Greater Works
John Fischer
Ever wonder about that time when Jesus said that those who believe in Him would do even greater works than He did? Well I don't know about you, but I haven't brought anyone back from the dead in the last few weeks. The last time I stepped on water, I sank. I can't even cure the common cold, and I can't make the water in my glass into anything other than... water. What could Jesus possibly mean by this statement? My only take on this up until now has been to assume I was falling way short of what I could be accomplishing with my life. Well that's kind of depressing. Why did Jesus say this if He was just going to leave us all depressed by it?
Dave Roper, in his writing on John, has helped me to finally make some sense of this. The actual statement is found in John 14:12, “Anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with my Father.” The key, Dave points out, is in the statement: “because I am going to be with my Father.” In other words, these greater works will be possible as a result of His leaving. Couple that with his statement a few verses later about coming back in the form of the Holy Spirit who would indwell all believers, and you begin to get the picture.
Let me try and say it another way. It's as if Jesus were saying, “Right now there is only one of me. Soon there will be many, because I am going to my Father in heaven from where I can direct my work through hundreds, thousands, even millions of you all over the world.”
“Our efforts,” Dave Roper writes, “insignificant on the face of it and largely unobserved, are joined to innumerable streams of effort that result in the stupendous flow of God's love and goodness to men and women, boys and girls throughout the world. Thus we are part of a greater thing than we could ever imagine!”
Think of it. We are accomplishing greater works than Christ did when He was here! It's what we can all do together as the singular “body of Christ” that is at work here. Talk about purpose! And your job is just as important as anyone else's.
We are a part of something great. Just as a tiny stream begins high in the mountains and is joined by countless tributaries until it becomes a wide, rushing river, so our little work becomes part of a work greater than what even Jesus accomplished when He was here.
PDL
Friday, March 31, 2006
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
More Than Just A Feeling
John Fischer
In my newspaper this morning there was a story about Naomi Wolf, author and outspoken feminist, finding Jesus. She apparently has explained her conversion as coming through a profound vision she had in which she was a 13-year-old Jewish boy sitting next to Jesus “feeling feelings I'd never felt in my lifetime.” Such a story raises the obvious question as to how she or anyone else would know if this was really Jesus.
We live in a time when truth is anyone's guess. And in many cases that's all it is -- a guess. We all have heard, during a discussion of religion, the statement: “Well that may be true for you, but not for me.” It makes you wonder how many versions of truth are out there. And if that's true, then Jesus (who, by the way, said he was the embodiment of truth) is up for grabs, too. And if someone says they sat next to him in a vision, how would they know? How would we know whether or not to believe them?
Well there is a way to check it out. Here's how anyone can do it. It's not very hard. You just read the gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) a few times over until you think you have a handle on who Jesus claimed to be, what he did while he was here and what he said. And if, as you are doing that, your heart is leaping out of your chest and everything in you says: “That's him alright!” then you've got the real Jesus.
It's that Jesus whom we believe and follow -- the one who healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and had the power to forgive sins. The one who cast the moneychangers out of the temple and had harsh words for the religious leaders of the day. The one who claimed he was from God and was going back to God. The one who said he would die and rise again on the third day and then went and did just that. The one who said that the poor and hungry were better off than the rich and satisfied. The one who told us that the most important thing we could do was love God and secondly to love our neighbor. The one who said he was the truth and the life and thus the only way to get to His Father in heaven. That one! That's the real Jesus, and what you and I do with that Jesus is the real crux of the matter.
I don't know about Naomi Wolf and her vision, but I do hope she's got a Bible and that she's reading about Jesus.
PDL
John Fischer
In my newspaper this morning there was a story about Naomi Wolf, author and outspoken feminist, finding Jesus. She apparently has explained her conversion as coming through a profound vision she had in which she was a 13-year-old Jewish boy sitting next to Jesus “feeling feelings I'd never felt in my lifetime.” Such a story raises the obvious question as to how she or anyone else would know if this was really Jesus.
We live in a time when truth is anyone's guess. And in many cases that's all it is -- a guess. We all have heard, during a discussion of religion, the statement: “Well that may be true for you, but not for me.” It makes you wonder how many versions of truth are out there. And if that's true, then Jesus (who, by the way, said he was the embodiment of truth) is up for grabs, too. And if someone says they sat next to him in a vision, how would they know? How would we know whether or not to believe them?
Well there is a way to check it out. Here's how anyone can do it. It's not very hard. You just read the gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) a few times over until you think you have a handle on who Jesus claimed to be, what he did while he was here and what he said. And if, as you are doing that, your heart is leaping out of your chest and everything in you says: “That's him alright!” then you've got the real Jesus.
It's that Jesus whom we believe and follow -- the one who healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind and had the power to forgive sins. The one who cast the moneychangers out of the temple and had harsh words for the religious leaders of the day. The one who claimed he was from God and was going back to God. The one who said he would die and rise again on the third day and then went and did just that. The one who said that the poor and hungry were better off than the rich and satisfied. The one who told us that the most important thing we could do was love God and secondly to love our neighbor. The one who said he was the truth and the life and thus the only way to get to His Father in heaven. That one! That's the real Jesus, and what you and I do with that Jesus is the real crux of the matter.
I don't know about Naomi Wolf and her vision, but I do hope she's got a Bible and that she's reading about Jesus.
PDL
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Who Is My Neighbor and Who Is My Good Samaritan?
John Fischer
I received an email from one of our readers who was concerned about her small group Bible study that was turning out to be markedly prejudiced against minorities -- blaming certain social problems on whole people groups, and assigning wrongs to them by nature of their ethnicity. When she tried to get them to entertain another point of view, she failed. So she asked if I could help her amass some facts about these particular minorities that would disprove her group's assertions.
I wrote her back that the only fact that really applied here was that her Bible Study group was in direct violation of the one and only commandment Jesus gave us: that we should love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
When Jesus gave this as the one commandment that summed up all ten (Luke 10:25-37), he was responding to an expert in Jewish law who was testing Him. After Jesus stated what we now call the Great Commandment, the expert pressed Him further, “And who is my neighbor?” It is then that Jesus told the well-known story of the Good Samaritan. You know it, I'm sure, but looking at this story from a prejudiced standpoint is quite revealing.
A man was attacked by thieves and left beside the road. A Jewish priest saw him and passed by on the other side. Then another did the same. Finally a Samaritan man came by and had compassion on him, treated his wounds, put him on his donkey and took him to the next town where he got him a room and left money for the innkeeper to care for him until he was well enough to go on his way.
Now the Jews detested Samaritans. They saw them as “dogs” and not even worth being counted as human, so when Jesus asked, after telling this story: “Who of the three was a good neighbor?” the expert had to swallow his pride and his prejudice just to utter the word "Samaritan" in a favorable context. Imagine Jesus using a member of a group you detest as a good example, and an illustration of what you know you might not do yourself in a similar situation, and you get a sense for what this must have been like.
So there are two questions today for a particular Bible study group I know of, and for all of us: 1) who is my neighbor, and 2) who would Jesus pick for the Samaritan in my story?
PDL
John Fischer
I received an email from one of our readers who was concerned about her small group Bible study that was turning out to be markedly prejudiced against minorities -- blaming certain social problems on whole people groups, and assigning wrongs to them by nature of their ethnicity. When she tried to get them to entertain another point of view, she failed. So she asked if I could help her amass some facts about these particular minorities that would disprove her group's assertions.
I wrote her back that the only fact that really applied here was that her Bible Study group was in direct violation of the one and only commandment Jesus gave us: that we should love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
When Jesus gave this as the one commandment that summed up all ten (Luke 10:25-37), he was responding to an expert in Jewish law who was testing Him. After Jesus stated what we now call the Great Commandment, the expert pressed Him further, “And who is my neighbor?” It is then that Jesus told the well-known story of the Good Samaritan. You know it, I'm sure, but looking at this story from a prejudiced standpoint is quite revealing.
