From Attitude to Gratitude
John Fischer
A reader who e-mailed me her testimony kindly consented to let me use it in a devotional. I can’t help but think there’s something here for all of us to reflect on.
If there is any such thing as a “good” Christian, I was one—once. I accepted Jesus as my Savior at age seven, and spent all of my childhood and early adult life immersed in the “Christian” lifestyle. I attended church faithfully, served in the ministry, said and did all the ”right” things and stayed well away from all the “wrong” things.
I had it so “together,” in fact, that I felt a little smug as I observed all the people who didn’t. I made a big deal about how I didn’t drink because I was a Christian, how I didn’t smoke because I was a Christian, how I basically didn’t do anything because I was a Christian. Each time I’d share my “track record” (thinly disguised as a testimony), I’d feel like a shining example of a life lived for God.
The problem with not giving mercy to others is that you don’t get any, either. When you think in terms of earning the love of the God of the universe, nothing is ever enough. This, of course, was God’s point in giving us the law: so we’d know we couldn’t do it. So we’d know we needed a Savior.
It didn’t happen all at once, but gradually I realized that this “good girl” had completely missed the point. In my quest to please God, I’d taken credit for my own salvation. I’d become the very definition of self-righteousness. I’d avoided the most “visible” sins while harboring an abundance of secret ones in my heart and private life. I needed grace (undeserved, unearned favor). I needed a way to measure up. I needed a Savior, and it wasn’t me.
Having ultimately realized that even though I’m “saved,” I’m no more “good” than anybody else; I’ve stopped being mad at the world and started identifying with it. I know my own faults too well: I judge and criticize. I gossip. I yell at my kids. I overspend. I think unholy thoughts. I overeat. I ignore God when I need Him most. Honestly, sometimes I’m just grateful that He keeps me around!
I wonder what would happen if church became a transparent place where we openly shared our failures and deepest needs with each other. If we built fewer walls to insulate us from the bad stuff “out there” and built bridges to the “out there” instead.
I wonder what would happen if we realized that the one thing the whole universe has in common (“good Christians” included) is our desperate need for Jesus.
PDL
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
A Reason to Rejoice
By Tony Evans
"We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance." --Romans 5:3
Read It: James 1:2-4
If you're not in the middle of a trial right now, just hang around. None of us can dodge trials. So we need to find out the resources God has given us to deal with trials.
What is a trial, anyway? It's an adverse circumstance that God allows or even brings about in the lives of us His children to deepen our faith. We'll see this week that trials are not designed to sink our boat, but to help us improve our navigation skills. In the words of the Apostles Paul and James, we can actually rejoice when we undergo trials, because we know God is doing something special in our lives.
Now trials can come from a number of directions. Sometimes God sends you a trial to teach you a specific lesson. At other times, it comes simply because you live in a sin-cursed world, and the curse rubs off on you. So you become the victim of a crime or accident or illness that crashes into your life.
Sometimes trials are the result of your own sin. You yield to a temptation that leads to a set of circumstances that are tough to deal with. And don't forget that the enemy can attack you with trials for the purpose of bringing about your spiritual defeat.
So my concern is not so much the source of your trials, but what you do when they show up. How you respond to cataclysmic circumstances has a lot to do with what shape you're in when you come out on the other side. The good news is, you're not out there alone, because no matter what the source of your trial is, God has the situation well in hand. He can work out His purposes even in a trial you may bring on yourself.
One great way to learn how to deal with trials is to watch others in the middle of one. So starting tomorrow, we'll get into a boat with the disciples and row out to the middle of the Sea of Galilee. Stay with me, and you'll learn that even when your boat starts to rock, Jesus Christ has authority over your trials.
Think About It
You're either in the middle of a trial, just coming out of one, or just heading into one. Better be ready!
cbn
By Tony Evans
"We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance." --Romans 5:3
Read It: James 1:2-4
If you're not in the middle of a trial right now, just hang around. None of us can dodge trials. So we need to find out the resources God has given us to deal with trials.
What is a trial, anyway? It's an adverse circumstance that God allows or even brings about in the lives of us His children to deepen our faith. We'll see this week that trials are not designed to sink our boat, but to help us improve our navigation skills. In the words of the Apostles Paul and James, we can actually rejoice when we undergo trials, because we know God is doing something special in our lives.
Now trials can come from a number of directions. Sometimes God sends you a trial to teach you a specific lesson. At other times, it comes simply because you live in a sin-cursed world, and the curse rubs off on you. So you become the victim of a crime or accident or illness that crashes into your life.
Sometimes trials are the result of your own sin. You yield to a temptation that leads to a set of circumstances that are tough to deal with. And don't forget that the enemy can attack you with trials for the purpose of bringing about your spiritual defeat.
So my concern is not so much the source of your trials, but what you do when they show up. How you respond to cataclysmic circumstances has a lot to do with what shape you're in when you come out on the other side. The good news is, you're not out there alone, because no matter what the source of your trial is, God has the situation well in hand. He can work out His purposes even in a trial you may bring on yourself.
One great way to learn how to deal with trials is to watch others in the middle of one. So starting tomorrow, we'll get into a boat with the disciples and row out to the middle of the Sea of Galilee. Stay with me, and you'll learn that even when your boat starts to rock, Jesus Christ has authority over your trials.
Think About It
You're either in the middle of a trial, just coming out of one, or just heading into one. Better be ready!
cbn
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
READ IT ALOUD!
1 Timothy 4:8-16
8 Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance 10 (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
With so many excellent translations of the Bible to choose from these days, it's hard to comprehend that for more than 350 years one version was used by much of the English-speaking world. From its translation in 1611 until the mid-20th century, the King James Version was the Bible of home and pulpit.
Today some people are put off by its "thee's," "thou's," and "verily's." Yet there is still something beautiful about hearing the King James Version of the 23rd Psalm read aloud:
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul . . ."
Part of the enduring appeal of the King James Bible has to do with its method of translation. Simon Winchester, in his book The Secretaries of God, tells of the translators' great sensitivity to the spoken word. These scholars of ancient languages were determined to convey not only the accurate English meaning of the Hebrew and Greek, but they also cared about its sound. This meant listening carefully to the translated words. Winchester wrote:
"The twelve of them are sitting around the room listening. . . . This is the kingdom of the spoken. The ear is the governing organ of this prose; . . . the spoken word is the heard word, and what governs acceptability of a particular verse is not only accuracy but [good sound]."
The apostle Paul understood the power of the spoken word too. He instructed the young pastor Timothy: "Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching" (1 Timothy 4:13). Paul knew that the Word of God stirs the heart in a special way when spoken aloud.
So whether it's a contemporary Bible translation or the King James Version, what really matters is a listening spirit that appreciates both the meaning and the sound of God's Word. In your own personal times with Jesus, during family devotions, or in church, remember the power of the spoken Word and look for opportunities to read it aloud! --Dennis Fisher
DESTINATION POINTS
* What version of the Bible do I prefer and why?
* What opportunities do I have to hear the Word spoken aloud?
* How can I find new ways of hearing it?
LINKS:
How Can I Understand The Bible?
How Can I Know God Through His Book?
bottom line: God wants me to hear the sound of His Word.
soul journey
1 Timothy 4:8-16
8 Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance 10 (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
With so many excellent translations of the Bible to choose from these days, it's hard to comprehend that for more than 350 years one version was used by much of the English-speaking world. From its translation in 1611 until the mid-20th century, the King James Version was the Bible of home and pulpit.
Today some people are put off by its "thee's," "thou's," and "verily's." Yet there is still something beautiful about hearing the King James Version of the 23rd Psalm read aloud:
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul . . ."
Part of the enduring appeal of the King James Bible has to do with its method of translation. Simon Winchester, in his book The Secretaries of God, tells of the translators' great sensitivity to the spoken word. These scholars of ancient languages were determined to convey not only the accurate English meaning of the Hebrew and Greek, but they also cared about its sound. This meant listening carefully to the translated words. Winchester wrote:
"The twelve of them are sitting around the room listening. . . . This is the kingdom of the spoken. The ear is the governing organ of this prose; . . . the spoken word is the heard word, and what governs acceptability of a particular verse is not only accuracy but [good sound]."
The apostle Paul understood the power of the spoken word too. He instructed the young pastor Timothy: "Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching" (1 Timothy 4:13). Paul knew that the Word of God stirs the heart in a special way when spoken aloud.
So whether it's a contemporary Bible translation or the King James Version, what really matters is a listening spirit that appreciates both the meaning and the sound of God's Word. In your own personal times with Jesus, during family devotions, or in church, remember the power of the spoken Word and look for opportunities to read it aloud! --Dennis Fisher
DESTINATION POINTS
* What version of the Bible do I prefer and why?
* What opportunities do I have to hear the Word spoken aloud?
* How can I find new ways of hearing it?
LINKS:
How Can I Understand The Bible?
How Can I Know God Through His Book?
bottom line: God wants me to hear the sound of His Word.
soul journey
Monday, December 27, 2004
Gold Amidst the Glitter
John Fischer
In the little town of Bethlehem, the most important birth in all of human history took place on what we now consider the first Christmas. It was sparsely attended by some bleating farm animals and a handful of shepherds who wouldn’t have been there had not the sky lit up with a multitude of heavenly hosts only minutes before, praising God and inviting the shepherds to the stable. What an invitation! With the exception of that outburst, however, no one else knew. Oh yes, there were some astrologers from the east that figured out what was going on by studying the stars and some ancient manuscripts, but they didn’t make it to town until at least a year or two later when the baby was a child. Why such an uneventful welcome for such an auspicious event?
It’s God’s way. He’s always been quiet about His work on earth. “How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift was given/So God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of His heaven.” He’s even pretty quiet about the way He works in our lives. Silently He came into the world; silently He comes into our hearts. No fanfare. No welcoming committee. God has never been into self-promotion. He lets His work speak for itself.
And that would be you and me. Believers are the result of Christ’s coming. It is all about good news and glad tidings for all people. A Savior has been born and He has been born for us. Or as the angel announced it: “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David” (Luke 2:11 NLT)!
It occurs to me there are two ways to take all the fanfare and glitter of this season. We can see it as the over-commercialism of Christmas, or we can take all the lights, and gifts, and decorations, and parties, and bells, and carols, and Christmas specials on TV—even Santa and reindeer in the front yard—and bank them all as celebrations of the birth of Christ. We can even take the conversion of old Scrooge as the joy of new life and forgiveness of sins.
There’s no law against sanctifying the secularization of Christmas in your own heart and mind. It’s what we make of these things that count, anyway. Every single light can represent another soul secured in eternity as the result of what Christ has accomplished.
There was no room available for the Son of God when He came the first time. Let’s make sure there’s room in our hearts this Christmas, and don’t let anyone take away what is good about the glad tidings of Christ’s birth!
PDL
John Fischer
In the little town of Bethlehem, the most important birth in all of human history took place on what we now consider the first Christmas. It was sparsely attended by some bleating farm animals and a handful of shepherds who wouldn’t have been there had not the sky lit up with a multitude of heavenly hosts only minutes before, praising God and inviting the shepherds to the stable. What an invitation! With the exception of that outburst, however, no one else knew. Oh yes, there were some astrologers from the east that figured out what was going on by studying the stars and some ancient manuscripts, but they didn’t make it to town until at least a year or two later when the baby was a child. Why such an uneventful welcome for such an auspicious event?
It’s God’s way. He’s always been quiet about His work on earth. “How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift was given/So God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of His heaven.” He’s even pretty quiet about the way He works in our lives. Silently He came into the world; silently He comes into our hearts. No fanfare. No welcoming committee. God has never been into self-promotion. He lets His work speak for itself.
And that would be you and me. Believers are the result of Christ’s coming. It is all about good news and glad tidings for all people. A Savior has been born and He has been born for us. Or as the angel announced it: “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David” (Luke 2:11 NLT)!
It occurs to me there are two ways to take all the fanfare and glitter of this season. We can see it as the over-commercialism of Christmas, or we can take all the lights, and gifts, and decorations, and parties, and bells, and carols, and Christmas specials on TV—even Santa and reindeer in the front yard—and bank them all as celebrations of the birth of Christ. We can even take the conversion of old Scrooge as the joy of new life and forgiveness of sins.
There’s no law against sanctifying the secularization of Christmas in your own heart and mind. It’s what we make of these things that count, anyway. Every single light can represent another soul secured in eternity as the result of what Christ has accomplished.
There was no room available for the Son of God when He came the first time. Let’s make sure there’s room in our hearts this Christmas, and don’t let anyone take away what is good about the glad tidings of Christ’s birth!
PDL
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Letdown
Read: Luke 2:8-20
Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God. —Luke 2:19-20
Bible In One Year: Haggai 1-2; Revelation 17
The night of Jesus' birth was exciting for Mary and Joseph. There before their eyes was the miracle Baby whose coming into the world had been announced by an angel. The shepherds too were excited when they saw and heard "a multitude of the heavenly host praising God" and heralding His birth (Luke 2:13).
But it wouldn't be long before Mary and Joseph would face the ordinary tasks of caring for a new baby and all the accompanying responsibilities. The shepherds would be back on the hillside tending their sheep. All the elements were in place for an emotional letdown, which often follows an emotional high.
I don't believe they experienced any "after-Christmas blues," however. Mary didn't quickly forget all that had happened, and the shepherds couldn't easily forget what they had heard and seen (vv.19-20). The angelic message had proven true, and their lives were filled with new hope and anticipation.
There's no reason for an after-Christmas letdown. We have the full story. Jesus came to die for our sins, then conquered death for us by rising from the grave. We have more truth to ponder and more reason to glorify God than Mary and the shepherds did. —Herb Vander Lugt
Life's ebb and flow that moves our hearts
From heights of joy to feelings low
Cannot exhaust God's matchless grace
Nor stem that never-ending flow. —D. De Haan
Feeling let down today? Try looking up.
daily bread
Read: Luke 2:8-20
Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God. —Luke 2:19-20
Bible In One Year: Haggai 1-2; Revelation 17
The night of Jesus' birth was exciting for Mary and Joseph. There before their eyes was the miracle Baby whose coming into the world had been announced by an angel. The shepherds too were excited when they saw and heard "a multitude of the heavenly host praising God" and heralding His birth (Luke 2:13).
But it wouldn't be long before Mary and Joseph would face the ordinary tasks of caring for a new baby and all the accompanying responsibilities. The shepherds would be back on the hillside tending their sheep. All the elements were in place for an emotional letdown, which often follows an emotional high.
I don't believe they experienced any "after-Christmas blues," however. Mary didn't quickly forget all that had happened, and the shepherds couldn't easily forget what they had heard and seen (vv.19-20). The angelic message had proven true, and their lives were filled with new hope and anticipation.
