"Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them. "(Nehemiah 8:9-12)
The Israelites had been in captivity for 70 years in the land of Babylon and now they were allowed to return home to the land of promise to begin rebuilding the temple and also to re-establish their customs and laws (ways of relating to God). As their law was read by the scribe (Ezra), the people began to weep and grieve remembering what "should have been had they never left the Kingdom of God----their promised land. Nehemiah, their leader (governor) told them not to weep...for the Joy of the Lord is your strength. It is significant that they were beginning to rebuild their kingdom after being in exile (in a foreign land) for a significant period of time. They were re-entering the "Kingdom of God". They were rebuilding the place where God would dwell (the Temple).
I remember a song I learned as a kid that was based on the scripture above:
"The Jo-o-o-o-y of the Lo-o-o-rd is my strength....
The Jo-o-o-o-o-y of the Lo-o-o-rd is my strength.....
The Jo-o-o-o-o-y of the Lo-o-o-rd is my strength....
The Joy of the Lord is my strength."
I saw something yesterday that I've seen many times but saw again for the "first" time. A young man about 16-18 y/o was baptized during the Sunday Morning Worship Service at church. Several others were baptized as well. What struck me about the young man was his expression when the Pastor was asking him questions about his faith: Had he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior? Did he understand what he was doing by being baptized? etc.... As he was replying to these questions, a look of seriousness, a look of anticipation, a look of urgency, and then....a look of pure joy came upon his face. As the Pastor lowered him into the Baptismal Pool and he came up out from under the water, his hand lifted high in exultation. So many emotions, so many lessons to learn in that moment. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean for this to be a discussion of whether or not Baptism (the act of being submerged in water-sprinkling-etc...) "saves" a person. I've had more than my fair share of those discussions throughout my life. It is not acts or methods that are important but really something else entirely.
An example might be in order here. I cannot sit for the Bar Exam in most if not all the United States. The reason for this is because I have not "completed" a course of study that leads to an acceptable law degree that is a pre-requisite for taking the bar exam. Even if I make a perfect score on the Bar exam, without the pre-requisites, I still cannot be a lawyer. Let us not forget that faith in Jesus Christ as the only way to the Father both present and future is a crucial pre-requisite of knowing him and therefore having a relationship with God that puts us in his kingdom both now and in the future. It is that transaction of faith (whenever it takes place) that sets a person apart and that results in the look of pure joy that I saw on that young man's face.
While many of us may have been asking the question about what baptism really means, this young man was exercising his simple faith and belief that Jesus is the way to God. The look on his face attested to the fact that there was no doubt about where his focus was. He was being obedient to his Lord. Misinformation, had it been given, was not an issue. A relationship was born that resulted in trust and obedience.
I remember when I was a Pastor back in the early 1990s. There was a minister who was "bringing down the fire" and causing revivals to break out wherever he spoke. He was a regular speaker at some of the Bible Conferences that I attended. The power of God would bring conviction when he told his testimony about living under a bridge as a youth and as he shared the mighty miracles and works that God performed in his life. Later, it was revealed that his entire testimony was a fabrication. A natural question that resulted from this situation was to ask if the "results" of his testimony were also "false" because his testimony was a fabrication? NO. Those who responded to his testimony were not responding to Him, they were asked to respond to God who fabricates NOTHING. His Word is TRUTH. If any of us come to him in faith, he receives us no matter what ANY confusion on man's part may be.
There is one thing that I want each of you to consider that I believe to be the truth. Most, if not all of us, are probably wrong about many "significant" things that we believe about God. Most of us are probably wrong about many significant things that we believe about the Bible. But....that makes God no less faithful in his response to our simple faith that HE (Jesus) is the Way, the Truth, and the Life....and that no one comes to God but by Him.
I saw on that young man's face the simple realization of pure JOY that comes from knowing that Jesus paid it ALL and that by faith in Him, his standing with God was now complete. I, for one, will never hear that song, "The Joy of the Lord is My Strength" without remembering the times in my life when it has "come home to me" this simple truth. It really is a finished work. Jesus is Victor and therefore, So Am I. The Joy that comes from that revelation is truly our strength!
Monday, July 25, 2016
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - "The Spitting Image of Jesus"
(Jesus said) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. (John 9-5-7)
There is a lot of misunderstanding of the Church (Christ in he world) today. Many of the religious and the intellectuals of the world today are offended at the things taking place in many churches. Christians (believers in Christ) are fighting among themselves as they have done since the time that Christ ascended into heaven following his resurrection. Various Christians are afraid of the practices of various other Christians and often call them heretics.
I've noticed something however. When people are desperate and need a touch from God, they aren't really bothered by the "form" or method God uses to touch them. They don't care if you are Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Episcopal, Church or Christ, or Church of You Name It....they just want to be touched by Jesus. We spend so much time arguing and disagreeing about methodologies that we often never reach the substance of having the Holy Spirit of God touch us. Jesus said that he didn't come to heal the "well" but rather the "sick". He didn't come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. Two points here: 1)Not every one who is sick wants to get well. 2)And not everyone who is sick knows that they are sick.
