He Came to Us

The teacher asked a young boy, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"I want to be possible," he answered.

"Possible? Of all things, why do you want that?"

The boy replied, "Because my mom and dad are always saying that I’m impossible."

* * *

We are impossible and so is eternal life, if left up to us. But God makes the impossible, possible by coming to us.

One of the Christmas themes is, "Emmanuel: God with us."

God came to us!

He came to the ugly and the undesirable.

He came to the imperfect and the impossible.

He came to the shepherds and to the sinners.

He came to you and to me.

And He loves you as you are.

He loves us with all our faults.

He loves us with all our failures.

It doesn’t matter if you are old and ugly or young and pretty.

It doesn’t matter if you are fat or skinny.

It doesn’t matter if you are smart or dumb.

It doesn’t matter if you are sinful and have "quite a past."

He loves you. He loves us.

He proved how much He loves us by coming to us. He came as a baby and grew and developed.

God loves you as you are but wants you to grow and develop in his love, becoming like him. That’s something to think about.

Merry Christmas!

Enough

We’ve nearly always burned an Advent candle.

Why?

It’s a way of building excitement through anticipation, focusing on an event, a specific day of great joy! It teaches about waiting and measuring it.

We wanted our children to enjoy it all. Wait. Anticipate. Celebrate!

I love Simeon in Luke 2. He’s old and a man of deep, abiding (waiting) faith.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

His waiting is measured in daily faithfulness in the small things. He’s been waiting all his life for God to free his people from oppression.

Finally, the wait is over! He sees the 40-day-old Christ child, holds him, and praises the Lord. He says this, which seems like a peaceful death wish:

You now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation. . .

Simeon believes the promises of God are beginning at this tine, in this helpless little baby.

Just knowing the process of deliverance is beginning is enough.

He trusts God, believing the deliverance will unfold and be fully realized as this baby grows into a man.

It is enough to know that everything is in place and will unfold!

Simeon did not see, nor did he need to see, the fulfillment of all things. He finds peace in knowing that it is beginning. It is enough. His wait is over.

I have lots to learn from old Simeon.

25 Questions for Mary

From Max Lucado’s, "God Came Near."

1. What was it like watching him pray?

2. How did he respond when he saw other kids giggling during the service at the synagogue?

3. When he saw a rainbow, did he ever mention a flood?

4. Did you ever feel awkward teaching him how he created the world?

5. When he saw a lamb being led to the slaughter, did he act differently?

6. Did you ever see him with a distant look on his face as if he were listening to someone you couldn’t hear?

7. How did he act at funerals?

8. Did the thought ever occur to you that the God to whom you were praying was asleep under your own roof?

9. Did you ever try to count the stars with him….and succeed?

10. Did he ever come home with a black eye?

11. How did he act when he got his first haircut?

12. Did he have any friend by the name of Judas?

13. Did he do well in school?

14. Did you ever scold him?

15. Did he ever have to ask a question about Scripture?

16. What do you think he thought when he saw a prostitute offering to the highest bidder the body he made?

17. Did he ever get angry when someone was dishonest with him?

18. Did you ever catch him pensively looking at the flesh on his own arm while holding a clod of dirt?

19. Did he ever wake up afraid?

20. Who was his best friend?

21. When someone referred to Satan, how did he act?

22. Did you ever accidentally call him Father?

23. What did he and his cousin John talk about as kids?

24. Did his brothers and sisters understand what was happening?

25. Did you ever think, That’s God eating my soup?

Don't Miss the Point

In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine:

"We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas."

Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, "How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas."

He totally missed the big news – man had flown!

We don’t want to miss the point at this time of the year. The point is not really about a specific day, nor even a season. The point is that God came to us.

John 1 presents some intriguing things to consider, and it also makes a practical point. The Message says this about the Word, which is Jesus.

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

God moved into our world in a very real way to sympathize and to show us how to truly love, live, die, and live again. Please don’t miss the point.

Slaughter of Innocents

This should have been a fun week, anticipating Christmas, but reality reared its ugly head. Evil showed itself in a most shocking way.

The slaughter of innocents in a school room reminds us of our badly broken world, and now innumerable people are experiencing unimaginable grief. Unimaginable!

It’s interesting that the original Christmas story also contains a slaughter of innocents. Herod, so insecure and evil, orders that all baby boys in the Bethlehem area be killed. Why?

Because of one of them someday could challenge his position as King of the Jews. His evil action produces some of the most sobering words in Scripture (Matthew 2:18).

"A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more."

It’s into this kind of world and this kind of grief that Jesus is born. He came to begin a loving process of redeeming it all, leading us toward something where this stuff will not exist.

