace of God.

In the later chapters of Exodus God called Moses up the mountain to give him the Law.  He called only Moses into the cloud that covered the top of the mountain and left Aaron in charge of the Israelites.  Remember that the Israelites had recently witnessed God's wrath against the Egyptians in the form of plagues (blood, frogs, gnats, flies, dead livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and finally the taking of the Egyptian's first born sons). Uncomfortable yet?  They saw God part the Red Sea and manna come from heaven.  Moses was on the mountain for forty days and nights and during that time the people (the sheep) became uneasy.  They gathered around Aaron and said "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”  So we would expect the leader to say something like this, "Hold on folks! Don't you remember the awesome works of our God?  Have you so quickly forgotten how he rescued you from captivity and provided for your needs in the empty desert?  Hold fast!! Our God is the only God who can save!"  But instead the Bible tells us that Aaron (the shepherd in charge) responded to the people like this:


 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
  When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.”  So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

Here is the revelation:  It is the responsibility of the shepherd to lead the sheep where they need to go not where they want to go.  Sheep like to be comfortable.  They won't easily walk dangerous trails unless the shepherd is using his staff to prod them along. Some of the journey is beside still waters and other times it take us into the storm.  The people were uneasy.  They cried out for Aaron to make them a god of their own liking, one that had no power, one that had no wrath, but at the same time, one that had no love.  It was a useless god.  Aaron listened not to the truth of God but the to will of the people and in doing so made a false God. He gave them nothing.  God was angered. The people were guilty.  The calf couldn't feed them, protect them, forgive them, or love them.  Sure, it was shiny and attractive but it was not really God at all.  

The question for us is this, "Do we want the one true God in all of his glory (love, holiness, justice, wrath against sin) or do we want to fashion one to our liking and to our comfort level?  In reality, the only God that really fits with the Gospel story of a Jesus who had do die on the cross for the sins of the people, is a God who loves but has a righteous wrath against sin.  Stay tuned.. more to come.

Peace,

David

A Beginning Commentary on Rob Bell's "Love Wins"

I want to take the next few weeks and look at Rob Bell's book "Love Wins".  If you haven't read it you might want to. Not because it holds truth but because you need to examine it as well as your own faith to see if they stand against the light of the Scriptures, particularly the words of Jesus.  Rob questions the Christian beliefs of judgement, eternal hell, and the possibility that one group will be "saved" and another "lost".  


I want to be brief today and will start where Rob starts, in his Preface:


Rob:  "First, I believe that Jesus' story is first and foremost about the love of God for every single one of us.  It is a stunning, beautiful, expansive love, and is for everybody, everywhere.  That's the story. 'For God so loved the world . . .'  That's why Jesus came.  That's his message.  That's where life is found."


But is that really the message?  I mean is that the whole message?  Because half a truth is not really the truth. Is it?  I do believe the whole bible is God's love story toward mankind but it isn't so neat and tidy.  Rob quotes the first six words of John 3:16 but leaves off the rest of the sentence as well as the next 30 verses.


What if I said, "That's a beautiful road and it leads to a sweet scenic overlook . . ."  You'll notice that the sentence didn't end in a period but ended in three little dots.  That means we've left off the rest of the story. Maybe important maybe irrelevant but we won't know unless we are privy to the rest of the statement.  In this case it might have been,


". . . but you need to have four wheel drive, chains on your tires, a can of bear repellent, and an extra tank of gas because the road is steep, slippery, very long, and there are 1200 foot cliffs on each side.  By the way, there are hungry grizzly bears at the second rest stop."  Isn't that info you would have liked to know at the beginning before you packed the sandwiches, your disposable camera, and your three little kids into the VW bug for the day trip?


With that intro, I want you to read the rest of John Chapter 3.  The highlights are mine.  We will carry on in the next post.


John 3:16-36 (NIV)



"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.  But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

John Testifies Again About Jesus

After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.  Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized.  (This was before John was put in prison.)  An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.  They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”     To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.  You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’   The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.  He must become greater; I must become less.
      The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.  He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.  Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.  For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.  The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.  Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them."


Not easy teaching but these aren't my words but the words of Jesus and his Apostle John.  We aren't at liberty to pick only the words that bring us smiles.  It is indeed a stunningly beautiful message because while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  He took our condemnation and death.  But there appears to be a qualifier: Belief.  We'll talk about what that means later because Rob questions that as well.


