Enjoy the Day! - Pt 6

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33 ESV).

I must confess that there was a day when I loved fast cars. When I was a senior in high school I had a ’67 SS396 Chevelle, much like the one pictured. I did take it to the Houston International Drag Raceway a time or two, though most of my races were done on a lonely stretch of backroads with lots of friends watching as at least two of us entered into the completion for the fastest car. Mine was fast. It could easily manage 125 mph in a ¼ mile. And it would smoke the tires! I was as careful as I thought necessary. I always wore a seat belt, tightly fastened; and, I had a St. Christopher medallion on the dash! Can I say that neither of those “protected” me from an accident? I would have done much better to observe the speed limits of the road! The human tendency toward superstition is strong. We can all lean toward spiritualizing objects, behaviors, and beliefs without a concern for the person and will of God. We love our superstitions and the talismans that seem to protect us from the things we fear most. As followers of Christ, we aren’t immune to superstitions and talismans. We can turn anything into pious superstition, even church attendance and participation. If I just show up Sunday morning or join the right ministry team, God will bless my life. Others might even join the church’s leadership, hoping that being a professional Christian will better ensure the blessings of God. None of these activities is bad. In fact, they’re quite excellent and beneficial, unless they’re approached as acts of pious superstition. The truth is that the provenance of God trumps “luck” every time. From an earthly perspective, things may seem to happen at random, but throughout the whole of Scripture, it is clear that God is in control of all of His creation and is somehow able to take the random acts of natural law, the free will of both good and evil men, and the wicked intent of demons and combine them all to accomplish His good and perfect will (cf. Genesis 50:20; Job chapters 1 and 42; and John 9:1-7). And Christians, specifically, are given the promise that God works all things, whether seemingly good or bad, together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (cf. Romans 8:28). So, joy comes from trusting the Lord’s direction. Not our effort or some “lucky charm.” Lucky charms may be a great breakfast cereal, but they are a terrible way to create and maintain joy in your life!

Enjoy the Day! - Pt 5

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! (Psalm 100:1-4 ESV).

Joy is found in understanding our nature. We are “sheep.” This means the temptation to conform is heavy. However, we must remember that everyone who has achieved the admiration of others thought outside of the box; and, they probably broke a lot of the norms prevalent in their society while they were at it. Martin Luther King Jr., the Wright brothers, Gandhi, and even Jesus Christ would have accomplished nothing if they resigned themselves to the self-defeating belief of, “Oh well, I guess that’s just the way things are.” God does not ask for us to be spineless conformists in this world; He has called us to become courageous, creative thinkers who aren’t afraid to be authentic and swim against the current, no matter what our culture has to say about it. We can, and should dare to be different, because the world needs the unique gift only we can offer. Great joy is rooted in the truth that we are a masterpiece! When God made us, He really did break the mold; we are an original! Knowing that we are unique should humble us. It should make us realize just how much God loves us. We understand that no two people have the same fingerprint. It is overwhelming to think that there is no other one in the human population who has the identical pattern that we have. And, it doesn't end there. We know that our DNA is strikingly different as well. No two people have the same identical DNA. God wanted us to be uniquely different, and at the same time, have some of the same characteristics and traits of our parents. However, as much as we may be similar to our parents, we are unique. David said it this way in the Psalms: "I will praise you; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that my soul knows right well" )Psalm 139:14). This great value inspires joy! We take so many things for granted in this day and time, and we shouldn't, especially if we are Christians. With each passing day, we should gain a new appreciation for how He has blessed us. That ought to amaze us; it ought to raise us from any despair and place us in the position of delight. Use this thought to inspire you to that joy today!

Enjoy the Day! - Pt 4

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5:6-10 ESV).

Another killer of our joy is people pleasing; it is an exercise in futility. Our culture has produced a pronounced tendency to approval addiction. Many find themselves constantly battling with the need for approval and the wrong thinking that more good deeds equal more love. But at the cross, Jesus demonstrated the price he paid because he loved us. We did not need to do anything for this love. A vital truth to combat this fear is: Not everyone will love me, but the One who matters will never stop loving me. God’s love for us does not ebb and flow; it does not waver; it does not increase or decrease; it is consistent. We also don’t need to lose our assurance as children of God every time we sin or forget these truths. His love for us is made complete in Christ, so there’s no need to fear rejection. Once we are secure in our relationship with God, and understand the implications of that relationship, we will seek to know how we can please him. Jesus explained to his disciples that loving God was demonstrated by obeying God (cf. John 14:21). As we increase our desire to obey God, the desire to please others fades, and pleasing God becomes more important (v. 9). We need to redefine success: It is whatever brings glory to God. Instead of looking to what we accomplish, how much money we make, who we impressed with our accolades, we need to evaluate the fruit we are bearing for the Lord and the relationship we have with Jesus Christ. We need to prioritize faithfulness. We were designed to crave love from the One who is love. Not everyone will love me. Those who do love me will never love me the way I crave to be loved because I was created to be complete in Christ alone. We will not always please people. Our days are spent to please God, bring him joy, and reflect the One who created us for his ultimate glory! When we turn our thoughts and actions from pleasing others to pleasing Christ, only then will we find contentment, peace, and freedom. Turn your frustration to joy by looking to Jesus. He is pleased with you and has already proven it forever!

Enjoy the Day! - Pt 3

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14 ESV).

Nathan Hale elevated the term “regret” to a new high in 1776. Hale, at just twenty-one years old, was a captain in the colonial army. He was arrested by the British as a spy and sentenced to hang. His courageous, final words were: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Regret is more often than not destructive. It is also a killer of our joy. Typically we may define “regret” as a distress of mind, or a painful memory, over something that happened in the past. It often reflects the thought of a circumstance that lies beyond the possibility of repair. There are also those times when it reflects a situation that is not beyond the scope of correction, but it hasn’t been corrected yet. I’m not sure Charlie Brown ever got to actually kick the football Lucy held for him, however he kept trying. As we continue this little series dealing with joy, we must come to a place where we learn to stop past failures from robbing us of our daily joy. Agonizing over the past accomplishes nothing. This is especially true if you are already in a situation that cannot be undone. Your time would be better spent moving forward in the direction of a better future. Look at every new day as a fresh opportunity to improve yourself. I recently saw a wonderful meme with a quote from Andy Biersack. He said, “When people hurt you over and over, think of them like sandpaper. They may scratch and hurt you a bit, but in the end you end up polished and they end up useless.” When I think of the people in the Bible who could have been filled with such regret over their actions that they ceased to be effective for God and His Kingdom like Moses, who killed a man; King David who took another man's wife and then had him killed; The Apostle Paul who persecuted and killed Christians before His conversion; Peter who denied Christ three times, each of these people could have buried themselves in regret, guilt and shame if they did not accept the forgiveness and grace that God offered them. God’s desire is to create good in our lives, even with the sandpaper. This is at the heart of the Apostle Paul instructing us to “press on” (v. 14). I wonder if that might be where you are today? Accept the things that cannot be changed and press on! God’s desire for you and Jesus’ mission is for your life, and that abundantly!