In the meantime, as we follow him, we work to make things better through his ways, while we hang onto to his words (John 16:33).

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Because of the Resurrection of Jesus and his promise that we too will rise again, I expect to see all those innocent ones, for I am sure they are in the presence of God.

That’s where I want to be. Sooner rather than later. Maranatha!

Keep it Simple

One of my favorite Christmas carols is Silent Night.

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Virgin Mother and Child

Holy Infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Evidently it was a favorite of a young girl also, and after hearing it one day, she decided to draw a picture of the Nativity. The picture was very good! It included Mary, Joseph and, of course, baby Jesus. She drew a few animals, and she placed the shepherds and the wise men in the scene as well.

As the teacher was admiring and encouraging, she noticed a rather rotund man off to the side. The teacher asked, "Who is that man?"

The little girl explained, "Oh, that's round John Virgin."

OK, sorry about that! It is funny, though, that we often mishear and misunderstand things in humorous ways.

Not so funny, however, is to miss the point of God’s intention, and I am certain that he did not intend his entrance into the world to be celebrated as a time of greed and great debt.

Keep it simple and stress free and think about what it’s really all about.

Deeper Trust

Can imagine being a young teen girl approached by an awesome angel, probably clothed in bright white light?

He tells you things you don’t understand: you’ll conceive while a virgin and then give birth to a boy named Jesus who will be the Son of God and the Messiah. The angel sums up his presentation to a puzzled Mary by saying, "Nothing is impossible with God."

Mary’s ultimate response (Luke 1:38)? "I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said."

I wonder how many times, when challenged, she remembered that divine encounter? I wonder how many times she had to repeat her humble response back to herself?

Recently I read an article about a well-known preacher (John Piper). In it he says this.

"Don't question in the dark what God showed you in the light. Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don't. You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope."

I’m pretty sure Mary would "amen" that, because she probably had to practice it. A lot.

God, that’s what I want for Christmas. Please give me the gift of a deeper trust.

Plans Changed

Little ditty about Joe and Mary

Two peasant kids growing up in Galilee

Joseph and Mary, probably peasant teens, talked about the predictable path their lives would take. He would be a carpenter, bringing home enough to provide food, clothing and shelter. Mary would take care of those three, along with a houseful of children.

That’s what they knew and hoped for, but God had a different plan. Wow! God intervened and invited them into his story in a most amazing way, and, frankly, it wasn’t easy, to say the least.

Mary, undoubtedly, was ridiculed. "Yeah right Mary! Pregnant and a virgin. Sure!" Joseph didn’t believe her either. Another angel, another "don’t be afraid," persuaded him to hang around.

It probably wasn’t until after the resurrection, 30 something years later, that Mary understood God’s plan. Joseph disappears early in the story, so we don’t know about him.

I was thinking about this in the context of the challenging changes that we face at times. We don’t always know what God is calling us to, do we? All we can do is trust, obey, and know this:

"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared
for those who love him

(1 Corinthians 2:9)

Sometimes it takes awhile before we realize the plan of God, so keep trusting through (the pain of) plans changed. It’s going to OK+!

Do not be afraid

There is a lot of fear in the original Christmas story. I especially notice it in the first couple of chapters of Luke’s gospel.

When an angel shows up, old Zechariah is "gripped with fear."

When the same angel shows up to Mary she is "greatly troubled." (I’m pretty sure she is afraid too.)

When the angel shows up to the shepherds, they are "terrified."

What happens to all three of them?

To Zechariah, "the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid.’" (Luke 1:13)

To Mary, "the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid.’" (Luke 1:30)

To the shepherds, "the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid.’" (Luke 2:10)

See a pattern? To him, her, and them, the same words are spoken, the same ones God wants us to hear: Do not be afraid.

An encounter with the God is a fearful thing, but he desires to quickly dispel the fear. That’s the nature of God and his Amazing Grace.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear. And grace my fears relieved.

Allowing God into your life is a bit scary. Will he love me, even when he knows everything about me? His answer? Do not be afraid. His entrance to our world makes the point loud and clear.

Christmas Confusion

It that’s most wonderful time of the year! It’s also a bit confusing.

Christmas is a confusing time in lots of ways. There is a mixture of this and that from here and there, some sacred, some pagan, some good, and some bad. There are lots of things to sort through.

The confusion was really brought home to me several years ago, when I was working with Laotian refugees in Nashville, Tennessee, the boat people. One day, around Christmas, one of the older children, who was learning about Jesus and Santa at the same time, asked this. "Oh Allen, is it right that Santa Claus died on the cross for me?"

I laughed and corrected. What else could I do?