There's no reason for an after-Christmas letdown. We have the full story. Jesus came to die for our sins, then conquered death for us by rising from the grave. We have more truth to ponder and more reason to glorify God than Mary and the shepherds did. —Herb Vander Lugt
Life's ebb and flow that moves our hearts
From heights of joy to feelings low
Cannot exhaust God's matchless grace
Nor stem that never-ending flow. —D. De Haan
Feeling let down today? Try looking up.
daily bread
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Holy Invasion
John Fischer
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news of peace and salvation! (Isaiah 52:7 NLT)
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere.
Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!
Jesus had a purpose when He came to earth. He was a man on a mission. He knew where He came from, where He was going, and what He came here to do. He never doubted it once, except when He was in the garden, and even then, He didn’t doubt His mission, He only struggled with the reality of completing it. We are all eternally grateful that, when faced with His darkest hour, Christ chose God’s will instead of His own. He was able to make that choice because He was a man on a mission, and in the end, the mission won out.
Christmas is, at its heart, the celebration of an invasion. God invaded earth. Not content to just stay in heaven, God came to earth in human form to overcome the evil in our lives and reclaim the good. Because Christ was born and He accomplished His mission, there is help from above—help only God could bring. Jesus Christ has joined the human caravan. Creator became created. Adam and Eve passed on to us their propensity toward sinning. It’s in our DNA. But Christ is the new Adam. He was born of a virgin, a child of the earth, but born through a seed that was conceived of God. The result is a man, fully human, but with God’s DNA in His veins. Only this perfect blood could atone for the sins of the world. Only this life could be an acceptable sacrifice.
And we have become partakers of this new life by faith. This is what it means to be born again—to be born into a new bloodline through Christ, and have God’s DNA (the Holy Spirit) in you to help you be more like Christ.
Jesus Christ was on a mission of love. His purpose was to love us so much that He would lay down His life for us. We have a mission, too. Our mission is to love people so much that we will tell them the good news about what Jesus did. There is hope! There is forgiveness! There is a new life we can live through the Holy Spirit! God did not stay aloof to our predicament; He invaded our flesh and blood and altered it for eternity!
Tell it on the mountain or over the hill—tell it everywhere: Jesus Christ is born, and because of it, nothing is the same!
PDL
John Fischer
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news of peace and salvation! (Isaiah 52:7 NLT)
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere.
Go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!
Jesus had a purpose when He came to earth. He was a man on a mission. He knew where He came from, where He was going, and what He came here to do. He never doubted it once, except when He was in the garden, and even then, He didn’t doubt His mission, He only struggled with the reality of completing it. We are all eternally grateful that, when faced with His darkest hour, Christ chose God’s will instead of His own. He was able to make that choice because He was a man on a mission, and in the end, the mission won out.
Christmas is, at its heart, the celebration of an invasion. God invaded earth. Not content to just stay in heaven, God came to earth in human form to overcome the evil in our lives and reclaim the good. Because Christ was born and He accomplished His mission, there is help from above—help only God could bring. Jesus Christ has joined the human caravan. Creator became created. Adam and Eve passed on to us their propensity toward sinning. It’s in our DNA. But Christ is the new Adam. He was born of a virgin, a child of the earth, but born through a seed that was conceived of God. The result is a man, fully human, but with God’s DNA in His veins. Only this perfect blood could atone for the sins of the world. Only this life could be an acceptable sacrifice.
And we have become partakers of this new life by faith. This is what it means to be born again—to be born into a new bloodline through Christ, and have God’s DNA (the Holy Spirit) in you to help you be more like Christ.
Jesus Christ was on a mission of love. His purpose was to love us so much that He would lay down His life for us. We have a mission, too. Our mission is to love people so much that we will tell them the good news about what Jesus did. There is hope! There is forgiveness! There is a new life we can live through the Holy Spirit! God did not stay aloof to our predicament; He invaded our flesh and blood and altered it for eternity!
Tell it on the mountain or over the hill—tell it everywhere: Jesus Christ is born, and because of it, nothing is the same!
PDL
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Mary and Joseph
John Fischer
Mary: Joseph, my beloved, come walk with me a while;
I have something to share with you this evening.
An angel of God has appeared unto me,
And this is the greeting that he gave me:
“The Spirit of God has overcome you
And you shall bear His child.
And you shall call His name, Jesus,
For He’ll save His people from sin.”
Joseph: Mary, O Mary, how can this be true?
How can I believe the words you’re saying?
I’ve kept you a virgin, but now you are with child.
How can I be sure you are not lying?
Mary: Joseph, O Joseph, I’ve loved no other man,
And I serve only one God, Jehovah.
Please know I am not deceiving you,
I am only believing in His promise.
“The Spirit of God has overcome me,
And I shall bear His child.
And I shall call His name, Jesus,
For He’ll save His people from sin.”
Joseph: Mary, my beloved, come walk with me a while,
I have something to share with you this morning.
An angel of God has appeared unto me,
And this is the greeting that He gave me:
“The Spirit of God has overcome her
And she will bear His child.
And you shall call His name, Jesus,
For He’ll save His people from sin.”
Mary: “The Spirit of God has overcome me
And I shall bear His child.
Both: And we shall call His name, Jesus,
For He’ll save His people from sin.”
This incredible trial of faith has been dramatized in many ways since that first Christmas, but this rendition by singer/songwriter Pam Mark Hall is especially poignant. It captures the risk Mary took to remain true to the word delivered to her by the angel of the Lord, and the difficulty Joseph had believing her. It’s unclear how long she had this news without it being confirmed by Joseph’s own angelic encounter. It was long enough for him to attempt to break off the engagement (Matthew 1:19).
Mary must have been tempted at times to doubt her own memory of that heavenly visit, especially when trying to explain things to Joseph and face the inevitable public disgrace. The questions and accusations, both spoken and unspoken, must have been a challenge. She must have wished, at times, that everyone in town had received a visit by the same angel. Still, she was content knowing the quiet miracle was growing inside her.
There is a quiet miracle growing inside all who believe. Christ has been reborn in us by faith. Trust in the miracle. Draw on His presence today. And like Mary, believe it in spite of the fact that not everyone receives the same information.
PDL
John Fischer
Mary: Joseph, my beloved, come walk with me a while;
I have something to share with you this evening.
An angel of God has appeared unto me,
And this is the greeting that he gave me:
“The Spirit of God has overcome you
And you shall bear His child.
And you shall call His name, Jesus,
For He’ll save His people from sin.”
Joseph: Mary, O Mary, how can this be true?
How can I believe the words you’re saying?
I’ve kept you a virgin, but now you are with child.
How can I be sure you are not lying?
Mary: Joseph, O Joseph, I’ve loved no other man,
And I serve only one God, Jehovah.
Please know I am not deceiving you,
I am only believing in His promise.
“The Spirit of God has overcome me,
And I shall bear His child.
And I shall call His name, Jesus,
For He’ll save His people from sin.”
Joseph: Mary, my beloved, come walk with me a while,
I have something to share with you this morning.
An angel of God has appeared unto me,
And this is the greeting that He gave me:
“The Spirit of God has overcome her
And she will bear His child.
And you shall call His name, Jesus,
For He’ll save His people from sin.”
Mary: “The Spirit of God has overcome me
And I shall bear His child.
Both: And we shall call His name, Jesus,
For He’ll save His people from sin.”
This incredible trial of faith has been dramatized in many ways since that first Christmas, but this rendition by singer/songwriter Pam Mark Hall is especially poignant. It captures the risk Mary took to remain true to the word delivered to her by the angel of the Lord, and the difficulty Joseph had believing her. It’s unclear how long she had this news without it being confirmed by Joseph’s own angelic encounter. It was long enough for him to attempt to break off the engagement (Matthew 1:19).
Mary must have been tempted at times to doubt her own memory of that heavenly visit, especially when trying to explain things to Joseph and face the inevitable public disgrace. The questions and accusations, both spoken and unspoken, must have been a challenge. She must have wished, at times, that everyone in town had received a visit by the same angel. Still, she was content knowing the quiet miracle was growing inside her.
There is a quiet miracle growing inside all who believe. Christ has been reborn in us by faith. Trust in the miracle. Draw on His presence today. And like Mary, believe it in spite of the fact that not everyone receives the same information.
PDL
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Christmas is Coming
Cathy Irvin
I am like a child in a candy shop or a toy store when it comes to Christmas. I can hardly be still and wait for its arrival. I like buying for my family and friends. I love to decorate and plan for my family to come over and enjoy the holidays with me. I like going to my church to hear a concert, seeing a Christmas drama with friends and family etc. There is so much to do.
There have been some trying situations in this past year. My sister went to be with the Lord, and then there is the family problem that needs help with after the holidays, and a trip I had to cancel because of a check that didn’t arrive in time. Yet for me those things can’t steal my joy this season because I just won’t let them.
I really believe in God’s Word when it says He gives us peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). I know we are not to live our lives by what we see in the natural or by our feelings. If so, our emotions would dictate to us daily. We would be living in a carnal state of mind rather than being led by the Holy Spirit. It helps to think about all the good things in my life, and how we should reflect on our blessings not our shortcomings.
My Thanksgiving holiday was wonderful. I knew how blessed I was since my son cooked all the turkey and trimmings. “Emeril” the famous chef couldn’t have done it better) and I was able to share time with family and friends. I decorated my entire home before Thanksgiving this year since I was going to help decorate my church a few days afterwards. That was a special time for me since I enjoy decorating so much, especially at Christmas.
The joy to me at Christmas is thinking about the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, came to save us and that is the greatest gift of all, our salvation. That gift is like opening a great big package that you can share with all you come in contact with … it’s the gift of His love.
I find it is so much easier to share His love at Christmas. So if you are feeling kind of down, let your spirit be lifted up by reaching out to those around you, sharing what you have, even if it may seem little to you.
The spirit of Christmas is the “JOY” that we can have all year round. Joy and peace are mine to have everyday. Remember to think like a little child and sense all the excitement in the air, because “Christmas is coming.”
cbn
Cathy Irvin
I am like a child in a candy shop or a toy store when it comes to Christmas. I can hardly be still and wait for its arrival. I like buying for my family and friends. I love to decorate and plan for my family to come over and enjoy the holidays with me. I like going to my church to hear a concert, seeing a Christmas drama with friends and family etc. There is so much to do.
There have been some trying situations in this past year. My sister went to be with the Lord, and then there is the family problem that needs help with after the holidays, and a trip I had to cancel because of a check that didn’t arrive in time. Yet for me those things can’t steal my joy this season because I just won’t let them.
I really believe in God’s Word when it says He gives us peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). I know we are not to live our lives by what we see in the natural or by our feelings. If so, our emotions would dictate to us daily. We would be living in a carnal state of mind rather than being led by the Holy Spirit. It helps to think about all the good things in my life, and how we should reflect on our blessings not our shortcomings.
My Thanksgiving holiday was wonderful. I knew how blessed I was since my son cooked all the turkey and trimmings. “Emeril” the famous chef couldn’t have done it better) and I was able to share time with family and friends. I decorated my entire home before Thanksgiving this year since I was going to help decorate my church a few days afterwards. That was a special time for me since I enjoy decorating so much, especially at Christmas.
The joy to me at Christmas is thinking about the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, came to save us and that is the greatest gift of all, our salvation. That gift is like opening a great big package that you can share with all you come in contact with … it’s the gift of His love.
I find it is so much easier to share His love at Christmas. So if you are feeling kind of down, let your spirit be lifted up by reaching out to those around you, sharing what you have, even if it may seem little to you.
The spirit of Christmas is the “JOY” that we can have all year round. Joy and peace are mine to have everyday. Remember to think like a little child and sense all the excitement in the air, because “Christmas is coming.”
cbn
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
The Real Meaning Of Christmas
Martha Noebel
It's that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of "Merry Christmas" to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas? For many people, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don't have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmas time when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish and not a reality for some.
Yet, Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child.
Luke 2: 4-19 says:
"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."
Why did He come? Why did God send His son to this sometimes cruel and hard world? He sent Jesus to us so that one day, He would grow up to become a very important part of history. His story (history) is one of truth, love, and hope. It brought salvation to all of us. Without Jesus, we would all die in our sins.
Jesus was born so one day the price could be paid for the things we have done that are wrong. The Bible says that all have sinned. We are all born with a sin nature. We do things that do not please God. Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so He could die on the cross for ALL of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. We can know that heaven is a place where we can go to when this life is over.
"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong." I John 1:9
We can truly be happy at Christmas! No matter what may be happening, we can know that we are His children. We then become sons and daughters of God. Heaven will be our home one day.
Look at Christmas in a new way this year. This is the year to invite Jesus into your heart. You will then have a "Merry Christmas." The joy and peace you will receive will last all year as you look to God for all your needs to be met.
Jesus Is The Reason For The Season! Rejoice!
cbn
Martha Noebel
It's that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of "Merry Christmas" to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas? For many people, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don't have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmas time when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish and not a reality for some.
Yet, Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child.
Luke 2: 4-19 says:
"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."
Why did He come? Why did God send His son to this sometimes cruel and hard world? He sent Jesus to us so that one day, He would grow up to become a very important part of history. His story (history) is one of truth, love, and hope. It brought salvation to all of us. Without Jesus, we would all die in our sins.
Jesus was born so one day the price could be paid for the things we have done that are wrong. The Bible says that all have sinned. We are all born with a sin nature. We do things that do not please God. Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so He could die on the cross for ALL of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. We can know that heaven is a place where we can go to when this life is over.
"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong." I John 1:9
We can truly be happy at Christmas! No matter what may be happening, we can know that we are His children. We then become sons and daughters of God. Heaven will be our home one day.
Look at Christmas in a new way this year. This is the year to invite Jesus into your heart. You will then have a "Merry Christmas." The joy and peace you will receive will last all year as you look to God for all your needs to be met.
Jesus Is The Reason For The Season! Rejoice!
cbn
Monday, December 20, 2004
TIME-TRAVELING TOURISTS
Micah 5:1-5
1 Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel's ruler on the cheek with a rod. 2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 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." 3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of His brothers return to join the Israelites. 4 He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. 5 And He will be their peace.
Online travel sites are doing big business. Booking flights and hotels on the Web is fast, easy, and usually less expensive. Book an Alaskan cruise, Amazon adventure, African safari, or an Australian walkabout from your own computer. And if any of those travel sites ever figure out how to add a time-travel option, the tourism industry will never be the same!
