Going Through The Motions

 “For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).

Some are confused by what God is saying here.  “But I thought God was the One who commanded sacrifices and burnt offerings from those who lived under the Old Covenant.  Now He wants something else instead?  Are the sacrifices no longer required?”  What is going on here anyway?

God’s people had fallen into a ritualism in their worship.  They were going through the motions of sacrifice but in many other areas of their lives they were living in rebellion to God.  In the earlier chapters of Hosea, God has repeatedly called them to account for these sins.  You see, honoring the true God involves much more than just going through the motions of sacrifice.  It involves a willingness to be loyal to Him in all aspects of life.

This was the problem that became the straw that broke the camel’s back for the reign of King Saul (1 Samuel 15:1-26).  Several other prophets of the Lord addressed this very same issue (Amos 5:21-24; Isaiah 1:12-17; Micah 6:6-8).  Jesus quoted from Hosea 6:6 at least twice as he confronted His critics who were famous for being scrupulous over certain aspects of the Law but unconcerned about what were “weightier” matters (Matthew 9:14; 12:7; 23:23).

The temptation to settle for a mechanistic, ritual-dependent, “check-the-right boxes” religion remains yet today.  But God is after our hearts.  Are we called by God to sing, pray, study, and give?  Sure.  But we can do all of those things and still remain distant from God in our hearts (Matthew 15.8-9).  Loyalty to God encompasses things beyond worship.  Knowledge of God involves more than keeping a list.  Ignoring God for six days of the week but going through the motions on Sunday misses the point.

God loves you!

Mike

Where Is The First Place You Turn?

            I periodically receive sale notices via email from the company that produces my Bible software program.  A recent one contained offers concerning several different “study Bibles.”  A study Bible is a particular version of the Scriptures along with explanatory commentary notes and insight from human authors.  The following sales blurb was included in the description of one of these texts: “This comprehensive and reliable reference work should be the first place Sunday school teachers, Bible study leaders, missionaries, and pastors turn to for biblical insight.”

            I shook my head as I read the words.  I know these sales people would say, when asked, that the Bible is the most important part of their product, but that isn’t what they are being paid to promote.  It’s the human notes that makes their “study Bible” different from others.  It’s the Bible AND their added notes and commentary that makes it a must-have resource, at least according to their advertising.

            I have nothing against study Bibles or any other works that offer help in understanding, like commentaries, dictionaries, or word studies.  I have several examples of each and use them in my own study.  They can be helpful in a lot of different ways.  But one must be careful to keep them in their proper place.  The danger is that one can be more impressed with someone’s interpretation of the Bible than what the Bible actually says.  They can become a crutch that we lean on rather than doing the hard work of studying the text for ourselves.

            The Bible itself should be the first place we turn for biblical insight, not some other book or set of notes.  Only the Scriptures are “...inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), not the words of those commenting on the Scriptures.  As long as we keep that in mind, we will be able to avoid trouble.  And be wary of any sales literature that suggests otherwise.

 

God loves you!

Mike

Wisdom Shouts In The Street

            The Old Testament book of Proverbs is a collection of writings designed to encourage wisdom among its readers (1:1-7).  The opening illustration pictures a parent cautioning a son to remember the instruction he has been given when he is tempted to follow the sinful enticements that will inevitably come his way (1:8-19).  The world can be a dangerous place -- especially for those who lack wisdom.  If you are, or have been, the parent of children who were at the age of venturing out on their own, perhaps you can relate to these kinds of concerns.

           Starting with verse 20 of the first chapter, the writer personifies wisdom as a woman crying out in warning to those foolish enough to ignore her (1:20-25).  Several other unflattering terms are used to describe those who pay no attention to wisdom: naive ones, simple-minded, scoffers.  Every effort is made to reach out to them, but it was no use.  Wisdom is offered but it was refused, no one paid attention to it, it was neglected and unwanted.

           God forces His wisdom on no one.  But be aware that there are consequences that come with rejecting it.  Rejecting wisdom will inevitably lead to being mocked by the very thing that would have been so valuable to you (1:26-27).  Rejecting wisdom can cut you off from help at a later point (1:28-29).  Rejecting wisdom means that we will receive our just desserts from the foolish path we have chosen (1:30-31).  Rejecting wisdom will bring about our ultimate destruction (1:32).