Jesus even asked two beggars at one point in the Bible IF they would like to be made well. That seems like a given. Of course they would want to get well, wouldn't they? Think about it, if they got well, they would have to learn a whole new way of life. They could not rely on begging anymore but would have to learn a trade. Sympathy would not readily be available to them anymore. Their lives would change. Sometimes living what we would consider a "miserable" life is the life some choose because they are afraid of change. The known is safer than the unknown. Change means taking a risk to learn to live differently.
The second point is just as important. Not everyone who is sick knows that they are sick. Enter the Pharisees. I spent a great deal of my life thinking like a Pharisee. They were the "sickest" (their spiritual needs were great), but they did not even know they were sick (had needs). Even in the scriptures that I based this blog on above, you'll find that they were so busy evaluating the method of "healing" (the guy could really see!!!) that they missed the blessing and the miracle! Their methods and rules were more important than the grace of God.
I titled this blog entry, the "spitting" image of Jesus because he did something remarkable. Can you imagine if someone comes up for prayer in the morning at church and the Pastor comes down to pray with the individual, spits on the floor and takes that spit and rubs it on their eyes. Some people in the service would probably have a stroke!!! How dare he do something so gross!!! I've noticed something. People who really have a need do not care about methods, they simply want a touch from the Lord!!! I've also noticed something else in the Bible. Jesus often "healed" people in different ways. Some he spoke a word and they were healed. Some he told them to present themselves before the elders (church leaders), others he told to do different things. Some he didn't do anything at all but just told them to go their own way because they got what they asked for. Don't miss what God has for you because you are looking for him to speak or touch you in a particular way. Maybe some of us need our sensibilities shaken so that God can give us substance. Don't worry about the method just focus on the person of Jesus and ask for God's touch. The next time you are tempted to make fun or express your opinion about the way someone is approaching God, remember that Jesus spit on the ground and put it in a man's eyes. Let us think about that the next time we are tempted to criticize or evaluate how God works and what he will and will not do. The next time God wants us to do something radical, let us remember that we are to be the "spitting" image of Christ. That means being obedient to God no matter what.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Beating the Sinners and the Saints
There was a time in my life that I was accused of "beating the saints" As I have looked back over the years, I would have to say that there is truth in that statement. It is necessary to point out that truth that is proclaimed without Love is often abuse. The Lord says, "Vengence is mine." He did not say, "vengence is yours." To tell someone the truth without love is often abusive. You might say, "I know...I know....we should love everyone and part of loving others is telling them the truth." This is not entirely true. To love people is to tell them the truth IN LOVE. Sometimes telling someone the "truth" without loves pushes them further from "the truth." If you tell me something that is extremely difficult for me to hear, I am going to resist unless I know that it is difficult for you to tell me because it hurts you and you feel my pain. A TRUTH shared by a person who is hurting because they love enough that it HURTS them to cause the person pain who needs to hear the truth generates conviction and change. True love is always sacrificial. When Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves, he was telling us to put others in the place that we would normally reserve for ourselves. He was telling us to put ourselves in the perspective of the other person as much as is possible. Imagine hearing what you are about to tell them. Would it hurt you to be in their place. Feel their pain. If you can't, don't tell them. Let someone who can feel their pain tell them.. The lie we have come to believe is that truth is always good and we are to proclaim it NO MATTER WHAT. This lie has led to many running the opposite direction --further away from God. The greatest commandment from God is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. I believe that revival will come to many of our lives when we pray that we will sincerely love others MORE than ourselves.
Following after truth (accepting the truth and being changed by it) does not come naturally to us. If it is not pleasant to embrace truth, some other factor must come into play in order for people to embrace truth. Otherwise, we push people away before truth has an impact on them. What motivates people to change? Simply love. 1 Corinthians 13 talks about the necessity/greatness of love. You can have all other "good" things but without love, we are NOTHING. Truth doesn't change people, love does. We often "beat" people with truth. We beat our children with truth, we beat our friends with truth, we often beat people we don't even know with "the truth." And then we wonder why they don't respond. Jonah was a prime example of declaring truth without love. We focus on his "whale" and forget what comes after. He finally went to Ninevah and declared that they were sinners (he idenified their sins) and announced the judgement of God is coming. After he did this, he was feeling really good about himself and was dependent on God to assure his "reputation" remained intact by bringing the judgement that God has instructed Jonah to proclaim. When the king and people repented, God averted his wrath and God did not bring judgement on Ninevah. Jonah was upset about this and the book of Jonah concludes with him pouting in the desert. Does he sound like a "God's Representative (present day Christian) that you'd want to spend time with? NO....you'd want him to stay out in the desert away from you.
Truth is often our weapon of choice. It's blade is sharper than any other weapon. There is no defense against it. When it is weilded without love, it cuts us asunder and leaves us to bleed to death without any healing balm. As a result, it becomes natural for people to stay off the "battlefield." That is why churches are often near empty. People are afraid to come in and "get cut up."
The loss of ground that has happened in our country and world over the past 50 years (although it has been there in one or the other much longer) is the fact that truth has not prevailed. The reason that truth has lost a footing in this world is because truth requires the soil of love for it to take root.
