We just lived through a doozy of a storm. The hardest part of it all is the hundreds of thousands of people without power. For me it meant that our home got down to 34 degrees in the coldest spot in the house after 48 hours of not having power. What was amazing about all of this is how God demonstrated his goodness to us.
It is always easier in retrospect to look back than it is in the moment to look up. But with the benefit of looking back I want to share some of the blessings.
1. You realize what is really important. I was willing and ready to leave the house behind so long as my kids and wife were warm and cared for. I realized what was really important to me!
2. You are primed to listen to the voice of God. As I struggled with the anxiety, I was ready and willing to hear. I was looking to hear. I was seeking God's voice, and this allowed me to hear lessons from God even in a Keys for Kids devotional shared at the house we were staying in.
3. You realize the blessings of the family of God. During and after we had so many offers for help it is a little overwhelming!
4. You see that your world extends beyond you. There were many people who helped from other states to get everything back in order. The way that God intended us to live is to help one another in times of need.
5. You are grateful for salvation. Even if all I had was taken away, there are things God has given me that cannot be taken away. And for these things you become grateful.
6. Worship becomes sweeter. The words of songs seem to stand out and have more meaning when you have gone through something. Worshiping with God's people on Sunday was that much sweeter!
And there are so many more that I could mention. But for the sake of time I will simply conclude with:
7. You realize that no matter what happens - God is good and brings good out of hardship and even tragedy.
"The Lord's been good to me, and so I praise the Lord for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed. The Lord's been good to me. Amen."
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Quick to Hear and Slow to Speak
"But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. . ." James 1:19 (NASB)
In a world in which we get so angry when we learn of a recent decision in government that disagrees with our position. In a world where we whine when we do not get our way. In a world where we get angry with authority and high school students can assault police officers and teachers and then go viral because the police officers stun them with tasers. In a world where we are divided by all sorts of barriers and choose to focus on the division instead of what has potential to unite us. In this kind of world the words of James almost seem to not make sense. And yet, James is here presenting this truth.
First of all I want to be fair to the text and remind us that he is primarily talking about our need to listen to the text of Scripture. We need to listen and become doers of the Word of God and not simply hearers only. And so when the word of God talks about blessing our enemies - we need to listen and do. When the word of God talks about kindness and love - we need to listen and do. When the word of God talks about taking a stand for what is right - we need to listen and do. When the word of God judges a behavior as evil - we need to listen and obey.
Sadly, so often we only choose one or two of those. So one half talks about love and tolerance but forgets the importance of obedience and absolute truth and authority. The other half talks about the right and wrong but fails to love in any meaningful way. And the two sides quickly degenerate into an argument that gets heated and eventually just gets posted on Facebook. And we missed the point entirely. Both sides (pardon the expression) need to shut up and listen to what God is saying to us. Both sides need to look at God's Word and allow it to develop them into maturity.
So the next time you are being drawn into an argument, stop. Ask God for wisdom. Search your copy of the Scriptures for what God might have already said about this and go out and obey!
In a world in which we get so angry when we learn of a recent decision in government that disagrees with our position. In a world where we whine when we do not get our way. In a world where we get angry with authority and high school students can assault police officers and teachers and then go viral because the police officers stun them with tasers. In a world where we are divided by all sorts of barriers and choose to focus on the division instead of what has potential to unite us. In this kind of world the words of James almost seem to not make sense. And yet, James is here presenting this truth.
First of all I want to be fair to the text and remind us that he is primarily talking about our need to listen to the text of Scripture. We need to listen and become doers of the Word of God and not simply hearers only. And so when the word of God talks about blessing our enemies - we need to listen and do. When the word of God talks about kindness and love - we need to listen and do. When the word of God talks about taking a stand for what is right - we need to listen and do. When the word of God judges a behavior as evil - we need to listen and obey.
Sadly, so often we only choose one or two of those. So one half talks about love and tolerance but forgets the importance of obedience and absolute truth and authority. The other half talks about the right and wrong but fails to love in any meaningful way. And the two sides quickly degenerate into an argument that gets heated and eventually just gets posted on Facebook. And we missed the point entirely. Both sides (pardon the expression) need to shut up and listen to what God is saying to us. Both sides need to look at God's Word and allow it to develop them into maturity.
