In Japan, food products are immaculately prepared and packaged. Not only must they taste good but they must look good too. Often I wonder if I am purchasing the food or the packaging! Because of the Japanese emphasis on Good quality, products with slight defects are often discarded. However, in recent years wakeari means " there is a reason" in Japanese. These products are not thrown away but are sold at a cheap price " for a reason"--for example, a crack in a rice cracker.
My friend who lives in Japan tells me that wakeari is also a catchphrase for people who are obviously less than perfect.
Jesus loves all people--including the wakeari who society casts aside. When a woman who had lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at a Pharisee's house, she went there and knelt behind Jesus at His feet, weeping. The Pharisee's labeled he " a dinner", but Jesus accepted he. He spoke gently to her, assuring he that he sins were forgiven.
Jesus loves imperfect, wakeari people-which includes you and me. And the greatest demonstration of His love for us is that " while we were all still sinners, Christ died for us." As recipients of His love, may we be conduits of His love to the flawed people around us so they too may know that they can receive God's love despite their imperfections.
I know I'm not perfect, Lord, so help me not to be hypocritical and pretend I have it all together. Open my heart to others in acceptance and love so that they might know Jesus's concern for them. Broken People are made whole by God's love.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Lay Down Your Cares
Praise the Lord, God our Savior, who helps us everyday. Psalm 68:19
Perhaps the heaviest burden we try to carry is the burden of mistakes and failures. What do you do with failures?
Even if you've fallen, even if you've failed, even if everyone else has rejected you, Christ will not turn away from from you. He came first and foremost to those who have no hope. He goes to those no one else would go to and says, " I'll give you eternity."
Only you can surrender your concerns to the Father. No one else can take those away and give them to God. Only you can cast all your anxieties on the one who cares for you. What better way to start the day than by laying your cares at his feet?
Perhaps the heaviest burden we try to carry is the burden of mistakes and failures. What do you do with failures?
Even if you've fallen, even if you've failed, even if everyone else has rejected you, Christ will not turn away from from you. He came first and foremost to those who have no hope. He goes to those no one else would go to and says, " I'll give you eternity."
Only you can surrender your concerns to the Father. No one else can take those away and give them to God. Only you can cast all your anxieties on the one who cares for you. What better way to start the day than by laying your cares at his feet?
The Power Of Empathy
Put on the R701 Age Suit and you immediately feel forty years older as you experience impaired vision, hearing loss, and reduced mobility. The Age Suit was designed to help caregivers better understand their patients. Wall Street Journal correspondent Geoffrey Fowler wore one and wrote, " The unforgettable, and at times distressing, experience she'd light not just on aging, but also how virtually reality equipment can teach empathy and shape our perceptions of the world around us."
Empathy is the power to understand and share the feelings of another. During a time of severe persecution against the followers of Jesus, the writer of Hebrews urged fellow believers to " continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." This is exactly what our Savior has done for us. Jesus was made like us, " fully human in everyway... that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."
Christ Lord, who became like us, calls us to stand with others " as if [we] were together with them" during their time of need.
Lord Jesus, we marvelous at Your willingness to share our flesh and blood in order to purchase our salvation. Give us grace to stand with others who are in need today.
Jesus calls us to stand with others as if we were in their place.
Empathy is the power to understand and share the feelings of another. During a time of severe persecution against the followers of Jesus, the writer of Hebrews urged fellow believers to " continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." This is exactly what our Savior has done for us. Jesus was made like us, " fully human in everyway... that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."
Christ Lord, who became like us, calls us to stand with others " as if [we] were together with them" during their time of need.
Lord Jesus, we marvelous at Your willingness to share our flesh and blood in order to purchase our salvation. Give us grace to stand with others who are in need today.
Jesus calls us to stand with others as if we were in their place.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Nothing Less than Jesus
I have obeyed my Father's commands, and I remain in his love. In the same way, if you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. John 15:10
Good rewards those who seek him. Not those who seek doctrine or religion or systems or Creed's. Many settle for these lesser passions, but the reward goes to those who settle for nothing less than Jesus himself. And what is the reward? What awaits those who seek Jesus? Nothing short of the heart of Jesus. " And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him."
Can you think of a greater gift than to be like Jesus? Christ felt no guilt; God wants to banish yours. Jesus had no bad habits; God wants to remove yourself. Jesus had no fear of death; God wants you to be fearless. Jesus had kindness for the diseased and mercy for the rebellious and courage for the challenges. Good wants you to have the same... He wants you to be just like Jesus.
Good rewards those who seek him. Not those who seek doctrine or religion or systems or Creed's. Many settle for these lesser passions, but the reward goes to those who settle for nothing less than Jesus himself. And what is the reward? What awaits those who seek Jesus? Nothing short of the heart of Jesus. " And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him."
Can you think of a greater gift than to be like Jesus? Christ felt no guilt; God wants to banish yours. Jesus had no bad habits; God wants to remove yourself. Jesus had no fear of death; God wants you to be fearless. Jesus had kindness for the diseased and mercy for the rebellious and courage for the challenges. Good wants you to have the same... He wants you to be just like Jesus.
Our Powerful God
One day by the seaside, I delighted in watching some kite surfers as they bounced along the water, moved by the force of the wind. When one came to shore, I asked him if the experience was as difficult as it looked. " No," he said, " It's actually easier than regular surfing because you harness the power of the wind."
Afterward as I walked by the sea, thinking about the wind's ability not only to propel the surfers but also to whip my hair into my face, I paused to wonder at our Good the Creator. As we see in the Old Testament book of Amos, He who " forms the mountains" and " creates the wind" can turn " dawn to darkness."
Through this prophet, the Lord reminded His people of His power as He called them back to Himself. Because they had not obeyed Him, He said He would reveal Himself to them. Although we see His judgment here, we know from elsewhere in the Bible of His judgment here, we know His Son to save us.
The power of the wind on this breezy day in the South of England reminded me of the sheer immensity of the Lord. If you feel the wind today, why not stop and ponder our all powerful God?
Father, thank You for Your power and love. Help us to daily rely on you.
Afterward as I walked by the sea, thinking about the wind's ability not only to propel the surfers but also to whip my hair into my face, I paused to wonder at our Good the Creator. As we see in the Old Testament book of Amos, He who " forms the mountains" and " creates the wind" can turn " dawn to darkness."
Through this prophet, the Lord reminded His people of His power as He called them back to Himself. Because they had not obeyed Him, He said He would reveal Himself to them. Although we see His judgment here, we know from elsewhere in the Bible of His judgment here, we know His Son to save us.
The power of the wind on this breezy day in the South of England reminded me of the sheer immensity of the Lord. If you feel the wind today, why not stop and ponder our all powerful God?
Father, thank You for Your power and love. Help us to daily rely on you.
Monday, November 27, 2017
God Knows Us By Name
The Lord is my Shepherd; I have everything I need. Psalm 23:1
Sheep aren't smart. They tend to wander into running Creeks for water, then their wool grows heavy and they drown. They need a Shepherd to lead them to "calm water". They have no natural defense--no claws, no horns, no fangs. They are helpless. Sheep need a Shepherd with a "rod and walking stick" to protect them. They have no sense of direction. They need someone to lead them " on paths that are right."
So do we. We, too, get lost. We need a shepherd. We need a Shepherd to care for us and to guide us. And we have one. One who knows us by name.
Sheep aren't smart. They tend to wander into running Creeks for water, then their wool grows heavy and they drown. They need a Shepherd to lead them to "calm water". They have no natural defense--no claws, no horns, no fangs. They are helpless. Sheep need a Shepherd with a "rod and walking stick" to protect them. They have no sense of direction. They need someone to lead them " on paths that are right."
So do we. We, too, get lost. We need a shepherd. We need a Shepherd to care for us and to guide us. And we have one. One who knows us by name.