A group of people I work with asked me last week what I thought about homosexuality. I told them what I think does not matter. I can almost feel the spiritual hairs standing up on the back of some of those who are reading this. You are ready to say "Amen" and for the gavel to fall when I tell them what God says. What I told them may surprise you. I told them that asking me what I think about homosexuality is really a veiled way of asking me to judge those who are practicing a homosexual lifestyle. I know what God says to me about my own life, and he told me to "get the board out of my own eye before I even can look at someone else." I discovered something.....there is always, no matter how many boards I remove......there is always another board in my eye. I never reach a position where I can pick up and "throw the stone." Some of you may think I am avoiding the topic. So be it. I am not avoiding the topic, many of my friends practice homosexuality. I love them dearly. Many of them are Christians who know Christ. I am merely suggesting that I have my own life to tend to in regard to my relationship with God. Some reading this may say, "We must renounce sin." I would agree. I need to continue to renounce all MY sins. When you have renounced all of your sins and gained complete victory over them and reach a place where love is your motivation for telling others the truth, THEN you'll be able to renounce the sins of others. Just make sure you understand their pain before you do. Make sure you LOVE them before you do. If not, you've just added another "plank to your own eye" that must be removed again. The point I am making is for all of us who know Christ to live for God and point others to establishing a relationship with HIM and leave the conviction of various sins, whatever they may be....to the conviction that comes from God. Everyone has their own hierarchy of sin. I've noticed that people's hierarchy usually does not include the sins that THEY are committing.
I've heard many people over time criticize Joel Osteen. I remember I used to listen to his father every Sunday night after I got home from preaching at the church I served. I remember when Joel was out "living in the world" and his father would ask the congregation to pray for him. I remember when he started preaching at the Lakewood Church. I've listened to many of his messages since then. He is often criticized for "not preaching against sin." The love of God which woos a person into a relationshp with Christ also provides the ground for truth to grow. Let us be careful about criticizing those who "prepare the ground." Without preparation, truth cannot take root. Truth, when it does take root, brings personal conviction of sin. When conviction is personal, the remembered pain of making a change in life often helps others do the same.
If I am ever a pastor again, I will certainly do it differently. I've beat up many people over the years with the truth. It was often my weapon and not a bridge to God in Christ. Truth is dangerous in the wrong hands. If it is not tempered with the Love of God, it destroys more people than anything else.
I'll close this blog with this truth:
Remember, IF there is any difference between you and anyone else, that difference is Jesus. There is no one reading this who has not committed some act of sin today. There are things each of us should have done that we did not do and there are also things that we have thought or done that we should not have done TODAY. The only difference in any of us is Jesus. If you know Him, there is never a reason to renounce anything or anyone else. Our focus should be to live for Him and encourage others to do the same.
"If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself." -Jesus (John 12:32)
Following after truth (accepting the truth and being changed by it) does not come naturally to us. If it is not pleasant to embrace truth, some other factor must come into play in order for people to embrace truth. Otherwise, we push people away before truth has an impact on them. What motivates people to change? Simply love. 1 Corinthians 13 talks about the necessity/greatness of love. You can have all other "good" things but without love, we are NOTHING. Truth doesn't change people, love does. We often "beat" people with truth. We beat our children with truth, we beat our friends with truth, we often beat people we don't even know with "the truth." And then we wonder why they don't respond. Jonah was a prime example of declaring truth without love. We focus on his "whale" and forget what comes after. He finally went to Ninevah and declared that they were sinners (he idenified their sins) and announced the judgement of God is coming. After he did this, he was feeling really good about himself and was dependent on God to assure his "reputation" remained intact by bringing the judgement that God has instructed Jonah to proclaim. When the king and people repented, God averted his wrath and God did not bring judgement on Ninevah. Jonah was upset about this and the book of Jonah concludes with him pouting in the desert. Does he sound like a "God's Representative (present day Christian) that you'd want to spend time with? NO....you'd want him to stay out in the desert away from you.
Truth is often our weapon of choice. It's blade is sharper than any other weapon. There is no defense against it. When it is weilded without love, it cuts us asunder and leaves us to bleed to death without any healing balm. As a result, it becomes natural for people to stay off the "battlefield." That is why churches are often near empty. People are afraid to come in and "get cut up."
The loss of ground that has happened in our country and world over the past 50 years (although it has been there in one or the other much longer) is the fact that truth has not prevailed. The reason that truth has lost a footing in this world is because truth requires the soil of love for it to take root.
A group of people I work with asked me last week what I thought about homosexuality. I told them what I think does not matter. I can almost feel the spiritual hairs standing up on the back of some of those who are reading this. You are ready to say "Amen" and for the gavel to fall when I tell them what God says. What I told them may surprise you. I told them that asking me what I think about homosexuality is really a veiled way of asking me to judge those who are practicing a homosexual lifestyle. I know what God says to me about my own life, and he told me to "get the board out of my own eye before I even can look at someone else." I discovered something.....there is always, no matter how many boards I remove......there is always another board in my eye. I never reach a position where I can pick up and "throw the stone." Some of you may think I am avoiding the topic. So be it. I am not avoiding the topic, many of my friends practice homosexuality. I love them dearly. Many of them are Christians who know Christ. I am merely suggesting that I have my own life to tend to in regard to my relationship with God. Some reading this may say, "We must renounce sin." I would agree. I need to continue to renounce all MY sins. When you have renounced all of your sins and gained complete victory over them and reach a place where love is your motivation for telling others the truth, THEN you'll be able to renounce the sins of others. Just make sure you understand their pain before you do. Make sure you LOVE them before you do. If not, you've just added another "plank to your own eye" that must be removed again. The point I am making is for all of us who know Christ to live for God and point others to establishing a relationship with HIM and leave the conviction of various sins, whatever they may be....to the conviction that comes from God. Everyone has their own hierarchy of sin. I've noticed that people's hierarchy usually does not include the sins that THEY are committing.
