Hope for the Brokenhearted - Pt 3

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:10-13 ESV).

Yesterday we saw that the foundational principle for gaining hope when your heart is broken is through companionship. The community of faith brings like minded people together in a way that allows the Holy Spirit to encourage and strengthen us even in the most trying of times. The Apostle Paul was encouraged when he was reunited with old friends and met new friends in the ministry he had begun at Corinth. However, he also received help in the form of perspective. God does want us to understand the “long look.” Even though we cannot have the same perspective that God does, we can know his hand is at work on our behalf. Paul preached to the Jews first and then the Gentiles. However, there came a time when he recognized that he was not the one to reach his countrymen. He was being called to move forward with the ministry to the Gentiles. Just because we can’t see what God is doing with things doesn’t mean that God is equally blind. Certainly this is the basis for his declaration in our reading today. He had learned contentment because he knew the provision of God would be sufficient. He was not declaring surrender to his circumstances; he was announcing that he had found a way to be the master over his emotions in the midst of them. God gives perspective that, in many ways, our scars make us who we are. I look at my own life. I’m sure you can find places in yours as well. Places in our lives where we’ve experienced pain, loneliness, sadness, frustration, despair, depression, and a host of other scars upon our lives, but you know what I’ve experienced? I’ve seen that God uses the pain of life to give me perspective. When I am most surprised by the change in direction God directs in my journey that is when I am most blessed as the path stretches out before me. It may be that your body has betrayed you with illness; friends have betrayed you, leaving you alone and brokenhearted; or, you have lost your desire for any sort of future because of a devastating loss of relationship. It is during those times that a new direction and clarity may be born. Healing and contentment are the result of that birth.

Hope for the Brokenhearted - Pt 2

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. (Acts 18:1-3 ESV).

From the first three verses of our reading we began with yesterday in this series we see the foundational principle: God gives Paul companionship with like-minded people. He meets Aquila and Priscilla. “Coincidentally”, they’re tentmakers by vocation too. Do you see how beautiful this is? Aquila and Priscilla had been kicked out of Rome along with all the other Jews…because as Suetonias in his chronicle Claudius tells us, this expulsion order was given because of the Jews and the “continual tumults instigated by the Chrestus [the Christ].” In other words, trouble wasn’t just following Paul. It had followed all the Jews who went home from Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit—all the way to Rome—and Jew and Christian alike were booted out of Rome because of all the trouble. Jesus didn’t come to bring peace but a sword because the Truth Cuts Both Ways! It divides and makes trouble for followers of Christ. It did for Aquila and Priscilla. And they had common ground with Paul. Paul found hope in his broken heart in companionship with like-minded people. The picture I have included with today’s devotional is one that was spontaneously taken when these two year olds were visiting the zoo with their moms. Even at this early age they understood the comfort and assurance that comes from companionship. The basic relational needs of all people are all the things that we cannot provide ourselves, and we rely on others to help provide them for us. Many psychoanalysts have called them "dependency needs." That seems negative at first hearing; however, when we understand the healthy ways to provide for this need we see it no more negative than other dependency needs like food or water. When we are first born into the world, almost every need except for oxygen is a dependency need. An infant is dependent on caregivers for food, comfort, care, and other basic needs. As we get older, these needs change because we learn to provide some of these things for ourselves. However, as adults, there is still a universal set of relational needs that remain. One of those is companionship. As Christians we have an incredible means to provide for this need through the community of faith. This is precisely what Paul did. He found Aquila and Priscilla. Perhaps you have become brokenhearted through the circumstances of life. It may be that you have given up in finding someone to walk through life with, sharing the desires of your heart. I would suggest that you look for someone you can share a small part of your life with and build companionship through the shared work. It begins the healing of your heart.

Hope for the Brokenhearted - Pt 1

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (Acts 18:1-11 ESV).

As we read the Scripture today we should remember that Paul had been kicked out of Philippi, chased out of Thessalonica where he was only bringing trouble on Jason and the other believing brothers; he had been hunted down in Berea and separated from his companions Silas and Timothy, and forced out to pagan Athens where few people would believe in the Good News. Paul was a broken man. He had been throwing himself into the task of sharing the Gospel—exactly as he had been told—and has faced closed door after beautiful closed door; and, even after seeing a vision of the open door, Paul still gets kicked out of towns even there in Macedonia in which he’s only begun to minister. So, the apostle goes to the most unlikely of places, Corinth. Corinth was an unlikely place to find hope for the brokenhearted. If you look up “broken” in the dictionary, you’d find a picture of the church at Corinth. Closely related words would be splintered, dysfunctional, loveless, judgmental, and trendy. Yet, for now at least, Paul will minister in Corinth as a thoroughly broken man. So now, Paul is alone in a strange town. He knows no one. He’s sad. He may be wondering—in the flow of Acts—whether he’s doing any good at all. He doesn’t have the benefit of the rest of the New Testament to tell him there’s light at the end of the tunnel and to give him a vision of exactly what an earth-changing impact this one man will make in his lifetime. For now, he’s living it. He’s broken and needs an injection of hope and encouragement. You may be in that place today. In the coming days we will see how the apostle found a great hope, even in Corinth. Today ask God to begin the healing process for you.

Riches in Glory - Pt 4

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:1-5 ESV).

Third, Paul prays that we would know the riches of God’s power (cf. Ephesians 1:19-23). There is no doubt to be left in the minds of Paul’s readers as he writes this petition for their knowledge of the “power” of God. There are four words in the Greek New Testament translated “power”: dunamis (raw power as in dynamite or dynamo); energia (working power as in energy); kratos (as in mighty); and, ischus (as in strength of power). All four of these words are used by the apostle in these verses. He intends to make sure we know we have ALL the power necessary for every experience in life. The answer to fear is power. The moment you feel empowered, fear vanishes. So Paul prayed that the Christians would see the limitless power that was theirs through Christ. When we feel powerless, we are quick to give up. The struggle overwhelms us and we just throw in the towel. It is because we have lost sight of the One who gives all power, and whose power was demonstrated at the resurrection, when God raised Jesus from the dead. This is what the apostle is praying for that you would truly grasp this thought and understand the true power that He offers you. Let me draw you back to our reading today. I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:1-5 ESV). Weep no more! The Lion of Judah, the Root of David has conquered! That is a glorious display of the power of God. That is a part of our riches bestowed upon us at the completion of the work of Christ in us. Check your balance. Don’t you have more than enough to be rich in every area of your life?

