Transitions in Life

Transition - Change - Getting out of the box - Stretching our comfort zone.  All things we mere humans tend to resist whether we admit it or not.  We are creatures of habit, and anything that interrupts the status quo is generally an unwelcome event.  But our never changing, ever changing God always has something new for us. Ecclesiasties chapter 3 says there is a right time for everything, and as you read this wonderful list you cannot help but see that change is a natural part of life.

Currently our church is going through the transition form one pastor to another.  For some it is a catastrophic time, a time of upheaval and uncertainty; for others perhaps a time of confusion about who's in charge now; and there are others who have been through it before, and understand and believe that God is not surprised, He has a plan already in place, and He is still in control, and that makes it an exciting time.

There are some who believe a pastor should settle in and never move on, but is that really the best thing?  Just as there are times and seasons in our lives, there are also times and seasons in the life of the church.  A pastor may come in for a season to guide the church into making needed changes.  Another may come for another season to continue the process.  If the church remains unchanged, it will soon find itself out of touch and maybe even out of business.  Just as we go through changes in our individual lives that occur naturally, we should keep in mind that the church needs to adapt and evolve in much the same way.  To remain relevant in our culture, transition is necessarily inevitable.  If we resist it (and we can) we will find ourselves out of date and wondering what happened.  The right pastor at the right time will help to keep us on track.

So welcome change.  Thrive on transition.  Let's get out of that comfortable little box we have settled into and grow into new and bigger comfort zones.  Are you really doing all that God has intended for you to do?  It may be time to make a change.  There is a great big world out there full of unloved and unsaved people that we have a responsibility to reach.  To be successful in this task, we must be willing to change in order to remain relevant.  Change is the key to relevancy, and we must embrace it with vigor.  I once had a boss who shared a little poem that I have never forgotten that seems rather appropriate for this time:

Everything changes,

A little as it should.

Good ain't forever, 

And bad ain't for good.

Simple but true.  Good things won't last forever, but neither will bad things.

Be blessed till next time,

Bob

Men At Play

This past weekend the men's group at our church held our annual "Camp Out and Critter Roast".  It is a time for the men to get together, have some fun, games, relax, and build relationships; oh, and let's not forget the roasting of the pig.  The most important part of the weekend is the building of relationships with one another. 

God's design for men is for us to have relationships.  We need friendships that go deep and allow for accountability, and the open sharing of what's going on in our lives.  Throughout the Bible we find examples of such relationships:  David & Johnathan, Paul & Timothy, Jesus & His disciples, and the list could go on and on.  Too often, I think, we men tend to be loners.  We work, spend some time with our families, and may occasionally spend time with friends - all of which are good.  But how often do we get alone in small groups and really share what's going on in our lives, or just hang out with the guys in a Godly atmosphere and really get to know one another a little better?  We all need this, but we have to make the time to do it.  In Hebrews we are told to "...not forsake the assembling of yourselves together...to encourage one another...".  I believe this applies to more than just Sunday morning at church for a few hours. 


Proverbs 18:1 probably sums it up best; "A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgement" and in this same chapter in the last verse, verse 24 we are told "A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than brother."  Guys, we have to drop the facade of the macho I can handle it by myself mentality, and allow other brothers of like precious faith into our lives for support, accountability, and protection from the temptations that we all face.

Who have you allowed into your world?  Have you shown yourself to be friendly?  Do you have a friend, or friends that you know you can turn to when things aren't going the way you know they should?  As men we need to live our lives the way I believe God intended; having close relationships with each other so that when the enemy attacks (and he surely will)  that we have someone who has our back.  It's also nice to know that you have a band of brothers that can come together just to have a good time.  Now go roast a pig!

Have a blessed week.

Bob

Have YOU Placed Your Life Before God?

Romans has to be my favorite book in all the Bible.  And in that book, chapter 12 is my absolute favorite.  In my humble opinion, if this were the only instructions we had available from God to live by, we would all live lives that would be very pleasing to our Heavenly Father.  Recently I have been reading "The Message//Remix" by Eugene Peterson and was particularly inspired by the way he translated this chapter.  For those of you who may not have this book on your shelf I have copied chapter 12 for you right here, and I have italicized a few verses that really stand out to me.  I hope this blesses you as much as it does me.

"Place Your Life Before God

 ^1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.  ³I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.
 ^4-6In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.
 ^6-8If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.
 ^9-10Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
 ^11-13Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
 ^14-16Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.
 ^17-19Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."
 ^20-21Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good."