I've heard many people over time criticize Joel Osteen. I remember I used to listen to his father every Sunday night after I got home from preaching at the church I served. I remember when Joel was out "living in the world" and his father would ask the congregation to pray for him. I remember when he started preaching at the Lakewood Church. I've listened to many of his messages since then. He is often criticized for "not preaching against sin." The love of God which woos a person into a relationshp with Christ also provides the ground for truth to grow. Let us be careful about criticizing those who "prepare the ground." Without preparation, truth cannot take root. Truth, when it does take root, brings personal conviction of sin. When conviction is personal, the remembered pain of making a change in life often helps others do the same.
If I am ever a pastor again, I will certainly do it differently. I've beat up many people over the years with the truth. It was often my weapon and not a bridge to God in Christ. Truth is dangerous in the wrong hands. If it is not tempered with the Love of God, it destroys more people than anything else.
I'll close this blog with this truth:
Remember, IF there is any difference between you and anyone else, that difference is Jesus. There is no one reading this who has not committed some act of sin today. There are things each of us should have done that we did not do and there are also things that we have thought or done that we should not have done TODAY. The only difference in any of us is Jesus. If you know Him, there is never a reason to renounce anything or anyone else. Our focus should be to live for Him and encourage others to do the same.
"If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself." -Jesus (John 12:32)
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Jesus paid it ALL
This has not been a good week for me. I have been somewhat down this week. I guess it is a combination of being reminded that life is short along with the realization that I have wasted so much of my life not investing in the things that remain. I also found out that my friend from Bible College, with whom I was very close and shared a lot of good times, passed away in April of this year. He was 59 y/o. He had given his life to Christ after spending much of his teenage years and 20s on cocaine and was in and out of prison. I met him after he gave his life to Christ. He had completed Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute and transferred to Florida Baptist Theological College (now Baptist College of Florida) in 1991. He, Jimmy Adamson, and I were very good friends during our time there. He went on outings with us on many weekends and also preached on numerous occassions at the church I pastored in Slocomb Alabama. He was a very intelligent guy with a sweet spirit and after Bible college returned to his home state (North Carolina) and began pastoring churches there. As time passed, he came into contact again with some of the "friends" from his old life and once again started using cocaine. He relapsed and subsequently lost most of his possessions and moved back to Florida. We lost touch during this time as I did not know where he was. At various times through the years, I have tried to find him using the internet. Particularly since the late 1990s with the advent of social media and many resources coming online, my search continued. It was with a heavy heart that I discovered the other night that he had passed away in April 2016. I don't know what the intervening years were like for him. I don't know what his struggles may or may not have been. I am thankful for the time that God allowed me to spend with this man in prayer and reflection in the early years of my Bible education.
I am reminded of the importance of salvation in Jesus Christ. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I spent enough time with my friend to be assured of his relationship with our Lord. I know many of you may be thinking that he "backslid" and he may have lost his salvation. I would reply that when we trust Jesus as our Savior, having repented of our sins, HE is our sacrifice and our Savior before God, not US. If we could do ANYTHING to remove ourselves from the grace of God then even one unconfessed sin could doom us after salvation! If that were the case, then we would all be in serious trouble. There would be very few, (if any) that would spend eternity with God. Thankfully, our standing with God (as my deceased friend) was and is not determined by "how good we do" (before or after salvation). Our salvation is determined by our recognition of the need of a Saviour who is outside and distinct from ourselves. Jesus is the way from beginning to end. If we could have warranted God's favor and acceptance (either before or after salvation), Jesus would not have had to be our sacrifice. We could have done it ourselves. Thanks be to God that even though it was and STILL IS impossible for us, Jesus Christ is always acceptable to God the Father. Our faith and trust in Him (Jesus), makes my standing possible with God from beginning to end.
Because my friend made the decision to repent of his sins, to confess with his mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believed in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, he was saved for eternity. I am thankful that my friend gets to spend eternity with HIM. It is one thing to KNOW Christ and another to be OBEDIENT to his leading. It is siginicant to me that we are referred to as the children of God. Relationship is not determined by behavior, it is determined by lineage. (Just because your children disobey you doesn't mean that they cease to be your children).
Success in Life and Preparation for what comes after is not contingent on what we DO, it is contingent on who we KNOW. Who we KNOW then determines what we DO. There are many people living today who are in turmoil because they KNOW Jesus but are not living for HIM. Knowing Him (Jesus) determines your destiny (eternity). Obedience determines your impact on others while you are here in this world). There is always turmoil in an earthly life that is not having an impact on others for the Kingdom of God, simply from the fact that a person is not living according to their designed purpose.
Christians may disagree on many points but one point is not debatable and crucial for us all. Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God and is sufficient to carry us all through this life in preparation for the one to come. Sharing Christ and Him crucified is the most vital thing that we can do in this life.