A man was attacked by thieves and left beside the road. A Jewish priest saw him and passed by on the other side. Then another did the same. Finally a Samaritan man came by and had compassion on him, treated his wounds, put him on his donkey and took him to the next town where he got him a room and left money for the innkeeper to care for him until he was well enough to go on his way.
Now the Jews detested Samaritans. They saw them as “dogs” and not even worth being counted as human, so when Jesus asked, after telling this story: “Who of the three was a good neighbor?” the expert had to swallow his pride and his prejudice just to utter the word "Samaritan" in a favorable context. Imagine Jesus using a member of a group you detest as a good example, and an illustration of what you know you might not do yourself in a similar situation, and you get a sense for what this must have been like.
So there are two questions today for a particular Bible study group I know of, and for all of us: 1) who is my neighbor, and 2) who would Jesus pick for the Samaritan in my story?
PDL
Friday, March 24, 2006
Wisdom from a Thirteen-year-old Cancer Patient
John Fischer
John was thirteen and in treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He loved the scriptures and could often be found reading the Bible on his own or having someone else read to him. One night when he was too weak to read, he asked his mother to take over for him where he had left off, in the second chapter of Ephesians. After about halfway through the chapter she decided to ask him what stood out so far, expecting him to come back with the often-quoted verses 8 & 9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast.” But instead he replied, “That workmanship verse…" or verse 10, which reads, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
His mother was surprised and asked him why he picked that verse.
"Because God has a purpose for my life."
"How do you see that in this verse?" she asked.
Without hesitation he said, "Because I'm still here. When your work for God is done, you should be happy to go home to heaven."
Think of it. At thirteen with a life-threatening illness, this kid is aware of his purpose in life. It's very simple, as he sees it, and I think he sees it right. If you're alive, there is something God has for you to do. If we are God's creative _expression, and part of that _expression includes good works that He has already prepared for us to do, then if we are alive, there is more to be discovered and more to be done. When we die, it's only because the work he prepared for us to do has been completed. Time to go home. Really… it's so complicated, it takes a thirteen-year-old to figure it out.
If you are alive, it's for a purpose, because God has something for you to do. And though that purpose will be expressed differently for each one of us, it will include at least five elements in common with all believers. It will include discovering God in our world, growing up in Christ, learning to serve those around us, connecting with others who believe, and with those who don't, in order to share with them the hope Christ has given us.
Are you still here? There's a reason for that; your work isn't done. And by the way, John's still here. He's 25 now. Obviously, he has work to do.
PDL
John Fischer
John was thirteen and in treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He loved the scriptures and could often be found reading the Bible on his own or having someone else read to him. One night when he was too weak to read, he asked his mother to take over for him where he had left off, in the second chapter of Ephesians. After about halfway through the chapter she decided to ask him what stood out so far, expecting him to come back with the often-quoted verses 8 & 9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast.” But instead he replied, “That workmanship verse…" or verse 10, which reads, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
His mother was surprised and asked him why he picked that verse.
"Because God has a purpose for my life."
"How do you see that in this verse?" she asked.
Without hesitation he said, "Because I'm still here. When your work for God is done, you should be happy to go home to heaven."
Think of it. At thirteen with a life-threatening illness, this kid is aware of his purpose in life. It's very simple, as he sees it, and I think he sees it right. If you're alive, there is something God has for you to do. If we are God's creative _expression, and part of that _expression includes good works that He has already prepared for us to do, then if we are alive, there is more to be discovered and more to be done. When we die, it's only because the work he prepared for us to do has been completed. Time to go home. Really… it's so complicated, it takes a thirteen-year-old to figure it out.
If you are alive, it's for a purpose, because God has something for you to do. And though that purpose will be expressed differently for each one of us, it will include at least five elements in common with all believers. It will include discovering God in our world, growing up in Christ, learning to serve those around us, connecting with others who believe, and with those who don't, in order to share with them the hope Christ has given us.
Are you still here? There's a reason for that; your work isn't done. And by the way, John's still here. He's 25 now. Obviously, he has work to do.
PDL
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Jesus Loves Even Me
John Fischer
If you’ve ever wondered how far God would go to show His love, look in the mirror and wonder no more. We need not look any further than ourselves to find the most shocking and amazing displays of God’s grace. If we think otherwise, it is only because we have not seen ourselves as we truly are.
It has been said and sung many times: “There but for the grace of God go I.” At first this sounds grateful, but such sentiment masks a dangerous pride. It is actually not unlike the statement of a religious leader in Jesus’ day as he looked upon a sinner on his knees who was crying out for God’s mercy. “I thank you, God,” said the Pharisee, “that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there” (Luke 18:11 NLT)! It is a view that focuses on someone else’s misfortune. Someone else is worse than I am. Much better to be thinking and praying, “Here, because of the grace of God, and for no other reason, am I.” I am the only person I truly know about when it comes to sin. I am the authority on the subject.
The Pharisee hasn’t a clue about the sinner—who he is or what he has done. He has no point of reference to judge the man’s life but from his own inflated view of himself. If he had even the slightest clue about his own sin, he would realize he doesn’t have any business making the assumption that the sinner is any worse than he is. The only prayer any of us can pray on the subject of sin is: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This is the one prayer that sends heaven scurrying.
It is best to steer completely clear of the comparison game. Any attempt to better ourselves at the mercy of someone else’s failure will always bring a twisted view of ourselves and others.
The immensity of God’s mercy is not displayed in what He did for the world, or for someone else. It is not displayed in someone else’s story about how low they were before Christ picked them up (of course, never as low as we would ever go—heaven forbid!). Nor is it discovered through some theological understanding or study of the many nuances of His grace. No, the immensity of God’s mercy is revealed finally—and only—in the incredible realization that, lo and behold, it found out the worst of the lot. God’s mercy looked down from heaven and found out me!
I am so glad that Jesus loves me
Jesus loves me…
Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me;
Jesus loves even me.
Phillip P. Bliss, 1870
PDL
John Fischer
If you’ve ever wondered how far God would go to show His love, look in the mirror and wonder no more. We need not look any further than ourselves to find the most shocking and amazing displays of God’s grace. If we think otherwise, it is only because we have not seen ourselves as we truly are.
It has been said and sung many times: “There but for the grace of God go I.” At first this sounds grateful, but such sentiment masks a dangerous pride. It is actually not unlike the statement of a religious leader in Jesus’ day as he looked upon a sinner on his knees who was crying out for God’s mercy. “I thank you, God,” said the Pharisee, “that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there” (Luke 18:11 NLT)! It is a view that focuses on someone else’s misfortune. Someone else is worse than I am. Much better to be thinking and praying, “Here, because of the grace of God, and for no other reason, am I.” I am the only person I truly know about when it comes to sin. I am the authority on the subject.
The Pharisee hasn’t a clue about the sinner—who he is or what he has done. He has no point of reference to judge the man’s life but from his own inflated view of himself. If he had even the slightest clue about his own sin, he would realize he doesn’t have any business making the assumption that the sinner is any worse than he is. The only prayer any of us can pray on the subject of sin is: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This is the one prayer that sends heaven scurrying.
It is best to steer completely clear of the comparison game. Any attempt to better ourselves at the mercy of someone else’s failure will always bring a twisted view of ourselves and others.
The immensity of God’s mercy is not displayed in what He did for the world, or for someone else. It is not displayed in someone else’s story about how low they were before Christ picked them up (of course, never as low as we would ever go—heaven forbid!). Nor is it discovered through some theological understanding or study of the many nuances of His grace. No, the immensity of God’s mercy is revealed finally—and only—in the incredible realization that, lo and behold, it found out the worst of the lot. God’s mercy looked down from heaven and found out me!
I am so glad that Jesus loves me
Jesus loves me…
Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me;
Jesus loves even me.
Phillip P. Bliss, 1870
PDL
Saturday, March 18, 2006
The Ultimate Mission
John Fischer
What could make you more nervous than a trip to Central Africa that requires three days of traversing marginal roads narrowing to near non-existence, wading through streams, and crossing rough-hewn and often improvised bridges to get to a remote village in northwestern Congo? According to Kathy Holmgren, wife of Seattle Seahawk coach, Mike Holmgren, watching her husband’s team play in the Super Bowl would have been more difficult to do. So when she discovered that a trip to accompany her daughter, an obstetrician, on a medical mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo was going to conflict with the Super Bowl, she decided to stick with the trip. "The actual game makes me so nervous I don't watch anyway.”
