For the Seed and the Sprout There will be Some Darkness and Dirt

Have you ever been in a place or a time of life when it seemed really dark and you couldn't see a way out? Have you ever felt trapped, stuck, or seemingly unable to move out of the circumstances that held you captive?

I think we all have. Whether it be a financial burden, an addiction, depression, an illness, a failing relationship, guilt, or maybe one you couldn't quite put your finger on, we've all felt it.  Maybe you're in that place right now and it feels hopeless.  I want to first tell you that you're NOT alone and that I've also been in the deepest pit unable to see even a glimmer of light.  One thing I know for sure:  The light is there!

I was having breakfast this morning with a young man who is trying really hard to climb out of the pit and during our conversation God laid a really wonderful picture on my heart that I want to share with you today.  You may know the parable that Jesus told his disciples about the seeds that fell in various places but I want to refresh your memory before I tell you what God showed me today:

Matthew 13:3-9

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear."

Jesus went on to explain the parable:

Matthew 13:19-23

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Here is where I want to show you that there is light and to give you hope.  I'd like you to understand that Jesus was very clear that the first step to having this kind of hope, having the ability to stand in times of trial, and having the ability to multiply God's gift for the benefit of His kingdom is to be fertile ground.  That means to receive and stand firm in the knowledge of the Kingdom of God in Christ.  So let's say that you are a believer today and you know in your heart of hearts that you have received and still hold fast to the Word of God but you're still in that place of darkness, fear, and doubt.  Then what?  How can this be and what can you do about it?

Here is the picture God gave me today:

Imagine a seed, any seed.  You choose.  It's dry and apparently lifeless.  On the outside it has no signs of vitality.  It just looks dead.  Then you go and poke your finger in the soil (good soil).  You poke down a couple inches and drop the seed in the hole then cover it up.  Now imagine that you are the seed.  I understand that in the parable the seed is the "message about the kingdom" but understand that the germination of that seed and its growth are about what happens to you and me, how we grow in our faith, and what that faith produces.

So for now, you are the seed.  One day passes and what do you look like?  A seed.  Two days pass and what do you look like?  A seed.  OK, you’re alive but it still might not look like it.  A few days later something begins to happen.  A small shoot begins to emerge from the hard husk of the seed! Life!  But remember that from your perspective (the seed) all you see is darkness and dirt.  You're growing but you're still under the soil and all you know is that it doesn't look good. One day later you are a steadily growing shoot but guess what?  All you see is darkness and dirt.  You can't tell whether there are twelve feet of dirt over you or one inch.  It's just dark. You continue to grow and continue to push past the hard lumps of dirt. Hopeless?  Well from the vantage point of the sprout and even from the observer looking at the lifeless garden it appears so.  But it's not!  One more day, one more push, one more struggle then a sparkle of light and a little air.  You are out of the grave and growing in the sunlight.  You feel the wind and the cool rain and you grow like crazy.  Then you produce fruit, feed others and bring forth other plants like yourself!

I know that even when you are a faithful follower of Jesus Christ you will find yourself in times of darkness.  I think God was showing me today that like the seed in the ground and the sprout that is still under the soil, when we are seeking Him we are growing upward and if we continue to be watered and fed we will eventually see light again.  Ivor reminded me of this as well:  As you push upward toward peace and sunshine, your roots should always be  digging deeper and deeper into the dirt.  You can't grow into the light without your roots continuing to grow deeper. I guess until God brings us home there will always be some dirt and some darkness.

Friend, keep growing where you are planted.  There is hope.  Stay in the Word so that you will be watered daily.  Keep seeking God with a humble and hungry heart so that your soil will remain fertile.  You will see light!  Don't give up!

Peace and Love,

David

The Salutations of Paul's Epistles - Like the Crunchy Outside of a Tootise Pop

Do you remember the old commercials for "Tootsie Pops"?  You know, the hard, candy lollypop with the Tootsie Roll center.  There stood a little kid asking an elderly turtle then a wise owl how many licks it took to get to the Tootsie Roll center. Then the owl took the Tootsie Pop from the kid, licked three times, then crunched it, exclaiming, "Three." Like Mr. Owl, I remember thinking to myself, "Just bite the thing already!"  Three licks and I had enough! "Crunch! Crunch! Chew, chew, chew!"   Needless to say, God is still working out patience in me and I imagine parting the Red Sea was easier.  So, with that introduction, I want to say that I am guilty of zipping past the prologues of books, past the "Read this first" insert in new purchases, and past the salutation of letters.  I want to get to the meat but I have just found out that I may be missing out on some really wonderful stuff.  I guess I don't remember ever enjoying and savoring the sweet Tootsie Pop coating!  What in the world does this have to do with God?  Good question. I'm glad I asked.

