It is amazing how Scripture can leap out of the page during those moments you take time to reflect on life. During the month of May we were gone from home for thirteen days. We had traveled to Minnesota where I spoke at a conference for senior adults. We then returned home for a few days before going to south Texas to celebrate the fiftieth wedding anniversary for my brother and his wife. Both events were amazing, inspirational, encouraging, and refreshing. However, when we finally returned home from our second trip, our little "Svenska Stuga" looked wonderful.
Philippians 4:11 is Paul's testimony to his contentment in whatever circumstances he found himself. Many of us go through life dissatisfied with the things around us when the real treasure escapes us. Paul's testimony is summed up in Philippians 4:13 when he points to Christ alone.
While we had some great accomodations while we were traveling in May, coming home reminded me how blessed I am and underscored my contentment with the things the Lord has given us. We lived within walking distance of both of our sons and grandchildren, have had some great opportunities to share with many churches in the area as both interim and substitute pastor, and have developed friendships that will last throughout our lives. Serving a megachurch, having a big house, owning the latest automobile, and having a big retirement is not the issue for anyone who trusts Christ. If someone has those things, it is no sin. But, having Christ is everything and being grateful and content (self-contained) is everything!
Scripture tells us, "...This is the day the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it." Don't look for another better day. Enjoy today and rejoice in Him. As someone has said, if we lose everything, we still have Him.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Everything In Its Time
Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that everything is appropriate in its time. I began thinking of that verse last month as we celebrated another birthday. This time the birthday was mine.
What made this birthday memorable was not just the presence of our family but it also reminded me that just a month before my birthday over three decades ago, my father went to be with the Lord. Now I look at that moment so differently than I did at the time. I was young, had a family, was ministering in a local church in Iowa, and the loss of my father was a shock even though he had been ill for a few months and had told me he wanted to die.
Today I am just eight years short of my father's age when he died. I can look in the mirror and see him in his graying years. I can understand the aches and pains of aging and how some things become more difficult to accomplish than they had in past years. I eat well, try to get good exercise, work in my yard a good share of the year, avoid things that would harm my health and look for opportunities to interact with other people. However, as Solomon reminds us, there is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to laugh and a time to cry. Life is a mixture of things pleasant and unpleasant to us, but God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is faithful. He is loving and gracious. He never forsakes His own. AND..."He has set eternity in our hearts." (Eccl. 3:11). We were made for more than this moment. We were made for eternity and we only find meaning in this life when our focus is on what is yet to come.
Today may our prayer be: "Come, Lord Jesus."
What made this birthday memorable was not just the presence of our family but it also reminded me that just a month before my birthday over three decades ago, my father went to be with the Lord. Now I look at that moment so differently than I did at the time. I was young, had a family, was ministering in a local church in Iowa, and the loss of my father was a shock even though he had been ill for a few months and had told me he wanted to die.
Today I am just eight years short of my father's age when he died. I can look in the mirror and see him in his graying years. I can understand the aches and pains of aging and how some things become more difficult to accomplish than they had in past years. I eat well, try to get good exercise, work in my yard a good share of the year, avoid things that would harm my health and look for opportunities to interact with other people. However, as Solomon reminds us, there is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to laugh and a time to cry. Life is a mixture of things pleasant and unpleasant to us, but God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is faithful. He is loving and gracious. He never forsakes His own. AND..."He has set eternity in our hearts." (Eccl. 3:11). We were made for more than this moment. We were made for eternity and we only find meaning in this life when our focus is on what is yet to come.
Today may our prayer be: "Come, Lord Jesus."
Thursday, January 31, 2013
All Things Work Together..
It is easy for each of us to forget that, despite the unpleasant things that occur in our lives, God is at work in us and our circumstances. He is working to bring glory to Himself and to fashion us so we can be used as His instrument.
I have several friends and acquaintances who inspire me. They are people who have trusted Christ alone for their salvation but whose lives, by most standards, is not easy. They sometimes have physical challenges most of us would want to avoid. Sometimes they have financial challenges or relationship problems. Yet, in spite of everything, they continue to move ahead, trust God, and make the most of their lives.
When the apostle Paul penned Romans 8:28, he was absolutely confident that the God who had begun a good work in him, would continue it and complete it. That often-repeated passage is not meant to be a detour around our difficulties but a reminder that God can take all the parts of our lives (good and not-so-good) and work them all into a pattern of good. The good of which the apostle speaks is good as defined by our Sovereign Lord. Ultimately, only God knows what is good and bad. Our calling, as believers, is to trust Him rather than rush to judgment about what is best for us.