Riches in Glory - Pt 3

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:1-7 ESV). Paul also prays they would know the riches of God’s mercy. (cf. Ephesians 1:18). He goes on to describe that mercy in our reading today. We’ll look even further into this truth later; however, it can be said for now that these “riches” go beyond mere material possessions. Let me simply list some with the following bullet points: He has given us his kindness and patience (cf. Romans 2:4). It cannot be said or sung enough that the kindness of God has been expressed to us in ways that cannot be fully understood until this journey is done. He has given us the riches of his wisdom (cf. Romans 11:13). Can we ever really measure the value of our access to the wisdom of God through the Scripture? All of the great questions of life find their answers within the writings of the Bible. He has given us his mercy (cf. Ephesians 2:4). We’ll see more in a few weeks the great depth of the mercy of God. For now we should remember that it was not justice that God meted out to us, but mercy. Jesus faced and satisfied the justice of God by taking the wrath of every sin of every man on himself in the cross.

I am always brought back to the story of the prodigal as he returns home when I ponder the amazing nature of the mercy of God. For some there might be a way to consider the nature of our lives and feel good about who we are and what we have done. That has never been a temptation that has lasted for anytime at all for me. At best I look at my failures and successes, my defeats and victories and recognize they are pitiful in the sight of what God has extended to me through his mercy. My best days are nothing in comparison to the worst days with Him. This knowledge gives me a wonderful perspective of my real wealth. It truly is “unsearchable.”

Riches in Gory - Pt 2

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:18-21 ESV).

In the reading yesterday the Apostle Paul prays that his readers would know the hope of God (cf. Ephesians 1:15-17). The word hope is part of the great triad found in the Scriptures: "faith, hope and love." Hope always concerns the future. The Ephesians were in danger of losing their hope for the future. Many of us know that feeling. We all await the return of the Lord, but we don't really get very excited about it. The hope of the believer is described for us further in our reading today. The phrase, "the bondage to decay," is an accurate description of what scientists call the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the law of entropy, the scientific principle which states that everything in the universe is running down. Science and Scripture agree that the universe was once wound up, but that it is now decaying. When Paul talks about "the bondage to decay," he includes not only the natural world, with its constant decay, but the human body as well. It is this truth that Paul uses as a springboard to describe the incredible riches we have been given with our guarantee of eternal life. However, It’s easy to ask how that future hope helps us now. The answer is that our future hope is being worked out in the here and now. Our hope will not only be realized in the resurrection at the end of the age. Our hope is being realized right now, as we are gradually, almost imperceptibly being transformed into new creations in Christ. That flat tire you had yesterday which upset you is working for you, preparing you to handle pressure, teaching you about patience, building Christ-like character. All those problems you face are giving you the opportunity to exercise the power of Christ that is available to you. The lost wallet, the missed appointment, the argument with your spouse, the arthritis in your shoulder, the diagnosis you just received, the business failure you just suffered, the heart-breaking loss of a loved one, all of these are working together for your good and for your growth. God knows how to bring His good out of everything we experience in life. None of it is a surprise and all of it has already been planned for to bring us good! If you learn to look at life that way, you will never lose the hope of your calling in Christ. And that is the first of the great riches we have been given!

Riches in Glory - Pt 1

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:15-23 ESV).

President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity, and hardihood—the virtues that made America. The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living and the get-rich-quick theory of life.” Roosevelt may have been right in more ways than we care to admit. The temptation of our culture in the last century has been to “baptize” capitalism. It leads to a misplaced trust in material things rather than the true riches of the spiritual life. I like the way one poet reminds us of the cost of such misplaced focus in life: Money will buy a bed, but not sleep; Books, but not brains; Food, but not appetite; Finery, but not beauty; A house, but not a home; Medicine, but not health; Luxuries, but not culture; Amusements, but not happiness; Religion, but not salvation; and, A passport to everywhere but heaven! As Christians we are rich. Paul makes it very clear in our text today that we have been given the riches of his glorious inheritance. We cannot make light of this incredible truth. It is a foundation of the apostle’s prayer life for those whom he has written to in the churches scattered across Asia Minor (cf. Philippians 1:9-11; and Colossians 1:9-12). In the next few days we will explore what that means practically in our lives. Today, begin to celebrate the wonder of the wealth God has given us through his grace in Christ.

A Soft Answer - Pt 6

Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. (Proverbs 9:7-9 ESV).

To finish our series in developing a “soft answer” we see Charlie Brown at camp. Upon arriving, he is soon tormented by a trio of bullies. Camp seems to be divided into groups of four. The bullies' full-fledged fourth member is a prickly orange cat with a spiky collar that quickly puts Snoopy in his place. The boys (Charlie Brown, Linus, Franklin, and Schroeder) and the girls (Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Lucy, and Sally) claim separate cabins. The girls decide to do things democratically, using secret ballots to vote on any major decision they have to make. To break a four-way tie, Peppermint Patty votes herself tent leader. Camp unfolds without even a glimpse of adult supervision. The troublemaking bullies cheat in a potato sack race and deflate the competition's rafts to ensure they are, as they assert, Number One. The sixth principle emerges for our soft answer: we should correct others carefully. Our reading shows the wisdom of this method for “truth telling.” The reality is that you have absolutely no control over how the other person acts in a conflict. You can’t make the other person love or force the other person to be open to correction. You can’t coerce a person into admitting their faults or coax a person to keep their anger in check. All you can control is your response. Again we must note when we correct people we need to carefully balance grace giving with truth telling. Grace giving is extending compassion and mercy to people when we confront them. Grace giving comes when we’re willing to forgive, when we avoid name calling and sarcasm. Grace giving means giving the other person the benefit of the doubt rather than assuming that they have impure motives. Some people are strong in truth telling but weak in grace giving. These are people who tell it like it is, but they do it with the subtlety of a brick going through a window. Other people are strong in grace giving but weak in truth telling. These are people who hate conflict and avoid it at all costs. They’d rather pretend that everything is fine, to keep overlooking obvious sins that need to be confronted. But these are people who often explode when the pressure keeps building. Or they simply avoid the relationship entirely, divorcing the spouse, refusing to return a friend’s phone calls, or looking for another church rather than resolving the issue. Clearly we need to balance grace giving and truth telling when we confront people. To the extent that we keep these two aspects of confrontation in balance, to that extent we’ll be like Jesus himself when we confront a person.

