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A Prisoner's Praise
2008-02-12 10:54:00
Often our vision is stymied by the circumstances we are experiencing. An old expression puts it this way: "Can't see the forest for the trees." The picture is of someone who is too involved in the details of a problem to look at the situation as a whole. When we find ourselves looking at life from that point of view even a small setback can render us unable to function or enjoy the blessings God gives. God blesses us not only in the good times, but also in the bad times.Paul's outlook shared in Philippians 1:12-14 illustrates the way to rise up in victory over our circumstances. Paul was sitting in prison, but his thoughts were not on his immediate situation. He was envisioning the outcome God had in mind. He assured the believers that "the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel." Paul saw even the setbacks of life as means by which the good news of Jesus could be shared both by himself and those who were being inspired to service th...
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A Prisoner's Prayer
2008-02-11 11:19:00
Interesting things happen when we get under stress. We often act in ways that have not been thought out or say things that we really didn't mean to say. According to Richard Carlson "Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness." When we are under stress our character is really put to the test. Will we allow it to make us unbalanced or will we keep our focus on the important aspects of our life?Paul demonstrated extreme stress control as evidenced by his prayers while in prison. I cannot imagine much greater stress than being imprisoned when innocent of any crime. Yet, as Paul wrote to the believers in Philippians 1:9-11 he demonstrated the focus that he had and that he desired for other believers. His prayer was for three things. First he said, "I pray that your love may abound." It is hard for love to abound when we feel that our rights are being trampled but that's the example and counsel Paul gave. Then he encouraged us to "approve the things that ...
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Lovely as a Tree
2008-02-08 11:00:00
A favorite poem of mine from elementary school years was Joyce Kilmer's poem about trees.I THINK that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the sweet earth's flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day,And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in summer wear A nest of robins in her hair; Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.While living in the southern tip of Texas I came to appreciate the beautiful, lush trees of the North even more. The squat, straggly mesquite bushes that pass for trees in South Texas made the land look barren.In Psalm 1:3 God pictures the believer as a tree. This tree is not like the ugly mesquite bushes but rather like the stately northern varieties. The key to the difference is that the "Christian tree" is planted "by the rivers of water" which is the source of nourishment. This is referring back to the sec...
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Wrong Way on a One Way Street
2008-02-07 11:16:00
Every now and then I read a news story about an accident that occurred when someone turned the wrong way on a one way street. Sometimes people even get on the wrong side of a freeway driving against two or more lanes of traffic. I cannot imagine the terrible feeling that suddenly seeing cars coming at me in all lanes would bring. Yet, this experience is the case with many spiritual travelers.There is only one way to heaven. Jesus provided that way when He became our substitute and received the wages for our sin on the cross. When we receive him and his gift we enter the one way road to heaven. Throughout the Bible those on this road to heaven are referred to as the blessed. In Psalm 1:1 the wrong way road is described. It is a road of regression. God says in this verse, "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful..." Notice the movement from walking to standing to sitting. If our walk is not...
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Are You a Winner?
2008-02-06 11:44:00
At the school where I teach we have a fairly strict dress and behavior code. Its purpose is to teach our students the graces they will need in the workplace and to make an impact on society. Frequently I hear a student say, "I hate all these rules. I can't wait to get out of here." In a former children's home school setting one of the students was a chronic complainer about rules and authorities. Then he graduated and promptly joined the marines.This condition of whining is not restricted to students in schools. In our town's online version of the newspaper each article has a place for the readers to make comments. It is amazing that no matter what the story certain readers whine about the police, the news reporter, the government leaders, parents and anything or anyone else that was featured in the story. They never seem to see anything positive.People who are whiners are never winners. Their outlook is always negative. On the other hand, people who are winners have a positive o...
