As I write these words, a public memorial will soon begin in Los Angeles for Michael Jackson. The media circus surrounding the event has been over-the-top, even by Hollywood standards. News helicopters fill the skies, tracking every movement of the funeral entourage. Earlier this morning, an entire freeway had to be shut down during the morning rush hour for the family motorcade. The memorial is being held at a 20,000 seat basketball arena to accommodate as many as possible. Many of the biggest names in the entertainment business will be in attendance to pay their respects. If you wanted to attend the memorial (and you weren’t family or an invited guest), you had to register for free tickets and 1.6 million people did so. Out of that number, 8750 were chosen to receive 2 tickets each. Numerous theaters across the country are planning to broadcast the memorial live without charge.
I can’t help but contrast this scene with the events surrounding the funeral arrangements for another public figure. “Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there” (John 19:38-42).
Two disciples, begging the powers that be just for the opportunity to give the Son of God a proper burial. It just doesn’t seem right, does it? But, then again, I guess this funeral would only be necessary for three days, wouldn’t it?
God loves you!
Mike
Monday, July 13, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
A Declaration Of Dependence
“The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress of July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain were now independent states, and thus no longer a part of the British Empire. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration is a formal explanation of why Congress had voted on July 2 to declare independence from Great Britain, more than a year after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. The birthday of the United States of America – Independence Day – is celebrated on July 4, the day the wording of the Declaration was approved by Congress” (“United States Declaration of Independence”, wikipedia.org).
As citizens of the United States, we have a rich history of independence. From the birth of our union, we have been blessed with many independent thinkers and doers who have made important contributions toward the building of one of the greatest nations on the face of the earth. Independent men and women with a “never-say-die” attitude and a willingness to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps were vital in the settlement and growth of our country. But independence can be overdone. This is especially true in our relationship to God. When our spirit of independence leads us to believe that we can do without Divine assistance in our lives, then we have serious problems.
Let’s make today and every other day of our lives a celebration of our need for Divine help. With the apostle Paul, we can affirm that it is only in God that “…we live and move and exist…” (Acts 17:28). With the Psalmist, we can assert that, in comparison to God, our days are “…as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; surely every man at his best is a mere breath” (Ps. 39:5). With Isaiah, we can admit that those who contend with God “…will be as nothing and will perish” (Isa. 41:11). Beginning today, let’s issue our own Declaration of Dependence upon God!
God loves you!
Mike
As citizens of the United States, we have a rich history of independence. From the birth of our union, we have been blessed with many independent thinkers and doers who have made important contributions toward the building of one of the greatest nations on the face of the earth. Independent men and women with a “never-say-die” attitude and a willingness to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps were vital in the settlement and growth of our country. But independence can be overdone. This is especially true in our relationship to God. When our spirit of independence leads us to believe that we can do without Divine assistance in our lives, then we have serious problems.
Let’s make today and every other day of our lives a celebration of our need for Divine help. With the apostle Paul, we can affirm that it is only in God that “…we live and move and exist…” (Acts 17:28). With the Psalmist, we can assert that, in comparison to God, our days are “…as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; surely every man at his best is a mere breath” (Ps. 39:5). With Isaiah, we can admit that those who contend with God “…will be as nothing and will perish” (Isa. 41:11). Beginning today, let’s issue our own Declaration of Dependence upon God!
God loves you!
Mike
Are We Forgetting How To Blush?
The Old Testament book of Jeremiah is a record of God’s warning to a wayward and sinful nation. The people of God had given themselves over to all kinds of degrading and immoral practices. The extent of their depravity is revealed in Jeremiah 6:15: “Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not ashamed at all; they did not even know how to blush…” Not only were God’s people engaged in all sorts of sinful practices, but they also felt no shame in doing so. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul chastises the Corinthian church for their arrogant and boastful attitude toward a grievous sin in their midst (1 Corinthians 5:1-2, 6). According to Paul, the godly response to such sin should have been mourning.
These texts from the past sound like a commentary on our modern culture. It certainly appears that, as a nation, we also have forgotten how to blush. While sin has always plagued our society, it is only relatively recently that we have begun to remove the shame attached to it. Immorality and perversion that was once practiced only in darkened rooms behind closed doors and curtains is now presented publically on our movie screens and television sets. Vulgarity that was once common only among certain groups and in certain places is now broadcast for all to hear. And perhaps saddest of all is the fact that fewer and fewer cheeks are reddened and eyebrows are raised when it does take place.