That pretty well says it all.  It's kind of the same directions most of us received from our parents when we were growing up.  And since He is our Heavenly Father I sort of think He placed this in our parent's hearts to pass on to we kids.  Don't you? 

So go and do good wherever you can.  Be who God intended you to be and be content with knowing that He is doing a good work in you and through you.  Have a very blessed week.

In Christ - Bob

Friends

Donna and I had the profound pleasure of spending Friday evening, and most of my Saturday with some of our very best friends.  I can't help but think of the Michael W. Smith song "Friends" from a few years ago when he sings about how "...friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them...and a lifetime's not too long to live as friends".  I sincerely thank God for the good and true friends that He has placed in our lives, particularly those who share a like and enduring faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Even though at times we may find ourselves at odds, or in difficult or awkward situations, I know that my true friends will always be just that - "True Friends".

Just as David had Jonathan, and Paul had Timothy, we too have friends that we love and cherish.  If you find that you are in a place where you cannot make such a statement, I encourage you to seek out a church; a good, solid, Bible believing, Holy Spirit filled church where you can find the friends like those God has given us.  They are there! Proverbs 18:4 refers to such a friend when it says "A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Jesus, of course)." And we can have friends like that in our lives everyday here in this life if we will open our lives up to the Gospel of Christ and allow Him to comfort us with true friends.  As the writer in Proverbs says "...we must show ourselves friendly..."  I believe that means that we must make ourselves available by going places where we have the opportunity to expose ourselves to potential friends; Godly friends, and build meaningful relationships with them.  True friends are a blessing from God the Father to help and encourage us along the way, to keep us on track and accountable, and always advancing forward in this adventure called life.

So cultivate Christian friendships.  Cherish them like the precious gifts they are, and never allow life's circumstances come between you.  God bless you, and have a wonderful week.

Just in case you don't recall the song, or even if you do, click the link below.  I really think you will enjoy watching and listening:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF0UPv20kUA&feature=player_detailpage

Bob

It's Been a While

It's been a while since I have posted anything.  Life has gotten the way lately what with shift changes, an accident at work, and a recent scare concerning a  sub-dural hematoma (a bruise on the outer lining of my brain) which has turned out to be nothing serious.  But I have learned a few lessons along the way these past few weeks:

1.  No matter the circumstances God is in control.  Nothing we go through ever surprises Him, or leaves Him wringing His big hands wondering "...what do I do now?"

2.  There are a lot (really a lot) of people out there  - in our lives every day - that are hopeless.  By hopeless I mean that they have no real understanding of the love God has for them.  They are spiritually ignorant at best, and spiritually dead at worst - I fear the latter may be more true than the prior.  I heard the results of a recent poll that indicates that only 15% of the "Generation  Xers" in America have expressed any interest in spiritual matters at all, while more than 80% still claim to be Christians.  I don't know about you, but the math just doesn't add up.  That leaves quite a harvest field for us to work in.

3.  Despite the polls, people all around us are hungry for answers to the reasons things happen.  Is there really a higher power?  Does God really exist?  How can I be sure?  And despite their seeming rough exteriors and lack of concern about spiritual matters, they are all ears when someone speaks with authority about what God has to say about the things they are involved in.  We need to read our Bibles and hide the Word in our hearts so we will be ready.

4.  We as true believers do not have any excuse not to be witnesses for Christ.  As He said "...look around you, the harvest fields are ripe for harvest, but the workers are few.  Pray that the LORD of the harvest will send more workers."

5.  Through my recent experiences I have learned empathy, not just sympathy, for those who are truly  struggling with the issues of life they have to deal with every day - sickness, issues at work, family problems, and the list goes on.  They need to have hope.  Just as I have hope, I need to share the hope that is within me so others can have hope as well. 

So, are you working the field God has planted you in?  It might be in a factory, or an office.  It could be in the grocery store, or just enjoying the company of friends.  It might just be in spending time with unsaved family members.  Wherever it is, allow God's Holy Spirit to lead you.  Just as Jesus promised His disciples, He (the Holy Spirit) will give you the words to speak at the right time.  All you need is to be willing to speak them  out clearly, and boldly.  You do not have to be a Bible scholar, or a great theologian to share what God has done in your life.  Just tell them what you know, and invite them to come and see for themselves what Jesus has for them. 