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Identify Yourself
2008-02-05 11:15:00
Frequently in life we are called upon to provide identification. We have driver's licenses, social security numbers, birth certificates and numerous other documents to prove who we are. People identify or recognize us by the sound of our voice, our visual appearance or even our handwriting. In law enforcement even our fingerprints, voice prints and eye prints may be used to determine our identity. In recent years our DNA has become important in assuring a positive ID.As Christians we are also to have identifying characteristics. In I Peter 2:2-3 God gives one of the marks of a believer. He says, "desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." We crave whatever is in accord with our nature. Before becoming a follower of Jesus we craved the things of this world. But God says now that we are one of his we should crave for and delight in God's word just like a baby craves for milk. This intense desire for the word pro...

A Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Medicine Go Down
2008-02-04 12:13:00
What cold water is to a hot, thirsty body a hearty laugh is to a beleaguered soul. As we get beyond the youthful years we seem to laugh less. William Fry, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Stanford University Medical School and expert on health and laughter, reports the average kindergarten student laughs 300 times a day. Yet, adults average just 17 laughs a day.We have allowed the stresses and demands of work and life to rob us of the joy of a smile and a laugh.Proverbs 15:13 says, "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken." By our own inner joy and outward expression of that joy we can bring grace to those around us. As a junior high teacher I try to pepper my lessons with stories, jokes, riddles and other witticisms to make classroom learning enjoyable. While the students like to moan and groan (outwardly) at my attempts, the comments I hear around the school tell me that they enjoy their classroom experience. As a pastor my rule...
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How to Pray
2008-02-01 11:12:00
After presenting the Beatitudes and similitudes which we have seen in the last few posts, Jesus shared one of the most well known parts of the Bible - the Lord's prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. Actually, it is to be our prayer. Unfortunately, many people only use this prayer as a mantra rather than a guide. In it we find a great description of what God offers and what we should desire. There are four areas to be incorporated into our lives.First, we must recognize and invite God's control. Jesus told us to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. For this to happen involves surrender of our wants and wishes to his plans. Secondly, we are to demonstrate dependance on his care as we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." Then we are to seek his cleansing by askng him to "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." This not only keeps our relationship with him vibrant, but also maintains our relatio...
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Turn on the Lights
2008-01-31 11:07:00
As I have gotten older my distaste for driving at night has increased. I try to get all my errands finished before dusk begins to settle. If my evenings plans include a meal out at a favorite restaurant I even schedule it early so that I can get home before dark. I enjoy the comfort and security of home once the daylight has disappeared. As I think about the spiritual application to those preferences I realize that many people are out in the dark traveling about life's affairs. There is no comfort of home spiritually and they do not even have any "headlights" on their "vehicle."The second similitude which are really applications of the Beatitudes speaks to the matter of light. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." In those days weary travelers would be able to see the cities well ahead of arriving at them. City buildings were mostly whitewashed and would glisten in the sunlight or moonlight. Rest and refreshment would beckon at...
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It's Not What You Know That Counts
2008-01-30 11:08:00
When I was in the seventh grade a teacher told me something I have never forgotten. She said, "I would rather have a student with an A character and a C grade card than a student with an A grade card and a C character." Our character will go much further in impacting those around us than will our knowledge. When Jesus taught the Beatitudes his goal was not just to fill our minds with knowledge. He wanted our spiritual character to be so changed that we would reflect his nature to all we meet along life's way.When we have BEcome what we should be then we can demonstrate before others the person of Jesus. The four verses that follow the Beatitudes are known as the similitudes because we are encouraged to be similar to two common things the first of which is salt. In Matthew 5:13 Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men." When salt became stale ...

No Pain, No Gain
2008-01-29 11:35:00
We do everything we can to avoid suffering. Diets, exercise and vitamins are all a part of the preventative action that we hope will keep us from various diseases and malfunctions of the body. However, because of the curse of sin we all face diseases and eventually death. It cannot be avoided. Likewise, when we adopt all the principles Jesus presented in the Beatitudes we are certain to face the suffering of persecution. The presence of evil in the world strikes back against the Righteousness that is at the center of life for kingdom citizens.Jesus said in Matthew 5:10, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." So we can assume that anyone bound for heaven will come face to face with persecution. According to the beatitude and its expansion in verse 11 the persecution that brings a blessing comes for two reasons - for righteousness sake and for my (Jesus) sake. Oh the other hand, the absence of persecution also indicates the ...