So the next time you are being drawn into an argument, stop. Ask God for wisdom. Search your copy of the Scriptures for what God might have already said about this and go out and obey!
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Baby Its Cold Outside - The Atmosphere of Offense
In case you have not noticed, times have changed. In recent news this past holiday season there were multiple news articles and much discussion centered around a song that does not fit within our current context given its content. If you gave this any thought, there is much at stake here and the discussion reflected a number of important cultural shifts. I want to address them here.
1. Truth no longer is connected to its original context.
We no longer determine truth (if we are interested in truth at all) by looking at the origin of anything. Instead, we define truth in our modern sophisticated society by how something makes people feel. So if a song does not fit our current narrative we do not look to the time in which it was written and what might have been different or if the lyrics reflect something other than what it might seem from our point of view, we simply assume that our point of view is truth and evaluate our world based upon the truth we perceive.
The trouble is that the Bible is often looked upon in the same way. We no longer care about original context, or historical understanding. The who's, what's, when's, where's, and why's no longer matter. All that seems to matter is what does the reader think of the text they are reading. And this makes much of the Bible seem antiquated and out of touch with reality.
The trouble with this is that nothing could be farther from the truth. I will consider God true and everything else a lie because I believe in a God who is Truth and His Word that is Truth. So we as Christians need to be careful not to distance truth from its objective grounding in God.
2. The greatest problem in our culture is causing offense.
Everyone seems to get along fine until someone is offended. And keep in mind that the offense does not have to be current. I can be offended that someone might have done something 25 years ago to someone I don't know. But I can only be offended if it hurts my feelings. If I dare call something wrong (objectively) than my feelings no longer matter because I have offended someone else. So, if for instance I argue that life begins at conception, the argument immediately derails because I have offended someone who has had an abortion and I clearly am not considering their feelings.
Again this seems to be innocuous enough, but we have lost the ability to hold contrary sides of a position with dignity and respect. So if I disagree with you, you assume I am not respecting you and our discussion can no longer occur peacefully. This leads to the fracturing of society into "sides". For an example, look at politics. We are now more divided than we ever have been because we cannot hold to ideals or beliefs about what our government should be, we are either Republican or Democrat and either side holds shame to all those who disagree. When we believe that Christians can only be one or the other we are committing the same issue that has caused this culture of offense in the first place by boiling down the person who has some belief into a side and judging them based on the little we know of that side.
The bigger problem with this is that the gospel is an offense to those who are perishing. (see 1 Cor 1) And when those who preach the gospel become a stumbling block to those that do not want to hear it, a silencing will soon follow. We must cause offense for the content of the gospel because the content of the gospel is that people are dying because of their sinfulness. To say otherwise is not true, regardless of how people feel about it.
So as true followers of Christ we must ground truth in the objective reality of God and His Word and we must understand that our gospel is offensive.
1. Truth no longer is connected to its original context.
We no longer determine truth (if we are interested in truth at all) by looking at the origin of anything. Instead, we define truth in our modern sophisticated society by how something makes people feel. So if a song does not fit our current narrative we do not look to the time in which it was written and what might have been different or if the lyrics reflect something other than what it might seem from our point of view, we simply assume that our point of view is truth and evaluate our world based upon the truth we perceive.
The trouble is that the Bible is often looked upon in the same way. We no longer care about original context, or historical understanding. The who's, what's, when's, where's, and why's no longer matter. All that seems to matter is what does the reader think of the text they are reading. And this makes much of the Bible seem antiquated and out of touch with reality.
The trouble with this is that nothing could be farther from the truth. I will consider God true and everything else a lie because I believe in a God who is Truth and His Word that is Truth. So we as Christians need to be careful not to distance truth from its objective grounding in God.
2. The greatest problem in our culture is causing offense.
Everyone seems to get along fine until someone is offended. And keep in mind that the offense does not have to be current. I can be offended that someone might have done something 25 years ago to someone I don't know. But I can only be offended if it hurts my feelings. If I dare call something wrong (objectively) than my feelings no longer matter because I have offended someone else. So, if for instance I argue that life begins at conception, the argument immediately derails because I have offended someone who has had an abortion and I clearly am not considering their feelings.