Blushing over sin is never outdated or old-fashioned. God’s judgment came upon an entire nation during the time of Jeremiah because of their sin and their brazen attitude toward it. What makes us think we can escape the same fate when we follow the same path? May God help us once again to feel the shame associated with sin; a shame that will lead us to repent and commit ourselves to do what we can to reverse the slide into moral degradation that plagues our nation.
God loves you!
Mike
These texts from the past sound like a commentary on our modern culture. It certainly appears that, as a nation, we also have forgotten how to blush. While sin has always plagued our society, it is only relatively recently that we have begun to remove the shame attached to it. Immorality and perversion that was once practiced only in darkened rooms behind closed doors and curtains is now presented publically on our movie screens and television sets. Vulgarity that was once common only among certain groups and in certain places is now broadcast for all to hear. And perhaps saddest of all is the fact that fewer and fewer cheeks are reddened and eyebrows are raised when it does take place.
Blushing over sin is never outdated or old-fashioned. God’s judgment came upon an entire nation during the time of Jeremiah because of their sin and their brazen attitude toward it. What makes us think we can escape the same fate when we follow the same path? May God help us once again to feel the shame associated with sin; a shame that will lead us to repent and commit ourselves to do what we can to reverse the slide into moral degradation that plagues our nation.
God loves you!
Mike
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Commitment
Stefanie Zaner, of Darnestown, Maryland, reached an impressive milestone recently as she graduated from high school. Not once, during 13 years of schooling, was Stefanie marked absent without approval. No missed days for illness or family trips. No college visits or senior skip days. None. Two thousand, three hundred and forty days of perfect attendance (washingtonpost.com, 5-26-09)
How does one accomplish such a feat? Don’t you suppose that, over the span of 13 years, there were days when she didn’t really feel like going to school? Of course. Don’t you suppose that, over the span of 13 years, there were days when she was tired and didn’t want to get out of bed? Of course. Don’t you suppose that, over the span of 13 years, there were other important and valid opportunities that crossed her path? Of course. She was just like anyone else in that respect. But Stefanie Zaner was unlike most others in that she never let anyone or anything distract her from her goal.
Our lives as a disciple of Jesus Christ would benefit from having the same level of commitment. For example, think of how strong our marriages would be if we all determined, with God’s help, to do whatever was necessary to make them successful. Will times come when we are tired of doing the right thing? Of course. Will times come when we really don’t feel like making the effort? Of course. Will outside influences (like career, friends, etc.) compete for our attention? Of course. Will the temptation to “play hooky” come? Of course. But if our goal is the creation of a strong marital bond, then we make our choices accordingly. We don’t give in to the fatigue. We aren’t ruled by our feelings. We say “no” to some people or opportunities (even good people and opportunities) that can divide our loyalties.
Stefanie Zaner’s commitment to school attendance is admirable and the accolades she has received are deserved. May our lives reflect our commitment to an even greater goal – that of knowing and doing the will of God.
God loves you!
Mike
How does one accomplish such a feat? Don’t you suppose that, over the span of 13 years, there were days when she didn’t really feel like going to school? Of course. Don’t you suppose that, over the span of 13 years, there were days when she was tired and didn’t want to get out of bed? Of course. Don’t you suppose that, over the span of 13 years, there were other important and valid opportunities that crossed her path? Of course. She was just like anyone else in that respect. But Stefanie Zaner was unlike most others in that she never let anyone or anything distract her from her goal.
Our lives as a disciple of Jesus Christ would benefit from having the same level of commitment. For example, think of how strong our marriages would be if we all determined, with God’s help, to do whatever was necessary to make them successful. Will times come when we are tired of doing the right thing? Of course. Will times come when we really don’t feel like making the effort? Of course. Will outside influences (like career, friends, etc.) compete for our attention? Of course. Will the temptation to “play hooky” come? Of course. But if our goal is the creation of a strong marital bond, then we make our choices accordingly. We don’t give in to the fatigue. We aren’t ruled by our feelings. We say “no” to some people or opportunities (even good people and opportunities) that can divide our loyalties.
