Those Stupid Piranhas

There we no big bombs in Bible times. Soldiers didn’t die because someone dropped a “BIG ONE” on them. They were “nickel and dimed” to death. Hand to hand combat, flying arrows, charging chariots, and the like created a much more chaotic battle scene.

My life has been a lot like that lately. No single “BIG ONE” has been dropped on me, but I have taken a lot of little hits lately – no big fish like the one that swallowed Jonah, but a bunch of little piranhas that continue to nip away at me ad infinitum. Unfortunately, I allowed myself to get a little overly worked up . . . stressed out. You know the symptoms: irritable, cynical, despondent, hopeless.

I guess that happens to all of us from time to time, yet the antidote is quite simple, really. We find it in God’s Word:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. – Philippians 4:6

Prayer. Simple concept, but for some reason hard to put into practice. And why is it that when things are at their worse and I need to be praying most that instead I am unmotivated to pray? Prayerlessness can be a vicious downward spiral. Prayer is the one practice that connects me to the ONE who lifts my life out of the pit, yet the pit feels so miserable that I don’t feel like praying.

Fortunately God got to me through the fog. In fact one specific facet of prayer mentioned in the verse above helped me emerge from the funk and see things with a little more clarity: THANKSGIVING. What God helped me to see was the fallacy of my feelings. I felt deserted by God, a miserable failure, facing hopeless circumstances. But somehow God reminded me that no matter how bad I THOUGHT I had it, the reality of the situation is that I am truly blessed.

When I began counting my blessings I was forced to do an audit of all the good that God has done for me and the reality I was forced to face is that the same God is still at work in my life. There is no single circumstance so difficult that God is not able to overcome it and there is no collection of circumstances so daunting that God is not enduring to bring me through it.

So I began thanking God for everything – big and small – that I could bring to mind. Did the challenging circumstances miraculously disappear? No. But I now face them knowing that He will overcome. Somehow, someway, my Way-maker will do His Work, my Jordan River will part, and I will pass into my Promised Land of victory.

So . . . rather than anxiety, I choose prayer. Rather than despair, I choose thanksgiving. I have a God who is ABLE. What will you choose?

Want more? Chew on these:

Psalm 40

Romans 8:28-38

Joshua 1:1-8

Miming for Jesus

A legend in the entertainment industry died yesterday, Marcel Marceau. He was 84. Marceau was a French Jew who avoided World War II Nazi concentration camps by fleeing to the south of France and working with the French Resistance. His father died at Auschwitz. His signature character Bip is arguably the most famous mime ever.

What was so amazing about Marceau was his ability to communicate so clearly without speaking. With his eyes and expressions he could convey emotions, reactions, and thoughts. Any of us could watch Marceau and understand exactly what his actions were telling us. He stands as a living tribute to the adage “Actions speak louder than words.”

We would do well to learn to communicate so effectively. We like to talk a lot about what we believe, what others should do, and what we think the world’s problems are and how they can be solved. Yet Jesus said:

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16

Jesus did not say that people would hear our smooth sermons and praise our Father. He did not say that people would be impressed with our polished presentations and believe in Him. It is important to be able to articulate our beliefs, but ultimately what convinces others that Jesus matters is to SEE the effect He has made in our lives – to see a difference in us.

So let me ask you, what are you DOING to point people to Jesus? Do your actions belie your profession or substantiate it? Does what you do speak so loudly that people cannot hear a word you say? Do you sing “Oh How I Love Jesus” on Sunday morning but spend the better part of the week gossiping about those whom Jesus loves? Do you call Jesus your Lord on Sunday but live the rest of the week by your rules and agenda?

Or is your witness a strong but silent one? Do you demonstrate the love of Jesus in tangible ways among the people in your circle influence? Do you imitate our Savior by carrying your cross and giving your life for the good of others – even those who are no good themselves? Saint Francis of Assisi said it well:

Preach always: if necessary, use words.

The Security Blanket

Bekah is a little like Linus – she has a security blanket. At one time she had seven identical blankets, but over the course of time we have lost all but two. So those two blankets get pretty nasty sometimes. One is always in the wash, the other is always “in service.” I can describe her blanket with one word: YUK!

We all have some sort of security blanket in our lives –a place, a possession, a memory, a routine or habit. Security blankets come in many forms and shapes, but for some reason they make us comfortable and secure. The problem with our security blankets is that they can only provide the perception of security; they can never provide REAL security. Real security can only be found in God and His plan for our life.