I understand exactly what she means. In a recent devotional I related my own nervousness viewing the collegiate football championship game, and I certainly was not anywhere near being connected to either of the teams in that contest the way Kathy Holmgren is connected to the Seahawks. (See “Rose Bowl Visitation” January 6, 2006.)
As it turned out, she made the right choice in that her husband’s Seahawks lost the game. Had they won, it still would have been the right choice. All this has turned out to be a great study in priorities that has received considerable media coverage due to the glut of news information this annual football classic always garners.
"(ABC) and other media are fascinated that Kathy's going to the end of the earth instead of being at the center of the universe," said Ann Brooks, a former television news journalist and currently executive director of communications for Northwest Medical Teams. But what no one has mentioned yet is the importance of being neither at the end of the earth nor the center of the universe, but in the center of God’s will. To see this correctly is to see it as people with a purpose living their lives well in whatever arena they find themselves.
So while Dad was fighting it out in the grandest arena of his sport, Mom and daughter were fighting to establish and train the staff of a medical hospital in one of the smaller arenas of the world. And in the end, which one counts more? Though you might think that in a devotional, the medical mission gets the nod, I don’t think so. In truth, if all of these people are doing what God asked of them, then nothing could be greater or more significant. Coaching a Super Bowl and serving on a medical mission are equally important if you are fulfilling what God put you here to do.
PDL
John Fischer
What could make you more nervous than a trip to Central Africa that requires three days of traversing marginal roads narrowing to near non-existence, wading through streams, and crossing rough-hewn and often improvised bridges to get to a remote village in northwestern Congo? According to Kathy Holmgren, wife of Seattle Seahawk coach, Mike Holmgren, watching her husband’s team play in the Super Bowl would have been more difficult to do. So when she discovered that a trip to accompany her daughter, an obstetrician, on a medical mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo was going to conflict with the Super Bowl, she decided to stick with the trip. "The actual game makes me so nervous I don't watch anyway.”
I understand exactly what she means. In a recent devotional I related my own nervousness viewing the collegiate football championship game, and I certainly was not anywhere near being connected to either of the teams in that contest the way Kathy Holmgren is connected to the Seahawks. (See “Rose Bowl Visitation” January 6, 2006.)
As it turned out, she made the right choice in that her husband’s Seahawks lost the game. Had they won, it still would have been the right choice. All this has turned out to be a great study in priorities that has received considerable media coverage due to the glut of news information this annual football classic always garners.
"(ABC) and other media are fascinated that Kathy's going to the end of the earth instead of being at the center of the universe," said Ann Brooks, a former television news journalist and currently executive director of communications for Northwest Medical Teams. But what no one has mentioned yet is the importance of being neither at the end of the earth nor the center of the universe, but in the center of God’s will. To see this correctly is to see it as people with a purpose living their lives well in whatever arena they find themselves.
So while Dad was fighting it out in the grandest arena of his sport, Mom and daughter were fighting to establish and train the staff of a medical hospital in one of the smaller arenas of the world. And in the end, which one counts more? Though you might think that in a devotional, the medical mission gets the nod, I don’t think so. In truth, if all of these people are doing what God asked of them, then nothing could be greater or more significant. Coaching a Super Bowl and serving on a medical mission are equally important if you are fulfilling what God put you here to do.
PDL
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Mercy and the Meter Maid
John Fischer
I was sitting outdoors at my favorite coffee spot. It's the first morning in a long while that hasn't chilled me to the bone. Now I know you east coasters are laughing yourselves silly hearing me talking about chilling myself to the bone in February in Laguna Beach, but I've learned from living all over the country that being cold or warm is a relative thing. Depending on the situation and your state of preparedness, 50° in California can feel colder that 30° in Massachusetts.
The crowd is up a little, also reflecting the warmer weather. Suddenly a voice barks out to all of us outside, "Any of you belong to this white Chrysler here?" It's the Laguna Beach meter maid in her blue shorts and baby blue uniformed top. It's a known fact that this town makes a good deal of revenue off of its parking meters and subsequent tickets, and a town can come to depend on that. There is usually little mercy shown. I have seen people running up and begging her to let them off while she's in the middle of writing a ticket, but nothing doing. If the pencil's to the metal, it's all over. That's why we all looked on with a little bit of shock when she tried to find the owner of a car that was obviously in violation of the parking code.
The lady, who owns the dress shop next door, came out and, always positive, said that the driver of the car could have put money in the wrong meter. "That could be, said the meter maid, "but these are both empty."
Nonetheless that little stall delayed the ticket writing long enough for the owner of the car to come running out from inside. "I was getting change!" she cried, waving quarters over her head, and the meter maid stayed until she had pumped a few of them into the machine. And as the meter maid continued on up the street, the dress shop owner exclaimed, "Now there is someone who is going to heaven!"
Okay, so it's a little overstated. Showing mercy as a ticket taker isn't enough to get anyone into heaven, but I would go as far as to say that not showing mercy could keep someone out. (Forget ticket takers; we're talking about you and me now.) Not because anyone's earning heaven, but because it could be argued that someone who is not merciful has not received God's mercy, or probably better said - doesn't think they need it. You just can't receive a get-out-of-hell-free card when you know you deserve to go there, and then turn around and wish it on someone else. That amounts to thinking you deserve to go over them. I'm sorry, but no one who thinks they deserve it in the slightest way -- even a relative way (more than someone else) -- is going to be in heaven.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
PDL
John Fischer
I was sitting outdoors at my favorite coffee spot. It's the first morning in a long while that hasn't chilled me to the bone. Now I know you east coasters are laughing yourselves silly hearing me talking about chilling myself to the bone in February in Laguna Beach, but I've learned from living all over the country that being cold or warm is a relative thing. Depending on the situation and your state of preparedness, 50° in California can feel colder that 30° in Massachusetts.
The crowd is up a little, also reflecting the warmer weather. Suddenly a voice barks out to all of us outside, "Any of you belong to this white Chrysler here?" It's the Laguna Beach meter maid in her blue shorts and baby blue uniformed top. It's a known fact that this town makes a good deal of revenue off of its parking meters and subsequent tickets, and a town can come to depend on that. There is usually little mercy shown. I have seen people running up and begging her to let them off while she's in the middle of writing a ticket, but nothing doing. If the pencil's to the metal, it's all over. That's why we all looked on with a little bit of shock when she tried to find the owner of a car that was obviously in violation of the parking code.
The lady, who owns the dress shop next door, came out and, always positive, said that the driver of the car could have put money in the wrong meter. "That could be, said the meter maid, "but these are both empty."
Nonetheless that little stall delayed the ticket writing long enough for the owner of the car to come running out from inside. "I was getting change!" she cried, waving quarters over her head, and the meter maid stayed until she had pumped a few of them into the machine. And as the meter maid continued on up the street, the dress shop owner exclaimed, "Now there is someone who is going to heaven!"
Okay, so it's a little overstated. Showing mercy as a ticket taker isn't enough to get anyone into heaven, but I would go as far as to say that not showing mercy could keep someone out. (Forget ticket takers; we're talking about you and me now.) Not because anyone's earning heaven, but because it could be argued that someone who is not merciful has not received God's mercy, or probably better said - doesn't think they need it. You just can't receive a get-out-of-hell-free card when you know you deserve to go there, and then turn around and wish it on someone else. That amounts to thinking you deserve to go over them. I'm sorry, but no one who thinks they deserve it in the slightest way -- even a relative way (more than someone else) -- is going to be in heaven.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)
PDL
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Under the Covers
John Fischer
I used to ridicule Chihuahua owners for choosing something that is somewhat less than a dog. Rug rat seemed the more appropriate title for this dog until I became an owner myself. Now we have two of them and I had no idea how attached I had become until, for a two hour period this week, we thought we had lost them. We couldn't find them anywhere. It seemed unlikely that they would have gotten out of our yard. One of them, the larger, older male has gotten out on two occasions, but the smaller, more timid female has never ventured out, and it was hard to believe she would leave, unless her big buddy had succeeded in convincing her she needed to see the world.
