Nothing Between

We let the most trivial things come between us and God. 

“Not me,” you say, “I don’t let things come between me and God.”

Really? Have you read your Bible today? If not, why not. That came between you and God.

Have you prayed today? If not, why not. That came between you and God.

Have you spent time meditating on God and realizing His place and presence in your life today? If not, why not. That came between you and God.

No time for Bible, no time to meditate, no time for prayer. Time for Facebook, email, texting, and Twitter. Nothing between?

As you read the lyrics to this old hymn, ask God to reveal to you what you have let slip in between you and Him.

Nothing Between by Charles A. Tindley (1905)

Nothing between my soul and my Savior,
Naught of this world’s delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure;
Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.

Refrain:

Nothing between my soul and my Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor;
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

Nothing between, like worldly pleasure;
Habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from Him ever sever;
He is my all, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between, like pride or station;
Self or friends shall not intervene;
Though it may cost me much tribulation,
I am resolved, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between, e’en many hard trials,
Though the whole world against me convene;
Watching with prayer and much self-denial,
I’ll triumph at last, there’s nothing between.

Love, Love Me Do

We use the word “love” in some pretty interesting ways.  I can say that I love Mexican food and that I love my wife.  Same word, totally different meanings.

The New Testament uses a few different words for love ranging in meaning from a utilitarian love to an unconditional sacrificial love.  One thing I have come to notice, however, about love in the New Testament is that it rarely, if ever, speaks of love as an emotion.  New Testament love is always an attitude that results in definitive action.

The NT employs other words that encompass the emotion that we often call love – words such as affection, loving kindness, and the ever popular KJV “bowels.”  “Love” in the New Testament seems to always indicate something more objective.

The qualities listed 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 – that chapter to which we ascribe love’s definition – describe attitudes and actions, not feelings and emotion.  If I love, I AM patient and kind.  If I love, I naturally behave with certain actions like rejoicing with the object of my love, not keeping score of their shortcomings, etc.  These are attitudes and actions.  Other places in the NT teach us to DEMONSTRATE love rather than encouraging us to FEEL love.

During this week that culminates Friday with Valentine’s Day, many of us will be thinking about love.  My challenge to you this week is to be intentional in demonstrating love.  Look at that list in 1 Corinthians 13 again and choose one or two of those qualities to practice toward others each day this week.  Don’t be content “feeling” love.  That is selfish.  Show your love by your attitudes and actions toward your family, friends, co-workers, and those you meet along your way.

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. – 1 John 3:18

Daily Bible Reading – February 9 – 15

Sun – February 9 – Genesis 42, Mark 12, Job 8, Romans 12

Mon – February 10 – Genesis 43, Mark 13, Job 9, Romans 13

Tue – February 11 – Genesis 44, Mark 14, Job 10, Romans 14

Wed – February 12 – Genesis 45, Mark 15, Job 11, Romans 15

Thu – February 13 – Genesis 46, Mark 16, Job 12, Romans 16

Fri – February 14 – Genesis 47, Luke 1:1-38, Job 13, 1 Corinthians 1

Sat – February 15 – Genesis 48, Luke1:39-80, Job 14, 1 Corinthians 2

Doubting God’s Word – The Oldest Trick in the Book

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Watching the Ken Ham / Bill Nye Creationism debate tonight reinforced what I knew to be a fundamental issue in our society, and unfortunately even with our churches.  The great divide in culture is what one believes about the nature and authority of the Bible.

Many times during the debate, Ham stood on his belief that the Word of God was both the beginning point and the final authority for an accurate worldview.  Each time, Nye challenged that presupposition, his disbelief every bit a strong as Ham’s assertion.

One of the devil’s oldest tricks is to create doubt and confusion about what God has said and what authority His Word carries. Genesis 3:1-5 describes the first ever challenge to God’s Word.

Unfortunately this confusion and doubt concerning the content and authority of God’s Word is not limited to those outside the church, but it rears its ugly head among those who comprise the Church as well.  Many believers demonstrate through their behavior that they either do not know what’s in God’s Word, believe what’s in God’s Word, or don’t care what’s in God’s Word.