The Salutation:  the opening to a letter.  Paul's letters to various churches are called the Epistles and each one begins with an introduction or "Salutation". I have to admit that, even though I've read them, I've usually blown past them to get to the heart of the matter.  I just found out that the heart of the matter might have been right there after all.  I want to look at one of the openings or salutations of Paul's letters and see what great stuff we might have missed in our impatience.  Let's look at the opening to Paul's letter to the Church at Rome and as I list each of the wonderful truths it reveals, I recommend that you refer back to the Scripture to see it in Paul's own words:

Romans 1

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

This may be like trying to empty a swimming pool with a teaspoon but I want to point out some amazing truths in this Salutation.

1)  Paul's position came from God and was purposed for God.  Paul called himself a servant of Jesus Christ and tells us that he was "called" and "set apart".  These are works of God not of Paul and God's purpose was for the Gospel (God's Good News to the world!).

2)  The Gospel was not an afterthought of God but was foreknown and revealed centuries earlier though the Prophets.  Check out these prophetic words written by Isaiah more than seven hundred years before Christ was born:

Isaiah 53:3-5

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

4)  Jesus had in his nature both humanity and divinity (i.e. He was fully man and fully God) and the proof and the power of that was revealed in the truth of his resurrection from the dead.

5)  The grace we receive comes through Jesus Christ and is for him.  Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."

6)  We are called to be obedient but that obedience is the result of our faith not the precursor to it.  (i.e. We are not saved by our good works but our salvation makes us eager and able to be obedient to God)

7)  God loves us!!  How awesome is that!

8)  God calls those who have come by faith "Saints".  I don't feel like one but his Word promises that I am.  You don't need a note from the Pope to gain that title just the grace of God.

9)  Paul always wrote "Grace and peace  . . . " in each of his letters and always in that order.  Note that the grace and peace were from God the Father and Jesus his Son and not from Paul.  Also note that grace always precedes peace.  Until we know the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ and what he did for us on Calvary, we will never fully know the peace of God.

So, I hope that you have been as blessed as I was by Paul's Salutation and maybe you'll learn like I am learning to slow down and not rush to the center of the Tootsie Pop!

Grace and Peace to you in the name and Power of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ,

David

Look Ahead and Win the Race. Look Back and Break Your Nose!

They were stride for stride as they came down the last stretch of the third leg of the four by one hundred meter relay. Waiting for them were the final runners poised to take the batons and sprint to the finish. These last runners are in, what they call, the anchor-leg position and are usually the fastest members of the team. They're there because they have the ability to make up for lost time and hopefully catch up if they're behind coming into the last leg of the race. As the third-leg runners approached, the anchors began running with one hand stretched behind them, ready to grab a hold of the baton as the previous runner placed it in his hand.  One anchor had his eyes fixed ahead and ran quickly and smoothly down the track and the passing of the baton was flawless.  The second anchor continued to look backwards and lost focus of the track ahead.  He was concentrating so intently on the runner behind him that as the baton was placed in his hand his feet became entangled and he crashed face first onto the track.  The first runner won the race and the second broke his nose.  I want to be like the first.  How about you?

There are a number of places in the Word of God that remind us to keep our eyes fixed ahead and I want to share them with you today.  

Jesus told his followers, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

He was telling them (and us) that when we turn to him and begin our walk with him it is not fruitful or beneficial to be looking back. On a practical note, as we drive forward down the road it is usually more important to look out of the windshield that into the rearview mirror.  I don't know about you but I have a hard time moving ahead at times.  I am constantly reminded of my failures and of my past hurts. They have a way of crippling me so that I miss the blessings that God has for me today.  I also think that Satan wants to keep us caught up in our old lives to prevent us from serving God in the new life he gives us when we are born again of the Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ.