Of one thing I am confident: Jesus does all things well. I don't have to have an explanation for everything that happens in life. I do have to trust Him.
I have several friends and acquaintances who inspire me. They are people who have trusted Christ alone for their salvation but whose lives, by most standards, is not easy. They sometimes have physical challenges most of us would want to avoid. Sometimes they have financial challenges or relationship problems. Yet, in spite of everything, they continue to move ahead, trust God, and make the most of their lives.
When the apostle Paul penned Romans 8:28, he was absolutely confident that the God who had begun a good work in him, would continue it and complete it. That often-repeated passage is not meant to be a detour around our difficulties but a reminder that God can take all the parts of our lives (good and not-so-good) and work them all into a pattern of good. The good of which the apostle speaks is good as defined by our Sovereign Lord. Ultimately, only God knows what is good and bad. Our calling, as believers, is to trust Him rather than rush to judgment about what is best for us.
Of one thing I am confident: Jesus does all things well. I don't have to have an explanation for everything that happens in life. I do have to trust Him.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Redefining Sin
A recent news item told of a man who found $17,000, kept $7,000, and was surprised when he was confronted that he had done anything wrong. His excuse? He stated he had "only" kept a part of the money and not all of it.
It is often interesting that each of us forget that we are all in the "same boat" when it comes to our sin and failures in life. No one is immune. However, as one grows in their Christian life, what pleases God should become clearer to us and we should be more like Christ.
One of the things that often helps us in our Christian life is having someone to whom we are accountable. Does anyone ever ask you, as a Christian, how your prayer life is going? Anyone ask about your Bible reading and insight into some particular passage of Scripture? Anyone ask you to pray for them and share their deepest needs? Each of us ought to find someone, in addition to our mate, to whom we can be accountable and who will be accountable to us. It is clear from Scripture that those passages that have the phrase, "...one another" give us plenty of encouragement. We're told to "love one another", "pray for one another", "encourage one another" and even to "admonish one another." Sometimes we need someone to set us on the straight path. And the end result will be Christ-like growth. Let's agree to do it!
It is often interesting that each of us forget that we are all in the "same boat" when it comes to our sin and failures in life. No one is immune. However, as one grows in their Christian life, what pleases God should become clearer to us and we should be more like Christ.
One of the things that often helps us in our Christian life is having someone to whom we are accountable. Does anyone ever ask you, as a Christian, how your prayer life is going? Anyone ask about your Bible reading and insight into some particular passage of Scripture? Anyone ask you to pray for them and share their deepest needs? Each of us ought to find someone, in addition to our mate, to whom we can be accountable and who will be accountable to us. It is clear from Scripture that those passages that have the phrase, "...one another" give us plenty of encouragement. We're told to "love one another", "pray for one another", "encourage one another" and even to "admonish one another." Sometimes we need someone to set us on the straight path. And the end result will be Christ-like growth. Let's agree to do it!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
A "New" Discovery
A news item this week reports that a professor of religion at Harvard University has found a small fragment written in Egyptian Coptic that is about the size of a post card. On it, the professor claims, is a note that Jesus was married. NONE of the Gospel accounts which have been proven authentic ever mention this about Jesus.
One of the interesting facts about the professor is that she specializes in women's issues, Gnosticism, etc. You will remember the Gnostics denied that Jesus was both God and man. That is the issue that the three epistles of John address and remind us that "...anyone who denies that Jesus is God in the flesh is the antichrist."
The outcome of this "new" discovery (which is really another attempt by doubters to paint Jesus in a light that focuses on their agendas) does not change the teaching of Scripture. I am also certain that those of us who do not accept this "new" discovery as authentic will not burn down buildings, assault those who promote such speech, and will only continue to preach the Gospel of Christ (I Cor. 15:1-4).
After more than 2,000 years and with all the assaults on Christianity, the message of Christ crucified, buried, risen and coming again has not changed. It is the Good News that God has chosen to redeem mankind through the Son He has sent (John 3:16).
One of the interesting facts about the professor is that she specializes in women's issues, Gnosticism, etc. You will remember the Gnostics denied that Jesus was both God and man. That is the issue that the three epistles of John address and remind us that "...anyone who denies that Jesus is God in the flesh is the antichrist."
The outcome of this "new" discovery (which is really another attempt by doubters to paint Jesus in a light that focuses on their agendas) does not change the teaching of Scripture. I am also certain that those of us who do not accept this "new" discovery as authentic will not burn down buildings, assault those who promote such speech, and will only continue to preach the Gospel of Christ (I Cor. 15:1-4).