Hebrews 2 gets at one of the real reasons for the Incarnation, which is what we celebrate.

Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it’s logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil’s hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death.

Jesus went all the way to the womb of a peasant girl to identify with us, all of us. That’s Good News! Understood and embraced it frees us from the fear of death and ushers us into new life, eternal life.

Do you believe that?

Who Are You?

The professor giving the English final exam was very strict and told the class that any exam not on his desk in exactly two hours would not be accepted. "Automatic F!"

A student rushed in 30 minutes late and asked the professor for an exam booklet. "You're not going to have time to finish." the professor stated sarcastically.

"Yes I will," replied the student. He took a seat and began writing.

After two hours, the professor called for the exams. All the students filed up and handed them in, except for the late-comer. A half hour later, he came up to turn in his exam.

"No! I'm not going to accept that. It's late."

The student looked incredulous and angry. "Do you know WHO I am?"

"No, as a matter of fact I don't," replied the professor.

"You mean to tell me that you don’t know who I am?" the student asked again.

"No, and I don't care!" replied the professor.

"Good," replied the student, who quickly lifted the stack of exams, stuffed his in the middle, and ran out of the room.

* * *

I hope you know who and whose you are. If you follow Jesus, then you are God’s beloved daughter or son.

Romans 8:15ff.:

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What’s next, Papa?" God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.

Good News

How about some Gospel Truth? How about some Good News this morning?

What is it?

Jesus said this (John 3:16-18):

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

And this (Matthew 11:28-30):

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The basic gospel message is that Jesus HAD to die for us, to take care of our sins, and that he was GLAD to die for us because we are so loved, valued, and treasured by God. He wants us in relationship with him and makes it possible.

Jesus shows us how to live, how to die, and how to live again, becoming like him through it all.

Yes, that’s certainly Good News, something to live by.

Do you believe it?

Pain, Peace, and Joy

 
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

God wants his people, including you and me, to experience his peace and joy, but it comes at a price. It cost God, and it costs us. The peace and joy of God often arrive through a process of pain, pain often rooted in sin of some sort.

There is a good promise in it all, one that we must hear. It’s articulated in lots of ways and in lots of places in Scripture.

Listen to God, in/through Isaiah (ch. 43), comfort his people who were defeated because of their sinful rebellion. They were in exile, in pain, and wondering if God loved them anymore. He does!

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

God knows your name and has not given up on you. If you turn to him and desire to walk with him, then he’ll walk with you through everything in your life, even, and especially in, your pain.

Faith

Do you remember Joseph, the one with the nice coat? He lived in Egypt a long, long time ago. He was there because his brothers hated him and wanted to hurt him. The hatred led to the hurt, as usual.

Joseph had a really hard time for a long time, but God stayed with him and was working through all the bad stuff to eventually bring good things, as usual.

It’s a great story, and you can read about it, beginning in Genesis 37. Eventually Joseph’s mean brothers had to come and bow down before him. Rightfully so, they were afraid of Joseph and revenge.

Joseph has a different view of life, one that sees God working in the bad, even in the unjustified hurt that comes from others. Here’s what he says about that to his brothers in Genesis 50:19-21.

Joseph said to them, "Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid."

I need to be very careful in judging the motives of others when I am hurt, but even more important, I need to trust that God is working in the pain to accomplish something good.

I may not know about it until much later.

That’s faith isn’t it?

Shake it Off and Step Up

A donkey fell down into a well, and he cried for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. He decided the animal was old and wasn’t worth saving, and the well needed to be filled in anyway.

His neighbors came over to help him. They began to shovel dirt into the well. At first the donkey cried horribly. Then he grew quiet.

The farmer looked down in the well and was astonished! As each shovel of dirt hit his back, the donkey did something amazing. He shook it off and took a step up.

As the shovels of dirt continued to hit the donkey, he shook them off and stepped up. Pretty soon, to everyone’s amazement, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

* * *

Is there a possibility that people will throw dirt at you, and on you, this week? If so, just shake it off and take a step up. Use those challenges as stepping stones to do good, even great, things!

Take to heart these words from 2 Corinthians 4, The Message.

We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives!

Shake it off and step up!

Shake it off and Step up

A donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. He decided the animal was old and wasn’t worth saving, and the well needed to be filled in anyway.

His neighbors came over to help him. They began to shovel dirt into the well. At first the donkey cried horribly. Then he grew quiet.

The farmer looked down in the well and was astonished! As each shovel of dirt hit his back, the donkey did something amazing. He was shook it off and took a step up.

