"The Tripod" (Part 4)

Jesus said, "But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16:5-7 NASB).

I have been writing about the three legs of “the tripod” and how they remind me of the three essentials of the Christian life. It is more than of passing interest that I have chosen the last “leg” of the tripod to be the Holy Spirit. The first two essentials are the fatherhood of God and the atoning work of Jesus; the third is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, our Helper.

There is so much to be said in reference to the work of the Holy Spirit. I am certain I will not have the space to do more than “touch the hem of the garment.” Perhaps I can inspire you to go further and deeper in your own study with a few thoughts.

 First, the Holy Spirit is a reminder that Jesus is indeed alive. Gordon Brownville’s Symbols of the Holy Spirit tells about the great Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first to discover the magnetic meridian of the North Pole and to discover the South Pole. On one of his trips, Amundsen took a homing pigeon with him. When he had finally reached the top of the world, he opened the bird’s cage and set it free. Imagine the delight of Amundsen’s wife, back in Norway, when she looked up from the doorway of her home and saw the pigeon circling in the sky above. No doubt she exclaimed, “He’s alive! My husband is still alive!” So it was when Jesus ascended. He was gone, but the disciples clung to his promise to send them the Holy Spirit. What joy, then, when the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. The disciples had with them the continual reminder that Jesus was alive and victorious at the right of the Father. This continues to be the Spirit’s message of hope relieving all fear of the future!

 Second, the Holy Spirit is the strength for the believer. I read an interesting AP release not long ago from Glasgow, Kentucky: “Leslie Puckett, after struggling to start his car, lifted the hood and discovered that someone had stolen the motor.” Sound ridiculous doesn’t it? So many Christians try to live their life without the strength and power of the Spirit. They move away from the only real source of power available. Author Jamie Buckingham wrote about a visit to a dam on the Columbia River. He’d always thought that the water spilling over the top provided the power, not realizing that it was just froth, that deep within turbines and generators transformed the power of tons and tons of water to electricity, quietly, without notice, not like the flashy froth on top.

Just like the tripod would be of no use with just two legs, so our lives are incomplete without the Helper. Tomorrow we’ll look at the conclusion to this little series. Today, turn to your Helper! Trust Him with all that you are or ever hope to be!

"the Tripod" (Part 3)

Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, how do we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:1-6 NASB).

Today we come to the second leg of “the tripod” of the Christian life: You must have a relationship with Jesus Christ that makes a difference in your life. Yesterday I wrote that the first fundamental in the Christian life is understanding the fatherhood of God. I suppose that could be seen as a little out of order in the process of our new birth, however when you begin to understand that it is not steps in a process but aspects of the God of our salvation, it makes better sense. It is not that we come to know Jesus first, and then we know the Father. It is that we come to know God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Our reading is at a very important juncture in the lives of the disciples. Jesus has begun to help them understand how he will die. They are dismayed, angry, and perplexed. Jesus’ promise to come again and take them to where He will be is a wonderful reminder of what awaits all believers. However, Thomas simply didn’t get it. He asks, “How do we know the way?” It is then that Jesus makes that well remembered declaration that He is the way. In fact, he says he is “the way, the truth and the life.”

If you are to enjoy real abundance in your life, Jesus is essential. He is the way. There is no other path to eternal life. There is no other means to salvation. You can’t work your way into heaven, nor can you come through another system of theology. It is Jesus and Jesus alone! He is also the truth. That means he can be trusted in every situation. You will never need to validate the declaration and revelation of Jesus. He is THE truth! And, he is the life. That’s the one that makes the most difference to me. When I am tempted to think that my positions or possessions are my life, I am reminded they pale badly in comparison to Jesus.

I had lunch recently with my pastor and he mentioned that he had remarked to another minister how he felt it was a good testimony that I was willing to work at Home Depot to supplement our income right now as we build support for Grace Restoration Ministries into a stronger position. Some might see that work as “beneath” a person with multiple degrees and years of experience in vocational ministry, however, it has been a great gift of God to us. It is not a gift because of the money or prominence of position (there is little of either of those). It is a gift of God because it is what he has determined for me at this time in my life. That’s the truth I trust in. The job I hold may be forever, or it may be over tomorrow. I must not trust in those transient things. I must trust in the One who is eternal. He is the way, the truth, and the life! And, that’s the last word about Jesus! He IS the life! He becomes our life by grace. It is a gift of God. Have you received that gift today? You can. He offers it right now! That will make a difference in your life!

"The Tripod" (Part 2)

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.” And they began to celebrate. (Luke 15:20-24 NASB).

You may remember yesterday’s reference to the tripod. If not, I hope you’ll refresh your memory a bit by reading it again. It is built with three legs for support. That’s as you would suspect. Three legs give it the maximum versatility and stability no matter what terrain you might place it. As I have thought about that in comparison t the “essentials” we must know in our Christian life, three truths jumped out at me.

Now, before I get to the first one, let me be clear that I do not intend for this series to be a theological treatise of the essentials of the faith, nor do I want it to be a short course in systematic theology. You can find that information in many other places. For the next three days I want to dig in at the point of what three basic truths are absolutely indispensable for you to live the abundant life Jesus intended for you.

Our reading is taken from the larger context of the Parable of the Lost Son. You may have read me reference this parable as better named “The Parable of the Loving Father.” I believe it is much more about the father than the two sons. Be that as it may, here’s the first leg of this spiritual tripod: You must know God as Father. Sound simple doesn’t it? However, I find many more believers who have missed this than not. Perhaps it’s because we have not had as good an example in our earthly father’s as we could have; perhaps it’s because we simply are steeped in the traditions and laws of our religion. Whatever the reason, we cannot miss this principle and know the fullness of God’s love. Our tripod would be unstable!

I’ve so often scoured various sources for an adequate description or illustration of a “good father.” All of them have been inadequate in comparison to this parable. The picture is of a man, heartbroken by the both the fact and manner of his son’s departure, patiently waiting for his son to return. I know that, not as much from a direct line in the parable, but from the inference that he saw him “while he was still a long way off.” That’s not something that happens by coincident. It is purposeful. He was looking that day and every day since his son went away. His reaction is really the key though. Wouldn’t it have been easy for the father to at least chide his son on his poor decision to leave? Wouldn’t it have been natural for him to have uttered an “I told you so” in response to his son’s confession? However, he didn’t! He embraced his son and called for the most extravagant of celebrations! That’s your heavenly Father! He celebrates YOUR presence with Him! Believe it! Let it permeate your very soul! Be transformed by the knowledge of Father!

"The Tripod" (Part 1)

Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. (1 Timothy 1:18-19 NIV).

My son, David, texted me to let me know he had spent the evening putting a new plywood base on the tripod and said, “It is as good as new.” A little background is in order for most of the readers of Morning Devotionals so that this opening illustration will be as meaningful as possible.

The “tripod” is a deer hunting stand made and given to me in 1984. It is made out of metal, with the exception of the seat and floor, welded together on three legs - hence the name “tripod.” There are lots of commercially available stands that are similar, but none that I know of that have stood the test of time like this one. Some of my friends had made it and delivered to my house in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve that year. They set it up on the sidewalk directly out of the front door! Welded into the main brace under the platform is my name. It was a complete surprise and has reminded me of the great relationship I enjoyed with these men all of these years. There has not been a year that it has not been used. I might even say “abused” considering the elements of heat and cold; rain, snow, and ice; and general outdoor use it has endured!