What the Bible Says is Still True:
"I (Jesus) am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Noone comes to the Father (God) except by me." (John 14:6)
Thanks be to God for his gift of ETERNAL Life!
I am reminded of the importance of salvation in Jesus Christ. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I spent enough time with my friend to be assured of his relationship with our Lord. I know many of you may be thinking that he "backslid" and he may have lost his salvation. I would reply that when we trust Jesus as our Savior, having repented of our sins, HE is our sacrifice and our Savior before God, not US. If we could do ANYTHING to remove ourselves from the grace of God then even one unconfessed sin could doom us after salvation! If that were the case, then we would all be in serious trouble. There would be very few, (if any) that would spend eternity with God. Thankfully, our standing with God (as my deceased friend) was and is not determined by "how good we do" (before or after salvation). Our salvation is determined by our recognition of the need of a Saviour who is outside and distinct from ourselves. Jesus is the way from beginning to end. If we could have warranted God's favor and acceptance (either before or after salvation), Jesus would not have had to be our sacrifice. We could have done it ourselves. Thanks be to God that even though it was and STILL IS impossible for us, Jesus Christ is always acceptable to God the Father. Our faith and trust in Him (Jesus), makes my standing possible with God from beginning to end.
Because my friend made the decision to repent of his sins, to confess with his mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believed in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, he was saved for eternity. I am thankful that my friend gets to spend eternity with HIM. It is one thing to KNOW Christ and another to be OBEDIENT to his leading. It is siginicant to me that we are referred to as the children of God. Relationship is not determined by behavior, it is determined by lineage. (Just because your children disobey you doesn't mean that they cease to be your children).
Success in Life and Preparation for what comes after is not contingent on what we DO, it is contingent on who we KNOW. Who we KNOW then determines what we DO. There are many people living today who are in turmoil because they KNOW Jesus but are not living for HIM. Knowing Him (Jesus) determines your destiny (eternity). Obedience determines your impact on others while you are here in this world). There is always turmoil in an earthly life that is not having an impact on others for the Kingdom of God, simply from the fact that a person is not living according to their designed purpose.
Christians may disagree on many points but one point is not debatable and crucial for us all. Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God and is sufficient to carry us all through this life in preparation for the one to come. Sharing Christ and Him crucified is the most vital thing that we can do in this life.
What the Bible Says is Still True:
"I (Jesus) am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Noone comes to the Father (God) except by me." (John 14:6)
Thanks be to God for his gift of ETERNAL Life!
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Life is Short
I am sitting here writing this feeling somewhat numb. Just got the news a few minutes ago that a friend of mine from high school was killed in an automobile accident. He was a few years older (3) than myself and I really looked up to him in school. He was the quarterback of our local small town high school football team. I was also coming along as a young quarterback at that time and I looked up to him as a result. I remember having knee reconstruction surgery when I was 13 y/o and he and another team member, also a friend, made me a stool to prop my knee on while I watched the games (since I was only days removed from surgery). He was a nice guy. We grew up playing "pickup games" of football in each other's yards and also on the school football field. He graduated and moved on to bigger and better things, eventually becoming a helicopter pilot transporting those critically injured from hospital to hospital or from crash site to hospital to get the medical care they needed. I even read from another friend on facebook that he had recently went on a mission trip to another country with his wife. He had several children. He had several brothers and sisters, one of which was one of my best friends in high school. I remember his robust laugh and his sense of humor. Subsequently, I have read many accounts on facebook of his impact on many lives that his life touched through the years. His earthly life is over. In a hundred years, no one will remember that he was a quarterback, a helicopter pilot, of any of the things that the world places "significance" on. Rather, something else will remain.
I am sure that many of you reading this will have similar stories of friends who left "unexpectedly" or too early from your perspective. We get so busy going through our everyday lives that we often do not take the time to think about how fragile life really is. We can be here one instance and gone the next. It is at times like these that we are reminded not to put off telling those that we love and care about the things we need to tell them. It is also a time of reflection on what is really important in life. Not the homes we live in, the cars we drive, the gadgets we accumulate, but rather the relationships we foster and the hereafter that we prepare for. What's important in this life comes down to basically two things: 1)Our impact and influence on others. 2)Making preparation for what comes after.
Having an impact on others is the primary purpose of what we call our earthly life. It is not dependent on the things we possess, the jobs we work, or the knowledge that we accumlate. Rather, it is contingent on time spent investing in the lives of others. This includes family, acquaintances,and strangers. Little things in this regard often have lasting consequences. For instance, a kind word spoken to a stranger may be the difference in that person giving up and taking their life or being inspired to carry on and in turn influencing others for the good.
Another important thing is preparing for what comes after. This is always a faith endeavor. It requires that we believe in something that we cannot physically see. For Christians, this means putting our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the only way to God. Acceptance of the free gift of salvation with the realization that nothing we do merits God's favor but an acceptance of what Jesus did for each of us on the cross, asking God to forgive us of our sins, and turning to Him as the One true God. I know, it doesn't sound reasonable. How can it be that simple? Faith my friend. Believing what God says in the Bible as true.
A successful life, no matter how short or long we may think it is, comes down to these two simple truths: 1)investment in others 2)Faith in Jesus as the way of salvation.