We desperately need to get back to the Bible.  We need God’s Word to saturate our lives to the point that Biblical truth oozes from every fiber of our being.

I want to challenge you to discipline yourselves to engage God’s Word systematically in two ways.  First, read larger portions of the Bible to get the over all story of God’s redemption from beginning to end.  If you begin in Genesis and read for about 15 minutes, about 4 chapters at a time, you can read through the entire Bible in a year.

Second, meditate daily on a smaller portion of Scripture.  Consider its meaning in its immediate context then make practical application to your life.  Think about the passage throughout the day, looking for ways to put its truths to work immediately.

We cannot be casual about something as divine and important as God’s Word.  I truly believe if we seriously begin to study and apply God’s Word to our lives, our lost world will see its power and our lives will demonstrate its authority.  This will be the only way our culture will ever gain a respect for the authority of God’s Word – when they see it alive and active in our lives on a regular basis.

Read it.  Believe it.  Heed it.

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 1:8

10 Ways Jesus Is Better Than the Super Bowl

1. Broncos and Seahawks are created animals.  Jesus is the Creator.

2. Super Bowl Teams need 15 break at halftime to rest.  Jesus never sleeps or slumbers.

3. Super bowl features different teams and players each year. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

4. Super Bowl refs call penalties and take off yardage. Jesus offers grace and forgiveness

5. Boring announcers bring you the Super Bowl. The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus.

6. Super Bowl includes entertaining commercials encouraging us to spend money.  Jesus offers eternal rewards for
investing ourselves.

7. Super Bowl halftime show ignorantly glorifies sin.  Jesus offers victory over sin.

8. Super Bowl lasts 60 minutes.  Jesus is eternal.

9. Super Bowl played in New York.  Jesus is on the Throne of Heaven.

10. Super Bowl results in a winner and loser.  Everyone who comes to Jesus is a winner.

Feel free to add your own in the comments section below.

Daily Bible Reading – February 2 – 8

Sun – February 2 – Genesis 34, Mark 5, Job 1, Romans 5

Mon – February 3 – Genesis 35-36, Mark 6, Job 2, Romans 6

Tue – February 4 – Genesis 37, Mark 7, Job 3, Romans 7

Wed – February 5 – Genesis 38, Mark 8, Job 4, Romans 8

Thu – February 6 – Genesis 39, Mark 9, Job 5, Romans 9

Fri – February 7 – Genesis 40, Mark 10, Job 6, Romans 10

Sat – February 8 – Genesis 41, Mark 11, Job 7, Romans 11

How to Pick a Fight with a Christian

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The fastest way to start a fight with a Christian is to engage him or her in a conversation about music – music for church as well as what they play on their mp3 player or in their car.  The hymns vs. praise song battles are well documented and that is a can I will leave closed for now.  Most would be surprised, however, to find that many believers are just as defensive about their personal choice of music AWAY from church as they are about the kind of music they prefer IN church.

When King Saul rebelled against God, the Bible says the spirit of the Lord departed from him and a “harmful” spirit from the Lord tormented him (1 Samuel 16).  Without going into the exegesis of the “harmful spirit,” suffice it to say, Saul was miserable.  His advisors suggested someone come and play music in order to soothe his spirit.  By God’s designed, the greatest worship song writer ever, David, came to play for Saul.

“And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.” 1 Samuel 16:23

David’s music affected Saul in three positive ways: emotionally (refreshed), physically (was well), and spiritually (the harmful spirit departed).

Because music has access to the deepest resources of our being, we need to be aware of its effects on our lives and be more discriminating with the music to which you listen.  Worldly music exposes us to worldly values, and Biblical music exposes us to Biblical truth.

I am not referring to style, but rather to message.  Musical tones and sounds are the vehicle in which thoughts and ideas travel to the deepest resources of our being.  I challenge you to pay more careful attention to lyrics.  Do away with junk and instead choose music that exalts Christ, is consistent with Biblical truth, and brings your thoughts captive to Christ.

Turn off the world’s garbage and choose instead to listen to good “Christ-centered” music.  You will find it amazing how beneficial truth accompanied by music can affect your mood, thinking, and ultimately your actions.

