Readings: Daniel 7:9-14, I Thessalonians 5:1-11, Matthew 25:31-46
During this season of posturing, finger-pointing, and down-right ugliness, I sometimes feel the need to shut off the TV, turn off the radio, click off the computer, and ignore all reading materials until the political season blows over. I know I'm not alone in this. I'm perplexed by the many candidates for office who blatantly ignore the question posed to them at a debate only to use their allotted time to bad-mouth the opposing candidate. All this struggle for one thing--power.
Look out.
Too much power in the hands of humans has been proven, over the centuries, not to be a good thing--we're just not good at handling it. Even the most well-meaning politician, once handed a great deal of power, will need a great deal of reserve to keep things in perspective. It normally doesn't end well.
Only one takes and uses this power for all good things: our loving God. Fortunately for all of us, he lent this power to Christ as well in order to aid us in our lives to work for the betterment of this beautiful planet and all people and things that inhabit it.
"He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power, all peoples, nations, and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed" (Daniel 7:14).
God is our one true authority--he waivers to no one. We're still not so hot at it. It's not an easy street to be on; over the years, we've had perhaps a hand-full of leaders who have truly understood the concept. Unfortunately, too many others are lured by the temptation of power and influence and, over time, lose sight of their true call to serve and not be served.
Christ understood authority--and the price that, during his time on earth, came with it. "He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you are doing" (I Thessalonians 5:10-11). He was in ultimate service to God for all our sakes.
During this time of fist-shaking, fabricating, and general nastiness, we need to pray for a peaceful solution. Our job is not to work diligently for one person to have power over another--our job is decide who of those running for office will be the best servant to all people--rich and poor, but particularly a servant to those who need our help the most. Wondering if that is an out-dated idea? I don't think so..."He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me.' Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" (Matthew 25:45-46).
Peace be with you.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
A Good, Old-Fashioned Pity Party
Readings: Job 14:1-6, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 24:15-28
We all have a good, old-fashioned pity party from time to time. I don't know of anyone who is exempt from them. I know I've had my share. In today's readings, we get to witness--step by step--of one of the Bible's most famous pity parties--Job.
As you'll recall, Job pretty much had the world by the tail--big family, health, wealth, all the good things in life--until Satan came to God one day and suggested that perhaps if Job's life were not as easy, he might not be as quick to praise God for all his many blessings. So, the problems began for Job--the massacres, the boils, the loss of virtually everything. And then the friends showed up to rub a little proverbial salt into those wounds.
And Job, for a good while, did a very human thing--he had a pity party. At one point he declared that his life, as well as all others' on the planet, was futile at best. "Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. So look away from him and let him alone, till he has put in his time like a hired man" (Job 14:5).
Sound familiar? I think we all have these feelings from time to time. "What's the use?" we ask ourselves. Why work so hard to do well for others when it all comes down to dying and being laid to rest--the cemeteries are full of both saints and sinners.
That's where our pity parties must end--there is a purpose for all things in life, and our faith is our life line. "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope"(I Thessalonians 4:13). "Therefore encourage each other with these words" (I Thessalonians 4:18). If we get caught up in the pity party ourselves, we start looking for the easy way out--just what Satan is hoping for, day after day. We are warned of this throughout the Bible, particularly in the book of Matthew: "So if anyone tell you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man'"(24:26-27). We'll get caught up in the ultimate web of deceit if we allow our need for temporary extreme comfort to over-take our wisdom.
So, do we eliminate pity parties from our lives completely? More than likely not. From time to time we'll all feel a little out of sorts--that's pretty natural. But the key to all this is to pull ourselves out of it as quickly as possible. And, if that doesn't work as well as we think it should, look to a friend to help you with getting un-stuck...most times, there's someone there more than happy to help you get back to happy, too. Ultimately, tell your best friend in the world--Jesus will understand and always makes time to listen.
Peace be with you.
(NIV Study Bible)
We all have a good, old-fashioned pity party from time to time. I don't know of anyone who is exempt from them. I know I've had my share. In today's readings, we get to witness--step by step--of one of the Bible's most famous pity parties--Job.