Knowing Better
When we brought our adoptive soon home from over seas, I was eager to shower him with love and provide what he had lacked over the preceding months, especially quality food, since he had a nutritional deficit. But despite our best efforts, including consulting specialists, he grew very little. After nearly three years, we learned he had some severe food intolerances. After removing those items from his diet, he grew five inches in just a few months. While I grieved at how long I'd unwittingly fed him foods that impaired his growth, I rejoiced at this surgery in his health!
I suspect Josiah felt similarly when the Book of the Law was discovered after having been lost in the temple for years. Just as I grieved having unintentionally hindered my son's growth, Josiah grieved having ignorantly missed God's fullest and best intentions for His people. Although he is commended for doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, he learned better how to honor God after finding the Law. With his newfound knowledge, he led the people to worship again as God had instructed them.
As we learn through the Bible how to honor Him, we may grieved the ways we've fallen short of God's will for us. Yet we can be comforted that He heals and restores us, and leads us gentle into deeper understanding.
Thank You, God, for showing me how to live in a way that pleases You. I'm sorry for the ways I've not done that in the past. Help me to honor and obey You now.
God gives us a new start.
I suspect Josiah felt similarly when the Book of the Law was discovered after having been lost in the temple for years. Just as I grieved having unintentionally hindered my son's growth, Josiah grieved having ignorantly missed God's fullest and best intentions for His people. Although he is commended for doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, he learned better how to honor God after finding the Law. With his newfound knowledge, he led the people to worship again as God had instructed them.
As we learn through the Bible how to honor Him, we may grieved the ways we've fallen short of God's will for us. Yet we can be comforted that He heals and restores us, and leads us gentle into deeper understanding.
Thank You, God, for showing me how to live in a way that pleases You. I'm sorry for the ways I've not done that in the past. Help me to honor and obey You now.
God gives us a new start.
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Being Human Beings
When asked to define his role in a community that was sometimes uncooperative with law enforcement, a sheriff didn't flash his badge or respond with the rank of his office. Rather he offered, " We are human beings who work with human beings in crisis."
His humility-his started equality with fellow human beings-reminds me off Peter's words when writing to first century Christians suffering under Roman persecution. Peter direct; " All of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be Compassionate and humble." Perhaps Peter was saying that the best response to humans in crisis is to be human, to be aware that we are all the same. After all, isn't that what God Himself did when He sent His Son-became human in order to help us? Gazing only at the core of our fallen hearts, it's tempting to disdain our human status. But what if we consider our humanness to be part of our offering in the world? Jesus teaches us how to live fully human, as servants recognizing we are all the same. " Human" is how God made us, created in His image and redeemed by His unconditional love. Today we're sure to encounter folks in various struggles. Imagine the difference we might make when we respond humbly-as fellow humans who work together with other humans in crisis. Father, help us to be humble as we respond to one another, human being to human being. Humility is the result of knowing God and knowing yourself.
His humility-his started equality with fellow human beings-reminds me off Peter's words when writing to first century Christians suffering under Roman persecution. Peter direct; " All of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be Compassionate and humble." Perhaps Peter was saying that the best response to humans in crisis is to be human, to be aware that we are all the same. After all, isn't that what God Himself did when He sent His Son-became human in order to help us? Gazing only at the core of our fallen hearts, it's tempting to disdain our human status. But what if we consider our humanness to be part of our offering in the world? Jesus teaches us how to live fully human, as servants recognizing we are all the same. " Human" is how God made us, created in His image and redeemed by His unconditional love. Today we're sure to encounter folks in various struggles. Imagine the difference we might make when we respond humbly-as fellow humans who work together with other humans in crisis. Father, help us to be humble as we respond to one another, human being to human being. Humility is the result of knowing God and knowing yourself.
Friday, November 24, 2017
A True Family
My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what God wants. Mark 3:35
Does Jesu have anything to say about dealing with difficult relatives? Is there an example of Jesus bringing peace to a painful family? Yes there is. His own...
It may surprise you to know that Jesus had a family at all! You may not be aware that Jesus had brothers and sisters. He did. Quoting Jesus' hometown critics, Mark wrote, " [ Jesus] is just the Carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sister's are here with us."
And it may surprise you to know that his family was less than perfect. They were. If your family doesn't appreciate you, take heart, neither did Jesus'....
[ Yet] he didn't try to control his family's behavior, nor did he let their behavior control his. He didn't demand that they agree with him. He didn't sulk when they insulted him. He didn't make it his mission to try to please them.
Does Jesu have anything to say about dealing with difficult relatives? Is there an example of Jesus bringing peace to a painful family? Yes there is. His own...
It may surprise you to know that Jesus had a family at all! You may not be aware that Jesus had brothers and sisters. He did. Quoting Jesus' hometown critics, Mark wrote, " [ Jesus] is just the Carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sister's are here with us."
And it may surprise you to know that his family was less than perfect. They were. If your family doesn't appreciate you, take heart, neither did Jesus'....
[ Yet] he didn't try to control his family's behavior, nor did he let their behavior control his. He didn't demand that they agree with him. He didn't sulk when they insulted him. He didn't make it his mission to try to please them.
Thanks Heart's True Home
We had a West Highland Terrier for a number of years. " Westies" are tough little dogs, bred to tunnel into badger holes and engage the " enemy" in it's lair. Our Westies was many generations removed from her origins, but she still retained that instict, put into her through years of breeding. On one occasion she became obsessed by some " critter" under a rock in our backyard. Nothing could dissuade her. She dug until she tunneled several feet under the rock.
Now consider this question: Why do we as humans pursue, pursue, pursue? Why must we climbed unclimbed mountains, ski near-vertical slopes? Run the most difficult and dangerous rapids, challenge the forces of nature? Part of it is a desire for adventure and enjoyment, but it's much more. It's an instinct for God that has been implanted in us. We cannot not want to find God.
We don't know that, of course. We only know that we long for something. " You don't know what it is you want," Mark Twain said, " but you want it so much you could almost died."
God is our Heart's True Home. As church father Augustine said in that most famous quotation: " You have made us for Yourself, Of Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."
And what is the heart? A deep void within us that only God can fill.
Help me Lord, to recognize my deep longing for You. Then fill me with the knowledge of You. Draw me near.
Beneath all our longings is a deep desire for God.
Now consider this question: Why do we as humans pursue, pursue, pursue? Why must we climbed unclimbed mountains, ski near-vertical slopes? Run the most difficult and dangerous rapids, challenge the forces of nature? Part of it is a desire for adventure and enjoyment, but it's much more. It's an instinct for God that has been implanted in us. We cannot not want to find God.
We don't know that, of course. We only know that we long for something. " You don't know what it is you want," Mark Twain said, " but you want it so much you could almost died."
God is our Heart's True Home. As church father Augustine said in that most famous quotation: " You have made us for Yourself, Of Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You."
And what is the heart? A deep void within us that only God can fill.
Help me Lord, to recognize my deep longing for You. Then fill me with the knowledge of You. Draw me near.
Beneath all our longings is a deep desire for God.
Thursday, November 23, 2017
God's Great Gifts
Thanks be to God for his gift that is too wonderful for words. 2 Corinthians 9:15
Why did he do it? A shack would have sufficed, but he gave us a mansion. Did he have to give the birds are song and the mountains a peak? Was he required to put stripes on the zebra and the hump on the camel?...Why wrap creation in such splendor? Why go to such trouble to give such gifts?
Why do you? You do the same. I've seen you searching for a gift. I've seen you stalking the malls and walking the aisles. I'm not talking about the obligatory gifts...I'm talking about the extra special person and that extra special gift...Why do you do it?...You do it so the heart will stop. You do it so the jaw will drop. You do it to hear those words of disbelief, " You did this for me?"