Hearing that David had it ready for the 2010 season with so little repair reminded me of a very important spiritual truth. The Apostle Paul leaves Timothy some last instructions before his imminent death. He says, “…hold on to the faith and a good conscience.” Some might argue that this is a call to obedience or works that Timothy might prove his worthiness in God’s eyes. I personally believe it is a call to remember the unchangeable fundamentals of God’s grace. Just like the tripod was built to last. The frame is nearly indestructible. Oh, there are parts that need attenti0on from time to time. The seat swivel needs to be oiled so it won’t squeak when you turn in it. The wooden platform needs to be replaced every few years. But, the basic construction was so sound that nothing about it needs to be changed.

There are those things about our Christian lives that are fundamental. They are essential to the faith. These are things like the atoning death of Jesus or the resurrection. These things form the frame, or foundation, of what we believe as Christians. They make us who we are in contrast to others who may be religious, but not Christian. We’re going to look at those things in the coming days. The list is shorter than you might think. And, we are much more alike across denominations than we are different in these matters. Today I challenge you as Paul did Timothy, “Hold on to the faith!

"A Balm in Gilead"

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has not the health of the daughter of my people been restored? Oh that my head were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! Oh that my head were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! (Jeremiah 8:22-9:1 NASB).

Jeremiah is known as the “weeping prophet” in part from our text today. Israel was in shambles. It has been devastated by the marauding armies of Assyria and Babylonia. The Northern Kingdom had already fallen before his call to preach, but the Southern Kingdom had been saved from destruction with a miracle of God. The people, however, had not turned away from their wickedness to God. There was no “healing” for their land. There was no “balm in Gilead” to be found. It was a dark time for Judah.

I think we sometimes feel like Jeremiah. We weep and wonder if we have been forgotten. We question, like the prophet, “where is the balm of Gilead?” Like Jeremiah we must ultimately come to the place where we learn to look forward rather than backward. There is a wonderful old spiritual that expresses it so well:

There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin sick soul.
Some times I feel discouraged,
And think my work’s in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit
Revives my soul again.

As we seek a word of healing, we ought to be led to Jesus, who is the great physician and the healer of our lives. If we read the gospels, we know that healing stood at the center of his ministry. Wherever he went, he reached out and he touched people’s lives. He restored hope to those who lived without hope. He restored broken bodies and broken lives. We see this promise of healing in his death and resurrection. Hanging on the cross as he did that day, Jesus tasted the bitterness, the pain, and the despair of humanity. He bore on his body the blows of human anger and hatred, and he offered forgiveness in return. When we hear the cry “Is there no balm in Gilead?” the answer that we ought to hear is that it’s Jesus who brings God’s healing presence to us. That’s where we find our hope and healing!

"The Real You"

He who conceals hatred has lying lips. And he who spreads slander is a fool. When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable. But he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver. The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many. But fools die for lack of understanding. (Proverbs 10:18-21 NASB).

Have you seen the television commercial that begins with a young girl asking her mother if she knows where her green blouse is? Her mom answers, “Honey, you know that’s not my style.” And, immediately the scene shifts into a flashback of the mom with some of her friends wearing the blouse and spilling something on it. The scene fast-forwards to the mom treating the blouse with the stain removing detergent and washing it. Again it fast-forwards to the daughter wearing a clean green blouse saying, “I guess it was in my closet all the time.” The mom smiles slyly and it ends.

Without dealing with the obvious dishonesty between mother and daughter, which is a completely different sermon, I think it is a telling commentary of our culture of deception. Most of the time I choose to believe that our deceptive habits are unintentional and relatively harmless. For example, when someone asks us how we’re doing, the first response is usually “great” when we may actually be much less than “great.” I know that is usually no more than an automatic conditioned response, however it is also symptomatic of a deeper issue.

There are still a few folks who remember the slogan of World War II in regard to security, “Loose lips sink ships.” The truth of that in our lives is even more emphatic when we understand the truth of our reading today. Solomon is very clear as he details the consequence of lies and slander. It is more than unwise; it brings death. In contrast, the one who can control his speech is a wonderful treasure, like silver. Further, he will bring life to many.

“Loose lips”… we have it within us to speak such blessing and grace into people’s lives, yet often we simply don’t. There are so many ways to do this. Oh, I’m not talking about a program or even a process; this is about changing our hearts to practice grace in our speech. Jesus did that. Even when his enemies were gleefully celebrating his death, he asked for their forgiveness. He returned bad for good. He took death and gave life! That’s our example to follow! It certainly is much easier to talk about than to practice, but we must start the journey if we ever hope to finish it. Where do you need to begin today? Are there those you need to speak either repentance or forgiveness to? Is there someone you need to bless in particular today? Don’t let the day slip away without doing so!

"Words Like Honey"

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24 NASB).

Many years ago I had the experience of knowing a beekeeper. While this was merely a hobby for him, he was well known throughout the community for the honey produced by his bees. It was not unusual for him to give me a pint or two of this delectable treat whenever I wanted some. Usually they would have some of the honeycomb in the jar. I must confess that I never took the time to do more than learn to enjoy the finished product. I couldn’t begin to tell you how he managed the bees ultimately collecting the honey from the hives. I do know how wonderful the finished product was though! You could use it for any number of treats. I put it on my waffles and pancakes for breakfast; I put it on toasted bread with butter as a snack; and, I even stirred it in my coffee and tea to sweeten them. Anything I put it on was wonderful! No wonder the writer of Proverbs compares pleasant words to this delectable treat.

There is far too little exchange of pleasant words in our day. Perhaps the nearly limitless access to information that we enjoy has produced this near vacuum of pleasantness in our words. Perhaps it is a result of the multiple points of crisis we face that have caused our words to carry sharpness, which is void of pleasantry. It may be that we have drawn within ourselves so much that we have accepted a withdrawn pattern of speech that carries merely the necessary rather than the pleasant. Whatever the reason, the clear call is to restore pleasant speech to our daily pattern of communication.

Did you notice what this honeycomb speech does? It sweetens the soul and heals the bones. I think the writer is saying that this habit brings a merciful attitude of grace to our souls. That grace is then amplified to healing at the very frame of our lives. This brings a challenge to all of us.

Of course, this means we must be careful about what we say; however, we should also be concerned about how we say things. Like a little honey for our food, pleasant words make a great difference. I have known people who could make the most pleasant of words very unpleasant by the way they say them. The disingenuous way some communicate turns bitter very quickly as it falls on our ears! You know the type. As you find yourself going through a challenging time, someone comes along to comfort you by saying, “I know exactly how you feel.” I usually think, “Really? I didn’t know I had a twin!” Words that are like honey are words that center on the one receiving them, not the one giving them! Join me in changing your communication to words like honey!

"Facing an Uncertain Future"

For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6 NASB).