In Paul's letter to the Philippian church he shared a similar thought:

". . . I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brother, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

I'm thankful that Paul was humble enough to let me know that he hadn't had it all figured out then, but that he was smart enough to know that the answer lied ahead and not behind.  He also gives me hope in knowing that at the end of this race waits a prize for me in heaven, one that the Bible tells us is better than we can imagine.

One quick story that I want to share before I let you get back to the busyness of your day:

A few years ago a few friends and I were fly fishing a stretch of river in Wyoming just outside of Yellowstone National Park.  The river was running through a deep and quite steep walled canyon.  We were about a thousand feet below the rim of the canyon and the trail from the shore of the river up to the top was narrow, rock strewn, and a bit dangerous.  The first few hundred feet required us to crawl on our hands and feet and there were sections that, if we slipped, our trip home wouldn't be in coach but in the cargo hold, confined to a pine box.  I found out quite quickly that looking back was a bad thing.  A few things happened when I took my eyes of the path in front of me and turned my gaze back down the slope.  First, I realized how high I was and it gave me the willies (is that still a word?). Second, it messed with my balance and I felt myself tipping backwards and that gave me the willies too!  Lastly, it slowed me down.  A lot!  My buddy Bob (who is likely reading this post) was standing at the top already relaxing with a cold beverage long before my feet reached the safety of the canyon rim.  I don't think Bob looked back once.  Good plan for the next trip.

So, in order to not beat a dead horse, I want to leave you with this advise. Heed the words of Jesus and of Paul and keep looking ahead in your walk with the Lord.  My eight-year-old son just looked over my shoulder and asked me what I was writing about and I told him, "About looking ahead and not back."  He said, "Like those people who were running away from the cities God was going to destroy and Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt?"  "Yep!"  I love it how God puts an exclamation mark at the end of the sentence.  I don't think becoming a pillar of salt sounds like much fun.  So let's not fall back into the canyon, break our noses on the track, or become pillars of salt, but instead, let's run the race to win.

Peace in Christ,

David

Heirs to the Promise - The Wonder of Adoption

It's a crisp, sunny, eight-degree morning in Northern Michigan and I'm writing from the comfort of a cozy cabin that sits on the crystal clear Manistee River (OK, it's a wonderful cedar house that my buddy Bob calls "The Cabin").   On the floor to my left, in front of the old stone fireplace, sits a most adorable, two year old girl enthusiastically disassembling the Mousetrap game that my sons worked so hard to assemble.  Her name is Maiya (pronounced my-ya)

Maiya is from China.  A year and a half ago she was without a family, lived in a foreign land, and had no one to call "Daddy"  (or "Mamma").  She was born into the world but soon became a ward of the state.  She had no rights and had no inheritance.  But, she wasn't alone in her aloneness.  No, she was alone in the midst of thousands of other lonely, parent-less children.  Then came love from a far away land.

Some one (actually a wonderful couple I know) sacrificed much to bring her home and to give her all the rights of a natural born child.  They gave her a new last name, a new home, new clothes, and daily fed her so that she would grow up strong.  They also disciplined her when she strayed because they loved her.  She received citizenship from her new country and with that citizenship came many new privileges. Such is the beauty of ADOPTION.

From the moment sin came into the world in the Garden of Eden, man became a ward of the state, or more specifically the ward of the world.  Man didn't cease to be God's creation but the bible tells us that we ceased to be his children.  That might not sit well with you and doesn't particularly sit well with me but it is truth none-the-less.  We no longer had rights as children and were no longer heirs to God's promise.  We were born into the world but lost our legal rights.  But like Maiya, we weren't alone in our aloneness.  We were alone with every child born through natural birth; our first birth.  Thankfully, as in Maiya's case, there is the hope of love coming from a far away land, love coming from someone who would sacrifice much for our adoption, love that would reclaim our birthright as children of God.

The Apostle John describes it this way (John 1:12-13):

"Yet to all who received 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."

That's the wonder of adoption.  Children become legal heirs with rights, not because of their natural descent but because of the love of another.

Jesus explained it to Nicodemus who was a Jewish leader, a Pharisee.  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."  Nicodemus, not quite getting it, asked Jesus, "How can a man be born when he is old?  Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"  Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born  of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."

