Be still and know that I am God (Psalms 46:10).
If one takes the time to read this verse in context it will be found that God fights battles for us. It is not an insane strategy to stop and let God battle for us. It is especially true for Americans that we think we have to do something, and we do something and make things worse.
The great mathemetician-philosopher-theologian, Blase` Pascal is said to have said, All men's miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone. If all one did is sit in a quiet room alone, something would be quit wrong. However, if one never sits in a quiet room alone, except for the presence of God, there is something quit wrong too, and the greatest resource of his life is simply disregarded.
Make some time each day to spend some quiet time alone with God. Who knows, you might receive an inspiration that will keep you from making things worse.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
BEEN THANKFUL?
. . . give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (I Thessalonians 5:18).
I was on my way to an early morning meeting, listening to Christian music on Sirius satellite radio. I do not remember what song had just played, but I do remember the comment by the radio host. He said, "What if the only things you will have tomorrow are the things you gave thanks for today? What would you have?"
It is a question worth pondering. We go through life just assuming that the things we enjoy will always be there and then the day comes and they are not. What will you do then? Perhaps we need difficult times to remind us of the One who is the Source of all good things.
God supplies good things for both good and bad people. One of the differences between those who belong to Christ and those who do not is that they are thankful people. What about you? Have you given thanks today?
Our Father's Love,
Tom
I was on my way to an early morning meeting, listening to Christian music on Sirius satellite radio. I do not remember what song had just played, but I do remember the comment by the radio host. He said, "What if the only things you will have tomorrow are the things you gave thanks for today? What would you have?"
It is a question worth pondering. We go through life just assuming that the things we enjoy will always be there and then the day comes and they are not. What will you do then? Perhaps we need difficult times to remind us of the One who is the Source of all good things.
God supplies good things for both good and bad people. One of the differences between those who belong to Christ and those who do not is that they are thankful people. What about you? Have you given thanks today?
Our Father's Love,
Tom
Friday, May 17, 2013
POWER OF THE LORD WAS WITH HIM TO HEAL
On one of those days, as he was teaching, there were Pharisees, and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was with him to heal (Luke 5:17).
During my daily Bible reading this morning, this verse made me stop and question, "Did Jesus not always have the power to heal? If not, how did Jesus know when he had the power to heal?" I had always had the view that the power to heal was always with Jesus. Matthew 13 records Jesus' second rejection at Nazareth and says, he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief (v. 58). I think, from a thorough investigation of scripture, the lack of faith on the part of the residents of Nazareth manifested itself in not presenting the sick and disabled to Jesus for healing. Jesus power does not depend on another's faith to heal. John 5:1-15 records the healing of the disabled man by the pool of Bethesda. Jesus picked one from many to heal that day--Jesus can heal whom ever he chooses.
The immediate context of Luke 5:17 includes vs 16, But he withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.
What it means to be fully God and fully human will probably not be completely understood this side of heaven, but we do know that Jesus depended on regular communication with his Father for sustenance. With out that time would he have had that power to heal?
God has adopted those in Christ to be his children. How can we have power to manage our lives without regular communication with our Father? If Jesus couldn't, how much less can we?!?
Our Father's Love,
Tom
During my daily Bible reading this morning, this verse made me stop and question, "Did Jesus not always have the power to heal? If not, how did Jesus know when he had the power to heal?" I had always had the view that the power to heal was always with Jesus. Matthew 13 records Jesus' second rejection at Nazareth and says, he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief (v. 58). I think, from a thorough investigation of scripture, the lack of faith on the part of the residents of Nazareth manifested itself in not presenting the sick and disabled to Jesus for healing. Jesus power does not depend on another's faith to heal. John 5:1-15 records the healing of the disabled man by the pool of Bethesda. Jesus picked one from many to heal that day--Jesus can heal whom ever he chooses.
The immediate context of Luke 5:17 includes vs 16, But he withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.
What it means to be fully God and fully human will probably not be completely understood this side of heaven, but we do know that Jesus depended on regular communication with his Father for sustenance. With out that time would he have had that power to heal?
God has adopted those in Christ to be his children. How can we have power to manage our lives without regular communication with our Father? If Jesus couldn't, how much less can we?!?