I like the way it is stated in "The Message" when Jesus was discussing the sheep and the shepherd:  ^{John 10:14-18} "I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves me: because I freely lay down my life. And so I am free to take it up again. No one takes it from me. I lay it down of my own free will. I have the right to lay it down; I also have the right to take it up again. I received this authority personally from my Father."   Are you willing to lay down your life to help lead others to Christ?  Will you get out of the "pen" and become a witness?

 Jesus came that none should perish but find everlasting life.  Just go out there and live your life before them and be a ready witness when the opportunity presents itself.  Believe me, if you will daily ask God to use you He will put you into circumstances where, though uncomfortable sometimes, He will use you.  Just be willing to listen and submit when He speaks.

God bless you.

Bob

Be Careful Out There!

Have you ever been in a situation when some good intentioned believer had "a message from God" for you?  I have, and it can be rather awkward at best, particularly when God has not spoken to me about the same matter.  While the other person may have your best interests at heart, I have a difficult time believing that God would speak to them before He had planted a seed in my heart concerning the "message from God" the other person claims to have heard.  Unless that person is a true prophet of God with some record of accuracy, if this ever happens to you, be wary!  I have found that God generally speaks to the person He wants to more directly - through His word, in a dream, or on some rare occasions verbally in that "still, small voice" in your mind.  Don't get me wrong, I do believe God may use another believer to confirm something you have been praying about or pondering on, but I do not think He will tell another before He has spoken with you about it.

For my scriptural basis for this belief I would refer you to Jeremiah 23:34-40.  I like the way it is recorded in the Message Remix: 

 ³⁴"And if anyone, including prophets and priests, goes around saying glibly 'God's Message! God's Message!' I'll punish him and his family.
 ^35-36"Instead of claiming to know what God says, ask questions of one another, such as 'How do we understand God in this?' But don't go around pretending to know it all, saying 'God told me this...God told me that....' I don't want to hear it anymore. Only the person I authorize speaks for me. Otherwise, my Message gets twisted, the Message of the living God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
 ^37-38"You can ask the prophets, 'How did God answer you? What did he tell you?' But don't pretend that you know all the answers yourselves and talk like you know it all. I'm telling you: Quit the 'God told me this...God told me that...' kind of talk.
 ^39-40"Are you paying attention? You'd better, because I'm about to take you in hand and throw you to the ground, you and this entire city that I gave to your ancestors. I've had it with the lot of you. You're never going to live this down. You're going down in history as a disgrace."

Ouch!  Now I have no idea if you may have been the guilty party, or the recipient of such a discourse from the guilty one, but both need to be very careful.  If you're the "God told me" person you may need to put a lid on it unless you are a true prophet (and not a self-proclaimed one), or a pastor with direct knowledge of what someone is going through.  If you are the recipient of such Godly advice, be certain you know the person very well as well as their prophetic track record. Jeremiah 28:9 says "As for the prophet ... when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the LORD has truly sent.”  Just as Isiah's lips were anointed as pictured here, so should the modern day prophet be anointed to speak for God before he is sent.

So the next time someone comes to you with a "God told me to tell you..." message, be careful to heed the advice given in Jeremiah. Know that God loves you, and He will speak to you in ways that you will understand and know it is His will for you if you are truly seeking Him.

God bless you.

Insignificant parts

I have been working in a factory for the past few months and recently had an accident in which I injured the ring finger on my right hand.  Now I have always been a lefty, which is fortunate, particularly right now since my right hand has been seriously impaired.  But that has not diminished the effect this rather small injury has had on my life lately.  It is amazing how many daily activities I used my non-dominant hand for without ever giving much notice; holding a fork while trying to cut my food, drying myself after a shower, picking up my granddaughter, or just sticking my hands in my pockets, and the list goes on and on.

As a result, I have been going to a hand specialist two hours away once a week, and have started occupational therapy three times a week closer to home, all to attend to the needs of this one seemingly insignificant little body part.  The therapy consists of shaking both shoulders, massaging my back (aah) and bending and twisting every joint in my arm and hand in ways they were never intended to move just to repair this one seemingly insignificant little body part.  But as my therapist says "...it is all connected" as depicted in this famous drawing by Leonardo Da Vinci.

This reminded me of the analogy the Apostle Paul used in comparing the parts of the human body to the church and how there are no insignificant parts.  Take a look at what he had to say in First Corinthians 12:12-14, 26 & 27 "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.  For in fact the body is not one member but many... And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually."  Of course Paul is talking to the Church in this passage.  And what he is saying here is that we are all supposed to be so closely connected to one another that whenever one of us is hurting we (the Church body) all feel it.