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Better than Spring Rain
2008-01-28 10:23:00
About this time of the year we all begin to look forward to spring. We envision the blooming of flowers, greening of grass and leaves on the trees. The soft, warm spring rains bring on the thrilling evidences of God's creative hand all around us. There are two specific evidences of spring around our house. In the back we have a Japanese red maple tree that fills the eyes with its red leaves. In the front is a huge pink azalea bush that is so arresting that I have seen people stop out front for a few seconds to take in its beauty. Our lives as Christians ought to shine forth with the evidence of God's work in us as well. The outpouring of God's Spirit within us should be visible for all to see. It all begins with having become poor in spirit and having welcomed the riches of God's grace into our spiritually bankrupt lives. In so doing we establish peace with God. Then we add such qualities as meekness, righteousness, mercy and purity of heart and as a result enjoy the peace of Go...
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Don't Drive with Your Eyes Shut
2008-01-25 11:43:00
As I drive around town or travel on the highway there is something of grave concern that I see. People are being distracted by all manner of things as they drive. Nearly every other driver is talking on a cell phone. I have witnessed drivers attempting to read a book or newspaper as they cruised down the freeway. Others are eating, tending to children or trying to fiddle with something beside them or on the floor of the vehicle. Needless to say, these people are an accident looking for a place to happen.The same type of problem is often experienced as we carry on our Christian lives. We become distracted by all sorts of things. Job issues, relational conflicts, financial burdens and personal pleasures are among the dangers that interfere with our journey for God. In Matthew 5:8 Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." In order for us to experience the presence and direction of God we must keep our lives holy and focused. Things which would contaminate and...
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What Goes Around Comes Around
2008-01-24 11:21:00
If we expect to experience consideration from others, we need to show consideration to others. Jesus put it this way in Matthew 5:7, "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." Later in Matthew 7:12 he added, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them..." Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, ""We are not meant to control our Christianity; our Christianity is rather meant to control us." When we establish a relationship with God then that relationship will change us so that our relationship with others will be right.Jesus illustrated this whole point in a parable in Matthew 18:21-35. Peter asked him how often he should forgive someone and suggested that maybe seven times would be reasonable. Jesus responded by saying seventy times seven meaning an unlimited number of times. Then Jesus explained the reasonableness of showing mercy. He told of a master who forgave his servant a huge debt. The servant then refused to forgive a debtor a very small debt. Jesus then in...

The Battle of the Spirits
2008-01-23 11:45:00
Yesterday the importance of our hunger and thirst for righteousness was seen. However, our enemy definitely is against our spiritual growth and development. While establishing a relationship with God removes us from the enemy's team, spiritual maturity enables us to effectively battle against the enemy and his forces. So Satan immediately initiates a war between our spirit and the Holy Spirit.Three conditions of our spirit can keep us from having a hunger and thirst for righteousness. Some have a critical spirit. They spend all their effort complaining about the way God feeds them instead of enjoying what He feeds them. Rather than enjoying a steak dinner they complain that it is served on a paper plate. They criticize the speaker's style, grammar or appearance instead of feasting on the meal he presents from God's Word. Others have an argumentative spirit. Instead of accepting what God gives they debate its fairness. Many have an unsubmitted spirit. These folks allow everything ...