A Soft Answer - Pt 5

A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression. One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. (Proverbs 29:22-23 ESV).

The fifth principle in developing the use of a “soft answer” as we find ourselves resolving conflict is keeping our anger under control. In any conflict, anger is like gasoline, and when anger is expressed inappropriately, minor conflicts can become volatile arguments. Our reading today is warning us that when we lose our temper, we end up committing more and more sins. We hurl words of abuse and insult on the person. We cut and slash with words of sarcasm. We destroy the person’s reputation with other people, passing our side of the story to anyone who will listen, sometimes under the guise of a prayer request. We might even make up lies about the person to get back at them. Returning to Peanuts for an illustration we see Lucy raging. Shaking her fist she yells, “Here are five good reasons not to bother me today!” Truthfully there isn’t even one reason not to resolve conflict in an appropriate, positive way. If we want to be wise in conflict, we need to learn to control our anger. That doesn’t mean stuffing the anger down deep inside ourselves so we don’t feel it anymore. We express our anger appropriately by having a conversation about it. Instead of shouting, instead of throwing things and punching the wall, we express it with appropriate words. The Apostle Paul said it this way: Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil (Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV). That’s so much easier to say than it is to do. But our best example is in Jesus’ reaction to the religious leaders when he healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath (cf. Mark 3:1-6). Here it says he looked around upon them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart. The inference is that Jesus saw the sin rather than the personal offense. That is what grieved him. So it seems to me that, if we're angry, what we should be angry at is sin. We shouldn't be angry at circumstances that are frustrating or off-putting; we shouldn’t be angry at the stuff of life. Jonathan Edwards made a resolution never to get angry at an inanimate object, because ultimately it would be anger against God who is in control in inanimate objects, and they don't have any will to commit an immorality with which to get angry. So we should get angry with sin, but that anger should be so mingled with heart-sorrows for the people sinning. We must be intentional in keeping our anger properly focused. That will help produce a soft answer.

A Soft Answer - Pt 4

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity. (Proverbs 28:13-14 ESV). The fourth principle in a soft answer is to admit our role in the conflict. Again the wisdom of Solomon helps us see this principle: Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 ESV).

In keeping with our use of the Peanuts characters, today we find Charlie Brown attempting therapy. I, of all people, would not disparage getting professional help when we feel “stuck” in life and simply cannot manage to see a way to go forward positively and affirmatively. Counseling and Life Coaching can and does help many people; fundamentally, however, what causes many of our problems in our lives is simply our refusal to admit our participation in a wrong. We certainly don't want our "fair share" of punishment for the things we have done wrongly in life. We always think much better of ourselves than what we deserve. Perhaps this is why Solomon urges us to “confess.” The word "conceal" in this verse is that same Hebrew word translated "cover" in Proverbs 10:12 and "overlook" in Proverbs 19:11. The idea here is that I can’t "cover" or "overlook" my own sins. Only the person I hurt can make the choice to "cover" or "overlook" my offense. Concealed sin cuts off God’s blessings in my life. Concealed sin hinders my prayer life, it chokes off God’s love; it builds a blockade against God’s presence. But when we confess and renounce our sins, we discover mercy. Further, the word for confess simply means agree or acknowledge. Instead of calling it indiscretion, call it gossip. Instead of calling it hormones, call it lust. Instead of calling it mistake, call it a sin. The word renounce means to abandon. This leads to mercy. Now we always find mercy from God when we confess and renounce, but we don’t always find mercy from people. Some people will refuse to forgive us. But we can be assured of God’s mercy, and when we admit our faults, we’re no longer isolated from God’s grace and presence in our lives. When we honestly admit our faults, we begin to walk in integrity. By admitting our faults, we make ourselves vulnerable to those we’ve hurt. We take what’s in our private self, and we take the risk to make it public. We do this, refusing to justify ourselves or make excuses, simply calling our sin for what it was. This kind of integrity opens us up to God’s blessings and grace, filling us with his mercy and compassion. This produces a soft answer that is essential to relational communication.

A Soft Answer - Pt 3

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Let another raise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty, but a fool's provocation is heavier than both. Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. (Proverbs 27:1-6 ESV).

We have used Peanuts for illustrations the last few days in our series dealing with the “soft answer.” Today’s cartoon has the caption of: “This is all your fault. I wouldn’t be so mean if you weren’t so gullible, Charlie Brown!” It takes us to our reading today. There Solomon tells us, Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. (Proverbs 27:5-6 ESV). We can conclude that we must open ourselves to correction if we desire to practice a soft answer in our communication with others. This is especially true when we are striving to resolve conflicts. Love must confront sometimes, and it’s far better to be confronted by someone who cares about you than it is to be flattered by someone who doesn’t care about you. Hidden love is a love that’s too timid and afraid to confront a person. Whenever we’re in a conflict with another person, we need to open ourselves to correction. In most cases, we’ve done things that contributed to the problem, whether it’s failing to meet an expectation, holding on to the problem for too long, or gossiping to a friend about the problem. Now opening ourselves to correction is exactly opposite of what we feel like doing in the midst of a conflict. Instead, our temptation is to close ourselves off to the other person, either out of anger or to protect ourselves from further hurt. We tend to rationalize our part in the problem as justified. There are two things that are essential in this exercise.  First, we need to recognize that having a conflict is not about competing. We are not trying to win an argument, but restore a relationship. I have often reminded couples in the midst of any disagreement that trying to win the argument will always lead to a Pyrrhic victory at best. You may win the battle, but you will most certainly lose the war.  Second, we need to both ask for forgiveness and grant forgiveness as God granted it to us. This is never optional for the believer. We cannot withhold grace and forgiveness, no matter how serious or severe the offense.