           Proverbs 1 ends with a note of hope.  In contrast to those who reject wisdom, there is hope for those who receive it.  “But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil” (1:33).  It’s tough enough to survive in our world without rejecting the help God offers through His wisdom.  None of us are wise enough to make it on our own.  We need all the help we can get.

God loves you!

Mike

The Danger of Blessings

            “Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Deuteronomy 6:10-12).

            The book of Deuteronomy records words of exhortation and warning from Moses to the people of God as they prepare to finally enter the land of promise.  It had been an arduous journey from Egypt to the border of Canaan.  A trip that normally would have only taken perhaps a few weeks had lasted 40 years due to the rebellion and disobedience of the Israelites.  All of the adult males, from age 20 and up, who had left Egypt had died, except for Joshua and Caleb.  Hunger, thirst, fiery serpents, challenges to leadership, grumbling -- and yet, with God’s help, they had finally made it.  After all of the dangers of the wilderness, a land flowing with milk and honey looked pretty good.

            But as the text above affirms, there was also a danger associated with blessings.  Moses warned the people that the “good times'' can be as dangerous as the “bad times.”  At least the struggles in the wilderness clearly reminded the Israelites of their need for God’s help.  Times of prosperity do exactly the opposite.  “Good times” can cause us to think we can get along without God -- forget Him if you will.  Sadly, that is just what happened with the people of God.  They drifted into idolatry, forgetting the God who delivered them through the “bad times.”

            Thank God for His blessings, but be careful not to let the blessings lead you away from Him.  It’s happened before -- it can happen again.

 

God loves you!

Mike

Loving God AND His Children

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him” (1 John 5:1).

            It’s easy for a believer to love God.  How could we not love the One who has demonstrated His love for us in so many wonderful ways?  He loved us when we were dead in our sins and provided a way for us to be forgiven (Ephesians 2:1-7; Romans 5:6-11).  He has provided every spiritual blessing we could ever need or imagine by virtue of our connection to Christ (Ephesians 1:3).  He has qualified us to share in the glorious inheritance prepared for His children (Colossians 1:12).  He seeks our highest good in everything (Romans 8:28).

            But for many of us, it’s often a much more difficult thing to love all the children of the God we love.  Sure, some of our Christian siblings are easy to love.  Usually it's the ones who share our beliefs, interests, temperament, etc..  But others are not so loveable.  For one reason or another, they make the task of loving them harder.  Perhaps they have offended us in some way.  Maybe they have challenged our traditional ways of understanding Scripture or practicing our faith.  They are just different enough to make us uncomfortable.

            But if I am reading the words of the beloved apostle correctly, the matter is not optional.  If I claim to love the Father, I must also love His children.  A chapter earlier, John emphasizes the same thing with stronger words:  “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.  And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).  Remember, when we love each other (even when we are unloveable), we become a powerful witness to the world around us” (John 13:35; 17:20-21).

 

God loves you!

Mike

If Saved, Barely Saved?

I grew up in a religious tradition that strongly opposed the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.”  This is the false idea espoused by many religious groups that once you are saved, nothing can happen that will ever jeopardize that salvation.  My own study of the Bible has only confirmed what I was taught earlier in life.  While “once saved, always saved” has a comforting ring to it, it contradicts much of what is said in the Scriptures regarding salvation.  Numerous verses in the New Testament affirm the possibility of falling away from the faith (cf. Luke 8:13; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:12; 6:4-6).  Why all the encouragements and warnings to endure in the faith if it was impossible to do otherwise (cf. Matthew 10:22; 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:10)?

            But the strong effort to push back against the idea of “once saved, always saved” has resulted, in some cases, in an equally unbiblical idea: “if saved, barely saved.”  Showing that salvation can be lost has caused some otherwise faithful believers to doubt their own security as a follower of Christ.  “With all of my failings, how could God ever love and save me?”  “I haven’t done enough.”  “I’m not good enough.”  The sense is that any slip-up negates our standing with God.  And yet, the Bible also clearly teaches that the faithful disciple can be sure of their salvation (cf. 1 John 5:13; John 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39).