You see, Jesus was telling us that our natural birth (the one that was the product of human decision, the product of a fleshly union) wasn't enough to get us into God's kingdom.  Maiya didn't have to enter into her new mother's womb to be born into her new family (thank goodness) but she was adopted through a legal transaction from a higher authority.  In other words, we needed adoption by the power and love of another.  That love comes by God's Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ.  Just as my friends traveled a very long distance and sacrificed much to secure the adoption of their daughter, Jesus came from the comfort of heaven and made the ultimate sacrifice to secure our adoption.  On the cross Jesus paid the price for our adoption and when the transaction was complete he cried out, "It is finished".

The Apostle Paul explained it to the Church (Born Again believers) in Galatia (Galatians 3:26-29):

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

Even though many of those to whom Paul was writing were not descendants of Abraham, they became descendants and heirs through faith in Christ and the resultant second birth.

Are you among the lonely?  Are you living without the promise of eternal life?  You see Maiya didn't have to work her way to the United States.  She didn't have to write a check to her new mommy and daddy to cover her travel costs.  She didn't have to do anything except believe.  I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that this beautiful little child believes with all of her heart that the man and woman who put her to bed every night are indeed her parents.  And guess what?  She's right!  Her parents came to her because they loved her and God comes to you for the same reason.  "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."

I am so thankful that my friends traveled to China to give this adorable girl a home and I thank Jesus Christ for coming from heaven to give me one.  May God bless you this New Year and if you have been adopted into his family give him thanks today and it you are looking for a love that no one can take away look to the Son in faith and come into the family of God.

Peace,

David

Come to the Cross to See the Christ of Christmas

Well, it's 4:30AM on Christmas morning and I can't sleep.  I'm sitting in front of the fire place and as far as I can tell no one has come down the chimney, the chocolate chip cookie is still on the plate, and the milk is still in the glass.  Oh yeah, I'm the dad and I have to eat the cookie again but this year my youngest son told me that he didn't believe in Santa Claus and he's quite sure I'm the one who eats the cookie so why did we still put out the cookie?  Why?  Because I like cookies.

And, why am I up at 4 AM?  First off, I have been awake since 3:30AM and, as strange as this may sound to some, usually when I wake up at 3:30AM God put's something quite strong on my heart and I have to do something about it. Sometimes its a verse of scripture, sometimes it's a dream, and other times it's a message I need to put forth. I've asked God (very politely of course)  if it would be possible to move this regular meeting to 9AM but so far he seems content with the current time frame so who am I to press any further?  OK, so what's the reason for my insomnia today?

Christmas.  I mean, CHRISTmas.  The celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ.  Yeah, that's it!  Not Santa, not the big pine tree in  my house, the presents, the cookie and milk, the reindeer, the yule log, the crowded mall, the Grinch, or even Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" (I know that last one really hurts). And, before I get a bunch of comments about Christmas being the remnant of a pagan holiday, December 25th unlikely being the factual date of Jesus' birth, or the fact that the early church didn't celebrate the birth of Jesus (The Church didn't proclaim this date and celebration until 440 AD), I want to say, "I know all of that."  But so what?

The point is that Jesus, the Christ, WAS born and his birth was both miraculous (not to say that every birth isn't quite miraculous) and his birth was prophesied hundreds of years before it happened.  I know you've likely heard these verses before or read them at the bottom of a Christmas card (if you actually read the card before the twenty dollar bill from Aunt Mildred fell out) but I want you to really ponder them today:

"But you, Bethlehem Ephratha, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."  (Micah 5:2) 

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."  (Isaiah 7:14)  

God spoke though these prophets nearly seven centuries earlier, proclaiming that the Messiah (the Christ) would be born of a virgin (quite an amazing feat!) and would be born in the VERY insignificant and small town of Bethlehem. They predicted he'd be born of the tribe of Judah (only a one in twelve chance) and that he'd be born of the line of David.  This is very helpful for a man of such weak faith as I.  I like some reassurance for my faith. I would be like Thomas, poking my fingers in the wounds and then saying, "My Lord and my God!"  So, do I think God woke me up this early to prove to you that Jesus was the Christ?  Maybe, but I don't think so.  I think it was something even bigger.