Enjoy the Day! - Pt 2

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (Joshua 1:7-8 ESV).

Joy in our lives can be elusive. This is especially true when we seem overwhelmed with the circumstances of our lives. In the next few days my hope and prayer is that I will be able to share some things that have proven helpful to me. The first principle is to recognize that education does not end with our classroom experience. Our reading today is an indicator of this truth. When God tells Joshua, “be careful to do everything written”, I picture Him putting His hand on his shoulder, looking deep into his eyes with a gentle voice. The words, “be careful”, slow and emphasized because He loves Joshua so much. He wants Joshua to know that he can truly trust God’s love for him and his desire for only what is best in his life. God wants what’s best for us as well. I have found that the first key in studying the Scripture is to be observant. As you read the Bible, you need to look carefully at what is said, and how it is said. Let me make a few suggestions: Look for terms, not words. Words can have many meanings, but terms are words used in a specific way in a specific context. For instance, the word trunk could apply to a tree, a car, or a storage box. However, when you read, “That tree has a very large trunk,” you know exactly what the word means, which makes it a term. Notice the structure. If you look at your Bible, you will see that the text has units called paragraphs. A paragraph is a complete unit of thought. You can discover the content of the author’s message by noting and understanding each paragraph unit. We should also notice the use of repetition. This is another way an author demonstrates that something is important. One reading of 1 Corinthians 13, where the author uses the word “love” nine times in only 13 verses, communicates to us that love is the focal point of these 13 verses. Look for the —Ifs and thens: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Don’t just read for the story. Study it and let it permeate your life. God’s promise is that it will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (v. 8).

Enjoy the Day! - Pt 1

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:9-10 ESV).

I went for a three-month follow-up with my cardiologist last week. The final report is very good. There are still some things I need to continue and a few things that cannot be changed with medication, diet, or exercise; however, the overall prognosis is good. My youngest son, Aaron, was with me for my appointment. It seems my family doesn’t trust me enough to go alone. It may have something to do with my overly optimistic attitude concerning my health; and, though I think I can convey the gist of a doctor’s report fairly well, they don’t share my opinion! So, I am always accompanied with a “reliable adult”! We had the first scheduled appointment of the afternoon. I have found that either the first of the morning or after lunch is the least likely to provide a long wait time. We were there in time to fill out any forms or present any necessary documents or identification and sat waiting to be called. As we waited, several other patients came in. There were two elderly men in wheel chairs, one who was using oxygen and a walker, and another who was accompanied by a caregiver guiding him as if he were unable to walk alone. I have no idea what each of these other patients were there about, though it is strictly a cardiology office. We were shown back to the exam room and saw a nurse who took vitals, and, then an associate physician who asked more of the same questions as the nurse. It was not a terrible wait before my doctor came in. He had the notes open and began to compliment me on my continued weight loss, good blood pressure, and other positive results from the brief exam. I felt pretty good about the accolades of accomplishment. He asked if I had any questions to which I replied no. And, last he told me that I would need to come back in six months at which time we’d do another echocardiogram to see how much the blockage had worsened. I couldn’t help but be reminded that he did not use the word “if” when speaking about the blockage. I still have one that cannot be aggressively treated yet. I’m always the one who says, “Get it fixed.” I’m not a paragon of patience! It was funny how that one word dampened my joy. I told Aaron that as we left the building and his response made me think: “Well, Dad, at least you’re walking out by yourself. Those other folks weren’t able to do that.” It was a clear reminder that perfection is not the prerequisite for joy. We can enjoy the day, by enjoying where we are!

Back to School

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. (Matthew 7:1-5 ESV).

Well, it has happened too quickly for some and not nearly quickly enough for others, but school has begun. I love all the social media showing the first day of school for their children. Of particular interest is the “then and now” pictures. One mom posted a picture of her son when he was in first grade and now as a senior in high school. Even though they were taken in the same place, the differences were amazing to see. Our oldest grandchildren are sophomores at Aledo High School this year. We don’t have any pictures of the “then and now,” though we have been present with them from the beginning of their educational years. As we spent a little time with them the evening before their first day, the topic did drift into how much they were looking forward to the new year. Their answer was predictable, as each echoed the same sentiment of disdain. I wish that I had been a bit more prepared for a better answer than I gave. My encouragement was more along the lines of “the sooner you begin the sooner you end.” And, believe me, that was not received well at all! After a bit of thought I came to our reading today with a thought of how we can use the beginning of the year as a time to really “see.” I think it is an incredible time to see their fellow students and teachers in this common setting and make the adjustments to practice a non-judgmental relationship with everyone they meet. I think it can be a time to be very intentional to recognize Jesus as he shows up in school. It should be a time to see good in all the folks around us. We are presented an opportunity to focus on the beauty of diversity that we are a part of in the experience. We may also take the time to see the needs of the world around us and tallow that to provoke the missional imagination God has given us. Perhaps best of all, we may get a clearer picture of the future and what it might hold for us. At the beginning of the year, I encourage each of us to recommit ourselves to think about being seen. Not in the showy, attention-getting way that we first think about when we use the words “being seen;” but the gracious humble way of Christ. Certainly we can all do with a little more of that kind of attitude.

Ringtail Cats and Rocking Chairs - Pt 4

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:12-14 ESV).