As you'll recall, Job pretty much had the world by the tail--big family, health, wealth, all the good things in life--until Satan came to God one day and suggested that perhaps if Job's life were not as easy, he might not be as quick to praise God for all his many blessings. So, the problems began for Job--the massacres, the boils, the loss of virtually everything. And then the friends showed up to rub a little proverbial salt into those wounds.
And Job, for a good while, did a very human thing--he had a pity party. At one point he declared that his life, as well as all others' on the planet, was futile at best. "Man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. So look away from him and let him alone, till he has put in his time like a hired man" (Job 14:5).
Sound familiar? I think we all have these feelings from time to time. "What's the use?" we ask ourselves. Why work so hard to do well for others when it all comes down to dying and being laid to rest--the cemeteries are full of both saints and sinners.
That's where our pity parties must end--there is a purpose for all things in life, and our faith is our life line. "Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope"(I Thessalonians 4:13). "Therefore encourage each other with these words" (I Thessalonians 4:18). If we get caught up in the pity party ourselves, we start looking for the easy way out--just what Satan is hoping for, day after day. We are warned of this throughout the Bible, particularly in the book of Matthew: "So if anyone tell you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man'"(24:26-27). We'll get caught up in the ultimate web of deceit if we allow our need for temporary extreme comfort to over-take our wisdom.
So, do we eliminate pity parties from our lives completely? More than likely not. From time to time we'll all feel a little out of sorts--that's pretty natural. But the key to all this is to pull ourselves out of it as quickly as possible. And, if that doesn't work as well as we think it should, look to a friend to help you with getting un-stuck...most times, there's someone there more than happy to help you get back to happy, too. Ultimately, tell your best friend in the world--Jesus will understand and always makes time to listen.
Peace be with you.
(NIV Study Bible)
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Faith in Truth
Readings: I Kings 17:17-24, Colossians 1:9-14, Matthew 9:18-26
Faith in truth--when we are truthful with ourselves as well as with each other, our lives just naturally go smoother. We also are more inclined to trust one another and have faith in one another once truth is established. In I Kings we hear these words of faith in truth: "Then the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth'" (17:24).
Faith and truth were also apparent in the book of Matthew when Jesus was walking among the people and healing many. There was a woman who had suffered from a disease for many years. Yet she had faith. She knew that Jesus was the living truth. So she thought to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I will be healed". And she was. "Take heart, daughter," he said. "Your faith has healed you" (9:21-22).
If we wake each morning with the goal of sticking to the truth in our thoughts, actions, feelings, then it will become easier to have faith in our lives as well--everything becomes much clearer and simpler.
There's a beautiful prayer in Colosssians: "And we pray in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; becoming fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (1:10-14).
Peace be with you.
Faith in truth--when we are truthful with ourselves as well as with each other, our lives just naturally go smoother. We also are more inclined to trust one another and have faith in one another once truth is established. In I Kings we hear these words of faith in truth: "Then the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth'" (17:24).
Faith and truth were also apparent in the book of Matthew when Jesus was walking among the people and healing many. There was a woman who had suffered from a disease for many years. Yet she had faith. She knew that Jesus was the living truth. So she thought to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I will be healed". And she was. "Take heart, daughter," he said. "Your faith has healed you" (9:21-22).
If we wake each morning with the goal of sticking to the truth in our thoughts, actions, feelings, then it will become easier to have faith in our lives as well--everything becomes much clearer and simpler.
There's a beautiful prayer in Colosssians: "And we pray in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; becoming fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (1:10-14).
Peace be with you.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Tax Debates
Readings: Proverbs 8:11-22, Philippians 3:17-21, Matthew 22:15-22
With the upcoming elections, taxes seem to be on the front burner of topics. I've yet to meet anyone who truly likes paying taxes, but there are various opinions on just how much is a comfortable amount to pay.