As we canvassed the neighborhood, getting everyone who was outside their house to be eyes for us, I kept checking back in the house thinking they had gotten closed in a closet or something. The third time through, I heard something from the bedroom. I walked in and there they were on top of our bed.
Ask any Chihuahua owner where their dog sleeps and chances are they will not say “on” the bed but “in” the bed. It's something that appears common to the breed. They burrow themselves down about to where your feet are and that is where they spend the night. When my wife made the bed that morning, she simply made it over them, not realizing they were there. They didn't realize it either because they were sound asleep.
I've been thinking about this ever since. I think this is a little like God who goes out after the lost while knowing where we are all along. The scripture says He knows those who are His. I don't fully understand that -- what that means for those who are not His -- but I choose to not try and figure out who is and who isn't, rather to be sure I am one who is. And the best way to do that is to stay under the covers of His protection and not wander off on my own.
I personally believe this is where all those discussions about free will and predestination need to end up. Whatever God knows, beyond what is revealed in scripture, is not our business. Staying under Him is. We were all lost at one time, and now we have been found. When we venture out, we venture not alone. We carry Him with us. Indeed, He is still seeking the lost through us. But regardless of where we are, we are not without His covering.
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. John 10:14
PDL
John Fischer
I used to ridicule Chihuahua owners for choosing something that is somewhat less than a dog. Rug rat seemed the more appropriate title for this dog until I became an owner myself. Now we have two of them and I had no idea how attached I had become until, for a two hour period this week, we thought we had lost them. We couldn't find them anywhere. It seemed unlikely that they would have gotten out of our yard. One of them, the larger, older male has gotten out on two occasions, but the smaller, more timid female has never ventured out, and it was hard to believe she would leave, unless her big buddy had succeeded in convincing her she needed to see the world.
As we canvassed the neighborhood, getting everyone who was outside their house to be eyes for us, I kept checking back in the house thinking they had gotten closed in a closet or something. The third time through, I heard something from the bedroom. I walked in and there they were on top of our bed.
Ask any Chihuahua owner where their dog sleeps and chances are they will not say “on” the bed but “in” the bed. It's something that appears common to the breed. They burrow themselves down about to where your feet are and that is where they spend the night. When my wife made the bed that morning, she simply made it over them, not realizing they were there. They didn't realize it either because they were sound asleep.
I've been thinking about this ever since. I think this is a little like God who goes out after the lost while knowing where we are all along. The scripture says He knows those who are His. I don't fully understand that -- what that means for those who are not His -- but I choose to not try and figure out who is and who isn't, rather to be sure I am one who is. And the best way to do that is to stay under the covers of His protection and not wander off on my own.
I personally believe this is where all those discussions about free will and predestination need to end up. Whatever God knows, beyond what is revealed in scripture, is not our business. Staying under Him is. We were all lost at one time, and now we have been found. When we venture out, we venture not alone. We carry Him with us. Indeed, He is still seeking the lost through us. But regardless of where we are, we are not without His covering.
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. John 10:14
PDL
Monday, March 13, 2006
Why Worship?
John Fischer
I will worship God today because it is good and right to do so.
I will worship God today, not because of what it will do for me, or because it is popular, or because it is Sunday, or because I like the worship music, but for the simple reason that I was made to do this. To worship God is what I am here for.
Worship is not an asset. It is not an added benefit to my life like working out or taking vitamins. Nor is it a secret formula that will add a deeper dimension to my life. Worship is raw. Basic. Worship is the air I breathe. It is the blood pumping through my veins. It is the cells in my body that reproduce and keep me alive for this. Everything else I do is extemporaneous. To worship God is the root of my being. To not worship is to miss the fundamental reason for my existence.
Worship is what happens when you get in touch with God. Something about it is automatic. When any human being encountered a vision of God in the Bible, the same thing happened: they hit the dirt. It was the natural response. Some of that was fear, some of that was worship as expressed by awe and respect. Much of it was feeling little and insignificant in His sight. That's part of worship too, because we are. That's why it is so amazing that He is mindful of us. That He even notices us. (Psalm 8)
And because He loves us so much, and knows how far away we can stray from our stated purpose, and how much damage we can do to ourselves and others in the process, He has commanded us to worship Him. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Luke 10:27). That's not because He is arrogant, but because He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our fulfillment is in Him. The Rolling Stones get it right every time they sing it: “I can't get no satisfaction.” That's because there is no ultimate satisfaction until God is in His rightful place in our lives.
Think of it as God commanding us to do what we were meant to do. God is commanding us to do the one thing that will make us deeply satisfied and forever fulfilled. That's a twist, because we're so used to laws being overbearing, backbreaking spoilers of our fun. This is a law that commands us to do what will be our delight for now and for eternity.
PDL
John Fischer
I will worship God today because it is good and right to do so.
I will worship God today, not because of what it will do for me, or because it is popular, or because it is Sunday, or because I like the worship music, but for the simple reason that I was made to do this. To worship God is what I am here for.
Worship is not an asset. It is not an added benefit to my life like working out or taking vitamins. Nor is it a secret formula that will add a deeper dimension to my life. Worship is raw. Basic. Worship is the air I breathe. It is the blood pumping through my veins. It is the cells in my body that reproduce and keep me alive for this. Everything else I do is extemporaneous. To worship God is the root of my being. To not worship is to miss the fundamental reason for my existence.
Worship is what happens when you get in touch with God. Something about it is automatic. When any human being encountered a vision of God in the Bible, the same thing happened: they hit the dirt. It was the natural response. Some of that was fear, some of that was worship as expressed by awe and respect. Much of it was feeling little and insignificant in His sight. That's part of worship too, because we are. That's why it is so amazing that He is mindful of us. That He even notices us. (Psalm 8)
And because He loves us so much, and knows how far away we can stray from our stated purpose, and how much damage we can do to ourselves and others in the process, He has commanded us to worship Him. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Luke 10:27). That's not because He is arrogant, but because He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our fulfillment is in Him. The Rolling Stones get it right every time they sing it: “I can't get no satisfaction.” That's because there is no ultimate satisfaction until God is in His rightful place in our lives.
Think of it as God commanding us to do what we were meant to do. God is commanding us to do the one thing that will make us deeply satisfied and forever fulfilled. That's a twist, because we're so used to laws being overbearing, backbreaking spoilers of our fun. This is a law that commands us to do what will be our delight for now and for eternity.
PDL
Potholes and Bumps
Cathy Irvin
Life has a lot of twists and turns -- like a winding road that seems to go on and on and you feel sometimes as if you will never reach your destination. We get so caught up in wondering or worrying where we are going or how long it is taking to get there that we don’t enjoy the ride.
But we shouldn’t get too upset even when we miss turns in life. It is certain that we will hit a rough place or fall into a hole or two along the way. It has been said, 'Life is what you make it.' So ask yourself: ' Am I an optimist or am I a pessimist?'
This is the age-old test -- do you see the glass as half full, or half empty?
It is an easy assumption that we are all going to experience the ups and downs, twists and turns, detours and all sorts of trials along the way, like potholes and bumps in the road. However, we must manage to get out of or go over them.
Jesus told us to not think it strange when you fall into divers temptations. Yes, we will have trials and when they are over we will move on to our mountain top experiences in life and than travel again to the valleys at another point in time.
The choice we have is that we can stop along the way and take a breath of the fresh air from time-to-time and maybe smell the roses, or we can grit our teeth and see all the problems and not the view from God’s perspective.
I have had my share of troubles, but as I look ahead I don’t have time to go back to those places in my mind. I am enjoying the journey I am on and grateful to the Lord for being with me as I travel.