Again this seems to be innocuous enough, but we have lost the ability to hold contrary sides of a position with dignity and respect. So if I disagree with you, you assume I am not respecting you and our discussion can no longer occur peacefully. This leads to the fracturing of society into "sides". For an example, look at politics. We are now more divided than we ever have been because we cannot hold to ideals or beliefs about what our government should be, we are either Republican or Democrat and either side holds shame to all those who disagree. When we believe that Christians can only be one or the other we are committing the same issue that has caused this culture of offense in the first place by boiling down the person who has some belief into a side and judging them based on the little we know of that side.
The bigger problem with this is that the gospel is an offense to those who are perishing. (see 1 Cor 1) And when those who preach the gospel become a stumbling block to those that do not want to hear it, a silencing will soon follow. We must cause offense for the content of the gospel because the content of the gospel is that people are dying because of their sinfulness. To say otherwise is not true, regardless of how people feel about it.
So as true followers of Christ we must ground truth in the objective reality of God and His Word and we must understand that our gospel is offensive.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
The Importance of Teaching Integrity
As parents we tend to teach our children a lot of things. Many of them we teach intentionally; they learn from us things like how to read and how to speak. They hopefully learn some important life skills and by the time they leave the home they know enough of these things to make it on their own. When they are little we teach differently than when they are older, but as parents we are always teaching. Some things they learn unintentionally. They learn our mannerisms, they learn how to relate to one another and how to pick a spouse from us, even if we do not teach these things directly. One thing that I am grateful for is that my father and mother made a point of teaching the value of integrity.
Integrity is defined by the 11th edition of the Miriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary as, "Firm adherence to a code of moral or artistic values." My father always defined it as making sure that what we do is the same no matter who is looking or if anyone is looking at all. I firmly believe that we need to teach both intentionally and unintentionally the value of integrity. As we do so, there are a few key principles that I would suggest.
1. We found our integrity solely on the Word of God.
Any other foundation or moral code is not worth clinging to, but the one that does not fail and never returns void is worth teaching and clinging to for the rest of our lives. Teach your kids that we make choices not based on our own ideas or our parents ideas, but on what God says. We do not make choices based on what feels right or makes us happy, we evaluate morality based on the Word of God and strive to live accordingly.
2. Integrity does not depend on social situations.
We do not choose to act one way in front of our parents or at church and then act another among our other friends. This is not integrity, this is having two different moral codes (or more for some people). We do not base moral decisions based on where we are at the time, we live with integrity to the moral code of God's Word wherever we go.
3. Integrity does not come naturally.
In fact, we are really built to not show integrity! Our natural selves are built to be moral chameleons. We will, if given the chance, change multiple times to fit our own needs. We will adjust morality and we will adjust our own understanding of the basics of right and wrong before we submit to an authority outside of ourselves. In a very real sense we cannot have integrity apart from Christ. Or I should say that we cannot have integrity based on the Word of God apart from Christ. Our integrity before Christ shows itself in a complete and total allegiance to self and self alone.
4. Integrity is best shown and taught.
It has to be both intentional and unintentional. We need to both talk about it and live it. We need to acknowledge to our children and to our family, and to our friends and even to our church family that we are imperfectly trying to have integrity in all that we do.
5. When integrity is absent . . .
The consequences are enormous. I might even suggest that this is part of the reason that students tend to leave the church at the age of 18. I might suggest it is the reason that people do not see that the Bible or the Church is relevant. It might be a part of the reason so many see the church and its people as hypocritical. When we lack integrity, we lose our platform to speak to a lost and dying world.
So parents, please teach your children by both your verbal instruction and by your actions about the importance of integrity!
Integrity is defined by the 11th edition of the Miriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary as, "Firm adherence to a code of moral or artistic values." My father always defined it as making sure that what we do is the same no matter who is looking or if anyone is looking at all. I firmly believe that we need to teach both intentionally and unintentionally the value of integrity. As we do so, there are a few key principles that I would suggest.
1. We found our integrity solely on the Word of God.
Any other foundation or moral code is not worth clinging to, but the one that does not fail and never returns void is worth teaching and clinging to for the rest of our lives. Teach your kids that we make choices not based on our own ideas or our parents ideas, but on what God says. We do not make choices based on what feels right or makes us happy, we evaluate morality based on the Word of God and strive to live accordingly.