I think it was to fast forward 33 years from the birthday of Jesus (whatever the real date is) to a cross on a hill and then to an empty tomb around the corner.  You see, until I came to the saving knowledge that what this God-man did on the cross at Calvary, his birth meant little to me. Yeah, it was a fun holiday and I could get a bit sentimental about the baby in the manger but the magnitude of the event didn't hit me until I came through the cross. When I finally understood that Jesus, who was both fully God and fully human, came to earth to pay the penalty for our sin (the atonement) and to make us right with God (reconciliation) and that through his resurrection, he conquered death, I finally was able to look at CHRISTmas and sing, "Oh holy night..." and really mean it.

I think we contemplate it backwards.  We can certainly grasp the birth of the baby Jesus with our minds before we come to the cross but we really can't celebrate Christmas with our hearts until we know him as Lord through that cross.  Even though the virgin birth was amazing, the transaction that bought our freedom came on Easter and when we cling to him on Easter and know our need for his love and his grace and his sacrificial gift, we can then finally see past the tinsel and wrapping paper and worship him on this wonderful December morning!

I want to thank you for spending the past year with us and with those who have participated in the I-61 Project.  I want to invite you to drop us a comment, a question, a concern, or a prayer need any time.  We love to get into the Word and would also be honored to pray for you or with you.  If any of you have been on the fence with regard to Jesus Christ, we would be glad to chat with you and answer questions as best we can.  Drop us a note!

May God grant you a VERY blessed CHRISTmas!

David and the I-61 Project

Fear - Bad thing or Good thing? The Bible says, "Both!"

When I was about ten years old I watched a movie called "The Legend of Boggy Creek".  I don't think I was supposed to watch it but somehow it passed the parental filter. Fear was born.  The movie was about Sasquatch, otherwise known as Bigfoot and from that night on (at least for a few months) I was certain the hairy, ape-man was roaming my neighborhood.  I couldn't sleep and fear gripped my mind. I peeked out of my bedroom window every night scanning the yard and the street for signs of him and then anxiously looked under my bed just in case he somehow got through the front door.

Fear, anxiety, worry, dread.  We're afraid of our failing finances, our failing health, our safety. We fear losing our children, our spouses, our pets, our freedom, and our honor. We can't sleep and our appetites go south. We seek counseling and we seek medicines that will calm our fears and, behind our Sunday smiles, the fear still lingers.

So, do you have a Sasquatch roaming the streets of your mind right now?  I think that it would be a good time to look at fear and anxiety and see if we can find some freedom and some hope from the giants that are holding us captive.

I set out to search the Bible to see how many times and in what ways the word "fear" was used.  I guess I assumed that I would see over and over "FEAR NOT!" and yes that was there  but  that is not exactly all that  I found.  The most common Old Testament word for fear was "yare" and in the New Testament was "phobos" from which we get the word phobia. These words mean fear, dread, terror but also have a component of awe and reverence.  As I scanned the search results what I found over and over and over again were the phrases "fear God" and "the fear of the Lord". GREAT! One more thing to be afraid of! "That will not go over well with my readers!", I thought. But then I began to read and search and pray. Here is what I found and I pray that you will grab ahold of this and find freedom from your fear.

I first want to say that there are many times that the Lord reminds us that he is ALWAYS in control and the believer need not ever worry.  We will look at those awesome promises in a moment but it seems that the Bible tells us that there is a precursor to the promise and that the answer to the problem of fear is fear.  WHAT? How can fear cure fear?  Let's see.

Take a look at these verses and ponder them for a moment:

Ecclesiastes 12:13  "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (King Solomon)

Proverbs 9:10  "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (King Solomon)

Deuteronomy 5:29  "Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and there children forever!"  (God)

1 Samuel 12:24  "But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you."  (Samuel)

Psalm 103:11  "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him."  (King David)

Acts 10:34-35  "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right."  (Peter)

I think that the beginning of our freedom from fear begins with a right view of God and an understanding and acknowledgment of who his is.  It begins when we see him with the awe and the reverent fear he deserves.  I know that it seems counterintuitive to fear the One from whom we look to for love but we are weak people and there is a certain amount of fear necessary to keep us on the right road. Be honest.  Don't we drive a little slower when we think there is a state trooper around the next corner?  Don't we walk a little more carefully along the edge of a cliff than we do when we walk down the side walk.  There are fears that are healthy and reasonable and the fear of the Lord is one of those.  When we know who we are and who He is then we can humble ourselves and draw near to him but always with a holy awe and reverent fear.