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Come to Dinner
2008-01-22 11:17:00
As I write this post I am also thinking about breakfast. We all look forward to three square meals a day. There are really only two occasions when hunger will not bring us to the table at the appointed times. Lack of hunger is a sign of either sickness or death. Loss of appetite is an indicator of a problem.According to Jesus spiritual hunger and thirst is an indicator normalcy as well. He said in Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." The grammar of the Greek indicates an ongoing desire for all that God is. Once we have tasted and seen that the Lord is good our appetite for him is sharpened. Those who have never become poor in spirit look everywhere to satisfy the emptiness within but never are able to succeed. Only God and his righteousness will fill that void.Even Christians are cautioned in scripture to avoid that which will dull their spiritual appetite. We are instructed to make no provision for the flesh and to walk...
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Meekness Is Not Weakness
2008-01-21 12:46:00
Society generally looks down upon people who are quiet and unassuming. Names like Casper Milktoast are assigned to them. The primary meaning of Casper Milktoast according to Wikipedia is "someone who lets others win at his/her expense. People who behave in this way may become so completely submissive that others describe them as a 'doormat'". However, note that this definition can be seen from a more positive viewpoint. Allowing someone else to have the upper hand may be a choice more than a defect.The Greek word translated "meek" in Matthew 5:5 comes from the root word praos, which means "mild," "gentle," and "soft." A meek person is gentle, tenderhearted, patient, and submissive. The Greeks used the word to describe a soothing medicine, a gentle breeze, or a domesticated colt. Each of these is an example of power under control which is what Jesus was advocating when he said, "Blessed are the meek." Medicine can kill or heal, a breeze can destroy or refresh and a colt can be usel...

Happy Are the Sad
2008-01-18 11:36:00
Probably one of the saddest times in life is the loss of a loved one. At the funeral service tears are shed and a huge sense of the void created descends upon the mourners. While the death of a Christian has the same sadness, it is overcome by the joy that the departed has entered into the presence of God for all eternity. I have been at some funerals where the service was a celebration. When Christian music artist Howard Goodman died his service was filled with singing, clapping and general rejoicing that he was with the Lord. His wife Vestal appeared in a concert in our town the very next week with a joyful testimony in word and song praising God for his goodness.Another occasion when sadness is wiped away by God's goodness is mentioned in the second beatitude in Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Here the mourning is over the sin that brought about the spiritual poverty of the preceding beatitude and the death of Jesus that was necessary to ...
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The Blessing of Bankruptcy
2008-01-17 11:18:00
Difficult economic times often result in an increase in individuals filing bankruptcy to eliminate all debt and relieve the financial pressures. While some misuse this option most people fight it off as long as possible. Bankruptcy is seen as failure and feelings of shame often accompany it. However, there is a blessed bankruptcy.Jesus said in Matthew 5:1, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The word used for poor here is ptochos and refers to a person who has been reduced to begging. The picture is of someone who is bankrupt and has an extended hand waiting for help. Of course, the context is our view of our spiritual self. Only when we see ourselves as a beggar before God and admit our total inability and our dependence on him will we have true riches. To be poor in spirit literally means to be emptied of self and filled with Christ.The blessing is two-fold. First, as is the case with each of the Beatitudes we are declared blessed. The word for bl...
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The Road Less Traveled
2008-01-16 11:27:00
The closing lines of Robert Frost's poem Road Less Traveled have an important thought for us to consider. He said, "Two roads diverged in a wood And I took the one less traveled by And that has made all the difference." When faced with options in life we tend to take the path of least resistance like a river winding through the country side. The result is the same. Behind us is a crooked path with many side branches that go nowhere.In our Christian walk we are encouraged to make two choices that are definitely less traveled roads. In Ephesians 4:17 we are advise to "no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles (ungodly) walk." It is always a difficult choice to be different than those around us but God makes it clear in I Peter 2:9 that we are to be a "chosen generation,a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Being peculiar doesn't mean being odd but rather being...