It may be that it has been a long time since I have actually faced a circumstance in which I knew I was completely surrendering all control of my future to someone else; or, perhaps it is merely the reality that I am getting a little older and the prospect of surgery that reminds me very clearly I am not indestructible! Whatever the reason, there is a sense of surrender that must accompany my impending surgery. You surrender your consciousness to an anesthesiologist; and, you surrender your physical well being as well as your very life to a team of nurses and doctors. Without such surrender you cannot receive the healing you need. While it is an uncertain future, by following the steps developed through many others’ experience prior to you, you can be reasonably assured of success.

Doesn’t that sound a lot like the surrender God asks us to make when we accept His gift of grace? There are several keys in our reading today that give us a clear look at the process of this surrender.

 First, the one who begins the work in us is the one who will finish it. In the case of the surgery I obviously want the surgeon who began with my case to finish it. He is most familiar with all the aspects of my particular needs. Our promise from the Scripture is that God finishes personally what he has begun in us. That ought to produce tremendous confidence and hope in us as we face our future.

 Second, God will do more than merely finish the work, he will “perfect” it. The word is a verb. It is an action. It is not that God will make us “perfect,” as much as it is that he will make the work in our lives perfect. That means that everything that needs to be done to secure our future will be completed. Just like my healing will only begin with the surgery, our future in Christ has only begun with our new birth experience. A secure future is assured when we trust him to do it!

 Third, this work will continue “until the day of Jesus Christ.” That reference to the Second Coming is so assuring to me. The work of Christ is one that continues. He is not finished with me yet. It will be finished, but for now, as I have my good days and bad, I know he is still working with me!

The future is not nearly so uncertain as we might feel at times. God holds it in his hands. What safer place could there be than that! Are you in his hands?

"The Danger of But"

Jesus said, "Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.' But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil. (Matthew 5:33-37 NASB).

In his weekly Character Counts series, Michael Josephson wrote, "Years ago I was talking to a group of Army generals about the way politicians often treat the defense budget as an all-purpose public works fund to help bring money into their districts. One general admitted, 'Yes, if the chairman of the Appropriations Committee comes from a place that makes trucks, we're probably going to buy those trucks. That's the way it is, the way it always was and the way it always will be.' I suggested that it was a form of bribery to buy the trucks just to please the politician. The general barked, 'It's not bribery. It's extortion!' 'Don't sound so powerless,' I replied. 'You're a GENERAL!' Without skipping a beat, he answered, 'Yeah, but I'm only a one-star.'"

There it is… that one little three letter word, “but.” It is a word that destroys any chance of positive change before it every can be birthed. I wonder how many times do you and I make the "Yeah, but…" excuse to avoid personal responsibility? And how many times do we try to make it sound like we are agreeing with someone by saying, "Yes, but …" when all the time we are meaning "No"? Once is too often! The following poem by an unknown author speaks volumes:

One SONG can spark a moment
One FLOWER can wake the dream
One TREE can start a forest
One BIRD can herald spring
One SMILE begins a friendship
One HANDCLASP lifts a soul
One STAR can guide a ship at sea
One WORD can frame the goal
One VOTE can change a nation
One SUNBEAM lights a room
One CANDLE wipes out darkness
One LAUGH will conquer gloom
One STEP must start each journey
One WORD must start a prayer
One HOPE will raise our spirits
One TOUCH can show you care
One VOICE can speak with wisdom
One HEART can know what is true
One LIFE can make a difference

Edward Everett Hale was correct when he challenged us: "It's true I am only one, but I am one. And the fact that I can't do everything will not prevent me from doing what I can do." Get rid of the “but’s” of your life!

"Each One Acordingly"

For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:4-8 NASB).

I have been teaching material dealing with spiritual gifts recently in our class. Two things occur to me. First, it is so easy to miss the truth that ALL believers are given a gift; and second, every gift is essential. In our reading today Paul calls his readers to use their gifts individually according to how they have been given.

Bridge builder, Charles Eliet, had a contract to build a suspension bridge across the Niagara River. One of the first problems he faced was how to stretch his first cable across the wide expanse of raging waters. If a boat tried to cross the river it would be swept over the falls. Eliet thought of a simple idea. If a kite could be flown to the opposite bank using a light cord, a stronger cord could be attached and pulled across, then a stronger cord pulled across and so on until a cable could be attached and drawn across. Eliet called for a kite flying contest and a young man named Homan Walsh succeeded on his second attempt. Charles Eliet's simple plan worked and the bridge was built.

I have found at times we can feel we don't have a very important role to play. What we do seems so insignificant. The temptation is to quit. After all, what difference does it make? It isn't so. Every Christian has an important part to play. It all adds up in the numerous "little things" we are called to do every day. The lie of our enemy would like us to believe otherwise. Let me remind you Jesus started spreading the gospel to the whole world by simply sending his disciples out two by two!

So, never underestimate the importance of what God has called you to do. No matter how small it may seem at the moment, God has a much greater plan in mind. We may not be able to see the finished product yet, but He can. Trust Him. Do what you can do Each One Accordingly!

"Surviving the Mac Truck"

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:10-13 NASB).

Yesterday I shared a little about overcoming fear, worry, and anxiety. Really it was more about what Jesus’ called “abundant” life. I am convinced that the grace of God won for us through Christ is available to anyone at anytime. However, I am equally convinced for us to enjoy the benefits of this grace it is important not only to have a positive attitude and to think positively but to be a positive realist. Let me illustrate with a story from the memoirs of Admiral Jim Stockdale. He was repeatedly tortured during eight years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi during the Vietnam War. His story is very revealing.

In an interview with author Jim Collins, Admiral Stockdale commented that the optimists were the ones who were least likely to survive the camps. He wrote, “They refused to accept reality. They kept predicting that they would be freed soon. And every time their predictions failed, they lost a little more hope, until one day the optimists died of broken hearts. They had great attitudes, but they failed to deal realistically with their situation.” That’s seems strange at first read, but Stockdale further remarked, “You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

Let me put it another way. If you've been hit by a Mac truck all the optimism and positive thinking in and of itself won't take the pain away. One needs to be a positive realist who says, "Yes, I've been hit by a massive problem. I've been hurt badly and am in deep pain. However, with God's help and any other help I need, I will do everything in my power to overcome my circumstances and survive triumphantly.

The apostle writes that he has known both the good and bad experiences of life, just like all of us. His secret to contentment was not in denying the reality of those times that were difficult, but in relying on the strength of the Father to get him through them. Some of you may never have been hit by a Mac truck in life; hang around a while, it will happen! It’s a part of our fallen world. Also a part of this fallen world is the truth that God has provided a means for redemption from it! If you’ve been run over a time or two, acknowledge the reality of the pain; and, trust it to the One who has the power to carry you through it to victory!

"A Fretter"

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:6-8 NASB).

Can I make a confession? I am a fretter sometimes. I know that seems a little hard to believe given my high optimism, but there are those times when I fret about the well being of my family. Perhaps that’s natural, but I am still drawn to our reading today in order to gain strength and assurance as I deal with it.

Recently I read an interesting note from Paul Dickson. He discovered that the size of the cut he inflicted on himself while shaving was directly proportionate to the importance of the event for which he was shaving. That led him to an interest in other "universal laws" evident in daily life. The following are a few of the many he has collected:

"No books you lend are lost except those you particularly want to keep."
"There are three ways to get something done: do it yourself; hire someone; or tell your kids not to do it."
"You can throw a burnt match out of the window of your car and start a forest fire easier than you can start one under dry logs in your fireplace with a box of matches and the complete edition of the Sunday newspaper."

