. . . but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).
And everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as he is pure (I John 3:3).
This kind of housekeeping needs to be done on a regular basis just like ordinary housekeeping--like once a week. It can be the most difficult housekeeping one will ever do.
I had some business that took me to Spirit Lake, Iowa. On the return trip I made a short excursion around to where my grandfather's cottage had been located on west lake Okoboji. The cottage is gone now, being replaced by a much larger house. A flood of memories came back to me as I looked out over the lake; they were all good except for one. One of my memories of this lake is actually a dream. In the months following the deaths of my dad, my brother and my uncle, their deaths were within a few days of each other, I began to have a recurring dream of swimming out towards the middle of the lake. I was too far out to swim back, but too far away from the far shore to swim there either. I was drowning! I had that dream several times--enough times so that I talked to my seminary psychology professor friend about it. He assured me that this is a normal grief experience and went on to add: "Though we cannot get back to the familiar, happy and safe times of yesterday, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will safely take us to the far shore of Heaven." I haven't had that dream in a couple of years, but seeing the lake made me think of it.
The emotional and spiritual housecleaning that must be done is not easy; it might be that one will need the help of a counselor. However, the hope one has in Christ can help him/her to understand the relative value of all the stuff in the psychological storeroom. Our hope helps us to sort out the junk that we once treasured and let it go. It is not wrong to visit the past on occasion, but it is wrong to live there. Focus on the future because our best days are yet ahead!
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
WHAT TO KEEP & WHAT TO THROW AWAY: How to Make the Decision*
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven . . . a time to keep, and a time to cast away (Ecclesiastes 3:1,6b).
One of the items Helen had sorted to be thrown away was a 1907 charcoal sketch of Abraham Lincoln with these words by Lincoln printed beneath: I do the very best I know how--the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference. The picture was in poor condition, but I thought with appropriate cropping and matting it could be a great antique wall hanging again. Should it be kept or thrown away?
I use the following criteria to make the decision to keep or throw away:
1. Is it pertinent to current legal, medical, employment or business matters?
2. Is it something that has a possible immediate use? (If it hasn't been used in a year it probably will not be used in the next year.)
3. Does it give import insight into the development and disposition of the children? Important pictures, papers and records need to be kept. All love letters should be kept so that children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren can understand their family. (Helen, remember the one where you said, "You are . . .?)
In this digital age much family history will be lost because letters and journals are seldom written on paper.
4. Does it have material value so that it can be sold or given away with a clear conscience? If "we could sell it on ebay," but never get around to it--throw it away!
5. Is it an important part of my spiritual journey--will it support my Christian faith? (I have three Bibles that are examples of this.)
6. Is it a collection that can be displayed or used for an intended purpose and not just be a dust collector?
7. Do I have the time and energy to make something of it within a definite period of time?
What did we decide about the Lincoln charcoal? It was burned in the "Sacred Fire," a fire ring in the back yard dedicated to the burning of memorabilia, worn-out flags, Bibles and Christian materials that are no longer serviceable. They are not common trash and deserve a dignified end.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
*A revision of an earlier post.
One of the items Helen had sorted to be thrown away was a 1907 charcoal sketch of Abraham Lincoln with these words by Lincoln printed beneath: I do the very best I know how--the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference. The picture was in poor condition, but I thought with appropriate cropping and matting it could be a great antique wall hanging again. Should it be kept or thrown away?
I use the following criteria to make the decision to keep or throw away:
1. Is it pertinent to current legal, medical, employment or business matters?
2. Is it something that has a possible immediate use? (If it hasn't been used in a year it probably will not be used in the next year.)
3. Does it give import insight into the development and disposition of the children? Important pictures, papers and records need to be kept. All love letters should be kept so that children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren can understand their family. (Helen, remember the one where you said, "You are . . .?)
In this digital age much family history will be lost because letters and journals are seldom written on paper.