Our Father's Love,
Tom
Friday, May 10, 2013
HAVING HOPE HELPS TO DEAL WITH GRIEF
. . . having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:12-13).*
I often read "Dear Abby," an advice column in the Sioux City Journal. In a recent column, Abby shared several letters from people who wrote about what they would do if they won the lottery and had millions of dollars to spend on whatever they wanted. Being a counselor, I try to "read between the lines" and evaluate what is really going on in the situation from the contents of the letters. What follows is an excerpt from a letter that made tears flow from my eyes (I tear up easily in my older age). Dear Abby: If I were to win the lottery, I would trade all of it just to have one more hug and one more night talking with my wife, who died 16 years ago . . . my heart still aches over losing her to cancer.
I am blessed to have the lovely and gracious Helen as my wife, but as I read this man's letter I began to think and then feel what it must be like to be in this man's shoes--to be willing to trade the world for one more night with his wife. His words remind about what is truly important in our lives on this earth--relationships.
From this man's letter it appears that he has resolved his grief and raised healthy functioning children, but resolving grief does not mean that grief has ended, it means that grief is managed. Resolution simply means that grief does not keep one from living responsibly in a painful world.
A legitimate hope helps one to come to resolution, for in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ the promise is that it will not be just one more night, but one more eternity to spend with our loved ones in Christ.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
*If one reads the context of the scripture text I used, it might be inferred that I misused the text. Perhaps, but is there anything that feels more empty and lonely than being hopeless and without God in the world? Is there anything that inspires a legitimate hope more than the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
I often read "Dear Abby," an advice column in the Sioux City Journal. In a recent column, Abby shared several letters from people who wrote about what they would do if they won the lottery and had millions of dollars to spend on whatever they wanted. Being a counselor, I try to "read between the lines" and evaluate what is really going on in the situation from the contents of the letters. What follows is an excerpt from a letter that made tears flow from my eyes (I tear up easily in my older age). Dear Abby: If I were to win the lottery, I would trade all of it just to have one more hug and one more night talking with my wife, who died 16 years ago . . . my heart still aches over losing her to cancer.
I am blessed to have the lovely and gracious Helen as my wife, but as I read this man's letter I began to think and then feel what it must be like to be in this man's shoes--to be willing to trade the world for one more night with his wife. His words remind about what is truly important in our lives on this earth--relationships.
From this man's letter it appears that he has resolved his grief and raised healthy functioning children, but resolving grief does not mean that grief has ended, it means that grief is managed. Resolution simply means that grief does not keep one from living responsibly in a painful world.
A legitimate hope helps one to come to resolution, for in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ the promise is that it will not be just one more night, but one more eternity to spend with our loved ones in Christ.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
*If one reads the context of the scripture text I used, it might be inferred that I misused the text. Perhaps, but is there anything that feels more empty and lonely than being hopeless and without God in the world? Is there anything that inspires a legitimate hope more than the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Thursday, May 09, 2013
A CHARACTERISTIC OF TRULY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE
My brethren, show no partiality as you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "Have a seat here, please," while you say to the poor man, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:1-4).
I was just thinking about the qualities of the truly successful people I have known. One of the characteristics they all have in common is that they treat every person they meet with dignity and respect. It is a trait I admire because I do not do as well as I should in this regard. There are times when it is extremely difficult to be respectful to some people and treat them with dignity, but this is a behavior our Father expects of those who are His children.*
To be successful in business, in professional practice, certainly, in pastoral ministry, or social relationships, dignity and respect must be an obvious characteristic. However, I have seen people in each one of these social relationships who think they are impartial who are not. But I have observed pastors, lawyers, high-end carpenters, doctors who were willing to serve others, no matter who they are. It might well be that the first step on the ladder of real success is that of impartial service.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
*A book could be written on this subject because there are many people who are extremely difficult to treat with dignity. How does one treat a rapist, kidnapper, abuser, murderer with dignity and respect? By prosecuting them to the full extent of the law.