Let's face it, more often than not, it's life's little annoyances that get to us and hit our "worry" button. And most of us have at least one "worry" button. Like my fretting, it is an area of weakness that God wants us to overcome. As long as I have a "worry button" that is still active, it's a reminder that I still have some growing to do so I can get to the place where I quit worrying and trust God for everything!

Well, I'm still working on mine, but God hasn't finished with me yet. How about you? The Apostle Paul knows the answer… he urges us to repattern our thoughts: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. These are the things of God’s grace and love. Focus on them and the frets seem to dissolve into strength and hope!

"Happy Birthday Aaron!"

It’s not unusual that I should be inspired today to write a devotional centered on Aaron’s twenty-seventh birthday. Those of you who have been following Morning Devotionals for any time at all know that it is my habit to use the special days in my family as a basis for a thought or two. Today is no different! So, first, Happy Birthday, Aaron! Last summer when Mary and I went to visit Aaron and went to New Orleans for the day, it was a little rainy and dreary. However, it was a GREAT day! And, that’s my point today.

As parents, any day we have with our children is a great day. I know there are always challenges as they move through their lives stretching the limits of their freedom and our patience; but isn’t that just a part of the “job” of being a parent? Did you notice the word job is in quotation marks? I find it very easy to look at the privilege of being parents as a burden at times. Many people that I minister with struggle with the responsibilities of parenting so much they miss the great blessing of their children. I do know that for some it seems parenting is much more difficult than others. Children are given freedom of will, just as we are. They make choices. Some of them are good ones and some are bad. Some carry great reward, while others carry incredible consequences. I also admit that God has shown me great favor with my children. They have made many good choices in their lives. I have not experienced the same challenges as others. However, the principle remains: We are called to love our children as our heavenly Father has loved us… unconditionally!

Let me translate that for you. We should focus our attention on who they are, not what they do. All three of my sons have earned various awards and citations for their accomplishments. I am proud of what they have done. However, I love them not for what they have done, but for who they are. Accomplishments are like the tides of the seas; they come in and go out. Their relationship to me never changes. They are my sons. Nothing can change that. Nothing should change that. Look in the Scripture:

Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father's household, and Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim's sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph's knees. (Genesis 50:22-23 NASB).

The reading above is a bit strange at this point in the devotional. However, let me dig in a bit with you. The story of Joseph is one that most of us know very well. His brothers were jealous toward him, ultimately selling him into slavery. His journey ends in a great position of authority in Egypt that leads to their salvation. These words followed Joseph’s last instructions as he neared the end of his life. In the midst of these instructions there is this revelation of how close he was to his family. I wish that I had the space to detail the lives of Ephraim and Manasseh. They were both children of Joseph, Ephraim being the younger. Jacob blessed Ephraim before Manasseh, showing a different favor to him. However, this in no way affected Joseph’s love for either. He understood this only meant they were different in task, not relationship. He raised them all “on his knees.” What a beautiful picture of love and acceptance! Well, I’m out of room for today! Let me close with two things. First, to Aaron, David, and Kyle… I love you for who you are, not what you have done or will do. Second, to all of you who are parents, take today and express your love to your children. Bless them and draw them to your “knees.”

"A Call to Restoration" (Part 2)

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. (Jude 17-23 NASB).

Yesterday I pointed out the call to restoration as a need to return our focus to people rather than programs. I hope that you have not misunderstood. It is not that programs are intrinsically bad. There are many things that we do within the ministries of the church that are helpful in bringing healing and restoration to those around us. However, when the “tools” we use become more important than the people we seek to serve, we have committed a critical error. We have moved from that which is spiritual to that which is natural. I’m not sure anyone intentionally commits this error, However, it is has been and continues to be a mighty weapon in the hands of our enemy. It causes our distraction and we fail to recognize the danger before us.

It is true that churches may grow faster by launching more programs, which naturally attract more people. Leadership certainly has more control over what happens which protects the church from bad doctrine being seeded into the fellowship. It is certainly easier. There is a great difference between the long, tedious work of cultivating relationship and the work of building a machine! And, people love programs. In fact, they will complain if you don’t have them. Programs aren’t messy. By their nature they’re organized and cleanly defined. Unfortunately people are often messy with deep problems that need to be dealt with personally.

A program oriented ministry (an oxymoron if ever I saw one) tends to foster consumerism in church members. People end up thinking the job of the church is to launch programs that “meet my needs” since the church has communicated that it is a spiritual shopping mall by its program structure. If the store I need isn’t there, the mall isn’t doing its job. It also prolongs spiritual infancy; personal discipleship becomes a casualty of this approach. While it is good at attracting people, it also tends to lose them after a few years. People get overused and burned out easily. As more programs are launched, more volunteer staff is required and more nights of the week are taken up. And, perhaps worst of all, people are often used to accomplish ministry instead of ministry being used to “accomplish” people.

So, what do we do? Jude gives us the clear call in the last verses of this short letter: Be merciful to others. He is calling for a change in perspective. That’s the call to restoration. It is indeed about people! Make that commitment today! Extend love and mercy as it has been extended to you! Do not settle for a machine. Use the tools, but keep your eye on the finished product instead of the process.

"A Call to Restoration" (Part 1)

Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. (Jude 1-3 NASB).

I love the story about Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at that time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playing in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his teammates on the one hand, and distract the Milwaukee batters on the other. As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi tried to distract him by saying, “Henry, you’re holding the bat wrong. You’re supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark.” Aaron didn’t say anything, but when the next pitch came he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi Berra and said, “I didn’t come up here to read.” When I read the little book of Jude I am reminded of how easily it is to get distracted. I am convinced that the church of our age is distracted.

The Book of Jude qualifies as one of those “good things that come in small packages.” In just one short chapter of twenty-five verses, Jude provides us with an amazing insight into the church. His call is to contend earnestly for the faith. It is a call for restoration in the church. The word that Jude uses for “contend” is epagonizomai, which was used of athletes competing in the games. It is where we get our word “agonize.” It is present tense, it means to continually contend. Jude doesn’t want them to simply resist or be orthodox, he wants them to rise up and fight for the faith! He wants them to boldly stand firm for truth.

As we look into these twenty-five verses in the next few days we’ll see more what that “truth” is, however, today I want to emphasize one central point. It is that the church must turn away from the distractions of the busy-ness of doing church and become the Church. We have churches of every kind in our nation doing many good things. I wonder if we are doing the “God-thing?” Oh, there are many who would point to the activities and programs of the church, quoting statistic upon statistic of increases in assets as growth, but the truth is that we have fewer people involved in the life of the Church so that the command of Christ is fulfilled.

Here’s the call to restoration. We need to fight for a lifestyle change that reflects a nature being transformed so that we may love God supremely and love our neighbor as ourselves! We must restore a focus on people rather than feed the ever burgeoning demands of our programs! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have church like that! The call is for a restoration of grace and a return to the real church of the New Testament. Isn’t that the kind of church you are looking for? It begins with us. We change the church by changing ourselves. And, isn’t that really what we “came up here to do?” Forget about where the label is on the bat. Step up to the plate and knock it over the fence!

"Grace Is..." (Part 4)

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Philippians 4:20-23 NIV).