Peace in Christ, David

Sin - Like Weeds Need to be Plucked out Root and All

I spoke with a good friend today who told me that he was getting ready to mow his law when he spotted a weed. He thought he should pluck it out instead of just mowing over the top because the later would allow it to grow back.  When he bent down to grab the weed he noticed there wasn't just one but many other weeds amidst the blades of grass.  We immediately saw the hand of God in the one square foot plot of dirt.

Sin is like that weed.  It is insidious, deep rooted, destructive, and often well hidden.  We, like the lazy grounds keeper, either ignore the weeds of sin or we just trim off the top.  We allow a few weedy sins because our lawns looks better than the neighbor's lawn.  But beware friend because we only fool ourselves.  That little weed will grow and spread and destroy the beautiful lives that God has planned for us.  Not only ours but the lives of those close to us!  Have you ever driven by and seen a lawn full of dandelions and the nice lawn next door with a few dandelions growing along the common edge?  Sin is contagious.

When God sent Israel into lands inhabited by idolaters He had them leave no one alive.  Brutal? Cruel? Inhumane?  Maybe in the worldly sense but God knew that one weed would destroy the whole lot.  One cell of yeast would infiltrate the whole bowl of dough.

Examine your life.  Look for weeds.  Get on your spiritual knees, pull out the magnifying glass, and look really closely for the little weeds.  When you find one don't just cut off the top.  "Oh, I'll just look at the Swimsuit Edition and throw out the hardcore stuff." NO!  Pluck it out root and all!  Not just that.  Put the carcass in the fire.

Before you get the cart before the horse remember that it's the Holy Spirit in believers that gives them power over temptation and sin.  It's not brute force or will power.  If you don't know Christ call on his name.  As a matter of fact, if you know Christ, call on his name.  We can do ALL things through Christ who gives us strength!  Visit our main site @ www.i61project.org

Peace in Him,  David

The Wonder of Adoption

"He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God." (John 1:12-13)


Adoption is a wonderful thing!  A child who was once without a family and without hope suddenly has both. Contrary to popular belief we are not all God's children at birth. We are indeed God's creation, fearfully and wonderfully made.  We are known and loved by him before one cell came together in our mother's womb. But, we are separated from God and without the rights and privileges of members of his family. Adoption can take a number of years and cost thousands of dollars but becoming a child of God takes only faith.  If you are walking outside of God's family it's time to come home.  Jesus paid the price so believe in his name and receive him today.


For the full Blog Post, Click on the link below.


Heirs to the Promise - The Wonder of Adoption


If you have been adopted into the family of God praise him today!  If you are alone and separated from Him by sin then pray like this:


Lord, I know I'm lost and in need of forgiveness.  I want to be accepted and brought into your family.  I trust that Jesus died in my place and rose from the dead so that my relationship with you don't end in the grave.  Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Keep Your Eyes on Jesus

My son's baseball coach use to yell out during the games, "Boys, what's the most important thing in baseball?" The kids would yell back, "Keep your eyes on the ball!"  In baseball, archery, and in life you need to keep your eyes on the target.  As Peter walked on the water he briefly took his eyes off of Jesus and nearly sank to the bottom of the Sea of Galilee.

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”


 “Come,” he said.


Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”   (Matthew 14:28-30)


Peter "saw the wind, and was afraid." So today remember that whatever the circumstance, keep your eyes on Jesus, and he will keep your head above water.


Prayer:  Father help me today to look not at the wind or the waves of life but instead to keep my eyes focused on Jesus and his faithfulness. In Jesus' name, amen.


For the full Blog Post click on the link: 


Keep Your Eyes on the Ball

Qualifiers - Can't Throw Them Out

Do you remember Paul Harvey? His long running radio show always ended with these words, "Now you know.... the rest of the story."  It's important to know the whole story and not just bits and pieces.  No one wants to read every other chapter of a novel or watch every third scene of a movie.  You just can't know the truth if you don't see the whole picture.  God's Word is truth but it is only knowable if you don't leave out the parts you don't like or those that are uncomfortable.


Leaving out parts is common these days and one of the easiest ways to do this and still sound like a knowledgeable teacher or preacher is to leave out the qualifiers.  What is a qualifier?  Let's say my son asks me if he can have desert.  I could just say "yes" which would give him free access to the cupcakes without condition or I could say, "Yes, if you finish your dinner."  This, on the other hand, would place a qualifier as a condition to the privilege  of eating the sweets.