The last principle to implement is the true nature of freedom. We can take an illustration from the story of wild horses in Texas. If you look at some old maps of Texas, large sections of those maps are labeled “wild horse desert” or just “wild horses.” This land was once home to an estimated 1 million wild horses. They were known as Mustangs. Tragically these horses that numbered so large are all but extinct in the wild. The only place to see large numbers of wild horses are on government storage pastures. In fact, we spend millions of dollars each year in an attempt to protect them from those that would round them up and domesticate them, or worse, merely turn them into food for our dogs. They have had their freedom taken away in the name of protection. That might be what you think I am attempting to do in our little series about a day of rest. It does, at first glance,” seem to just be another rule we need to follow. Of course, it is for our own good, but it sounds like another “law”. Actually the opposite is true. Taking a weekly day of rest declares our freedom. Freeing one day a week from the tyranny of the urgent and the never-finished to-do list reminds us and those around us that we are no longer slaves. The original recipients of the command to rest one day in seven were reminded that the Lord rescued them from slavery in Egypt (cf. Deuteronomy 5:15). But for Israel — and for us — redemption from physical bondage was merely a picture of the greater freedom from sin and death (vv. 15-23). We see more clearly than did Israel that we “were called to freedom” (cf. Galatians 5:13), and therefore our cause for remembrance and celebration is greater. We take a day of rest not by obligation, but out of a greater desire to pause, to remember, to look forward, and to worship. Declaring that we freely choose to celebrate freedom is a message sorely needed by those who are enslaved to the obligations of busyness and who feel like they cannot escape the tyranny of burnout. That is the real message of the church, not the endless tasks or jobs we need to fulfill in the name of the church. God is not limited to our level of participation in the work of the gospel. God’s grace is no dependent on our ministry. We must recapture the freedom found in the difference between “I gotta…” and “I get to…” do what needs to be done. Recapture your freedom in Christ. Take a day every week to be with Him!

Ringtail Cats and Rocking Chairs - Pt 3

And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. (Exodus 16:15-20 ESV).

The story of our reading is a continuation from yesterday. Moses instructed the people that they would be provided with enough “manna” that they would have each day’s food. They only needed to gather it each day, and a double ration on the day before Sabbath. The people ignored the instructions they were given and tried to store up food “just in case.” They didn’t trust God to provide for their needs. Unfortunately that is a common experience among all of us. We may talk about how much we believe and trust God to provide for us, but our practice is entirely different than our profession. Taking a weekly day of rest is a sign that we trust God. Taking one day a week to let go of our endeavors to survive the present and prepare for the future shows that we trust God that his provision for the present is adequate and his promise for the future is sure. When we have a weekly rhythm of a day of rest, we stand alongside the old covenant saints who trusted God to provide for their needs. We stand alongside Jesus, who rejected Satan’s attempt to convince him to look after his own needs, by recalling that we live not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord (cf. Matthew 4:4). We live with integrity as people who pray “give us this day our daily bread” (cf. Matthew 6:11), and then trust God to do it. As finite creatures, we declare our trust in the resources of the infinite Creator, who provides us with every blessing (cf. Ephesians 1:3; 1 Timothy 6:17). When we commit to enjoy a weekly day of rest in the busiest seasons of life, we declare our trust in God even more loudly (cf. Exodus 34:21). More than anything we are able to trust the God who does indeed provide all our needs to do precisely as He has promised. And, that is the essence of faith. That same faith leads us to hope. Then that hope produces in us a courageous ability to face every circumstance in strength. It begins with rest.

Ringtail Cats and Rocking Chairs - Pt 2

On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’” So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.” (Exodus 16:22-26 ESV).

The first step in developing rest in our lives is to take one day as a “Sabbath.” Taking a weekly day of rest is a sign that we desire God. Taking one day a week to cease our strivings and focus on God shouts out that we desire God above status, financial reward, promotion in the workplace, achievement, and all other things that would distract us from the one we love. Not taking time with someone we love when given the chance is a sure sign of diminished desire to be with them, to reflect together on the good times spent together in the past, and to consider what the future holds. When we specifically and intentionally set a day a week aside to focus on the Lord, as the old covenant people of God were commanded to do as they journeyed (vv. 23, 25), we signal to the world that our hearts belong to him. Setting aside this day is a means of treasuring both rest and worship. The journey from Egypt to the Promised Land was not an easy one. It is no wonder that God needed to provide food for them as they trekked across the desert. He decided to do that through the means of this miraculous appearance of manna each morning. The Bible describes it as having the appearance of bdellium, adding that the Israelites ground it and pounded it into cakes, which were then baked, resulting in something that tasted like cakes baked with oil; and, raw manna tasted like wafers that had been made with honey. However, it didn’t just drop on to their plates. They were responsible to gather it each day, except on the Sabbath. They were instructed to get twice as needed on the day before to allow this “day of rest” from their work of gathering food. It was a clear example of the difference between work and labor. Christianity often feels like more stuff to do. But according to Jesus, the core of the Christian experience is rest. Dallas Willard says that most of us jump into the busy part of Christianity—serving our neighbors, being active in the church, keeping up with spiritual disciplines—but we skip the “rest” part, which is crucial to being able to accomplish any of the other stuff. Those most mature in Jesus are not those working hardest for him but those resting best in him. The first step is to actually schedule a day for nothing but rest. This rest will look different for each of us. What ought to be the same is that it is the cessation of striving for more. It is the “pause” in our week that allows us to renew our bodies and minds for the continued journey.

Ringtail Cats and Rocking Chairs - Pt 1

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11 ESV).

“I’m busier than a ringtail cat at a rocking chair convention!” Or, at least that’s the colloquialism I have heard often said in an exasperated moment of frustration. It’s usually the result of the feeling we get when we have more to do than we have time to do it. The cry of our age is “busy.” How are you? “Busy.” How’s work? “Busy.” How are the kids doing? “Their lives are so busy. I feel like I’m just a taxi driver.” How was the shopping mall today? “Too busy.” Can you help me? “I’m busy at the moment.” And on goes the chant of our culture. God knew that would be our frustration. In fact, it is a part of the judgment passed on through the Adamic Sin (cf. Genesis 3:17). Because of this knowledge, God provided some guidance to us. In the fourth commandment given to Moses he sets out the principle of Sabbath rest. That’s the reading I’ve selected for today. Man was never created not to work; he was created to work without laboring. Unfortunately most of us haven’t learned the difference. Laboring in life is operating at the fast-paced mode that pushes God to the margins and easily turns into burnout. Yet expectations of keeping up with everything continually escalate. We are all susceptible to the expectation that we are always available, aware of everything that is happening, and capable of achieving anything. Unsurprisingly, this demand to be omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent places pressure on all of us, whatever our level of social media dexterity. Add some more ingredients like inadequate sleep, poor dietary habits, caffeine addiction, the urge to project our preferred identity, a sedentary lifestyle and we have the perfect recipe for unremitting anxiety and restlessness. The constant hustle and bustle is of our own making, at least to some extent. We would do well to heed the call for how much we try to pack into life. The futile attempt to sustain ourselves by our own efforts is not new. Our digital age simply offers new manifestations of the age-old temptation to usurp God’s role for ourselves. But against this age-old temptation, God offers an age-old response: REST. Jesus invited us to come to him for that rest (cf. Matthew 11:28. In the next few days I hope to lead you to see what a habitual pattern of resting each week might be. It is different in everyone’s life, simply because we are each unique in how we rest. What is the same is the principle of coming to Jesus. That’s the focal point. That’s the core of rest. Today, commit yourself to leaving the rocking chair convention. That’s a lot easier than cutting off your tail!

