God's Valentine - Part 4

God’s love may also be seen in the Bible. His word was given to help us to remember the God of Love that created us and comes to us to live with us and be with us. The Scripture is not of a few well-educated individuals with a private interpretation, but it has been given to everyone so that we might come to know, to love, and to experience God. This God of Love has made every provision for us to have him and for him to have us who believe, receive, and choose to follow him, accept him, and love him.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17 ESV).

There’s a wonderful story of a conversation between a man and God. It serves to challenge us all at the point of our response to God’s many valentines. As you read it this morning, ask yourself the question: What will you do with God’s valentines?

One day, I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Ah the beauty of God's creation is beyond description. As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord's presence with me. He asked me, "Do you love me?" I answered, "Of course, God! You are my Lord and Savior!" Then He asked, "If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?" I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do, the things that I took for granted. And I answered, "It would be tough, Lord, but I would still love You." Then the Lord said, "If you were blind, would you still love my creation?" How could I love something without being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation. So I answered, "It's hard to think of it, but I would still love you."

The Lord then asked me, "If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?" How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I understood. Listening to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts. I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word." The Lord then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?" How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me: God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul. It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of thanks. So I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name."

And the Lord asked, "Do you really love Me?" With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly, "Yes, Lord! I love You because You are the one and true God!" I thought I had answered well, but God asked, "THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?" I answered, "Because I am only human. I am not perfect." "THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACE DO YOU STRAY THE FURTHEST? WHY ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE DO YOU PRAY WITH EARNEST?" No answers. Only tears. The Lord continued: "Why only sing at fellowships and retreats? Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?" The tears continued to roll down my cheeks. "Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?" I tried to answer, but there was no answer to give. "You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all." "DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME?"

I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this? When I my heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, "Please forgive me, Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child." The Lord answered, "That is My Grace, My child." I asked, "Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?" The Lord answered, "Because you are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall, I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with you till the end of days, and I will love you forever." And for the first time, I truly prayed.

God's Valentine - Part 3

God’s message of love continues in His children. Peter, James, and John were the first generation of eyewitnesses who had seen and spoken of the God that loved them. They spread the gospel and now it has passed on to us. We become God’s “valentines.” We are God's living letters of love to the world.

We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. (1 John 3:14-24 ESV).

Real love means we stop "keeping score." Dale Galloway tells a story in "Dream a New Dream" that beautifully illustrates this point:

Little Chad was a shy, quiet young fella. One day he came home and told his mother, he'd like to make a valentine for everyone in his class. Her heart sank. She thought, "I wish he wouldn't do that!" She had watched the children when they walked home from school. Her Chad was always behind them. They laughed and hung on to each other and talked to each other. But Chad was never included. Nevertheless, she decided she would go along with her son. So she purchased the paper and glue and crayons. For three whole weeks, night after night, Chad painstakingly made thirty-five valentines. Valentine's Day dawned, and Chad was beside himself with excitement! He carefully stacked them up, put them in a bag, and bolted out the door. His mom decided to bake him his favorite cookies and serve them up warm and nice with a cool glass of milk when he came home from school. She just knew he would be disappointed. It hurt her to think that he wouldn't get many valentines, maybe none at all. That afternoon she had the cookies and milk on the table. When she heard the children outside she looked out the window. Sure enough here they came, laughing and having the best time. And, as always, there was Chad in the rear. He walked a little faster than usual. She fully expected him to burst into tears as soon as he got inside. His arms were empty, she noticed, and when the door opened she choked back the tears. "Mommy has some warm cookies and milk for you." But he hardly heard her words. He just marched right on by, his face aglow, and all he could say was: "Not a one, not a one." Her heart sank. And then he added, "I didn't forget a one, not a single one!"

So it is when God is in control of the servant's mind. We realize as never before that life's greatest joy is to give His love away, a thought that brings to mind the saying:

It isn't a song until it's sung.
It isn't a bell until it's rung.
It isn't love until it's given away!

God's Valentine - Part 2

God’s best and most extravagant Valentine did not come to us in the beautiful hues of the sunset or the wonderful fragrance of spring bouquets. It came in the form of His only Son, Jesus.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11 ESV).

There is a natural, logical kind of loving that loves lovely things and lovely people. That’s logical. But there is another kind of loving that doesn’t look for value in what it loves, but that CREATES value in what is loves. Like Rosemary’s rag doll. When Rosemary was three, she was given a little rag doll, which quickly became an inseparable companion. She had other toys that were intrinsically far more valuable, but none that she loved like she loved the rag doll. Soon the rag doll became more and more rag and less and less doll. It also became more and more dirty. If you tried to clean the rag doll, it became more ragged still. And if you didn’t try to clean the rag doll, it became dirtier still. The sensible thing to do was to trash the rag doll. But that was unthinkable for anyone who loved my child. If you loved Rosemary, you loved the rag doll; it was part of the package.