Taxes have been around since the time of Christ; in fact, He was asked, "Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" (Matthew 22:17) His answer? "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21). Jesus didn't seem to get quite in the uproar the rest of us do. Maybe because he realized the wealth of Caesar couldn't touch the riches of Heaven.
"With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and property. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the path of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasures full" (Proverbs 8:18-20). It's easy for us to forget what real wealth is; we instead kind of follow after this paper stuff here on Earth. "Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:19b-20). Citizenship where the debates on taxes, healthcare, education, etc. have no place. Citizenship in paradise.
No debate there...just blessings beyond our wildest dreams.
Peace be with you.
With the upcoming elections, taxes seem to be on the front burner of topics. I've yet to meet anyone who truly likes paying taxes, but there are various opinions on just how much is a comfortable amount to pay.
Taxes have been around since the time of Christ; in fact, He was asked, "Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" (Matthew 22:17) His answer? "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Matthew 22:21). Jesus didn't seem to get quite in the uproar the rest of us do. Maybe because he realized the wealth of Caesar couldn't touch the riches of Heaven.
"With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and property. My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the path of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasures full" (Proverbs 8:18-20). It's easy for us to forget what real wealth is; we instead kind of follow after this paper stuff here on Earth. "Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:19b-20). Citizenship where the debates on taxes, healthcare, education, etc. have no place. Citizenship in paradise.
No debate there...just blessings beyond our wildest dreams.
Peace be with you.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Ah, Wisdom
Readings: Proverbs 3:11-20, Philippians 1:3-11
"Blessed is the man who find wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more Precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is the tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed" (Proverbs 3:13-18).
Ah, wisdom. It brings us long life, riches, honor, pleasant ways, peaceful paths, blessings...yet we tend to avoid it like the plague. Just what is with us?
Wisdom is not reactionary; we have become a reactionary society. We live in a world saturated by misconstrued sound-bites; a world of snap decisions; a world of confusion feeding frustration feeding ignorance. We have somehow strayed from our intended path far enough that we feel it is right to not listen, to not think, to not be objective. And, in return, we live each day in environments of subjectivity, opinions based on lack of information...and the devil delights in the mess.
In Philippians, Paul wrote the following to a group of folks acting pretty much as we do today: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is your best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruits of righteousness than comes from Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God" (1:9-11).
Doesn't that sound like a great way to live? Then why don't we? It seems pretty simple...how about we give it a try today...and then tomorrow...and then the day after that. About 30 days makes a habit, I've always been told. Who knows? After 30 days maybe the world just might be a little better place.
Peace be with you.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Blessed Forever
Readings: 2 Samuel 7:18-29, Ephesians 6:10-17, John 4:46b-53
In the book of 2 Samuel, King David--one of God's favored--sits in meditation and, after a period of contemplation, asks aloud, "Who am I and what is my family that you have brought me this far?" (7:18) At the end of the chapter, he closes by asking for continued blessings from God: "Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing, the house of your servant will be blessed forever" (7:29).
Look around your immediate surroundings. Perhaps we could be asking the same questions. We are indeed blessed to know that, with little thought, we will go to sleep tonight in relative safety with few exceptions under a sturdy roof in a comfortably temperature room in a comfy bed. What have we done to deserve this? Do we remember to be thankful for blessings and continue to humbly ask for them to continue? Or do we just chalk it all up to the luck of the draw, that we just happen to be in our current level of comfort due to some lucky moves by our ancestors? If so, then the need for blessings will wane, due to our underlying lack of faith that we are, indeed, being looked after by a greater being--God. If this is the case, perhaps we need to look at the faith of the royal official that encountered Jesus. This official, I think it safe to say, was comfortable in his surroundings and his home. There was one serious problem, however, that he couldn't make better, no matter how much wealth or comfort he possessed--his son lay sick at home and his prognosis was grim. So he sought out Christ and spoke to him. "...and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death...Jesus replied,'You may go. Your son will live'" (John 4:47, 50).
What an additional comfort to us that Christ is always with us no matter what the situation. We are indeed blessed forever.