That's why you do it. And that is why God did it. Next time a sunrise steals your breath or meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, " Do you like it? I did it just for you."
Why did he do it? A shack would have sufficed, but he gave us a mansion. Did he have to give the birds are song and the mountains a peak? Was he required to put stripes on the zebra and the hump on the camel?...Why wrap creation in such splendor? Why go to such trouble to give such gifts?
Why do you? You do the same. I've seen you searching for a gift. I've seen you stalking the malls and walking the aisles. I'm not talking about the obligatory gifts...I'm talking about the extra special person and that extra special gift...Why do you do it?...You do it so the heart will stop. You do it so the jaw will drop. You do it to hear those words of disbelief, " You did this for me?"
That's why you do it. And that is why God did it. Next time a sunrise steals your breath or meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, " Do you like it? I did it just for you."
Harvest and Thanksgiving
Several thousand years ago, God spoke to Moses and instituted a new festival for His people. In Exodus 23:16, according to Moose's record, God said, " Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the fruitfulness of the crops you sow in your field."
Today countries around the world do something similar by celebrating the Land's bounty. In Ghana, the people celebrate the Yam Festival as a harvest event. In Brazil, Diagnosed de Acao de Gracas is a time to be grateful for the crops that yielded their food. In China, there is the Mid-Autumn ( Moon) Festival. In the United States and Canada: Thanksgiving.
To Understand the fitting goal of a harvest celebration, we visit Noah right after the flood. God reminded Noah and his family-and us-of His provision for our flourishing existence on the Earth. Earth would have seasons, daylight and darkness and " seedtime and harvest." Our gratitude for the harvest, which sustains us, goes to God alone.
No matter where you live or how you celebrate your Land's bounty, take time today to express gratitude to God-for we would have no harvest to celebrate without His Grand creative design.
Dear Creator God, thank You so much for the wondrous way You fashioned the world-with seasons, with harvest-time, with everything we need to exist. Please accept our gratitude.
Gratitude is the memory of a glad heart.
Today countries around the world do something similar by celebrating the Land's bounty. In Ghana, the people celebrate the Yam Festival as a harvest event. In Brazil, Diagnosed de Acao de Gracas is a time to be grateful for the crops that yielded their food. In China, there is the Mid-Autumn ( Moon) Festival. In the United States and Canada: Thanksgiving.
To Understand the fitting goal of a harvest celebration, we visit Noah right after the flood. God reminded Noah and his family-and us-of His provision for our flourishing existence on the Earth. Earth would have seasons, daylight and darkness and " seedtime and harvest." Our gratitude for the harvest, which sustains us, goes to God alone.
No matter where you live or how you celebrate your Land's bounty, take time today to express gratitude to God-for we would have no harvest to celebrate without His Grand creative design.
Dear Creator God, thank You so much for the wondrous way You fashioned the world-with seasons, with harvest-time, with everything we need to exist. Please accept our gratitude.
Gratitude is the memory of a glad heart.
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
When God Says No
Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35
There are times when the one thing you want is the one thing you never get... You pray and wait, No answer. You pray and wait, May I ask a very important question? What if God says no? What if the request is delayed or even denied? When God says no to you, how will you respond? If God says, " I've given you my grace, and that is enough," will you be content? Content. That's the word. A state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has.
There are times when the one thing you want is the one thing you never get... You pray and wait, No answer. You pray and wait, May I ask a very important question? What if God says no? What if the request is delayed or even denied? When God says no to you, how will you respond? If God says, " I've given you my grace, and that is enough," will you be content? Content. That's the word. A state of heart in which you would be at peace if God gave you nothing more than he already has.
Make A Joyful Noise
Back when I was searching for a church to attend regularly, a friend invited me to a service at her church. The worship leaders led the congregation in a song I particularly loved. So I sang with gusto, remembering my college choir director's advice to " Project!"
After the song, my friend's husband turned to me and said, " You really sang loud." This remark we not intended as a compliment! After that, I self-consciously monitored my singing, making sure I sang softer than those around me and always wondering if the people around me judged my singing.
But one Sunday, I noticed the singing of a woman in the New beside me. She seemed to sing with adoration, without a Trace of self-consciousness. Her worship reminded me of the ethusiastic, spontaneous worship that David demonstrated in his life. In Psalm 98, in fact, David suggests that " all the earth" should " burst into jubilant song" in worship.
Verse one of Psalm 98 tells us why we should worship joyfully, reminding us that " God has done marvelous things." God's faithfulness and Justice to all nation's, His Mercy, and salvation. Dwelling. on who God is and what He's done can fill our hearts with praise.
What " marvelous things" have God done in your life? Thanksgiving I the perfect time to recall His wondrous works and give Good thanks. Lift your voice and sing!
Lord, thank You for who You are and for what You've done.
Worship takes the focus off us and places it where it belongs-on God.
After the song, my friend's husband turned to me and said, " You really sang loud." This remark we not intended as a compliment! After that, I self-consciously monitored my singing, making sure I sang softer than those around me and always wondering if the people around me judged my singing.
But one Sunday, I noticed the singing of a woman in the New beside me. She seemed to sing with adoration, without a Trace of self-consciousness. Her worship reminded me of the ethusiastic, spontaneous worship that David demonstrated in his life. In Psalm 98, in fact, David suggests that " all the earth" should " burst into jubilant song" in worship.
Verse one of Psalm 98 tells us why we should worship joyfully, reminding us that " God has done marvelous things." God's faithfulness and Justice to all nation's, His Mercy, and salvation. Dwelling. on who God is and what He's done can fill our hearts with praise.
What " marvelous things" have God done in your life? Thanksgiving I the perfect time to recall His wondrous works and give Good thanks. Lift your voice and sing!
Lord, thank You for who You are and for what You've done.
Worship takes the focus off us and places it where it belongs-on God.
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Diligent Search
Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him. Hebrews 11:6
One translation renders Hebrews 11:6: " God...rewards those who earnestly seek him." I like the King James translation: " He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Diligently--what is a great word. Be diligent in your search. Be hungry in your questions, relentless in your pilgrimage. Let this book be but one of dozens you read about Jesus...Step away from the puny pursuits of possessions and positions, and seek your King.
Don't be satisfied with Angels. Don't be content with stars in the sky. Seek him out as the Shepherd's did. Long for him as Simeon did. Worship him as the wise men did. Do as John and Andrew did: ask your house. Imitate Zacchaeus. Risk whatever it takes to see Christ.
One translation renders Hebrews 11:6: " God...rewards those who earnestly seek him." I like the King James translation: " He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Diligently--what is a great word. Be diligent in your search. Be hungry in your questions, relentless in your pilgrimage. Let this book be but one of dozens you read about Jesus...Step away from the puny pursuits of possessions and positions, and seek your King.
Don't be satisfied with Angels. Don't be content with stars in the sky. Seek him out as the Shepherd's did. Long for him as Simeon did. Worship him as the wise men did. Do as John and Andrew did: ask your house. Imitate Zacchaeus. Risk whatever it takes to see Christ.
Helicopter Seeds
When our children were young, they loved trying to catch the " helicopter Seeds" that fell from our neighbor's silver Maple trees. Each seed resembles a wing. In late spring they twirl to the ground like a helicopter's rotor blades. The ' seeds' purpose is not to fly, but to fall to Earth and grow into trees.
Before Jesus was crucified, He told His followers, " The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified... {U}nless a kennel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."
While Jesus's disciples wanted Him to be honored as the Messiah, He came to give His life so we could be forgiven and transformed through faith in Him. As Jesus's followers, we hear His words, " Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."
Helicopter Seeds can point us to the miracle of Jesus, the Savior, who died that we might live for Him.