I want to put forth a couple of teachings many false teachers put forth using half truths which when examined in light of the whole truth, are nothing but lies:


1) We are all God's children.  (True or False?)


     This is a teaching that sure sounds true and certainly sounds pleasant but what does the Word say?


Truth - All people are God's creation.  We are all loved by him but we are not all his children, part of his family, or heirs to the promise.  We are adopted and enter into his family not by our first birth but our second.  We become children of God though salvation which comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.


John 1:11-13


He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.     


Luke 20:34-36


Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.


2)  All people will go to heaven because God said "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son." and "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (True or False?)


     There are a growing number of "Christian" teachers who are teaching universalism (the belief that all people will eventually be saved).  Many use parts of verses or use verses out of context to mold scripture to their liking and to the liking of their hearers.


Truth - There are qualifiers to our eternal salvation.  In the end, some will enter the Kingdom of Heaven and some will spend eternity in Hell.  Let's look at the whole statement that Jesus made in John chapter 3.



<sup>John 3:14-18

14</sup> Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 

Notice that in the false teaching, only verses 16a and 17 are used but all of the qualifying verses are left out. The emphasis with bold letters is for your benefit and obviously not in the original text.

This is by no means the only place in Scripture that Jesus or his Apostles spoke clearly of the division of those who will be saved and those who will be condemned.  Feel free to read Matthew chapter 25 for more of the rest of the story.

Here is the point:  When you hear someone putting forth what they say is the "Word of God" please do what the Apostle Paul urged us to do,
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)  

That goes for what you read here.  I don't want you to believe me.  I want you to pray and seek the truth.  If your heart is humbled and open, I believe God will lead you to the truth.

Peace, in Christ.

David

The Good, The Bad, and The Perfect

I live in the country and our front yard covers about three acres of open field, mostly tall grasses, milkweed, and goldenrod.   One gorgeous summer day about five years ago my (then) six year old son Collin and I had a great idea.  "Let's mow down a big area of the front yard and turn it into a soccer field."  We grabbed the mower, set the blade way up high and off we went.  One big rectangle down, I began to mow back and forth the length of the field with Collin right behind me.  He was having a ball,  running, jumping, and laughing at the top of his lungs.  He was laughing so loudly that I could hear him over the sound of the engine.  Then the thought hit me, "That doesn't sound like laughter at all but screams!"  I turned to see him surrounded by hornets.  They were everywhere and I could see them on his face and his arms as he screamed and flailed his arms wildly.  His terrified eyes met mine and and in an instant I ran into the swarm, scooped him into my arms, and ran.  I was brushing hornets off of him as I ran and I kept telling him that he would be OK.  He got stung.  I got stung.  We both survived.  Collin and I both learned some things that day.  Aside from the nastiness of angry hornets, we both had a real sense of the love a father has for his son and what we are willing to do for them.

The immediate connection between this real life drama and God's love for mankind may be readily apparent but I want to stretch you a bit.  I want to start with the less obvious and what will likely not feel so comfortable then I'll finish with the part that will bring you a bit more peace.

Let me ask you a question?  If you knew that there was a hive of very dangerous hornets in the middle of your proposed soccer field would you drive your lawn mower over them, your little child it tow?  Unless you are deeply disturbed, the answer will probably be, "No!"  Well, I'm not all knowing and I'm trapped in the confines of linear time and I don't know the beginning from the end.  I had no way of knowing the danger I was getting us into.  If I did, I wouldn't have done it.  I would have protected my child (and myself) from pain.  Here is the difficult part.  God knew the hornets were there.  He knew my plans and he saw the consequences before they happened. Yet, he didn't step in and prevent it.  Is it that he was unaware?  The Bible says God is sovereign over his creation and he reminds us concerning a sparrow that "not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father."  Jesus knew Peter would deny him before hand.  Is it that he is unable?  A God who is unable to no god at all.  The Bible says that he controls the winds, the waves, the creatures of the sea, and can move mountains.  I think a little hive of hornets is well within his control.

Do I know why God allowed this to happen?  Nope.  But I do know that love was made evident through it.  Courage and altruism was made known.  My son and I grew closer in one minute than we could have in a year.  This also reveals a God who's ways are beyond ours and one who's character has aspects of love and also of wrath.  I'm not saying I was being punished or that my son was but I'm also not certain that I wasn't.  I know I deserve it at times.  Collin (God bless his soul) is no angel either.