But what about the times we feel that the devil is in charge? Are we still being blessed? Yes. We have received comfort for those times as well. "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13).
We are forever blessed; all we need to do is accept this gift.
Peace be with you.
In the book of 2 Samuel, King David--one of God's favored--sits in meditation and, after a period of contemplation, asks aloud, "Who am I and what is my family that you have brought me this far?" (7:18) At the end of the chapter, he closes by asking for continued blessings from God: "Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing, the house of your servant will be blessed forever" (7:29).
Look around your immediate surroundings. Perhaps we could be asking the same questions. We are indeed blessed to know that, with little thought, we will go to sleep tonight in relative safety with few exceptions under a sturdy roof in a comfortably temperature room in a comfy bed. What have we done to deserve this? Do we remember to be thankful for blessings and continue to humbly ask for them to continue? Or do we just chalk it all up to the luck of the draw, that we just happen to be in our current level of comfort due to some lucky moves by our ancestors? If so, then the need for blessings will wane, due to our underlying lack of faith that we are, indeed, being looked after by a greater being--God. If this is the case, perhaps we need to look at the faith of the royal official that encountered Jesus. This official, I think it safe to say, was comfortable in his surroundings and his home. There was one serious problem, however, that he couldn't make better, no matter how much wealth or comfort he possessed--his son lay sick at home and his prognosis was grim. So he sought out Christ and spoke to him. "...and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death...Jesus replied,'You may go. Your son will live'" (John 4:47, 50).
What an additional comfort to us that Christ is always with us no matter what the situation. We are indeed blessed forever.
But what about the times we feel that the devil is in charge? Are we still being blessed? Yes. We have received comfort for those times as well. "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13).
We are forever blessed; all we need to do is accept this gift.
Peace be with you.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Watch Out--Your Pride is Showing
Readings: Proverbs 2:1-9, Ephesians 5:15-21
There's a somewhat ridiculous trend that has taken our country by storm in the past several years. You don't need to look very far to see it--perhaps only as far as the nearest bumper sticker.
"Proud parent of a honor student"
What's wrong with this, you ask?
Pride--a word that has run rampant in this country and not for the good, unfortunately.
Look at the Bible for references of pride...did they ever turn out in a good way? Not exactly. In fact, in chapter after chapter, verse after verse, we are told that humility, not pride, is our chosen path.
Pride has become the catch word for life in our society. I'm proud of this; I'm proud of that. I have pride in my work; I have pride in my possessions. Pride, pride, pride...it goeth before the fall...and we're falling folks, we're falling.
Our country is at a cross-roads and we're riding that pride train to our doom. With pride comes a great sense of independence--another word we use ad nauseam in our lives. We're not, if we are truly followers of God and Christ, meant to be truly independent. We are meant to be interdependent, trusting, and faithful to our Father who is in heaven.
Proverbs 2:1-9 gives us the benefits of being good, moral people in a fallible, pride-filled world: "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair--every good path."
We say we are a nation under God--are our actions exemplifying that? We have a tendency to point out others' shortcomings while, at the same time, overlooking our own in the name of pride. As a result, more and more of our neighbors around the world are looking at us with a very skeptical eye; we're not exactly practicing what we preach. Pick up a newspaper, turn on the tv or radio, listen to anyone within earshot and do we hear humility and a sense of humbleness in daily living? Hardly. We instead hear "how proud I am", or "how much I deserve this" (self-pride). How can we boldly stomp around this planet in the name of being one nation under God while, at the same time, our most basic moral necessity of humility is fading? There are growing numbers of religious groups that see us as hypocrites, as allowing our basic tenets of beliefs being over-ridden by one-upmanship in the workplace to the point of insanity, a lack of interest when it comes to giving more than possessing...simply put, we're not practicing what we're preaching to others. Someone is in need of food, warmth, clean clothing--we decide they don't deserve it, they don't take care of themselves--they don't take pride in themselves or their possessions. Maybe we need to start thinking more about what we can do in humility, not what they're not doing in the name of pride.