A Soft Answer - Pt 2

A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish. It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury, much less for a slave to rule over princes. Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:9-11 ESV).

The second principle in our series dealing with using soft answers to deal appropriately with conflict is to forgive offenses against you. In our reading today we find the wisdom stated clearly: Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense (Proverbs 19:11 ESV). This proverb describes the wise person, a man or woman who’s living with the grain of God’s wisdom. The wise person learns to overlook offenses. The word "overlook" here is the same Hebrew word translated "cover" in the previous proverb. To overlook an offense is to forgive that offense. This is describing a kind of emotional toughness that allows insults, hurtful words and sarcasm to bounce off. The decision to love gives the wise person the capacity to forgive. There are two ideas presented here:  Forgiveness is not pretending that the offense never happened. Acknowledgement of the offense is simply believing the truth. Forgiveness does not bury its head in the sand ignoring the truth of the hurt or the offense.  Forgiveness is making the choice to not hold onto an offense. I shudder to think what life would be like if Mary pointed out every little offense I commit. I am grateful that her love leads her to simply cover it, to let it go. Often it is the “letting go” of the offense that we struggle with the most. Our memories are often much too long in that regard. There are times we do need to confront a person in order to work through the process of forgiveness. When the offense is a pattern of behavior that’s slowly alienating us from the person, we need to confront. Or when the offense is self-destructive or dangerous, like drug or alcohol abuse, we need to confront. In these cases, we need to confront the person about the offense, but we confront in love in order to work through to forgiveness. We should exercise great caution, however. It is always easier to be good at “truth-telling” and very poor at “grace-giving.” Again our perfect example in this balance is Jesus. When he met with the woman at the well, his confrontation was full of grace and truth. That restored her to a position she had never experienced. It was so astonishing she went and told the entire town about her experience. We can use every experience of conflict to do the same if we will practice real forgiveness.

A Soft Answer - Pt 1

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense. (Proverbs 10:11-13 ESV).

As we continue the little series in using a soft answer in conflict the first principle is simply to decide to love. Our reading today is clear, Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses (Proverbs 10:12 ESV). The Hebrew word for "hatred" here simply refers to strong dislike for another person. Strong dislike for people stirs up arguments. The more we dislike a person, the more often we’ll tend to have conflict with that person. We often call these personality conflicts, but underneath we have strong dislike. But love, on the other hand, covers over all wrongs. This is an interesting word, "covers." This Hebrew verb "cover" here comes from the Hebrew word for "forgive." To cover a wrong is to forgive an offense, to let an offense go. This same Proverb is quoted in the New Testament to stress the importance of Christians loving each other (cf. 1 Peter 4:8). So here we find our first step to wise up about conflict. Decide ahead of time to conduct yourself with love. With every conflict we face a crossroads, a decision of whether to conduct ourselves with love or to conduct ourselves in an unloving way. For the follower of Jesus Christ, the only legitimate option is the path of love. This decision is often a difficult one, a decision that costs us and goes against our natural impulses. But this is the Christian path of growth and maturity, the pathway of love. Love is not acting as if you like someone you really don’t like. It is not just letting another person have their way, being a doormat in a relationship. Love is making the decision to act in the best interests of the other person. Love is a decision that puts the needs of the person above our own needs at that moment. That can only come from our relationship with Christ. We cannot do this of our own will and strength. So whenever we’re facing a conflict, whether with our child, a spouse, a friend, a church member, a boss, we need to decide ahead of time to conduct ourselves with love. Our best example is always Jesus. He consistently practiced relational honesty. When confronted by his enemies he would always put their needs above his own. He could have easily avoided all contact with them; however, knowing their need and their heart he honestly and gracefully confronted them with the truth. He had the perfect balance between truth telling and grace giving. We should strive for the same balance in our relationships.

AAUGH!

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. (Proverbs 15:1-5 ESV).

Yep… we have all been there at one time or another. Just as we are about to kick the ball someone pulls it out from beneath us and we splat on the ground in abject failure. This image of Peanuts has long been associated with this phenomenon of life. This drama played itself out for years, becoming the sacred autumnal drama, repeated nearly every September or October for over 50 years. It became our collectively acknowledged paradigm for the uneasy tension between trust and betrayal, hope and despair. To many children reading the cartoon it was the moment of failure that mattered, not the metaphor. No single act better encapsulated a child’s feeling of powerlessness; and, it is easy to feel Charlie Brown’s frustration and disappointment with every bone in their body. However, as we all age a bit, Lucy’s seemingly compulsive need to torment poor Charlie Brown becomes altogether too much a part of our experience. It is that feeling that brings me to our reading today. After all didn’t Lucy reassure Charlie Brown every year more and more that she would not jerk the football away causing him to fail once again and be ridiculed by any and all those watching the drama unfold? Sadly she always pulled it away, and he always failed to kick the ball. The history of this saga has been well documented. Lucy herself has offered a myriad of justifications over the years for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory: physiological (1966: a “ten-billion-to-one” muscle spasm), psychological (1975: “I’m not your mother, Charlie Brown”), sociological (1971: “This year’s football was pulled away from you through the courtesy of women’s lib”), and philosophical (1974: “In every program, Charlie Brown, there are always a few last-minute changes”), ecclesiastical (1980: “To everything there is a season ... and a time to pull away the football”),. In a meta-moment, Lucy even points to the larger meaning of this annual act: (1996: “Symbolism, Charlie Brown! The ball! The desire! The triumph! It’s all there!”). This echoes a dialogue they had 10 years earlier (Charlie Brown: “Somehow, I’ve missed the symbolism.” Lucy: “You also missed the ball, Charlie Brown”). The true origin of the story for Lucy’s sadistic game appeared in 1953. In this pivotal strip, Lucy herself struggles to kick a football. Over and over she tries to punt the ball and flubs her kicks. And what does Charlie Brown do? He publicly and cruelly mocks her. She takes it upon herself to be the cruel taskmaster teaching him the lesson of a “soft answer” instead of “harsh words.” Perhaps we all could learn from our reading the difference today is truly important. In the next few days we’ll look at six principles that help us with softer answers. Today, commit yourself to that soft answer!