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Prison Reform
2008-01-15 10:57:00
When a person is placed in prison it is hoped that reform will take place and the individual will emerge as a better citizen. Various programs are in place to educate, motivate and redirect those who have previously been a menace to society. While some do reform, many simply repeat old mistakes over and over again and return to prison on a regular basis.The key to real change is to be in the right prison. In Ephesians 4:1-3 we see the nature and results of the greatest prison reform program in existence. Paul says, "I,... the prisoner of the Lord..." Prior to his encounter with Jesus Paul was a prisoner to his own self. His actions and passion were controlled by his misunderstanding of God's plan and program. The result was disaster for Christians around him. After he became a prisoner of Jesus the entire nature and focus of his life changed. If we have become prisoners of Jesus our lives will experience the same changes.The challenge and example of Paul is to walk worthy of our ne...
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Don't Bite the Wrong Apple
2008-01-14 11:25:00
Whenever a discussion of sin's origin arises the question of whether the forbidden fruit was an apple or not also comes up. Apple s seem to have a special place in our thoughts. In regard to our health an old proverb tells us "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The phrase "the apple of my eye" which appears in the Bible may also come to mind. H. A. Ironside said regarding the word apple, "the literal Hebrew is, 'little man'-Keep me as the little man in the eye. If you stand close to me and you look into my eye, what do you see there? A little man and that little man is yourself; you see yourself reflected upside down; you are a little man in my eye."With that in mind it may have been an "apple" that Eve bit into. She fell for the great lie that Satan fell for and peddles to anyone who will bite into it. In Isaiah 14 we read of Satan's aspirations. Five times he said, "I will..." and he fifth time he said, "I will be like the Most High." It was that same desire that he present...
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Walking for Your Health
2008-01-11 11:17:00
More and more we become health conscious in this day. Concern over the eating habits of even our young children is being expressed by health professionals. Schools are replacing unhealthy food sources and even fast food restaurants are responding to the call for more healthy lifestyles. The road to good health requires us to change. Likewise, the road to spiritual health requires a change in us as well.In order for us to accept change we must first become aware that our old ways are not healthy. In Ephesians God refers to our lifestyle as our walk. The change in our walk begins with an understanding that God has rescued us from the worldly walk. Ephesians 2:1-3 indicate that we have been brought to life from a deadly walk which had captivated us in sin and the control of Satan. We had "walked according to the course of this world." That walk had led to disobedience and the prospect of God's wrath against our disobedience.Then two wonderful words appear: "But God..." God by his merc...
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Liar, Liar
2008-01-10 11:17:00
As we attempt to live in the Spirit there will be opposition. Many people think that becoming a Christian ends their problems, but when the enemy looses a team member the battle really begins. Satan will use every strategy he can to disillusion, defeat and destroy our efforts to live the Christian life.Jesus revealed Satan's key tactic as he was talking to the Pharisees in John 8. Jesus said to them about Satan, "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." A little understanding of the Greek helps to identify Satan's activity. In the Greek the use of "the" as a definite article would render the statement: "When he speaks the lie..." There is a lie that Satan wants each of us to believe. And many in the world have believed it. It has kept them from Christ. Christians as well are often derailed by accepting Satan's lie and are ...
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Making the Fruit Grow
2008-01-09 11:44:00
The last two seasons of gardening were fruitless for us. One year there was so much rain that our plants died out. Another year there was extreme heat and our garden burned up while we were gone on vacation. However, in the spiritual life there will always be some fruit in the Christian's garden. This is confirmed as Jesus teaches the parable of the sower and the seed in Matthew 13. There Jesus says, "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."Sometimes the amount of fruit in our lives is so small that we are nearly unusable. When that happens God will work to increase the fruit. He applies his medicine. Vance Havner said, "Sometimes your medicine bottle has on it 'Shake well before using.' And that is what God has to do with some of his people. He has to shake them well before they are ever usable." Paul wrote to Timothy, "Stir up the gift of God, which...