Lastly I want to tie in the beauty of this scene to the truth of Christ.  In the moment we were getting ourselves into trouble and were surrounded by the threat of death (physical and spiritual) Jesus Christ stepped into the swarm and swept up his children, taking the pain and suffering on our behalf.  His love was that great.  Jesus gave his life for us.  But here is a mind stretcher.... The Bible says it was the Lord's will to crush him.  God willingly allowed his son to die.  Evil?  No amazingly loving.  But hard to fathom.  The Bible is full of things that are easy and things that are hard to hear.  Let's not shy away from either but soak all of it up knowing that all things together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.

As I have seen God's character being put forth either as one who is standing above us wanting to crush us for our mistakes or, conversely as a God who is all love and wants us just to be happy and comfortable, I am urging you to see God as one who's love is beyond our comprehension but who's holiness and justice is equally perfect.  Read the Word, seek his face, and Jesus said the truth will set you free.

Peace,

David

Like it or not.... I'm back :)

It's been a while since I last posted.  Had a good streak going (about 100 weeks out of the last 106 or so)  but I think God led me out into the desert for a few weeks to be tested and tried.  The desert is a little dusty and the road not well paved but a few things really stand out there.  First, you get hungry and you find out quickly were the food and water come from.  Second, you drop a lot of excess weight because it's silly to carry a bunch of lead around in the desert.  You carry what you need and leave the rest for the buzzards.

So what specifically have I learned during my little hiatus?  Well, I'm not a spiritual giant but a needy little child of the Most High God.  Not that I thought I was CS Lewis or the Apostle Paul but God reminded me that I rely on him for every nanosecond of my being, for every red blood cell that courses through my veins, and for every breath that passes my nostrils.  He reminded me that the world is racing away from him at an increasing pace, Jesus is being stripped of his divinity, and the world's definition of Christianity is beginning to blur.  He showed me that when I opened up the local paper to find a Sunday service there were "Christian" churches offering me psychic readings, interfaith prayer services, and yoga.  He showed me that when I speak the name of Jesus it brought division if I wandered away from a few of the most pleasing and comforting verses.  He reminded me that if we had read his prophetic word we wouldn't be surprised.

But then he showed me people who's hearts were hungry for him.  Some who had seen their brokenness and sin then fallen with repentance at the feet of Christ and some who had a sense of God but just needed someone to give them some light.  He showed me people who would hurt others for financial gain or for self satisfaction but then he reminded me how far I had fallen and how far he had raised me up.  Then he told me to love.  Not just when it was easy but especially when it was hard.  He showed me how to pray for those who my fleshly man wanted to vilify. He faced me in the mirror to show me the plank in my eye then showed me that I needed to be very gentle at  helping others remove the sawdust from theirs.

This past week has been especially difficult.  I sat in a couple different nice hotels and opened up the travel guides on the coffee tables.  I was told where to find the best strip joints.  I'm sorry.  They weren't strip joints but "Gentlemen's Clubs".  I was told that if I was a guy who like guys then this was the city for me.  I put down the city travel planner and flipped on the TV and was told that I could by an "Adult Film" and no one at the front desk would know.  It didn't say whether or not my wife would know but I guess they didn't care.  I had many options depending on my mood I guess and I could read a description of what I would be able to enjoy.  I didn't think that that some of that was legal in most states.  My heart was broken for what God must feel.  I tuned off the TV and God showed me my past.  Some very distant and some less distant then he reminded me of his grace.  But I also had a very strong feeling that we weren't far from the end.  Of course I won't be prophesying a date or hour because that would of course be blasphemous.  But I saw the leaves change color and I felt the air cool so fall must not be too far away.

All this wind to say that God has given me new energy and a little fresh perspective.  This weekend I look forward to some quality time with a few brothers and sisters who I know will join me in a little "Church".  All that God has shown me hasn't caused me to feel defeated but fired up.  Not an angry sort of fire but a fire filled with anticipation.  God is in control now just as much as when Billy Graham filled stadiums with people hungry to hear the truth of his word.

Thanks for listening to me ramble tonight  :)

Peace in Christ,

David

A Dead Brother, a Sad Dad, and a Betrayed Savior. Pride and Greed Trump Relationship.