Lord Jesus, we are amazed by Your love. Give us grace to serve You today as we long to do.
Jesus calls us to give our lives in serving Him.
Before Jesus was crucified, He told His followers, " The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified... {U}nless a kennel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."
While Jesus's disciples wanted Him to be honored as the Messiah, He came to give His life so we could be forgiven and transformed through faith in Him. As Jesus's followers, we hear His words, " Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."
Helicopter Seeds can point us to the miracle of Jesus, the Savior, who died that we might live for Him.
Lord Jesus, we are amazed by Your love. Give us grace to serve You today as we long to do.
Jesus calls us to give our lives in serving Him.
Monday, November 20, 2017
Run to Jesus
If we live, we are living for the Lord, and if we die, we are dying for the Lord. Romans 14:8
Do you wonder where you can go for encouragement and motivations? Go back to that moment when you first saw the Love of Jesus Christ. Remember the day when you were separated from Christ? You knew only guilt and confusion and the --more light. Someone opened a door and light came into your darkness, and you said in your heart, " I a redeemed!"
Run to Jesus. Jesus wants you to go to him. He wants to become the most important person in your life, the greatest love you'll ever know. He wants you to love him so much that there's no room in your heart and in your life for sin. Invite him to take up residence in your heart.
Do you wonder where you can go for encouragement and motivations? Go back to that moment when you first saw the Love of Jesus Christ. Remember the day when you were separated from Christ? You knew only guilt and confusion and the --more light. Someone opened a door and light came into your darkness, and you said in your heart, " I a redeemed!"
Run to Jesus. Jesus wants you to go to him. He wants to become the most important person in your life, the greatest love you'll ever know. He wants you to love him so much that there's no room in your heart and in your life for sin. Invite him to take up residence in your heart.
Take A Number
We have an ancient cherry tree in our backyard that had seen better days and looked liked it was dying, so I called and arborist. He checked it out and declared that it was " unduly stressed" and needed immediate attention. " Take a number," my wife, Carolyn, muttered to the tree as she walked away. It had been one of those weeks.
Indeed, we all have anxious weeks filled with worries over the direction our culture is drifting or concerns for our children, our marriages, our businesses, our finances, our personal health and our well-being. Nevertheless, Jesus assured us that despite disturbing circumstances we can be at peace. He said, " My peace I give to you."
Jesus's days were filled with distress and disorder: He was beleaguered by His enemies and misunderstood by His family and friends. He often had no place to lay His head. Yet there was no Trace of anxiety or fretfulness in His manner. He possessed an inner calm, a quiet tranquility. This is the peace He has given us--freedom from anxiety concerning the past, present, and future. The peace He exhibited; His peace.
In any circumstances, no matter how direction or trivial, we can turn to Jesus in prayer. There in His presence we can make our worries and fears known to Him. Then, Paul assures us, the peace of God will come to guard [ our] hearts and [ our] minds in Christ Jesus." Even if we've had " one of those weeks," we can have His peace.
Dear Lord, thank You that I can come to You with every care and Your peace will guard my mind. In the midst of troubles, peace can be found in Jesus.
Indeed, we all have anxious weeks filled with worries over the direction our culture is drifting or concerns for our children, our marriages, our businesses, our finances, our personal health and our well-being. Nevertheless, Jesus assured us that despite disturbing circumstances we can be at peace. He said, " My peace I give to you."
Jesus's days were filled with distress and disorder: He was beleaguered by His enemies and misunderstood by His family and friends. He often had no place to lay His head. Yet there was no Trace of anxiety or fretfulness in His manner. He possessed an inner calm, a quiet tranquility. This is the peace He has given us--freedom from anxiety concerning the past, present, and future. The peace He exhibited; His peace.
In any circumstances, no matter how direction or trivial, we can turn to Jesus in prayer. There in His presence we can make our worries and fears known to Him. Then, Paul assures us, the peace of God will come to guard [ our] hearts and [ our] minds in Christ Jesus." Even if we've had " one of those weeks," we can have His peace.
Dear Lord, thank You that I can come to You with every care and Your peace will guard my mind. In the midst of troubles, peace can be found in Jesus.
Saturday, November 18, 2017
It's Your Choice
If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me. Mark 8:34
On one side stands the crowd. Jeering. Baiting. Demanding. On the other stands a pleasant. Swollen lips. Lumpy eye. Lofty promise. One promises acceptance, the other a cross. One offers flesh and flash, the other offers faith. The crowd challenges, " Follow us and fit in." Jesus promises, " Follow me and stand out." They promise to please. Good promises to save. Good looks at you and asks, " Which will be your choice?
On one side stands the crowd. Jeering. Baiting. Demanding. On the other stands a pleasant. Swollen lips. Lumpy eye. Lofty promise. One promises acceptance, the other a cross. One offers flesh and flash, the other offers faith. The crowd challenges, " Follow us and fit in." Jesus promises, " Follow me and stand out." They promise to please. Good promises to save. Good looks at you and asks, " Which will be your choice?
Spiritual Life From the Spirit
Now we do not live following our sinfulness selves, but we live following the Spirit. Romans 8:4.
Perhaps your childhood memories bring more hurt than inspiration. The voices of your past cursed you, belittled you, ignored you. At the time, you thought such treatment was typical. Now you see it isn't.
And now you find yourself trying to explain your past. Do you risen above the past and make a difference? Or do you remain controlled by the past and make excuses?
Think about this. Spiritual life comes from the Spirit! Your parents may have given you Genesis, but God gives you grace. Your parents may be responsible for your body, but God has taken charge of your soul. You may get your looks from your mother, but you get eternity from your Father, your heavenly Father. And God is willing to give you what your family didn't.
Perhaps your childhood memories bring more hurt than inspiration. The voices of your past cursed you, belittled you, ignored you. At the time, you thought such treatment was typical. Now you see it isn't.
And now you find yourself trying to explain your past. Do you risen above the past and make a difference? Or do you remain controlled by the past and make excuses?
Think about this. Spiritual life comes from the Spirit! Your parents may have given you Genesis, but God gives you grace. Your parents may be responsible for your body, but God has taken charge of your soul. You may get your looks from your mother, but you get eternity from your Father, your heavenly Father. And God is willing to give you what your family didn't.
Hide and Seek
" You can't see me!"
When small children play " hide and seek," they sometimes believe they're hiding just by covering their eyes. If they can't see you, they assume you can't see them.
Naive as that may seem to adults, we sometimes do something similar with God. When we find ourselves desiring to do something we know is wrong, our tendency may be too shut God out as we willfully go our own way.
The prophet Ezekiel discovered his truth in the vision God gave him for his people, exiled in Babylon. The Lord told him, " Have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at a shrine of his own idol? they say, ' The Lord does not see us.'"
But God misses nothing, and Ezekiel's vision was proof of it. Yet even though they had sinned, God offered His repentant people hope through a new promise: " I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit in you."
For us, God met the brokenness and rebellion of sin with His tender Mercy at the cross, paying the ultimate penalty for it. Through Jesus Christ, God not only offers a new beginning, but He also works within us to change our hearts as we follow Him. How good is Good! What we were lost and hiding in our sinfulness, God Drew near through Jesus, who " came to seek and to save" us.
Thank You for Your kindness to me, Lord. Help me to seek You and follow You faithfully today. Good knows us completely... and loves us just as much.
When small children play " hide and seek," they sometimes believe they're hiding just by covering their eyes. If they can't see you, they assume you can't see them.
Naive as that may seem to adults, we sometimes do something similar with God. When we find ourselves desiring to do something we know is wrong, our tendency may be too shut God out as we willfully go our own way.
The prophet Ezekiel discovered his truth in the vision God gave him for his people, exiled in Babylon. The Lord told him, " Have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at a shrine of his own idol? they say, ' The Lord does not see us.'"