4. Does it have material value so that it can be sold or given away with a clear conscience? If "we could sell it on ebay," but never get around to it--throw it away!
5. Is it an important part of my spiritual journey--will it support my Christian faith? (I have three Bibles that are examples of this.)
6. Is it a collection that can be displayed or used for an intended purpose and not just be a dust collector?
7. Do I have the time and energy to make something of it within a definite period of time?
What did we decide about the Lincoln charcoal? It was burned in the "Sacred Fire," a fire ring in the back yard dedicated to the burning of memorabilia, worn-out flags, Bibles and Christian materials that are no longer serviceable. They are not common trash and deserve a dignified end.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
*A revision of an earlier post.
Friday, January 22, 2010
WHAT TO KEEP & WHAT TO THROW AWAY*
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways (I Corinthians 13:11).
In our house Helen and I have a bedroom that served for several years as a storeroom. It was filled with memorabilia and things we "might use someday." When the holidays were approaching and the prospect of adult children and grandchildren filling the house, we needed the space for sleeping. The task of sorting through all of the things in that bedroom fell on Helen because she is an archivist and "Creative Memories" consultant. I dare not do this task as I tend to throw away too much.
How does one know how to differentiate what is to be kept and what is to be thrown away? One person's junk is another person's treasure. Throwing away a card or a paper is like throwing away a memory. Even if old cards, letters and papers are never accessed we know they are safely stored in a box somewhere for us to access should the need arise; we fear losing control of the past if we throw these things away--control issues can be as much cause of clutter as disorganization. What a wonderful asset to any family is an orderly archiving of photographs and papers. Not only can they settle disagreements and disputes, but also they can help adult children come to a better understanding of their lives. There are times in each of our lives when we need to do some emotional and spiritual house cleaning and a good family archive can be a great assistance in that task!
No matter who you are, even if you are a bachelor or bachelorette, it's time to start the archive because there are people and relatives to whom it will make a difference! Much of the past will be forever lost to succeeding generations if it is not archived in such a way that it can be found.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
*This is a revision of an earlier post.
In our house Helen and I have a bedroom that served for several years as a storeroom. It was filled with memorabilia and things we "might use someday." When the holidays were approaching and the prospect of adult children and grandchildren filling the house, we needed the space for sleeping. The task of sorting through all of the things in that bedroom fell on Helen because she is an archivist and "Creative Memories" consultant. I dare not do this task as I tend to throw away too much.
How does one know how to differentiate what is to be kept and what is to be thrown away? One person's junk is another person's treasure. Throwing away a card or a paper is like throwing away a memory. Even if old cards, letters and papers are never accessed we know they are safely stored in a box somewhere for us to access should the need arise; we fear losing control of the past if we throw these things away--control issues can be as much cause of clutter as disorganization. What a wonderful asset to any family is an orderly archiving of photographs and papers. Not only can they settle disagreements and disputes, but also they can help adult children come to a better understanding of their lives. There are times in each of our lives when we need to do some emotional and spiritual house cleaning and a good family archive can be a great assistance in that task!
No matter who you are, even if you are a bachelor or bachelorette, it's time to start the archive because there are people and relatives to whom it will make a difference! Much of the past will be forever lost to succeeding generations if it is not archived in such a way that it can be found.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
*This is a revision of an earlier post.
Monday, January 18, 2010
DOES OUR SPEECH MATTER? Second Thoughts
Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying as fits the occasion, that it may impact grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29).
Another reason I believe the Bible is inspired by God is the ubiquitous use of profanity--almost everyone uses it. The sacred and serious words and themes of the Bible are emptied of their meaning by common use. God is the last one on a person's mind when he uses, "Oh my god!" or "Jesus Christ!" as swear words. Hell and damnation are serious truths that are emptied of their importance by thoughtless use. This is spiritual warfare. It is satan's attempt to attack the truths of God's word and diminish it credibility through profane use. Why is it that no one says, "Oh Buda!" or "Oh Mohammed," as swear words?