Today, we come to the third principle in understanding the fullness of grace: It is expressed in blessing. Paul knew that which would be most important in the lives of the Philippians. It was grace. Though the Scripture never gives us a one verse definition of grace, it appears on every page, in every experience accounted. Donald Barnhouse, former pastor and well respected Bible scholar, said it very well: “Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace.”

To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn’t deserve it and can never earn it. Receiving God’s acceptance by grace always stands in sharp contrast to earning it on the basis of works. Every time the thought of grace appears, there is the companion thought of its being undeserved. In no way is the recipient getting what he or she deserves. Favor is being extended simply out of the heart of the giver.

Charles Swindoll writes of this concept from his early childhood, actually from his thirteenth birthday. He recounts how, thinking that he was now a part of the adult world; thought very highly of himself; and, his father was out in the garden pulling weeds and called him to come out and help. In a very sassy, belligerent tone, he said, “No. It’s my birthday, remember?” He said he knew better than to disobey his dad, and it did draw the expected response. His dad punished him immediately for his rebellion. That same night, Swindoll recounts his dad taking him out for a surprise birthday dinner! That’s the difference in getting what you deserve and not! That night he enjoyed what a proper theologian named Benjamin Warfield called “free sovereign favor to the ill-deserving”!

When I was nearly 20, I took my first trip to North Carolina. I had never traveled beyond College Station from my hometown of Galveston. Needless to say I had never seen mountains. Was I in for a surprise! All the way across Arkansas and most of Tennessee, I kept wondering if I was seeing mountains yet. Each time I was told, “Not yet.” Sure enough when we reached the Smokies I knew they were mountains. The sight was magnificent. For the first time in my life I was able to experience the excitement of that sight, which to this day, I have never lost! That day I was changed and would never be the same. Some of you need to take a trip, not to the Smokies, or the Rockies; but, a trip to the mountain of God’s grace. You will never be the same. And, you will never be satisfied living on the coast! Like Paul, my blessing to you is simply… May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with your spirit!

"Grace Is..." (Part 3)

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Philippians 4:20-23 NIV).

Today, we come to the second principle in understanding the fullness of grace: It is expressed in our relationship to other believers. The grace Paul had come to know had taught him something very special about his relationship to others. He knew how important Christian courtesy was in the body of Christ. When Paul thought about the grace of God, it extended to his relationship with others including good manners and a considerate lifestyle. It included beautiful, well-chosen words. It included care for others people. It included various expressions of kindness and mercy.

Jesus’ life is full of examples of this kind of grace. You remember the woman caught in the act of adultery. The law clearly stated she should be stoned to death. The Pharisees brought her to Jesus and demanded that he carry out the sentence of death. He said, “He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” That’s grace! Though they had every right to execute her, with rocks in their hands, self-righteous fire in their eyes, Jesus intervened with grace! As I meditate more on that story, I am forced to ask the question of how many we have stoned for their sin, when all Jesus wanted to do was forgive them. How tragic that we have not caught the vision of grace in our relationships!

It goes even further than our relationship with those who have fallen. When Jesus’ dear friend Lazarus died, Martha met Jesus on the road and Mary later faced him in the house. Both blamed him for not coming earlier: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” There is strong accusation in those words. He took them in grace. With the turn of his hand, he could have sent them to join him in eternity; but he refused to answer them back in argument. That is grace. How we ought to learn Christian courtesy! How we need to love one another as God has loved us!

I love the story about an elderly lady named Mamie Adams. She always went to a branch post office in her town because the postal employees there were friendly. She went there to buy stamps just before Christmas one year and the lines were particularly long. Someone impatiently pointed out that there was no need to wait on line because there was a stamp machine in the lobby. “I know,” said Mamie, ‘but the machine won’t ask me about my arthritis.” I wonder if we can recapture a genuine sense of grace in our relationship to others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ? We sure need too!

"Grace Is..." (Part 2)

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Philippians 4:20-23 NIV).

Today, we come to our first principle in understanding the fullness of grace: It is based in the fatherhood of God. Look again at the beginning of our reading today. The spontaneous outburst of praise from the apostle is deeply emotional. He uses a plural pronoun. God is not merely Paul’s God; He is OUR God. Further, He is our Father.

I really wish I could spend some personal time with each of you discussing this one truth. It is central for me. I believe there is nothing that can change a human being like the knowledge of the fatherhood of God. It changes both the heart and the mind. Some of us miss this point because our frame of reference is our earthly parents. Some have had wonderful parents who knew how to follow the example of Christ in every way. However, there are many others who have not. Let me be quick to add that God is different. Even the best of parents can not measure up to the wonder of God’s grace and love.

Perhaps the most notable characteristic of that wonder is in God’s “yes-face.” I have never seen God, but I know he must have such a face. We need to draw a contrast between Jesus and the religious leaders of His day to adequately understand this truth. Jesus was surrounded by religious men who devoted their lives to putting and keeping people in bondage through their thousands of laws and ritual regulations. He was constantly confronted with men who quoted the law of God rather than proclaim the grace of the Father. Their faces shouted “NO!” In this world, full of darkness and impossible demands, rules and regulations, requirements and expectations demanded by hypocritical religious leaders, Jesus came and ministered in a different way. Jesus came and showed them the face of a Father who knew every need and had the resources to completely provide for every one in great abundance!

No wonder that Paul, in his last farewell to this church, begins with praise for the God who has set him free. Though he wore the chains of Roman bondage, his heart was free. Nothing, not man, nor spirit, could return him to that bondage. Jesus had secured his freedom from all of that! All of that took place in grace! As a perfect Father, God has provided all that we can even imagine we need. He so perfectly knows and loves us that His provision is in place before we have need. That’s how He sets us free! He shows us His “yes” face! Isn’t it time for you to come to that face? Believe me, it is so much better! Come today!

"Grace Is..." (Part 1)

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Philippians 4:20-23 NIV).

Just the other day a friend of mine posted a phrase to be completed on his FaceBook page: “Grace is…” Of course I had a relatively brief answer, but I began to think more deeply about the question. As I have been looking through Philippians again I am reminded that this is written by the Apostle Paul at a time in his life when there was little to be thankful about. He was in prison, awaiting certain execution for his preaching of the gospel. These words would be some of his very last and he speaks of one foundational truth. He speaks of God’s grace.

Isn’t it strange that such a well used topic could be so widely interpreted and often misunderstood today? I think modern religion has failed in many ways to communicate God’s grace. The freedom that is ours through grace has been sacrificed on the altar of intolerance and judgmental spirits. The bondage that has resulted has kept millions living in fear, shame, and intimidation. Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that many have become convinced that’s the way God intends us to live! These millions are victimized as if living on death row instead of enjoying the beauty and freshness of the abundant life Christ modeled and secured for them in His death and resurrection!

In the next few days I want to dig a little deeper and try to give you some thoughts about this great unfathomable gift god has bestowed on us. It’s not difficult as a concept. Yet, the grace of God is continually being challenged with denial and rejection. Grace has become a religious issue to be bantered about by theologians, preachers, scholars and students alike as they pull and tug at it like children fighting over a doll! It has become the classic no-win debate leaving the masses that watch and listen confused, polarized, and bored. God’s grace is intended to be enjoyed. Paul’s last farewell to the Philippians and for us today is that we come to the grace of God and be set free! After all, that’s when it truly becomes AMAZING GRACE!