As the dirt continued to hit the donkey, he shook them off and took a step up. Pretty soon, to everyone’s amazement, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Is there a possibility that people will throw dirt at you and on you this week? If so, just shake it off and take a step up. Use those challenges as stepping stones to do good, even great, things!

Take to heart these words from 2 Corinthians 4, The Message.

We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives!

Shake it off and step up!

Be careful

A rabbi and a priest drive their cars into each other. It’s a bad accident. Both cars are totally demolished but amazingly neither one of them is hurt.

As they crawl out of their cars, the rabbi sees the priest's collar and says, "So you're a priest. I'm a rabbi. Just look at our cars. There's nothing left but we are unhurt. God must have meant that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace the rest of our days."

The priest replies, "I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from God."

The rabbi continues, "And look at this. Here's another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of Kedem wine didn't break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune."

Then he hands the bottle to the priest. The priest agrees, takes a few big swigs, and hands the bottle back to the rabbi. The rabbi takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap on, and hands it back to the priest. The priest asks, "Aren't you having any?"

The rabbi replies, "No . . . I think I'll wait for the police."

It’s Friday, so laugh and use this anyway you want! Have a great weekend and go to church for Heaven’s sake!

Money

It happens from time to time - a lottery jackpot reaches an almost unfathomable amount, and people, fueled by media frenzy, rush to the convenient stores.

"You can’t win if you don’t play!"

"Who knows? Somebody has to win. Why not?"

During the latest frenzy there was a good article by NBC news entitled, "$500 million jackpot will buy you. . . misery." It tells of how the winners of big jackpots are often less happy after winning than they were before. The two winners should pay attention.

All that reminded me of a few verses of Scripture.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 — Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.

1 Timothy 6:9,10 — People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Hebrew 13:5 — Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Amen.

Giving Gifts

I’m reading through the Bible again this year. I’m always surprised by the things I find along the way – things I forgot, things I now see differently.

This year I am reading primarily The Message, Eugene Peterson’s translation/paraphrase of Scripture. Yesterday’s reading included a sentence, found in Ephesians 4:29, that really struck me.

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

There is a lot to consider from this verse, but the last phrase, especially, caught my attention. Have you ever thought of each word you form possibly being a gift?

‘Tis the season to give gifts.

How about we give some early Christmas gifts with our words today? Encouragement. Support. Loving instruction.

I’m going to try doing that today.

Unmovable

Did you see this in the news?

An elderly couple in China refused to sign an agreement to allow their home to be demolished, so the authorities built a road around the building.

I’m not sure what to think about that.

I guess one way would be to say they are stubborn and selfish. There is another way to look at it, the way I am choosing this morning. There are times when you must stand for what you believe in.

Knowing one from the other is a matter of spiritual discernment that needs to be rooted in a firm understanding of God’s story and through a relationship with a community of others also living in the Story.

* * *

I Corinthians 15:58 — Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

What are the unmovable things in your life?

Simple Prayer

Do you ever need help praying? I do.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed at times with all the needs and requests. There is so much to pray for! Sometimes the feeling of being overwhelmed stops us from praying at all.

Many years ago I received some very good counsel about prayer, especially when you feel overwhelmed: keep it simple.

Here’s a sample of a simple prayer that I came across in Proverbs 30.

"God, I’m asking for two things

before I die; don’t refuse me—

Banish lies from my lips

and liars from my presence.

Give me enough food to live on,

neither too much nor too little.

If I’m too full, I might get independent,

saying, ‘God? Who needs him?’

If I’m poor, I might steal

and dishonor the name of my God."

Isn’t that a wonderful prayer?

Let’s keep growing in truthfulness, both in what we speak and in what we hear from others.

Let’s seek the balance and satisfaction that only God can supply, becoming totally dependent upon him.

It’s a good place to start.

Family Reunion

A frustrated man in his 80s, living in Florida, calls his son in New York one November day, shortly before Thanksgiving.

He says to his son, "I hate to tell you this, but we’ve got some troubles here. Your mother and I can’t stand each other anymore, and we’re getting a divorce. I want to live out the rest of my years in peace. I’m telling you now, so you and your sister won’t go into shock later when I move out."

He hangs up, and the son immediately calls his sister in the Hamptons and tells her the news. The sister says, "I’ll handle this."

She calls her father in Florida and says, "Don’t do ANYTHING until we get there! We’ll be there Wednesday night."

The father agrees, "All right."

The old man hangs up the phone, "high-fives" his wife and proudly says, "Okay, they’re coming for Thanksgiving. Now, what are we going to tell them to get them here for Christmas?"

Happy a thankful Thanksgiving!

Give Thanks Always

It’s hard to believe, and it’s even harder to practice. Yet God asks us to believe it and to practice it.