But bad things happen to good people too, so how can I say that God provides security? God’s definition of security is not navigation AROUND trials and difficulties, but rather the promise of safe passage THROUGH those trials and difficulties. Those times of testing, painful as they may be, are actually the means God uses to strengthen our faith.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-4

I must admit “pure joy” does not describe the attitude I usually exhibit when my faith is tested. But I can find joy in life’s difficulties because those trials are the tools God uses to mature me in my faith. Our faith can only grow when it is challenged, and without those challenges we would never need faith. Yet faith is essential THE essential element in our relationship with God.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. – Hebrews 11:6

When in the face of the testing and trials of life we respond with trust in God, we are most pleasing to Him. Those difficult circumstances in life give us the occasion to willfully choose to trust God even when our circumstances tempt us to bail on Him and take matters into our own hands. But it is at that precise moment – that display of trust – that God turns to His angels and with a big smile says, “See, I told you he loves me, I told you he would hang in there.” Or, “Look at her, I told you she loves me, she just proved it by trusting me.”

So when those challenges come, just keep believing in the One you know is faithful and true. Turn to Him for wisdom and strength and He will see you through. Hang in there, friend, God is doing a great work in your life and you will see the blessing when He brings you THROUGH.

Come See The Softer Side of Me

I’ve always enjoyed going to Sears . . . I am even old enough to remember “and Roebuck.” As a kid, Sears was so cool because they had those riding mowers out on display and you could sit on them and pretend to drive them. Now that I am older I love looking at the tools. Any kind of tool you need you can find at Sears, hand tools, power tools, yard tools . . . you need it, they have it. And the good part is they come with a lifetime warranty – if it breaks you bring it back and they replace it. And appliances. When Andrea and I married we bought our first washer and dryer from Sears. Kenmore of course. That set made it through three moves and 12 years before going to Sheet Metal Sheol.

But several years ago, Sears came up with a new slogan – “Come see the softer of Sears.” Imagine that, I can buy a wrench at the same place I buy a nightgown for my wife. One stop shopping for the all-American man! (I can hear Tim the Tool-Man Taylor barking now.) Sears wanted to dispel the image that they were a testosterone driven marketplace and to expand their clientele to include women.

Just as Sears has done, we as Christians need to present our “softer side.” I am afraid we are known more our criticism than for our compassion. People more easily remember our legalistic superimpositions on the public (don’t dance, smoke, play pool, etc.) than our caring spirit. Yet the Bible has a bit to say about our “softer side:”

Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.
– 1 Peter 3:8-10

Notice those softer-side words: sympathize, love, tenderhearted, humble, blessing. What an opportunity we have to show our culture a “more excellent way.” We live in a cutthroat world. People will go to great measures to get ahead, even if it means hurting someone else along the way. Fault-finding, manipulation, and criticism are just a few of the popular methods employed.

Yet we have a higher calling. We have been called to cut some slack, to be nice to people, to forgive their faults knowing all the while we have a ton of our own. As we go through some of the daily challenges of life, we are reminded that others hurt from time to time, just as we do.

The time has come to show off our softer side. Let’s put an end to the bitter criticisms and hateful attitudes. Let’s not be so quick to point out someone else’s fault. Instead, let’s make it a habit to be understanding, forgiving, GRACIOUS, and humble.

Got Milk?

Baby formula stinks. It stinks when you mix it, it stinks when they drink it, it stinks when it reincarnates! It just plain stinks. Baby cereal is yucky. It reminds me of brick mortar. When we sold our house in Riverdale, the buyer thought the kitchen ceiling was stippled. It wasn’t stippled, it was decorated by Bekah throwing her cereal against the ceiling. And then there is that baby food in the jar. We’re not even GOING there!

One of the greatest moments in child development is when they learn to feed themselves. We are still working with fork and spoon training, and you can only imagine what it is like when she eats mac and cheese with her fingers. Even at five, Bekah still makes a mess when she eats, but at least now the mess doesn’t cover me.

Spiritually speaking, though, at what point do we begin to feed ourselves? One of the complaints I hear from people who are dissatisfied with whatever church they attend (other pastors probably here it from my people too) is that they are “not being fed.” Granted, one of the most important responsibilities of a pastor – if not THE most important – is to spiritually nourish his congregation. But if a Christian is trying to grow spiritually one what he or she gets 45 (Sunday a.m.), 75 (plus Sunday p.m.), or 90 (plus Wednesday) minutes a week, it is no wonder they are anemic and malnourished.