2. Integrity does not depend on social situations.
We do not choose to act one way in front of our parents or at church and then act another among our other friends. This is not integrity, this is having two different moral codes (or more for some people). We do not base moral decisions based on where we are at the time, we live with integrity to the moral code of God's Word wherever we go.
3. Integrity does not come naturally.
In fact, we are really built to not show integrity! Our natural selves are built to be moral chameleons. We will, if given the chance, change multiple times to fit our own needs. We will adjust morality and we will adjust our own understanding of the basics of right and wrong before we submit to an authority outside of ourselves. In a very real sense we cannot have integrity apart from Christ. Or I should say that we cannot have integrity based on the Word of God apart from Christ. Our integrity before Christ shows itself in a complete and total allegiance to self and self alone.
4. Integrity is best shown and taught.
It has to be both intentional and unintentional. We need to both talk about it and live it. We need to acknowledge to our children and to our family, and to our friends and even to our church family that we are imperfectly trying to have integrity in all that we do.
5. When integrity is absent . . .
The consequences are enormous. I might even suggest that this is part of the reason that students tend to leave the church at the age of 18. I might suggest it is the reason that people do not see that the Bible or the Church is relevant. It might be a part of the reason so many see the church and its people as hypocritical. When we lack integrity, we lose our platform to speak to a lost and dying world.
So parents, please teach your children by both your verbal instruction and by your actions about the importance of integrity!
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
I Have Been Rescued!
Every year I try and pick a theme verse for the year, and this year the verse comes from the book of Colossians:
"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1:13-14, NASB)
I got the privilege of preaching these verses on January 6, the first Sunday of the year. I think that sometimes we here a sermon, or read a devotional, or read a passage of Scripture and we forget that we are to meditate on the Word of God. We hear it, and it goes in one ear, rattles around for a day or two, and then it is gone. I think that there are times when we need to just dwell on a passage of Scripture for a good long time. This is the case with these verses.
I have been rescued. This is another one of those words that we use and really downplay when we use it. We talk about being rescued from a meeting by a phone call. We thank people for rescuing us from boredom or uncomfortable situations. This is not the heart of the word. The origin of the word is the idea of casting something off and discarding it. In other words, we are completely casting off the danger that we find ourselves in. The one thing that is consistent in the usage of the word is that we always need someone else to do the rescuing.
I cannot cast off the darkness myself. I cannot enter the Kingdom of God on my own. I need the help of the Son of God. I need his redemption, I need his forgiveness, I need His rescue.
I also think it is worth noting that in this particular case we are talking about a finished work. Note that it does not say he is rescuing us as if the work of changing kingdoms is an ongoing and unfinished work. If you are saved, you are rescued. It is done. You are now the citizen of a new kingdom and your citizenship cannot be revoked because it is bound to the one whose kingdom in which you now live!
These two thoughts - the fact that I have been rescued and the fact that in the providence of God it is a finished work are worth going over time and time again. Perhaps we can start to re-frame how we look at the world and how we think of ourselves if we begin from the premise that God rescued us. Or perhaps you need to consider that rescue is available through Jesus and place your faith and trust in Him today!
"For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1:13-14, NASB)
I got the privilege of preaching these verses on January 6, the first Sunday of the year. I think that sometimes we here a sermon, or read a devotional, or read a passage of Scripture and we forget that we are to meditate on the Word of God. We hear it, and it goes in one ear, rattles around for a day or two, and then it is gone. I think that there are times when we need to just dwell on a passage of Scripture for a good long time. This is the case with these verses.
I have been rescued. This is another one of those words that we use and really downplay when we use it. We talk about being rescued from a meeting by a phone call. We thank people for rescuing us from boredom or uncomfortable situations. This is not the heart of the word. The origin of the word is the idea of casting something off and discarding it. In other words, we are completely casting off the danger that we find ourselves in. The one thing that is consistent in the usage of the word is that we always need someone else to do the rescuing.
I cannot cast off the darkness myself. I cannot enter the Kingdom of God on my own. I need the help of the Son of God. I need his redemption, I need his forgiveness, I need His rescue.