I can see the blessings in my life sort of like the train ride in the latest Christmas movie “The Polar Express” where the conductor had a destination and sometimes things happened to keep him from making it in the time frame to arrive. I noticed that he constantly looked at his watch and you could see his determination, but he made it despite all the obstacles.
Is there a lesson here for us? Can we just enjoy our journey as we travel down life’s highway? Yes, we can if we realize that it is one day at a time that we venture out and that the Lord is guiding us. He wants us to enjoy our travels in life, so we can rest in and trust Him and certainly we are told not to worry.
We can get a positive outlook and pray when those trials come along. Give our cares to the Lord and He will help us out of our troubles. Remember, we will hit those potholes and bumps, but the entire road of life is not that way. So enjoy the ride and pull over from time to time to rest and see God's panoramic view. There are so many blessings in it, and oh, that final destination that awaits will be worth it all -- when we see Jesus!
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 New King James Version)
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 New King James Version)
cbn
Cathy Irvin
Life has a lot of twists and turns -- like a winding road that seems to go on and on and you feel sometimes as if you will never reach your destination. We get so caught up in wondering or worrying where we are going or how long it is taking to get there that we don’t enjoy the ride.
But we shouldn’t get too upset even when we miss turns in life. It is certain that we will hit a rough place or fall into a hole or two along the way. It has been said, 'Life is what you make it.' So ask yourself: ' Am I an optimist or am I a pessimist?'
This is the age-old test -- do you see the glass as half full, or half empty?
It is an easy assumption that we are all going to experience the ups and downs, twists and turns, detours and all sorts of trials along the way, like potholes and bumps in the road. However, we must manage to get out of or go over them.
Jesus told us to not think it strange when you fall into divers temptations. Yes, we will have trials and when they are over we will move on to our mountain top experiences in life and than travel again to the valleys at another point in time.
The choice we have is that we can stop along the way and take a breath of the fresh air from time-to-time and maybe smell the roses, or we can grit our teeth and see all the problems and not the view from God’s perspective.
I have had my share of troubles, but as I look ahead I don’t have time to go back to those places in my mind. I am enjoying the journey I am on and grateful to the Lord for being with me as I travel.
I can see the blessings in my life sort of like the train ride in the latest Christmas movie “The Polar Express” where the conductor had a destination and sometimes things happened to keep him from making it in the time frame to arrive. I noticed that he constantly looked at his watch and you could see his determination, but he made it despite all the obstacles.
Is there a lesson here for us? Can we just enjoy our journey as we travel down life’s highway? Yes, we can if we realize that it is one day at a time that we venture out and that the Lord is guiding us. He wants us to enjoy our travels in life, so we can rest in and trust Him and certainly we are told not to worry.
We can get a positive outlook and pray when those trials come along. Give our cares to the Lord and He will help us out of our troubles. Remember, we will hit those potholes and bumps, but the entire road of life is not that way. So enjoy the ride and pull over from time to time to rest and see God's panoramic view. There are so many blessings in it, and oh, that final destination that awaits will be worth it all -- when we see Jesus!
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 New King James Version)
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 New King James Version)
cbn
Friday, March 10, 2006
Where's The LIFE?
Craig von Buseck
My middle son, David, had fallen asleep on the floor in front of the TV and I had just put my daughter Margo in her crib. But it had been a rough night for my oldest son, Aaron. A short time earlier I had caught him in Margo's crib with an ink marker in his hand. He had written on important papers, his shoes, and on the wall. I had to send him to bed early.
It had been a half-hour and he was still whimpering in his bed. Finally, he came out to the living room where I was reading, to tell me he was hungry. Usually when Aaron says he's hungry, he really is hungry. I told him to get the cereal and milk while I pulled out the bowl and spoon.
When he finished eating his Life cereal, Aaron brought the box over to me. On the back of the box were hidden the letters to the word L.I.F.E. amidst a maze of cartoon characters at a party being held at the "White House." The object of the game was to get through the maze while finding the letters L.I.F.E.
I pulled out a red pen and we began our search. Together we followed the twists and turns of the maze, traveling from the roof of the cardboard "White House," through bedrooms and ballrooms and ending at the famous portico. In our journey we were only able to find the letters "E" and "F."
We began to retrace our steps, searching for the "L" and the "I." We found what we thought was the "I" in a support pillar from the main ballroom, but the "L" remained elusive. I finally gave up and looked at the side panel to find out where they had hidden it. To my astonishment I discovered that the people at Life Cereal did not provide a cheat sheet -- there was no answer to the puzzle.
I imagined some mad designer at the cereal company art studio laughing at all the frustrated people across the continent who were looking for an "L" that did not exist.
Aaron and I scanned every square inch of that cereal box and, try as we may, we could not find that pesky letter. It was getting late, so to end the frustration I created an "L" out of a window ledge on the side of the "White House" and sent my skeptical son off to bed.
Thank God that we are not on such a futile search for true life.
Sometimes this journey through life feels like a maze. It seems like we are not really a part of the party, we're just passing through -- all the while we are looking for the missing pieces. But unlike the artists at the cereal company, God has provided a road map for our journey -- it's called the Bible.
Have you ever tried to put a puzzle together and needed to look to the top of the puzzle box to see the overall picture. That's how life is. God has given us that picture, that overview, in His Word.
We don't have to be frustrated. We don't have to invent our own way, creating letters out of the window ledge. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6).
We need only look to the Bible -- the box top, the overview -- to discover God's plan and His will for our lives! And when you follow Jesus, LIFE is truly delicious.
If you want to experience God's abundant LIFE, pray this simple prayer with me:
Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus' name. I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the grave to give me life. I know You are the only way to God so now I want to quit disobeying You and start living for You. Please forgive me, change my life and show me how to know You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, please send us an e-mail to let us know. Or you can call The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Center at (800) 759-0700. We would love to talk with you
cbn
Craig von Buseck
My middle son, David, had fallen asleep on the floor in front of the TV and I had just put my daughter Margo in her crib. But it had been a rough night for my oldest son, Aaron. A short time earlier I had caught him in Margo's crib with an ink marker in his hand. He had written on important papers, his shoes, and on the wall. I had to send him to bed early.
It had been a half-hour and he was still whimpering in his bed. Finally, he came out to the living room where I was reading, to tell me he was hungry. Usually when Aaron says he's hungry, he really is hungry. I told him to get the cereal and milk while I pulled out the bowl and spoon.
When he finished eating his Life cereal, Aaron brought the box over to me. On the back of the box were hidden the letters to the word L.I.F.E. amidst a maze of cartoon characters at a party being held at the "White House." The object of the game was to get through the maze while finding the letters L.I.F.E.
I pulled out a red pen and we began our search. Together we followed the twists and turns of the maze, traveling from the roof of the cardboard "White House," through bedrooms and ballrooms and ending at the famous portico. In our journey we were only able to find the letters "E" and "F."
We began to retrace our steps, searching for the "L" and the "I." We found what we thought was the "I" in a support pillar from the main ballroom, but the "L" remained elusive. I finally gave up and looked at the side panel to find out where they had hidden it. To my astonishment I discovered that the people at Life Cereal did not provide a cheat sheet -- there was no answer to the puzzle.
I imagined some mad designer at the cereal company art studio laughing at all the frustrated people across the continent who were looking for an "L" that did not exist.
Aaron and I scanned every square inch of that cereal box and, try as we may, we could not find that pesky letter. It was getting late, so to end the frustration I created an "L" out of a window ledge on the side of the "White House" and sent my skeptical son off to bed.
Thank God that we are not on such a futile search for true life.
Sometimes this journey through life feels like a maze. It seems like we are not really a part of the party, we're just passing through -- all the while we are looking for the missing pieces. But unlike the artists at the cereal company, God has provided a road map for our journey -- it's called the Bible.
Have you ever tried to put a puzzle together and needed to look to the top of the puzzle box to see the overall picture. That's how life is. God has given us that picture, that overview, in His Word.
We don't have to be frustrated. We don't have to invent our own way, creating letters out of the window ledge. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6).
We need only look to the Bible -- the box top, the overview -- to discover God's plan and His will for our lives! And when you follow Jesus, LIFE is truly delicious.