I'm thankful that my friend seemed to realize this and he made these investments. After all, these are the only things that truly remain.
I am sure that many of you reading this will have similar stories of friends who left "unexpectedly" or too early from your perspective. We get so busy going through our everyday lives that we often do not take the time to think about how fragile life really is. We can be here one instance and gone the next. It is at times like these that we are reminded not to put off telling those that we love and care about the things we need to tell them. It is also a time of reflection on what is really important in life. Not the homes we live in, the cars we drive, the gadgets we accumulate, but rather the relationships we foster and the hereafter that we prepare for. What's important in this life comes down to basically two things: 1)Our impact and influence on others. 2)Making preparation for what comes after.
Having an impact on others is the primary purpose of what we call our earthly life. It is not dependent on the things we possess, the jobs we work, or the knowledge that we accumlate. Rather, it is contingent on time spent investing in the lives of others. This includes family, acquaintances,and strangers. Little things in this regard often have lasting consequences. For instance, a kind word spoken to a stranger may be the difference in that person giving up and taking their life or being inspired to carry on and in turn influencing others for the good.
Another important thing is preparing for what comes after. This is always a faith endeavor. It requires that we believe in something that we cannot physically see. For Christians, this means putting our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as the only way to God. Acceptance of the free gift of salvation with the realization that nothing we do merits God's favor but an acceptance of what Jesus did for each of us on the cross, asking God to forgive us of our sins, and turning to Him as the One true God. I know, it doesn't sound reasonable. How can it be that simple? Faith my friend. Believing what God says in the Bible as true.
A successful life, no matter how short or long we may think it is, comes down to these two simple truths: 1)investment in others 2)Faith in Jesus as the way of salvation.
I'm thankful that my friend seemed to realize this and he made these investments. After all, these are the only things that truly remain.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Anticipation of Heaven
"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 3:20)
"He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you....." (1 Peter 1:3-4)
"Joy is the serious business of Heaven." (quote by C.S. Lewis)
Heaven. It is the "out there" or the "what happens next." It is defined differently by different people. It is a mystery. It is a vale that we haven't looked behind. It is the basis for many motion pictures recently.
I recently watched the movie on the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She gave up everything to serve the poorest of the poor in one of the poorest countries of the world. She suffered greatly. What makes a person give up everything and adopt a life of suffering? There must be a realization (revelation) that some have received that has eluded many of the rest of us. Mother Teresa had a sure hope in something.
As Facebook has become more and more popular, I often see comments by people (I have made them myself) talking about loved ones being together in Heaven. Some mention that they will join them there. As we are reminded of the certainty of death (from the death of a loved one or through our own lives), heaven and the "hereafter' become more of a focus to us.
How do we grasp so much "there" that it becomes more important than our "here?" That is the question that naturally follows if we say that we believe that there is something greater out there.
"He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you....." (1 Peter 1:3-4)
"Joy is the serious business of Heaven." (quote by C.S. Lewis)
Heaven. It is the "out there" or the "what happens next." It is defined differently by different people. It is a mystery. It is a vale that we haven't looked behind. It is the basis for many motion pictures recently.
Is it real enough to live your life in anticipation of? So much of our faith is built on the premise that what comes after must be better. How else do we reconcile suffering. What happens when we pray for someone to get well and it doesn't happen? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do children die? Why do some people grow up seemingly having everything they need and others with not enough from the first day they arrive? What is the meaning of it all. Why did Solomon write Ecclesiastes with a theme of life as a "vapor" and the overriding truth that there is nothing new under the sun?
I think we would all agree that life is marked by loses. Of people and things. Of health and wealth. Even memories fade with the passing of time. I know I sound pessimistic but we live in a fallen world. Everything is in a state of decay in one way or another. What remains? How long does it remain?
The Apostle Paul's life was marked by a focus on the greater reward. Jesus told us to store our treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt. Scripture is marked by words telling us that this present life, in joy and in suffering, does not compare with the greater glory of heaven. Paul even told struggling Christians that we are not like those who have "no hope." What is our hope? How do we place our trust in things unseen? Are we preparing our children for this life or the one to come? When Jesus said, "What doth it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?" He was not just talking about wealth, he was speaking of wisdom, of a knowledge of how to "make it" here. He said it is futile to learn to navigate this world successfully and lose our own soul.
I recently watched the movie on the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She gave up everything to serve the poorest of the poor in one of the poorest countries of the world. She suffered greatly. What makes a person give up everything and adopt a life of suffering? There must be a realization (revelation) that some have received that has eluded many of the rest of us. Mother Teresa had a sure hope in something.
As Facebook has become more and more popular, I often see comments by people (I have made them myself) talking about loved ones being together in Heaven. Some mention that they will join them there. As we are reminded of the certainty of death (from the death of a loved one or through our own lives), heaven and the "hereafter' become more of a focus to us.
How do we grasp so much "there" that it becomes more important than our "here?" That is the question that naturally follows if we say that we believe that there is something greater out there.
Every ancient culture has been marked by basically two approaches to life: either prolong life here in this present realm and make the most of it or invest in what comes after. The premise of this view is that what comes after must be better than this present order of things. Today we still have the group that says, "Let's live it up for tomorrow we die." We also still have those who say to deny everything because this world is not my home."