In our reading today the apostle praises God; salutes the Philippians; and, blesses them. From these verses we see the true nature of God’s grace. It’s interesting to note that he never really spends a lot of time explaining “how” they receive it. He simply declares it as a gift from God. He shouts in praise the giving of grace and urges them to live in it. When we do, grace becomes what it was meant to be! It shouldn’t be a surprise that he closes his letter by saying, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. So, we’ll begin there tomorrow! Today, may I encourage you to commit to be free in His grace? Will you devote your full attention to His gift of life? Regardless of what you may have heard, it IS paid for in full. Accept it today!

"Reflecting Christ"

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NASB).

Recently Kyle was going through some of my old sermon tapes (yes, tapes) and found a sermon I preached in 1989 from 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, titled “Ambassadors for Christ.” What was interesting about this message is same text was also referenced in a message we heard from another pastor recently. My curiosity got the best of me and I went and dug it out of my hard files to read what I had written. I must confess that some of it was VERY dated, while other parts of it were still as true today as they were then. One of those truths is revealed in our reading today.

The Apostle Paul declares that we are new in Christ. As a result of that transformation we have been given a “ministry of reconciliation.” There has been much discussion, especially recently, about what that means. What is this ministry of reconciliation? Well, without getting into a long discourse, let me use a simple illustration. It is the same one I used in 1989!

The rainbow is one of God’s most beautiful gifts in the world of nature. Millions of tiny drops of water act together to reveal the rich colors of light which are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. Each drop of water reflects and refracts a beam of light from the sun until it reveals one of the seven shades of light to any person standing with their back to the sun. So, here it is, don’t miss this part: God desires us to function like those droplets of water, reflecting the character and glory of Jesus Christ until those who have turned away from Christ see and understand the richness of His grace and love!

That doesn’t mean we all do the same “thing.” Our action of revealing the glory and grace of Christ may be quite different because, like each droplet, we are different. The key is in working together, in concert with one another, as the body of Christ, to be that reflective surface. But, that is exactly why God has gifted us all differently. There is no one answer or activity that will insure the ministry of reconciliation. It takes all of us, doing all we are called to do. As good as some “programs” are they are only a tool to allow the Church to do the work. Celebrate your uniqueness. Band together with other believers and let the light of Christ pass through your life to reflect the wonder of the gift Christ has secured for us in the cross!

"Trapped Without Escape"

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, 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. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. (Philippians 3:12-16 NIV).

As I have talked with more people over the last few months helping them deal with their experiences of the past it has occurred to me that it is easy to feel trapped without any possible way of escape. I remember reading if flies are placed in a jar with air holes in the lid, they will fly frantically, banging into the lid, desperately trying to escape from their prison. If left there long enough, eventually they will stop hitting the lid. Later, if the lid is removed, they won't even try to escape.

I wonder how many of us have fallen for the lie of our enemy, the devil, and become like those flies? Because of a traumatic or painful experience in our past we have been "conditioned" to believe that we are trapped in a prison of helplessness without escape, so we are afraid to try again for fear of failure or of being hurt again. To overcome, we need to acknowledge where we have been hurt and, if necessary, get into a recovery program to overcome our painful memories and unresolved feelings.

The Apostle Paul had ample reason to be trapped in his past. Yet, he found the means to “press on.” At least part of that path was expressed by the Apostle Peter. He wrote, "So get rid of your feelings of hatred" (cf. 1 Peter 2:1). The same principle applies to all negative feelings, especially the supercharged repressed negative ones. Repressing or denying these feelings doesn't get rid of them. It only adds "interest" to them and makes matters worse. Furthermore, we can never "forget" the past until we have resolved it. Only then are we truly able to forgive any and all who have ever hurt us. Until we do this, we are still bound to and controlled by our past.

This often requires help from someone who can guide us through the process. That’s one of the great joys of the ministry I have become more deeply involved in this year. Seeing people finally become free from their self-imposed prison of guilt and shame is an incredible blessing! Do you need that freedom in your life? Make a decision today that a way has already been provided for you through the work of Christ and get someone to help you move through the process. You will not regret a moment of the investment of your energy, time, and resource.

"Doing All Things Through Christ"

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11b-13 NIV).

Our reading today has been so misinterpreted through the years. We have taken the first two verses and used them to sanction failure in our lives while ignoring the incredible promise of the last verse. It is true that the apostle is stating the principle of true contentment being centered in our relationship with Christ, however he also makes certain that he tells his readers that all things are possible through the strength of Christ.

Someone has said, Can’t is the poison that exterminates success. Where would the world be if Einstein would have believed “can’t.” After all, he couldn’t speak until he was four and couldn’t read until he was seven. Or where would the world of music be if Beethoven would have believed his music teacher who said, “As a composer he is hopeless.” Walt Disney was fired as a newspaper editor saying “he has no good ideas.” There are countless other examples of people who were told they can’t, yet they did. I believe here are the steps that made the difference:

 First, they crystallized their thinking. A great part of contentment is in understanding who we are and what God has called us to do and be. As we discover that position, in His strength, nothing is too great to accomplish.
 Second, they developed a plan of action. While Paul had learned how to be content in any situation, he was never satisfied with less than his best. He trained and disciplined his body and mind to be the best he could be in any situation. He planned for it.
 Third, they developed a desire to reach their goals. Did you know that Edison failed 100 times before reaching just the right combination in the invention of the light bulb? What if he would have quit after 99? How many times are you willing to fail in order to succeed?
 Fourth, they had a sincere confidence in God. There are many examples of this principle in the Scripture. Noah comes immediately to mind. He preached and worked on the ark for 80 years before God brought the first rain drop! Yet he believed and continued!
 Fifth, they all followed through to the end; they never quit! Where would the world be if Paul would have quit after his first imprisonment, or his first rejection?

I must confess I have not always followed these principles. I have been shaken at times at the turn of events in my life. However, when I get back on the path God has given me to follow I have always been rewarded with joy and peace. That’s when I achieve the most success! How about you? Are you ready to do all things through Christ?

"A Box of Chocolates"

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1-12 NASB).

Now put on your Forrest Gump accent ... Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. Sometimes I like to imagine life like that box of assorted chocolates. You really can’t tell what’s inside each piece until you bite into it. That thought reminded me of how we are to look at the relationships in our life.

It calls to mind many questions. Do you have a chocolate covered cherry in your box of life? Is there a caramel filled chocolate in it? Let me translate more clearly. Do you take pride in your position? Or do you feel stuck with the left overs and picked through? We never know what we’re gonna get. Sometimes the candies may seem unnecessary, but all the while they are filling the box waiting for someone who likes just that flavor to pick it. The principle is to continue on. Don’t quit. You haven’t lost yet. In fact, you won’t lose in the game of life, if you keep your eyes on your own box of candy without comparing it to another’s.