I was just thinking about the qualities of the truly successful people I have known. One of the characteristics they all have in common is that they treat every person they meet with dignity and respect. It is a trait I admire because I do not do as well as I should in this regard. There are times when it is extremely difficult to be respectful to some people and treat them with dignity, but this is a behavior our Father expects of those who are His children.*
To be successful in business, in professional practice, certainly, in pastoral ministry, or social relationships, dignity and respect must be an obvious characteristic. However, I have seen people in each one of these social relationships who think they are impartial who are not. But I have observed pastors, lawyers, high-end carpenters, doctors who were willing to serve others, no matter who they are. It might well be that the first step on the ladder of real success is that of impartial service.
Our Father's Love,
Tom
*A book could be written on this subject because there are many people who are extremely difficult to treat with dignity. How does one treat a rapist, kidnapper, abuser, murderer with dignity and respect? By prosecuting them to the full extent of the law.
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
CALLING IT SCIENCE DOESN'T MAKE IT SCIENCE
Come now let us reason together, says the Lord (Isaiah 1:18).
I do not consider myself to be a scientist, though, as a farmer there is a lot of science in what I do. As a marriage and family therapist, there is a surprising amount of science involved in what I do there as well. In my seminary education a class was required called Research Methods in Family Therapy. The purpose of the course was to help the students to design and evaluate approaches and methods of family therapy for validity and reliability. Even in pastoral ministry one should have a scientific background in subjects as diverse as biology to archeology with a good amount of psychology in between. So, I am not attempting to dismiss the scientific method as something incompatible with faith. I believe that good faith and good science walk together hand in hand. It was faith in a reliable God that produced science in the first place. The God of the Bible has always given man a reason to believe.
Science should be objective, but it seldom is, it can be very subjective and biased. Scientists are human beings. They choose to research what interests them personally or what the government--or other funding agencies will finance. The whole "human-caused-climate-change issue" is a glaring example of this. There was truly little science, a lot of theory and a whole lot of dishonesty involved in this fraud. People with credentials sold their souls and the taxpayers are still funding funding politically directed research on climate change. Calling it science doesn't make it science. Personal pride and funding issues make good science hard to come by.
In this generation, science has become god for many. People look to science to solve the world's problems. Developing sophisticated weaponry to deter evil has resulted in those who are evil to have sophisticated weaponry too. The use of antibiotics has resulted in super germs that antibiotics can't kill. The use of herbicides has resulted in super weeds that herbicides can't kill. What I am saying is that science is, at best, marginal in the salvation of mankind. I do not want to go back to the old days either, but we can see the logical conclusion of science from here. When the remedies of men have run out, then time will have run out too.
When science has reached its logical conclusion and has no answers for you, what will you do? Will it be too late?
Our Father's Love,
Tom
I do not consider myself to be a scientist, though, as a farmer there is a lot of science in what I do. As a marriage and family therapist, there is a surprising amount of science involved in what I do there as well. In my seminary education a class was required called Research Methods in Family Therapy. The purpose of the course was to help the students to design and evaluate approaches and methods of family therapy for validity and reliability. Even in pastoral ministry one should have a scientific background in subjects as diverse as biology to archeology with a good amount of psychology in between. So, I am not attempting to dismiss the scientific method as something incompatible with faith. I believe that good faith and good science walk together hand in hand. It was faith in a reliable God that produced science in the first place. The God of the Bible has always given man a reason to believe.
Science should be objective, but it seldom is, it can be very subjective and biased. Scientists are human beings. They choose to research what interests them personally or what the government--or other funding agencies will finance. The whole "human-caused-climate-change issue" is a glaring example of this. There was truly little science, a lot of theory and a whole lot of dishonesty involved in this fraud. People with credentials sold their souls and the taxpayers are still funding funding politically directed research on climate change. Calling it science doesn't make it science. Personal pride and funding issues make good science hard to come by.
In this generation, science has become god for many. People look to science to solve the world's problems. Developing sophisticated weaponry to deter evil has resulted in those who are evil to have sophisticated weaponry too. The use of antibiotics has resulted in super germs that antibiotics can't kill. The use of herbicides has resulted in super weeds that herbicides can't kill. What I am saying is that science is, at best, marginal in the salvation of mankind. I do not want to go back to the old days either, but we can see the logical conclusion of science from here. When the remedies of men have run out, then time will have run out too.
When science has reached its logical conclusion and has no answers for you, what will you do? Will it be too late?
Our Father's Love,
Tom
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