Newell has expressed the wonder of this incredible gift in the familiar hymn, “At Calvary”:

O the love that drew salvation's plan!
O the grace that brought it down to man!
O the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!

Very little else can be said when faced with this truth. After hearing the gospel explained, people often say, "you mean there's nothing I can do to deserve it? That's too easy." It seems natural for people to object to the idea that God's unmerited favor can be given so freely to unworthy sinners. Many find it difficult to trust a God who offers salvation as a free gift. Bible teacher G. Campbell Morgan told of a coal miner who came to him and said, "I would give anything to believe that God would forgive my sins, but I cannot believe that He will forgive them if I just ask Him. It is too cheap." Morgan said, "My dear friend, have you been working today?" "Yes, I was down in the mine." "How did you get out of the pit? Did you pay?" "Of course not. I just got into to cage and was pulled to the top." "Were you not afraid to entrust yourself to that cage? Was it not too cheap?" Morgan asked. "Oh no," said the miner, "it was cheap for me, but it cost the company a lot of money to sink the shaft." Suddenly the truth struck him. What had not cost him anything -- salvation -- had not come cheap to God. This miner had never thought of the great price that God paid to send His Son so He could rescue fallen humanity. Now he realized that all anyone had to do was to "get into the cage" by faith. Get in the cage today!

God's Valentine - Part 1

In the next few mornings we’ll be looking at the different “Valentines” God has sent to us. There are so many ways that He has sent us His message of love. One of the first and most basic can be seen in creation itself. Just the simple truth that God created the heavens and the earth is a message of His great love for us. This is how the Apostle John thought of the creation:

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. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14 ESV).

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the world-famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, was not above telling tales about himself in which he was the laughing-stock. Here is one of those stories. As he tells it, he was waiting at a taxi stand outside the railway station in Paris. When a taxi pulled up, he put his suitcase in it and got in himself. As he was about to tell the taxi-driver where he wanted to go, the driver asked him: "Where can I take you, Mr. Doyle?" Doyle was flabbergasted. He asked the driver whether he knew him by sight. The driver said: "No Sir, I have never seen you before." The puzzled Doyle asked him what made him think that he was Conan Doyle. The driver replied: "This morning's paper had a story about you being on vacation in Marseilles. This is the taxi stand where people who return from Marseilles always come to. Your skin color tells me you have been on vacation. The ink-spot on your right index finger suggests to me that you are a writer. Your clothing is very English, and not French. Adding up all those pieces of information, I deduce that you are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle." Doyle said: "This is truly amazing. You are a real-life counter-part to my fictional creation, Sherlock Holmes." "There is one other thing," the driver said. "What is that?" "Your name is on the front of your suitcase."

There are two ways to be personally aware of God's existence. We can deduce from intricately crafted arguments, or merely pay attention to the fact that God's name is plastered all over creation. Oh, I think there is a necessary place for such carefully worded arguments, but I also have a great deal of admiration for the little boy who was told by an atheist, "I'll give you an apple if you can show me where God is." His simple response, "Mister, I'll give you a bushel of apples if you can show me where God isn't." Take a moment to look outside and see the signature of God. Everything you see is His Valentine message of love to you today!

An Everyday Survival Kit

Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. (Psalm 5:1-5 ESV).

Several years ago Mary and I won an all-expense paid trip to Hawaii. As a part of the preparation for the trip we were sent all kinds of little things to take with us. The travel agency handling all the arrangements made sure we had all the essentials: tickets, itinerary, and emergency information. However, they also sent along some other items. One of the most interesting was the first-aid kit. It contained sunscreen, minor first-aid items, antacids, and pain relievers. Each of these was included in anticipation of a potential need while on the trip. After reading Psalm 5, I began to think of the kind of “survival kit” that the Lord would want us to pack for life. It would need to include the following items:

1. A Toothpick, to would remind you to pick out the good qualities in others. It’s always easier to see the negative in others rather than the positive. However, our lives move much better when we look for the good in others.
2. A Rubber band, to remind you to be flexible, things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out. Remember, there WILL be interruptions and changes to our schedules every day. View each one as a “divine appointment” and be flexible.
3. A Band-Aid, to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's. The Wisdom of Solomon still stands today: never let the sun go down on your anger.
4. A Pencil, to remind you to list your blessing everyday. Thanksgiving ought to be a daily activity, not just annual.
5. An Eraser, to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's okay. The beginning of our own forgiveness is in the forgiving of others. Release them from all of their debt into the hands of your heavenly Father. He is the only one who can make it right.
6. A Stick of Chewing gum, to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything. Perseverance, even when it seems that you cannot take another step will take you to your goal. “How do you eat an elephant?” the old sage rhetorically asked. In answer, he said, “One bite at a time!” It is a truth of life to be applied.
7. A Mint, to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family and friends. You are loved. Claim the acceptance of your adoption in the family of God.
8. A Candy Kiss, to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday.
9. A Tea Bag, to remind you to relax daily and go over that list of your blessings. All of us need that moment of being still before the Lord. It energizes us for the challenges of the day.