Good and Evil

I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things. (Isaiah 45:5-7 ESV).

The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C. It is one of the most beautiful structures in D.C. Thousands of people may walk through the church to see the stained glass and spend a quiet moment at one of the many altars constructed inside. One oddity that many do not know about is the fact that Darth Vader is depicted on one of precipices of the church. As construction wrapped up in the mid-1980s, Washington National Cathedral invited schoolchildren across the country to design decorative sculptures for the west tower. Christopher Rader of Kearney, Nebraska, submitted a drawing of the Star Wars villain. His design came in third and was placed on the building’s northwest tower along with the other winning entries: a raccoon, a man with large teeth and an umbrella, and a girl with pigtails and braces. I found it unbelievable that this image would have been placed on the cathedral. Then I remembered the centuries old problem many people struggle with as they try to understand evil in the world. Non-Christians almost always raise the question, “If God is good and God is great (all-powerful) then how can there be evil in the world?” Further they go on to postulate that since there is evil, there must be no God; or if there is a God, he must not be good or he must not be all-powerful. For many years, the problem of evil was seen as a way to show that Christianity was logically inconsistent. If Christianity could be seen to be logically contradictory, then it had to be false. The truth is the struggle can be summarized with a more accurate declaration of God is good; God is all-powerful; God created the world; the world shouldn’t contain evil; but, the world contains evil. So, there is the conundrum. The Bible doesn’t teach that there shouldn’t be evil. In fact it is the existence of evil that helps us understand the true nature of righteousness. I know there is little comfort in that declaration; however, the comfort comes from the knowledge that Christ has overcome evil and death. One day an end will come to all of the unrighteousness that people are faced with today. Jesus will rule with perfect peace and harmony. That is the secure hope in which we live today. Darth Vader or not, good always wins when the opponents are our God and any evil.

The Thirteenth Hand at Iwo Jima

O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you? You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who exult in your name all the day and in your righteousness are exalted. (Psalm 89:8-16 ESV).

The Marine Corps War Memorial, more commonly known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, is perhaps one of the most moving memorials in Washing D.C. The world-famous statue, which is based on the iconic photograph taken by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal, depicts the six soldiers who raised the second American flag at Iwo Jima in the Japanese Volcano Islands on February 23, 1945, signifying the conclusion of the American campaign in the Pacific during World War II. The memorial is dedicated to “the Marine dead of all wars and their comrades of other services who fell fighting beside them.” The memorial was dedicated on November 10, 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the American flag has flown from the statue 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by presidential proclamation ever since. An urban legend has it that the statue includes not 12 hands but 13, which is a count impossible to verify by sight, since so many hands are jammed together. One myth about the 13th hand, Mr. Miller says, is that sculptor de Weldon added an extremity as the "hand of God raising the flag." I have been to the memorial and looked at it from various angles. It is hard to say whether there are 13 hands on the memorial or not. The sculptor denies he added a thirteenth hand saying, “Twelve hands were enough.” Whether it is no more than myth or not, there cannot be a denial as to the strength of God’s hand available to all of those who are his children. Our reading today is clear about that. I find it very comforting knowing that the Lord will offer me his hand. It is a comfort in times of difficulty; it is added strength in times of weakness; it support when I need his protection. I cannot imagine not holding my children’s hands when they were young for those very reasons. So, my heavenly Father holds ours each day as we walk our path on this earth.

Missing in Action

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:22-29 ESV).

As I continue my “tour” of some of the sites of Washington D.C., I can’t help but say the Veteran’s War Memorials are very striking. They are all impressive as they remind me of the incredible sacrifices that have been made by so many men and women on our behalf. Just one of those is the Korean War Veterans Memorial which is located near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. It was dedicated on July 27, 1995. The memorial commemorates the sacrifices of the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed services during the three-year period of the Korean War. From June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, 54,246 Americans died, and 8,200 were listed as missing in action, or lost or buried at sea at the Honolulu Memorial. In addition 103,284 were wounded during the conflict. The 19 stainless steel statues are approximately 7-feet tall and represent an ethnic cross section of America. The advance party has 14 Army, three Marine, one Navy and one Air Force members. The statues stand in patches of juniper bushes and are separated by polished granite strips, which give a semblance of order and symbolize the rice paddies of Korea. The troops wear ponchos covering their weapons and equipment. They seem to blow in the cold winds of Korea. The death toll and the missing in action of that war are shocking to me. It led me to our reading today. Jesus is very clear in declaring not one of his followers will be lost. No matter how fierce the battles we find ourselves engaged in; no matter how great our enemy seems; no matter how much we feel outnumbered; we cannot be lost. That undeniable truth can give us great comfort in the path we are called to walk in this life. Jesus did not promise to shield us from the conflict and battles of this world; he did promise to escort us safely home. That promise will be kept. He has proven it in his death and resurrection. Whatever you may be facing today, take heart, it will not deny you safe passage home.

Quarrels and Divisions

The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. (Titus 3:8-11 ESV).

My visit to D.C. this year is proving of great interest in that I am learning more of the back story of the memorials and monuments. It seems that they were not always held in the great reverence they are today. In fact, the story behind the Jefferson Memorial is one of those that could teach all of us a very important lesson. It is one of older monuments in the national mall. It is now 74 years old. Many believe that Jefferson is meant to be watching over the White House, but in reality, he’s looking just east of it, to the U.S. Treasury Building. In front of it stands a statue of Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury and one of Jefferson’s biggest rivals. Hamilton is looking in Jefferson’s direction as well, but that’s just luck. His bronze was installed in 1923, back when they were still thinking about honoring Teddy Roosevelt instead of Thomas Jefferson. But the direction of Jefferson’s gaze is certainly no accident, according to the National Park information about the memorial: "George Washington hated the idea of factions and of political parties, wanting everyone to recognize themselves as nothing other than Americans. In his opinion, Jefferson and Hamilton were leading those that were beginning to pull the administration apart and even pull the country apart into parties. Standing between the Jefferson and Hamilton statues is the monument to President Washington, who tried to bridge their differences, who tried to unify them in common purpose, but failed.” The Apostle Paul recognized how destructive any divisions or “quarrels” would be in the community of faith. Our reading today encourages us to avoid these foolish controversies that so often become points of separation. We have not heeded that exhortation in many churches, and worse, we have not practiced that in our families. Unless we find the grace to practice affirmative, loving relational conversation in our homes, we will continue to see their destruction. I wonder how many marriages and families could have been saved from the destruction of divorce and estrangement had they been infused with the power of God’s grace. Devote yourself to making that the reality of your life today.