Can you imagine traveling back to see real gladiators fight to the death? To ride the steppes with Attila the Hun? To witness the coronation of Queen Victoria? What about crossing the Red Sea with the Israelites? Helping to bring down the walls of Jericho? Or walking the streets of Bethlehem the night Peace came to earth in the form of a baby boy?
Without the birth of Jesus on its time-travel itinerary, Bethlehem probably wouldn't see too many time-traveling tourists. The virgin, the manger, the swaddling clothes, and the Incarnate Creator put Bethlehem on the map of history like nothing else ever could. But for people who knew prophecy, the Messiah's arrival was expected.
The prophet Micah shone a spotlight on Bethlehem when he wrote, "But you, Bethlehem . . . , out of you will come for Me One who will be Ruler over Israel . . . . He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord . . . . And He will be their peace" (5:2-5). This ancient travel ad pointed the way to a small town that would be the cradle of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Take a trip to Bethlehem in your mind this Christmas. Read the accounts of Jesus' birth again, or maybe for the first time. Picture yourself with the shepherds as they received the heavenly message that the Messiah had come. Imagine what it would've been like around the manger that night--to gaze at the tiny Son of God. The Baby of Bethlehem was born for you. --Tracy Carbaugh
DESTINATION POINTS
* How do I plan to celebrate Jesus' birth this Christmas?
* What makes Jesus' birth important to me?
bottom line: Jesus stepped into time to give us hope.
soul journey
Micah 5:1-5
1 Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel's ruler on the cheek with a rod. 2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 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." 3 Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of His brothers return to join the Israelites. 4 He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. 5 And He will be their peace.
Online travel sites are doing big business. Booking flights and hotels on the Web is fast, easy, and usually less expensive. Book an Alaskan cruise, Amazon adventure, African safari, or an Australian walkabout from your own computer. And if any of those travel sites ever figure out how to add a time-travel option, the tourism industry will never be the same!
Can you imagine traveling back to see real gladiators fight to the death? To ride the steppes with Attila the Hun? To witness the coronation of Queen Victoria? What about crossing the Red Sea with the Israelites? Helping to bring down the walls of Jericho? Or walking the streets of Bethlehem the night Peace came to earth in the form of a baby boy?
Without the birth of Jesus on its time-travel itinerary, Bethlehem probably wouldn't see too many time-traveling tourists. The virgin, the manger, the swaddling clothes, and the Incarnate Creator put Bethlehem on the map of history like nothing else ever could. But for people who knew prophecy, the Messiah's arrival was expected.
The prophet Micah shone a spotlight on Bethlehem when he wrote, "But you, Bethlehem . . . , out of you will come for Me One who will be Ruler over Israel . . . . He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord . . . . And He will be their peace" (5:2-5). This ancient travel ad pointed the way to a small town that would be the cradle of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Take a trip to Bethlehem in your mind this Christmas. Read the accounts of Jesus' birth again, or maybe for the first time. Picture yourself with the shepherds as they received the heavenly message that the Messiah had come. Imagine what it would've been like around the manger that night--to gaze at the tiny Son of God. The Baby of Bethlehem was born for you. --Tracy Carbaugh
DESTINATION POINTS
* How do I plan to celebrate Jesus' birth this Christmas?
* What makes Jesus' birth important to me?
bottom line: Jesus stepped into time to give us hope.
soul journey
Sunday, December 19, 2004
Priceless Gift
John Fischer
Gift of service: Warm a cold heart with a warm blanket. Price: $35.00.
Gift of encouragement: Take flowers to a friend battling cancer. Price: $50.00.
Gift of leadership: Lead a group into a terrain they have never traveled before. Price of gas and lunch for 20: $300.
Gift of Christ to your next-door neighbor: Priceless.
Christmas is all about gift giving—making lists of gifts, purchasing gifts, wrapping gifts, giving gifts and opening gifts (and probably returning some). All of this is because of one priceless gift given to the human race two thousand years ago—the gift of God’s Son. And this gift came about as the result of God’s unfathomable mercy and grace. He did not have to do this. Nothing in us required it. He decided to be merciful to His own creation made in His image—all of us having turned our backs on Him and gone our own way.
Somehow we got fortunate. It’s definitely not because we’re cute. There is no merit here—nothing we deserve. Grace is getting what you don’t deserve; mercy is not getting what you do deserve. We have been given both. We don’t deserve anything from God except punishment for our sins, and what did He do? His mercy up and cancelled the punishment so His grace could give us life. Two priceless gifts. One awesome God. What can we do except be filled with gratitude and mimic His gift giving to the extent of our creativity and our resources.
And while we’re at it, let’s think of a spiritual gift we can give, too, based on what has been given to us. Regardless of our material resources, we all are rich in spiritual ones. Give this some thought. Think of your spiritual gift and how you might turn it into an intentional present for someone this Christmas season. Make it something you can plan and accomplish as a deliberate act. Put a bow around it if needs be.
Christmas is spiritual, full of gifts and gift giving. Let’s not forget to give the gift of Christ to someone this Christmas. It’s priceless.
PDL
John Fischer
Gift of service: Warm a cold heart with a warm blanket. Price: $35.00.
Gift of encouragement: Take flowers to a friend battling cancer. Price: $50.00.
Gift of leadership: Lead a group into a terrain they have never traveled before. Price of gas and lunch for 20: $300.
Gift of Christ to your next-door neighbor: Priceless.
Christmas is all about gift giving—making lists of gifts, purchasing gifts, wrapping gifts, giving gifts and opening gifts (and probably returning some). All of this is because of one priceless gift given to the human race two thousand years ago—the gift of God’s Son. And this gift came about as the result of God’s unfathomable mercy and grace. He did not have to do this. Nothing in us required it. He decided to be merciful to His own creation made in His image—all of us having turned our backs on Him and gone our own way.
Somehow we got fortunate. It’s definitely not because we’re cute. There is no merit here—nothing we deserve. Grace is getting what you don’t deserve; mercy is not getting what you do deserve. We have been given both. We don’t deserve anything from God except punishment for our sins, and what did He do? His mercy up and cancelled the punishment so His grace could give us life. Two priceless gifts. One awesome God. What can we do except be filled with gratitude and mimic His gift giving to the extent of our creativity and our resources.
And while we’re at it, let’s think of a spiritual gift we can give, too, based on what has been given to us. Regardless of our material resources, we all are rich in spiritual ones. Give this some thought. Think of your spiritual gift and how you might turn it into an intentional present for someone this Christmas season. Make it something you can plan and accomplish as a deliberate act. Put a bow around it if needs be.
Christmas is spiritual, full of gifts and gift giving. Let’s not forget to give the gift of Christ to someone this Christmas. It’s priceless.
PDL
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Wise Men Still Seek Him
John Fischer
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. (Proverbs 25:2 NIV)
I normally don’t like bumper stickers, especially with Christian slogans, because they so often seem to trivialize the message, but one exception stands out. It used to show up around Christmas time, though I haven’t seen it for a while. It is the simple but profound assertion: WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM.
I like this because it says at least two things. 1) Those who seek God are wise. God affirms the dignity of the searcher and the search. The fact that God has set it up this way—has concealed His matters and invited us to search for Him—confirms our nobility. It says we have enough smarts to look for Him and recognize Him when we find Him. In fact, the proverb above puts the searcher in the realm of kings. It’s a noble task to seek after God.
2) Those who seek God are given the benefit of the doubt, that if they seek Him, they will find Him. This is actually a promise in scripture: “…He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). This is why those of us who already know Him don’t have to jump all over those who are seeking when they get something wrong or don’t put it in exactly the right words. If they are truly seeking, they will find Him, and it will be God who opens their eyes anyway. We need to respect the search of those we know who are seeking and not get impatient with them or think of them as stupid for not seeing what we see. When it’s time, they will.
This may mean you might have to bite your tongue a little bit and not say everything you know all the time. Better to listen for those parts of the truth the seeker has already found and affirm them. Jesus didn’t spill all the beans as soon as He started preaching. He let a little bit out at a time. He talked in code (parables). He asked a lot of questions. He protected the search. He didn’t give what was sacred to dogs or throw out pearls to pigs. He always said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” and then He went on to not say everything. He made them hang on His words and come back for more. All of this protects not only the dignity of the search and the searcher, but also the dignity of the truth.
It really should be this way; otherwise we could just put it all on a bumper sticker.
PDL
John Fischer
It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. (Proverbs 25:2 NIV)
I normally don’t like bumper stickers, especially with Christian slogans, because they so often seem to trivialize the message, but one exception stands out. It used to show up around Christmas time, though I haven’t seen it for a while. It is the simple but profound assertion: WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM.
I like this because it says at least two things. 1) Those who seek God are wise. God affirms the dignity of the searcher and the search. The fact that God has set it up this way—has concealed His matters and invited us to search for Him—confirms our nobility. It says we have enough smarts to look for Him and recognize Him when we find Him. In fact, the proverb above puts the searcher in the realm of kings. It’s a noble task to seek after God.
2) Those who seek God are given the benefit of the doubt, that if they seek Him, they will find Him. This is actually a promise in scripture: “…He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). This is why those of us who already know Him don’t have to jump all over those who are seeking when they get something wrong or don’t put it in exactly the right words. If they are truly seeking, they will find Him, and it will be God who opens their eyes anyway. We need to respect the search of those we know who are seeking and not get impatient with them or think of them as stupid for not seeing what we see. When it’s time, they will.
This may mean you might have to bite your tongue a little bit and not say everything you know all the time. Better to listen for those parts of the truth the seeker has already found and affirm them. Jesus didn’t spill all the beans as soon as He started preaching. He let a little bit out at a time. He talked in code (parables). He asked a lot of questions. He protected the search. He didn’t give what was sacred to dogs or throw out pearls to pigs. He always said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” and then He went on to not say everything. He made them hang on His words and come back for more. All of this protects not only the dignity of the search and the searcher, but also the dignity of the truth.
It really should be this way; otherwise we could just put it all on a bumper sticker.
PDL
Thursday, December 16, 2004
God's-eye View
John Fischer
For now we see through a glass, darkly… (1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV)
I had a mentor once who loved to teach about faith from a 20-foot long timeline of Bible history that he used as a powerful visual effect. He would roll out this room-sized diagram with a long line from Adam and Eve to the present day. On it, at appropriate spots, he would place little figures representing some of the well-known characters of the Bible such as Abraham, Moses, David, Ezekiel, and Paul. Then he would walk over to where, say, Moses was, turn him toward the future, and place a dark pane of glass right in front of his nose.
“This is how much Moses could see when he looked this way,” he would say, and because we had the perspective of the rest of the timeline, we could understand Moses’ dilemma, but also gain strength from what we knew lay ahead of him that he couldn’t see. In other words, in relation to Moses, we had more of a God’s-eye view of things.
Though Moses could not see into the future, there were two directions he could look, both of which were useful to his faith and in turn are useful to ours. He could look back and see how God had been faithful in his own life up until then, and, most importantly, he could look up to God and put his trust in the one who sees all.
The obvious lesson here is that we are in a similar place. We can only look back to the past and up to God, and remember there is a God’s-eye view of this; we just can’t see it right now. He knows what He’s doing and how the events of our lives fit into His overall purposes for us, and those around us. He sees reasons we have no access to. He sees a plan that looks at best murky from our point of view. But the future, and God’s purposes for us, and the reliability of His promises are no less reliable than they were to Moses. In fact, we have the huge benefit of much more history than Moses ever had—the fulfillment of things he could only dream about.
So just remember, whatever you are going through today, or wondering about in relation to tomorrow, there is a God’s-eye view of this. Look up.
PDL
John Fischer
For now we see through a glass, darkly… (1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV)
I had a mentor once who loved to teach about faith from a 20-foot long timeline of Bible history that he used as a powerful visual effect. He would roll out this room-sized diagram with a long line from Adam and Eve to the present day. On it, at appropriate spots, he would place little figures representing some of the well-known characters of the Bible such as Abraham, Moses, David, Ezekiel, and Paul. Then he would walk over to where, say, Moses was, turn him toward the future, and place a dark pane of glass right in front of his nose.
“This is how much Moses could see when he looked this way,” he would say, and because we had the perspective of the rest of the timeline, we could understand Moses’ dilemma, but also gain strength from what we knew lay ahead of him that he couldn’t see. In other words, in relation to Moses, we had more of a God’s-eye view of things.
Though Moses could not see into the future, there were two directions he could look, both of which were useful to his faith and in turn are useful to ours. He could look back and see how God had been faithful in his own life up until then, and, most importantly, he could look up to God and put his trust in the one who sees all.
The obvious lesson here is that we are in a similar place. We can only look back to the past and up to God, and remember there is a God’s-eye view of this; we just can’t see it right now. He knows what He’s doing and how the events of our lives fit into His overall purposes for us, and those around us. He sees reasons we have no access to. He sees a plan that looks at best murky from our point of view. But the future, and God’s purposes for us, and the reliability of His promises are no less reliable than they were to Moses. In fact, we have the huge benefit of much more history than Moses ever had—the fulfillment of things he could only dream about.
So just remember, whatever you are going through today, or wondering about in relation to tomorrow, there is a God’s-eye view of this. Look up.
PDL
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Small Group Fellowship
John Fischer
It occurs to me that the first fellowship group around Christ is probably represented somewhere in your house right now. It has some common shepherds in peasant’s clothes, three princes in royal robes, a man and a woman holding a newborn baby, and a random assortment of farm animals seeking shelter in a run down barn. We have ours actually on the windowsill in the dining room because there was no room for them in the living room.
That these figures represent two different visits roughly two years apart in two different locations isn’t a concern for today’s reflections. Taken together they constitute the first welcoming committee and, in a way, the first small group brought together by Jesus. They are the only people we know about, aside from Mary and Joseph, who had any clue what was going on with this miraculous birth. An angel had told the shepherds; the magi had deduced it from the stars.
They represented most likely Jews and Arabs, perhaps multiple races, a broad social class division, different nationalities and religions, and a large gap in intellectual knowledge. And there they were gathered around Jesus, and the one thing they had in common is that they were invited. They all heard from God. They were hand picked for the occasion. I wonder if you could call this the first small group fellowship.
Given that it was the first fellowship group, what do you suppose they talked about? I can imagine they talked about how they got there—what the angel said, how the stars were positioned in the sky, what the ancient books of knowledge indicated, or how their ears were still ringing from the angelic choir. They must have heard some of the story from Mary and Joseph and they would have been trying to put all the pieces together, while still left with plenty of pieces that didn’t fit. But most of all, I believe they were filled with wonder over why were they were there and not someone else.