What?

Giving thanks always! Always? Yes, always.

Here it is:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

It’s true that there is always something for which to be thankful, even in bad circumstances. It’s true because it’s rooted in who God is and how he works, especially working in the bad to bring good.

At the most basic level, we should be thankful no matter what. Every breath you take today is a gift from God. May each exhalation be a brief but powerful praise, a "thank you" to the giver of life, no matter what circumstance you find yourself in today.

Thank you Lord!

Give Thanks

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power

and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.


Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;

you are the ruler of all things.


In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.


Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name.

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

Ten Dollars

Fred and his wife Edna went to the state fair every year. Every year Fred, pointing to an old biplane, would say, "Edna, I'd like to take a ride." Edna would always say, "I know Fred, but that ride costs ten dollars, and ten dollars is ten dollars."

One year they went to the fair, and Fred said, "Edna, I'm 71 years old. If I don't ride that airplane this year I may never get another chance." Edna resisted, "Fred that airplane ride costs ten dollars, and ten dollars is ten dollars."

The pilot overheard them and said, "Folks, I'll make you a deal. I'll take you both up. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and not say one word, I won't charge you, but if you say one word it's ten dollars."

Fred and Edna agreed. Up they go! The pilot does all kinds of twists and turns, rolls and dives, but not a word is heard.

They land and the pilot turns to Fred, "Well, I did everything I could think of to get you to yell out, but you didn't. The ride is free."

Fred replied, "Well, I was going to say something when Edna fell out of the plane, but ten dollars is ten dollars."

* * *

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. [2 Corinthians 9:6-8]

Simply Praying

Here are some beautiful words by Mary Oliver.

It doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch


a few words together and don't try

to make them elaborate, this isn't

a contest but the doorway


into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.

* * *

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." [Luke 18]

Confession vs. Concealment

You’ve probably heard comments and jokes about Patraeus rhyming with "Betray us." I’m not here to talk about the General’s problem but rather the general problem of covering up sin.

The first thing Adam and Eve did, after sinning, was to cover up and hide, and we have been doing it ever since.

The problem is that sin has a way of calling attention to itself and exposing us in the process.

Along time ago, the people of God were warned, ". . . Be sure that your sin will find you out." Exposure. Embarrassment. Condemnation.

Writing young Timothy, Paul, the mentor, said, "The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them."

Either way, your sins will be discovered.

What are we to do? We all have sin. Honest confession and transparency are the best way to go. It’s quite liberating and leads to healing of all kinds.

James, the brother of Jesus, says, " . . . Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."

Confess to trusted others. Do not conceal. Ultimately confess to a loving, forgiving God, receiving peace and joy.

Proverbs 28:13 — He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Asleep in the Storm

Decades ago, farmers came to the country fair to find hired hands for the next year. One farmer spotted a strong boy and asked, "What can you do?"

The boy answered answer in an unusual way, "I can sleep when the wind blows."

The farmer didn’t really like the answer and started to walk away, but he turned back and said, "What did you say?"

"I can sleep when the wind blows."

"Well," said the farmer, "I don’t know what that means, but I’m going to hire you anyway."

Winter came, followed by spring, and the new hired hand was steady and simply did his job. Nothing remarkable. One night a strong wind blew, and it created deep concern for the farmer. He got out of bed and hurried to the barn, thinking he would help the hired hand prepare for the storm.

When he got to the barn, he was surprised to see the hired hand’s sleeping quarters dark and quiet. The farmer was disappointed that the boy was asleep, but he quickly noticed that all the animals were in the barn, the doors and windows were prepared, as were the gates.

The hired hand had anticipated the storm and prepared for it. Then the farmer remembered this young man’s unusual words.

"I can sleep when the wind blows."

Crouching Sin

It’s one of those sentences that really grabs my attention. It paints quite a picture.

Cain and Abel came to worship the Lord. Abel did it right, because he gave his best. Cain did not give his best and was criticized for it. This made Cain angry, angry enough to kill his brother.

Before Cain commits the murder, the Lord warns him with these words (in Genesis 4):

"If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

It’s that last part that grabs me: "Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you master it."

Wow, that’s worth thinking about! It was true then, and it’s true today. We need to be alert, careful, and aware that we have an enemy that is hell-bent on our destruction. Be careful how you live this week.

If you belong to God, then you know you can overcome the challenges, trials, and temptations that will be yours. Master them by the power of the Master!

Head Hog

The church secretary answered the phone and then heard a very countryfied voice on the other end saying, "I want to talk to the head hog at the trough!"

Puzzled, the secretary said, "Excuse me sir?"