Peace

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-17 ESV).

The Apostle Paul writes about the “peace of Christ” in our reading today. So often we find that peace nearly impossible to achieve in view of our circumstances. In the classic film, Wings of Desire, one of the patrons in a Berlin library asks “Why is peace so unattainable?” Well, one of the monuments in Washington, D.C. seems to have proven that true. There are countless monuments to wars and their heroes, but relatively few to celebrate peace. Even the “Peace Monument,” erected in 1877 at the foot of Capitol Hill where Pennsylvania Avenue ends, is really more about war than peace, and like the city's many war memorials, people have bickered over it at least as much as they've celebrated its theme of tranquility. Construction began in the spring of 1877, but the memorial was never really finished. It was supposed to include a decorative fountain around its base and four street lamps at the corners. Instead, the marble base of the pedestal includes four bare holes that dump water out into the surrounding basin, and the four granite piers that were meant to hold the "artistic" lampposts have naked screws sticking out of them, waiting patiently (for 135 years now) for the lampposts to be installed. Sometimes it may seem as if we are no more than an unfinished work waiting for peace to come. The circumstances and difficulties of life may seem to press in on us to the point that we believe we shall be crushed under the weight of them. However, peace is available to all of those who come to Christ. Just as the woman crying her tears of grief are depicted as being consoled by the angelic recorder in this monument, so we can be assured that Christ both records and resolves our grief through his sacrificial death. He only waits for us to come to him. The end of suffering and grief has already been accomplished. We only wait for the final end to be pronounced. Thank God for this mighty victory of grace!

Set Free

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” (John 8:31-38 ESV).

Seated proudly at the west end of Washington, D.C.’s National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial is one of the most beloved American monuments. It attracts millions of visitors each year. Perhaps more than any other accomplishment from, Lincoln’s term came in the form of the Emancipation Proclamation even though it didn’t actually free all of the slaves. Since Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation as a military measure, it didn’t apply to border slave states like Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri, all of which had remained loyal to the Union. Lincoln also exempted selected areas of the Confederacy that had already come under Union control in hopes of gaining the loyalty of whites in those states. In practice, then, the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t immediately free a single slave, as the only places it applied were places where the federal government had no control, the Southern states currently fighting against the Union. However, it was a turning point in the Civil War striking a mortal blow against the institution of slavery and paving the way for its eventual abolition by the 13th Amendment. Walking through the mall and seeing the memorial once again reminded me how impossible it is for man to provide any semblance of freedom to another. Jesus tells us in our reading for today that the only real freedom is to be found in him. It is the truth of the gospel that conveys the means of freedom which was accomplished through the finished work of Christ on the cross. We can only fully discover that truth through the Scripture. I often tell people who come to me for counseling or life-coaching that I use the Scripture exclusively in guiding them through their challenges. After all, it is the repository of truth, and truth will set you free. Lincoln was a great man and a visionary national leader; however, he had no real power to set people free. Only God can do that; and, he has chosen to do it through His only begotten Son, Jesus. Look to Him and you will be free!

Coming in for a Landing

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:20-26 ESV).

Today Mary and I will be flying to Washington D.C. We will visit with Aaron for a little while before he leaves with his students for study abroad. D.C. is a wonderful place with so many historical places to see and visit. We love to go for a visit each year. However, flying in to Reagan National Airport is quite the challenge. I am told it is more complicated than at most other airports because of restricted airspace, noise regulations, and the fact that there’s just one runway long enough for large aircraft. In fact, until recently, all planes flying into DCA followed routes marked by small, World War II-era navigation towers on the ground. The towers send signals into the sky, creating “waypoints” for the planes to pass through during descent. The waypoints, which appear every 15 to 20 miles along the route, mark elevation and speed targets that pilots aim to hit. At a waypoint above Great Falls, Virginia, for example, planes are supposed to fly at about 7,000 feet and no more than 250 knots. Once you get close to the airport the tension increases. About 850 planes take off and land at DCA each day, usually spending no more than 30 seconds on the runway, often far less. I rarely take it for granted when I arrive safely on the ground and step off the plane! I was reminded of the high priestly prayer of Jesus of which a part is in our reading today. In it Jesus prays specifically for us. We are “the ones who will believe through their word.” We are the recipients of the blessing of the early disciples’ missionary work. Jesus prays that we will be with Him and see His glory. In other places we know that nothing can take us away from that position (cf. John 16, Romans 8). Well, the point is that no matter how many “landings” there might be when we take off from this life and land in the next, our pilot is an expert. He won’t lose one no matter how complicated the flight pattern. Just like I am not worried about landing at DCA, I’m sure not worried about landing in heaven with my Savior! That’s news that is truly good!

Twists and Turns

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:5-8 ESV).