I also think it is worth noting that in this particular case we are talking about a finished work. Note that it does not say he is rescuing us as if the work of changing kingdoms is an ongoing and unfinished work. If you are saved, you are rescued. It is done. You are now the citizen of a new kingdom and your citizenship cannot be revoked because it is bound to the one whose kingdom in which you now live!
These two thoughts - the fact that I have been rescued and the fact that in the providence of God it is a finished work are worth going over time and time again. Perhaps we can start to re-frame how we look at the world and how we think of ourselves if we begin from the premise that God rescued us. Or perhaps you need to consider that rescue is available through Jesus and place your faith and trust in Him today!
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Thanksgiving Dangers
I think that sometimes there are dangers that come with things that we do on a regular basis. Most of us are making plans, or plan to make plans for the Thanksgiving Holiday. We know that this comes with the idea of being thankful. But so often we associate our joy with our ability to be thankful. What I mean by this is that we assume that joy is the result of happy circumstances. So we try to find some happy circumstances in our lives and we label those as things for which we are thankful. We get an unexpected gift and we give thanks. We receive a promotion at work and so we give thanks. We give thanks for our good health, our loving families and our general well-being. But what happens when these things go away. After all, most of us know someone who is is having a hard time finding work. We know people who have experienced the loss of family and cant celebrate with them this season. We know people who are struggling to make ends meet and have not received any recent blessings.
So are we freed from the biblical mandate to give thanks simply because things are not presently going as well as we would hope they would? Or are we called to give thanks for all circumstances?
Thanksgiving should not be based solely on the good things we experience this side of eternity. Our minds need to be set on things above and all of the good that God has given to us in the person and work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These things do not ever go away, they are always present with us and are a means of constant thanksgiving. So this holiday season focus on the things you have to be thankful that cannot be taken away and you will find that joy is a lot easier to come by!
So are we freed from the biblical mandate to give thanks simply because things are not presently going as well as we would hope they would? Or are we called to give thanks for all circumstances?
Thanksgiving should not be based solely on the good things we experience this side of eternity. Our minds need to be set on things above and all of the good that God has given to us in the person and work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These things do not ever go away, they are always present with us and are a means of constant thanksgiving. So this holiday season focus on the things you have to be thankful that cannot be taken away and you will find that joy is a lot easier to come by!
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Book Review - "Thoughts for Young Men" by J.C. Ryle
I picked this book up as the result of the recommendation at a pastor's conference I attended. I am glad that I did. This book was an excellent reminder of the need for holiness in our lives and the constant watch-care and toil that is required to allow God to grow us in holiness.
Although the book is address to young men I would say that most of the points within are applicable to people of all ages and to both genders. I think that anyone with a desire to grow in Christ would read this and be benefited. Essentially, he calls people into awareness. The recognition that holiness does not just appear, but that it is a coordinated effort on our part to work to allow God to work. It is a call to remember our own sinfulness and tendencies and fight to replace them with God-given tendencies.
This process involves both the internal and the external. There are certainly things that we must do - such as understand our sin and grow in our desire to avoid it. But there are also things external - like binding ourselves to a group of believers. Or making sure that our friends have our same goals in mind. There are clear things that can be done to help our growth.
The one downside to the book is that it is written (as an older book) in an older English and can be difficult to work through at times. The work is however immensely worth the toil!
I highly recommend the book to anyone desiring to pursue God, and particularly those who have young men!
Although the book is address to young men I would say that most of the points within are applicable to people of all ages and to both genders. I think that anyone with a desire to grow in Christ would read this and be benefited. Essentially, he calls people into awareness. The recognition that holiness does not just appear, but that it is a coordinated effort on our part to work to allow God to work. It is a call to remember our own sinfulness and tendencies and fight to replace them with God-given tendencies.
This process involves both the internal and the external. There are certainly things that we must do - such as understand our sin and grow in our desire to avoid it. But there are also things external - like binding ourselves to a group of believers. Or making sure that our friends have our same goals in mind. There are clear things that can be done to help our growth.
The one downside to the book is that it is written (as an older book) in an older English and can be difficult to work through at times. The work is however immensely worth the toil!
I highly recommend the book to anyone desiring to pursue God, and particularly those who have young men!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)