Today my heart is heavy and I am personally reminded again of the brokenness of the human heart.  I am sadly experiencing first hand how sin has clouded our vision and leads us to harm our brothers, our friends, our neighbors.  It started in the Garden of Eden when Cain took the life of his brother because he was jealous.  We haven't changed much but then again if we had, I guess Jesus would've been able to stay home.


This post is going to ruffle some feathers but I'm going to let the chips fall where they may and leave you to examine my words in light of God's Word and then examine your own hearts.  I promise to do the same.


We live in a society that is increasingly feeling "entitled."  We think we deserve this and we deserve that.  It doesn't really matter where the "this" and "that" come from as long as we get it and regardless of who gets hurt.  Even our own Declaration of Independence tells us that we deserve "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Watch the news, read the paper, and if you have a lot of spare time on your hands read the budget of the United States.  I won't go into all of the specific "entitlements" but each one necessitates  the receiver receiving and some anonymous person or persons giving (either willingly or unwillingly).  Here is a good example from God's Word:


In Luke Chapter 15 Jesus tells a parable of a young man who asked his father for his share of the inheritance.  What he was saying was "Dad, I kind of wish you were dead now so I could have the money I'm entitled to but since you aren't dead yet, may I have it now?"  WOW!  How painful for the dad who gave so much of himself over so many years and when it came right down to it money trumped relationship.  


Do you know what the bible tells us we're entitled to?  Nothing.  No, I take that back.  The bible does say we deserve something - death.  How unconstitutional.  How revolting.  How true.  The bible says that we've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and the wages of sin is death.  That is the very reason Jesus did leave home and come to die.  God doesn't owe us a thing. But because of his love he chooses to love us.


Oh yeah, another story just popped into my head.  There was this man named Judas who Jesus chose to be one of his closest followers.  Jesus had come from the perfection and majesty of the throne room of heaven to live, suffer, and die for mankind.  While he was alive he loved Judas and broke bread with him but Judas felt he could do a little better that just the beauty of the relationship.  "How much better?" you ask.  Thirty pieces of silver better.  I'm sure Judas hugged Jesus, told him he loved him, and acted like he cared but when the opportunity came for a little cash, Judas cashed in their relationship.  He kissed Jesus on the cheek about ten seconds before he betrayed him.  He sacrificed the love of Jesus for a little cash and when he finally looked upon his measly gain he was repulsed at what he saw in the proverbial mirror.  He then took his own life.  Sad.  He had love and eternal life and tossed it away for a few coins.


So how are we supposed to live?  I guess the answer is that we need to live a life that brings glory to God with what we have and trust in him for our provision.  We should remember that relationships are an amazing gift and money, sex, material things will come and go.  Make your choices carefully. There are a couple lives that shine and I want you to have the ability to see them first hand. They would appear to have been short changed and unable to function effectively for God or even for there own sustenance but with God all things are possible.


Meet Joni Erickson Tada who was paralyzed from the neck down in a swimming accident.


Watch Video of Joni 


Meet Nick Vujicic who was born without arms or legs


Watch Video of Nick




Examine your heart and I'll examine mine today.  What is most valuable to you?  The things of this world or love, specifically God's love but also the love and relationships of brothers and sisters in Christ?  Do we speak love with our lips when our actions reveal the coldness of our hearts?  Actions speak louder than words.  Families divided, friends divided, and a people separated from their Savior.  What do I deserve and to what am I entitled?  Hmmmm.  I thank God that he didn't give me what I deserve but had mercy on me instead.


peace,


David

Worship - It's a Heart Thing

Worship?

What is worship really?  I think we've contorted its meaning in many ways and I am equally guilty at times, so I'd like to address the idea of worship.

1)  I think it would be good to start with it's definition.

noun

- the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity

2)  I want to focus not on the "feeling" but the "expression" of reverence and adoration for a deity.  Not just any deity but the one true God.  Feelings come and go but expression is a choice.  How do we express our reverence and adoration toward God?

It's interesting that when we speak of worship in the church we often mean the musical portion of the Sunday service.  There is worship, communion, the sermon, prayer time, etc.

"Wow, worship was great today.  I loved that song by Third Day"

Worship may happen during the "praise" or during the delivery of the message but it's also possible that worship doesn't occur at either time because worship is a thing of the heart.