            “If saved, barely saved” is just as unbiblical as “once saved, always saved.”  The truth is found in between the two competing ideas.  If our faith remains in God, even in the midst of our stumbling and failing, we are eternally secure.  But if we surrender or renounce our faith, then we willingly put ourselves out of the range of God’s security.  God has given us the choice to accept or reject him.  Our eternal security is tied to which road we choose to travel.  And each road offers the opportunity to change course.

 

God loves you!

Mike

M.A.D.

            Last spring, Kendra and I visited the Titan Missile Museum near Tucson, Arizona.   It was a fascinating tour and I recommend it if you are in the area.  The Titan nuclear missiles were developed as a deterrent in the Cold War with the Soviet Union in the middle to late decades of the 20th century.  Both sides amassed nuclear devices capable of reaching each other’s country in an effort to keep each other from launching a preemptive strike.  The ideology became known by an acronym: M.A.D..  The letters stood for Mutually Assured Destruction.  The idea was aggressively destructive but simple: “If you launch your nuclear missiles, I’ll launch mine and we will both be annihilated.”  There would be no winners in this kind of war -- only losers.

            As the tour guide talked about M.A.D., I thought about some verses in the Bible (I know….it's weird; but preachers do this sort of thing.  It’s a blessing and a curse….).  The apostle Paul devotes the first four chapters in his letter to the Galatian churches to warning them about being pulled back into the bondage of adherence to certain parts of the Old Law for salvation.  Christ has set us free from that kind of bondage.  But in chapter five, he addresses an opposite but equally dangerous problem -- the abuse of the freedom we have in Christ.  Listen again to what he says:  “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:13-15).

            When believers choose to live in ways that result in biting and devouring fellow Christians, the result is mutually assured destruction.  As Paul says, we will be “...consumed by one another.”  A local church can become a nuclear wasteland.  No winners -- only losers.

 

God loves you!

Mike 

That's Nonsense!

            “He is not here, but He has risen.  Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”  And they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.  But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. (Luke 24:6–11).

            The angels at the tomb of Jesus had some incredible news for the women who had come to attend to the crucified body of their Lord.  The tomb was empty!  Jesus had risen from the dead!  Who could believe it?  And yet, as the angels reminded them, the Lord had spoken of these things before.  When the terrified women reflected on it, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place.  They rush back to share the exciting news with the apostles themselves.  Surely these leaders will be excited as well and able to help them make sense of it all.  But the reception they receive is less than enthusiastic.  In fact, as the text records, their report is viewed by the apostles as “nonsense.”

            I realize that the resurrection of Jesus is a one-off event, so I need to be careful as I draw applications from it.  But as I reflect on this text, I pause to consider my own reactions to things that seem unbelievable to me.  Have I been too quick to dismiss as “nonsense” something that needs further exploration?  Perhaps it’s an interpretation of Scripture that seems utterly foreign to me.  Maybe it’s a series of events that doesn’t fall comfortably within my own set of parameters.  In such cases, am I willing to examine the evidence fairly before uncritically filing it as nonsense?  What about you?

 

God loves you!

Mike

Proven Character

“Character is the one thing we make in this world and take with us into the next. The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character. Reputation is what you are supposed to be; Character is what you are.  Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; Character is what you have when you go away. Reputation is made in a moment; Character is built in a lifetime.  Reputation grows like a mushroom; Character grows like an oak.  Your reputation is learned in an hour; Your character does not come to light for a year.  A single newspaper report gives your reputation; a life of toil gives you your character.  Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; Character makes you happy or makes you miserable.  Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; Character is what angels say about you before the throne of God.  Your character is what God knows you to be. Your reputation is what men think you are.” (William Hershey Davis).

This description of character reminds me of the Old Testament story of the young Moabite woman named Ruth.  After a series of devastating events in Moab, Ruth ends up in the land of Israel with her mother-in-law Naomi.  As the story unfolds, she ends up married to Boaz and the couple become the great-grandparents of King David.  It is certainly an amazing story of love and redemption.

In the midst of the story, Boaz and Ruth find themselves in a potentially questionable situation.  Ruth is fearful that her reputation will be damaged.  Boaz seeks to calm her fears by reminding her of her character.  “And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character” (Ruth 3:11 NIV).