But God misses nothing, and Ezekiel's vision was proof of it. Yet even though they had sinned, God offered His repentant people hope through a new promise: " I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit in you."
For us, God met the brokenness and rebellion of sin with His tender Mercy at the cross, paying the ultimate penalty for it. Through Jesus Christ, God not only offers a new beginning, but He also works within us to change our hearts as we follow Him. How good is Good! What we were lost and hiding in our sinfulness, God Drew near through Jesus, who " came to seek and to save" us.
Thank You for Your kindness to me, Lord. Help me to seek You and follow You faithfully today. Good knows us completely... and loves us just as much.
Thursday, November 16, 2017
God Knows The Answers
If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. James 1:5
Thomas came with doubts. Did Christ turn him away? Moses had his reservations. Did God tell him to go home? Job had his struggles. Did God avoid him? Paul had his hard times. Did God abandon him? No. God never turns away the sincere heart. Tough questions don't stump God. He invites our probing. Mark it down. God never turns away the honest seekers. Go to God with your questions. You may not find all the answers, but in finding God, you know the One who does.
Thomas came with doubts. Did Christ turn him away? Moses had his reservations. Did God tell him to go home? Job had his struggles. Did God avoid him? Paul had his hard times. Did God abandon him? No. God never turns away the sincere heart. Tough questions don't stump God. He invites our probing. Mark it down. God never turns away the honest seekers. Go to God with your questions. You may not find all the answers, but in finding God, you know the One who does.
In His Presence
The seventeenth-century monk Brother Lawrence, before a day's work as cook in his community, would pray, " Of my Good...Grant me your grace to stay in your presence. Help me in my labor. Possess all my affections." As he worked, he kept talking to God, listening for His leading and dedicating his work to Him. Even when he was the busiest, he would use intervals of relative calm to ask for His Grace. No matter what was happening, he sought for and found a sense of his Maker's love.
As Psalm 89 confesses, the fitting response to the Creator of all who rules the oceans and is worshipped by hosts of Angels is to lift up our lives--our whole lives to Him. When we understand the beauty of who God is we " hear the joyful call to worship"--whenever and whenever we are, " all day long."
Whether it's standing in store or airport lines, or waiting on hold minute after minute, our lives are full of moments like these, times when we could get annoyed. Or these can be times when we catch our breath and see each of these pauses as an opportunity to learn to " walk in the light of [ God's] presence."
The " wasted" moments of our lives, when we wait or lay I'll or wonder what to do next, are all possible pauses to consider our lives in the light of His presence.
Every moment can be lived in God's presence.
As Psalm 89 confesses, the fitting response to the Creator of all who rules the oceans and is worshipped by hosts of Angels is to lift up our lives--our whole lives to Him. When we understand the beauty of who God is we " hear the joyful call to worship"--whenever and whenever we are, " all day long."
Whether it's standing in store or airport lines, or waiting on hold minute after minute, our lives are full of moments like these, times when we could get annoyed. Or these can be times when we catch our breath and see each of these pauses as an opportunity to learn to " walk in the light of [ God's] presence."
The " wasted" moments of our lives, when we wait or lay I'll or wonder what to do next, are all possible pauses to consider our lives in the light of His presence.
Every moment can be lived in God's presence.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
May he enlightened the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you. Ephesians 1:18.
What [ does] it mean to be just like Jesus? The world has never known a heart so pure, a character so flawless. His spiritual hearing was so Keen he never missed a heavenly whisper. His Mercy so abundant he never missed a chance to forgive. No lie left his lips, no distractions marred his vision. He touched when others recoiled. He endured when others quit. Jesus is the ultimate model for every person... God urges you to fix your eyes upon Jesus. Heaven invites you to set the lens of your heart on the heart of the Savior and make him the object of your life.
What [ does] it mean to be just like Jesus? The world has never known a heart so pure, a character so flawless. His spiritual hearing was so Keen he never missed a heavenly whisper. His Mercy so abundant he never missed a chance to forgive. No lie left his lips, no distractions marred his vision. He touched when others recoiled. He endured when others quit. Jesus is the ultimate model for every person... God urges you to fix your eyes upon Jesus. Heaven invites you to set the lens of your heart on the heart of the Savior and make him the object of your life.
How Much More!
In October 1915, during World War 1, Oswald Chambers arrived at Zeitoun Camp, a military training center near Cairo, Egypt, to serve a YMCA Chaplin to British Commonwealth soldiers. When he announced a weeknight religious service, 400 men packed the large YMCA hut to hear Chamber's talk titled, " What is the Good of Prayer?" Later, when he spoke individually with men who were trying to find God in the midst of war, Oswald often quoted Luke 11:13, " If you then, though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
The free gift of God through His Son, Jesus, is forgiveness, hope, and His living presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit. " For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
On November 15, 1917, Oswald Chambers died unexpectedly from a ruptured appendix. To honor him, a soldier led to faith in Christ by Oswald purchased a marble carving of a Bible with the message of Luke 11:13 on its open page and placed it beside his grave: " How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" This amazing gift from God is available to each of us today.
Father, You are the giver of all good gifts. We thank You for the great gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in us and guides us in Your truth today.
God's gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives is available to each of us today.
The free gift of God through His Son, Jesus, is forgiveness, hope, and His living presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit. " For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
On November 15, 1917, Oswald Chambers died unexpectedly from a ruptured appendix. To honor him, a soldier led to faith in Christ by Oswald purchased a marble carving of a Bible with the message of Luke 11:13 on its open page and placed it beside his grave: " How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" This amazing gift from God is available to each of us today.
Father, You are the giver of all good gifts. We thank You for the great gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in us and guides us in Your truth today.
God's gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives is available to each of us today.
Saturday, November 11, 2017
He Wore Our Coat
They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb ( Revelation 7:14).
God has only one requirement for entrance into heaven: that we be clothed in Christ. Listen to how Jesus describes the inhabitants of heaven: " They will walk with me and wear white clothes, because they are worthy...." ( Revelation 3:4). Listen to the description of the elders: " Around the throne there were...twenty-four elders.... They were dressed in white and had golden crowns on their heads" ( Revelation 4:4)... All are dressed in white. The saints. The elders.... How would you suppose Jesus is dressed? In white?... " He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God" ( Revelation 19:13).
Why is Christ's robe not white? Why is his cloak not spotless? Why is his garment dipped in blood?... Paul says simply, " He changed places with us." ( Galatians 3:13) He wore our coat of sin to the cross.
God has only one requirement for entrance into heaven: that we be clothed in Christ. Listen to how Jesus describes the inhabitants of heaven: " They will walk with me and wear white clothes, because they are worthy...." ( Revelation 3:4). Listen to the description of the elders: " Around the throne there were...twenty-four elders.... They were dressed in white and had golden crowns on their heads" ( Revelation 4:4)... All are dressed in white. The saints. The elders.... How would you suppose Jesus is dressed? In white?... " He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God" ( Revelation 19:13).
Why is Christ's robe not white? Why is his cloak not spotless? Why is his garment dipped in blood?... Paul says simply, " He changed places with us." ( Galatians 3:13) He wore our coat of sin to the cross.
The Good Earth
While orbiting the moon in 1968, Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders described the crew's close-up view of the moonscape. He called it " a foreboding horizon... a Stark and unappetizing-looking place." Then the crew took turns reading to a watching world from Genesis 1:1-10. After Commander Frank Borman finished verse 10, " And God saw that it was good," he signed off with, " God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."
The opening chapter of the Bible insist on two facts:
Creation is God's work. The phrase " and God said..." beats in cadence all the way through the chapter. The entire magnificent world we live in is the product of His creative work. All that follows in the Bible reinforces the message of Genesis 1: Behind all of history, there is God. Creation is good. Another sentence tolls softly, like a bell, through the this chapter." And God saw that it was good." Much has changed since that first moment of creation. Genesis 1 describes the world as God wanted it, before any spoiling. Whatever beauty we sense in nature today is a faint echo of the pristine state God created.