In an effort to be relevant and fit in with contemporary culture there is a trend among Christian workers to use "street talk." There is some precedent for this as the New Testament was written in koine Greek, not classical Greek. Sometimes in counseling, as one is actively listening, one needs to repeat the words that a client uses to demonstrate understanding. Nevertheless, one has to consider whether or not his speech is going to lift up the culture or weigh it down. I believe it is a mistake, if not a sin, to use "dirty" talk in an attempt to fit it. Indeed, one of the qualities of pure religion is to keep one's self "unstained" from the world (James 1:27). When the occasion is such that these kinds of words need to be used for a definite purpose, so be it. However, if they are the mark of everyday speech, as a Christian, it is time to clean up our act.
Can obsenity be profanity? Many of the words and expressions used in everyday conversation are sexual in origin, so much so that little thought is given the origin of these words. One could make a fairly long list of these words. Though sex is a common animal act, for human beings God has given sex a special significance; God does not intend for human beings to engage in sex casually and without commitment. Sex is holy. Using the "f" word reduces what God has intended to be holy into a barn-yard act. Isn't that profanity?
Christians must not be careless as we speak. Our words are a window to our soul and our words will lift the culture up or they will weigh it down. What are your words doing?
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Another reason I believe the Bible is inspired by God is the ubiquitous use of profanity--almost everyone uses it. The sacred and serious words and themes of the Bible are emptied of their meaning by common use. God is the last one on a person's mind when he uses, "Oh my god!" or "Jesus Christ!" as swear words. Hell and damnation are serious truths that are emptied of their importance by thoughtless use. This is spiritual warfare. It is satan's attempt to attack the truths of God's word and diminish it credibility through profane use. Why is it that no one says, "Oh Buda!" or "Oh Mohammed," as swear words?
In an effort to be relevant and fit in with contemporary culture there is a trend among Christian workers to use "street talk." There is some precedent for this as the New Testament was written in koine Greek, not classical Greek. Sometimes in counseling, as one is actively listening, one needs to repeat the words that a client uses to demonstrate understanding. Nevertheless, one has to consider whether or not his speech is going to lift up the culture or weigh it down. I believe it is a mistake, if not a sin, to use "dirty" talk in an attempt to fit it. Indeed, one of the qualities of pure religion is to keep one's self "unstained" from the world (James 1:27). When the occasion is such that these kinds of words need to be used for a definite purpose, so be it. However, if they are the mark of everyday speech, as a Christian, it is time to clean up our act.
Can obsenity be profanity? Many of the words and expressions used in everyday conversation are sexual in origin, so much so that little thought is given the origin of these words. One could make a fairly long list of these words. Though sex is a common animal act, for human beings God has given sex a special significance; God does not intend for human beings to engage in sex casually and without commitment. Sex is holy. Using the "f" word reduces what God has intended to be holy into a barn-yard act. Isn't that profanity?
Christians must not be careless as we speak. Our words are a window to our soul and our words will lift the culture up or they will weigh it down. What are your words doing?
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Saturday, January 16, 2010
DOES OUR SPEECH MATTER?
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone (Colossians 4:6).
The Lone Ranger was my favorite boyhood hero. He always followed the law. In one episode LR was put in jail even though he was innocent. A friend had a key to the jail and opened the cell door for LR to escape, but LR told his friend to close the door and said, "This is not the way to justice." Another characteristic of the Lone Ranger was that he always used perfect grammar and did not use slang or colloquialisms. The writers of the Lone Ranger believed that good speech lifted people up and that poor speech made them perform less honorably.
My days as a youth worker and acting director at Midwest Christian Services, a residential treatment facility, pretty much confirmed what the Lone Ranger believed. As a Christian institution, it was a matter of course that swearing was not allowed. As a director, I was somewhat surprised to learn that the secular institutions didn't allow it either because of the negative effect it has on the culture of the institution. There is more acting out and it is much more difficult to develop positive attitudes in the residents if negative speech is allowed; negative speech breeds more negativism.