            Good character gives us the foundation to withstand the assaults on our reputation.  And, as Ruth learned, it’s often the difficult times that prove most valuable in building character (Romans 5:3-4)

 

God loves you!

Mike

Long Live The King!

            “Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”  Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek.  So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”  Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”” (John 19:19–22).

            The kingship of Jesus remained a matter of vigorous debate to the very end of His life, even to the point of arguing over the inscription to be affixed to His cross.  There were those like Nathanael who, even early on, were convinced of Jesus’ kingship (John 1:49).  Later on, following a display of His miraculous powers, a large crowd decided that this was the kind of king they needed.  They planned to force Jesus into a kingly role that clashed with His own vision of what God desired, so He refused to be crammed into their mold (John 6:14-15).  Then, as He entered Jerusalem for the final time, the Passover crowd hailed Him as the fulfillment of their expectations of a coming Messianic king (John 12:12-13).

            But most of the Jewish leadership was not so favorably disposed toward this “king.”  They deliver Jesus to the Roman authorities in hopes of having Him executed.  Pilate, the Roman governor, questions Jesus about His kingship and the Lord affirms that He is indeed king of a spiritual kingdom (John 18:33-37).  After questioning Him, Pilate knows Jesus is innocent of the charges against Him and tries to have Him released.  But the opponents of Jesus respond with a telling statement: “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15).

            Ironically, the death and resurrection of Christ proved to be the stage for His exaltation to His kingly throne (Acts 2:29-36).  God turned the tables on the resisters.  Long live the King!

 

God loves you!

Mike

Eyes Wide Shut

Physical vision problems are a worldwide concern.  The World Health Organization shares the following estimates: “Globally, 1 billion people have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed.  This 1 billion people includes those with moderate or severe distance vision impairment or blindness due to unaddressed refractive error (123.7 million), cataract (65.2 million), glaucoma (6.9 million), corneal opacities (4.2 million), diabetic retinopathy (3 million), and trachoma (2 million), as well as near vision impairment caused by unaddressed presbyopia (826 million).”*  If you or someone you love has vision issues, no one has to tell you how difficult it can be.

In the trial of Jesus before the Jewish leaders in John 18:28-40, we see another kind of “vision” problem at work: spiritual blindness.  This blindness was driven by their hatred of Jesus and revealed itself in the following ways:

 

❏    Their spiritual blindness caused them to worry about ceremonial defilement while ignoring moral defilement (18:28).  They were rail-roading an innocent man toward his death but were concerned about defiling themselves by going into the Roman Praetorium.

❏    Their spiritual blindness caused them to take refuge behind a law and system they despised (18:31; 19:15).  Most Jews hated the Roman occupation of Judea and chafed under the burden.  But in this case, they are willing to claim: “We have no king but Caesar.”

❏    Their spiritual blindness caused them to choose a murderer, insurrectionist, and thief over the sinless Son of God (18:38-40).  They have one final chance to do the right thing and have Jesus released.  But they choose a criminal over the Christ.

 

            It has been said that there are none so blind as those who will not see.  This text bears that out.  These Jewish leaders are following in the steps of their ancestors who were rebuked by Jeremiah: “‘Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see; who have ears but do not hear” (Jeremiah 5:21).  How incredibly sad.

 

God loves you!

Mike

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment

Might Makes Right

             “And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.  And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.  Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.  Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:50–53 NAS95).

            It’s easy to fall for the false philosophy that “Might Makes Right.”  Throughout human history, nations have exemplified this mindset as they have amassed weapons in an effort to subdue their enemies.  And history also records the devastation left in the wake of such efforts.  All “mighty” nations eventually crumble as they are supplanted by “mighty” nations.  Arms races are inevitably doomed to failure in one way or another.  There is always a bigger sword, gun, or bomb.  Sadly, the problem isn’t only limited to geopolitical issues.  The “Might Makes Right” philosophy also invades government, businesses, and relationships.  Everywhere humans are involved, the potential is there.

            Even the church is susceptible.  But Jesus is clear in the matter: the kingdom of God is not to be advanced by human force -- be it the edge of a sword or otherwise.  If believers resort to “the sword,” they will perish in the same manner.  Worldly methods yield worldly results.  And remember, the problem isn’t a lack of resources.  As Jesus reminds Peter, God has all the heavenly firepower needed at His disposal.  We don’t have to play by the world’s rules.  “Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand.  Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God” (Psalm 20:6–7 NAS95).