"I said I want to talk to the head hog at the trough!"

She then realized what the man wanted. He wanted to talk to the pastor. Somewhat indignant she said, "Sir if you want to talk to our pastor, you will have to address him properly. You should call him Pastor, or Reverend, or Brother, but you certainly cannot refer to him as the Head Hog at the Trough!"

The man on the other end said in a country drawl, "Oh, I just wanted to donate $10,000 to the church."

The secretary promptly replied with friendly enthusiasm, "Can you hold please, I think the big pig just walked through the door!"

I find that funny! It also reminds me of these words from James 2.

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

Have a great weekend, and go to church for Heaven’s sake!

A Good Prayer

John Baillie, a Scottish theologian who died in 1960, wrote a devotional book entitled, "A Diary of Private Prayer." Here is a prayer that seems very appropriate for this week.

Teach me, O God, so to use all the circumstances of my life today that they may bring forth in me the fruits of holiness rather than the fruits of sin.

Let me use disappointment as material for patience;

Let me use success as material for thankfulness;

Let me use suspense as material for perseverance;

Let me use danger as material for courage;

Let me use reproach as material for longsuffering;

Let me use praise as material for humility;

Let me use pleasures as material for temperance;

Let me use pains as material for endurance.

Amen.

Gentle Answer

Proverbs 15:1

A gentle answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

These words are true. We know they are, don’t we?

I’ve proven/experienced the second line a lot over the years, and I am working on making the first line my practice. Lord, help me.

Blessings in Diguise

I heard it again the other day – a beautiful and powerful song that arrests my attention, grabs my heart, and speaks to me every single time.

It’s "Blessings" by Laura Story. Here are a few of the words:

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater

thirst this world can’t satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise?

Then the beautiful chorus:

. . .What if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights

Are what it takes to know You’re near

What if trials of this life are

Your mercies in disguise?

Story echoes and points me to these life-changing words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 12.

He (the Lord) said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Thanks, Paul and Laura, I needed that.

Prayer for the Week

Here is it again. Monday. I hope you are ready for all the opportunities that will unfold before you this week. Are you ready?

As we launch into this week, I invite you to join me in saying this prayer, prayed a long time ago by David, recorded in Psalm 139:23,24.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

It’s a great prayer for the week, don’t you think?

Drive Safely

Three big burly fellows on huge motorcycles pulled up to a highway diner where a truck driver, just a little guy, was perched on a stool quietly eating his lunch.

As the three fellows came in, they were feeling in the mood for a fight. They spotted the small framed trucker, grabbed his food away from him, and laughed in his face.

The truck driver said nothing. He got up, paid for his food and walked out.

One of the three cyclists, unhappy that they hadn’t succeeded in provoking the little guy into a fight, commented to the waitress, "Boy, he sure wasn’t much of a man, was he?" The waitress replied, "Well, I guess not."

Then, looking out the window, she added, "I guess he’s not much of a truck driver, either."

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, he just ran over three motorcycles as he left."

Drive safely this weekend and go to church for Heaven’s sake!

What's your Focus?

I read a couple of things the other day that I want to place together. Here’s the first one.

I am not what I ought to be,

Not what I want to be,

Not what I am going to be,

But I am thankful that

I am better than I used to be.

And now for the second:

"How much more pleasant this world would be if we magnified our blessings the way we magnify our disappointments."

I think they are related, and they are related to, and reflect, this wonderful thought in 2 Corinthians 4.

. . .We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Thanks

It’s not quite winter yet, but it surely how has felt like it, thanks to hurricane Sandy. The cold wind brings to mind these words.

"Blow, blow, thou winter wind,

Thou art not so unkind

As man's ingratitude."

They come from Amiens, a character in William Shakespeare’s, "As You Like It." While nature can be harsh and cold, it is nothing compared to human ingratitude.

Of nature, Amiens continues to sing, "That dost not bite so nigh as benefits forgot: Though thou waters warp, they sting is not so sharp as friend remember'd not."

Ingratitude, ungratefulness, a lack of saying "thanks," really does sting, doesn’t it? We all can recall, probably with a great deal of passion, when and where someone did not properly thanks us for something we did. It’s easy to get focused on those times. It’s the stuff of bitterness.

Let’s do the hard work and really examine our own lives, instead of pointing at others. Let’s look for pockets of unexpressed gratitude. It’s easy to overlook the help and kindness of others, isn’t it? Who do I need to thank? And for what?

Colossians 2:6,7 — So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Gentleness

John Wooden tells this story in "A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court."

