TGIF

Read this. Slowly. Several times today. You cannot help but be moved.

 Isaiah 53

1 Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

9 And they made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

11 He shall see the labor of His soul,and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.

It Happened at Wednesday Night Supper

Wednesday night suppers are a popular church thing . . . at least in the South they are. Last night at our church, we had lasagna. Yum. During Holy Week, Jesus ate a Wednesday night supper too, and a most unusual thing happened.

Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. – John 12:2-3

What strikes me most about this story is the effect the perfume had on the room: “the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” What do I find when I compare Mary’s worship of Jesus and my own commitment to Him? Mary gave Jesus something costly and she gave it without reservation. She held nothing back for herself; she had no regard for what others thought. At least one, Judas, was offended, although his offense arose out of his selfish heart. But for most, the aroma was a sweet smell.

Do I bring that kind of “gift” to Jesus? Do I give Him the most costly thing I have . . . my heart? Do I serve Him without regard to what others may think? Do I offer the worship of my obedience to the point that it affects others? Am I broken and spilled out for Jesus?

Setting the Table in My Heart for Easter

I guess Mondays were challenging days in Jesus’ time too. On Monday, Jesus found people using God’s House for their personal advantage.

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.'” – Matthew 21:12-13

People travelled from great distances and from other countries during the Passover to worship at the Temple. The traveling distance often prevented people from bring a sacrificial animal with them, so opportunistic people set up shops to sell sacrificial animals to the travelers. This created the need for banks to set up stations to exchange foreign currency for temple currency. The travelers were at the mercy of the bankers and the merchants if they wanted to purchase what was necessary to worship God. When Jesus saw them taking advantage of others and using what was holy to the Lord for their own personal gain, He took care of business for them. They had ignored the true purpose of the Temple and made it their own personal flea market. Jesus literally cleaned house in the Temple on that Monday.

Today, as I prepare for Easter, I ask Jesus to walk through the courts of the Temple of my Heart and overturn any part that has become selfish. I am asking Him to walk by the tables of ambitions, attitudes, and affections and to cast out what doesn’t please Him. Will it be pleasant? Probably not. A lot of Mondays aren’t. But the result will be a pure heart devoted entirely to HIM.

Prosperity the BIBLE Way

 

The so-called “Prosperity Gospel” is all the rage these days.  A plethora of preachers on TV will tell you that God wants you to be rich, healthy, and popular.  They promise that all you have to do is declare what you want, and God will make sure it happens.  This preaching is neither biblical nor practical.

The Bible does contain, however, a condition for a successful and prosperous life.  Joshua 1:8 contains that simple, two-part formula:

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. 

The first condition of God’s version of prosperity is to meditate  on God’s Word.  The “book of the Law” mentioned was the Torah, or first five books of the Old Testament.  The Torah constituted the complete “bible” of Joshua’s day.  The meditation to which God calls us is not empty, repetitious monosyllabic incantations associated with meditation to most in our cuture today.  To meditate is to think about something, consider its meaning, and apply its practical teaching to life.

To meditate on a Scripture passage, you might read the verse several times, emphasizing a different word each time, and noting the nuances of meaning in each word.  You might also rephrase the verse in your own words, personalizing it by placing your name in the verse in place of pronouns.  You can also ask questions of the verse to glean its truth.  One such helpful tool for me is to use the word SPECK as a guide.  Is there
         a Sin to avoid,
         a Promise to claim,
       an Encouragement to hear,
         a Command to obey,
       or Knowledge to gain.

Develop the habit of reading and pondering on Scripture daily.

Then the second condition is simply to obey God’s Word.  Be careful to DO all that is written in it.  When God reveals something to you from your meditation, immediately put it into practice.

Notice the observation of the verse is that those who meditate and obey will make their way prosperous and enjoy good success.  Prosperity the Bible way will always work.

 

Heaven is For Real Because the Bible is True

Recently, the book and movie Heaven Is For Real has captivated the attention of the Christian world and to some degree those outside the purview of Christianity.  Before that, Don Piper’s testimonial book 90 Minutes in Heaven made the rounds as it rose to prominence in Christian literature.