Stefanie Zaner’s commitment to school attendance is admirable and the accolades she has received are deserved. May our lives reflect our commitment to an even greater goal – that of knowing and doing the will of God.
God loves you!
Mike
Monday, May 18, 2009
Switched At Birth
Kay Rene Qualls and DeeAnn Shafer made a shocking discovery recently – they weren’t who they thought they were. Their story goes back over five decades to a small hospital in Heppner, Oregon. The two women were born on the same day, May 3, at Pioneer Memorial Hospital. The two infants closely resembled each other and, when nurses took them and bathed them together, an unintentional but tragic mistake was made. The babies were switched and returned to the wrong mother. One mother was too heavily medicated to be aware of the problem. The other mother insisted that the wrong baby had been returned to her, but nurses brushed off her concerns. And so, when the time came to be released from the hospital, each mother went home with the baby girl that had been born to the other.
Through an odd set of circumstances and the results of modern DNA testing, the persistent rumors of the switch were finally proven to be true after 56 years. By this time, both sets of birth parents were deceased. And the two women are now struggling to process this new bit of information in their life. Thankfully, in spite of the “what ifs,” both families have reached out to each other and are making the best of a difficult and confusing situation (www.eastoregonian.com; 5-11-09).
If you are a child of God, you also were switched at birth. Note how the Scriptures describe the swap: God “…rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13). If we are people of faith, we have “…passed out of death into life” (John 5:24). If we are in Christ, we are “…a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
How thankful we can be that our merciful God “…caused us to be born again to a living hope...” (1 Peter 1:3). This is no tragic mistake – God desired to make the exchange from the very beginning. Praise God for switching us at birth!
God loves you!
Mike
Through an odd set of circumstances and the results of modern DNA testing, the persistent rumors of the switch were finally proven to be true after 56 years. By this time, both sets of birth parents were deceased. And the two women are now struggling to process this new bit of information in their life. Thankfully, in spite of the “what ifs,” both families have reached out to each other and are making the best of a difficult and confusing situation (www.eastoregonian.com; 5-11-09).
If you are a child of God, you also were switched at birth. Note how the Scriptures describe the swap: God “…rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13). If we are people of faith, we have “…passed out of death into life” (John 5:24). If we are in Christ, we are “…a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
How thankful we can be that our merciful God “…caused us to be born again to a living hope...” (1 Peter 1:3). This is no tragic mistake – God desired to make the exchange from the very beginning. Praise God for switching us at birth!
God loves you!
Mike
Monday, May 11, 2009
Our Relentless God
Last week during my sermon, I spoke of how Moses initially ran ahead of God in his efforts to be a deliverer of the Hebrew people. Afterwards, one of my younger daughters gave me her copy of the sermon note sheet. Among the fill-in-the-blanks and various drawing of Pharaoh, Moses, and Egyptian princesses, she had jotted down this note: “P.S. Don’t run ahead of God. He might have to pack a suitcase!”
God is relentless, isn’t He? The following illustration makes the point well. R. Kent Hughes (1001 Great Stories and Quotes, pp. 393-94) shares the story of a mission effort in Russia. In the 1930’s, Stalin ordered a purge of Christians and their Bibles. In the Russian city of Stavropol, his edict was carried out with great efficiency. Numerous believers were sent to prison camps and many of the Bibles that were confiscated ended up in a warehouse in Stavropol where they collected dust.
Many years later, when that part of Russia was again open to missionary activity, a team was sent to Stavropol. When the group experienced difficulty in getting Bibles shipped from Moscow, someone happened to mention the existence of the stash of Bibles in the warehouse. The missionary team received permission to remove and distribute them. A truck was secured and local workers hired to load them.
One helper was a young skeptic who had come just for the wages. After awhile, the missionaries noticed he was gone. They found him in a corner of the warehouse, weeping. He had slipped away, hoping to quietly take a Bible for himself. What he found shook him to the core. The inside page of the Bible he had picked up had the handwritten signature of his own grandmother. It had been her personal Bible. Out of the thousands of Bible still left in that warehouse, he had stolen the one belonging to his grandmother – a woman persecuted for her faith all her life.