One of the easiest things we can do to have a positive impact on the world around us is to clean up our language and learn how to express ourselves in creative and positive ways without resorting to crude, rude, obscene or profane language--it will make a difference. Those who do not learn how to express themselves in positive speech are their own worst enemy because their language casts doubt on their character, their ability to lead and effectively communicate. One's chances of success or failure are enhanced by the words he uses. Our words are a window into our soul: For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34b).
Grace&Peace,
Tom
The Lone Ranger was my favorite boyhood hero. He always followed the law. In one episode LR was put in jail even though he was innocent. A friend had a key to the jail and opened the cell door for LR to escape, but LR told his friend to close the door and said, "This is not the way to justice." Another characteristic of the Lone Ranger was that he always used perfect grammar and did not use slang or colloquialisms. The writers of the Lone Ranger believed that good speech lifted people up and that poor speech made them perform less honorably.
My days as a youth worker and acting director at Midwest Christian Services, a residential treatment facility, pretty much confirmed what the Lone Ranger believed. As a Christian institution, it was a matter of course that swearing was not allowed. As a director, I was somewhat surprised to learn that the secular institutions didn't allow it either because of the negative effect it has on the culture of the institution. There is more acting out and it is much more difficult to develop positive attitudes in the residents if negative speech is allowed; negative speech breeds more negativism.
One of the easiest things we can do to have a positive impact on the world around us is to clean up our language and learn how to express ourselves in creative and positive ways without resorting to crude, rude, obscene or profane language--it will make a difference. Those who do not learn how to express themselves in positive speech are their own worst enemy because their language casts doubt on their character, their ability to lead and effectively communicate. One's chances of success or failure are enhanced by the words he uses. Our words are a window into our soul: For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34b).
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Friday, January 15, 2010
WHAT WILL HEAVEN BE LIKE? Another View
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (I Corinthians 15:19-20).
The hope of Heaven is not simply wishful thinking; it is based on the solid foundation of the historic truth that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. Therefore the great reunion with loved ones in Christ is not an idol dream, but a promised reality. Will we recognize our loved ones in Heaven? If one studies Matthew 17:2-4 and Luke 16:19-31, it is hard to escape the conclusion that we will recognize them. Another question seems to always follow the first, "How can we be happy in Heaven knowing that a loved one isn't there?" It must be remembered that those who are not in heaven are absent because they did not believe in Jesus and they did not love him. These are a fundamental differences that will always be a source of sorrow and heart break even in Heaven. God will not allow the past to hold the happiness of Heaven hostage. When he wipes every tear from our eyes they will never cry again, understanding the perfect judgments of God. In Heaven we will be one big and happy family, being all brothers and sisters in Christ. God will be our father. There will be no marriage in Heaven (Matthew 22:30).
Of the many horrible results of going to hell, one of them is all of the unanswered questions. Perhaps one of the reasons people go to hell is because they think they have all the answers any way. This is the conclusion of those who do not believe in God. In this age of scientific research and technology we make the mistake of thinking that we have all the answers. Going to hell, one will never know the answers to the questions of history and science. For people who love to learn it will be wonderful to be in the presence of the Creator!
Grace&Peace;
Tom
The hope of Heaven is not simply wishful thinking; it is based on the solid foundation of the historic truth that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. Therefore the great reunion with loved ones in Christ is not an idol dream, but a promised reality. Will we recognize our loved ones in Heaven? If one studies Matthew 17:2-4 and Luke 16:19-31, it is hard to escape the conclusion that we will recognize them. Another question seems to always follow the first, "How can we be happy in Heaven knowing that a loved one isn't there?" It must be remembered that those who are not in heaven are absent because they did not believe in Jesus and they did not love him. These are a fundamental differences that will always be a source of sorrow and heart break even in Heaven. God will not allow the past to hold the happiness of Heaven hostage. When he wipes every tear from our eyes they will never cry again, understanding the perfect judgments of God. In Heaven we will be one big and happy family, being all brothers and sisters in Christ. God will be our father. There will be no marriage in Heaven (Matthew 22:30).