 

Spiritual Cancer

Cancer is a most insidious disease.  I’ve read that all of us carry cancer-causing carcinogens in our bodies, and for many those carcinogens lie dormant for years, sometimes forever.  At some point, a trigger activates a particular carcinogen and cancer begins to grow unknown to the person hosting those cancer cells.  By the time a diagnoses detects cancer, it has become dangerous and radical treatment is in order.

Bitterness is to the spirit what cancer is to the body – an insidious but destructive hidden element that grows until it does its carrier harm.  Consider wise counsel from God’s Word:

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled… – Hebrews 12:15

Notice that bitterness begins as a root.  Something happens to me that I do not like, someone hurts me or attacks me, or I harbor ill feelings toward someone that I refuse to resolve.  The negativity inside of me seems harmless, no one knows about it but me, and the few(?) people to whom I express my displeasure, but if I am harboring unforgiveness, and if I do not release the hurt I am feeling, then trouble looms.  My untreated bitterness will result in the hurt of others.  Just as an oncologist proactively and radically deals with cancer, so also we must radically deal with unforgiveness before it becomes bitterness and if it’s too late, then deal with the bitterness before it explodes.

Notice the verse above cautions, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God…”  Since we have received grace from God, we need to extend grace to others.  If you have been hurt, let go, forgive.  Forgive as often as the hurt tries to return, over and over, daily, several times a day.  Ask God to heal your hurt and live in the freedom of forgiveness.  If you ask God to give you enough grace to forgive those who have hurt you, He will give you enough to have plenty left over for yourself to heal your hurt.

Daily Bible Reading – January 26 – February 1

January 26 – Genesis 27, Matthew 26, Esther 3, Acts 26

January 27 – Genesis 28, Matthew 27, Esther 4, Acts 27

January 28 – Genesis 29, Matthew 28, Esther 5, Acts 28

January 29 – Genesis 30, Mark 1, Esther 6, Romans 1

January 30 – Genesis 31, Mark 2, Esther 7, Romans 2

January 31 – Genesis 32, Mark 3, Esther 8, Romans 3

February 1 – Genesis 33, Mark 4, Esther 9‐10, Romans 4

Review: The Coffee Shop that Changed a Church

CoffeeShopFinalCoverWEBOver the last several years, I have noticed a new genre of leadership books arise in which leadership principles unfold through the narrative of a story creating a mixture of fiction and non-fiction in the same writing.  I find this type of writing helpful because the reader immediately sees explanation, illustration, and application of the principles, making them easier to understand.

Dr. Steve Parr has brought this type of writing to the Church in his newest book The Coffee Shop that Changed a Church.  Dr. Parr’s work is both inspirational and information.  The compelling narrative of a fictional Rev. Mitch Walker of the Stanton Community Church engages all of the elements of a good story, leaving the reader in anticipation of what happens next.

Through Walker’s experiences, the reader learns the value and process of mentoring as Rev. Walker is mentor by older, more experienced, and seemingly “successful” Marc Benton, pastor of a prominent church in the county.  Walker in turn mentors members of his congregation, which results in a surprising twist in the last chapter of the book.

The book also shows the difficulties and blessings of pastoral ministry.  Walker deals with the usual struggles of vision, time, and expectations.  Mean-spirited members challenge him, well-meaning members place unreasonable expectations on him, a lost community burdens him, and his family encourages him. Most pastors I know will identify with most of his experiences.

Finally, fulfilling the purpose of the story, the book presents a method of saturating a community with the Gospel of Jesus through six principles collectively called The Net Effect.  The story relates Walker’s efforts to engage Stanton Community Church in each of the six principles.  Dr. Parr has always been his best when training leaders to share their faith.  The Net Effect is simple enough for any church to engage, and practical enough to adapt to any community or context.

I commend the book to pastors of every church – large, small, or in between.  I also believe every lay leader would benefit from the book in two ways.  First, the leader will gain an insight into the struggles of a pastor in a typical church.  Then the leader can see better ways to encourage pastors.  Second, the leader will learn principles that he or she can use along side of the pastor to help the church engage the Great Commission in their community.

Thank you, Dr. Parr.  You have given a great gift to the Church.