It seems that many churches today consider themselves "family friendly" or perhaps "family oriented" even "dedicated to the protection of the family" or simply "church families".  These are all wonderful concepts, but is that really what Paul was saying to the saints in Corinth?  I think he had something more in mind.  As closely connected as a family may be, even the most closely connected family or church is still not connected in the same way a body is.  Flesh and bone, organs and tendons all connected in such a way that whenever even the smallest, most insignificant part of that body suffers, the entire body suffers with it.  Just as my finger suffers and my whole body is affected, the church body should be similarly affected whenever any member of that body is suffering.  No matter how seemingly small or insignificant that individual may appear to be, we are to suffer with them.  That takes some pretty tight connections, and even more commitment than most Christians are willing to submit to.

So what is the extent of your connection to your church body?  Do you really hurt when another is hurting?  Do you allow others to become so close that they hurt when you are hurting?  Are you even aware when someone is absent, and if you are are you concerned enough to find out why?  Too often we have allowed our churches to become gathering places where friends and acquaintances "touch base" with one another for an hour or two on a Sunday morning; maybe listening to what others are facing and perhaps offering to be praying for them.  But are we really connected?  Connected as a body?  If not, why not, and what might the result be if we were that tightly connected?  These are tough questions, I know, but what if we were to strive to attain that level of connectedness?

As for my finger, it is most certainly connected.  The rest of my body is well aware of the suffering of my poor finger, and is rushing to its aid with healing doing everything possible to end its suffering.  I kind of think that is what Paul had in mind when he addressed the Corinthian church.  Whenever a part of our body is suffering we must rush to its aid, and whenever we find ourselves suffering we should likewise allow others to come to our aid. 

So get connected!  Know what the hurts are and find a way to ease the pain.  Come on!  I know we can all do it together.  After all - we are the Body of Christ.

Blessings on you.




   

Directions Please!

Now what do I do?

I am not sure where this sign is located, but it does illustrate my thoughts for today.

Have you ever gotten to a place where you are not sure which way to go next?  There will be times in our Christian walk when we find that we have reached the end of a trail and need to chart a new course.  It seems to me that God doesn't always want us to keep going in the direction we have been going - maybe because we have become too comfortable on the road we have been on, perhaps we missed a turn a ways back, or it could be that He just has something new in store for us.  Whatever the reason, we all reach a point in life where we need directions.  I find that Proverbs has a few things to say about this quandary, like in chapter 3:5&6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  Note the plural "paths".  There will come times of change in life.  Also note that we are to trust and acknowledge Him - that is to have faith and give Him recognition for what He has done and plans to do in our lives.  When was the last time you did that?

It would appear that we may need a change of direction from time to time in order to walk in His will and accomplish that which He has ordained for us to do.  But it is up to us to "...trust and acknowledge Him" if we hope to get proper directions.  While it is true that you are to "Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established" (Proverbs 4:26), it is also true that God too is pondering our paths as seen in chapter 5 verse 21 "For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He ponders all his paths."  Now with all the things God has to take care of in this universe which He created, isn't it interesting to discover that He is taking the time to ponder the paths of man.  Wow!  Did you get that?  He is pondering - seriously considering with intent - your next step.  Are you?  What direction are you going?  What are you going to do next, and why?  God has some pretty big plans for you.  Have you checked in with Him lately to find out what they are?

Too often I think we tend to leave God out of our planning process.  Many times we get an idea; perhaps bring it before a committee, or our family for discussion (or not), and then go out and do "whatever" we have in mind to do without ever asking our Father what He wants us to do.  Our best example in scripture of course is Jesus who was always found praying for the Father to lead and strengthen Him.  How is it that we so often fail to do so ourselves?  I think we take the gift of a free will to literally mean that we are free to do whatever we want to do, whenever we want to do it.  But really that gift is the freedom to turn to God or not to.  If we are not turning to God, then the only alternative is to turn away from Him, or  attempt to go around Him.  That doesn't sound like the best plan, now does it?

My Bible says He knows the plans He has for us, and it's all good stuff.  So the next time you find yourself at that point of uncertainty, check in with your Father to see what He wants you to do.  Don't let that bend in the road be the end of the road!  Make the turn when He tells you to, and be prepared for your new adventure to begin.  He will never let you down.

Later.

So Homi, What's That Mean to Me?

Homiletics; a $64 word that means ascribing Biblical text, stories, and doctrine to our daily lives, and making them relevant.  It is something that pastors and preachers do, or attempt to do to help their listeners apply God's Holy Word to their every day lives.