Today, we’re still gathering together around Jesus. We’re amazed that He invited us. We’re telling stories about how we came to know about Him, and we’re talking a lot about how our lives have never been the same since. We’ve been thrown together from all walks of life with one thing in common. We, too, don’t have all the pieces together, but we are most amazed that among all the people in the world, He would choose us.
PDL
John Fischer
It occurs to me that the first fellowship group around Christ is probably represented somewhere in your house right now. It has some common shepherds in peasant’s clothes, three princes in royal robes, a man and a woman holding a newborn baby, and a random assortment of farm animals seeking shelter in a run down barn. We have ours actually on the windowsill in the dining room because there was no room for them in the living room.
That these figures represent two different visits roughly two years apart in two different locations isn’t a concern for today’s reflections. Taken together they constitute the first welcoming committee and, in a way, the first small group brought together by Jesus. They are the only people we know about, aside from Mary and Joseph, who had any clue what was going on with this miraculous birth. An angel had told the shepherds; the magi had deduced it from the stars.
They represented most likely Jews and Arabs, perhaps multiple races, a broad social class division, different nationalities and religions, and a large gap in intellectual knowledge. And there they were gathered around Jesus, and the one thing they had in common is that they were invited. They all heard from God. They were hand picked for the occasion. I wonder if you could call this the first small group fellowship.
Given that it was the first fellowship group, what do you suppose they talked about? I can imagine they talked about how they got there—what the angel said, how the stars were positioned in the sky, what the ancient books of knowledge indicated, or how their ears were still ringing from the angelic choir. They must have heard some of the story from Mary and Joseph and they would have been trying to put all the pieces together, while still left with plenty of pieces that didn’t fit. But most of all, I believe they were filled with wonder over why were they were there and not someone else.
Today, we’re still gathering together around Jesus. We’re amazed that He invited us. We’re telling stories about how we came to know about Him, and we’re talking a lot about how our lives have never been the same since. We’ve been thrown together from all walks of life with one thing in common. We, too, don’t have all the pieces together, but we are most amazed that among all the people in the world, He would choose us.
PDL
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
A Heavenly Strategic Planning Session
And the Lord said, "Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gileadand going to his death there?" One suggested this, and another that.1 Kings 22:20
There are few times we get a glimpse of what goes on in Heaven. Here is one instance when the angels were conferring with the Lord about the judgment of King Ahab for his sin and who was going to set up Ahab fort his judgment.
If God wanted to use you to impact your world for Jesus Christ, what circumstances would have to be created in order for you to respond to His call? Would prospering you materially encourage you to this end? Would a major change in what you are presently doing be necessary? What would your response be should God and the angels conclude that the onlyway to move you into a position of fulfilling God's purposes was toremove some things that might be very dear to you? Would you agree withtheir plan if you knew this would be the only way you would achieve the purposes for which God made you? Hard questions, aren't they?
This is the very thing God does in many who have been called for aspecial mission. Moses had to be stripped of his royal position in the family of Egypt and sit in the desert for 40 years. The apostle Paul had to be knocked off his horse, blinded, and receive a personal visitation from Jesus. The 12 disciples had to leave their jobs for three years to follow Christ. Imagine what kind of disruption this had on their lives.There are many examples of God bringing major upheaval in the lives of those He called for His purposes. Why?
The reason is that we do not seek God with a whole heart in times of prosperity and comfort. Prosperity and comfort tend to breed complacency and satisfaction. It is rare to find the man or woman who seeks God with a whole heart who does so simply from a grateful heart. We often must have pain or crisis to motivate us. Eventually, that crisis bridges usto a new calling, and we embrace that calling if we are open to the Holy Spirit's work in us. We can actually thank God for the change that was required to get us to this place, but it is not without anguish of heart.
Would you be willing to sit in the strategic planning session for yourlife and agree with the plans God has for your life? Could you give Godcomplete freedom to implement that plan, no matter the cost? Ask God to give you the grace and trust in His love for you to say "yes."
TGIF
And the Lord said, "Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gileadand going to his death there?" One suggested this, and another that.1 Kings 22:20
There are few times we get a glimpse of what goes on in Heaven. Here is one instance when the angels were conferring with the Lord about the judgment of King Ahab for his sin and who was going to set up Ahab fort his judgment.
If God wanted to use you to impact your world for Jesus Christ, what circumstances would have to be created in order for you to respond to His call? Would prospering you materially encourage you to this end? Would a major change in what you are presently doing be necessary? What would your response be should God and the angels conclude that the onlyway to move you into a position of fulfilling God's purposes was toremove some things that might be very dear to you? Would you agree withtheir plan if you knew this would be the only way you would achieve the purposes for which God made you? Hard questions, aren't they?
This is the very thing God does in many who have been called for aspecial mission. Moses had to be stripped of his royal position in the family of Egypt and sit in the desert for 40 years. The apostle Paul had to be knocked off his horse, blinded, and receive a personal visitation from Jesus. The 12 disciples had to leave their jobs for three years to follow Christ. Imagine what kind of disruption this had on their lives.There are many examples of God bringing major upheaval in the lives of those He called for His purposes. Why?
The reason is that we do not seek God with a whole heart in times of prosperity and comfort. Prosperity and comfort tend to breed complacency and satisfaction. It is rare to find the man or woman who seeks God with a whole heart who does so simply from a grateful heart. We often must have pain or crisis to motivate us. Eventually, that crisis bridges usto a new calling, and we embrace that calling if we are open to the Holy Spirit's work in us. We can actually thank God for the change that was required to get us to this place, but it is not without anguish of heart.
Would you be willing to sit in the strategic planning session for yourlife and agree with the plans God has for your life? Could you give Godcomplete freedom to implement that plan, no matter the cost? Ask God to give you the grace and trust in His love for you to say "yes."
TGIF
Monday, December 13, 2004
TRACING THE ROOTS OF WAR
Romans 5:12-15
12 Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the One to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
A glance at a history book is all it takes to know that war has been humanity's persistent companion for many millennia. The 20th century with its grisly conflicts over ideology, religion, and colonialism may be behind us, but as events in Iraq showed all too clearly, war is still around. In 2002, according to Worldwatch Institute, a total of 45 wars and violent conflicts were raging around the globe, with a cumulative cost of more than 7 million lives.
It takes just a glance at the Bible to see where the roots of war come from--one man's decision to disobey God. When Adam sinned, wars began. Humanity vs. God wars; husband vs. wife wars; mother vs. daughter wars; father vs. son wars; and nation vs. nation wars are results of Adam and Eve's attempt to live apart from God.
Paul reminded us that this one man, Adam, brought death to everyone through his sin. Therefore, all death--by war, violent crimes, or natural and accidental causes--can be traced back to the decision of our first parents to disobey God.
There are little conflicts raging in the hearts of people all around the globe. The cumulative cost is the loss of the most precious relationship in the world--peace with God. Though the war was waged and is raging in the lives of people all around the world due to one man's disobedience, the conflict can be resolved through one Man's obedience, thereby giving life and peace to many. By faith in Jesus, God gives us those indescribable gifts.
To maintain the life and peace that comes from a relationship with Jesus, we must submit to the power of the Holy Spirit each day (Galatians 5:16-18). We must let Him win the personal wars of sexual immorality, impure thoughts, idolatry, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions--and all other cravings of our sinful nature--through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. --Marvin Williams
DESTINATION POINTS
* Have I experienced peace with God through faith in Jesus? When did I receive Him as my Savior?
* As a Jesus-follower, what is my most intense spiritual conflict right now?
* How can I submit to the Holy Spirit more this week?
LINKS:
Finding Peace In A World Of Racial Conflict
bottom line: The roots of peace are nourished in faith.
soul journey
Romans 5:12-15
12 Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--13 for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the One to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
A glance at a history book is all it takes to know that war has been humanity's persistent companion for many millennia. The 20th century with its grisly conflicts over ideology, religion, and colonialism may be behind us, but as events in Iraq showed all too clearly, war is still around. In 2002, according to Worldwatch Institute, a total of 45 wars and violent conflicts were raging around the globe, with a cumulative cost of more than 7 million lives.
It takes just a glance at the Bible to see where the roots of war come from--one man's decision to disobey God. When Adam sinned, wars began. Humanity vs. God wars; husband vs. wife wars; mother vs. daughter wars; father vs. son wars; and nation vs. nation wars are results of Adam and Eve's attempt to live apart from God.
Paul reminded us that this one man, Adam, brought death to everyone through his sin. Therefore, all death--by war, violent crimes, or natural and accidental causes--can be traced back to the decision of our first parents to disobey God.
There are little conflicts raging in the hearts of people all around the globe. The cumulative cost is the loss of the most precious relationship in the world--peace with God. Though the war was waged and is raging in the lives of people all around the world due to one man's disobedience, the conflict can be resolved through one Man's obedience, thereby giving life and peace to many. By faith in Jesus, God gives us those indescribable gifts.
To maintain the life and peace that comes from a relationship with Jesus, we must submit to the power of the Holy Spirit each day (Galatians 5:16-18). We must let Him win the personal wars of sexual immorality, impure thoughts, idolatry, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions--and all other cravings of our sinful nature--through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. --Marvin Williams
DESTINATION POINTS
* Have I experienced peace with God through faith in Jesus? When did I receive Him as my Savior?
* As a Jesus-follower, what is my most intense spiritual conflict right now?
* How can I submit to the Holy Spirit more this week?
LINKS:
Finding Peace In A World Of Racial Conflict
bottom line: The roots of peace are nourished in faith.
soul journey
Sunday, December 12, 2004
RUNAWAY LEADER
Exodus 4:10-15
10 Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." 11 The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." 13 But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." 14 Then the Lord's anger burned against Moses and He said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.
I used to joke with my close friends about being a world-class runaway. If I was making plans to get married, I would probably wear track shoes and bolt from the altar like Julia Roberts did in the movie Runaway Bride.
I guess it's not so much the commitment that I have a problem with, but rather my opinion of my ability. When I was in college, the leader of our campus ministry wanted me to take over his position. I rejected the task because I felt I was not up to it and was also afraid I couldn't juggle studies with ministry demands. When involved in Overseas Christian Fellowship while pursuing my degree in Australia, I was approached to help out on the student committee.Again, out of fear, I turned down the request.
As I look back, I realize how many opportunities I have missed to serve the Lord because I wasn't looking at the task from His perspective.
We read in today's Bible passage that Moses angered the Lord with his refusal to take up the task God had appointed him to do (Exodus 4:14). The Lord had to send Moses' brother, Aaron, to help him because Moses felt he was not eloquent. (I wonder how Moses could have been slow of speech, for he had been educated in Pharaoh's court; see Acts 7:22.)
I believe that Moses was "once bitten, twice shy." After his failed attempt to "save" his people from the Egyptians, he ran away to be a shepherd in the desert of Midian (Exodus 2:11-15). Then the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush and called him to the task again. Moses became afraid and lost confidence in his ability. He failed to realize that God is the one who enables those He calls.
Let's not falter because of our fears, but rather depend on God whom we can trust. He can take away our runaway tendencies and give us a quiet confidence for the journey. --Joanna Lim
DESTINATION POINTS
* As I read Moses' story in Exodus 2-4, what do I learn about God's calling of Moses?
* When was the last time I was approached to do something I felt was beyond my ability?
* When I serve in church, do I depend on God's strength or on my own talent and abilities?
LINKS:
How Can I Be More Confident About My Work?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/questions/confidentwork.html
bottom line: Do God's work God's way.
soul journey
Exodus 4:10-15
10 Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." 11 The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." 13 But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." 14 Then the Lord's anger burned against Moses and He said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.
I used to joke with my close friends about being a world-class runaway. If I was making plans to get married, I would probably wear track shoes and bolt from the altar like Julia Roberts did in the movie Runaway Bride.
I guess it's not so much the commitment that I have a problem with, but rather my opinion of my ability. When I was in college, the leader of our campus ministry wanted me to take over his position. I rejected the task because I felt I was not up to it and was also afraid I couldn't juggle studies with ministry demands. When involved in Overseas Christian Fellowship while pursuing my degree in Australia, I was approached to help out on the student committee.Again, out of fear, I turned down the request.
As I look back, I realize how many opportunities I have missed to serve the Lord because I wasn't looking at the task from His perspective.
We read in today's Bible passage that Moses angered the Lord with his refusal to take up the task God had appointed him to do (Exodus 4:14). The Lord had to send Moses' brother, Aaron, to help him because Moses felt he was not eloquent. (I wonder how Moses could have been slow of speech, for he had been educated in Pharaoh's court; see Acts 7:22.)
I believe that Moses was "once bitten, twice shy." After his failed attempt to "save" his people from the Egyptians, he ran away to be a shepherd in the desert of Midian (Exodus 2:11-15). Then the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush and called him to the task again. Moses became afraid and lost confidence in his ability. He failed to realize that God is the one who enables those He calls.
Let's not falter because of our fears, but rather depend on God whom we can trust. He can take away our runaway tendencies and give us a quiet confidence for the journey. --Joanna Lim
DESTINATION POINTS
* As I read Moses' story in Exodus 2-4, what do I learn about God's calling of Moses?
* When was the last time I was approached to do something I felt was beyond my ability?
* When I serve in church, do I depend on God's strength or on my own talent and abilities?
LINKS:
How Can I Be More Confident About My Work?
http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/questions/confidentwork.html
bottom line: Do God's work God's way.
soul journey
Saturday, December 11, 2004
We Three Kings of Orient Are
Kenneth W. Osbeck
Although there is no scriptural basis for stating dogmatically that there were three wise men, the fact that three distinct gifts are mentioned has given rise to this traditional idea -- taken from the book Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth Osbeck.
Each of the participants involved with Christ's birth-Mary and Joseph, the inn keeper, the angels, shepherds, and wise men-has much to teach us.
Although there is no scriptural basis for stating dogmatically that there were three wise men, the fact that three distinct gifts are mentioned has given rise to this traditional idea. Master artists throughout the centuries have depicted three wise men on camels as one of their favorite nativity themes.
The number of wise men is not important, but the fact that they persisted in following the light that was given them until they found the object of their search, that they responded in worship, and that they returned home to share their experience with others all has much to tell us. Also, the gifts presented to the Christ child were both significant and appropriate: gold, symbolic of His kingly reign; frankincense, symbolic of His priestly ministry; myrrh, symbolic of our redemption through His death. How important it is that our gifts of love and devotion be offered to Christ after we have first found Him and then have bowed in true adoration before Him.
The author and composer of this well-known Christmas hymn was an Episcopalian minister from Pennsylvania. John H. Hopkins has been credited with contributing much to the development of music in his denomination during the nineteenth century, writing a number of fine hymns and hymn tunes. One of his publications, Carols, Hymns and Songs, enjoyed four editions.