A Game of Inches - Pt 2

And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” (1 Samuel 17:33-36 ESV).

The first principle to employ in our lives is the acceptance that none of our experiences in life are insignificant. Small choices now can lead to highlight moments later. In the coaching ranks, ESPN and other networks will often televise the introduction of a new head coach in the college ranks or NFL. This moment is not possible without the roles that prepared the coach to be a head coach, like the hours as a low paid graduate assistant or living behind the scenes as a special team’s coordinator. Jimbo Fisher is no exception to this truth. His first ten years as a coach were spent in various roles, though none of them were considered “high profile.” It takes small steps of obedience to be prepared. It can be as simple as memorizing one verse and being prepared to share it in the moment. Many small acts of obedience lead to the highlight moments. Small acts of obedience lead to the highlight reel moments. Look at the reading again. The writer says, “But David said to Saul, ‘[I have] been keeping [my] father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.’” (vv. 34-35). David used opportunities as a shepherd, a low-level job, to prepare himself for bigger moments, like when he faced Goliath in battle. He knew God had equipped him to do things that were not normal. David didn’t know the battle with Goliath was in his future, but he focused on being excellent where he was day by day. We need to recognize the importance of every circumstance we encounter each day. So many people merely coast through their lives with no intensity. We lose our passion in the mundane. However, it is these common things that are practiced everyday that prepare us for the critical moments of life that seem to determine the success or failure of a particular event. Do everything you do with the same passion as if everything depended on it!

A Game of Inches - Pt 3

And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. (2 Corinthians 8:22-24 ESV).

As a coach, you have to build your team up. In the game of football, defenses have to defend multiple types of offense, but before you can teach them to defend anything, they must learn how to tackle. It is a skill that is a simple expectation by the common fan, but every coach knows how important at every level it is to practice tackling. Tackling is a fundamental element of football that leads to success. This picture is one that shows the coaches working with repetitions of passing and catching. Sounds simple, right? In some ways it is simple; but, it is not easy. Practicing is a lot less fun than playing the game, especially if you are winning. That leads me to recommend you begin to practice the following fundamentals that are important to practice as Christian:  First, pray often, asking God to do amazing things in you and in other people.  Second, read the Scripture. This is how we listen to Jesus in order to do what He says.  Third, serve others. Helping other people connect with Jesus and connect with the church is a significant source of strength to finish well. Looking for opportunities to apply these fundamentals in your life can not only make a difference for you, but it will make a difference in the lives of others. When the church began and a man named Paul traveled around to help churches get started, he worked with a variety of people to share the message of Jesus. Paul describes one person, Titus, not just as another person on the team, but as someone he could trust: “As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ” (v. 23). It was through being faithful with the fundamentals that Titus was given more responsibility. The inches, every small choice we make, can be the difference between winning and losing. As a Christian, we know that in Christ we win, but we must also continue to fight for those inches, so others may receive the salvation that can only be found with Jesus.

A Game of Inches - Pt 1

And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” (1 Samuel 17:33-36 ESV).

Well, I’ve been watching reruns of the 2018 football season. It shouldn’t be any surprise that my favorite game of the year was on November 24th. It was the last SEC football game of the regular season and only decided after seven overtimes and a record number of points scored. With 84 points scored just in the overtime between Texas A&M (then ranked #22) and LSU (then ranked #7), the Aggies earned their first win over the since 1995. The final scored was 74-72. Kendrick Rogers’ catch in the end zone (pictured here) was just one of the incredible plays of that game. I listen to the press conferences and Aggie talk shows a lot during the football season. Coach Fisher is constantly emphasizing “the little things.” He did it again in the post game press conference when he said, “That was a heck of a football team. You say you have to make one more play. That’s what we did. How proud I am of our players. It’s about the players, period. They set a standard for what that Aggie helmet means.” That took me to our reading today. Sure, the long passes to the end zone are exciting. But in between the big plays are a lot of short ones, and those short plays are often decided by a matter of inches. Following Jesus often feels the same way. There are some “next” steps, like graduation, marriage, birth of your first child, or celebrating your fiftieth wedding anniversary that are like the big play that makes it to the highlight reel. But other next steps feel more like first downs. They’re not going to make the highlight reels, but they still move us closer to the goal of being more like Jesus. In the next two days we’re going to look at two fundamental principles that help us gain those “inches.” It’s always the simple things. David got that when King Saul asked him how he thought he could defeat Goliath. He simply said that it wasn’t much different than keeping his father’s sheep safe. If he could kill a lion or a bear, who would this Philistine unbeliever be in the face of a duel with someone who knew the Lord’s strength would be with him? You have that same strength within your life as well!

Euodia and Syntyche -Pt 8

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 ESV).

We reach our final destination in the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to Euodia and Syntyche’s volatile situation. He pens a beautiful portion of Scripture saturated with both the peace of God (v. 7) and the God of peace (v. 9). Now, we do need to be honest with ourselves, we can’t resolve every conflict. Some opponents truly are “dogs” and “evildoers” (cf. Philippians 3:2), “enemies of the cross of Christ” (cf. Philippians 3:18). There are times we must stand firm in the Lord and not budge against such opponents (cf. Philippians 4:1). HOWEVER, Christians must not treat others, especially other believers, as opponents. We’ll be together with the Lord for eternity, so Jesus would have us get a head start on learning to live in his peace. I hesitated even writing that last bit of thought. For me, I have found it much easier to think of all my opponents as “dogs” and enemies.” The truth is that folks that disagree with me are neither. I simply misjudge them, and further have no right to judge at all. I ought to be much more careful about my “pay grade.” Judging others, most of the time, is well above either my rank or pay grade! The ability to apply wisdom toward my thoughts about others is given by the apostle as he finishes his letter. He desires us to find good role models and continue practicing these things (v. 9). Paul endured plenty of opposition from fellow believers (cf. Philippians 1:12-20). He knew what it’s like to be mistreated, maligned, and envied by those who are supposed to be on the same team. He learned how to rejoice in the Lord and his gospel through difficult conflicts. He’s shown us how one behaves when the God of peace is with him. Follow that example and you won’t go far off course. If there are those you have disregarded or shunned commit yourself to making that relationship right as far as is possible for you. The God of peace is with you!

Euodia and Syntyche - Pt 7

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 ESV).