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The Responsive Fruit
2008-01-08 11:18:00
Are you a bumper-sticker Christian? Is there a conflict between your declaration that you are a Christian and your behavior? The Pharisees of the New Testament had that type of problem. Jesus accused them of wearing phylacteries (little boxes with scripture written inside) and garments to be seen of men while ignoring the need to display changed lives.The third trio of the fruit of the Spirit includes faith (or faithfulness), meekness and self-control. These can be worn like phylacteries or can be heart responses to who God is in our lives. Because God is our loving Savior we respond in faithfulness. Because He is our sovereign King we respond with meekness. Because He is our righteous Judge we respond with self-control. So the solution to bumper-sticker Christianity is to understand that our behavior is a response to the God who is in our heart.Billy Graham quoted another who said, "When I go to hear a preacher preach, I may not agree with what he says, but I want him to believe it...
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The Relational Fruit
2008-01-07 11:05:00
Charlie Brown's Linus made a statement which we often would agree with. He said, "The world would be a wonderful place if it wasn't for people!" We have all had days when we would just as soon stay at home and come in contact with no one. Sometimes it seems that we can never please people. Perhaps we should have the same response as Colonel George Washington Goethals who was responsible for the completion of the Panama Canal. In the midst of constant criticism from people and predictions that he would never finish the project he was asked if he wasn't going to answer his critics. He responded, "Yes, in time, when the canal is finished."Our lives are like the Panama Canal project. There will be many who are offended by our faith and oppose our efforts to reflect Christ into their lives. Their will be criticism, opposition and apathy which will challenge us to display the relational fruit of the Spirit. We will need to display longsuffering (patience), kindness and goodness until o...
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The Resting Fruit
2008-01-04 14:47:00
If 2007 was a stressful year and you felt pulled in every direction then a new plan for 2008 is in order. The first three items of the fruit of the Spirit may be thought of as "resting fruit." They describe our inner rest in Christ. God does not intend for our life to be a burden. Jesus said in Matthew 7:20 "...my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." To experience this truth we must allow the Spirit to produce the resting fruit rather than laboriously attempting to produce it ourselves.The resting fruit includes love, joy and peace. When the Spirit is in control of our lives we can express true self-sacrificing love. Someone has said that this kind of love may be described as follows:It is silence when your words would hurtIt is patience when your neighbor's curtIt is deafness when a scandal flowsIt is thoughtfulness for other's woesIt is promptness when stern duty callsIt is courage when misfortune callsWhen the fruit of love is in place the next two follow easily. Joy is not a...
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Life in the Spirit
2008-01-03 13:34:00
Someone has said that life has seven stages: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills, and wills. We have been told that life is "getting all the gusto" or "living in the fast lane." However, the problem with living life in the fast lane is that you get to the toll booth quicker. Elizabeth O' Conner in Christianity Today points out that "while it is a crucial mistake to assume that we can be on an outward journey without being on an inward one, it is equally disastrous to assume that one can make the journey inward without taking the journey outward."Often we attempt to make life's journey outwardly without doing so inwardly. Then life seems like a big wagon wheel with many spokes. Often as Christians we feel like we are running around the rim trying to reach everybody. But God says, "Walk in the Spirit ..." As one author puts it, "There is a hub in the middle of that wheel and God says we should start in the hub; live in the hub. Then we will be connected with all the spokes, a...
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On the Potter's Wheel
2008-01-02 11:09:00
What will you become in 2008? That depends on the pattern used and the skill of the one using the pattern. God is the only trustworthy designer and He has a pattern in mind for you and me. In Jeremiah 18 the prophet said, "Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make."What Jeremiah saw is a picture of the relationship between God and us. Our lives are like the clay vessel in the potter's hand. The mars come as a result of our squirming about as the Potter attempts to mold and shape us. However, whenever our resistance produces a defect, the Potter patiently works on us according to the pattern He has in mind. That pattern is none other than God's Son, Jesus. In Romans 8:29 we are told that all those whom God knows to be his He has determined will be conformed to the image of his Son.E...
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