Now for those who fear him and seek him he promises that we need not fear!  Ever!!  Soak in these verse and hold them close to your heart:

Psalm 23:4  "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." (King David)

Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  (God)

2 Chronicles 20:15  "This is what the Lord says to you, 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.  For the battle is is not yours, but God's.'"  (Jahaziel son of Zechariah)

John 14:27  "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  (Jesus, the Christ)

So, today as you go forward, consider the power, majesty, and love of the God of the universe and fear him.  But as you do remember that he created you for relationship and for eternal life.  Remember that he loved you enough to send his Son to die for you and me.  Then remember that for those who love him and have come by faith, nothing is impossible and no enemy too strong.  There are no storms too violent or diseases that can't be conquered!  Jesus said, "Do not be afraid".  Let's cling to that and remember that one day there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things... will soon pass away.

May peace reign in your hearts this Christmas!

David

I Can See Clearly Now the Plank is Gone

When I was much younger I worked for a plumber and one day while I was in the shop cutting a piece of metal a very small sliver of hot steal shot right into my eye.  One blink and it stuck nicely into the inside of my upper eyelid so that every time I blinked it would drag the sharp shard of steel across my cornea and send intense pain all the way down to my left big toe.  The ER doc flipped my eyelid inside out and plucked the sliver of metal out, put it on a piece of gauze, and said, "Well, here is the little demon."  I could barely see it!  It was like half the size of a gnat.  I wonder what it must be like to have an eight foot 2x6 stuck in my eye.  Jesus said these words in Matthew 7:

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," When all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of our own eye, and then you will see clearly to  remove the speck from your brother's eye.

A couple weeks ago someone you know took a fall, a really big fall. He sinned against the Lord and against his wife and kids.  Since then much of the world, including many Christians I know, have taken out their red hot pokers and have mocked him, scorned him, and accused him.  His name is Tiger.  I have never met Tiger Woods but it seems that he has led a double life.  He has been unfaithful to his wife and has likely been addicted to the attention (physically and socially) of other women.  Yep he is a sinner.  Oh, yeah by the way, so am I.  And, so is this guy I saw a statue of in a church once.  His name is "Saint" Paul.  He said these words in Romans chapter 7:

"For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep doing.  Now if I do what I don't want to do, it is no longer I who do it but sin living in me that does it.  So I find this law at work; when I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.  What a wretched man I am!"

So I think it's time to pluck the planks out of our own eyes, take a look at what sin really looks like, and also reevaluate what our response should be to one that has fallen hard.  I'll go first.  OK, I'm slowly removing the lumber from my eye.  Ouch! Ok, that hurt but now I can actually see clearly.

I want to start by saying that what Tiger did was very serious and has caused his family much pain.  From experience I also know that he is also in a lot of pain now.  Sin does that.  James tells us that "Sin when it is fully grown gives birth to death." It sure does!  But Jesus reminds us that the sin isn't just in the final ugly act but begins in the heart way before someone crawls into bed with another woman.  Jesus said, if you look at a woman with lust you've committed adultery in your heart.  So how many of you guys have ever looked on a woman with lust?  Or you women looked on a man with lust?  If you said, "Not me!" then you also have to add lying to your list of sins.  So if you've engaged in pornography, the adultery is in your heart and from the God's perspective it is the same.  Maybe it's not pornography but looking longer at the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than Tony Romo.  Bottom line is that we have to examine our own lives for the sin in our hearts.

I don't know if Tiger is a born again believer but I would guess he likely isn't.  So, then there may be a chance that he is closer to a saving relationship with God now than he was when he was putting on the green jacket at the Masters.  Being humbled and fallen and seeing the "depravity" that the Bible reminds us we each share is often the first step towards seeking God.  Do I care if Tiger hits a 360 yard drive, eagles a 595 yard par 5, or wins another Major?  Nope.  Do I care if he earns another million dollars from Nike?  Nope.  Do I care that he comes to know the Savior of the world, the One who died for Tiger while he was yet a sinner?  Yep.

Look, he failed big time and so have I.  Tiger and I have a lot in common except  that I have a wicked slice and can't putt worth a darn.  So, let's each take a real close look at our own lives (and the planks in our eyes) and see where we are sinning against God.  Lust, greed, deceit, pride, coveting, gluttony,  cursing, cheating, selfishness . . . should I go on? Nah, I think we get the idea.