The Apollo 8 astronauts saw Earth as a brightly colored ball hanging alone in space. It looked at once awesomely beautiful and fragile. It looked like the view from Genesis 1.
Or tell of His might, Of sing of His Grace, whose robe is the light, whose canopy space; His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, and dark is His path on the wings of the storm.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth.
The opening chapter of the Bible insist on two facts:
Creation is God's work. The phrase " and God said..." beats in cadence all the way through the chapter. The entire magnificent world we live in is the product of His creative work. All that follows in the Bible reinforces the message of Genesis 1: Behind all of history, there is God. Creation is good. Another sentence tolls softly, like a bell, through the this chapter." And God saw that it was good." Much has changed since that first moment of creation. Genesis 1 describes the world as God wanted it, before any spoiling. Whatever beauty we sense in nature today is a faint echo of the pristine state God created.
The Apollo 8 astronauts saw Earth as a brightly colored ball hanging alone in space. It looked at once awesomely beautiful and fragile. It looked like the view from Genesis 1.
Or tell of His might, Of sing of His Grace, whose robe is the light, whose canopy space; His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, and dark is His path on the wings of the storm.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth.
Friday, November 10, 2017
The Verdict
Jesus said [ to her], " I. also don't judge the guilty. You may go now, but don't single anymore." ( John 8:11).
If you have ever wondered how God reacts when you failed, frame the words [ of that verse] and hang them on the wall. Read them. Ponder them... Or better still, take him with you to your canyon of shame. Invite Christ to journey with you...to stand beside you as you retell the events of the darkest nights of your soul. And then listen. Listen carefully. He's speaking.... " I don't judge you guilty." And watch. Watch carefully. He's writing. He's leaving a message. Not in the sand, but on a cross. Not with his hand, but with his blood. His message has two words: Not guilty.
If you have ever wondered how God reacts when you failed, frame the words [ of that verse] and hang them on the wall. Read them. Ponder them... Or better still, take him with you to your canyon of shame. Invite Christ to journey with you...to stand beside you as you retell the events of the darkest nights of your soul. And then listen. Listen carefully. He's speaking.... " I don't judge you guilty." And watch. Watch carefully. He's writing. He's leaving a message. Not in the sand, but on a cross. Not with his hand, but with his blood. His message has two words: Not guilty.
The Hand Of Comfort
" Patient is combative," the nurse's notes read. What she didn't realize until later was that I was having an allergic-reaction as I awakened after a complicated open heart surgery. I was a message, with a tube down my throat. My body began shaking violently, straining against the straps on my arms, which were to keep me from suddenly pulling out the breathing tube. It was a frightening and painful episode. At one point, a nurse's assistant to the right side of my bed reached down and simply held my hand. It was an unexpected move, and it struck me as especially gentle. I began to relax, which caused my body to stop shaking so badly.
Having experienced this with other patients, the nurse's assistant knew that a hand off comfort could minister to me as well. It was a vivid example of how God uses comfort when His children suffer.
Comfort is a powerful and memorable tool for any caregiver, and Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 it's an important part of God's toolbox. Not only that, but God also multiplies the impact He gives us to comfort others in similar situations. It is but another sign of His great love; and one we can share with others--sometimes in the simplest of gestures.
Thank You, Father, for the comfort You provide to us, either directly or through the acts of Your children to others in and for You name.
Simple gestures can bring powerful comfort.
Having experienced this with other patients, the nurse's assistant knew that a hand off comfort could minister to me as well. It was a vivid example of how God uses comfort when His children suffer.
Comfort is a powerful and memorable tool for any caregiver, and Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 it's an important part of God's toolbox. Not only that, but God also multiplies the impact He gives us to comfort others in similar situations. It is but another sign of His great love; and one we can share with others--sometimes in the simplest of gestures.
Thank You, Father, for the comfort You provide to us, either directly or through the acts of Your children to others in and for You name.
Simple gestures can bring powerful comfort.
Thursday, November 9, 2017
A Compassionate God
He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have troubles, we can comfort them. ( 2 Corinthians 1:4)
My child's feelings are hurt. I tell her she's special. My child's is injured. I do whatever it takes to make her feel better. My child is afraid. I won't go to sleep until she is secure. I'm not a hero....I'm a parent. When a child hurts, a parent does what comes naturally. He helps.... Why don't I let my Father do for me what I a more than willing to do for my own children? I'm learning....Being a father is teaching me that when I a criticized, injured, it afraid, there is a Father who will hold me until I'm better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won't go to sleep when I'm afraid of waking up and seeking the dark. Ever
My child's feelings are hurt. I tell her she's special. My child's is injured. I do whatever it takes to make her feel better. My child is afraid. I won't go to sleep until she is secure. I'm not a hero....I'm a parent. When a child hurts, a parent does what comes naturally. He helps.... Why don't I let my Father do for me what I a more than willing to do for my own children? I'm learning....Being a father is teaching me that when I a criticized, injured, it afraid, there is a Father who will hold me until I'm better, help me until I can live with the hurt, and who won't go to sleep when I'm afraid of waking up and seeking the dark. Ever
A Good Evening
As the lights dimmed and we prepared to watch Apollo 13, my friend said under his breath, " Shame they all died." I watched the movie about the 1970 spaceflight with apprehension, waiting for tragedy to strike, and only near the closing credits did I realize I'd been duped. I hadn't known or remembered the end of the true story--that although the astronauts faced many hardships, they made it home alive.
In Christ, we can know the end of the story--that we too will make it home alive. By that I mean we will live forever with our heavenly Father, as we see in the book of Revelation. The Lord will create a " new heaven and a new Earth: as He makes all things new. In the new city, the Lord God will welcome His people to live with Him, without fear and without the night. We have hope in knowing the end of the story.
What difference does this make? It can transform times of extreme difficulty, such as when people face the loss of a loved one or even their own death. Though we recoil at the thought of dying, yet we can embrace the joy of the promise of eternity. We long for the city where no longer will there be any curse, where we'll live forever by God's lights.
Lord Jesus Christ, give me unfailing hope, that I might rest in Your promises and welcome Your life eternal.
God promises His people a good end to the story.
In Christ, we can know the end of the story--that we too will make it home alive. By that I mean we will live forever with our heavenly Father, as we see in the book of Revelation. The Lord will create a " new heaven and a new Earth: as He makes all things new. In the new city, the Lord God will welcome His people to live with Him, without fear and without the night. We have hope in knowing the end of the story.
What difference does this make? It can transform times of extreme difficulty, such as when people face the loss of a loved one or even their own death. Though we recoil at the thought of dying, yet we can embrace the joy of the promise of eternity. We long for the city where no longer will there be any curse, where we'll live forever by God's lights.
Lord Jesus Christ, give me unfailing hope, that I might rest in Your promises and welcome Your life eternal.
God promises His people a good end to the story.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Think Before You Speak
Cheung was upset with his wife for failing to check the directions to the famous restaurant where they hoped to dine. The family had planned to round out their holiday in Japan with a scrumptous meal before catching the flight home. Now they were running late and would have to miss that meal. Frustrated, Cheung critizied his wife for her poor planning.
Later Cheung regretted his words. He had been too harsh, plus he realized that he could have checked the directions himself and he had failed to thank his wife for the other seven days of planning.
Many of us identify with Cheung. We are tempted to blow up when angry and to let words fly without control. Oh, how we need to pray as the psalmist did: " Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips".
But how can we do that? Here's a helpful tip: Think before you speak. Are your words good and helpful, gracious and kind?