Of the many horrible results of going to hell, one of them is all of the unanswered questions. Perhaps one of the reasons people go to hell is because they think they have all the answers any way. This is the conclusion of those who do not believe in God. In this age of scientific research and technology we make the mistake of thinking that we have all the answers. Going to hell, one will never know the answers to the questions of history and science. For people who love to learn it will be wonderful to be in the presence of the Creator!
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Thursday, January 14, 2010
WHAT WILL HEAVEN BE LIKE? Another Look
Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yeilding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There shall no more be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall worship him; they shall see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads. And night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they shall reign forever and ever (Revelation 22:1-5).
While many have questions about what it is we will do in Heaven, one thing of which we can be certain, our activities will reflect the nature of God! There will be no sinful or immoral activities in Heaven. Since God is love, all of the things we do will reflect love. There will be no sloth in Heaven; everyone will be working because God is a worker: But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working still, and I am working" (John 5:17). A person who enjoys his work doesn't need to retire. In Eden work was neither tiresome nor tedious until after the fall. God's work will be fulfilling and enjoyable.
Will Heaven be like an eternal church service? Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King! Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with timbrel and lyre! For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory (Psalms 149:2-4). Some church service! I have an idea that those who by grace came through the old order of things will never tire of praising and thanking God!!!
Grace&Peace;
Tom
While many have questions about what it is we will do in Heaven, one thing of which we can be certain, our activities will reflect the nature of God! There will be no sinful or immoral activities in Heaven. Since God is love, all of the things we do will reflect love. There will be no sloth in Heaven; everyone will be working because God is a worker: But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working still, and I am working" (John 5:17). A person who enjoys his work doesn't need to retire. In Eden work was neither tiresome nor tedious until after the fall. God's work will be fulfilling and enjoyable.
Will Heaven be like an eternal church service? Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King! Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with timbrel and lyre! For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory (Psalms 149:2-4). Some church service! I have an idea that those who by grace came through the old order of things will never tire of praising and thanking God!!!
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
WHAT WILL HEAVEN BE LIKE?
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:1-5).
Though the type of literature in Revelation is nearly all apocalyptic, and thus not intended to be taken absolutely literally, nevertheless, there is a good deal that can be learned about heaven from Revelation.
One of the blessings of heaven is that residents there will be in the immediate presence of God and will enjoy it. It seems to be that this presence will be closer to God than what Adam and Eve enjoyed in Eden where God was an evening visitor (Genesis 3:8).
The earth and the heavens will be new. It should make us stop and consider, if this earth is this beautiful how beautiful will the new one be? Having been blessed to live in several states and travel to foreign countries, I know that this earth is a beautiful place; how much more so is Heaven?
All that was done in the "fall" is undone in Heaven; the old order of things has passed away. This concept is almost beyond our comprehension because all that we have ever known and experienced is within the realm of the old order of things: sickness, pain, death, tears, sorrow, sweat, toil, estrangement, crime, war and natural disasters. In relation to this the question is asked, "What will we do in Heaven?" It is a valid question because every occupation of earth is a remedy for the effects of the fall of humanity into sin. That is why we have doctors, lawyers, entertainers, police, firefighters, etc. The God who created this infinitly diverse universe will create plenty for us to do!!!
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Though the type of literature in Revelation is nearly all apocalyptic, and thus not intended to be taken absolutely literally, nevertheless, there is a good deal that can be learned about heaven from Revelation.
One of the blessings of heaven is that residents there will be in the immediate presence of God and will enjoy it. It seems to be that this presence will be closer to God than what Adam and Eve enjoyed in Eden where God was an evening visitor (Genesis 3:8).