If you want to experience God's abundant LIFE, pray this simple prayer with me:
Heavenly Father, I come to you in Jesus' name. I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the grave to give me life. I know You are the only way to God so now I want to quit disobeying You and start living for You. Please forgive me, change my life and show me how to know You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, please send us an e-mail to let us know. Or you can call The 700 Club Prayer Counseling Center at (800) 759-0700. We would love to talk with you
cbn
Thursday, March 09, 2006
“The Things I Did With You”
John Fischer
One of the benefits of having a third child this late in life is getting to hear Sesame Street again while I’m getting ready in the morning. I’ve missed those little critters. Last week, I overheard a sweet little song from Bert and Ernie: "Things that I remember are the things I did with you."
I found my thoughts straying to an old friend with whom I worked for over ten years in the 1970s. Because it was a spiritual relationship as well as a professional one, I got close to his family as well. I was single at the time, and for all practical purposes, they adopted me when we were working on a project.
While Bert and Ernie were singing about the things they did together, I thought about the things I did with Clark. Professionally, he arranged and recorded six albums with me that started the singer/songwriter part of my career. But as time has passed, those albums have taken a second place in my memory to a myriad of things we did together. The professional relationship, in other words, was just an excuse for that other relationship we share -- the real one.
I remember both houses he’s lived in since I’ve known him, because I’ve spent so much time in both of them. I remember getting my first instructions operating a motorcycle. I remember bringing my girlfriends by for inspection -- the thumbs down, and then the thumbs up (way up!) for Marti. I remember long discussions over spiritual questions posed by his colleagues in the music business. (He was a new Christian when I met him and still treats me as the "expert" Bible guy.) I remember performing the ceremonies for both of his daughter’s weddings. I remember the time our 18-month-old son threw a ping-pong paddle at his large aquarium and the horror of watching the glass shatter, releasing gallons of water and flopping tropical fish on his family room floor. And, of course, I remember working together over my music, amazed that I got to benefit from the wealth of his talent and versatility. And as these things flashed in my mind, I realized it wasn’t the things we did, but the fact that we did them together that really mattered.
But Clark was already on my mind for other reasons. He is currently caught in a grueling battle with cancer. There is a method in my telling you a few things about us. I hope they lead you to think of someone in your life, and how important that person for the things you have done together. But I hope, too, that you will say a prayer for Clark. He really needs it right now.
PDL
John Fischer
One of the benefits of having a third child this late in life is getting to hear Sesame Street again while I’m getting ready in the morning. I’ve missed those little critters. Last week, I overheard a sweet little song from Bert and Ernie: "Things that I remember are the things I did with you."
I found my thoughts straying to an old friend with whom I worked for over ten years in the 1970s. Because it was a spiritual relationship as well as a professional one, I got close to his family as well. I was single at the time, and for all practical purposes, they adopted me when we were working on a project.
While Bert and Ernie were singing about the things they did together, I thought about the things I did with Clark. Professionally, he arranged and recorded six albums with me that started the singer/songwriter part of my career. But as time has passed, those albums have taken a second place in my memory to a myriad of things we did together. The professional relationship, in other words, was just an excuse for that other relationship we share -- the real one.
I remember both houses he’s lived in since I’ve known him, because I’ve spent so much time in both of them. I remember getting my first instructions operating a motorcycle. I remember bringing my girlfriends by for inspection -- the thumbs down, and then the thumbs up (way up!) for Marti. I remember long discussions over spiritual questions posed by his colleagues in the music business. (He was a new Christian when I met him and still treats me as the "expert" Bible guy.) I remember performing the ceremonies for both of his daughter’s weddings. I remember the time our 18-month-old son threw a ping-pong paddle at his large aquarium and the horror of watching the glass shatter, releasing gallons of water and flopping tropical fish on his family room floor. And, of course, I remember working together over my music, amazed that I got to benefit from the wealth of his talent and versatility. And as these things flashed in my mind, I realized it wasn’t the things we did, but the fact that we did them together that really mattered.
But Clark was already on my mind for other reasons. He is currently caught in a grueling battle with cancer. There is a method in my telling you a few things about us. I hope they lead you to think of someone in your life, and how important that person for the things you have done together. But I hope, too, that you will say a prayer for Clark. He really needs it right now.
PDL
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Check Your Lane
John Fischer
"When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane."
I got this from one of those joke pages flying around the Internet. Actually, having everything coming at you may not necessarily mean you're in the wrong lane when it comes to personal growth. I would go as far as to suggest that everything going your way is probably a condition to be less trusted than feeling like you're driving into oncoming traffic.
I just don't see God as doling out ease and contentment. His business lies more in the areas of refining and shaping us to conform more to the image of Christ, and none of that comes easy. Scripture indicates that the process by which this comes about includes, among other things, trials (James 1:2-3), suffering (Romans 5:3-4), discipline (Hebrews 12:7), and a growing sense of our own mortality (2 Corinthians 5:4-5).
In one illustration, Paul uses the metaphor of an earthen vessel to explain our human condition and how God uses us (2 Corinthians 4:7). To think about an earthen vessel (a piece of pottery) is to get an accurate picture of what we can expect in this life.
A pot begins as a lump of clay that is kneaded and slammed until all the air is out of it and the lump is the right consistency to form into something useful. Then it is placed on a potter's wheel where the potter molds and shapes it, spinning it in his wet hands, until its sides are stretched out and up into a shape that can hold something. Then it is set on a shelf and allowed to dry before the real fun part begins -- the firing -- after which it is glazed and fired again. (I hope you are imagining yourself going through all of this because that's the idea.) Finally it is ready to be used, and that usually includes some pretty rough treatment -- a seemingly endless pattern of getting dirty and being cleaned only to get dirty again. Over time it ages and cracks with use, but according to Paul's illustration, this only lets out more of what it contains, which is described as the light of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6) -- for we are indeed this vessel. It is a process that gradually de-emphasizes us and more and more emphasizes what we contain.
Which is to say that when everything seems to be coming your way (trials, hardship, testing times) you are probably in the right lane after all. It's the society we live in that thinks it deserves to have everything go its way. God never guaranteed anything of the kind, at least in this life.
PDL
John Fischer
"When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane."
I got this from one of those joke pages flying around the Internet. Actually, having everything coming at you may not necessarily mean you're in the wrong lane when it comes to personal growth. I would go as far as to suggest that everything going your way is probably a condition to be less trusted than feeling like you're driving into oncoming traffic.
I just don't see God as doling out ease and contentment. His business lies more in the areas of refining and shaping us to conform more to the image of Christ, and none of that comes easy. Scripture indicates that the process by which this comes about includes, among other things, trials (James 1:2-3), suffering (Romans 5:3-4), discipline (Hebrews 12:7), and a growing sense of our own mortality (2 Corinthians 5:4-5).
In one illustration, Paul uses the metaphor of an earthen vessel to explain our human condition and how God uses us (2 Corinthians 4:7). To think about an earthen vessel (a piece of pottery) is to get an accurate picture of what we can expect in this life.
A pot begins as a lump of clay that is kneaded and slammed until all the air is out of it and the lump is the right consistency to form into something useful. Then it is placed on a potter's wheel where the potter molds and shapes it, spinning it in his wet hands, until its sides are stretched out and up into a shape that can hold something. Then it is set on a shelf and allowed to dry before the real fun part begins -- the firing -- after which it is glazed and fired again. (I hope you are imagining yourself going through all of this because that's the idea.) Finally it is ready to be used, and that usually includes some pretty rough treatment -- a seemingly endless pattern of getting dirty and being cleaned only to get dirty again. Over time it ages and cracks with use, but according to Paul's illustration, this only lets out more of what it contains, which is described as the light of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6) -- for we are indeed this vessel. It is a process that gradually de-emphasizes us and more and more emphasizes what we contain.
Which is to say that when everything seems to be coming your way (trials, hardship, testing times) you are probably in the right lane after all. It's the society we live in that thinks it deserves to have everything go its way. God never guaranteed anything of the kind, at least in this life.