The box is filled with blessings and trials, worldly goods and eternal treasures. Some of you have been given sickness and job-loss, heartache and betrayal. Not all of your candies are first choices. Look at the rest of your box. You have candies that are unique and vital. They may not seem so at first glance, you may not think that they are as good as some others, but they are. When I look at my life, I know that I have eternal treasures: love, faith, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. I often take them for granted. Yet, these outweigh all of the others in my box. I don't have a lot of tangible stuff like wealth and fame, but according to the Bible, those things aren’t eternal anyway. And, when I look closely, the blessings outnumber the trials as well.

After all, these are the chocolates that bring comfort, fullness, mercy, vision of God, an inheritance as a child of God, and the kingdom of Heaven. Now those are chocolates worth having! Look at your box of chocolates differently today! Look… there’s a dark chocolate filled with caramel… ummmm, my favorite! Funny how I thought that one was mint filled crème… my least favorite!

"The Greatest Promise" (Part 4)

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:13-19 NLT).

Today I want to emphasize the third characteristic of this greatest promise: it is a plentiful promise. Our focal verse today is “from his glorious riches which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” It is out of this inexhaustible treasure of God’s love and power that God supplies our need.

Suppose for a moment that I was walking the streets of one of our nation’s busy cities with a very wealthy man, a billionaire. Suppose a beggar approached us and asked for a dollar to buy some food. It so happens I only have a dollar and I give him everything I have. The billionaire also gives him a dollar, but it is not all he has; it is “out of his resources.” Mine is “according to my resources.” When we have a need, the Lord brings all of heaven to meet that need. His riches are never exhausted. They are fathomless!

There is another important truth here. Notice that these riches are “in Christ Jesus.” This is Paul’s way of reminding his readers that they do not need to search far for the treasure chest of God’s provision. It is as near as Christ. He is the living presence to meet our every need. This is the truth that takes the cannot out of life and replaces it with the can! All we must do to receive these provisions is to reach out to Christ Jesus. In Him we find more than enough to guarantee our victory over every trial and supply our every need to the fullest.

There is one last word for you to note. The Apostle Paul uses the past tense to describe God’s provision in Christ. They HAVE been given already! Lay-away purchases are becoming more popular these days. You know the concept. You want to purchase an item, but don’t have the cash to pay for it now, so you begin to make payments. As soon as it is paid for, you can claim it and take it home from the sore. It is reserved for you, but you cannot have it until it is paid for. Well, God doesn’t have a lay-away plan for His blessing! Everything we could ever need is already paid in full by the work of Christ. All that remains is for us to pick it up and take it home! It is the greatest of promises!

"The Greatest Promise" (Part 3)

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:13-19 NLT).

Today I want to emphasize the second characteristic of this greatest promise: it is a positive promise. I love the word translated “supply.” The English simply doesn’t do it justice. It literally means to “fill up to the full.” This is God’s divine affirmative; His everlasting yes! Whatever you need He will supply. We are promised God’s providential love and care. All of our needs will be provided for us.

One of the things I have learned through the years is in the area of understanding “needs.” I have come to a deep conviction that determining my “needs” are best left in God’s hands. I am not avoiding the question of God’s “no” in our prayers, however I do want to caution against believing god has said “no” when actually we have asked for that which goes beyond our need. Paul Rees said it best: “No generation of Christians since Saint Paul’s day finds it so easy to erect their wants into needs and their desires into necessities as the Christians of this century.”

It has been said that at the beginning of the Twentieth Century the average American wanted seventy-two things and considered eighteen of them to be necessities. Fifty years later they had four hundred and ninety-six wants and ninety of them were considered necessary for happiness! None of us are immune from the subtle, social psychology by which we have developed soft notions of what is required in this great business we call life! The Lord delights in supplying our needs. We do have a need for fellowship with Him; freedom from fear; power to overcome temptation; victory through our trials; and, life in His presence. All of these, and much more, He supplies from “His glorious riches”! Here’s how Annie Johnson Flint sees it in her poem titled “He Giveth More”:

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

Now, that’s a positive promise! Claim it today for your own!

"The Greatest Promise" (Part 2)

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:13-19 NLT).

Today I want to emphasize the greatest promise is a personal promise. Other translations would take the highlighted phrase “and this same God” as “My God.” Either is accurate. The Apostle Paul does not say any god, or a god, or the god you happen to believe in at the moment. He says, “THIS SAME GOD.” Paul was not referring to the gods of the Greeks, Romans, Assyrians, Babylonians, or Egyptians. He was being very specific and personal. Paul’s God was Jehovah God, the same God who had revealed himself to men personally in Jesus Christ. This is the great God, gracious, loving, powerful, and effective in every way. This is the God who will supply all our needs!

This is the God who called Abraham out of Mesopotamia and sent him on his search for the Promised Land. He is the God who spoke to David the shepherd boy and made him David the king, sweet composer and singer of Israel, mighty warrior, conquering king, beloved of all the people. He was the God who called Jeremiah before he was born to be a a great prophet to the nation of Judah. He is the God who spoke to Isaiah of the coming of One who would be a mighty God, an everlasting Father, a wonderful Counselor. He is the One who spoke to Peter and John and made them fishers of men rather than fishermen. And, more than all of this, He is the great and mighty God who raised His only begotten Son out of death’s cold grip in resurrection power and glory!

Do you see it? The message of these examples and many more throughout history is that in each case it was God coming to man in a personal way. It was God coming to man in the person of Jesus Christ to be a personal Savior! What a difference that makes! Whatever your challenge or difficulty, God does not answer as someone who does not intimately know you. He answers as your Father. When we pray we don’t leave a message on a voice mail; we don’t talk to a virtual advisor; and, we don’t respond to prerecorded prompts. When we pray, we talk directly to our Father! This same God will supply all our needs! What do you need today? Go ahead, ask Him!

"The Greatest Promise" (Part 1)

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:13-19 NLT).

What began as a typical Vacation Bible School project turned out to be a profound lesson in the faithfulness of God to keep His promises. When she was in the third grade, Maria attended VBS and there made her “promise box.” It was made from an empty kitchen match box and pieces of construction paper. Yet it was to have a profound effect in her life. She was instructed to write different verses containing a promise of God on small pieces of paper and roll it into a miniature scroll. Forty or fifty of them were placed on end in the box. It became her personal “promise box.” Of course it became a “collector’s item.” It was never really used as it sat on a shelf of her mementos. It did remind her of that summer when she became a Christian, though many years had passed since then. One day, feeling very discouraged and depressed, her mind wandered to that little box. She went to the shelf and took it down, praying, “Lord, things are very difficult for us now. I need a word of encouragement from you.” She took the box down from the shelf to get a better look inside and as she did, she tripped and fell over a turned corner of the rug. All the promises spilled out of the box. As she began to pick them up she realized the message. This time she prayed, “Lord, how foolish I have been to ask for one promise when there are so many in your Word.”

Isn’t that the way it is with the promises of God? They are to be used, not saved for a “rainy day”! There are over 3,000 promises in the Scripture. There is the promise of eternal life (John 3:16); that of God’s provision (Philippians 4:6-7); that of God’s victory (Romans 8:28); and, many more. However, the greatest promise I think is in our reading today. In the next few days we’ll look closely at it. For those of you who are preachers, here’s the alliteration and outline: it is personal, positive, and plentiful (see… I can still do it the “old fashioned way” )

Today, I want to urge you to take your “promise box” off the shelf and realize that God wants to grant you your heart’s desire. He wants to supply all your needs in His glorious riches in Christ Jesus! Let’s start claiming some of them!