Setting a guard over our mouth requires that we keep our mouth shut when we're irritated and that we seek the Lord's help to say the right words with the right tone or, perhaps, not speak at all. When it comes to controlling our speech, it's a lifelong work. Thankfully, God is working in us " the desire and the power to do what pleases him."
Dear Lord, help us always to think before speaking. Give us the words to say and the wisdom to know when to keep silent.
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. ( Proverbs 16:24)
Later Cheung regretted his words. He had been too harsh, plus he realized that he could have checked the directions himself and he had failed to thank his wife for the other seven days of planning.
Many of us identify with Cheung. We are tempted to blow up when angry and to let words fly without control. Oh, how we need to pray as the psalmist did: " Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips".
But how can we do that? Here's a helpful tip: Think before you speak. Are your words good and helpful, gracious and kind?
Setting a guard over our mouth requires that we keep our mouth shut when we're irritated and that we seek the Lord's help to say the right words with the right tone or, perhaps, not speak at all. When it comes to controlling our speech, it's a lifelong work. Thankfully, God is working in us " the desire and the power to do what pleases him."
Dear Lord, help us always to think before speaking. Give us the words to say and the wisdom to know when to keep silent.
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. ( Proverbs 16:24)
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
God Loves You Dearly
We love because God first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Untethered by time, he sees us all. From the backwoods of Virginia to the business district of London; from the Vikings to the astronauts, from the cave-dwellers to the kings. From the hut-builders to the finger-pointers to the rock-stackers, he sees us. Vagabonds and ragmuffins all, he saw us before we were born. And he loves what he sees. Flooded by emotion. Overcome by pride, the Starmaker turns to us, one by one, and says, " You are my child. I love you dearly. I'm aware that someday you'll turn from me and walk away. But I want you to know, I've already provided you a way back."
Second Chances
" How can you be so kind if you don't even know me!" By making some wrong decisions, Linda had ended up in jail in a country not her own. For six years she remained in prison, and when she was set free she didn't have anywhere to go. She thought her life was over! While her family gathered money to buy her ticket home, a kind couple offered her lodging, food, and a helping hand. Linda was so touched by their kindness that she willingly listened as they told her the good news of a God who loves her and wants to give her a second chance. Linda reminds me Naomi, a widow in the Bible who lost her husband and two sons in a foreign land and thought her life was over. However, the Lord hadn't forgotten Naomi, and through the love of her daughter-in-law and was given a second chance. The same God cares for us today. Through the love of others we can be reminded of His presence. We can see God's grace in the helping hand of people we may not even know well. But above all, God is willing to give us a fresh start. We just need, like Linda and Naomi, to see God's hand in our everyday lives and realize He never stops showing us His kindness.
Dear Lord, thank You that You let us begin again and again. God gives us second chances.
Dear Lord, thank You that You let us begin again and again. God gives us second chances.
Monday, November 6, 2017
The High Cost of Getting Even
Do not try to punish others when they wrong you, but wait for God to punish them with his anger. Romans 12:19
Have you ever noticed in the western movies how the bounty hunter travels alone? It's not hard to see why. Who wants to hang out with a guy who settles scores for a living? Who wants to risk getting on his bad side? More than once I've heard a person spew his anger. He thought I was listening, when really I was thinking, I hope I never get on his list. Cantankerous sorts, these bounty hunters. Best leave them alone. Hang out with the angry and you might catch a stray bullet. Debt-settling is a lonely occupation. It's also an unhealthy occupation....
If you're out to settle the score, you'll never rest. How can you? For one thing, your enemy may never pay up. As much as you think you deserve an apology, your debtor may not agree. The racist may never repent. The chauvinist may never change. As justified as you are in your quest for vengeance, you may never get a penny's worth of justce. And if you do, will it be enough?
Our Prayers, God's Timing
Sometimes God takes His time in answering our prayers, and that isn't always easy for us to understand.
That was the situation for Zechariah, a priest whom the angel Gabriel appeared to one day near an altar in the temple in Jerusalem. Gabriel told him, " Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. " But zacheriah had probably asked God for a child years before, and he struggled with Gabriel's message because Elizabeth was now well beyond the expected age for childbirth. Still, God answered his prayer. God's memory is perfect. He is able to remember our prayers not only for years but also for generations beyond our lifetime. He never forgets them and may move in response long after long after we first brought our requests to Him. SOmetimes His answer is " no," other times it is " wait"-but His response is always measured with love. God's ways are beyond us, but we can trust that they are good. Zechariah learned this. He asked for a son, but God gave him even more. His son John would grow up to be the very prophet who would announce the arrival of the Messiah. Zechariah's experience demonstrates a vital truth that should also encourage us as we pray: God's timing is rarely our own, but it is always worth waiting for. When we cannot see God's hand at work, we can still trust His heart.
That was the situation for Zechariah, a priest whom the angel Gabriel appeared to one day near an altar in the temple in Jerusalem. Gabriel told him, " Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. " But zacheriah had probably asked God for a child years before, and he struggled with Gabriel's message because Elizabeth was now well beyond the expected age for childbirth. Still, God answered his prayer. God's memory is perfect. He is able to remember our prayers not only for years but also for generations beyond our lifetime. He never forgets them and may move in response long after long after we first brought our requests to Him. SOmetimes His answer is " no," other times it is " wait"-but His response is always measured with love. God's ways are beyond us, but we can trust that they are good. Zechariah learned this. He asked for a son, but God gave him even more. His son John would grow up to be the very prophet who would announce the arrival of the Messiah. Zechariah's experience demonstrates a vital truth that should also encourage us as we pray: God's timing is rarely our own, but it is always worth waiting for. When we cannot see God's hand at work, we can still trust His heart.
Saturday, November 4, 2017
Run The Race
Let us run the race that is before us and never give up, Hebrews 12:1
The word race is from the Greek agon, from which we get the word agony. The Christian's race is not a jog but rather a demanding and grueling, sometimes agonizing race. It takes a massive effort to finish strong. Likely you've noticed that many don't? Surely you've observed there are many on the side of the trail They used to be running. There was a time when they kept the pace. But then weariness set in. They didn't think the run would be this tough... By contrast, Jesus' best work was his final work, and his strongest step was his last step. Our Master is the classic example of one who endured....He could have quit the race. But he didn't.
The word race is from the Greek agon, from which we get the word agony. The Christian's race is not a jog but rather a demanding and grueling, sometimes agonizing race. It takes a massive effort to finish strong. Likely you've noticed that many don't? Surely you've observed there are many on the side of the trail They used to be running. There was a time when they kept the pace. But then weariness set in. They didn't think the run would be this tough... By contrast, Jesus' best work was his final work, and his strongest step was his last step. Our Master is the classic example of one who endured....He could have quit the race. But he didn't.
Psalms 28:6-9
Praise be to the Lord,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.
8 The Lord is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
9 Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
9 Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever.
That Famous Smile
After my wife and I had the privlege of visiting the Louvre in Paris, I called our eleven-year-old granddaughter Addie on the phone. When I mentioned seeing da Vinci's famous painting Mona Lisa, Addie asked, " Is she smiling? More than 600 years after Leonardo captured this subject in oil, we still don't know if the lady was smiling or not. Though enraptured by the painting's beauty, we are unsure about Mona Lisa's demeanor. The " Smile" is part of the intrigue of the painting. But how important is this anyway? Is smiling something the Bible mentions? In reality, the word appears less than five times in Scripture, and never as something we are told to do. However, the Bible does suggest for us an attitude that leads to smiles-and that is the word joy. Nearly 250 times we read about joy: " My heart leaps for joy," David says as he thinks about the Lord. We are to " sing joyfully to the Lord"; God's statutes are " the joy of [our] heart"; and we are " filled with joy" because " the Lord has done great things for us". Clearly, the joy God provides through everything He has done for us can bring a smile to our face. You are a good Father, dear God, and You do make us smile. You provide joy that is beyond what anything the world can offer. Help us show that joy to others by our countenance. Hope in the heart puts a smile on the face.