We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar, Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
Born a King on Bethlehem's plain, gold I bring to crown Him again, King forever, ceasing never over us all to reign.
Frankincense to offer have I, incense owns a Deity nigh; Prayer and praising, all men raising, worship Him, God on high.
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom; Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
Glorious now behold Him arise, King and God and Sacrifice; Alleluia, Alleluia! Earth to heav'n replies.
cbn
Kenneth W. Osbeck
Although there is no scriptural basis for stating dogmatically that there were three wise men, the fact that three distinct gifts are mentioned has given rise to this traditional idea -- taken from the book Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth Osbeck.
Each of the participants involved with Christ's birth-Mary and Joseph, the inn keeper, the angels, shepherds, and wise men-has much to teach us.
Although there is no scriptural basis for stating dogmatically that there were three wise men, the fact that three distinct gifts are mentioned has given rise to this traditional idea. Master artists throughout the centuries have depicted three wise men on camels as one of their favorite nativity themes.
The number of wise men is not important, but the fact that they persisted in following the light that was given them until they found the object of their search, that they responded in worship, and that they returned home to share their experience with others all has much to tell us. Also, the gifts presented to the Christ child were both significant and appropriate: gold, symbolic of His kingly reign; frankincense, symbolic of His priestly ministry; myrrh, symbolic of our redemption through His death. How important it is that our gifts of love and devotion be offered to Christ after we have first found Him and then have bowed in true adoration before Him.
The author and composer of this well-known Christmas hymn was an Episcopalian minister from Pennsylvania. John H. Hopkins has been credited with contributing much to the development of music in his denomination during the nineteenth century, writing a number of fine hymns and hymn tunes. One of his publications, Carols, Hymns and Songs, enjoyed four editions.
We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar, Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
Born a King on Bethlehem's plain, gold I bring to crown Him again, King forever, ceasing never over us all to reign.
Frankincense to offer have I, incense owns a Deity nigh; Prayer and praising, all men raising, worship Him, God on high.
Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom; Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
Glorious now behold Him arise, King and God and Sacrifice; Alleluia, Alleluia! Earth to heav'n replies.
cbn
Thursday, December 09, 2004
"Indiana, let it go."
John Fischer
Well it seems like I’m getting a lot of mileage lately out of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. So far it has yielded a devotional about faith and one on Billy Graham’s “last crusade.” But after the illustration about stepping out in faith, a reader wrote me and reminded me of yet another great moment in this final episode of the trilogy starring Harrison Ford as the adventurous archeologist, Indiana Jones. In the end of the movie, after having found the Holy Grail, Ford is tempted to take it with him from its hiding place in an obscure cave. This is after knowing it must stay where it is, guarded by an ancient medieval knight, or its bearer will face certain death.
Nevertheless, Ford tries to reach with one hand for the Grail that has lodged itself in a crag in the rock, while holding onto his father’s hands with the other, as he dangles over a bottomless pit. As if in a trance, gripped by the power of the Grail, Indiana Jones thinks he can escape the fate of the woman who has just fallen to her death trying to do the very same thing. After all, he wants its power for good—she wanted it for herself. Still, it is the voice of Indiana’s father (Sean Connery) that finally brings him to his senses: “Indiana! Let it go!”
The reader, another fan of these movies, writes:
“So many times it has happened that when I turn back to the Father and grasp with both hands, I see the danger I could have fallen into by reaching for what I thought was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Often times what was truly amazing was also truly wrong for me.”
It’s important to reach for things beyond our grasp. That is one of the ways we grow. Faith is discovered in the process of reaching out. Peter saw Jesus on the water and it was his idea to walk out to Him. But Jesus was right there with him. Peter was actually walking toward Christ. That’s a lot different from this illustration where Indiana Jones is holding onto his father’s hands and trying to reach for something else. If you have to let go of God to reach something, it’s probably not a good idea. Faith never leads us away from God.
When given a choice between letting go of God and letting go of something else, make it a no-brainer to let go of that something else, no matter how good it might be.
PDL
John Fischer
Well it seems like I’m getting a lot of mileage lately out of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. So far it has yielded a devotional about faith and one on Billy Graham’s “last crusade.” But after the illustration about stepping out in faith, a reader wrote me and reminded me of yet another great moment in this final episode of the trilogy starring Harrison Ford as the adventurous archeologist, Indiana Jones. In the end of the movie, after having found the Holy Grail, Ford is tempted to take it with him from its hiding place in an obscure cave. This is after knowing it must stay where it is, guarded by an ancient medieval knight, or its bearer will face certain death.
Nevertheless, Ford tries to reach with one hand for the Grail that has lodged itself in a crag in the rock, while holding onto his father’s hands with the other, as he dangles over a bottomless pit. As if in a trance, gripped by the power of the Grail, Indiana Jones thinks he can escape the fate of the woman who has just fallen to her death trying to do the very same thing. After all, he wants its power for good—she wanted it for herself. Still, it is the voice of Indiana’s father (Sean Connery) that finally brings him to his senses: “Indiana! Let it go!”
The reader, another fan of these movies, writes:
“So many times it has happened that when I turn back to the Father and grasp with both hands, I see the danger I could have fallen into by reaching for what I thought was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Often times what was truly amazing was also truly wrong for me.”
It’s important to reach for things beyond our grasp. That is one of the ways we grow. Faith is discovered in the process of reaching out. Peter saw Jesus on the water and it was his idea to walk out to Him. But Jesus was right there with him. Peter was actually walking toward Christ. That’s a lot different from this illustration where Indiana Jones is holding onto his father’s hands and trying to reach for something else. If you have to let go of God to reach something, it’s probably not a good idea. Faith never leads us away from God.
When given a choice between letting go of God and letting go of something else, make it a no-brainer to let go of that something else, no matter how good it might be.
PDL
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
DON'T GET CAUGHT CHEATING
1 Corinthians 6:7-11
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. 9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
At a Russian Bible college where I was teaching, a member of the staff entered the room as I gave my final exam. Arms folded, he watched closely as the students began to write the answers. Then, quietly, he asked one of the men to move to a desk separate from the others. He had observed that the man was cheating. When I graded the tests, I saw that the student had the first few questions right, then most answers were blank or wrong.
I have occasionally encountered the same problem in other countries where I had taught. Cheating is widespread in the US too. An article in Parade magazine asks, "Are We a Nation of Cheaters?" It begins with the words, "It sure looks that way." Then it offers this evidence from the book The Cheating Culture by David Callahan:
* Executives and workers steal $600 billion from their companies each year.
* 74 percent of high school students say they've cheated.
* 90 percent of college students say they'd lie to increase their chances of getting a good job.
* Nearly 50 percent of résumés contain outright lies.
Cheating is a growing problem even at Christian colleges and universities. In one instance, a young woman who copied an essay straight off the Internet was furious with me because I would not give her credit for completing the assignment.
The apostle Paul said that it is better for a believer in Jesus to be wronged or cheated than to be the cheater. Then he commented, "Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers" (1 Corinthians 6:7-8).
Here's a simple solution. If we never cheat, we'll never need to face the regret and humiliation of our unwise actions. More important, we will be obeying God. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* How can I avoid being caught up in thinking that cheating is okay?
* What kind of cheating do I see going on around me? Do I have a moral obligation to speak up about it?
* Am I cheating right now?
LINKS:
The Cheating Culture
http://www.cheatingculture.com/
Everybody's Doing It
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/9c3/9c3034.html
bottom line: Cheating cheapens our testimony for Jesus.
soul journey
1 Corinthians 6:7-11
7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. 9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
At a Russian Bible college where I was teaching, a member of the staff entered the room as I gave my final exam. Arms folded, he watched closely as the students began to write the answers. Then, quietly, he asked one of the men to move to a desk separate from the others. He had observed that the man was cheating. When I graded the tests, I saw that the student had the first few questions right, then most answers were blank or wrong.
I have occasionally encountered the same problem in other countries where I had taught. Cheating is widespread in the US too. An article in Parade magazine asks, "Are We a Nation of Cheaters?" It begins with the words, "It sure looks that way." Then it offers this evidence from the book The Cheating Culture by David Callahan:
* Executives and workers steal $600 billion from their companies each year.
* 74 percent of high school students say they've cheated.
* 90 percent of college students say they'd lie to increase their chances of getting a good job.
* Nearly 50 percent of résumés contain outright lies.
Cheating is a growing problem even at Christian colleges and universities. In one instance, a young woman who copied an essay straight off the Internet was furious with me because I would not give her credit for completing the assignment.
The apostle Paul said that it is better for a believer in Jesus to be wronged or cheated than to be the cheater. Then he commented, "Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers" (1 Corinthians 6:7-8).
Here's a simple solution. If we never cheat, we'll never need to face the regret and humiliation of our unwise actions. More important, we will be obeying God. --Dave Egner
DESTINATION POINTS
* How can I avoid being caught up in thinking that cheating is okay?
* What kind of cheating do I see going on around me? Do I have a moral obligation to speak up about it?
* Am I cheating right now?
LINKS:
The Cheating Culture
http://www.cheatingculture.com/
Everybody's Doing It
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/9c3/9c3034.html
bottom line: Cheating cheapens our testimony for Jesus.
soul journey
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
How To Be Unpopular
Read: Jeremiah 23:16-23
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! —Jeremiah 23:1
Bible In One Year: Daniel 5-7; 2 John
In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. Luther became known as a reformer, and we remember his bold stand as a turning point in church history.
The fiery priest demonstrated great courage in expressing outrage at the church's practice of selling forgiveness through indulgences, which allowed the people to sin intentionally in exchange for money.
Luther's passion to stop these practices did not make him popular with the religious authorities of his day. In fact, his efforts resulted in a series of attempts to silence him.
Long before Luther, the prophet Jeremiah felt the power of God's Word in his heart "like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not" (Jeremiah 20:9). Jeremiah and Luther refused to allow God's truth to be compromised.
Living for God is about grace and forgiveness, but it's also about boldly standing for the truth. Having God's Word in our heart doesn't always result in warm, pleasant feelings. Sometimes His truth becomes a blazing fire that causes us to challenge corruption—even though we may be attacked for it. —Julie Ackerman Link
Sure I must fight if I would reign;
It's better to declare the truth and be rejected than to withhold it just to be accepted.
daily bread
Read: Jeremiah 23:16-23
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! —Jeremiah 23:1
Bible In One Year: Daniel 5-7; 2 John
In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg. Luther became known as a reformer, and we remember his bold stand as a turning point in church history.
The fiery priest demonstrated great courage in expressing outrage at the church's practice of selling forgiveness through indulgences, which allowed the people to sin intentionally in exchange for money.
Luther's passion to stop these practices did not make him popular with the religious authorities of his day. In fact, his efforts resulted in a series of attempts to silence him.
Long before Luther, the prophet Jeremiah felt the power of God's Word in his heart "like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not" (Jeremiah 20:9). Jeremiah and Luther refused to allow God's truth to be compromised.
Living for God is about grace and forgiveness, but it's also about boldly standing for the truth. Having God's Word in our heart doesn't always result in warm, pleasant feelings. Sometimes His truth becomes a blazing fire that causes us to challenge corruption—even though we may be attacked for it. —Julie Ackerman Link
Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word. —Watts
It's better to declare the truth and be rejected than to withhold it just to be accepted.
daily bread
Monday, December 06, 2004
NO BIG DEAL?
Hebrews 13:15-17
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess His name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
During the 2004 baseball season, a major league player discovered how a small gesture can make a big difference. While his team was ona road trip, he accidentally left his wallet on the bus that transported the team from their hotel to the airport. Inside was $1,400, his credit cards, and the ID card that gave access to major league baseball parks. When he discovered it was missing, he madesome phone calls, but no one had found it.
A couple of days later, he got an excited phone call from his wife. The wallet had been sent to the family's home--complete with the cards and the money (minus the cost to mail the wallet). A busdriver had found it and made sure the player got it back. That thoughtful gesture saved the major leaguer a huge amount of troubleand effort to replace the important documents inside.
One more story. Dale Cooper, the chaplain at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and his brother-in-law took an unusual trip in 2003. In memory of Dale's dad, they each drove a John Deere tractor from Grand Rapids to Alton, Iowa, a distance of several hundred miles. Along the way, they depended on the goodness of others to get them through. Here's how Cooper described the things people did for them: "Taken by themselves, deeds like a ride to an auto parts store, filling a water jug with ice, offering a plate of cookies, working through lunch to finish a welding job, and giving directions through a maze of detours are no big deal. But they are a big deal to those who are in need of them."
Sometimes we think the little things we do for others don't amount to much. Perhaps we think we'd be better off minding our own business and letting others fend for themselves. But clearly our task here on earth is to watch out for the needs of others and help meet them (Hebrews 13:16).
Today, if you see an opportunity to do a little thing for someone, go ahead. Help that person in God's name. --Dave Branon
DESTINATION POINTS
* What is one thing I have gone out of my way to do for someone recently? How did it make me feel? Regardless of the feeling, was it the right thing to do?
* Can I anticipate meeting any needs today? What are two or three that might come up?
* Who is a good example to me of always being willing to help?
LINKS:
For the Father
http://calvin.edu/news/releases/2002_03/tractor_ride.htm
bottom line: A small deed is a big deal if done in Jesus' name.
soul journey
Hebrews 13:15-17
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess His name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
During the 2004 baseball season, a major league player discovered how a small gesture can make a big difference. While his team was ona road trip, he accidentally left his wallet on the bus that transported the team from their hotel to the airport. Inside was $1,400, his credit cards, and the ID card that gave access to major league baseball parks. When he discovered it was missing, he madesome phone calls, but no one had found it.
A couple of days later, he got an excited phone call from his wife. The wallet had been sent to the family's home--complete with the cards and the money (minus the cost to mail the wallet). A busdriver had found it and made sure the player got it back. That thoughtful gesture saved the major leaguer a huge amount of troubleand effort to replace the important documents inside.
One more story. Dale Cooper, the chaplain at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and his brother-in-law took an unusual trip in 2003. In memory of Dale's dad, they each drove a John Deere tractor from Grand Rapids to Alton, Iowa, a distance of several hundred miles. Along the way, they depended on the goodness of others to get them through. Here's how Cooper described the things people did for them: "Taken by themselves, deeds like a ride to an auto parts store, filling a water jug with ice, offering a plate of cookies, working through lunch to finish a welding job, and giving directions through a maze of detours are no big deal. But they are a big deal to those who are in need of them."
Sometimes we think the little things we do for others don't amount to much. Perhaps we think we'd be better off minding our own business and letting others fend for themselves. But clearly our task here on earth is to watch out for the needs of others and help meet them (Hebrews 13:16).