Last weekend we had the running of the 143rd Kentucky Derby. Always Dreaming won when he held off a late charge from Lookin At Lee, Battle of Midway and Classic Empire by two-and-three-quarter lengths. I began to think about that finish and went to our reading today. I was reminded that in the Christian life there isn’t a “win, place, and show.” We all win when we cross the finish line having given our all to the race God has set before us. It also made me think about our walk of faith and our seasons of service. Moses didn’t always lead the Israelites. For a while, it was sheep. For a while, he wasn’t leading anyone at all. In fact it could be argued he was trying to do it alone and not doing well at all. And in his final days on earth, he only got to see the Promised Land. He couldn’t enter it. All of us have those moments in life. We all have a story line for how we think our lives are supposed to go. No matter what it looks like, we all have a script for how we think life should play out. And that’s great until things don’t work out like we had hoped, until there’s a change of plans, a failure or a disappointment. Moments like that are frustrating and can leave us feeling like our whole story is ruined. The Apostle Paul’s life-story was full of twists and turns like these. Moments where no one knew what would happen or if it would ever be okay again. But through Paul’s response, we discover that our most disappointing moments don’t have to be the end. In fact, they may just be the plot twist that makes our story even better. There is really only one key to success in these kinds of twists and turns in life. We must learn the principle of relational living instead of the often practiced principle of reactionary living. The latter is much easier, but it never produces true victory. Tragically we are little more than waves driven in the wind when we merely react to life’s circumstances. The kind of hope that allows Paul to declare he is “ready to be poured out” is future focused. He knows he will finish the race and win the prize of eternal life. He knows this simply because of his relationship with Christ. He is not depending on how well his present circumstances seem; he is depending on the promises of God secured through the completed work of grace in Christ. I like that kind of dependence much more. It works!

Watershed Moments

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5 ESV).

I decided to look at some lists this week. Today I’ve called them “Watershed Moments.” A watershed moment is a critical turning point in history is when something changes and things will never be the same again. This list looks through history at the most significant events that truly did change the world. Of course there are as many of these lists as there are people who would like to make them. Here are my “top ten” starting with number ten and going to the most important number one:  The October Revolution  The Invention of the Watt Steam Engine  The Assassination of Archduke Ferdinand Francis  The Black Plague  The Storming of the Bastille in Paris  The Development of a Vaccine for Small Pox  The Invention of the Printing Press  The Publication of Luther’s 95 Theses  The Berlin Conference  The Incarnation Throughout history, the influence Jesus had on the lives of people has never been surpassed. Christianity has evolved the world, and changed how people think, and live. Even the dating system we use is based on the birth of Jesus. The subject of countless books and debates, no other person has had more affect on world history than any other leader or philosophy or political movement. However, the greatest impact of the birth of Jesus was not in philosophy, politics, or theology. The incredible impact of the Incarnation is that the Creator became like the created. God became a man. Perhaps it is that I have spent a bit more time lately thinking about the relationship we are offered through the work of grace in Christ. There are those times in my life when I am forced to ask whether God really knows what’s happening in my life or not; I ponder the declaration that God cares, personally, about what is happening in my life. It is those moments when I return to this incredible pivot point in history and cannot help but conclude that not only does God care, he is very involved. He really has “been there and done that.” He cares and oversees every moment of my life because I am his child. Now, that brings me comfort. That changes my world. Let it change yours.

Stuck in a Rut - Pt 4

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (James 2:14-26 ESV).

The third step in the process is to execute, or simply do the plan. That’s often a lot easier said than accomplished. Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers once said: “Plan your work and work your plan.” God likes it when you plan your work and work your plan. Proverbs 21:5 in the New Living Translation says: “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” Our reading today encourages us to both believe and behave. We should be very conscious of our need to have faith and live our faith. I like this illustration of people carrying their plan. It is a reminder of how important it is to execute our plan. Here are four steps that will help:  First, take small steps. Tell yourself you only have to do 5 minutes of work on it. That small amount of work is less intimidating.  Second, just start. Once you get going, it’s much easier to keep going. So tell yourself that all you have to do is start. It gets easier after that point.  Third, reward yourself. Whatever might be a “reward” plan that for your successful behavior.  Fourth, rekindle passion for the task. Get rid of the dread and redirect it to excitement about your action. Get started today!

Stuck in a Rut - Pt 3

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:7-9 ESV).

I have taught people the Law of the Harvest for years. The Apostle Paul makes it very clear in our reading today. My paraphrase has always been simpler for me to remember: You get what you get because you go where you go; if you don’t like what you’re getting, don’t go where you’re going.” The simple truth is that you will reap what you sow. In our little series concerning getting out of our ruts we saw that trusting God for our future was the first essential. Today we see that planning is the second essential. How many times do you suppose a farmer goes out in the fall thinking to himself, "I wonder what we are going to harvest this year?" Does he go out into the field and say, "Well look at that its corn!" Or, "A whole field of watermelons! Who would have guessed it?" No, I don't think that happens, because there is a law in the universe that is as reliable as the law of gravity. What a person sows he reaps. We understand that with trees, and we understand it with crops. But it is interesting how hard that is to understand in life. I can't tell you how many people I have talked with who don't understand why things are happening to them. They say, "Why is this happening in my marriage? Why is this happening in my family? Why is this happening in my finances?" Everything is falling apart for them, and it just doesn't dawn on them that they reap what they sow. For years this is what they have been sowing. So why does it surprise them when that is what they reap? As a matter of fact, often in those times people get angry with God. They want to know, "Where is God, and why does it have to be this way?" As if it is all God's fault, when God has said what you sow is what you are going to reap. The answer is in good planning. Perhaps the most important part of this planning is being intentional. Of course your goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. We’ve all heard this acronym (SMART) through the years; however, the most important part of any planning is seeking the wisdom of God. This is done through Scripture, prayer, and the wise coaching of other mature believers. Find a mentor that you can depend on to help you find your seed to plant. Then, you have every right to expect a great harvest in its time. Remember though, to harvest, you must plant. That will take us to our third essential. Tomorrow we will see it is essential to execute.

Stuck in a Rut - Pt 2

Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:16-19 ESV).