The earth and the heavens will be new. It should make us stop and consider, if this earth is this beautiful how beautiful will the new one be? Having been blessed to live in several states and travel to foreign countries, I know that this earth is a beautiful place; how much more so is Heaven?
All that was done in the "fall" is undone in Heaven; the old order of things has passed away. This concept is almost beyond our comprehension because all that we have ever known and experienced is within the realm of the old order of things: sickness, pain, death, tears, sorrow, sweat, toil, estrangement, crime, war and natural disasters. In relation to this the question is asked, "What will we do in Heaven?" It is a valid question because every occupation of earth is a remedy for the effects of the fall of humanity into sin. That is why we have doctors, lawyers, entertainers, police, firefighters, etc. The God who created this infinitly diverse universe will create plenty for us to do!!!
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Saturday, January 09, 2010
GOD HEARD THE BOY CRYING
And as she sat over against him, the child lifted up his voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad (Genesis 21:16b-17a).
It is said that back in the 1920's Ernest Hemmingway bet ten dollars that he could write a novel with just six words. Some have called these six words his best work: For sale: baby shoes, never worn. This is proof that a compelling story doesn't have to be long. Five words from the Bible that rival Hemmingway's six are the NIV translation of Genesis 2:17: God heard the boy crying. What powerful stories are imagined in the theater of the mind because of these few words.
Ishmael was a boy who was rejected by his father. He, along with his mother, was abandoned by his father in a desolate wilderness with less than enough to survive. They were about to die. Ishmael was an illegitimate son, born of human will rather than God's. Perhaps human history would have been much better if Ishmael were allowed to die. Ishmael and his mother had no claim on God's mercy, but in their hour of desperation, God pours out his mercy on them.
Ishmael's story is our story: remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, 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). No matter who we are or what we have done, God has reached out to all in Christ Jesus providing for salvation. In whatever circumstance you find yourself today, God loves you and is working to give you what is best if you cry out to him.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
It is said that back in the 1920's Ernest Hemmingway bet ten dollars that he could write a novel with just six words. Some have called these six words his best work: For sale: baby shoes, never worn. This is proof that a compelling story doesn't have to be long. Five words from the Bible that rival Hemmingway's six are the NIV translation of Genesis 2:17: God heard the boy crying. What powerful stories are imagined in the theater of the mind because of these few words.
Ishmael was a boy who was rejected by his father. He, along with his mother, was abandoned by his father in a desolate wilderness with less than enough to survive. They were about to die. Ishmael was an illegitimate son, born of human will rather than God's. Perhaps human history would have been much better if Ishmael were allowed to die. Ishmael and his mother had no claim on God's mercy, but in their hour of desperation, God pours out his mercy on them.
Ishmael's story is our story: remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, 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). No matter who we are or what we have done, God has reached out to all in Christ Jesus providing for salvation. In whatever circumstance you find yourself today, God loves you and is working to give you what is best if you cry out to him.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Thursday, January 07, 2010
BLUE MOON
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath. These are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).
It was double digits below zero when I parked the car in front of the church at 11:20 p.m. New Year's Eve. When I got out of the car the snow crunched under my feet. I looked up at the second full moon of the month and it actually was tinted blue due to the ice crystals in the air. I had heard earlier in the day that the last blue moon on New Year's Eve was in 1990 and the next one will not be until 2028--I was witnessing a rare event. These things only happen once every nineteen years. What will this next nineteen year cycle bring? In nineteen years I will be eighty one should I last that long and the Lord tarries.