Today, if you see an opportunity to do a little thing for someone, go ahead. Help that person in God's name. --Dave Branon
DESTINATION POINTS
* What is one thing I have gone out of my way to do for someone recently? How did it make me feel? Regardless of the feeling, was it the right thing to do?
* Can I anticipate meeting any needs today? What are two or three that might come up?
* Who is a good example to me of always being willing to help?
LINKS:
For the Father
http://calvin.edu/news/releases/2002_03/tractor_ride.htm
bottom line: A small deed is a big deal if done in Jesus' name.
soul journey
Sunday, December 05, 2004
Are You Blending In or Standing Out
Cathy Irvin
The holidays are almost upon us but I will be following the same path as last year. The reflection will be on Jesus, the reason I should celebrate.
Last year during my Christmas shopping, I was watching the expressions of the people in the crowd. Sometimes the shoppers looked tense and in a hurry. I wondered why there was no joy in their faces as they were looking for that perfect gift.
Then I realized it had become so commercialized that it was not any fun to them anymore. It was a bargain alley and that they had a "wait on me, because I have more to buy, and other stores to go to" attitude. I was determined just to go to one store and get 1 or 2 presents. Each time I went out, I did exactly that. I did not want my peace and joy being taken away by attempting to buy a ton of gifts in one trip.
What can be so different about a Christian and a non-Christian in a store? The answer is that we are not to blend in with the usual crowd. We are to stand out with a different expression - that is one of peace and joy.
I tried to extend a little kindness to other shoppers. For example, I let a lady go ahead of me and she was very taken back by the kind gesture. No one is used to having other's let them go first anymore, because it is the "it's all about me" world. People need to understand what the Bible means when it says that we should prefer one another.
Jesus was a servant, yet He was God. Aren't we supposed to be living epistles, seen and read by all men? We are to be Christ-like so people can see Him in us. If we let someone have an item, or move ahead of us in line when we are shopping, maybe that will help. Whether it is a holiday or a sale, the next time you go to the store - try not to be in a hurry and see if you can spread some joy with your thoughtfulness!
There is far too much rushing about and yet people wonder why they have physical problems. They are having strokes and heart attacks when they seem to be in perfect health. God has called us to a life of rest and peace. When reading the life of Jesus, we see that no matter where Jesus went and what He had to do, He was not in a hurry. I think He expects us to learn from His ways and follow in His footsteps.
The holidays are almost upon us but I will be following the same path as last year. The reflection will be on Jesus, the reason I should celebrate. And I will spend my time with family and friends. This means so much more to me than anything else does.
We have all read how to handle the holiday stress. Here is a tip for helping with the pressures of Christmas. It is my favorite one. Have some friends and family over after Christmas and before the New Year. It is a great time of relaxing after the holidays. I tried this last year and everyone commented on how peaceful and refreshing this was for them. They were able to be together without rushing and were able to enjoy one another's company. Even after my son and his girlfriend left, my friends lingered, looking at all the Christmas decorations and talking about the Lord. We certainly felt rested in His love and peace.
Newspapers or magazines usually give tips for a stress free holiday. Here are a few that I feel may help you.
1. Buy some gifts ahead of the rush and on sale.
2. Plan ahead by making a list.
3. Give gifts no one would buy for themselves, such as a gift certificate to a restaurant or a specialty store.
3. For folks who like gourmet foods, shop in a bakery or gift shop.
4. Get a special box for the gifts you give.
5. Try to get wish lists early from friends so you can give them something they really want.
6. If your trying to get out of debt, have a dinner party sometime in December and give each guest a novelty gift such as a special ornament for their tree (purchase these when they are on sale).
7. Open a Christmas club account for next year now (save some change each week or month). It is easy to cut out a few snacks or sodas and put the loose change in a jar.
The Lord said we are to be wise stewards of our money, and He does not want us to be in bondage to debt. We are not to get caught up in materialism, for the cares of this life will choke out our peace and rest.
Pray and thank the Lord for making your holidays peaceful before you go shopping and refuse to let yourself get caught up in the ways of the world.
cbn
Cathy Irvin
The holidays are almost upon us but I will be following the same path as last year. The reflection will be on Jesus, the reason I should celebrate.
Last year during my Christmas shopping, I was watching the expressions of the people in the crowd. Sometimes the shoppers looked tense and in a hurry. I wondered why there was no joy in their faces as they were looking for that perfect gift.
Then I realized it had become so commercialized that it was not any fun to them anymore. It was a bargain alley and that they had a "wait on me, because I have more to buy, and other stores to go to" attitude. I was determined just to go to one store and get 1 or 2 presents. Each time I went out, I did exactly that. I did not want my peace and joy being taken away by attempting to buy a ton of gifts in one trip.
What can be so different about a Christian and a non-Christian in a store? The answer is that we are not to blend in with the usual crowd. We are to stand out with a different expression - that is one of peace and joy.
I tried to extend a little kindness to other shoppers. For example, I let a lady go ahead of me and she was very taken back by the kind gesture. No one is used to having other's let them go first anymore, because it is the "it's all about me" world. People need to understand what the Bible means when it says that we should prefer one another.
Jesus was a servant, yet He was God. Aren't we supposed to be living epistles, seen and read by all men? We are to be Christ-like so people can see Him in us. If we let someone have an item, or move ahead of us in line when we are shopping, maybe that will help. Whether it is a holiday or a sale, the next time you go to the store - try not to be in a hurry and see if you can spread some joy with your thoughtfulness!
There is far too much rushing about and yet people wonder why they have physical problems. They are having strokes and heart attacks when they seem to be in perfect health. God has called us to a life of rest and peace. When reading the life of Jesus, we see that no matter where Jesus went and what He had to do, He was not in a hurry. I think He expects us to learn from His ways and follow in His footsteps.
The holidays are almost upon us but I will be following the same path as last year. The reflection will be on Jesus, the reason I should celebrate. And I will spend my time with family and friends. This means so much more to me than anything else does.
We have all read how to handle the holiday stress. Here is a tip for helping with the pressures of Christmas. It is my favorite one. Have some friends and family over after Christmas and before the New Year. It is a great time of relaxing after the holidays. I tried this last year and everyone commented on how peaceful and refreshing this was for them. They were able to be together without rushing and were able to enjoy one another's company. Even after my son and his girlfriend left, my friends lingered, looking at all the Christmas decorations and talking about the Lord. We certainly felt rested in His love and peace.
Newspapers or magazines usually give tips for a stress free holiday. Here are a few that I feel may help you.
1. Buy some gifts ahead of the rush and on sale.
2. Plan ahead by making a list.
3. Give gifts no one would buy for themselves, such as a gift certificate to a restaurant or a specialty store.
3. For folks who like gourmet foods, shop in a bakery or gift shop.
4. Get a special box for the gifts you give.
5. Try to get wish lists early from friends so you can give them something they really want.
6. If your trying to get out of debt, have a dinner party sometime in December and give each guest a novelty gift such as a special ornament for their tree (purchase these when they are on sale).
7. Open a Christmas club account for next year now (save some change each week or month). It is easy to cut out a few snacks or sodas and put the loose change in a jar.
The Lord said we are to be wise stewards of our money, and He does not want us to be in bondage to debt. We are not to get caught up in materialism, for the cares of this life will choke out our peace and rest.
Pray and thank the Lord for making your holidays peaceful before you go shopping and refuse to let yourself get caught up in the ways of the world.
cbn
Saturday, December 04, 2004
The Law of Opposition
To him who overcomes . . . —Revelation 2:7
Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.
Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.
Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.
And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation . . ." ( John 16:33 ). This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, ". . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.
Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.
my utmost for His highest
To him who overcomes . . . —Revelation 2:7
Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.
Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.
Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.
And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation . . ." ( John 16:33 ). This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, ". . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.
Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.
my utmost for His highest
Thursday, December 02, 2004
First Family
John Fischer
How important is family? So important that God had one before He had us.
“Then God said, ‘Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves’”. Genesis 1:26 Ever wonder who God is talking to here? If you could hear me talking to myself sometimes, you would hear me use the plural, as in “Let’s do this or let’s do that.” That’s not what’s happening here, however. God is speaking of the parts of Himself that make up the whole of who He is. This is God as three in one—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Together they make up one God; separately they form three personas operating as one.
So when God made us like himself, He didn’t make just one of us, He made many that we might learn to relate to one another the way God relates to himself. That we might become one as He is one. This is the ultimate non-dysfunctional family—what we will realize in heaven, but get a glimpse of here on earth.
Christ’s goal for us is that we would be one with God and one with each other—multiple personalities operating and relating as one being. This is why being part of an extended family is a part of discovering who we are and why we are here.
So don’t ever sell this one short. Family is not something we have to put up with for a while; it is an integral part of our identity. This flies in the face of one of western culture’s most enduring myths—the myth of the supreme individualist. It’s an image idealized in our movies, especially the westerns of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, and the spy adventures of James Bond.
God was a family before He made us, so this must be pretty important. Family has always been an important part of who we are. It’s imbedded in our very nature. No one can exist alone unto himself—even God. We were made to interrelate. We not only need each other, we were made for each other. This is an important part of our purpose for being.
So forget trying to go it alone. No one’s that tough, except for maybe Clint Eastwood, but that’s only in the movies.
PDL
John Fischer
How important is family? So important that God had one before He had us.
“Then God said, ‘Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves’”. Genesis 1:26 Ever wonder who God is talking to here? If you could hear me talking to myself sometimes, you would hear me use the plural, as in “Let’s do this or let’s do that.” That’s not what’s happening here, however. God is speaking of the parts of Himself that make up the whole of who He is. This is God as three in one—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Together they make up one God; separately they form three personas operating as one.
So when God made us like himself, He didn’t make just one of us, He made many that we might learn to relate to one another the way God relates to himself. That we might become one as He is one. This is the ultimate non-dysfunctional family—what we will realize in heaven, but get a glimpse of here on earth.
Christ’s goal for us is that we would be one with God and one with each other—multiple personalities operating and relating as one being. This is why being part of an extended family is a part of discovering who we are and why we are here.
So don’t ever sell this one short. Family is not something we have to put up with for a while; it is an integral part of our identity. This flies in the face of one of western culture’s most enduring myths—the myth of the supreme individualist. It’s an image idealized in our movies, especially the westerns of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, and the spy adventures of James Bond.
God was a family before He made us, so this must be pretty important. Family has always been an important part of who we are. It’s imbedded in our very nature. No one can exist alone unto himself—even God. We were made to interrelate. We not only need each other, we were made for each other. This is an important part of our purpose for being.
So forget trying to go it alone. No one’s that tough, except for maybe Clint Eastwood, but that’s only in the movies.
PDL
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Peaceful Snowfall
Lisandrea Wentland
Suddenly, I have something more in common with my neighbors, as we joyfully accept a free day off of work and a fleeting struggle against nature.
The most lovely winter snow has fallen in layers of light, wet and ice across the state. Just when I was longing for my old New England, we received this New Year's gift. And, suddenly, I have something more in common with my neighbors, as we joyfully accept a free day off of work and a fleeting struggle against nature.
I've seen the unusual and the unexpected unite strangers, and it's phenomenal. People whose eyes never meet during their day-to-day neighboring find themselves reaching out in rare friendship to help one another. We saw this in the fall of 2001, as flags appeared in apartment windows, on tailgates and flapping proudly in rows at every car dealership in America.
On one wet, blustery day walking across my college campus, I peered out from under my grand, red golf umbrella to catch the eye of passersby, gazing at me from under their own coverings as well. Some attempted to hide from the wind and rain under textbooks, some under wretched and mangled miniature umbrellas, but all were smiling at the insanity of fighting against the storm as we sped to our classes or the parking lot. I remember appreciating our human bond as ethereal - complete strangers sharing the human condition in humorous receipt.
So it is again today with young brothers and sisters chasing each other around the yard, flinging packed snowballs in complete abandon. They laugh, scream, fall and express all of our feelings about this snow, this day, this opportunity.
Journalists and newscasters starve for images to help us etch these memories into our minds. The television carries nothing but storm reports, interviews with men and women in line at the airport, people scraping their ice-crusted windows, a man bent determinedly over his full grocery cart, forcing it through a parking lot obstacle course. Flakes of snow even remind some of the ash that fell day after day in the gaping hole of the world's capital, New York City.
We work against these storms of life, looking for miracles to sustain us. We need these blankets of snow and strength to cover our yards and our national heartache. We long for this human commonness to grow and heal us. Pray that today brings signs of newness - coming miracles and surprises in layers of peace, joy and love.
See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you (Isaiah 42:9).
cbn
Lisandrea Wentland
Suddenly, I have something more in common with my neighbors, as we joyfully accept a free day off of work and a fleeting struggle against nature.
The most lovely winter snow has fallen in layers of light, wet and ice across the state. Just when I was longing for my old New England, we received this New Year's gift. And, suddenly, I have something more in common with my neighbors, as we joyfully accept a free day off of work and a fleeting struggle against nature.
I've seen the unusual and the unexpected unite strangers, and it's phenomenal. People whose eyes never meet during their day-to-day neighboring find themselves reaching out in rare friendship to help one another. We saw this in the fall of 2001, as flags appeared in apartment windows, on tailgates and flapping proudly in rows at every car dealership in America.
On one wet, blustery day walking across my college campus, I peered out from under my grand, red golf umbrella to catch the eye of passersby, gazing at me from under their own coverings as well. Some attempted to hide from the wind and rain under textbooks, some under wretched and mangled miniature umbrellas, but all were smiling at the insanity of fighting against the storm as we sped to our classes or the parking lot. I remember appreciating our human bond as ethereal - complete strangers sharing the human condition in humorous receipt.
So it is again today with young brothers and sisters chasing each other around the yard, flinging packed snowballs in complete abandon. They laugh, scream, fall and express all of our feelings about this snow, this day, this opportunity.
Journalists and newscasters starve for images to help us etch these memories into our minds. The television carries nothing but storm reports, interviews with men and women in line at the airport, people scraping their ice-crusted windows, a man bent determinedly over his full grocery cart, forcing it through a parking lot obstacle course. Flakes of snow even remind some of the ash that fell day after day in the gaping hole of the world's capital, New York City.
We work against these storms of life, looking for miracles to sustain us. We need these blankets of snow and strength to cover our yards and our national heartache. We long for this human commonness to grow and heal us. Pray that today brings signs of newness - coming miracles and surprises in layers of peace, joy and love.
See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you (Isaiah 42:9).
cbn
FORTIFIED FROM WITHIN
Ephesians 3:14-19
14 I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established inlove, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled tothe measure of all the fullness of God.
