Remembering

I was reflecting on the Monday after Mother's Day how we as people tend to remember things only when we have reminders.  We might forget to thank our mothers entirely were it not for a day to remember them.  We might neglect to remember our country's history and the glorious gift of freedom were it not for the celebration on the 4th of July.  And for me personally, I seem to forget anything that is not promptly entered into my phone to remind me of an upcoming event or task.  We are a forgetful people.  I think that this is important to remind ourselves so that we appreciate the times that we are told to remember in the Scriptures.  We are told to remember the Sabbath in Exodus 20:8.  It is interesting that this is precisely one of the things that Israel forgot to do and one of the reasons they went into captivity.  But perhaps most of all is the command to "do this in remembrance of me". (1 Cor 11).  We are to remember at all times the sacrifice that Christ made for us and we have been given an ordinance we are to remember until Christ returns for us.  I wonder though if we think about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ nearly enough.  In my church heritage we do it once a month.  The implication is however that we are to do the remembering a lot more often that.  In fact, when he gave the command to the disciples he used two things present in every meal.  Common things - things they would likely see every time they sat down to eat.  I think this was to remind them to remember - every day - that Jesus died for them. 

Do you remember? 

Unexpected Blessings

Sometimes, life does not go the way that we planned.  People disappoint us, plans fail, things break down.  Sometimes it seems to happen all at once.  Ever had a weekend where multiple things break and nothing seems to go the way that you planned?  A weekend where you feel on your first day back to work that you have been working really hard, but have nothing to show for it but the list of things you still have to do?  I am learning that in the midst of these kinds of days or weeks there are blessings to be found.  The blessing of people coming alongside of you to help you through the struggle.  The blessing of people willing to share their struggles in order to encourage you in yours.  I find it fascinating that in my life I tend to stop counting blessings when I am blessed the most, but when I am struggling, every blessing matters.  Perhaps this is why James tells us in chapter 1 verse 2, "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. . ."  He goes on to describe the process God uses to mature us - using trials to build endurance to make us perfect and complete.  God's plan for your perfection involves the use of difficult circumstances to grow you into the likeness of His Son.  This is one of the great unexpected blessings of being a Christian.  I do not have to despair because even the worst day of my life is being used for the glory of God. 

So the next time you are having a bad day, do not simply try to ignore it and get past it, but give thanks FOR it.  Seek the blessings in the midst of all of the pain and together we can give glory to our great God who helps grow us through the difficulty He allows and even orchestrates for us to face.  To God be the glory, even in our pain. 

A Note to the Students in All of Us

I remember vividly the feeling of being a student in May.  It was though the finish line was just around the corner but suddenly you were saddled with the weight of projects and finals and homework.  All you could see was the glorious goal of sleeping in and doing whatever you wanted for the glorious summer months.  Days upon days of cartoons and sleepovers and forts built and the sheer bliss of being free.  The only thing keeping you there was the requirements placed upon you and you resented school for it!  Your thoughts as of May 1 became of the summer plans and all else seemed to simply drag you back to a reality you wanted no part of. 

May I suggest that this is the experience of many Christians.  We have the joys of eternity before us and we get so caught up with our thoughts of how wonderful it will be that we view the tasks that we have here, however noble, as simply burdens that keep us from being where we really want to be.  This is a faulty view of eternity and a lousy view of what it means to be a Christian.  Like summer, we can appreciate the genuine joy that comes with eternity without neglecting our lives as students here on earth.  God gives us clear instructions that we are to live out our final days on earth in a particular way - namely to bring Him glory as we share His name with the world around us in word and deed. 

We need to change our perspective from a focus on what is coming to a focus on where we are now in the present.  What has God given you as a challenge for today?  In what way can you be more like Jesus today as He changes your behaviors and character.   Who can you serve today?  Who can you love today?  How can you impact those that do not yet know the Savior for the Kingdom of God?  Our assignments are not something that we do because we have nothing better to do, they are the commands of God given us for our joy.  We cannot look past them.  We cannot think of them as simply filler.  We must instead find the joy in the journey of following after Christ and walking in His Spirit.  Today.

A Man Full of Faith and the Spirit

As you work through the book of Acts you find the story of a man named Stephen.  Not much is said by way of introduction of Stephen.  In fact, the story goes like this.  The church needed men full of the Spirit and wisdom who were of good reputation.  One of them was Stephen.  Stephen was full of faith and the Holy Spirit.  Then it briefly tells of his ministry.  He was performing signs and wonders among the people.  He was doing this full of grace and power.  Now what is interesting is that Stephen seems like an ordinary guy.  He was not an apostle.  We do not hear about him in the gospels  so it is unclear how long he had even been following Jesus.  However, note the power of a man who is full of the Spirit.  Note the impact that can be had.

This is the first lesson for the day.  When we are full of faith and the Spirit of God we can do great things for Christ in the power of the Spirit.  Simply have faith in what God will be able to do in and through you and walk in the Spirit of God. 