Now you may ask, "how something written or said more than 2,000 years ago to farmers, fishermen, and common, mostly uneducated people can possibly apply to our highly sophisticated and technological lives today?"  And that is a good question.  But by prayerful study of the Bible and a little research about the writers and their audience,you can begin to see that things and people really haven't changed all that much.  And the principals laid out in those sermons and stories from so very long ago still apply today.

Some of us have been instructed by God to perform a task or speak to some lost soul, but find an excuse to avoid the mission we were called to.  Sounds a bit like Jonah!  Perhaps you were compelled to pick up and move to a place you have never been before, and wondered why.  Ever heard of Abram and Sari?  Or perhaps you find yourself in a situation that makes no sense; nothing seems to be working out the way you planned, or things just seem to be going all the wrong way.  Consider the stories of Job, or Joseph or Esther, and men like Daniel or even Jesus closest disciples.  What I am trying to point out is that if we try, we can find a Biblical example of our lives, and if we dig in and discover what God was doing then, we just might find the encouragement to persevere knowing that our Heavenly Father is working out His plan in our lives today just as He did back then.

So when you go to church this Sunday pay attention!  It is no accident that you are there at that time hearing that message.  There is something in it for you.  And don't just wait for the Sunday sermon to get your marching orders from your loving Heavenly Father.  Dig into your Bible, pray, and seek God's will for your life each and every day.  And do your own homiletics.  Who knows Homi!  You just might discover that God has some really big plans for you today.

Out of sync lately

I have recently changed to midnight shift and have bee trying to adjust and get back into the weekly routine, but it is tougher than I thought.  This has me back in church on Sunday and Wednesday night, which is the positive side of the change.  I hope to be back in the swing of things soon.  In the meantime, keep up the good fight, and keep your faith strong.  Stay in the Word daily and keep trusting God.  He has a plan that WILL be worked out in His time.

Bob

Jesus is Returning

What will you be doing when our Lord returns?  If you read the Bible there can be little doubt that His return could come at any time.  There are many schools of thought regarding the time of His return.  Will He return before the Great Tribulation, will it occur sometime during the Tribulation, or perhaps at the end of the Tribulation?  Will He really return at all?  What happens when He does return?  Questions, questions and more questions, and this is only an abbreviated list.  The one really important question question is are you ready, and what are you doing to take others with you? 

Many people are of the false assumption that just because they are nice people, and have lived a good life that they will go to Heaven someday.  But is that really the case?  The time of His return is not the issue.  Whether or not you have been a good person is not the issue.  What is at issue is whether or not YOU have accepted HIM as your Lord, and are you leading others to Him.  You may say "But I go to church every Sunday, and I don't do bad things.  Mom and Dad and my grandparents taught me right from wrong, and I work hard and provide for my family.  I, therefore, am a good person so why would I not go to Heaven someday?"  The Bible is very clear that there is only one way to Heaven - acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

The New Testament scriptures are replete with admonitions and warnings that there is but one way to Heaven - Jesus.  There are also clues in the Old Testament revealing that some day things are going to change, and only the faithful will be saved.  Now I make it a habit to read a chapter of Proverbs every day.  This morning I was reading Proverbs 2 and in verses 10 through 22 lies a promise to those who are faithful: 

¹⁰ When wisdom enters your heart,
      And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
       ¹¹ Discretion will preserve you;
      Understanding will keep you,
       ¹² To deliver you from the way of evil,
      From the man who speaks perverse things,
       ¹³ From those who leave the paths of uprightness
      To walk in the ways of darkness;
       ¹⁴ Who rejoice in doing evil,
      And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
       ¹⁵ Whose ways are crooked,
      And who are devious in their paths;
       ¹⁶ To deliver you from the immoral woman,
      From the seductress who flatters with her words,
       ¹⁷ Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
      And forgets the covenant of her God.
       ¹⁸ For her house leads down to death,
      And her paths to the dead;
       ¹⁹ None who go to her return,
      Nor do they regain the paths of life—
       ²⁰ So you may walk in the way of goodness,
      And keep to the paths of righteousness.
       ²¹ For the upright will dwell in the land,
      And the blameless will remain in it;
       ²² But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
      And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

As I read this I realized that herein lies a promise of things to come.  Read it again carefully: verse 1 "When wisdom enters your heart..."  Elsewhere we are told that "fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."  The immoral woman mentioned in verse 16 is reference to temptation, and a warning about going down that path.  The  promise begins in verse 21 telling us that the "...the upright will dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it."