A "bathysphere" is a miniature submarine used to explore the oceanin places so deep that the water pressure would crush a conventional submarine as if it were an aluminum can. Bathyspheres compensate with plate steel several inches thick, which keeps the pressure at bay.
In verses 16 and 17 of Ephesians 3, Paul's words help the believer to compensate for life's pressures, not by outside means but by biblical confidence found within. The power to live with genuine confidence does not flow from the outside in, but from the inside out. Here's the process: God, out of His glorious riches (grace), through the Holy Spirit, strengthens us with power in our inner being. We must live from the inside out because our bodies are dying daily, but our inner life is renewed by the Holy Spirit and God's Word.
An affirmation appears in 2 Corinthians 4:16 where we read, "We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." Genuine confidence is not based on outward appearance, financial stability, intellectual acumen; it comes from renewing, training, cleansing, and feeding my inner being, so that Jesus can feel at home in my heart.
In verses 17-19, Paul gave us a grasp on how much God loves us.Genuine confidence comes from knowing this. Many believers have confidence crises because they have not spent time experiencing and enjoying God's love. Paul reminded us that God doesn't accept us based on our ability to make good decisions or to be good people; He accepts us based on His immeasurable love for us.
What is eating away at your confidence these days? Have you allowed a comfortable lifestyle, money, external security, and morality to boost your confidence? Have you allowed bad decisions, illness, loneliness, and sinful choices to eat away at your confidence? Let God fortify you from within. --Marvin Williams
DESTINATION POINTS
* How will I renew, exercise, cleanse, and feed my inner being this week?
* How can I live from the inside out today?
* How have I seen the details of God's love for me lately, and how have those details given me confidence?
LINKS:
How Deep Can They Go?
http://www.seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/beebe.html
The Bathysphere Adventures
http://hometown.aol.com/chines6930/mw1/sphere.htm
bottom line: God's power within > any pressure without.
soul journey
Ephesians 3:14-19
14 I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established inlove, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled tothe measure of all the fullness of God.
A "bathysphere" is a miniature submarine used to explore the oceanin places so deep that the water pressure would crush a conventional submarine as if it were an aluminum can. Bathyspheres compensate with plate steel several inches thick, which keeps the pressure at bay.
In verses 16 and 17 of Ephesians 3, Paul's words help the believer to compensate for life's pressures, not by outside means but by biblical confidence found within. The power to live with genuine confidence does not flow from the outside in, but from the inside out. Here's the process: God, out of His glorious riches (grace), through the Holy Spirit, strengthens us with power in our inner being. We must live from the inside out because our bodies are dying daily, but our inner life is renewed by the Holy Spirit and God's Word.
An affirmation appears in 2 Corinthians 4:16 where we read, "We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." Genuine confidence is not based on outward appearance, financial stability, intellectual acumen; it comes from renewing, training, cleansing, and feeding my inner being, so that Jesus can feel at home in my heart.
In verses 17-19, Paul gave us a grasp on how much God loves us.Genuine confidence comes from knowing this. Many believers have confidence crises because they have not spent time experiencing and enjoying God's love. Paul reminded us that God doesn't accept us based on our ability to make good decisions or to be good people; He accepts us based on His immeasurable love for us.
What is eating away at your confidence these days? Have you allowed a comfortable lifestyle, money, external security, and morality to boost your confidence? Have you allowed bad decisions, illness, loneliness, and sinful choices to eat away at your confidence? Let God fortify you from within. --Marvin Williams
DESTINATION POINTS
* How will I renew, exercise, cleanse, and feed my inner being this week?
* How can I live from the inside out today?
* How have I seen the details of God's love for me lately, and how have those details given me confidence?
LINKS:
How Deep Can They Go?
http://www.seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/beebe.html
The Bathysphere Adventures
http://hometown.aol.com/chines6930/mw1/sphere.htm
bottom line: God's power within > any pressure without.
soul journey
Monday, November 29, 2004
How To Clean Anything
Read: 1 John 1:5-10
The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. —1 John 1:7
Bible In One Year: Ezekiel 35-36; 2 Peter 1
Consumer Reports published a booklet with the intriguing title How To Clean Practically Anything. It offers advice on what solvent to use to remove a wide assortment of stains. Living as I do with drips and drops, that is my kind of book.
Did you know that glycerin will remove stains made by a ball-point pen? Boiling water can remove berry stains. Parents of small children should keep a gallon of vinegar handy to get rid of crayon marks. Bleach works well for mildew. Lemon juice performs minor miracles on rust stains.
I haven't tried them all, but I assume that scientists have put these common cleansing agents to the test.
What you will not find in this little book is how to deal with the most serious stain of all—the stain made on your life by sin. Deep, ugly stains made by hostile words and shame-filled actions. Tears won't touch them. Zeal can't erase them. At times we are convinced that we have gotten on with our lives and the sins are gone, but in an unguarded moment we notice the stain seeping through.
The Bible tells us just what we need: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). That's the only remedy that works. —Haddon Robinson
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain—
He washed it white as snow. —Hall
We may whitewash sin, but only Jesus' blood can truly wash it white.
daily bread
Read: 1 John 1:5-10
The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. —1 John 1:7
Bible In One Year: Ezekiel 35-36; 2 Peter 1
Consumer Reports published a booklet with the intriguing title How To Clean Practically Anything. It offers advice on what solvent to use to remove a wide assortment of stains. Living as I do with drips and drops, that is my kind of book.
Did you know that glycerin will remove stains made by a ball-point pen? Boiling water can remove berry stains. Parents of small children should keep a gallon of vinegar handy to get rid of crayon marks. Bleach works well for mildew. Lemon juice performs minor miracles on rust stains.
I haven't tried them all, but I assume that scientists have put these common cleansing agents to the test.
What you will not find in this little book is how to deal with the most serious stain of all—the stain made on your life by sin. Deep, ugly stains made by hostile words and shame-filled actions. Tears won't touch them. Zeal can't erase them. At times we are convinced that we have gotten on with our lives and the sins are gone, but in an unguarded moment we notice the stain seeping through.
The Bible tells us just what we need: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). That's the only remedy that works. —Haddon Robinson
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain—
He washed it white as snow. —Hall
We may whitewash sin, but only Jesus' blood can truly wash it white.
daily bread
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Large-Hearted Living
Leviticus 19:30-37
30 Observe My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the Lord. 31 Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God. 32 Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. 33 When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God. 35 Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. 37 Keep all My decrees and all My laws and follow them. I am the Lord.
In the book Rumors of Another World, Philip Yancey told the story of Jesse Jackson’s visit to the University of Southern Mississippi.
On a tour of the campus with the university president, Jackson saw a tall male student, 6-feet, 8-inches in height, holding hands with a young woman who was barely 3-feet tall. The young man tenderly picked her up and kissed her as she left for her next class. The president explained that the student was a star basketball player. Both of his parents had died in his youth and he made a vow to look after his sister. Many scholarship offers had come his way but only Southern Mississippi had offered one to his sister too.
Jackson went over to the basketball star, introduced himself, and said he appreciated that he was looking out for his sister. The athlete shrugged and said, “Those of us who God makes 6' 8" have to look out for those He makes 3' 3".”
This basketball player spoke kingdom words. It has always been God’s plan for those with power to watch over those who are weak, those with resources to care for those who have none. It has always been God’s way for His people to rise above the cultural consensus that allows people to squash anyone smaller and crush anyone less capable.
In God’s instructions to Israel, He prodded them to treat a foreigner who was most likely estranged from his homeland due to slavery or calamity, as one of their own. Aliens in a strange land were usually destitute. Removed from family support and any standing within the social structure, they were often cast into dire poverty and social exile.
Amid other grave commandments dealing with heavy issues like idol worship and witchcraft, we might be tempted to pay more attention to far more weighty commands. But God says, “Take care of the ones no one else cares for.”
To Israel, a people still wincing from Egyptian bondage, He spoke a reminder one might think they wouldn’t need. “Show mercy,” He said. “Live with a large heart.” —Winn Collier
bottom line: God-size love requires a large heart.
soul journey
Leviticus 19:30-37
30 Observe My Sabbaths and have reverence for My sanctuary. I am the Lord. 31 Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God. 32 Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. 33 When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God. 35 Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. 37 Keep all My decrees and all My laws and follow them. I am the Lord.
In the book Rumors of Another World, Philip Yancey told the story of Jesse Jackson’s visit to the University of Southern Mississippi.
On a tour of the campus with the university president, Jackson saw a tall male student, 6-feet, 8-inches in height, holding hands with a young woman who was barely 3-feet tall. The young man tenderly picked her up and kissed her as she left for her next class. The president explained that the student was a star basketball player. Both of his parents had died in his youth and he made a vow to look after his sister. Many scholarship offers had come his way but only Southern Mississippi had offered one to his sister too.
Jackson went over to the basketball star, introduced himself, and said he appreciated that he was looking out for his sister. The athlete shrugged and said, “Those of us who God makes 6' 8" have to look out for those He makes 3' 3".”
This basketball player spoke kingdom words. It has always been God’s plan for those with power to watch over those who are weak, those with resources to care for those who have none. It has always been God’s way for His people to rise above the cultural consensus that allows people to squash anyone smaller and crush anyone less capable.
In God’s instructions to Israel, He prodded them to treat a foreigner who was most likely estranged from his homeland due to slavery or calamity, as one of their own. Aliens in a strange land were usually destitute. Removed from family support and any standing within the social structure, they were often cast into dire poverty and social exile.
Amid other grave commandments dealing with heavy issues like idol worship and witchcraft, we might be tempted to pay more attention to far more weighty commands. But God says, “Take care of the ones no one else cares for.”
To Israel, a people still wincing from Egyptian bondage, He spoke a reminder one might think they wouldn’t need. “Show mercy,” He said. “Live with a large heart.” —Winn Collier
bottom line: God-size love requires a large heart.
soul journey
Friday, November 26, 2004
DISCERNMENT 101
Proverbs 1:1-71
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; 3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-- 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-- 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Recently, ABC's Charlie Gibson reported a growing high-tech cheating trend in high schools and colleges. In a 6-month investigation, he discovered students using cell-phone cameras, text-messaging, and PDAs to cheat more efficiently. And plagiarizing from the Internet with the cut-and-paste method has now replaced typing long passages from an encyclopedia as students did a generation ago.
A disturbing aspect of this trend is that few students seemed to experience much guilt about what they were doing. Some of them cynically argued that cheating in school was good preparation for a business career where they would have to do whatever was necessary to get ahead.
"Sooner or later, it's going to catch up to them," one teacher cautioned. "They haven't learned a lesson at this level and it's going to create problems for them later in life."
That seems key to me. True, after I got out of school, I didn't use a lot of the stuff I had learned. (For instance, I never again needed to know what an "isosceles triangle" was.) But besides the obvious benefits of a wide education, gaining knowledge is one ofthe most important components of developing good discernment.
The words wisdom and knowledge are often linked with discernment in Proverbs: "Let the discerning get guidance" (3:21)." "Knowledge comes easily to the discerning" (14:33). "Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning" (15:14), and "the discerning heart seeks knowledge" (16:21).
Mickey Imber, a Kansas University professor, says, "If you acquire a broad knowledge base . . . you can then reason your way to sensibly held convictions." Solomon wrote, "Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding" (4:5).
Taking shortcuts in school can lead to taking shortcuts for the rest of your life. And that will handicap you from developing the kind of discernment you'll need to make good decisions, explain your convictions, and to be a person who is "wise in heart" (Proverbs 16:21). --Cindy Kasper
DESTINATION POINTS
* How important is it to me to develop good discernment?
* In whatways do I have good discernment? Where do I think I need help?
LINKS:
Cheaters Amok
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Primetime/US/cheating_040429-1.html
bottom line: Got a choice to make? Get knowledge first!
soul journey
Proverbs 1:1-71
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; 3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; 4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-- 5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-- 6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Recently, ABC's Charlie Gibson reported a growing high-tech cheating trend in high schools and colleges. In a 6-month investigation, he discovered students using cell-phone cameras, text-messaging, and PDAs to cheat more efficiently. And plagiarizing from the Internet with the cut-and-paste method has now replaced typing long passages from an encyclopedia as students did a generation ago.
A disturbing aspect of this trend is that few students seemed to experience much guilt about what they were doing. Some of them cynically argued that cheating in school was good preparation for a business career where they would have to do whatever was necessary to get ahead.
"Sooner or later, it's going to catch up to them," one teacher cautioned. "They haven't learned a lesson at this level and it's going to create problems for them later in life."
That seems key to me. True, after I got out of school, I didn't use a lot of the stuff I had learned. (For instance, I never again needed to know what an "isosceles triangle" was.) But besides the obvious benefits of a wide education, gaining knowledge is one ofthe most important components of developing good discernment.
The words wisdom and knowledge are often linked with discernment in Proverbs: "Let the discerning get guidance" (3:21)." "Knowledge comes easily to the discerning" (14:33). "Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning" (15:14), and "the discerning heart seeks knowledge" (16:21).
Mickey Imber, a Kansas University professor, says, "If you acquire a broad knowledge base . . . you can then reason your way to sensibly held convictions." Solomon wrote, "Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding" (4:5).
Taking shortcuts in school can lead to taking shortcuts for the rest of your life. And that will handicap you from developing the kind of discernment you'll need to make good decisions, explain your convictions, and to be a person who is "wise in heart" (Proverbs 16:21). --Cindy Kasper
DESTINATION POINTS
* How important is it to me to develop good discernment?
* In whatways do I have good discernment? Where do I think I need help?
LINKS:
Cheaters Amok
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Primetime/US/cheating_040429-1.html
bottom line: Got a choice to make? Get knowledge first!
soul journey
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Stepping Out
John Fischer
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, when Harrison Ford goes after the Holy Grail, there is a final test where he has to take a step of faith to get to the Grail. He has to cross a chasm over what appears to be a bottomless pit in order to claim the cup so he can use it to heal his father (Sean Connery) from a fatal wound. The riddle he and his father have figured out has convinced him he must take a step out into the abyss—has to put his full weight into it—and as he does, sure enough, a bridge appears out of nowhere and his step lands on something solid that was not visible until the instant his foot came down on it in mid-air. All issues of faith are like this. It’s not enough to believe, you have to put your whole weight into it. And when you do, you risk falling, but you find something solid.
So there is a risk involved. The risk is always around what will happen if God doesn’t do His part. The Bible says that faith “is the evidence of things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 It’s the bridge that we step out onto even if we cannot see it. Maybe that bridge is love for someone unlovely. Maybe it is the words we don’t think we have until we put open our mouths in front of the person we need to address. Maybe it is courage to face a responsibility that seems impossible. Maybe it is the power to overcome a bad habit. But it’s there—the bridge of faith is there—even though we can’t see it.