The writer of Hebrews wanted to delve into some deep spiritual issues, but realized that the people had not matured enough to handle it – they were toothless babies and he was dealing with prime rib.

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. – Hebrews 5:12-14

Let me challenge you to expand your diet. Don’t depend on a preacher or teacher to be your sole source of spiritual sustenance. I don’t think many of us would be willing to only feed our bodies twice on Sunday and once on Wednesday without eating anymore during the week. So why should we expect to grow spiritually if that is all the feeding we give our soul?

The Hebrews passage teaches us that the spiritually mature and discerning are those who have consistently and constantly carved into the feast that God has provided in His Word. Quit sucking on that bottle of “Bible Lite,” refuse to settle for the spoon-fed pabulum of someone else’s teaching. Eat daily! Eat often! Indulge yourself! Go ahead, PIG OUT on God’s Word. There is a tasty and nutritious feast waiting your soul on the pages of the Bible. What are you waiting for? Dig in!

Greater Love

Tuesday marks the sixth anniversary of one of the most tragic events to take place on United States soil – the terrorist attacks on New York’s Twin Towers, Washington’s Pentagon, and the crashing of another plain in rural Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

Among the heroes who emerged that day were men and women who served the city of New York as police officers, firefighters, and paramedics. All told, 343 NYFD firefighters and paramedics, 23 NYPD police officers, and 37 Port Authority police officers gave their lives in heroic rescue attempts.

Have you ever stopped to consider the risk our public servants take in working to ensure our safety? A firefighter goes on call after call never knowing if a particular fire will be the one that makes the news as a tragic accident that costs life or does bodily harm. A police officer makes a traffic stop never knowing if this one will be a crazed motorist who tries to do harm or take the life of a policeman. Many other dangers present themselves to the fine men and women who serve as police officers and emergency personnel.

As I think of those who heroically gave their lives that day, I am reminded of these words of Jesus: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Our public servants lay it all on the line for us on a daily basis, yet too often we take them and their jobs for granted. On holidays, our public servants leave their families home to make sure we can enjoy our holiday family meal safely and securely. When storms hit and we complain about spending a couple of hours without electricity, these men and women are out braving the elements to rescue people in danger.

What can we do to show our appreciation to these who display the epitome of love for fellow man by risking their lives? For starters, very little effort is required to email or even send a card to a local police force or fire station to express gratitude for the job these men and women do. Maybe you can verbally express your thanks to the next police officer or firefighter whom you see out in public.

Next time you are out at your favorite restaurant and you see an on duty public servant eating there, how about buying their meal? When Thanksgiving or Christmas rolls around, how about cooking an extra bird and trimmings and take it down to the station for those on duty to enjoy. I am sure you can think of other creative and appropriate ways to let these fine public servants know that we appreciate them.

To the men and women who serve our country as police officers and emergency personnel, I say thank you. Too often we take you for granted, but what a great job you do. Thanks for risking your lives for us and for making our homes safe.

The Next Beth Moore?

My little girl turns 5 today. My how time flies when you are having fun!!! I can still remember when she was born – she was exactly four weeks early. She hasn’t been early (or on time, even) since. We were on our way to a friend’s birthday party when Bekah decided to take control of our agenda. Things haven’t changed much since that September 5th evening. The next morning, Bekah was introduced to the world. After making sure Andrea was OK, I went over to the table where they were cleaning up Bekah (changing her color from that weird green tint to a less spooky shade of peach). She was crying and I stuck my pinky in her hand and as she grasped it with all her strength she quit crying. I was hooked for life.

As I have reflected over the last five years, the one sobering thought that sticks with me is that God has granted Andrea and me the privilege of partnering with Him to shape a life. I will never have a more significant ministry than the one I have at home. The things that Bekah hears from me and sees in me will become part of the fabric of who she is.

It all boils down to one word – INFLUENCE. I have the opportunity to make a profound impact on my daughter’s life. The Jesus that she sees in me will become the Jesus in her. Through my influence on her, I will be able to multiply my effect on the Kingdom of God. I am praying that God will raise her up to be a Godly woman who has a Godly family and makes her own imprint on her world. Already she loves to sing from the hymnal, read the Bible, and she is very comfortable at church. But I don’t want the “tools” of faith to become the faith for her. I want her to see in me a life that vibrantly and dynamically interacts with Jesus.