PDL
Monday, March 06, 2006
Everything We Need in God
Scott Presson
How many times have you heard this statement, "we have everything we need in God"? Probably more times than you can count. But wait a minute -- let's think about this a different way. What if we were to get everything WE THINK WE NEED in this life? What would that do for us?
Well, people say if you have your health you have everything so let's put that at the top of the list.
1. Health
Then wealth has got to follow that. Hey you have to have money to live. The money also takes care of quite a few things.
2. Wealth
Then since money doesn't buy you happiness that would be next.
3. Happiness
Well, everyone knows money can't buy you love either so let's add that.
4. Love
How about some "smarts" or knowledge. That's going to take education. We need to know how to apply all this good stuff.
5. Knowledge
It's lonely at the top so we need some "hanger-on's" for company. They're pretty far down the list, but hey,everyone needs a rich uncle, (or aunt) and now it's you!
6. Family and Friends
Now we have it all and we did it without God! Our list could go on and the order can change depending on stock investments, lightning strikes, family arguments, and bad grades, but this is basically it.
Let's face it we always think we know best in regards to what we want and need in this life.The reality is -- God is the only one who knows what's best for us.
Look at these verses:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to get into the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 19:23).
But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful (Mark 4:19).
But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction (1 Timothy 6:9).
What's the point in us getting everything we want in life if it's going to destroy us anyway? What's the point in getting all we want and it only takes us to hell? God really does have everything we need. His plan is always best. We pay lip service to this statement but we HAVE TO really believe it in our hearts! We may not ever be rich, but one verse above says: "the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful". Even the desire for these other things can choke out the Word in our lives!
The Bible says the promises of God are yes and amen.They happen. No ifs, ands, or buts. There is no "shadow of turning" in God. He never changes. He is not a liar. You can believe it all.
He is the Lover of your soul.He is the friend who sticks closer than a brother.He is our present help in times of trouble. He is our salvation. He is our peace that passes all of our understanding.
He is our Creator. He is Truth. He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, the King of all kings, our Great Redeemer.He is the name above every name! HE IS!!!
This is the list that is endless. This is what the Word says:
God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him (Ecclesiastes 2:26).
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people (Ephesians 1:18).
Let's take the promised "wonderful future" and the "rich and glorious inheritance he has given" as what we need. He knows what else we need and when -- and He is faithful and just to give us all we need at that time. otjobs.yahoo.com/
cbn
Scott Presson
How many times have you heard this statement, "we have everything we need in God"? Probably more times than you can count. But wait a minute -- let's think about this a different way. What if we were to get everything WE THINK WE NEED in this life? What would that do for us?
Well, people say if you have your health you have everything so let's put that at the top of the list.
1. Health
Then wealth has got to follow that. Hey you have to have money to live. The money also takes care of quite a few things.
2. Wealth
Then since money doesn't buy you happiness that would be next.
3. Happiness
Well, everyone knows money can't buy you love either so let's add that.
4. Love
How about some "smarts" or knowledge. That's going to take education. We need to know how to apply all this good stuff.
5. Knowledge
It's lonely at the top so we need some "hanger-on's" for company. They're pretty far down the list, but hey,everyone needs a rich uncle, (or aunt) and now it's you!
6. Family and Friends
Now we have it all and we did it without God! Our list could go on and the order can change depending on stock investments, lightning strikes, family arguments, and bad grades, but this is basically it.
Let's face it we always think we know best in regards to what we want and need in this life.The reality is -- God is the only one who knows what's best for us.
Look at these verses:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to get into the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 19:23).
But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful (Mark 4:19).
But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction (1 Timothy 6:9).
What's the point in us getting everything we want in life if it's going to destroy us anyway? What's the point in getting all we want and it only takes us to hell? God really does have everything we need. His plan is always best. We pay lip service to this statement but we HAVE TO really believe it in our hearts! We may not ever be rich, but one verse above says: "the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful". Even the desire for these other things can choke out the Word in our lives!
The Bible says the promises of God are yes and amen.They happen. No ifs, ands, or buts. There is no "shadow of turning" in God. He never changes. He is not a liar. You can believe it all.
He is the Lover of your soul.He is the friend who sticks closer than a brother.He is our present help in times of trouble. He is our salvation. He is our peace that passes all of our understanding.
He is our Creator. He is Truth. He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, the King of all kings, our Great Redeemer.He is the name above every name! HE IS!!!
This is the list that is endless. This is what the Word says:
God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him (Ecclesiastes 2:26).
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people (Ephesians 1:18).
Let's take the promised "wonderful future" and the "rich and glorious inheritance he has given" as what we need. He knows what else we need and when -- and He is faithful and just to give us all we need at that time. otjobs.yahoo.com/
cbn
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Mind on Fire
John Fischer
I have been reacquainting myself lately with the writings of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) and reminded again of the amazing life of this mathematician, physicist, philosopher and religious thinker. In thirty-nine short years (nine, while suffering with an illness that finally claimed his earthly existence) he created mathematical theorems that are still in use today, discovered and researched the properties of a vacuum, dialogued with the greatest scientists of Europe, and wrote volumes of discourse on the meaning of life and the existence of God that is still considered to contain, in its mastery of reason and rhetoric, the finest French prose in history. I doubt there is a literary or law degree in the western world that does not include, as its foundational study, the writings and argumentative skills of Pascal.
And here is what you find out in all that body of work: that his mind was on fire with the light of Christ. With all of his genius intellect, it was a direct encounter with the risen Christ that filled up the emptiness in his own soul. Pascal’s most amazing discovery was that you cannot know God through intellect alone. You know Him through the heart and that comes through experiencing Him directly in a spiritual way. "The heart has its reasons, that reason knows not of."
On the night of November 23, 1654, while reading the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John, Pascal had an encounter with God that instantly filled the emptiness in his heart. It was a life-changing experience he would memorialize on a parchment that he had sewn into the lining of his coat until his death, eight years later. On that parchment, he wrote:
From about half past ten at night to about half an hour after midnight,
FIRE
"God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob," not of philosophers and scholars
Certitude, heartfelt joy, peace.
God of Jesus Christ.
God of Jesus Christ.
The world forgotten, everything except God.
"O righteous Father, the world has not known You, but I have known You"
(John 17:25).
Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy.
In a moment of his greatest illumination, Pascal wrote what a child could have written. From that moment, he went on to write: "Reason Can Begin Again by Recognizing What It Can Never Know," and "The Transition from Human Knowledge to Knowing God." Both of these titles indicate that it is not sufficient to know about God or even argue His existence (which Pascal could do better than anybody); it was ultimately necessary to meet God and come to know Him personally.
350 years ago, one of the greatest minds in human history trembled in the presence of God and cried tears of joy over his salvation, and now, scholars, scientists and lawyers have to read about it, because he wrote it so well. I don’t know about you, but that kind of stuff sets my mind on fire!
PDL
John Fischer
I have been reacquainting myself lately with the writings of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) and reminded again of the amazing life of this mathematician, physicist, philosopher and religious thinker. In thirty-nine short years (nine, while suffering with an illness that finally claimed his earthly existence) he created mathematical theorems that are still in use today, discovered and researched the properties of a vacuum, dialogued with the greatest scientists of Europe, and wrote volumes of discourse on the meaning of life and the existence of God that is still considered to contain, in its mastery of reason and rhetoric, the finest French prose in history. I doubt there is a literary or law degree in the western world that does not include, as its foundational study, the writings and argumentative skills of Pascal.
And here is what you find out in all that body of work: that his mind was on fire with the light of Christ. With all of his genius intellect, it was a direct encounter with the risen Christ that filled up the emptiness in his own soul. Pascal’s most amazing discovery was that you cannot know God through intellect alone. You know Him through the heart and that comes through experiencing Him directly in a spiritual way. "The heart has its reasons, that reason knows not of."