Hebrews 11 goes on to mention eighteen individuals by name, plus all the prophets, the children of Israel, and the early martyrs who accomplished impossible things by faith. All ordinary people—all with their own flaws, fears, and excuses to overcome. And the conclusion for us is to realize that these people and their examples are a huge crowd of witnesses surrounding us and telling us to “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run the race that God has set before us.” Hebrews 12:1 What a cheering section!
What is it in your life that you need to address by faith? What is the invisible bridge God is asking you to cross? I’m thinking about what’s on my plate. With this kind of encouragement, I think we can step out.
PDL
John Fischer
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, when Harrison Ford goes after the Holy Grail, there is a final test where he has to take a step of faith to get to the Grail. He has to cross a chasm over what appears to be a bottomless pit in order to claim the cup so he can use it to heal his father (Sean Connery) from a fatal wound. The riddle he and his father have figured out has convinced him he must take a step out into the abyss—has to put his full weight into it—and as he does, sure enough, a bridge appears out of nowhere and his step lands on something solid that was not visible until the instant his foot came down on it in mid-air. All issues of faith are like this. It’s not enough to believe, you have to put your whole weight into it. And when you do, you risk falling, but you find something solid.
So there is a risk involved. The risk is always around what will happen if God doesn’t do His part. The Bible says that faith “is the evidence of things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 It’s the bridge that we step out onto even if we cannot see it. Maybe that bridge is love for someone unlovely. Maybe it is the words we don’t think we have until we put open our mouths in front of the person we need to address. Maybe it is courage to face a responsibility that seems impossible. Maybe it is the power to overcome a bad habit. But it’s there—the bridge of faith is there—even though we can’t see it.
Hebrews 11 goes on to mention eighteen individuals by name, plus all the prophets, the children of Israel, and the early martyrs who accomplished impossible things by faith. All ordinary people—all with their own flaws, fears, and excuses to overcome. And the conclusion for us is to realize that these people and their examples are a huge crowd of witnesses surrounding us and telling us to “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run the race that God has set before us.” Hebrews 12:1 What a cheering section!
What is it in your life that you need to address by faith? What is the invisible bridge God is asking you to cross? I’m thinking about what’s on my plate. With this kind of encouragement, I think we can step out.
PDL
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
TIRED, BUT WORTH RENEWAL
Psalm 51:7-127
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
As the months dragged on and we continued to scrape and paint and clean and rip out and replace everything in sight in our new house, my daughter finally said in a bit of exasperation, "Tell me again why you wanted this house."
After living in the same house for 27 years, we decided to move. Butthe house we purchased was, as I like to say, tired. It had 22 years of wear and tear, and it needed to be refreshed. Faucets were worn out. Carpet needed to be replaced. Walls needed a new covering. Out-of-date lights and other fixtures needed to be sent into retirement. It was simply tired.
So we spent countless hours urging it back to its original condition--or even better. As tired as it may have been, we knew that its location, its features, and its layout would make it aspecial place to live once we had finished the makeover. And now that we have completed the task, it has emerged fresh and livable.
Spiritually, we can grow a bit like our new family home. We can grow tired. We can have layers of old stuff coating our lives and needing a good scrape job. Perhaps we're still trying to live with spiritual commitments we made in 1996 and haven't renewed since. Maybe we've been trying to get by on a relationship with God that we really haven't nurtured or enhanced in a long time.
The foundation for a strong relationship with God is there and the building stands solidly on Jesus, but neglect has let things grow alittle tired. If that's the case, seek renewal. Begin remodeling what you have, restoring the former shine to your life of faith.
Your Christian life may be a bit tired, but restoring it to freshness and newness is worth the effort and the cost. Dust off your Bible. Refurbish your prayer life. Ask God to renew you (Psalm 51:7-12). Get reacquainted with the Father. Make your Christian life look as fresh and vibrant as the day you first trusted Jesus. --Dave Branon
DESTINATION POINTS
* What about my Christian life is most like a tired, begging-for-redecorating house? How can I best restore that portion of it?
* When was the last time I had a good heart-to-heart talk with God? Do I need to reintroduce myself to Him again?
LINKS:
The Way Back
http://www.discoveryseries.org/rd901
bottom line: Fall in love with Jesus all over again.
soul journey
Psalm 51:7-127
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
As the months dragged on and we continued to scrape and paint and clean and rip out and replace everything in sight in our new house, my daughter finally said in a bit of exasperation, "Tell me again why you wanted this house."
After living in the same house for 27 years, we decided to move. Butthe house we purchased was, as I like to say, tired. It had 22 years of wear and tear, and it needed to be refreshed. Faucets were worn out. Carpet needed to be replaced. Walls needed a new covering. Out-of-date lights and other fixtures needed to be sent into retirement. It was simply tired.
So we spent countless hours urging it back to its original condition--or even better. As tired as it may have been, we knew that its location, its features, and its layout would make it aspecial place to live once we had finished the makeover. And now that we have completed the task, it has emerged fresh and livable.
Spiritually, we can grow a bit like our new family home. We can grow tired. We can have layers of old stuff coating our lives and needing a good scrape job. Perhaps we're still trying to live with spiritual commitments we made in 1996 and haven't renewed since. Maybe we've been trying to get by on a relationship with God that we really haven't nurtured or enhanced in a long time.
The foundation for a strong relationship with God is there and the building stands solidly on Jesus, but neglect has let things grow alittle tired. If that's the case, seek renewal. Begin remodeling what you have, restoring the former shine to your life of faith.
Your Christian life may be a bit tired, but restoring it to freshness and newness is worth the effort and the cost. Dust off your Bible. Refurbish your prayer life. Ask God to renew you (Psalm 51:7-12). Get reacquainted with the Father. Make your Christian life look as fresh and vibrant as the day you first trusted Jesus. --Dave Branon
DESTINATION POINTS
* What about my Christian life is most like a tired, begging-for-redecorating house? How can I best restore that portion of it?
* When was the last time I had a good heart-to-heart talk with God? Do I need to reintroduce myself to Him again?
LINKS:
The Way Back
http://www.discoveryseries.org/rd901
bottom line: Fall in love with Jesus all over again.
soul journey
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Gifted for a Reason
John Fischer
God made us to fit into His family and gave each of us gifts that will help define our place in that family. That gift is a special ability to meet other people’s needs. It’s what helps us serve better. Serving other people is not an added little project for us to take on so we can be purpose-driven; it is an integral part of our identities. You were made to serve, and you were given gifts to help you serve better.
Your gift is by nature just that: a gift, so it is not hard to do. Sometimes it may take effort to get yourself into a place where you can exercise your spiritual gift, but once you start serving, the gift comes naturally. If you’re not sure what your gift is, ask somebody.
What I mean is: we are not very good judges of our own gifts. Our gifts are for others, and for this reason, those who receive the benefits of our gifts are the best qualified to tell us what they are. For instance, if people naturally come to you for advice because you always speak practically into their lives, then they are probably telling you that you have the gift of wisdom. If people call you when they need something done because you always get things done on time and with limited effort, they may be telling you that you have the gift of service or administration. If people confide in you because they know that whatever they say, you will not turn them away, they may be counting on your gift of mercy. If whenever you teach a Bible study or a small group, people come up to you and tell you what they learned, then they may be telling you that you have the gift of teaching. Ask the people around you to tell you specifically how you affect their lives.
Of course you have to exercise your gift before anyone can benefit from it and tell you what it is. Knowledge of these things doesn’t come out of a vacuum. How do you start serving if you aren’t sure what your gift is? Best to simply get involved with a small group or in some capacity in your church or community. As you reach out to people in general, a certain expertise will take shape. It will be hard to miss. It’s a blend of what you like to do, what comes easily, and what those around you confirm.
Having a role to play in the family of God can be the difference between wondering why we are here and knowing why. And that can make all the difference in the world.
For more study on spiritual gifts, read Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Ephesians 4:4-13.
PDL
John Fischer
God made us to fit into His family and gave each of us gifts that will help define our place in that family. That gift is a special ability to meet other people’s needs. It’s what helps us serve better. Serving other people is not an added little project for us to take on so we can be purpose-driven; it is an integral part of our identities. You were made to serve, and you were given gifts to help you serve better.
Your gift is by nature just that: a gift, so it is not hard to do. Sometimes it may take effort to get yourself into a place where you can exercise your spiritual gift, but once you start serving, the gift comes naturally. If you’re not sure what your gift is, ask somebody.
What I mean is: we are not very good judges of our own gifts. Our gifts are for others, and for this reason, those who receive the benefits of our gifts are the best qualified to tell us what they are. For instance, if people naturally come to you for advice because you always speak practically into their lives, then they are probably telling you that you have the gift of wisdom. If people call you when they need something done because you always get things done on time and with limited effort, they may be telling you that you have the gift of service or administration. If people confide in you because they know that whatever they say, you will not turn them away, they may be counting on your gift of mercy. If whenever you teach a Bible study or a small group, people come up to you and tell you what they learned, then they may be telling you that you have the gift of teaching. Ask the people around you to tell you specifically how you affect their lives.
Of course you have to exercise your gift before anyone can benefit from it and tell you what it is. Knowledge of these things doesn’t come out of a vacuum. How do you start serving if you aren’t sure what your gift is? Best to simply get involved with a small group or in some capacity in your church or community. As you reach out to people in general, a certain expertise will take shape. It will be hard to miss. It’s a blend of what you like to do, what comes easily, and what those around you confirm.
Having a role to play in the family of God can be the difference between wondering why we are here and knowing why. And that can make all the difference in the world.
For more study on spiritual gifts, read Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Ephesians 4:4-13.
PDL
Monday, November 22, 2004
Spiritually Full or Undernourished
Cathy Irvin
None of us are without spot or blemish, but if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, His Word tells us we shall be filled. This means doing our part to get spiritual nourishment during the week and then at our mid-week or Sunday services, we will come away satisfied.
Have you ever said, "I am not being spiritually fed"? Yet do we find ourselves not getting our own bible study time in by being alone with the Lord each day?. Are we satisfied in thinking that all we need is for the pastor to give us a full course meal on Sunday morning or shouldn't we find a Bible study, Sunday school class, or a Care group to attend?
It is time for us all to take responsibility for our Christian maturity. We can't blame the church for the emptiness we feel. We need to recognize that what we get out of the local church is what we put in. This would include our prayer life, our at-home worship to the Lord, and our daily studying of the Word of God. Then we will see real changes in our spiritual lives.
I am a firm believer that counseling is necessary for some people but not for every little thing. Many of the answers to life's problems are already in God's Word. I have seen pastors and church workers almost burned out from the constant counseling sessions. I pray for my pastor that he may not be overloaded. His job is to concentrate on his study time, not being pulled in and out of too many counseling appointments.
We are not to be unhealthy, undernourished Christians, but we find that this comes about when there is a lack of getting into the Word of God for ourselves. We need to do our part in nourishing our spiritual lives. The Pastors and guest speakers give messages and we are to have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. We are being fed the Word but perhaps the problem is that we are not "hearing" what is being said. If we do not spend quality time with the Lord in prayer, worshipping, and renewing our minds with the Word, then we will be weak Christians. It stands to reason that if we become sensitive to the voice of the Lord (fine-tuned in our spirit), then we will hear what the Lord is speaking to us as individuals and as a corporate body.
The Lord tells us to grow up "In Him." Read the scriptures in the book of Ephesians and Colossians 2:3. They are what some call "meaty" chapters. They can help you if you are looking to get fed.
You may say that you do all these things, but each Sunday you seem to be hearing a watered-down message. In that case, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as to which church you should be attending. If you are not planted in the right place, He will lead you to the best church that will meet your needs.
He says we are to drink from the fountain of living waters… that is Him. Get into the Word and you will be fed. Please know that there are no perfect churches. None of us are without spot or blemish, but if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, His Word tells us we shall be filled. This means doing our part to get spiritual nourishment during the week and then at our mid-week or Sunday services, we will come away satisfied.
When we find our place and spend time with the Lord, believe me, we will have more than enough on our spiritual plates to digest during the week. That is because we will have opened our hearts to the Lord and received what we need from God.
cbn
Cathy Irvin
None of us are without spot or blemish, but if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, His Word tells us we shall be filled. This means doing our part to get spiritual nourishment during the week and then at our mid-week or Sunday services, we will come away satisfied.
Have you ever said, "I am not being spiritually fed"? Yet do we find ourselves not getting our own bible study time in by being alone with the Lord each day?. Are we satisfied in thinking that all we need is for the pastor to give us a full course meal on Sunday morning or shouldn't we find a Bible study, Sunday school class, or a Care group to attend?
It is time for us all to take responsibility for our Christian maturity. We can't blame the church for the emptiness we feel. We need to recognize that what we get out of the local church is what we put in. This would include our prayer life, our at-home worship to the Lord, and our daily studying of the Word of God. Then we will see real changes in our spiritual lives.
I am a firm believer that counseling is necessary for some people but not for every little thing. Many of the answers to life's problems are already in God's Word. I have seen pastors and church workers almost burned out from the constant counseling sessions. I pray for my pastor that he may not be overloaded. His job is to concentrate on his study time, not being pulled in and out of too many counseling appointments.
We are not to be unhealthy, undernourished Christians, but we find that this comes about when there is a lack of getting into the Word of God for ourselves. We need to do our part in nourishing our spiritual lives. The Pastors and guest speakers give messages and we are to have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. We are being fed the Word but perhaps the problem is that we are not "hearing" what is being said. If we do not spend quality time with the Lord in prayer, worshipping, and renewing our minds with the Word, then we will be weak Christians. It stands to reason that if we become sensitive to the voice of the Lord (fine-tuned in our spirit), then we will hear what the Lord is speaking to us as individuals and as a corporate body.
The Lord tells us to grow up "In Him." Read the scriptures in the book of Ephesians and Colossians 2:3. They are what some call "meaty" chapters. They can help you if you are looking to get fed.
You may say that you do all these things, but each Sunday you seem to be hearing a watered-down message. In that case, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as to which church you should be attending. If you are not planted in the right place, He will lead you to the best church that will meet your needs.
He says we are to drink from the fountain of living waters… that is Him. Get into the Word and you will be fed. Please know that there are no perfect churches. None of us are without spot or blemish, but if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, His Word tells us we shall be filled. This means doing our part to get spiritual nourishment during the week and then at our mid-week or Sunday services, we will come away satisfied.
When we find our place and spend time with the Lord, believe me, we will have more than enough on our spiritual plates to digest during the week. That is because we will have opened our hearts to the Lord and received what we need from God.
cbn