We had a team of mules name Jack and Kate on our farm. Kate would often get stubborn and lie down on me when I was plowing. I couldn’t get her up no matter how roughly I treated her. Dad would see my predicament and walk across the field until he was close enough to say "Kate." Then she’d get up and start working again. He never touched her in anger.

Wooden adds:

It took me a long time to understand that even a stubborn mule responds to gentleness.

I guess I’m still trying to understand that! I need these reminders.

Philippians 4:5 — Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

1 Peter 3:15 — . . . In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect . . .

Colossians 3:12 — Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

I’m going to strive to be gentle today.

Who are you Following?

There is a tombstone somewhere, maybe in Indiana, that bears these engraved words:

Remember man as you pass me by

As you are now so once was I

As I am now so you will be

So prepare for death and follow me

Underneath those words an unknown passerby scratched this reply:

To follow you I'm not content

Until I know which way you went

That’s clever, funny, and right, isn’t it?

And it raises a good point on this Monday.

Just who or what are you and I following?

Jesus in Luke said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

We know where he is, and that is where we want to be.

I’m going to do my best to live like him, following him this week, knowing there may be pain involved. Will you help me and join me?

Wishful Thinking

A despondent woman was walking along the beach and saw a bottle on the sand. Picking it up, she pulled out the cork. Whoosh! Through a big puff of smoke she saw a genie!

The genie said, "I grant you three wishes, but be aware that for each thing you wish, your mate will receive double."

"Why?" the woman asked. "That bum left me for another woman."

"This is just how it works," replied the genie.

The woman shrugged and then asked for a million dollars. A million dollars appeared at her feet! At the same instant, in a far-off place, her wayward husband received twice that amount at his feet.

"And your second wish?"

"Genie, I want the world’s most expensive diamond necklace." Instantly the woman was holding the precious treasure, and, in that distant place, her husband was looking for a gem broker to buy his diamond necklace.

"Genie, is it really true that my husband has two million dollars and more jewels than I do, and that he gets double of whatever I wish for?"

"Yes, it is absolutely true. He gets double of what you ask for."

The woman thought for a moment, smiled, and then said, "Okay, genie, I’m ready for my last wish."

"Proceed."

"Scare me half to death!"

I’m thinking along these lines: I’m glad we don’t have genies like that. And this is a pretty good thought also:

Proverbs 20:22 — Do not say, "I’ll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

Have a great weekend and go to church for Heaven’s sake!

FEAR

 The famous advice columnist Ann Landers was once asked, "what’s the most common problem people ask you about?"

She said, "Without a doubt, it’s fear."

Many fear lots of things! Is being stuck one of the biggest fears? STUCK! "Things will never change; it’s hopeless." "I’m never going to get out of this." "I’ll never not grieve again." "I’ll never be happy again." "Everything is falling apart, and I’m beyond recovery." That’s fear.

And it is FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real.

It’s a lie from the father of lies. If you think that your life is beyond repair/restoration, then you’re wrong. If you think that your best days are in the past, then think again. If you think it’s impossible for God to bring good out of bad, then you aren’t paying attention.

It’s often said there are 365 "fear nots" in the Bible, one for every day of the year. That’s probably right. God, if you are his, does not want you to be afraid.

Psalm 34:4 — I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 27:1-3 — The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.

Bitter vs. Better

Maybe this belongs to Zig Ziglar? "Everything that happens to you in life has the potential of making you bitter or better."

We get to choose, and sometimes it is such a hard choice! There IS injustice. Some things ARE NOT right. It happens. It stings and stinks. Life is often not fair.

What are you going to do? Bitter or better?

It’s much easier to be bitter, because it’s hard work becoming better. It requires faith that God is working in the injustice to shape and conform you into something better, something closer to his pure image.

You know, there is only one letter’s difference between bitter and better. Bitter has an I in it, and that may just be the key point: there is a much greater chance of bitterness if I focus on that I, as in Me, Myself, and I.

I become better when I focus on what God is wanting me to become.

Perfectionism?

I’ve struggled with it over the years. It’s bad and can make you, and those around you, miserable. Unrealistic pressure and unresolved guilt accompany it. Do we pursue it because we fear the malaise of mediocrity?

Many wrap perfectionism in a desire to please a perfect God. Certainly we are not encouraged by God to lead sloppy, sinful lives. What are we to think? John Wooden said this.

"Perfection is what you are striving for, but perfection is an impossibility. However, striving for perfection is not an impossibility. Do the best you can under the conditions that exist. That is what counts."

The bottom line is that we rest securely in the forgiving grace of a loving God, striving to live a life that brings glory to him. Strive to be perfect, but please don’t be a perfectionist. There is a big difference.

Everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God’s glory. The free gift of God’s grace makes all of us right with him. Christ Jesus paid the price to set us free. (Romans 3:23,24)

Work hard all day (and all week) to do your best, and then rest well at night, resting in the grace of a God who loves you more than you can comprehend.

Psalm 103:13-18

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass,

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting

the LORD'S love is with those who fear him,

and his righteousness with their children’s children—

with those who keep his covenant

and remember to obey his precepts.

Unavoidable Defects

Unavoidable Defects

That’s the term the FDA uses to refer to the amount of contamination allowed in our food.

For example, here are some of the allowances:

30 fly eggs per one hundred grams of pizza sauce.

60 insect fragments per 100 grams of chocolate and/or 1 rodent hair.

30 insect fragments and/or 1 rodent hair per 100 grams of peanut butter.

I’m not making this up! The FDA admits that our food will never be totally pure, so we allow a certain amount of defect.

There are all kinds of ways to apply this disturbing knowledge, but let’s do this.

Let’s make it personal and humbly confess we are all defective. Here’s the good news: God loves us anyway, and through a relationship with Jesus (who had no defects), redeems us, saves us, and sees us also as having no defects. Why? Because he loves us.

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18,19)

Do you believe that? Have you told God how much you love him?

Love

Love

is patient,

is kind.

does not envy,

does not boast,

is not proud.

is not rude,

is not self-seeking,

is not easily angered,

keeps no record of wrongs.

does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

never fails.

Love this week, deeply, carefully, and intentionally.

The Plop

A Canadian bird decides he doesn’t want to fly south for the winter. He thinks it nonsense to go down south, when he can just stay right where he is. After a while, of course, it gets cold, really cold. 

 

Finally, he can take no more and decides to fly south after all. As he is flying, ice begins to form on his wings. He is forced to land and crashes into a barnyard, right by a cow.

 

He is nearly frozen and can’t move. The cow, doing what cows often do, drops a “plop” on him. He is disgusted and dying. What a way to go! He waits for his life to end. After a short time, though, the ice begins to melt off of him. He starts to get warm under the “plop.”

 

“It’s getting warm. I’m going to live! I’m going to live!” He starts to sing.

 

A cat comes along and hears his singing from underneath the “plop.” The cat wipes the stuff off the bird. Then he eats him.

 

There are three morals to this story:

 

1. Not everyone who drops a “plop” on you is necessarily your enemy.

2. Not everyone who wipes it off of you is necessarily your friend.

3. And if someone does drop a “plop” on you, keep your mouth shut.

Human Doing?

Do you remember these words from an old Alabama song?

I’m in a hurry to get things done
Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun
All I really gotta do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why
I could have written those words! You too? What’s wrong with us?

It is that "busyness" seems to be the cool thing? We like to preference our comments with, "I’m so busy. . ." or "I know you are busy, but. . ."

Sometimes I wonder if we are really as busy as we think we are. Some are, for sure, but I think it’s more a state of mind.

We have crossed over from being "human beings" to "human doings." I think God likes both, but your doing needs to come from your being (in a relationship with God).

Stop for a few minutes and go through this with me:

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am
Be still and know that
Be still and know
Be still and
Be still
Be


Slow down, take a breath and BE today! Then Do. Intentionally, carefully, and not hurriedly.

(I’m talking to myself, as usual.)

Press On!

"The least important fact of life is the score at halftime."

I like that quote, and I think it was during the Super Bowl that I heard it. I wrote it down and then found it yesterday.

It speaks to a very important idea: as long as there is life, there is a chance to change, to come back, to keep growing, to start over.

Sometimes people get stuck, stuck in deep ruts and feel there is no hope for change. We feel like the present, greatly influenced by past mistakes and failures, keeps us from doing anything different. The game is over. Not true!

We have to deal with past failure, but we cannot dwell on it. There are many things that we need to forget, as we focus on the future and strive for a goal.

Paul, in Philippians 3, talking about moving toward a glorious future, says this.

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

Press on! Press on.

Prayer

How about a few thoughts on prayer?

Prayer is. . .

. . .love’s tender dialogue between the soul and God. (John Richard Moreland)

. . .opening ourselves to God so that he can open us to others. (Louis Evely)

. . .the possibility to affect everything that affects us. (E.M. Bounds)

. . .putting ourselves in the hands of God. (Mother Teresa)

. . .the key of the morning and bolt at night (Unknown)

. . .the link that connects us with God. It is the bridge that spans every gulf and carries us safely over every chasm of danger or need. (A.B. Simpson)

. . .the first step to meeting any challenge. (Ron Hehl)

. . .the central avenue God uses to transform us. (Richard Foster)

Let us pray.