On the night of November 23, 1654, while reading the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John, Pascal had an encounter with God that instantly filled the emptiness in his heart. It was a life-changing experience he would memorialize on a parchment that he had sewn into the lining of his coat until his death, eight years later. On that parchment, he wrote:
From about half past ten at night to about half an hour after midnight,
FIRE
"God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob," not of philosophers and scholars
Certitude, heartfelt joy, peace.
God of Jesus Christ.
God of Jesus Christ.
The world forgotten, everything except God.
"O righteous Father, the world has not known You, but I have known You"
(John 17:25).
Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy.
In a moment of his greatest illumination, Pascal wrote what a child could have written. From that moment, he went on to write: "Reason Can Begin Again by Recognizing What It Can Never Know," and "The Transition from Human Knowledge to Knowing God." Both of these titles indicate that it is not sufficient to know about God or even argue His existence (which Pascal could do better than anybody); it was ultimately necessary to meet God and come to know Him personally.
350 years ago, one of the greatest minds in human history trembled in the presence of God and cried tears of joy over his salvation, and now, scholars, scientists and lawyers have to read about it, because he wrote it so well. I don’t know about you, but that kind of stuff sets my mind on fire!
PDL
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Thinking About Jesus
John Fischer
One of the prerequisites for being a servant of God is to think like a servant. This would be fine if it wasn't so impossible. We are all naturally wired to think only of ourselves.
Learning to give preference to others is one of the true marks of a Christian because it is so contrary to human nature. That's why desiring it comes from God, and doing it comes through the Holy Spirit.
Paul said of Timothy: “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares for your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:20-21 NLT).
Hidden in these verses is the secret to making an attitude of servanthood become a part of your thinking. It starts with Jesus. When you fall in love with Jesus, you focus on Him and worship Him. As you do this, you find out about Him -- you get to know Him as you would a friend -- and soon you come to know what matters to Him, until finally, you start to realize that what matters to Him, matters to you. This is not just a factor of familiarity, either. There is a supernatural element at work here as well. What matters to Jesus connects with the Holy Spirit in you, and the Spirit answers from deep inside you to the call of truth.
Other people mattered deeply to Jesus. He could read their hurt and pain. Scripture says He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Well where did that grief and sorrow come from if it didn't come from the suffering of people around Him? In other words, He was bearing their grief and carrying their sorrow. Once a woman touched him in a desperate need to be healed, and He could feel the compassionate power go from Him even though He didn't see who touched Him in the press of the crowd. He was that sensitive to the needs of those around Him.
So if you're struggling with having a servant's heart, get closer to Jesus. Ask Him to help you see people through His eyes. Ask God to move your heart with the same things that move the heart of Jesus, and then be ready to act on what you find out. And don't forget to keep falling in love with the life of Christ as recorded in the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), because that is how you come to learn what moved Him.
PDL
John Fischer
One of the prerequisites for being a servant of God is to think like a servant. This would be fine if it wasn't so impossible. We are all naturally wired to think only of ourselves.
Learning to give preference to others is one of the true marks of a Christian because it is so contrary to human nature. That's why desiring it comes from God, and doing it comes through the Holy Spirit.
Paul said of Timothy: “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares for your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:20-21 NLT).
Hidden in these verses is the secret to making an attitude of servanthood become a part of your thinking. It starts with Jesus. When you fall in love with Jesus, you focus on Him and worship Him. As you do this, you find out about Him -- you get to know Him as you would a friend -- and soon you come to know what matters to Him, until finally, you start to realize that what matters to Him, matters to you. This is not just a factor of familiarity, either. There is a supernatural element at work here as well. What matters to Jesus connects with the Holy Spirit in you, and the Spirit answers from deep inside you to the call of truth.
Other people mattered deeply to Jesus. He could read their hurt and pain. Scripture says He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Well where did that grief and sorrow come from if it didn't come from the suffering of people around Him? In other words, He was bearing their grief and carrying their sorrow. Once a woman touched him in a desperate need to be healed, and He could feel the compassionate power go from Him even though He didn't see who touched Him in the press of the crowd. He was that sensitive to the needs of those around Him.
So if you're struggling with having a servant's heart, get closer to Jesus. Ask Him to help you see people through His eyes. Ask God to move your heart with the same things that move the heart of Jesus, and then be ready to act on what you find out. And don't forget to keep falling in love with the life of Christ as recorded in the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), because that is how you come to learn what moved Him.
PDL
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
More Than Friendly
John Fischer
In her book, Material Christianity: Religion and Popular Culture in America, Temple University professor Dr. Colleen McDannell has discovered a certain kind of Christian in America who seeks to only interact with those who share their Christian beliefs and cultural lifestyle. From her study as a sociologist, she makes a number of very acute observations about this American Christian, the most telling being: “With their non-Christian neighbors they are friendly but rarely best friends.”
I am well acquainted with this kind of thinking. I grew up with it. I was encouraged to be on friendly terms with non-Christians but to have only Christian friends. I'm pretty sure this was more for our protection than anything. Meanwhile, while we were learning to be good Christians, who was left to tell the others about Jesus? Unfortunately that's how we developed gospel tracks and door-to-door evangelism. Hit and run witnessing, I call it. Get in; get out; stay clean.
I have no doubt that Christ would want us to be more than just friendly to those who are not of the household of faith. He would want us to be friends. That's the way He did it when He was here. In fact his friends were quite scandalous among the religious leaders of the day. Word was, Jesus was “a friend of the worst sort of sinners” (Luke 7:34).
Being friendly is just not going to get anybody into the kingdom of heaven. Being a friend will. It takes love, patience, and longsuffering with even the most cantankerous of unbelievers for walls of resistance to break down. And it takes time. But that's what a true friendship is -- caring for someone over the long haul, and letting someone care for you, too. Friendship is always a two-way street.
It's been statistically shown that people who become Christians typically lose all regular contact with their non-Christian friends within two years. What's wrong with this picture? For brand new believers, it may be necessary for a season to stay away from former influences, but this is never to be a permanent situation.
Let's think about our neighbors today, and our work related associates, and think about how we can be more than just friendly. Think of it this way: we are the carriers of Christ. If we remain distant, we are depriving others of the opportunity to come into contact with Him. After all, Christ in you is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27) -- hope for me, hope for you, and hope for our friends. This is why being friendly just isn't good enough.
PDL
John Fischer
In her book, Material Christianity: Religion and Popular Culture in America, Temple University professor Dr. Colleen McDannell has discovered a certain kind of Christian in America who seeks to only interact with those who share their Christian beliefs and cultural lifestyle. From her study as a sociologist, she makes a number of very acute observations about this American Christian, the most telling being: “With their non-Christian neighbors they are friendly but rarely best friends.”
I am well acquainted with this kind of thinking. I grew up with it. I was encouraged to be on friendly terms with non-Christians but to have only Christian friends. I'm pretty sure this was more for our protection than anything. Meanwhile, while we were learning to be good Christians, who was left to tell the others about Jesus? Unfortunately that's how we developed gospel tracks and door-to-door evangelism. Hit and run witnessing, I call it. Get in; get out; stay clean.
I have no doubt that Christ would want us to be more than just friendly to those who are not of the household of faith. He would want us to be friends. That's the way He did it when He was here. In fact his friends were quite scandalous among the religious leaders of the day. Word was, Jesus was “a friend of the worst sort of sinners” (Luke 7:34).
Being friendly is just not going to get anybody into the kingdom of heaven. Being a friend will. It takes love, patience, and longsuffering with even the most cantankerous of unbelievers for walls of resistance to break down. And it takes time. But that's what a true friendship is -- caring for someone over the long haul, and letting someone care for you, too. Friendship is always a two-way street.
It's been statistically shown that people who become Christians typically lose all regular contact with their non-Christian friends within two years. What's wrong with this picture? For brand new believers, it may be necessary for a season to stay away from former influences, but this is never to be a permanent situation.
Let's think about our neighbors today, and our work related associates, and think about how we can be more than just friendly. Think of it this way: we are the carriers of Christ. If we remain distant, we are depriving others of the opportunity to come into contact with Him. After all, Christ in you is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27) -- hope for me, hope for you, and hope for our friends. This is why being friendly just isn't good enough.
PDL