"Decisions, Decisions"

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5-8 NASB).

As you may have guessed by the title of today’s Morning Devotional, I have a decision to make. So, the process is on my mind. As is my habit, you are usually the recipient of the thoughts and inspiration I receive from the Lord. Today is no different, though perhaps a little more personal than usual. Let me start at the beginning of the story.

Some months ago you may remember me writing that I thought I had shin splints. It certainly felt like I did. Eventually I was encouraged enough and in enough pain that I went to the doctor. That set into motion a series of things. I was tested for hairline fractures (none), blood clots (none), and promptly sent to a specialist. He examined my leg and concurred it was shin splints. I was immediately sent to physical therapy. The first fifteen minutes was gathering information and then I was told to lie on my stomach to begin the therapy. As soon as the world stopped spinning and I could no longer see stars from the pain, the therapist said, “You don’t have shin splints. Let me get the doctor.” Well, that meant x-rays of my back and a determination that I had deteriorating vertebrae which was putting pressure on the nerve bundle and causing the pain. Six weeks later and no permanent relief brought another specialist, a MRI, and the news that I had three choices: do nothing (thanks!), take shots for temporary relief (are you kidding?), or have surgery to correct the real problem of a lateral herniated disk! What in the world!

So, that’s where I am today. I have a decision to make. I began to follow my process. It’s really simple: pray, seek wisdom from God and trusted others, and decide. I had about thirty minutes of driving time after the doctor this morning, so I began to pray. I’m not done with that step yet, but I’ve begun. I have called my most trusted confidants. I first talked to Mary; then called the boys. The decision will be mine, but I trust their input enormously. I’ve already got all the medical advice. I’ll do a little research, but now it’s a matter of God and family.

Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be? Watch, listen, don’t miss this… every decision comes to that. That’s what James is talking about in our reading today. Ask God and he will give you wisdom. Seek the comfort and counsel of your family; they should be your inner circle. I know that’s not always possible. Sometimes your family is not in touch with the Lord. I’m very blessed that mine are and can be implicitly trusted. If yours are not, I hope you have a church family to stand in their stead.

You may be facing a tough decision. May I be so bold to suggest that you don’t skip any of the “steps”? Here they are again: pray… seek wise counsel… and decide in faith that all will be in your heavenly Father’s hands!

"Little Things"

Jesus said, "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'” (Matthew 25:31-40 NASB).

As I was reading through the end of Matthew’s gospel I came to our reading today. I began to think of the countless little things that I experience each day. You know; things like a beautiful sunset, a child's smile, a delicious meal, a restful night's sleep, or an encouraging word. It’s so easy for me to take for granted the little things. All of us are like that. However, when we pause and reflect on them and realize how much they make up our days we usually have a better appreciation of how much the little things really matter. Some of the little things happen to us and some of them we do for others. Both are essential as a part of the process we call the Christian walk.

The big things in life like jobs, relationships, birth, sickness and death, these get our attention with good reason. It's not surprising. These things affect us on a deep level, whether life threatening or life-changing. But, it's how we handle the little things in life that help us deal with the big things.

Jesus is talking about handling these “little things.” Part of living in a daily relationship with God is accepting the help that He gives us. If we are turning to the Holy Spirit then help is always there. It's interesting that Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter and Helper. He promised this help would be available for us in all things. That means the big and the little things.

Little things add up. Try to live life aware of your moments. Be involved in the little things and watch your life change. That end result, living a life dedicated to God and loving and serving others as Jesus taught, is a VERY big thing.

"Living the Life You Believe"

This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. (1 Timothy 1:18-19 NASB).

Somebody pointed out that if we don't live the life we believe, we will end up unhappily believing the life we live. Perhaps you have visited the Moody Institute of Science. I have read they have a special pair of eye glasses when worn make everything appear upside down. Talk about mental distress! In an experiment the founder of the institute, Irwin Moon, wore these glasses every day and night and slept with his eyes covered so that he never looked at anything without wearing these glasses. After three weeks his mind converted everything so things appeared the right side up! The mind does a similar thing when we live out of harmony and relationship with God.

When we consistently go against what we know to be right, we get into what is called cognitive dissonance which, simply put, means mental disharmony. And, not being able to live with this distress, we will change our beliefs to match our behavior. This way we justify whatever it is we want to do.

The Apostle Paul in our reading today writes to Timothy knowing that his life is nearing an end. Soon he will be martyred for the cause of Christ. He tells him to fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience. I find it very interesting that Paul reflects on his life and chooses his advice to Timothy with the metaphor of doing battle. Life can be a battle. It is often unforgiving and cruel. The apostle surely experienced the cruelties of life. Yet, he advises Timothy to continue in the fight! The weapons he tells him to carry are simple: keeping faith and a good conscience.

Keeping faith is harder than it appears at first glance. You’d think that it would be easy to simply believe what you believe. My experience has been that there are often significant challenges to my beliefs from outside forces I have little or no control over. That’s when KEEPING faith is so important. Of course, I am not suggesting that we blindly place our trust in something that we have had no background or history with. My faith in God is built on His consistent faithfulness. Following on the heels of keeping faith is the development of a good conscience. Some would tie that to our behavior. It can only fail if we do that. A good conscience is based in the grace of God granting us forgiveness through the work of Christ. Another way of saying this is behavior follows faith. Get your faith right and your actions will follow. Don’t be caught believing the life you live. Live the life you believe!

"Pondering"

I have a confession to make… as I sat down to write today’s devotional I really didn’t know what to write! If the medium were speech instead of written, I guess you could say I was speechless! And, as soon as you finish laughing at that, please continue.

I found a list called “The Top 147 Things to Ponder.” The top five things are: “(1) Why are there locks on the door of stores that are open 24/7 365 days a year? (2) If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? (3) Why are there Braille dots on a drive-through ATM keypad? (4) If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2? (5) Is there another word for synonym?” As I continued to read the list, I began to ponder. The definition of the word is “to chew over, or reflect deeply on a subject.” In fact, the Greek root of the word is that which gives us the word “ruminate.” And, that brings me to the devotional… God just does that sometimes!

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. (Luke 2:15-20 NASB).

It is just October, but the stores have already begun to display their Christmas wares. The hopes for a brisk sales season are high. I certainly hope we all begin to see a turn in our economy. There are so many families who are going through very difficult seasons in their lives. You may be one of those. Without lessening the challenge you face, may I remind you of the challenge Mary faced that first Christmas? This young unmarried woman had given birth to her son in a dirty, smelly barn, surrounded by animals. Her thoughts were not of those deficiencies though. She saw the hand of God at work in her life and “treasured” the things of Jesus’ birth. She stored them in a very safe place so that she could spend her time “chewing” on them, pulling every thought and blessing from them.

That is the thought for today. In the midst of our challenges we need to learn the art of treasuring and pondering each experience. Mary could have focused on her surroundings and circumstances; instead, she chose to focus on God’s message of hope. My life has been filled with unusual and unexpected turns in life. Some of them have not yet lost their “surprise”! But this I know… as I hide them away and chew on them, I find the incredible hand of God in the midst of it all. That gives me hope, joy, and peace. Maybe it’s time for you to do a little pondering!