Both of these books are written by sincere, Christ-following believers whose desire is to encourage faith and foster belief in God and in His Son Jesus.  I do, however, find myself quite uncomfortable with some of the assertions made in both books.  Both contain descriptions that are inconsistent with the Biblical accounts of heaven.  I will not go into detail about them here, but I highly recommend an article written by Randy Alcorn, author of the book Heaven, which is a summary of Biblical teachings on heaven.  You can find his article by clicking on this link.

 A larger and much more vital issue, however, is the sufficiency of Scripture for faith and practice.  We love to hear the testimony of others that corroborates that which we believe to be so, but what if we hear evidence contrary to what we believe?  What if those who had near death experiences came back with a totally different picture than the Biblical account of the afterlife?  Which would we believe?

My personal experiences are subjective and vulnerable to circumstances, emotions, fleshly desires, and other such fickle factors.  The truths of the Word of God, however, stand true for all eternity and are unchanged by the times, circumstances, and whims of life.  I may “feel” one way today and another way tomorrow, but God’s Word remains true because it emanates from the Unchanging One.

I can always count on God’s Word to mean today what it meant back then, to ask of me today the same it asked of me yesterday, and to stand the tests and challenges of changing times, cultures, needs, and contexts.  God’s Word…learn it…love it…live by it.  He will never let you down.

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!” – Matthew 7:24-27

For further reading:

2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.

Eliminating Drama from Your Life

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“…to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you…” – 1 Thessalonians 4:11

I am a parent, and there are two things every parent wants: peace and … yes, quiet.  I must admit, though, the sounds of family life comfort me.  When I hear them, I know I am surrounded by people who love me unconditionally and with whom I can be myself.

For most of us, Paul’s encouragement to the Christians in Thessalonia serves as a great challenge for us: aspire to lead a quiet life.  The quiet to which Paul refers, however, has nothing to do with the cacophony of sounds that flood our eardrums, but rather to a life lived as free as possible from strife and drama. 

The quiet life, as the rest of the verse describes, minds its own business and occupies itself with its own work rather than worrying about the affairs of others. The quiet life is quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath (James 1:19).  The quiet life seeks first to remove the beam from its own eye before trying to remove a splinter from someone else’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5). The quiet life seeks to glorify God in everything it does (1 Corinthians 10:31).  

Let me suggest some practices you can begin today that might just help you quiet your life.

  1. Establish a daily quiet time. Mark 1:35-39 records the first of many occasions throughout the Gospels where Jesus withdrew alone to a quiet place to spend time in prayer.  If the Son of God needed to do this, how can one as lowly as I expect to have a quiet life without it?
  2. Cultivate a quiet heart.  Psalm 46:10 encourages us to stop the striving of life long enough to recognize God and humbly submit to Him.
  3. Make a regular habit of cutting others some slack.  We tend to judge others much more harshly than ourselves.  The Bible challenges believers to be tender toward and forgiving of each other. (Ephesians 4:32)

You, and you ALONE, hold the key to a life with less drama.  Make it your ambition to chill out and be quiet.

How to Get What You Want from God…EVERY TIME

What if I told you there was a guaranteed way you could make sure God gave you everything you asked for?  What if you could know that when you prayed, God would surely answer in the way that you prayed He would answer?

You think I’m kidding?  I’m not.  There is a way.  Jesus said it Himself.

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. – John 15:4

There is a catch (you knew it, right), another one of those big little words “if.”  The desired result, getting what you ask for, is conditioned upon abiding in Jesus and His words abiding in us.  The last part of that verse is less a promise and more of an observation.

All to often, we view that verse as effort and reward.  If we do our duty of spending enough hours in Bible study, God will reward us by answering one of our prayers in the way we want Him to answer.  That view has two problems: first, it’s just dead wrong, and second, it totally leaves grace out of the equation.  Grace is God’s benefits extended to us without our need to earn  or deserve them.  God does not give us good things as a reward for our good behavior, He gives us good things because He is good.  Period.