Some years ago I was hunting in the piney woods of east Texas. I had killed a large feral hog and had no way of dragging it out without my truck. At that time I had a two wheel drive Ford Ranger. It was a good truck, but not suited for dragging a 250 pound hog out of the mud and muck of an east Texas bog; before very long, I was stuck in my own ruts, buried up to the axles. I tried everything to get out of that rut. I tied off to a solid tree and tried to use the leverage of the tree to get out; I tried tying wood to the tires to give a wider footprint; I tried pushing and pulling; all of this only served to make it worse. I finally walked out of the area to a local farmer and asked him if he could bring his tractor to pull be out. What a mess! Later in the year on another trip I loaded my truck and got behind the wheel only to find a note left by my son, David. It simple said: “Remember Dad, this is NOT a 4-wheel-drive.” Well, there are some reminders I’d like to give you as you find yourself stuck in your “rut.” There are three basic steps. The first is to trust. Change is hard, scary and most of us try to avoid it at all costs. We like to stay inside our comfort zone. That’s not surprising, it’s called a comfort zone for a reason; it’s comfortable. But if you want to grow, you need to step beyond your comfort zone and embrace the unknown with the knowledge that the Lord is more than sufficient to lead and empower us for that unknown. This is certainly the reference of the Prophet Isaiah when he writes: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” God is not in the practice of leading us to a place where we cannot go through to his goal for us. As strange and challenging as the future may appear, God will lead us. Trusting him in our journey is the first step to successfully navigate out of our “ruts.” The risk is never in getting stuck in the mud and muck. The real risk is letting life pass you by while you’re in a comfortable state of complacency. Take the risk. It can change your life and the more you do it the easier it becomes until it too, becomes a habit. I often wonder what my life would have been like had I not trusted God with some of those decisions. I know it wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting. I am also absolutely sure it would not have nearly as fulfilling. We’ll look at the second step tomorrow. Today, trust the Lord!

Stuck in a Rut - Pt 1

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:6-11 ESV).

All of us have experienced the feeling of being stuck in a “rut.” Sometimes I find myself stuck in a mental rut of sort. Not long ago, at our 50th High School Reunion, someone gave me a picture of several of us at a party of some sort. We tried to name all the others in the picture and got all of them but one. That put me in a mental rut. I had to find out who the other person was. I asked other classmates with no positive response. Then, in frustration and some hope, I posted it on social media and asked others to join me in the metal quest. Fortunately an answer was forthcoming and the mystery was solved. Ruts can be problematic for all of us. In our reading today we see the eleven remaining disciples (since Judas Iscariot was dead at this point) in a rut. Jesus was preparing them for his ascension and encouraging them with the news of the coming of the Holy Spirit; and, they couldn’t get past their old understanding. They were in danger of missing this wonderful new work of Jesus. Ruts are always a danger like that. Jesus had to deal with the disciples on this before the Church even got started. Let me set the stage a bit. Jesus has just finished with commanding “Don’t leave but wait! The Holy Spirit is the gift worth waiting for…” and you’d expect the disciples to break into a happy dance or at least be on the lookout for this gift all the while asking, “Are we there yet?” they did just the opposite. Jesus was talking about the Kingdom OF God and these disciples are still there asking about the Kingdom TO Israel. They were about to miss the grand entrance of the Church Age. I sometimes wonder if we aren’t like that today. You may have even responded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit with a stubborn response of “But, we’ve always done it the other way.” That’s a sure sign you’re stuck. We’ll be looking at the way we can fix that in our lives over the next few days. For now, confess your tendency to get stuck and ask the Lord to open your heart and mind.

New Every Morning

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; let him put his mouth in the dust— there may yet be hope; let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults. For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. (Lamentations 3:25-33 ESV).

Not far from where we live in Aledo, Texas, there’s a wonderful little spot that just seems to epitomize North Central Texas. Having left the house early one morning I decided to take one of the back roads before making my way into Arlington for a day of counseling appointments. I was rewarded with an incredible sunrise. I couldn’t help but think this vista was completely unique and new in every way. I was fortunate to be there. I was “blessed.” Part of who we are is that we were created to be blessed. I wish that I was more cognizant of that truth. I honestly don’t wake up every day thinking that God is looking to bless me from the moment the sun rises until the sun rises the following day. Perhaps I’m too busy or preoccupied. However, the truth remains. Blessing has been God’s way since creation. After God created Adam and Eve, He blessed them. Not because Adam and Eve had done anything to make God decide to reward them, but because our God is generous and loves to bless. The unusual thing about the sovereignty of God is that he gets the credit for any blessings that come my way and God gets the blame for the things that happen that cause me to question.” However, in everything blessing is still present. This is the message of the wise writer of Lamentations. Look at the blessings of God in our reading again. Solomon says we receive the Lord’s great love, His compassions never fail, His great faithfulness, His goodness, His salvation, and even His hope! What are you facing today? Have you received bad news from your doctor? Have you experienced a financial setback that threatens your future? Perhaps you are struggling with some relational difficulty in your family. Maybe you are waking each day dreading one more day of your work. Whatever your challenge today, turn your attention to the new blessing of God for you. It’s there. Find it; revel in it. Know that God wants to bless you and is working your good in all things.

The Great Dust Bowl

My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! (Psalm 119:25-32 ESV). I’ve returned to Psalm 119 today. Remember that this psalm was written as an acrostic (arranged by letters of the Hebrew alphabet). This was often done as a mnemonic device. We do the same today as a way to help remember and memorize important things. It jogs the brain to remembering if the person speaking Hebrew knew which letter of the alphabet comes next and that the first word of the passage begins with that letter. So, today we come to Daleth, and the first word in Hebrew is dabaqah which means clings to. Literally the first line of this is “My soul clings to the dust. Revive me according to your Word.”

The Dust Bowl was a "decade-long disaster" and a series of droughts that was one of the worst natural disasters in American history. Dust Storms and “Black Blizzards” began in 1932 that ripped up the topsoil sweeping thousands of tons of dirt across America. 100 million acres of farming land was destroyed. The Dust Bowl saw plagues of centipedes, spiders, crickets, and grasshoppers. Many people suffered from numerous health problems, notably dust pneumonia. While recovery was long in coming and slow, it did come. Various relief programs and agencies were initiated in what was called the “New Deal.” It may seem that you are going through your own “dust bowl” spiritually. Sometimes the more we try to rise above our circumstances, the more struggles seem to come our way. The Psalmist has a remedy for that: “Strengthen me according to your Word.” God’s desire is to call us to a place of shelter and safety. It is a place to regain your energy and find a solid footing again. It is a place of protection. It is inevitable that storms will come into our lives. They can be frightening and rob us of our joy and peace in life if we let them. Thankfully our heavenly Father is waiting to calm the storms of life, or in the midst of them, His Word and His nearness will calm us. In our struggle to fix our lives we often forget about our greatest resource. Find yourself going to the Lord first. It makes the other steps much easier.