Lastly, I'd like to say to my brothers and sister in Christ that when we see someone fall regardless of the magnitude of the crash our response should be to find an opportunity to share the One who came to take away our sin, restore relationship, and to remove condemnation.  If we find ourselves making a joke at the expense of the man who is broken and his wife who is crushed we might want to stop, find a quiet place, and pray for them both.  They could sure use someone with the love of Christ to show them the way home.

Paul said, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.'

Thank God!

Peace,

David

Skin - God's First Covering for Sin

I know last week's post was long, complicated, and had some thoughts that are up for debate so I want to thank those of you who stood strong and read it anyway.  For those that got about four sentences into it then bailed out, "No worries."  With that in mind I'm going to cut you all a little slack and keep this a bit shorter but hopefully no less important.

I was reading Genesis the other day and then listening to a Christian talk show a couple days later when I realized that there was a statement in the third chapter of Genesis that I had glossed over and never gave much thought.  I want to share it with you then I want to show you how the Gospel (The Good News of Jesus Christ) is repeated over and over and over from Genesis (The first of the 66 books of the Bible) to Revelation (The last book of the Bible).

Here is the statement (Genesis 3:21):

"The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them."

You may recall that in the beginning of Genesis 3 Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which caused them to be separated from God.  It was the first sin and the first time man was no longer pure and walking in harmony with God.  For the first time Adam and Eve felt ashamed and saw their nakedness.  But as I recalled, they had sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves when they realized they were naked so why in the world did God make them "garments of skin"?

Here is the revelation!  As far as we can tell the very first physical death that occured in the Garden of Eden came at the hands of God.  It was the first sacrifice.  God provided for Adam and Eve a covering of skin, animal skin.  An innocent animal (maybe a lamb?) sacrificed to cover the shame and nakedness of the guilty.  The attempt of Adam and Eve to cover themselves must have been inadequate and the seriousness of the sin and the magnitude of its consequences so severe that God determined its solution necessitated the shedding of blood.  Wow!  So now I'll just give you a few scriptures as you journey from Genesis to Revelation that show God's plan of redemption (healing the broken relationship between man and God) is consistent all the way through.

Genesis 22:9-14 (God provides a substitute sacrifice for Abraham)

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.  Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.  But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.

  "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

  Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.  So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide.

Genesis 7:7 (God provides a means of safety from his wrath against sin)

And Noah and his sons and his wife and his son's wives entered the ark to escape the waters of the flood.

Exodus 12:23 (The blood of a lamb protects the Israelites from the wrath of God)

When the LORD goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.

John 19:17-18 (Jesus "the Lamb of God" sacrificed for the sins of man)

Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (the innocent dying for the guilty)
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him, we might become the righteousness of God.

Revelation 19:11-13 (Jesus returns to make all things new)

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

God's beautiful plan to restore us to himself is consistent from the beginning to the end and today I am going to reflect on the incredible gift that Jesus gave me.  Himself.  Undeserved for sure but that is the meaning of grace.  We can't sew on our own fig leaves!  It's God's doing.  So, if you haven't experienced forgiveness then I invite you also to reach out and receive it from the one who died for you!

Peace, David

How Far is the East from the West?

I was talking with a young man recently and he repeatedly used the word "Christian" in his conversation.

For instance:

"He is a Christian."

"She grew up in a Christian home."

So, I thought to myself, "Hmmm? I wonder what he means by that." I had a sneaking suspicion what he meant so I asked him, "What do you mean when you say the word 'Christian'? I then gave him a scenario. "If a friend, who happened to be an atheist, came up to you and told you that he was interested in Christianity and asked you 'What does it mean to be a Christian?', what would you tell him?"

The young man began to tell me that it meant having integrity, honesty, and doing the things Jesus did. So I pressed just a little farther. "So, do you mean that to become a Christian you just start to do good things, use Jesus as a role model, and then just go to a 'Christian' church on Sunday and WALLA you're a Christian?" He thought for a moment and then wasn't sure what to say. "No", I said. You aren't a Christian because you were raised in a "Christian " home. You aren't a Christian because you signed a membership card at the Church on the corner. You aren't a Christian because you listen to "Christian" music. You aren't a Christian because you do good things and wear a WWJD bracelet.