After more than 2,000 years and with all the assaults on Christianity, the message of Christ crucified, buried, risen and coming again has not changed. It is the Good News that God has chosen to redeem mankind through the Son He has sent (John 3:16).
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The Value of Work
Recently, someone spoke to me about what used to be referred to as "the Protestant work ethic." They noted that such a view of life and work had fallen on hard times. Apparently we have forgotten that some of our ancestors believed that whatever one did it was to be done to the glory of God. In fact, that truth comes from Colossians 3:17 when Paul writes: "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."
The Puritans believed that whether one plowed a field, crafted a piece of furniture, served as a homemaker or sat in worship on Sunday, it was all a part of God's plan for us. Work has value because the One who has called us to work is the One who created the heavens and the earth, including mankind.
Work is not punishment but a way for us to express ourselves and to glorify God. Christian workers should be the best workers one could hire. Christian parents should see their parenthood as an offering to the Lord. Teachers should see their tutoring and use of words as worship as well. Paul says "...whatever you do in word or in deed..."
Christianity is a total way of life in which we honor God in ALL we do and say. Therefore, we should rejoice that God has made us for a purpose. That purpose gives meaning to life.
The word for today? FIND MEANING IN WHATEVER YOU DO AND HONOR HIM.
The Puritans believed that whether one plowed a field, crafted a piece of furniture, served as a homemaker or sat in worship on Sunday, it was all a part of God's plan for us. Work has value because the One who has called us to work is the One who created the heavens and the earth, including mankind.
Work is not punishment but a way for us to express ourselves and to glorify God. Christian workers should be the best workers one could hire. Christian parents should see their parenthood as an offering to the Lord. Teachers should see their tutoring and use of words as worship as well. Paul says "...whatever you do in word or in deed..."
Christianity is a total way of life in which we honor God in ALL we do and say. Therefore, we should rejoice that God has made us for a purpose. That purpose gives meaning to life.
The word for today? FIND MEANING IN WHATEVER YOU DO AND HONOR HIM.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
TRAIN UP A CHILD...
While our granddaughters were at our home recently, they were watching a television show about young girls involved in beauty contests. I sat and watched with them because my curiosity was aroused. The show revealed how parents spend thousands of dollars for costumes, tutors and coaches, and travel just to have their children participate in contests. Obviously, every parent thinks their child is the smartest, cutest, most beautiful person ever born.
The disturbing thing about the contest is that it revealed that many parents are simply living out their unfulfilled dreams through their children. Some of the girls, in particular, were crying and didn't want to participate but mothers and coaches kept insisting they perform. It may have had a "cute" aspect to it, but it was also disturbing.
Being the preacher that I am, I could not help but think of the Scripture's teaching that we are to "train up a child in the way he should go.." There is an emphasis in the text, I'm told, that refers to the individuality of the child but with the primary emphasis on doing what the Lord commands. Ephesians 6:4 puts the parent in the position of a teacher as the parent rears the child in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. The ONLY "contest" that should concern the parent is that God is pleased with their child. Winning beauty contests, having superior grades in school, being the best athlete, or having the most influential friends is not the primary issue in one's life. The real issue in life is pleasing God in everything we do. The issues of the heart are the real issues, not what we wear or where we live.
Training a child to know and love God is the greatest calling in the world. It will transform a life and influence generations to come. AND...it requires much prayer and careful living.
While our granddaughters were at our home recently, they were watching a television show about young girls involved in beauty contests. I sat and watched with them because my curiosity was aroused. The show revealed how parents spend thousands of dollars for costumes, tutors and coaches, and travel just to have their children participate in contests. Obviously, every parent thinks their child is the smartest, cutest, most beautiful person ever born.
The disturbing thing about the contest is that it revealed that many parents are simply living out their unfulfilled dreams through their children. Some of the girls, in particular, were crying and didn't want to participate but mothers and coaches kept insisting they perform. It may have had a "cute" aspect to it, but it was also disturbing.
Being the preacher that I am, I could not help but think of the Scripture's teaching that we are to "train up a child in the way he should go.." There is an emphasis in the text, I'm told, that refers to the individuality of the child but with the primary emphasis on doing what the Lord commands. Ephesians 6:4 puts the parent in the position of a teacher as the parent rears the child in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. The ONLY "contest" that should concern the parent is that God is pleased with their child. Winning beauty contests, having superior grades in school, being the best athlete, or having the most influential friends is not the primary issue in one's life. The real issue in life is pleasing God in everything we do. The issues of the heart are the real issues, not what we wear or where we live.
Training a child to know and love God is the greatest calling in the world. It will transform a life and influence generations to come. AND...it requires much prayer and careful living.
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