As the Apostle Paul comes near the end of his encouragement for Luke’s encouragement toward Euodia and Syntyche to reconcile their differences he says they ought to find something—anything—praiseworthy to focus on in their antagonist (v. 8). This is certainly true for us today. If we stew on what our antagonists did wrong, replaying the memories to ourselves and recounting our hurt feelings to others, we are sinning against God, who told us what to think about. Find something true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or worthy of praise, and set your mind there. Many interactions these days have a kind of bumper-car quality to them. At work, at home, on the telephone, social media, even our email, we sort of bounce off of each other while we exchange information, smile or frown, and move on. How often do we actually take the extra few seconds to get a sense of what's inside other people, especially their good qualities? In fact, because of what scientists call the brain's "negativity bias", we're most likely to notice the bad qualities in others rather than the good ones: the things that worry or annoy us, or make us critical. Unfortunately, if you feel surrounded by lots of bad or at best neutral qualities in others, and only a sprinkling of dimly-sensed good ones, then you naturally feel less supported, less safe, and less inclined to be generous or pursue your dreams. Plus, in a circular way, when another person gets the feeling that you don't really see much that's good in him or her, that person is less likely to take the time to see much that's good in you. It should be any wonder that the apostle encourages us to see the good things in others. It works good in our lives as it conveys good into the lives of others.

Euodia and Syntyche - Pt 6

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 ESV). The Apostle Paul now comes to the fifth step in resolving conflict appropriately. He encourages us to guard our heart and mind with the peace of God, even when it does not make sense to do so (v. 7).

I have often turned to Charles Schultz and the Peanuts cast of characters for an illustration. Lucy is the classic “know-it-all.” The cartoon I’ve included with today’s devotional is simply one of many drawn to illustrate a common theme among all of us. We believe that our perspective always makes sense; our antagonist’s perspective doesn’t. We often speak of a conflict in a way that markets our interpretation. However, we ought to rethink that behavior and position. We ought to wonder what might happen if we framed the conflict in a way our rival would agree with; that is, in a manner the other person agrees is a fair summary of key issues. Every bone in my body abhors the injustice of it, but the peace of God surpasses all understanding and demands such respect for the brethren. I’ve tried my best to never debate a position I hold until I am so well-versed in the opposing position that I could argue for it as well as my own. If I can understand that which I am opposed to that well, I will have a much better understanding of why someone else might feel so different than I do about an issue. There’s nothing easy about that practice. It takes discipline and the willingness to let go of my competitive spirit. Truthfully there is no room for the peace of God and completion within my heart. Eradicating my need to be “right” in favor of experiencing God’s peace is the answer. The next time you feel the need to assert your superiority over someone else, remember the source of your righteousness. You didn’t deserve or earn it. You were given it by the grace of God.

Euodia and Syntyche - Pt 5

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 ESV).

Have you ever faced a situation when you were paralyzed by the seemingly insurmountable conflict ahead? Perhaps it’s a conversation with a co-worker or supervisor about a conflict that has arisen in your workplace; or, it may be a discovery you have made about the behavior of your child; or it could be something that you suspect in the life of your spouse that has caused you to fear the worst outcome you’ve ever imagined; maybe it’s a conversation you’ve had with your healthcare provider about some tests you’ve had that have you wondering how you are going to break this news to your loved ones. You’re simply terrified and can’t go forward. The Apostle Paul, writing from his prison cell in Rome, gives us the answer to this dilemma, “Don’t be anxious about the conflict, but ask God to resolve it” (v. 6). We all fear conflict and confrontation to some degree. Sometimes our heart rate quickens, and our body physically trembles. We’re quick to seek human counsel and clarify our side of the story. The truth is that we must be quicker to seek the Lord’s counsel. We ought to cast my anxiety on him, ask him to do the impossible, and thank him for his marvelous, redemptive work in our relationships. The answer is always prayer. Even when our words are merely a jumble of thoughts, letters that are no more arranged than a bag of Scrabble tiles just dumped from the bag. The key is in the beginning, “Dear Jesus.” We have the Holy Spirit to interpret even our mere groaning, making them known perfectly to our Heavenly Father who will supply our every need. That person who makes your blood boil with anger, pray. That wayward, rebellious child, who has abandoned you leaving you with dashed dreams, pray. That spouse who has turned their back on you, leaving you alone and without hope, pray. In everything let your requests be made known to Him! He will withhold no good thing from you.

Euodia and Syntyche - Pt 4

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 ESV).

In the second half of verse five the apostle says, “Remember the Lord is at hand” (v. 5b). While some interpreters have thought this to be a reference to the imminent return of Jesus, I believe along with the reformers that he is stating an obvious truth that we are not alone. John Calvin wrote: “…that the Lord is at hand, whose power can overcome their audacity, and whose goodness can conquer their malice. He promises that he will aid us, provided we obey his commandment. Now, who would not rather be protected by the hand of God alone, than have all the resources of the world at his command?” This becomes the basis of our reasonableness. You will not go undefended forever. The Lord bottles every tear you shed, and he will avenge you. False accusations won’t survive eternity. I’ve always imagined the day when all of the untruths are revealed for what they are. These lies, hurtful words, and malicious gossiping will be dealt with finally. It will be a wonderful moment of vindication. However, until then my comfort and gentleness can be rooted in the knowledge of the presence of the Lord now. I remember well the admonition of one of my favorite seminary professors, Bill Tolar, when he cautioned us against “leashing the Lord.” His reference was in our coming to the defense of the Lord and the truth of Scripture. He said, “If you have a lion walking beside you, why would muzzle and leash him? Turn Him loose! He is fully capable of defending Himself and you!” We should also take caution with this truth. The Lord sees everything you say and do. He won’t condone any actions we take to defame others, even if we think they deserve it. Praise the ever-present one who never returns evil for evil and who will never repay us as we deserve.

Euodia and Syntyche - Pt 3

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 ESV).

The second step in resolving conflict that the Apostle Paul lists is found in his command to “let your reasonableness be known to everyone” (v. 5a). Simply put, our goal should be achieving an attitude and practice of being the most open and teachable party. I like Jesus’ teaching on the topic. One writer paraphrases that teaching as “Publicly amputate your own optical log before attempting any speck-removal surgery” (cf. Matthew 7:3). I’d be less verbally precise and say: Keep your cool; don’t play the part of the wounded critter by rushing into public announcements, blog posts, Face Book rants, or back-alley conversations that slam your rivals. Of course, there are those issues that demand a measured, Scripturally supported answer that may even elicit a conversation or debate. After all, there are plenty of debatable issues among Christians. These are those valid topics on which reasonable believers disagree. However, the life of a believer ought to be marked by freedom from judgment and condemnation because of the work of Jesus on the cross, so we should give one another a wide berth. This does mean we cannot tolerate any part of our life that would resemble hatred of others. Hatred can find no place in the body of Christ and we must be relentless on this front. The Bible warns that there will come a time when the love of many will grow cold and that people will fall away, betray, and hate one another (cf. Matthew 24:10-13). Jesus is describing a time of spiritual and interpersonal ugliness that permeates even the visible church. Just this ought to drive us to be reasonable in our relationships with others. The key is in the separation of sin from sinner. We can accomplish this position only when we recognize our own failures and short-comings. I simply cannot speak with the same authority as Jesus on every topic. Sometimes we just need to find that point of agreement, even if it is in the disagreement. Be reasonable!