God loves you!

Mike

A Little More Info

  I received an email from a well-known Bible software company recently.  Here is the message it contained: “There’s still time to get _________ for less, but the clock is ticking. Pick your ________ package before February 1 to take advantage of launch discounts.  Not sure which package is right for you? Click below for a personalized recommendation!”  A personalized recommendation?  The only “contact” I have ever had with this company is by downloading a couple of free books and being added to their email list -- all accomplished with a few keystrokes on a computer.  How could they possibly make a “personalized recommendation” based on that level of interaction?  But somewhat curious at this point, I thought, “Ok, I’ll bite.”  I clicked on the big, blue “Recommend for me” button to see what they would suggest.  Blazoned in bold letters at the top of the next page were the words:  “We Think _________ Would Be a Great Fit for You.”  Coincidentally, this great fitting package was discounted 15% and available for only $849.99!  Not sure how someone who knew me so well would recommend software at such a price, I scrolled to the bottom of the page and was relieved to read this: “Not sure we got it right?  Give us a little more info and we'll fine tune your recommendation.”

As I smiled and shook my head at this marketing strategy, I also began to reflect on the times when I have been quick to make “personal recommendations” in the life of someone else without really knowing them.  This can be especially dangerous when the recommendation hasn’t even been solicited.  But even when the advice has been requested, I’ve learned it’s always best to try to get to know the person before making too many pronouncements.  Most recommendations are not “one size fits all.”  If I rush to make a determination before I have all the facts in the matter, I will likely miss the mark with my counsel.  “A little more info” is rarely a bad thing.

God loves you!

Mike

"Stop! No More Of This!"

“And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear.  Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.  Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?  How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?”  At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me.  But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.” (Matthew 26:51–56 NAS95)

            The scene in the Garden that night was chaotic.  A large crowd with swords, clubs, and torches came searching for the Rabbi who was threatening their way of life.  The suspect in question is betrayed by one of his own inner circle of confidants.  The mob seizes Jesus and, suddenly, the sword of a loyalist strikes the servant of the high priest.  In the midst of the frenzy, the Savior appears to be the only One with sense enough to cry out, “Stop!  No more of this” (Luke 22:51).

            The worldly way of handling disagreements has been amply illustrated over the past few months in our nation.  Is any believer really surprised to learn that resorting to mobs and violence is not our calling?  We are part of a kingdom that does things differently.  “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm”” (John 18:36).

            Stop!  No more of this.

 

God loves you!

Mike

Praying For Others

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.  Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months” (James 5:16–17).

It certainly can be a comfort to know that righteous people are praying for you.  When the Israelites were struggling with the sin of idolatry, it had to be encouraging when Samuel told them: “I will pray to the Lord for you” (1 Samuel 7:5).  In fact, at a later point, the prophet claimed that it would be a sin for him to cease praying for them (1 Samuel 12:23).  When the blameless and upright Job lost nearly everything dear to him, we learn that his fortunes were restored “...when he prayed for his friends” (Job 42:10).  As the apostle Paul faced the difficulties of his ministry, he urged fellow believers to “...strive together with me in your prayers to God for me” (Romans 15.30).

If you are a believer, would you be encouraged to know that Jesus Christ Himself prayed for you?  As He neared the time for His own crucifixion, He talked to His Father.  He prayed for Himself, His apostles, and, right near the end, He prayed for the unity of all those who would come to faith through the teaching of the apostles.  “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:20–21).

If ever there was a righteous man, it was Jesus.  And he prayed for you and me!  What an incredible blessing and privilege!  Thank you, Lord!

God loves you!

Mike

What If?

             What if this new year turned out to be our last year on earth?  I’m not trying to be morbid or anything, but think about it for a moment.  Would we do some things differently if we knew the next 365 days would be the only ones we had left?