We've allowed our sense of pride to ignore our need to follow the words and commands that are "stored up within us" these days--we've drifted. Way, way off course.
We are all graced with wisdom--if we use it. In our wisdom we know that the world, for the most part, is an evil place, full of chest-thumping and prideful nature. In our wisdom, we also know that we don't have to increase the evil--we have the innate ability to think. We're not a bunch of those notorious lemmings that blindly line up and follow where those with a little quicker wit and sharper tongue will encourage us to go in the name of being #1. Don't like what's going on around us, locally and/or nationally? Then do something about it. But remember to look with a very objective eye at every situation before speaking out...then speak out after prayer for God's wisdom. Make sure your ideas come from God, not from man. And allow all thoughts and deeds to be humble...not "I'm proud to be doing this, but rather I'm humbled to be doing this.
Then we're back on the right road and the journey becomes smoother. We give the glory where it needs to be given--to God and not to ourselves.
Peace be with you.
There's a somewhat ridiculous trend that has taken our country by storm in the past several years. You don't need to look very far to see it--perhaps only as far as the nearest bumper sticker.
"Proud parent of a honor student"
What's wrong with this, you ask?
Pride--a word that has run rampant in this country and not for the good, unfortunately.
Look at the Bible for references of pride...did they ever turn out in a good way? Not exactly. In fact, in chapter after chapter, verse after verse, we are told that humility, not pride, is our chosen path.
Pride has become the catch word for life in our society. I'm proud of this; I'm proud of that. I have pride in my work; I have pride in my possessions. Pride, pride, pride...it goeth before the fall...and we're falling folks, we're falling.
Our country is at a cross-roads and we're riding that pride train to our doom. With pride comes a great sense of independence--another word we use ad nauseam in our lives. We're not, if we are truly followers of God and Christ, meant to be truly independent. We are meant to be interdependent, trusting, and faithful to our Father who is in heaven.
Proverbs 2:1-9 gives us the benefits of being good, moral people in a fallible, pride-filled world: "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair--every good path."
We say we are a nation under God--are our actions exemplifying that? We have a tendency to point out others' shortcomings while, at the same time, overlooking our own in the name of pride. As a result, more and more of our neighbors around the world are looking at us with a very skeptical eye; we're not exactly practicing what we preach. Pick up a newspaper, turn on the tv or radio, listen to anyone within earshot and do we hear humility and a sense of humbleness in daily living? Hardly. We instead hear "how proud I am", or "how much I deserve this" (self-pride). How can we boldly stomp around this planet in the name of being one nation under God while, at the same time, our most basic moral necessity of humility is fading? There are growing numbers of religious groups that see us as hypocrites, as allowing our basic tenets of beliefs being over-ridden by one-upmanship in the workplace to the point of insanity, a lack of interest when it comes to giving more than possessing...simply put, we're not practicing what we're preaching to others. Someone is in need of food, warmth, clean clothing--we decide they don't deserve it, they don't take care of themselves--they don't take pride in themselves or their possessions. Maybe we need to start thinking more about what we can do in humility, not what they're not doing in the name of pride.
We've allowed our sense of pride to ignore our need to follow the words and commands that are "stored up within us" these days--we've drifted. Way, way off course.
We are all graced with wisdom--if we use it. In our wisdom we know that the world, for the most part, is an evil place, full of chest-thumping and prideful nature. In our wisdom, we also know that we don't have to increase the evil--we have the innate ability to think. We're not a bunch of those notorious lemmings that blindly line up and follow where those with a little quicker wit and sharper tongue will encourage us to go in the name of being #1. Don't like what's going on around us, locally and/or nationally? Then do something about it. But remember to look with a very objective eye at every situation before speaking out...then speak out after prayer for God's wisdom. Make sure your ideas come from God, not from man. And allow all thoughts and deeds to be humble...not "I'm proud to be doing this, but rather I'm humbled to be doing this.
Then we're back on the right road and the journey becomes smoother. We give the glory where it needs to be given--to God and not to ourselves.
Peace be with you.
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