3)  It's also important to see the direction of worship.  It's up.  From us to HIM.  It's not about how a song made us feel, which instruments were played, or even exclusively about music at all.  It's about pouring out our love, appreciation, adoration, and hearts to God.

Let me give an example:

Imagine that your spouse, or child, best friend, or parent has been shipped overseas and you haven't seen or heard from them in 3 years.  Out of the blue a call comes in telling you to head to the airport because there is a surprise waiting.  When you get to the airport you walk to the baggage claim.  Off in the distance an unmistakable smile reaches your eyes.  Your heart pounds and when the person is within your reach you run and wrap your arms around them.  You cry tears of joy and squeeze them, not wanting to let go ever again.  You pour out words of love.

"I love you so much!  I missed you!  Please don't leave again.  You have no idea how much you mean to me!"

You lavish them with your love.  Now worship is that on steroids.

4)  You might ask, "How can it be more than that?"  The answer is in the recognition of position, that God is high and lifted up.  He is holy and awesome.  With your friend or relative the position is theoretically equal.  But worship acknowledges that it is not equal with God.  He is God and we are not.  He does indeed love us but he will not bow down to us.

5)  Worship is also about posture, not our physical posture (although it can certainly lead us to fall prostrate before him or to our knees in prayer).  It is more of a reflection of our heart's posture.  It comes out of a humble heart.  It's impossible to be prideful and boastful before God and truly worship.

Worship is what we do at work, in our kitchens as we prepare to feed our families, in our heads as we fall asleep, in our church gathering as we sing songs of praise.  I know as a member of a praise band that if someone is out of tune, if there is nasty feedback, or if someone forgets which key we are in it can be annoying and distracting but it does not affect true worship.  Satan may try really hard to get our attention and attempt to turn our focus from God to ourselves.  Let's not let him.  I have a friend who loves the Lord.  His voice is mediocre at best from a worldly standpoint but when he pours out his admiration to God in song or praise I know God smiles.  By the way, I usually don't get a microphone during worship but I know God smiles when he hears my voice even if I am flat, sharp, or two beats behind.

As we move into this next week let's remember the definition, the expression, the direction, our position, and our posture before the Lord.

Worship Him friend!!!  

Love you all,

David

Humble Pie

Have you ever had to eat humble pie?  Maybe that phrase is foreign to you so let me say it this way: 


Have you ever been forced to apologize abjectly or admit you faults in humiliating circumstances? 


The old saying is derived from an actual pie that was called "numble" or "umble" pie.  It was a pie that was made from the edible entrails of a deer.  Sure they were mixed with apples and sugar and spices but as far as I can tell it was still deer gut pie.  My guess is that if you wanted your kids to eat a slice there was a fair amount of persuasion or force involved.  


So it is often with humility.  We are a prideful people and we often display humility as willingly as we put down a slice of "umble pie".  Its no wonder the term evolved into "humble pie".  But God's word reminds us that if we carry pride it will eventually destroy us.  It is much better to willingly be humble of heart than to carry pride and be forced to eat "humble pie."  


Proverbs 16:18 puts it this way:


Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.


Haughty is defined as: having or showing great pride in oneself and disdain, contempt, or scorn for others; proud


God warns us that a spirit filled with pride is destined to fall.  Sometimes it is in this life and worse it may be paid for in the afterlife.  I think that pride is the basis for nearly all other sin.  It is was says, "I deserve this!", "I can do what I want!", "I am my own boss!", etc.  Pride is what keeps us from repentance and from receiving the loving grace of God.  "I don't need that!  I'm a good person!  I'm better than the guy next door."  


Psalm 10:4 says, "In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."  


Pride keeps us from seeking God and from seeking life though his son Jesus Christ.


On the other hand, Jesus said, "For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" and Psalm 149 says, "He crowns the humble with victory."


Take advice from a man who was filled with pride and refused to humble himself before God.  Save yourself the pain of a fall and seek God while he may be found.  There is such freedom and forgiveness in humbly coming to the cross.  Jesus said he came to save sinners.  We're all broken and have nothing to be haughty about so look truthfully at yourself, find any speck of pride and ask God to rid you of it.  I still fight with pride but the moments of humility that I find are sweet like honey because that is when I most clearly see the hand of God.


Besides, I don't think I want to eat one lousy slice of deer gut pie!


Peace friend,


David