• Would we be more patient with others who were struggling with the issues of life?
• Would we be more forgiving of those who wronged us or treated us badly in some way?
• Would we be more likely to hold our tongue in those situations when we want to respond with a cutting or sarcastic remark?
• Would we be more willing to take a break from the busyness of life and stop to “smell the roses?”
• Would we spend more time in the Word instead of watching the news or surfing the web?
• Would we take the time to do some things we always wanted to do but never found time to do?
• Would we be more generous with those around us who haven’t enjoyed the blessings we’ve experienced?
• Would we express more love and gratitude to those who have made a difference in our lives?

            My next question is: Why would we wait to make these changes?  If they are important when time is short, they are also important when it isn’t.  I pray that God grants all of us the time necessary to make life count, whatever that looks like.  But if we don’t know how much time we have, then now is the time to use it wisely.  Make the changes that need made.  Do what’s truly important.  Treat every year as if it were our last. Because it could be.

 

God loves you!

Mike

Advantage Through Adversity

The earthly mission of the Son of God was near its end.  Over the past three years or so, Jesus had developed a close relationship with His hand-picked apostles.  They had lived and worked in close proximity with each other.  There had been successes and disappointments along the way.  The teaching of Jesus had been challenging at times and the run-ins with the Jewish leadership had been scary, but they had weathered it all together.

            But now the Lord was telling them that He was going somewhere that they could not come (John 13:33)!  This caused a ripple of concern and dismay to spread throughout the small group.  In the short time just prior to His betrayal, Jesus spent a good amount of time trying to calm their fears and prepare them for the difficult days that would assuredly come following His crucifixion and resurrection.  As part of that discussion, He made a statement that likely seemed incredible to His troubled listeners:“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16.7).  Can’t you imagine most of them thinking: “How could the leaving of Jesus possibly be in any way to our advantage?”  The Lord goes on to explain that His going home to the Father would pave the way for the promised coming of the Holy Spirit -- a gift that would richly bless them in so many ways.  But the advantage could only be gained through the adversity that accompanied it.

            Most of us would probably prefer to go straight to the advantage and skip the adversity.  And, sometimes, it works that way.  But often, the gain is only achieved through pain.  The key is to remain faithful until the advantage can be realized.  To give up before that is to surrender the advantage that awaits us.  Don’t give up!  Endure to the end!  Gain the advantage!

God loves you!

Mike

The Fullness of Time

           “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

            In the context of the book of Galatians, Paul has been contrasting the Law and faith.  According to the apostle, the Law wasn’t intended by God to be an “end all.”  No, he claims the Law was a guardian charged with leading those under it to Christ (Galatians 3:24).  It was common in Paul’s day for a young child to be put under the charge of a guardian until he matured to the point when he was ready to receive his inheritance -- i.e. the “fullness of time” (Galatians 4:1-2).  The birth of Christ signified that those under the guardianship of the Law had come of age.  It was time for the heir to come into full possession of his inheritance (Galatians 4:3-5).

            Indeed, the Christ child was born in “the fullness of time” with regards to the plans and purposes of God.  But that didn’t mean that the Christmas story was a Hollywood production, full of glitz and glamour.  Rumors swirled as a young betrothed Jewish teenager was found to be with child. Claims of angelic visitations likely did little to calm the gossip.  The Son of God ends up being born in an animal enclosure rather than the corridors of power and influence.  Lowly shepherds are his first visitors rather than heads of state.  In fact, it's the ruling class that seeks to have the child put to death later in the story.

            What’s one lesson we can learn from the birth of Jesus?  That something can be squarely in the middle of God’s plans and purposes (“the fullness of time”) and yet be attended with pain and difficulty.  So our struggles don’t necessarily mean that we are outside of God’s will for our lives as well.  Try to remember that when tough times come.

God loves you!

Mike

Crumbling Under Pressure

“Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”  Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”  Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times” (John 13:36-38).

The Lord had just dropped a bomb in the midst of the final Passover meal he was sharing with the chosen Twelve.  Not only was there a betrayer in their midst but He would also be leaving them soon.  A range of emotions gripped the small band of disciples.  Shock, grief, suspicion.  With regards to the betrayer, Peter speaks up and seeks an answer to the question that had to be in the minds of his cohorts -- who is the traitor?  With regards to the leaving of the Master, once again, Peter has questions.  Perhaps the fisherman sensed that the exit of the Lord was somehow tied to a lack of allegiance on his part or of the group as a whole.  Certainly they had disappointed the Teacher at various times during His work with them. Was that it?  Whatever was going on, Peter felt the need to boldly affirm his loyalty to the Lord.  “I want to follow you now.  I’m even willing to die for You.”  Jesus ends the exchange with a chilling prophetic word: before the night was over, the bold disciple would crumble under the pressure of his own strong words.  And it happened just as Jesus said it would.