Yes, Jesus is returning to gather His faithful followers.  Those who are blameless and upright.  Those who are doing His will.  So where are you now in your spiritual walk?  Are you among the upright and blameless and faithful?  Or are you among the wicked and unfaithful?  Jesus told Thomas in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." 

So what will you be doing when He returns?  His commission to us is a relatively simple thing: "...go and make disciples."  Are you going?  Are you making disciples?  If not, today would be a great day to start.  This just could be the Day! 

Have a blessed week.

God's Feminine Side

I have made a habit of reading one chapter of Proverbs every day.  Since there are 31 chapters of Proverbs, I can read the entire book 12 times in a year by reading the remaining chapters on the last day of the shorter months.  Anyway, after having done this for a little more than a year now I have discovered that God the Father reveals His feminine attributes in this often puzzling book.  The first nine chapters in particular repeatedly refer to Wisdom in the feminine gender.  In chapter one verse 20 Wisdom is referred to as “she” and this pattern continues throughout the first nine chapters.  “Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares, She cries out in the chief concourses…She speaks her words…” and on and on it goes.  Now I can be a little slow on the uptake, and this slipped by me for quite some time before I began to notice, and realize that the Scriptures are revealing something special about our Father in these chapters.  Even though the references to Wisdom as “she” and “her” diminish here and there, the inference remains throughout the first several chapters.

 

I particularly love chapters eight and nine; and verses 22-36 of chapter eight just highlight and confirm my thesis that God the Father has revealed His feminine tenderness and care in this passage.  Wisdom has been a part of God from the very beginning of creation.  Chapter 8:22 says of Wisdom “The Lord possessed me (wisdom) at the beginning of His way, before His works of old.”  That's a long time, and it sounds to me like "She - Wisdom" has always been there as a part of God's being.

 

This has caused me to wonder about how seriously we men consider the advice of our wives.  I know that I have too often opted to follow my own instincts rather than the advice of my wife only to discover that she was right all along, and if I had just listened to her “wisdom” I would have been much better off.  Do you suppose there could have been something more in that rib God removed from Adam’s side?  Perhaps it was more, much more than just flesh and bone.  Perhaps the wisdom of a man was contained in that tiny transplanted piece of our anatomy – that would give a whole new meaning to the phrase in Genesis 2:18 when God said “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”  It seems to me that we should reconsider the meaning of the passage in First Corinthians 3:18-20 which says: “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness…”

Now I want you to know that I publish this message with some hesitation knowing that my wife will be reading it.  But I believe it is wise for all of us to search the scriptures carefully to find application for our individual lives, and to take more seriously the advice of our mates.  God has put us together for a reason.  So why short-change ourselves by not working together as one, combining our gifts, opinions, and yes our wisdom to reach the goal that our Heavenly Father has ordained for us.  So don't be a wise guy!  When you go home tonight, try sitting down with your wife and say “Honey, what do you think about…?”  Then listen carefully!

Have a blessed week.

It's All About Relationships

Have you ever read Proverbs 18 - slowly - verse by verse and listened carefully to what is being said by the writer?  The underlying theme of this chapter as I see it is relationships.  Verse one states " A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgement."  and the final verse - verse 24 ends with "A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Intermingled throughout the entire chapter you will find little golden nuggets of truth that will help you build strong relationships with God and with people.  Words like understanding, and humility.  Warnings about slothfulness and contention.  Encouragement about the righteous running to God (our strong tower).  How haughtiness brings about destruction, but humility brings honor.  How speaking out before you know the facts is folly and brings shame.  Think about what these verses are saying.  We are to acquire knowledge and understanding and put our God given gifts to work.  Avoid being offended, and do not allow contentions to have a place in our lives.  Be careful what you say because "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..."  Verse 22 says "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord."  These are all indicators of relationships, strong or otherwise!  God is interested in our relationships.  He created us to need and have relationships.  Good relationships with each other and with Him - especially with Him!

Verse 14 says "The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?"  What is more heart-breaking than a broken relationship?  When a relationship is broken, I believe our spirit is forever affected.  It pains me to witness families disintegrate at the loss of a loved one, and the battles afterward that break out all too often over who did or did not help when they could have; or when arguments erupt over who gets the trinkets that the loved one left behind.  My heart aches for couples in the throes of divorce, and the children caught up in events that they neither caused nor have control over.  And when old friends part company over a silly disagreement.  The saddest of all broken relationships are the ones that never were because an unborn child has been aborted because it was unwanted or inconvenient.  This is not what our Lord wants for us!