Coincidence? I highly doubt it. It’s just another example of a God who doesn’t give up easily.
God loves you!
Mike
God is relentless, isn’t He? The following illustration makes the point well. R. Kent Hughes (1001 Great Stories and Quotes, pp. 393-94) shares the story of a mission effort in Russia. In the 1930’s, Stalin ordered a purge of Christians and their Bibles. In the Russian city of Stavropol, his edict was carried out with great efficiency. Numerous believers were sent to prison camps and many of the Bibles that were confiscated ended up in a warehouse in Stavropol where they collected dust.
Many years later, when that part of Russia was again open to missionary activity, a team was sent to Stavropol. When the group experienced difficulty in getting Bibles shipped from Moscow, someone happened to mention the existence of the stash of Bibles in the warehouse. The missionary team received permission to remove and distribute them. A truck was secured and local workers hired to load them.
One helper was a young skeptic who had come just for the wages. After awhile, the missionaries noticed he was gone. They found him in a corner of the warehouse, weeping. He had slipped away, hoping to quietly take a Bible for himself. What he found shook him to the core. The inside page of the Bible he had picked up had the handwritten signature of his own grandmother. It had been her personal Bible. Out of the thousands of Bible still left in that warehouse, he had stolen the one belonging to his grandmother – a woman persecuted for her faith all her life.
Coincidence? I highly doubt it. It’s just another example of a God who doesn’t give up easily.
God loves you!
Mike
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Spiritual Heroism
In a recent blog posting, John Mark Hicks (johnmarkhicks.wordpress.com/) reprinted two articles he wrote for the Gospel Advocate in 1981 following the death of his wife a year earlier. She was only 25 years of age at the time. The articles were entitled “Divine Providence and Human Lives (I and II). They are brief, well-written essays on the working of God in times of trial by a young man who had experienced a great loss in his life.
In a subsequent posting, Hicks looks back at his words of twenty eight years ago and reflects on how time has changed his perspective. While he still agrees (for the most part) with the theological content of the articles, he now realizes he was hiding the real pain, grief and anger he felt at the time. What caught my attention was when he spoke of the pressure he felt, both internally and externally, to play the part of a “hero” with reference to his emotional struggle. Thankfully, over time, Hicks was able to begin to come to terms with the façade he had created and start to work through the emotions he had buried for so long.
Of all the faulty ways we have crafted to deal with our struggles, perhaps playing the “spiritual hero” is the most dangerous. Why? Because it insulates us from the very help that we need in times of crisis. The emptiness we harbor inside will eventually betray the thin veneer of external control. Left unresolved, we will eventually stumble under the oppressive weight of a mantle we are ill-equipped to bear.
There is only one real Spiritual Hero – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Only He can assume the role of hero without pretense. The rest of us are tragically broken and flawed. I applaud John Mark Hicks for being so transparent concerning his spiritual battle as well as his progress on the road to recovery. Perhaps his story can be a wake-up call to those of us who are still hiding behind our own masks.
God loves you!
Mike
In a subsequent posting, Hicks looks back at his words of twenty eight years ago and reflects on how time has changed his perspective. While he still agrees (for the most part) with the theological content of the articles, he now realizes he was hiding the real pain, grief and anger he felt at the time. What caught my attention was when he spoke of the pressure he felt, both internally and externally, to play the part of a “hero” with reference to his emotional struggle. Thankfully, over time, Hicks was able to begin to come to terms with the façade he had created and start to work through the emotions he had buried for so long.
Of all the faulty ways we have crafted to deal with our struggles, perhaps playing the “spiritual hero” is the most dangerous. Why? Because it insulates us from the very help that we need in times of crisis. The emptiness we harbor inside will eventually betray the thin veneer of external control. Left unresolved, we will eventually stumble under the oppressive weight of a mantle we are ill-equipped to bear.
There is only one real Spiritual Hero – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Only He can assume the role of hero without pretense. The rest of us are tragically broken and flawed. I applaud John Mark Hicks for being so transparent concerning his spiritual battle as well as his progress on the road to recovery. Perhaps his story can be a wake-up call to those of us who are still hiding behind our own masks.
God loves you!
Mike
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