Our challenge is to immerse our lives in His word, to have His word in our heart and mind all day long, to allow His word to shape our thoughts, attitudes, and actions.  God’s Word transforms our hearts and conforms us to the image of Christ, and as a result, we pray for the same things that God desires to give us – for our good and His glory.

It’s never too late to begin to dive into the Bible.

  • Read it every day. 
  • Believe its teachings. 
  • Meditate on its meaning.   
  • Apply its truth. 

What are you waiting on?  Change is on the way.  Change from who you are into who God wants you to be.  Let’s get serious about God’s word.

The Parable of the Pencil

I am not sure where this originates. I found it when looking for something else on an old back-up disk. The message spoke to me, and I share it with you in hopes that it will to you as well. I have added some Bible verses in the last part (in italics) and I pray this parable challenges you to let God use you today and always.

PARABLE OF THE PENCIL

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are five things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.

Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.

Five: On every surface you are used, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the pencil with you, always remember them, never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand.

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. – James 1:2-3

Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you might make or grow through them.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9

Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. – Proverbs 23:7

Five: On every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 15:58

By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart and a relationship with God daily.

— Author Unknown

God’s Infallible Radar

The search for Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 has captured the attention, and imagination of the world.  During the early morning hours of March 8, the flight experienced a normal take off, then about an hour later the plane turned to head in the opposite direction and vanished from radar and all other electronic contact. MH 370 has been neither seen nor heard from since.  Theories abound as to its whereabouts and the causes for its disappearance.

Thankfully, our God has charted a course for our lives and we are still on course with His plan. He is a God of purpose.  Our direction may seem a mystery to us, but God knows exactly where we are and precisely where we are going. 

Yet He knows the way I have taken;
when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.
My feet have followed in His tracks;
I have kept to His way and not turned aside.
I have not departed from the commands of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
more than my daily food.

But He is unchangeable; who can oppose Him?
He does what He desires.
He will certainly accomplish what He has decreed for me,
and He has many more things like these in mind. – Job 23:10-14

Read those last two lines again and BELIEVE them.  God WILL accomplish what He has determined for you, certainly, and He has many things in His mind for you.  

But what about our part?  Job reminds us of our responsibility: FOLLOW in His tracks, KEEP His way, TREASURE His Word.  When we live in obedience we can leave circumstances in control of the Sovereign of this creation knowing that He is working His plan for us and for all of His creation.

Read, study, and obey God’s Word and leave the rest up to Him. He never has navigation malfunctions.

The Perfect Storm

At least four of Jesus’ disciples were professional fishermen who had spent innumerable hours on the sea of Galilee and had weathered the worst of storms.  Until THAT storm, that is.  You can read about it in Matthew 14:22-33.

Had those disciples embarked on such a trip in our day, they probably would have asked others to pray for them to have “traveling mercies” and for God to keep them “safe.”  The Scripture, however, tells us that Jesus made the disciples get in the boat and go out on the lake ahead of Him.  Jesus sent them onto a lake on which He knew a storm would brew.  He was not giving them traveling mercies and keeping them safe.  

Imagine what they would have missed had Jesus kept them from the storm.  Think about Peter – Peter would have missed the rush of defying the laws of physics and taking a few steps ON TOP of the water.

We tend to ridicule Peter for taking his eyes off of Jesus and sinking.  We deem him rash and irresponsible for thinking for a moment he could walk on water.  But who has taken more steps on top of the water, you or Peter?  He would have missed that experience had Jesus allowed the disciples to avoid storms and stay safe.

Sometimes the purposes of God are better served by rescuing us THROUGH the storms of life rather than FROM those storms.  I have recently experienced some stormy circumstances in my life and I can attest to the fact that I learned things about God and about myself that I would never have learned during safe, happy circumstances.

Don’t be so quick to loathe a storm in your life.  That storm may be God’s tool for leading you to a risky faith that moves you out of the boat of your comfort zone and compels you to come to Him even through the wind, lightening, and dangerously deep circumstances of your storm.  Do what the disciples learned to do.  In your storm, look for Jesus to come to you and to bid you to come to Him.