There is another lesson however, let us say that it is likely a little less popular.  When you are full of faith and the Spirit and when you are doing things in the name of the Lord Jesus, this does not mean that people will fall to their knees in prayer, and in fact, they may drop down only to pick up stones to throw at you.  This is the short story of Stephen.  While doing great things with God's help, he was blamed for something he did not do and brought before the law to be condemned.  Instead, he preached, condemning all those who were there condemning him and this led not to their immediate repentance, but to the end of his life.  He died proclaiming the name of Christ. 

The second lesson for the day is this.  Being full of faith and the Spirit will often lead to persecution and struggle.  This does not mean that we stop.  We continue because all we have is faith in God and trust that when we follow the Spirit of God we will be doing what God wants us to do.  So, if you are down because people are not responding do not let that hinder your witness but remember that so long as God gives you breath you are to declare the glorious praises of the One who called you into the image of His son.

Responses to Resurrection Sunday

Holy week is finished.  Lent is over.  We have celebrated the Risen Savior.  Now what?  I think that this is kind of the mentality of a lot of Christians.  We love celebrating the major holidays like Christmas and Easter, but at the end of them we kind of just think of waiting until the next one.  And there is no real next holiday that we celebrate with vigor until next Christmas.  Ok, maybe we should include Thanksgiving.  But that still gives us a good 7 months until we have something to focus on.  What to do we do in the meantime? 

May I suggest that the center of the Christian faith is the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and that every day that we are alive is a day to celebrate this glorious moment in history?  Colossians 3:17 reminds us that all we do we are to do in the name of the Lord Jesus, but do you realize that this is only possible because of the resurrection?  Look at verse 1 of the same chapter:

Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

The chapter then goes on to list all that we are to do as we live our new life which is in Christ (vs 4).  All of what we do for Christ is only possible because of the Risen Christ.  If Christ is not raised, we are not raised and we are dead in our sins.  So, each day God gives us is a reminder that we can live for Him BECAUSE we serve a Risen Savior.  So, what do we do now that Easter is over?   We live every day of our lives for Christ because the resurrection is never something to stop celebrating!

When Bad Things Happen

I was reminded this last week of a necessary response to the terrible things that happen in life.  I returned from a relaxing conference to find that someone I knew was recently home from the hospital as a result of a fall, one going to the hospital as a potential heart attack.  Someone close to me had an emergency with their child and then later in the weekend nearly lost their home to a fire.  People tend to struggle to make sense of these kinds of events.  Some, in hope that they will be done, tend to group them in sets of three.  Some tend to internalize all of the struggle, even those that are not personal to them.  But we all struggle when bad things happen.  Atheists struggle, Buddhists struggle, people struggle. 

One of the reasons that I am a Christian is that my belief system helps me to understand the pain.  The Bible is very clear that pain exists and makes it clear why pain exists.  It tells of a God who created all things perfect and when Adam and Eve chose to disbelieve God, opting for their own desires instead, pain entered the world.  Every moment from that choice on has had pain of some kind. 

The Bible also tells me that pain and struggle are temporary, which is a great encouragement if you are in the middle of struggle and toil.  The pain is just a vapor when compared to the glory of the eternity that has been secured for us by the Lord Jesus.  Pain, while very real, and death, while very real, met their match and are conquered and powerless.  Nothing can separate me from the love of Jesus. 

In the midst of the pain and suffering the Bible tells us how we can make it through  - we need to rely fully and trust in our Sovereign Savior and allow His strength to work in and through us.  Our God, in His infinite mercy, saw fit to enter the suffering world and suffer with us and for us.  He died on a cruel cross in order to be raised to life to secure for us our eternal life.  And a God who cares enough to do that is a God that I want to serve. 

Hello from Indianapolis

I am presently attending the Gospel Coalition conference in Indianapolis.  I love that my church is gracious enough to allow me to get away for a few days to hear some really good preaching.  This preaching is mainly on the book of Galatians and has been superb.  As we have talked about this, one question comes to my mind that I wanted to share with you.

How important is the gospel to you?

As we have discussed Galatians and the apostle Paul and the way that he addresses the Galatians churches, it becomes evident that to Paul the gospel is everything.  And getting the gospel correct according to the biblical revelation is critical.  I wonder how much the gospel is central in our lives.  Is the gospel something we think about at church every once in a while? Is the gospel something that we think of when we think of the lost?  Is the gospel something that occasionally we come across, or is the gospel, and getting the gospel right, of first importance to us?

How important is the gospel to you?

Perhaps the better measure of this is not what you say about it, but what others would say on your behalf.  Do your co-workers know how important the gospel is to you?  What about your family?  Your friends?  Can they tell how critical the gospel is in your life, or is it simply something that you reference privately and no one really knows what you think about the gospel or what you think the gospel is?   And so, leaving the discussion of the content and impact of the gospel to another blog, I simply ask you to consider:

How important is the gospel to you?