When Jesus was asked what the most important commandments were, Jesus replied "The foremost is, hear O Israel!  The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength' the second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  There is no other commandment greater than these."  This simple reply from our Lord is the essence of relationships.  And if you recall the proverb of the Good Samaritan, Jesus told us essentially that everyone is our neighbor.
So my challenge this week is a simple one.  Prayerfully read Proverbs 18, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to evaluate your relationships.  Then do your best to strengthen each and every one.  Have a blessed week.

 

Does God Work in a Factory?

So often we Christians think the only place a person can get saved is at an altar in a church with the pastor leading the way.  We have grown accustomed to inspiring sermons followed by an altar call for lost souls to come forward to receive salvation.  The pastor then comes and leads that lost soul in a prayer of faith, and viola, the angels in Heaven break out in celebration because another soul has entered the kingdom.  Sound familiar?  It happens in churches (I would like to say all the time but I know better) sometimes; occasionally; not as often as it should, and all to often it ends up being an emotional response to a heart-stirring message, and without the necessary baptism and discipleship, that freshly renewed soul soon drifts back into their former lifestyle.

But is that the only place where a lost soul can receive Jesus as Lord?  Nope, uh-uh, nyet, nah, NO!  Our Lord is anywhere and everywhere - omnipresent.  He knows everything and everyone - omniscient.  And He is not limited by any power or force - omnipotent.  So can He work in a factory?  He sure can; and any other place He chooses - or better yet, anywhere and anytime anyone is ready to accept Him as Lord.

I recently had an opportunity to be His witness in a factory environment.  While working beside a young man at our our workstation, in a noisy, smelly factory, doing a hard and dirty job the Holy Spirit was right there with us. It was as simple as asking him a few questions about what he did in his free time, and he began to tell me about what he did and what he believed.  He told me about his dabbling in Buddhism which opened the door for me to tell him about the one and only true God.  As we continued to talk he said that he had been raised in a mainstream protestant denomination and had been baptized, but had drifted away.  To make a long story short, he decided right then and there to recommit his life to Jesus.  I asked him if he owned a Bible, but he did not, so I offered to bring him a Bible the next day, and he accepted.  When I gave him the Bible I told him to read the books of Luke, Acts and Romans, and write down every question he had so we could discuss them. I had already put bookmarks in the Bible so it would be easy for him to find.  Now we are working together toward the goal of making him a disciple, and I believe a fresh baptism not just in water, but in the Holy Spirit as well.

Does God work in a factory?  He sure does!   And I know one young man that is excited to know that He can and does work anywhere.  How about where you work?  Have you allowed God to use you as His witness at work, or school, or wherever you happen to be?  You just have to be ready when the Holy Spirit provides the opportunity.  That's what the Great Commission is all about.  Taking the faith we have with us wherever we go and being willing to live righteously and speak up when the time is right.

In John 4:35 Jesus said "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!"  And in Matthew 28:19 He said "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

So my challenge for you this week - Go!  And be prepared wherever you are.

Peacemaker or Peacebreaker?

Peacemaker.  This is a term used to define many things.  It has been a weapon - the Colt 45 Peacemaker - the gun that tamed the wild west.  It has been a super hero comic series in the 1960's pitting good against evil.  There was a movie titled "The Peacemaker" which had George Clooney, as a U.S.Army Colonel working against a band of terrorists to thwart a nuclear attack on New York City.  There is even a cartoon character - Globeman, a.k.a. "The Peacemaker" who is the mascot for an environmental group - who has a little blue body and a big blue head that looks like a globe, and is holding two green leaves in his misshapen hand.  And there are several others, but they all share one common theme -  they stand up for good and battle against evil in its varied forms from wicked villains, to terrorists, to polluters and the list goes on.

Jesus also mentioned "peacemakers" in His famous sermon on the mount in Matthew 5.  He said "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God".  I wonder, how many of us strive to be such peacemakers.  It seems like we hear daily of "peace-breakers"; those who seemingly go out of their way to wreak havoc in our society and our churches and around the world.  Surely they are sons of someone too, but I don't think they would qualify to be called sons of God.  Whose son's do you suppose they might be?  I won't dare to speculate.