Euodia and Syntyche - Pt 2

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 ESV). The first tactic the Apostle Paul mentions is to “rejoice in the Lord always” (v. 4). While I have included the entire context in our reading today, the key to this first step is stated without fanfare, simply put. While it is simple it is also counterintuitive. So, the apostle repeats it a few words later. It is a verb that means to feel or show great joy or delight. Some synonyms for this verb are: happiness, pleasure, joy, gladness, elation, delight, elation, cheer, jubilation, euphoria, delirium, ecstasy, rapture, transports of delight, exuberance, exultation, glory, triumph, celebration, revelry, merrymaking, festivity, or feasting.

When the floor drops out from under you, your best friend hates you, rumors multiply, people misunderstand, and the public mixes up the facts, you’re probably not having much fun. Trust me. I’ve been there. I still have the front page newspaper clipping to prove it! As a young pastor of the First Baptist Church of Mt. Pleasant, Texas, I was approached by one of the ladies in the church who had recently been certified in a lady’s aerobic class designed to combine exercise, Bible Study, and fellowship for ladies. You must also know this took place in the late 70’s; dancing of any kind was not tolerated well in Baptist churches of that era. An enterprising reporter of the daily paper thought it would be eye-catching to use the headline “Dancing Goes Underground at the First Baptist Church.” By the way, I should mention the exercise sessions were held three steps below ground level in the fellowship hall, thus the “underground” reference. It did cause quite a stir, and a special called deacon’s meeting to investigate this “scandalous activity” (insert dripping sarcasm). After the dust settled, and more than one headache, the activity continued with strict guidelines insuring privacy and “purity of heart.” I can tell you those meetings were not fun for me. On more than one occasion I just wanted to throw up my hands in surrender However, I began learning the lesson that joy, real happiness, is possible only by remembering that joy is primarily about what God has done for me (cf. Philippians 2:1-11). Joy is the byproduct of a belief that difficult situations have a good purpose (cf. Philippians 1:18-21). The goal is not to win; the goal is to rejoice in the Lord always!

Euodia and Syntyche - Pt 1

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:1-3 ESV).

Today is Monday, August 5th. I mention that not that it is a “secret” that I typically write the Morning Devotionals ahead of publishing, but so that you may have a perspective in the next few days as we travel this particular path. I will be examining the issue of conflict resolution according to the Scripture. Recent events in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, have reenergized several seemingly linked issues. The voices from both sides of the issues have already begun to shout their positions across a void of pain and grief. Blame is flying in all directions: easily accessible guns; a mental health crisis; white nationalists spreading hatred; a 24/7 digital culture run amok; and, some even blaming a president who rallies supporters with alleged racist rants, or the opposite of a group of seemingly socialistic legislators who gather more support with the fear-mongering tactics so often surrounding immigration. It looks like two dominant rams squaring off against one another in a show of dominance, butting heads. Nothing is really solved, and the resulting headaches are entirely predictable and preventable. While I have no desire to speak to any of these issues in this format, I do want to address a root problem that has existed since the time of Adam and Eve. We see it most prominently played out in the killing of Abel by his brother, Cain. That scene has been repeated so many times throughout the millennia since as to become incalculable. We simply aren’t good at conflict resolution. In our reading today we are introduced to two women from the Philippian Church, Euodia and Syntyche. It seems they had a disagreement so severe and public the entire church knew about it, and word reached the Apostle Paul (v. 2). These women had once been ministry partners, but now they sat on opposite sides of some issue. They couldn’t resolve their concerns on their own, so Paul employed a third party, his “true companion” (possibly Luke), to lend aid (v. 3). Far from changing the subject, Paul coached his true companion over the next few verses on the process of mediation and reconciliation, providing steps to resolution. We will explore those over the next few days. Today I would encourage you to apply a generous amount of restraint and understanding to those with opposing voices to your own. Believe me, the “headache” from the fight isn’t worth it!

Fighting for Faith - Pt 4

Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:7-9 ESV).

The last suggestion I have as we discover ways to Fight for Faith is to take advantage of sunshine. There is an intimate connection between the body and soul. The body often charts the way forward and the soul follows in the wake. When your body is deeply sick, it pulls your soul downward, like a weight tied around the ankle. I’ve found that one of the most effective methods for increasing my faith begins with my body. When I exercise or go for a walk or sit in the sunshine, my body feels better. Blood and oxygen pump through my body, refreshing and nurturing it. When I feel better, I think more clearly and see things more accurately. It is also true that when I think more clearly, I can more easily process and embrace God’s promises. When I embrace God’s promises, my faith surges. Charles Spurgeon, who often fought depression, said: A day’s breathing of fresh air upon the hills, or a few hours’ ramble in the beech woods’ umbrageous calm, would sweep the cobwebs out of the brain of scores of our toiling ministers who are now but half alive. A mouthful of sea air, or a stiff walk in the wind’s face, would not give grace to the soul, but it would yield oxygen to the body, which is the next best. God loves you even though you don’t feel it. He can handle your life even when you can’t. If you’re depressed, embrace the sunshine. Go for a walk or a jog. Sit on your deck and feel the warmth on your face. Drink your coffee and watch the sun rise. You won’t feel like it. You’ll want to hole up in the darkness of your room or stay in bed. But just twenty minutes in the sun can do wonders for the darkened brain and the sunken soul. Ultimately, your hope in depression hinges on Jesus. He’s holding onto you even when it feels like you’re free falling. You may be in the dark, but your Shepherd is walking right beside you. He knows what it’s like to be overwhelmed by grief and swallowed by bleakness. Your grip on life may falter, but his grip on you won’t.

Fighting for Faith - Pt 3

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ESV).