When I am traveling and about to visit a new place, I get as much information as I can about the place. I read it's history, study it's points of interest, invest time in getting to know the place for which I am headed. Should "what comes after" this world be any different? Shouldn't we learn as much about heaven as possible?
What do we know about heaven? Revelation 21 tells us that the city of New Jerusalem in Heaven is over 1400 miles long, over 1400 miles wide, and over 1400 miles high! That heavenly city is larger than the country of India! The fact that the city is that high means that gravity is obviously not an issue. There are no negatives there. No pain, no tears, no depression, no poverty, no neglect, no abuse, no jealousy, etc. The streets are made of pure gold that is of such quality that it shines like pure glass. The pillars for the gates of that city are each made of a SOLID pearl (imagine a pearl that big). There is no sun or moon because the Father and the Son are the light there! John, in his revelation, says that the things he saw were of such a grand scale, words did not exist to describe them. There is praise to Jesus constantly with no inhibitions! There is no shyness or discomfort. There is a complete understanding of why the residents of heave are there (because of Jesus).
Are there waterfalls there? Are there canyons such as the Grand Canyon? Imagine the most peaceful place on earth to you? What are it's characteristics? Heaven will contain all the elements that were created by God as they were originally intended prior to the entrance of sin and sickness into this present world.
I had someone to ask me one time, "Will there be baseball in heaven?" I don't know the answer to that, but I believe that the emotions and feelings that are generated when your team wins the championship will be constantly available to you. The only difference is that there are no losers in heaven. Everyone is a winner.
This place called heaven is a mystery. It is so grand that we cannot even understand it with the limitations of spoken and written words. Should we learn as much about it as possible? Yes. We need to be reminded that it is more real than our "real" here.
How do we get there? Simple. Jesus. Only Jesus. Accepting what he did on the cross for us. I am not good enough to enter on my own. I will trust Him (Jesus). I accept what Jesus did for me. Will you?
Revelation 21:4 - And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.John 14:2 - In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.Revelation 22:1-5 - And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Luke 23:43 - And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.Hebrews 11:16 - But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.Revelation 21:22-27 - And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Revelation 21:21-25 - And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.John 3:13 - And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.2 Peter 3:13 - Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.Revelation 21:1 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.Luke 12:33 - Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.Hebrews 13:14 - For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.Revelation 21:1-5 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
When I am traveling and about to visit a new place, I get as much information as I can about the place. I read it's history, study it's points of interest, invest time in getting to know the place for which I am headed. Should "what comes after" this world be any different? Shouldn't we learn as much about heaven as possible?
What do we know about heaven? Revelation 21 tells us that the city of New Jerusalem in Heaven is over 1400 miles long, over 1400 miles wide, and over 1400 miles high! That heavenly city is larger than the country of India! The fact that the city is that high means that gravity is obviously not an issue. There are no negatives there. No pain, no tears, no depression, no poverty, no neglect, no abuse, no jealousy, etc. The streets are made of pure gold that is of such quality that it shines like pure glass. The pillars for the gates of that city are each made of a SOLID pearl (imagine a pearl that big). There is no sun or moon because the Father and the Son are the light there! John, in his revelation, says that the things he saw were of such a grand scale, words did not exist to describe them. There is praise to Jesus constantly with no inhibitions! There is no shyness or discomfort. There is a complete understanding of why the residents of heave are there (because of Jesus).
Are there waterfalls there? Are there canyons such as the Grand Canyon? Imagine the most peaceful place on earth to you? What are it's characteristics? Heaven will contain all the elements that were created by God as they were originally intended prior to the entrance of sin and sickness into this present world.
I had someone to ask me one time, "Will there be baseball in heaven?" I don't know the answer to that, but I believe that the emotions and feelings that are generated when your team wins the championship will be constantly available to you. The only difference is that there are no losers in heaven. Everyone is a winner.
This place called heaven is a mystery. It is so grand that we cannot even understand it with the limitations of spoken and written words. Should we learn as much about it as possible? Yes. We need to be reminded that it is more real than our "real" here.
How do we get there? Simple. Jesus. Only Jesus. Accepting what he did on the cross for us. I am not good enough to enter on my own. I will trust Him (Jesus). I accept what Jesus did for me. Will you?
Revelation 21:4 - And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.John 14:2 - In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.Revelation 22:1-5 - And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Luke 23:43 - And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.Hebrews 11:16 - But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.Revelation 21:22-27 - And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Revelation 21:21-25 - And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.John 3:13 - And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.2 Peter 3:13 - Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.Revelation 21:1 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.Luke 12:33 - Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.Hebrews 13:14 - For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.Revelation 21:1-5 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Musings of a Prodigal Son - Your Moment
Many of us waste so much of our time. Sometimes it would be great if we could live life in reverse. What I mean is to be able to see life from the wisdom of years and experience. To be able to know the consequences of wrong choices (sin) and to choose differently as a result. Time, unfortunately, is not something that can be bought or gained. Many famous people have spent their lives searching for a way to buy time in one way or another (examples: fountain of youth, time travel, ways to bend the time-space continuum). The Bible often speaks to the importance of time.