Pack up your “survival kit” and have a WONDERFUL trip!

How to Stay Stressed

For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:32-34 ESV).

Yesterday we looked at some of the symptoms of stress. Today I have listed (from a negative perspective) some of the ways to stay stressed. It is a little unusual to study this list instead of the positive, but it will provide a little clearer picture of where we really are in our lives. I hope you enjoy the “tongue in cheek” style. Here's how to stay stressed.

1. First, never exercise. Exercise wastes a lot of the time that could be spent worrying.
2. Second, eat anything you want. Hey if cigarette smoke can't cleanse your system, a balance diet isn't likely to either.
3. Third, gain weight. Work hard at staying at least 25 pounds over your recommended weight.
4. Fourth, take plenty of stimulants. The old standards of caffeine, nicotine, sugar, and cola will continue to do the job just fine.
5. Fifth, avoid "woo-woo practices." Ignore the evidence suggesting that meditation, prayer, and/or praise help to reduce stress. The Protestant work ethic is good for everyone, Protestant or not.
6. Sixth, get rid of your social support system. Let the few friends who are willing to tolerate you know that you concern yourself with friendships only if you have time, and you never have time. If a few people persist in trying to be your friend, avoid them.
7. Seventh, personalize all criticism. Anyone who criticizes any aspect of your work, family, dog, house, or car is mounting a personal attack. Don't take the time to listen, be offended, and then return the attack!
8. Eighth, throw out your sense of humor. Staying stressed is no laughing matter, and it shouldn't be treated as one.
9. Ninth, males and females alike should be macho. Never ask for any help, and if you want it done right, do it yourself! Become a workaholic. Put work before everything else, and be sure to take work home evenings and weekends. Keep reminding yourself that vacations are for sissies.
10. Tenth, discard good time management skills. Schedule more activities every day than you can possibly get done then worry about it all whenever you get a chance. Or, procrastinate. Putting things off to the last second always produces a marvelous amount of stress.
11. Eleventh, worry about things you can't control. Worry about the stock market, earthquakes, and the approaching Ice Age. You know, all the big issues.
12. Twelfth, become not only a perfectionist but also set impossibly high standards, and either beat yourself up, or feel guilty, depressed, discouraged, and/or inadequate when you don't meet them.

So, what will it be today? Stress or trust? Today’s trouble really is enough for today. Let tomorrow rest in your Father’s hands. He is more than capable of caring for our every need.

My Momma Said

Perhaps one of the most widely mimicked movies of recent years is “Forrest Gump.” Some of the most often used lines form the movies are those that begin “My momma always said.” Do you remember the one where his mother said, "There's an awful lot you can tell 'bout a person by their shoes, where they goin’ and where they been"? Forrest answers, "I've worn lots of shoes." Or there’s another when he says, "There is only so much fortune a man really needs, and the rest is for showin' off." However, the all time favorite must be when she says, "Life is like a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get." There is so much truth to that! Perhaps it is the unknown quality of tomorrow that so enslaves us to fear. Jesus spoke so clearly to that in the Sermon from the Mount.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV).

Some of us have become so accustomed to stress that we fail to recognize its real destructive potential. Stress helps us seem important. We rationalize that anyone as stressed as we are must be working very hard and therefore, are probably doing something very crucial. Well, this like so many of the devil’s lies eat away at our true sense of joy and our joy is erased in a flurry of busyness. Too much stress produces the following conditions. If you have any of these, perhaps you need to start practicing the art of only taking on today’s trouble.

1. Stress causes us to maintain personal distance and avoid intimacy. Stress also helps you keep your authoritarian management style. This is the authoritarian style of "just do what I say.” If you maintain a permanently stressed crisis atmosphere, you can justify an authoritarian style all of the time.
2. Stress causes us to avoid responsibilities. We are so tired, or so “busy” that we can’t do the ordinary and mundane chores of life.
3. Stress causes us to avoid success. Stress can keep your performance level low enough that success won't ever be a threat.

Practice a little “Forrest Gump.” Life really is a box of chocolates, and you can’t know what each one holds! So, rest in the hope of Christ and His unchanging love for you.