The second suggestion in the Fight for Faith is to find a friend to remind you of the truth. Depression gets you stuck inside your head. Your brain becomes a swirling mass of half-truths and distorted perceptions. Up seems down; truth seems stranger than fiction. It’s impossible to think straight. It’s like looking upside down in a hall of darkened mirrors. During these times, we need someone to tell us the truth. Not in a corrective way or as an exhortation, but simply as an anchor. We need someone to remind us of the truth. Even when it doesn’t feel true, and it usually doesn’t, we need that friend who simply won’t let go. Even when we feel doomed, we need that special friend who helps know God is with us and He loves us. The world may let go, but God won’t. Did you know that just twenty minutes in the sun can do wonders for the darkened brain and the sunken soul? If you’re depressed, one of your greatest temptations is to shut people out. That’s understandable. It’s really hard to let people into the cage of your life. But you need someone to gently remind you of what’s real; you need a faithful friend to walk through the valley of depression with you. When your friend speaks the truth to you, it gives you something to grab onto. In the moments of darkness, don’t believe what your mind is telling you. Believe the words of your faithful friend. When you are alone then it is hard to see where you are going. You need someone beside you to help you go in the right way. And it is hard to get up when you stumble and fall. Our reading is not just speaking here about marriage. It is true that if you have a good marriage, then your wife, or your husband, should be your best friend. But this applies to everybody. We all need a good friend. This passage applies also to the single people in our midst, and to the widows and the widowers. We all need a good friend who will help us when we are down. The Bible teaches us that the Lord our God is our help. And so that goes without saying as we go through our daily lives. The Lord God is our help in everything. However, as the frightened little boy said in the midst of the thunderstorm, “Dad, I just need God with skin on.” A faithful friend is essential in the fight!

Fighting for Faith - Pt 2

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. (Psalm 139:11-12 ESV).

So, let’s be more specific today. If you’re depressed, how can you fight for faith? How can you believe while also stumbling through the dark? The first suggestion is to distinguish between fact and feeling. One truth I have come to realize is that most of the time in the midst of my depression, my feelings have zero connection to reality. This is a vital key to understand when you’re in the morass of mental illness. This is not to say that depression is not real. The pain and darkness are very real. However, we must recognize that we feel bad because something is seriously wrong with our body. We feel bad because our brain is rebelling, not necessarily because everything is really going to pieces. Reality is outside of our broken brain. It is defined by God’s word. It’s solid. If I try to process my life or circumstances through the dark lens of depression, I will be terrified. Depression turns our brain into a swirling mass of half-truths and distorted perceptions. If you’re depressed, it can be dangerous to evaluate anything in your life. Don’t scrutinize your circumstances or friendships or prospects for marriage. I can assure you that you will misinterpret reality. Instead, let me suggest that you defer those issues or decisions to God by thinking, “I’m leaving that to God for now. I’ll think about it later and trust him to handle it.” God is good. He is faithful. He loves you even though you don’t feel it. He can handle your life even when you can’t. Remember, faith is not a feeling. Faith is believing that God will do what he said, even when it doesn’t feel like it. I can guarantee that when you’re depressed, it won’t feel like God is faithful. But that feeling simply is not true. Don’t believe it. John Calvin, the great reformer was acutely sensitive to the imperfect feeling of our faith. He said that true faith “clings so fast to the inmost parts that, however it seems to be shaken or to bend this way or that, its light is never so extinguished or snuffed out that it does not at least lurk as it were beneath the ashes” (Institutes). Like David prays in our reading today, our faith may often slip away from our sight, but it does not slip away from God who gave it in the first place. Separate your feelings from the truth. You will have taken a large step in applying the spiritual portion of the solution to your depression.

Fighting for Faith - Pt 1

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Peter 5:7-10 ESV).

There are those times in our lives when things just look dark. In fact, I have often heard it said that depression is like wearing tinted glasses. It is as if everywhere you look, things look dark, bleak, black, hopeless, and we feel helpless. I want to be very clear at the outset of these next few days of Morning Devotionals. Depression is a physical affliction. Neurons and synapses fail to fire properly, leading to chemical imbalances in the brain. These imbalances cause the depressed person to feel awful, like their entire world is a raw catastrophe hovering over the depths of despair. However, I also want to point to the truth that this emotional disease has a spiritual dimension. Depression is not the result of poor choices. It does not invade our psyche as a result of the consequences of sin or failure on our part. That being true, we should not dismiss the truth that when everything is a catastrophe, it’s easy for our faith to falter and stumble. Depression causes a person to feel only gloom and despair, no matter what they’re thinking. At least a part of the equation for overcoming our depression is found in the application of faith in our lives. That is not to be understood that other treatment, including medication and counseling are not necessary in this fight. They typically are vital as a part of the treatment plan. However, we cannot minimize our faith in the treatment either. Normally, the prescription for faith is somewhat straightforward. We read the promises of God, let them diffuse throughout our hearts, and then embrace them fully. As we embrace these promises, our faith rises. When we have more faith, there is often a physical feeling of encouragement and hope. But with clinical depression (and most other forms of mental illness), things don’t work quite that way. Depression usually causes a person to feel only gloom and despair, no matter what they’re thinking. Filling your mind with God’s promises is necessary, but it doesn’t usually alter the way you feel. It’s like having a migraine. Believing God’s word is essential, but it won’t typically take away the migraine. So, over the next few days I’m going to be pointing to a few things that will strengthen your faith. My hope and prayer is that it will be a vital part of your overcoming depression in any of its forms. I am not going to say, “Just believe God more.” But I am going to help you see how you may begin to “contend” for your faith. Fighting for faith does indeed make a difference. Today, commit yourself again to the fight!

Daily Devotions

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2 ESV).

I have been writing Morning Devotionals for over twenty years now. I can assure you that I did not wake up one morning and think, “I need to write a devotional for publication every morning.” It began with a simple request from someone about a passage of Scripture they wanted to understand a bit better. I communicated my opinion by email. That email was sent to others by the first person to write to me. They began to send their questions, and soon I found myself writing to several dozen people on a regular basis. That soon became more time consuming than I could afford. As a solution I offered to simply write my personal devotions into a format for them to read each day. Those few people grew into a list that numbered in the thousands all over the world. Today, it is read in nearly every state in America, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. I never intended to write for all those folks. I have always just written what I was finding in my devotions. Funny how God does stuff like that. So, that brings me to the reading for today. It is a central passage in my life. Transformative living is the desire of God for each of us. That is accomplished by the renewing of the mind. And, that is done through daily devotions. The discipline of daily meditation and prayer are vital. It is the conduit for the exercise of our soul. We exercise our bodies to increase strength and endurance, promote general health, and keep unnecessary weight off. Devotions are like exercise for our souls. They force our attention off of self-indulgent distractions and pursuits, and on to God’s purposes and promises. If we neglect this exercise, our souls will not be strong and healthy. And, like exercise, it’s okay if there was no special spark in your Bible reading today. In fact, ordinary devotions are a good thing. And, a thorough, repeated soaking in the Bible over the course of years increases our overall biblical knowledge, providing fuel for the fire of worship and increasing our ability to draw from all parts of the Bible in applying God’s wisdom to life. So, my hope and prayer for you today, whether you’ve been with me on this journey from the beginning, or this is your first experience with my personal spiritual workout plan, relish each moment. Cherish the truth that you’ve gotten stronger, even if it doesn’t seem so. God is doing a work in us that ends in eternal perfection!