We seem to  hear all too often about "peace-breakers" in the church.  Those who are easily dissatisfied, disgruntled, disenchanted, and dare I say dis-involved.  Doesn't it seem that those who sit on the sidelines and evaluate rather than participate find it so easy to frustrate and discombobulate what God is working out in the life of His church?  I wonder sometimes if we had more participants than spectators in God's house if we wouldn't also have more peacemakers - sons and daughters of God.  There is an old saying, "Idle hands are the devil's workshop".  What if we all got involved in doing His will?  What if we were all producers rather than consumers?  Wow!  What a concept!  People involved in ministry, reaching the lost, and restoring peace and honor to the house of God rather than spectating, frustrating criticizing and consuming the time and efforts of those who are trying to do His will.

My challenge to you this week is this.  Seek to be a peacemaker!  Come alongside your pastor and the leaders in your church and become a super hero for them - get out there and fight off the bad guys for them and give the pastors and church leaders God has provided the freedom to focus on leading the church rather than fighting every battle that comes along.  Go and start making disciples rather than making trouble.  Do your all to live peaceably with one another.  Rather than drawing a line in the sand or saying "it's my way or the highway", get on the bus, find your seat and enjoy the ride.  God has a very special destination in store for for His sons and daughters; those who are peacemakers, and I pray that everyone of you will make it There with me.

Have yourself a blessed week you little peacemaker you!

Missing in Action

  As Christians we are all a part of God's Army.  Every soldier has a specific duty to perform (check out Romans chapter 12), and when that job doesn't get done another has to step up and do it along with his job, or several others have to pitch in to share the workload - either way the job will get done. God has a plan, and that plan will go forward with or without the missing in action.  Those missing in action will have to answer for their absence.  I spent a little time in the army, and the term for the no shows really is A.W.O.L. - I know that, but missing in action sounds better in my story - so you will just have to deal with it!  Sorry!

Anyway, God has big plans for all of us, and His rewards are better than anything you or I could ever imagine.  Have you been Missing in Action?  You still have time to report for duty.  Give your pastor a call this week and let him know you are ready to report for duty.  Be prepared for a long pause - he has just passed out and will  need a little time to recover - but hold on because he will be back on the phone as soon as he recovers.  Then just tell him what you are able to do.  I can assure you that he will find a job that fits you to a tee, and if it isn't a  perfect fit, no big deal, there is some other soldier Missing in Action whose place you can help fill until you find your fit.

So sign up, sign on, sign in, whatever it takes, just don't get left out of the action.  Oh, and don't forget to be in church on Sunday - that where we all get our basic training.  God bless, and have a great week

The Forrest Gump Church

Have you ever been to a Forrest Gump church?  It's one of those churches where you never know what to expect.  Where the theology of the church seems to shift with whichever way the wind is blowing on a particular Sunday, and the doctrine tends to change as about often as the "Preacher" changes his shirt.  Often the "Preacher" steps up to the pulpit, flops open the Bible and begins to preach from whatever catches his eye, and then proceeds to cover everything from Genesis 1:1 through maps (if his Bible has them), and then ends every service with a fiery altar call to scare everyone in the house to come to the altar for salvation (for the umpteenth time), and get saved one more time.  And many times people do just that.  It can be a pretty confusing place for a lot of well intentioned people that just have not taken the time to read and study their Bible.  I call that "The Forrest Gump Church."

If you have seen the movie "Forrest Gump" you probably remember him saying "Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."  There are many such churches out there that operate much like I have described.  They have no stated doctrine, no sound theology, and most often no accountability.  As a result people never know what they're gonna get.

Paul advised Timothy "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2Timothy 2:15 NIV).  As followers of Christ we to should all heed that advice, and not just do as the "Preacher" says, but read and study our Bible daily to protect ourselves from coming under unsound doctrine and false teaching.  We sure don't want to stand before God on that Day of Judgment and say "But Forrest said . . ."

Are you in control or under control?

Many times we like to think we have control of our situations, but do we really?  Control is a complicated issue.  The one in control always has to know what is going on, not just in his or her life, but also in the lives of every other person they know, and all the people those people know, etc. etc. etc.  So do you really think you are in control - of anything?  There may be times in our lives when we are responsible for things, or even other people.  We might even be in charge of things at times; like a study group, or a picnic, or a special project that the boss has entrusted to you alone.  But are you really in control?

Control belongs to one, and one only!  That would be God.  Proverbs 21:1 says "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes", and Proverbs 20:24 says that "a man's steps are of the Lord; how then can man understand his own way?"

So whenever you are in "charge" of anything, be sure to remember to remain under God's control.  He will guide you in whatever endeavor you pursue as long as you put your trust in Him.  So strive to be like faithful Abraham and trust in the Lord your God.  He will never lead you astray.