All of us have influence. It may be kids, grandkids, adults, co-workers, or whomever – but we all make some kind of impact on others. People look at us and will either be attracted to Jesus or turned off to Him altogether. If you have kids, PLEASE don’t neglect the opportunity you have as a mom or dad. It doesn’t matter how old your kids are – they may even be grown and have kids of their own. Show them the love and grace of Jesus. If you don’t have kids of your own, there are still people around you – kids and adults alike – on whom you are making an impression. What does that impression look like? Do they know you to be a man or woman of grace who speaks words of encouragement and lives a life of example?

MAKE YOUR MARK ON YOUR WORLD! That’s what God has called us to do . . . in our families . . . in our neighborhoods . . . on our jobs. I hope I am doing that with Bekah. Judging from the picture below, I think we are off to a good start. She may be the next Beth Moore!

Taking Care of God's House

“Don’t run in church!”
“You can’t bring a drink in church!”
“Don’t put your feet on the pews.”
“You can’t put that on the church wall . . . it might chip the paint.”

Ever heard any of those statements? Ever said any of them? Isn’t it amazing how we revere and worship the building that we call the church? The reason given for the prohibitions above is that “this is the house of God.” Is it really though? We sink a ton of money into its construction and upkeep. Committees of “Martha Stewart types” are enlisted to color coordinate the “interior environment.” Let someone spill something or drip wax on the carpet and a good old fashioned “hissie-fit” is quite likely to happen. And, here’s the funny one to me, we put in large windows then we “stain” them or use special glass that occludes the sunshine. Those windows don’t come cheap either.

Please don’t get me wrong, I am not against church buildings, but I think we are overlooking a much more important building. We have this notion that there is something special about the bricks, mortar, wood, and other materials that we call a church building. However, God did mention a residence that He occupies . . . the human body of His believers.

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit
lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for
God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. - 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

While we go to great lengths to construct what we consider to be impressive church buildings, we ignore what God considers the temple of the Holy Spirit. We preserve and protect our buildings yet everyday we do things to sabotage and destroy God’s temple. It’s all a matter of stewardship. It is important to take care of what God gives us, and that includes our church property, but it is even more important to be good steward of our physical bodies. Our lives are the greatest gift we have to give to God.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your
bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act
of worship. – Romans 12:1

We only have one body . . . and one life for God to use us. Taking care of our bodies is serious business – and not doing it is SIN. We go to great lengths to take care of the building that some call the “house of God,” we need to go to even greater lengths to take care of the body that God calls “the temple of the Holy Spirit.” Here is a good checklist for “Temple Maintenance:”

1. Nourish. Eat a balanced diet that includes lots of whole foods – fruits and
vegetables that haven’t been processed. Get plenty of fiber and eat whole grains. One good tip is to avoid liquid calories when possible. Instead of fruit juices, eat the fruit itself. The fiber is good for you and will help keep you full. Also, avoid sweetened beverages.

2. Hydrate. The average person needs at least 64 oz. of water a day. If you are active or outside a lot, you should shoot for a whole gallon (128 oz.) a day. The human body is about 60% water – the brain about 70%. Under-hydration causes fatigue, digestion problems, and inhibited brain function. Dehydration is much more serious.

3. MOVE! Most experts suggest a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. The heart is a muscle and needs to be exercised to remain healthy. A brisk walk is just as good as jogging. Not only does walking provide benefits for the body, it is also good to clear the mind and feed the soul. Try prayer walking – talking to God while you walk for exercise.

4. Rest. Our bodies need down time to rejuvenate and heal from the stresses we put it through every day. A good goal is to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Recent research has also shown the benefit of a brief 15-20 minute power nap during the day. God knew what He was doing when He instructed us to shut down one out of seven days to rest our bodies and focus our souls on Him. We are not the Energizer® bunny. We cannot keep going and going. Plan down time into your schedule. Life is not a sprint it is a marathon in which we must all pace ourselves.

We make a mistake when we separate our physical condition from our spiritual condition. Good health is just as much a matter of stewardship as financial giving, care of church facilities, and spiritual disciplines. We only have one life to live . . .let’s take care of the “Temple” so God can use it for a long, long time.