I wrote recently in one of my blogs about a friend whose wife told him that what he was really asking for was a "do over." Unfortunately, life does not come with a rewind or reset button. Yesterday is history and so it shall remain. Today is all we have. One thing is sure. I have one less day today than I did yesterday. As has often been said, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, today is all we have." How do we make the most of this MOMENT in time (our today)?
I think we can find guidance in God's Word from someone who probably spent a great amount of time wishing he had many "do overs." That someone is found in the Book of Judges in God's Word and his name is Samson.
Samson was given many gifts, not the least of which was his great strength. He was a mighty warrior. We are told of his exploits which even included killing a lion with his bare hands. He was a Nazerite (consecrated or separated) which during that time meant that his life was dedicated to God and he was to live his life accordingly. One of the things that was required of him was that he was "never to get a haircut". Herein lies one of life's great lessons:
"If you hang around the barbershop, you will eventually end up getting a haircut."
So it was with Samson. If you are disobedient long enough, your sin will find you out. As a result you, and usually others, will suffer because of it. I will not go into great detail about the story of Samson and Delilah other than to say that he lost many things, including his great strength. He spent many years in the prisons of the Philistines. He was blind and probably spent many hours thinking about all the things that "could and should" have been. He could have accomplished so much with his life.
I have met very few people in my life who have few regrets. Most I know would change a thing or two (usually more) if they could. But I have good news. God is a God of redemption. This word literally means, "to buy back." It means that God is timeless and He is always the God of the moment (the "I AM" [notice present tense]). As long as we are in this world, our purpose plan (our moment) is still possible. When Samson stopped looking at what could have been and turned to God and asked that He (God) be glorified with what remained of his life, his moment arrived. He killed more Philistines in his death than he did the whole of his life while he was operating in his gifts!
I know.....He died. Remember life is a fleeting, passing journey. At its longest, it is still very brief. I believe that those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ have a barometer that wants their journey to mean something regardless of how long or short that journey may be. We want to leave a legacy of being able to fulfill God's purpose for our lives which often extends beyond decisions we make along the way whether good or bad (see Romans 8:28). It is "the final curtain" that makes the difference. Paul, at the conclusion of his life stated, "I have finished the course, I have kept the faith....". The moment is NOW. The good news is that if we are still here on this earth, our moment still awaits us. Each new MOMENT ushers in the next. It is true that the best is yet to come!
Let each of us make the most of our "Moment" so that our impact will remain on those who ours lives touch and those who follow after us. We have an eternity to celebrate those combined moments as the people of God with a great cloud of witnesses. Jesus makes each MOMENT possible. Even the ones beyond this present world. To God be the Glory!
I wrote recently in one of my blogs about a friend whose wife told him that what he was really asking for was a "do over." Unfortunately, life does not come with a rewind or reset button. Yesterday is history and so it shall remain. Today is all we have. One thing is sure. I have one less day today than I did yesterday. As has often been said, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, today is all we have." How do we make the most of this MOMENT in time (our today)?
I think we can find guidance in God's Word from someone who probably spent a great amount of time wishing he had many "do overs." That someone is found in the Book of Judges in God's Word and his name is Samson.
Samson was given many gifts, not the least of which was his great strength. He was a mighty warrior. We are told of his exploits which even included killing a lion with his bare hands. He was a Nazerite (consecrated or separated) which during that time meant that his life was dedicated to God and he was to live his life accordingly. One of the things that was required of him was that he was "never to get a haircut". Herein lies one of life's great lessons:
"If you hang around the barbershop, you will eventually end up getting a haircut."
So it was with Samson. If you are disobedient long enough, your sin will find you out. As a result you, and usually others, will suffer because of it. I will not go into great detail about the story of Samson and Delilah other than to say that he lost many things, including his great strength. He spent many years in the prisons of the Philistines. He was blind and probably spent many hours thinking about all the things that "could and should" have been. He could have accomplished so much with his life.
I have met very few people in my life who have few regrets. Most I know would change a thing or two (usually more) if they could. But I have good news. God is a God of redemption. This word literally means, "to buy back." It means that God is timeless and He is always the God of the moment (the "I AM" [notice present tense]). As long as we are in this world, our purpose plan (our moment) is still possible. When Samson stopped looking at what could have been and turned to God and asked that He (God) be glorified with what remained of his life, his moment arrived. He killed more Philistines in his death than he did the whole of his life while he was operating in his gifts!
I know.....He died. Remember life is a fleeting, passing journey. At its longest, it is still very brief. I believe that those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ have a barometer that wants their journey to mean something regardless of how long or short that journey may be. We want to leave a legacy of being able to fulfill God's purpose for our lives which often extends beyond decisions we make along the way whether good or bad (see Romans 8:28). It is "the final curtain" that makes the difference. Paul, at the conclusion of his life stated, "I have finished the course, I have kept the faith....". The moment is NOW. The good news is that if we are still here on this earth, our moment still awaits us. Each new MOMENT ushers in the next. It is true that the best is yet to come!
Let each of us make the most of our "Moment" so that our impact will remain on those who ours lives touch and those who follow after us. We have an eternity to celebrate those combined moments as the people of God with a great cloud of witnesses. Jesus makes each MOMENT possible. Even the ones beyond this present world. To God be the Glory!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)