Psalm 13
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.
A Living Sacrifice
A Living Sacrifice
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Humble Service in the Body of Christ
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Love in Action
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Friday, November 3, 2017
Are You Listening?
Everyone who asks will receive, Everyone who searches will find. Matthew 7:8
Once there was a man who dared God to speak: Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God. And I will follow. Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God. And I will fight. Still the waves like you did on Gaililee, God. And I will listen. And so the man sat by a bush, near a wall, close to the sea and waited for God to speak. And God heard the man, so God answered. He sent fire, not for a bush, but for a church. He brought down a wall, not of brick, but of sin. He stilled a storm, not of the sea, but of a soul. And God waited for the man to respond. And he waited...and waited. But because the man was looking at bushes, not hearts; bricks and not lives, seas and not souls, he decided that God had done nothing. Finally he looked to God and asked, Have you lost your power? And God looked at him and said, Have you lost your hearing?
Once there was a man who dared God to speak: Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God. And I will follow. Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God. And I will fight. Still the waves like you did on Gaililee, God. And I will listen. And so the man sat by a bush, near a wall, close to the sea and waited for God to speak. And God heard the man, so God answered. He sent fire, not for a bush, but for a church. He brought down a wall, not of brick, but of sin. He stilled a storm, not of the sea, but of a soul. And God waited for the man to respond. And he waited...and waited. But because the man was looking at bushes, not hearts; bricks and not lives, seas and not souls, he decided that God had done nothing. Finally he looked to God and asked, Have you lost your power? And God looked at him and said, Have you lost your hearing?
Powerful Baby
The first time I saw him, I cried. He looked like a perfect newborn asleep in his crib. But, we knew he would never wake up. Not until he was in the arms of Jesus. He clung to life for several months. Then his mother told us of his death in a heart-wrenching email. She wrote of " that deep, deep pain that groans inside you." The she said, " How deeply God carved His work of love into our hearts through that little life! What a powerful life it was!"
Powerful? How could she say that? This family's precious little boy showed them-and us-that we must depend on God for everything. Especially when things go horribly wrong! The hard yet comforting truth is that God meets us in our pain. He knows the grief of losing a Son.
In our deepest pain, we turn to the songs of David because he writes out of his own grief. " How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?" he asked. " Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death". Yet David could give his biggest questions to God. " But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation." Only God can bring ultimate significance to our most tragic events.
Where do I turn when a crisis hits me? Do I ever get angry with God when facing grief and loss? Am I afraid to share my true emotions with Him? Have I ever asked God for His peace?
God can do the most with what we think is least.
Powerful? How could she say that? This family's precious little boy showed them-and us-that we must depend on God for everything. Especially when things go horribly wrong! The hard yet comforting truth is that God meets us in our pain. He knows the grief of losing a Son.
In our deepest pain, we turn to the songs of David because he writes out of his own grief. " How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?" he asked. " Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death". Yet David could give his biggest questions to God. " But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation." Only God can bring ultimate significance to our most tragic events.
Where do I turn when a crisis hits me? Do I ever get angry with God when facing grief and loss? Am I afraid to share my true emotions with Him? Have I ever asked God for His peace?
God can do the most with what we think is least.
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Living Anonymously
My well-worn and often-read copy of Jane Yolen's essay " Working Up to Anon" ( Anonymous) was clipped from The writer magazine many years ago. " The best writers," she says, " are the ones who really, in their heart of hearts, aspire to the byline Anon. The story told is important, not the storyteller." The story we tell is about Jesus, the Savior, who gave His life for us. Together with other believers we live for Him and share His love with others. Romans 12:3-21 describes the attitude of humility and love that should permeate our relationships with each other as followers of Jesus. " Don't cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities by the light of the faith that God has given to you all....Let us have real warm afflection for one another as between [ family], and a willingness to let the other [ person] have the credit". Pride in our past accomplishments can blind us to the gifts of others. Arrogance can poison the future. John the Baptist, whose mission was to pave the way for Jesus, said, " He must become greater; I must become less". That's a good motto for us all.
I admit, Lord, that I have a lot to learn about humility. Help me see You for who You are so You and others have their rightful place in my life. Always be humble before God and allow Him to be your all in all.
I admit, Lord, that I have a lot to learn about humility. Help me see You for who You are so You and others have their rightful place in my life. Always be humble before God and allow Him to be your all in all.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Take Jesus at His Word
In all things we have full victory through God who showed his love for us. Romans 8:37.
When it comes to healing our spiritual condition, we don't have a chance. We might as well be told to pole-vault the moon. We don't have what it takes to be healed. Our only hope is that God will do for us what he did for the man at Bethesda--that he will step out of the temple and step into our ward of hurt and helplessness.
Which is exactly what he has done.....
I wish we would take Jesus at his word.....
When he says we're forgiven, let's unload the guilt.
When he says we're valuable, let's believe him....
When he says we're provided for, let's stop worrying.
God's efforts are stronger when our efforts are useless.
When it comes to healing our spiritual condition, we don't have a chance. We might as well be told to pole-vault the moon. We don't have what it takes to be healed. Our only hope is that God will do for us what he did for the man at Bethesda--that he will step out of the temple and step into our ward of hurt and helplessness.
Which is exactly what he has done.....
I wish we would take Jesus at his word.....
When he says we're forgiven, let's unload the guilt.
When he says we're valuable, let's believe him....
When he says we're provided for, let's stop worrying.
God's efforts are stronger when our efforts are useless.
Who Is This?
" Remove everything from your desks, take out a piece of paper and pencil." When I was a student these dreaded words announced that " test time" had come.
In Mark 4, we read that Jesus's day, which started with teaching by the seaside, ended with a time of testing on the sea. The boat that had been used as a teaching platform was used to transport Jesus and a handful of His followers to the other side of the sea. During the journey ( while an exhausted Jesus slept in the back of the boat), they encountered a swirling storm. Drenched disciples woke Jesus with the words, " Teacher, don't you care if we drown?". Then it happened. The one who had exhorted the crowds to " Listen!" earlier in the day, uttered a simple, powerful command to the winds of nature- " Quiet! Be still!".
The wind obeyed and the wonder of fear-filled disciples was displayed with the words, " Who is this?". The question was a good one but it would take them a while to honestly and correctly conclude that Jesus was God's Son. Sincere, honest, open-hearted questions and experience lead people to the same conclusion today. He is more than a teacher to listen to; He is the God to be worshiped.
Father, thank You for Your Word that helps us to see Jesus as Your Son. Please help me to listen to You and to trust that You are in control.
" Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
In Mark 4, we read that Jesus's day, which started with teaching by the seaside, ended with a time of testing on the sea. The boat that had been used as a teaching platform was used to transport Jesus and a handful of His followers to the other side of the sea. During the journey ( while an exhausted Jesus slept in the back of the boat), they encountered a swirling storm. Drenched disciples woke Jesus with the words, " Teacher, don't you care if we drown?". Then it happened. The one who had exhorted the crowds to " Listen!" earlier in the day, uttered a simple, powerful command to the winds of nature- " Quiet! Be still!".
The wind obeyed and the wonder of fear-filled disciples was displayed with the words, " Who is this?". The question was a good one but it would take them a while to honestly and correctly conclude that Jesus was God's Son. Sincere, honest, open-hearted questions and experience lead people to the same conclusion today. He is more than a teacher to listen to; He is the God to be worshiped.
Father, thank You for Your Word that helps us to see Jesus as Your Son. Please help me to listen to You and to trust that You are in control.
" Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
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