Now, That's Just Funny!

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 ESV). I must confess to enjoying some of the humorous posts I see on social media. This morning as I was posting the day’s issue of Morning Devotional I scrolled to one particular post from a friend who notoriously regularly posts satirical humor. My response is typically, “Now, that’s just funny!” And, I mean that with much more emphasis than is possible to communicate within the confines of the sterility of a Face Book response. So, I also, posted a response gif of a baby laughing so hard that they fell over (https://tenor.com/view/laugh-laughing-baby-die-laughing-gif-14156799) . I’m sorry y’all; once again, that’s just funny! The Scripture is full of funny stories even though it is not generally regarded as a humorous book. And, if my life is any gauge of the level of God’s humor, He is funny! Maybe that's because humor doesn't always travel well, in time or space. The Bible was finished almost two thousand years ago, in languages and cultures that are strange to us. Therefore it shouldn’t be surprising that we miss some of the cues. And of course, we're conditioned to that “not-a-humorous-book” approach. However, since the Bible itself says, “a merry heart is good medicine” (v. 22a), let me give you some good medicine today. When the writer of the death of King Jeroham recorded his demise, he said, "He passed away, to no one's regret" (2 Chronicles 21:20). I’ve been to a lot of funerals, and I’ve officiated at many more, you would never say that today, even if it were true. That’s funny! And what about David when he pretends to be insane before Achish, king of Gath, to avoid being returned to Saul. Achish says to his servants: "Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here?" (1 Samuel 21:15-16). C’mon, that's funny. The prophet, Elijah, is fond of sarcasm, too. His great contest with the prophets of Baal over which God could light his own sacrifice – a pretty comical idea in itself – sees him mocking them (cf. 1 Kings 18:27) with the suggestion that he might be on the lavatory, though politer translations tend to obscure this point. I've always enjoyed Balaam’s conversation with his donkey (Numbers 22: 21-30). I can't believe that the words: "Am I not your own donkey? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" were written with a straight face. And then there's Jonah. Not only was he thrown into the sea and sucked up and spit out three days later, the inhabitants of Nineveh wouldn't perish in fire and brimstone after all. They actually repented. The image of the prophet sulking under the shade of a vine because God spared the people is just priceless. Then when "God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered", the comedy is complete: all this, and sunstroke too! Now, that’s funny! Proverbs is a goldmine of humor, not all of it very politically correct: "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion" (Proverbs 11:22); "Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife" (Proverbs 21:9). Oh, there’s lots more. The point is simple today. Live a little, laugh a lot. Laughter is good medicine. And, after all, our end is heaven with our Eternal Father! And, that’s no joke!

Strange Truth

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (John 11:38-44 ESV).

Have you ever noticed random references as you scroll through various sites to “Weird Facts from History”? Sometimes they simply tease you into visiting their site with a strange reference to something reported to be true from the past. Well, I decided I’d visit one of those sites as I wrote today’s devotional. I found this picture of a gravestone monument belonging to Russian comic actor and clown, Yuri Vladimirovich Nikulin. He was also the theatrical manager of the old Moscow Circus which is now referred to as Nikulin Circus in his honor. He was also awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1973 and Hero of Socialist Labor in 1990. He underwent emergency heart surgery in 1997, and unfortunately, did not survive it. He was buried in Novodevichy Cemetery. While that is strange, it certainly is not as strange as our reading today. The portion I’ve selected is from a larger context of the death and burial of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha; and, a good friend of Jesus. Jesus is not far away from Bethany when the news arrives that his friend is very ill, near death. Jesus delays going to Bethany until after he dies; that is strange in itself. And, upon his arrival, four days after Lazarus’ death, He is greeted by the grieving sisters. Martha, being the more dominant of the sisters, is angry. Jesus asks to be taken to the tomb and says, “Take away the stone.” She responds with an explanation that it has been four days and the deterioration of the body would be very unpleasant. Jesus’ response is kind, but insistent. Jesus speaks and Lazarus comes out of the tomb alive! Here’s the strange part. He is still bound by the grave clothes he was buried in! Now, I don’t know if he hopped, shuffled, floated, or stumbled. What I do know is that Jesus made a very important point. While it is possible for Him to raise the dead, that is not the goal. His goal is resurrection! And, that is what He has won for us in the Cross!

A Classic

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. (1 Corinthians 3:10-13 ESV).

Well, today is my 70th birthday! The picture I’ve chosen is that of a fully restored 1949 Chevrolet DeLuxe Fleetline 2-Door Sedan. When it first came off the assembly line, it was originally advertised as: “The most Beautiful BUY of all! A wonderful experience awaits you with this wonderful New Chevrolet.” I learned to drive in a ’52 Chevy, though I can’t remember much about the experience! I supposed that’s simply a function of the passage of time. But, the truth is that time marches on. I realized this morning that it has been 20 years since I was invited to join the AARP and to qualify for senior discounts. I remember the first time I went into a fast food restaurant and the server asked, “Would you like our senior citizen menu?” In fact, just a simple look in the mirror tells me all I need to know about how many years have passed since that “auspicious” day in 1949 (wow, that sounds like a long time ago)! Truthfully, it is merely another day. It is a mile-marker of sorts, but it is only one day older than yesterday. There is something important about having mile markers in life. They force us to stop long enough to measure where we are in life and to assess the true significance of what we are devoting our time and attention to. As I have aged I have learned a bit about things of significance. I wanted to minimize my regrets and maximize my opportunities. Things of long-term significance like my family ought to become more important to me. How I used my resources ought to take on a greater sense of significance. Our reading today is a great reminder. Imagine stepping onto the other side and realizing that we have nothing of eternal worth. Think of looking into the face of Jesus and realizing that the only things we have are the “wood, hay, and straw” of earth-side stuff (vv. 14-15). If we don’t let the markers of life remind us of how close heaven is, we may make the mistake of pouring our lives into the bottomless bucket of stuff that doesn’t really make a difference after all. Thank God for birthdays! They remind us that life is short and that heaven is near!