So off we went to the Scriptures and looked at what Jesus said and what his disciples said. We saw that becoming a Christian is a real transaction that occurs in the Spirit realm when a person who was separated from God by their sin and is "dead in their trespasses and sins" is forgiven, reconciled (To reestablish a close relationship) to God, and are "Born Again". This happens as a result of repentance and faith in the One who paid the penalty, who gave his life, and who was raised from the dead. I helped him to see that becoming a Christian is something that God does in us through our faith and not something we become by "signing up for" or "joining" like we would the Rotary Club or the fraternity house. We saw that integrity, honesty, love, peace, patience, and our good deeds are the fruits of that rekindled relationship not the prerequisite to it.

With that said, I want to share a few really awesome promises that the Bible gives us regarding the amazing work that occurs in those who trust Jesus Christ as Lord. I want to focus mainly on sin and what happens to all that ugly junk in our lives when that transaction takes place. It's instantaneous and it's permanent.

1) Psalm 103:11-13

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him."

2) Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

3) 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

4) Romans 8:1

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

So, let me ask you a geography question. Exactly how far is the East from the West? OK, so you might not have the answer on the tip of your tongue so I'll give you an experiment that might help. Go out to the garage and find the tape measure in the tool box (It's probably under a pile of work gloves, a hammer, and two saws.) Now use a compass to find East. Start walking until you get to the beginning of East, nail down the end of the tape measure, then begin walking towards the West. Keep going until you get to the end of West. (You might need a few more tape measures.) Alright, I know that was ridiculous but the reality is that the distance is infinite and so is the distance from a Born Again believer to his or her sins. Will you sin again after you are saved? Likely, but two things are true about that: The Holy Spirit in you will "convict" (To make aware of one's sinfulness or guilt) you of that sin and the Bible says that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. How much cleansing? All of it!! Last thing to notice. Were all of these promises unconditional? Nope. Go back and look again but this time notice these words, "Those who fear him", "Let us reason together", "If anyone is in Christ", "For those who are in Christ Jesus"

So I hope and pray that if you consider yourself a Christian that you look an see if this actual transaction has occurred. The offer is open to all who call on the name of Jesus but without it you might just be wearing the label. The label is not good enough but the grace that comes through faith is all sufficient!

Peace,

David

A Time to Rest

Well, after 48 weeks of writing this Blog I finally missed a Saturday post. This past weekend I found myself in a little cabin in the open fields of North Dakota and guess what? No Internet. I think God knew that it was time for a Sabbath, not from the writing, the teaching, the worshiping, or any of that but from the busyness of the world. God's Word reminds us that we need to rest. It reminds us that God has designed us to be with him and to bask in his goodness. I realize now, more than ever, how much noise there is in our lives. Noise that keeps us from hearing God even as we seek to serve him.

As I laid back in the grass, in the darkness of early morning, looking over an old pinto bean field strewn with a couple dozen goose decoys, I realized that I didn't hear anything except the slight cold breeze whisking past my ears. The eastern horizon was beginning to glow a light blue when I began to hear the sound of thousands of snow geese coming off the water of the nearby lake. They were heading off to feed in the fields before making they're way south for the winter. It was good. God is so good. Then I looked south and could see the constellation Orion which has always been like a trusted old friend that faithfully comes to visit me every winter. There was a small part of me that was unsettled because I knew that the Blog wouldn't go out as it had for the past 48 weeks then I thought, "Maybe no one will notice. Maybe no one will care." I hoped that they would, not because I needed to feel appreciated but because I hoped that what I felt God had called me to do mattered. I think in that moment I understood that it matters most to God. He doesn't really need me per se (after all he is God) but he loves me and he wants me and as given me the opportunity to share in his Kingdom work. Now he was saying, "Rest David." Wow, it was good to rest! Thanks God!

I hope and pray that you will stop for a moment and rest as well. Turn off the TV, the Ipod, the Xbox 360, the cell phone, the computer (after you finish reading this of course), and then just rest. Talk to God. Listen to God. Enjoy God's presence. You'll probably have to go out of the house to get away from the stuff. Maybe you can get away for the weekend or maybe just for a couple hours in a nearby park. But you need to rest.

Psalm 62:5 says, "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him."

Thanks again for following as we seek to know God and to draw nearer to him and thanks for listening to the babblings of a sentimental guy who loves God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and who loves you as well.

I look forward to being back in the swing on Saturday morning, God willing.

Peace,

David