It’s so easy to point a judgmental finger at Peter’s failure to live up to his bold proclamation.  But when I’m tempted to do so, I only have to remember my own failures at faithfulness and then I stop.  How often have I made bold declarations of loyalty to my Savior and then crumbled under the pressure?  Far too often to ever be critical of another disciple who does the same.

God loves you!

Mike

The Big Picture

        “Standard Oil was once one of the biggest companies in the world, led by the famous John D Rockefeller. On one occasion a company executive made a bad decision. It cost the firm $2 million. This was the late 1800’s and $2 million was a huge sum. 

        “Edward Bedford, a partner in the company had an appointment to see Rockefeller. When he entered Rockefeller’s office he saw his boss bent over a piece of paper, busily scribbling notes. When Rockefeller finally looked up he said to Bedford,  “I suppose you’ve heard about our loss? I’ve been thinking it over,” Rockefeller said, “and before I ask the man in to discuss the matter, I’ve been making some notes.”

        “Bedford looked across the table and saw the page Rockefeller had been scribbling on. Across the top of the page was the heading, “Points in favour of Mr __________.” Below the heading was a long list of the man’s good qualities, including notes of three occasions where he had made decisions that had earned the company many times more than his error had lost.

        “Bedford later said, “I never forgot that lesson. In later years, whenever I was tempted to rip into anyone, I forced myself first to sit down and thoughtfully compile as long a list of good points as I possibly could. Invariably, by the time I finished my inventory, I would see the matter in its true perspective and keep my temper under control. There is no telling how many times this habit has prevented me from committing one of the costliest mistakes any executive can make — losing his temper.”*

        It’s always helpful to remember that we will be judged in the same way we judge others (Matthew 7:1-2).  If we desire to be evaluated fairly, we need to be willing to do the same for others (Luke 6:31).  When we’re tempted to judge someone harshly, it’s always good to pause long enough to take a deep breath and consider the big picture.

God loves you!

Mike

*https://storiesforpreaching.com.au/sermonillustrations/the-good-points/

The Power Of Forgiveness

“When Shannon Ethridge was just sixteen years old, an act of forgiveness and love changed her life forever.  Driving to her high school one morning, Shannon struck and ran over Marjorie Jarstfar, who was riding her bicycle along a country road. Marjorie died, and Shannon was found completely at fault by the authorities. Consumed by intense guilt, she contemplated suicide several times, but she never took her life, because of the healing response of one man: Gary Jarstfar.

“Gary, Marjorie’s husband, forgave the sixteen-year-old and asked the attorney to drop all charges against her. This saved her from an almost certain guilty verdict. Instead, he simply asked Shannon to continue in the godly footsteps that his wife had taken. “You can’t let this ruin your life,” Gary told her more than twenty years ago. “God wants to strengthen you. In fact, I am passing Marjorie’s legacy on to you.”

“Gary’s act of forgiveness showed Shannon the amazing restorative love of God. That act became the foundation of her work seeking to help people overcome guilt-ridden, wounded lives.  Sometimes our greatest misery can become the foundation of our greatest ministry.”*

            As I read this story, I think of the parallels in the life of Saul of Tarsus\Paul the apostle.  Saul the Pharisee committed terrible sins against God and His church.  The Almighty would have been fully justified in bringing swift justice upon him but He didn’t.  Grace and forgiveness were offered to the repentant rebel and the ministry of Paul the apostle was birthed.  The persecutor became the preacher.  The monster became the missionary.  The world was changed and it all began with forgiveness offered and accepted.

            This gives me pause to reflect.  Is there someone I need to forgive?  Is there forgiveness offered that I need to accept and build upon?  How might my world change if I had the courage to do both?  What about you?

 

God loves you!

Mike

*Tom Hughes, Down to Earth: How Jesus’ Stories Can Change Your Everyday Life, NavPress, 2019, p.25.