I was the last half-hour time slot on our church's twelve-hour New Year's Eve prayer vigil. We encourage each participant to actually go to the church to pray, but with the cold and the snow it appeared that I was the only one who ventured out to pray that night. The weather made it understandable, but the half-filled-in sign up sheet did not. For a church's mission statement that includes prayer as one of the necessary dynamics of its mission, this church's leadership and members did not respond all that well on New Year's Eve. Perhaps, like the blue moon, a church that actually believes in prayer is not all that common. We pray often, but our prayers are filled with cliche`s rather than contrition. As I prayed that night I was reminded of the phrase from Isaiah 1:15 where the Lord says, even though you make many prayers, I will not listen. Isn't that frightening?
I welcome the time to pray alone in the church sanctuary from 11:30 to 12 a.m.. I expect to hear a word from the Lord, and perhaps Isaiah 1:15 was it. When the church is empty and all is quiet, there are creaks and squeaks and walking sounds that are reminders that one is not alone. I prayed about many things during that half-hour: pardon and forgiveness for personal failure, for the church and its mission, for each one of the church's leaders and their wives, the trials that our church members are facing, etc., but remembering that on this blue moon, I was there because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
It was double digits below zero when I parked the car in front of the church at 11:20 p.m. New Year's Eve. When I got out of the car the snow crunched under my feet. I looked up at the second full moon of the month and it actually was tinted blue due to the ice crystals in the air. I had heard earlier in the day that the last blue moon on New Year's Eve was in 1990 and the next one will not be until 2028--I was witnessing a rare event. These things only happen once every nineteen years. What will this next nineteen year cycle bring? In nineteen years I will be eighty one should I last that long and the Lord tarries.
I was the last half-hour time slot on our church's twelve-hour New Year's Eve prayer vigil. We encourage each participant to actually go to the church to pray, but with the cold and the snow it appeared that I was the only one who ventured out to pray that night. The weather made it understandable, but the half-filled-in sign up sheet did not. For a church's mission statement that includes prayer as one of the necessary dynamics of its mission, this church's leadership and members did not respond all that well on New Year's Eve. Perhaps, like the blue moon, a church that actually believes in prayer is not all that common. We pray often, but our prayers are filled with cliche`s rather than contrition. As I prayed that night I was reminded of the phrase from Isaiah 1:15 where the Lord says, even though you make many prayers, I will not listen. Isn't that frightening?
I welcome the time to pray alone in the church sanctuary from 11:30 to 12 a.m.. I expect to hear a word from the Lord, and perhaps Isaiah 1:15 was it. When the church is empty and all is quiet, there are creaks and squeaks and walking sounds that are reminders that one is not alone. I prayed about many things during that half-hour: pardon and forgiveness for personal failure, for the church and its mission, for each one of the church's leaders and their wives, the trials that our church members are facing, etc., but remembering that on this blue moon, I was there because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
EVERY CHRISTIAN A COUNSELOR
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
Is it possible that this reference connects in some way to modern counseling? Should Christian counselors seek to shape their work and ministry after that of the Messiah? Historically, the word counselor in both Hebrew and English refers to an advisor to royalty. A second historical use refers to lawyers who are counselors at law. In the twenty first century we use the term, "counselor," to refer to many types of helpers--primarily those who work in the field of mental health and social work.
Counseling, according to the Bible, is the sharing of God's wisdom with God's people. Certainly, Jesus did it and Paul said that he did it as well: for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Is not every Christian commissioned to share the counsel of God to those around him? Matthew 28:18-20 is for every Christian as is I Peter 3:15b where Peter says: Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you. I believe that it is God's intention for every Christian to be a counselor to some degree.
The Christian has the full range of tools to use in helping another to find redemption and salvation. The counselor's personal faith, hope and love cannot be kept from expression as he/she influences the one in need. The truth of the Bible exposes the lies that lead to destruction. The metaphors and parables of Scripture help one to look at life in a different way. Baptism, The Lord's Supper, fellowship, music, meditation and the offerings help people to experience the love, grace, beauty and power of God as they grow in faith.
The tools in the Christian's "counselor toolbox" should not be used in a utilitarian way, but should be a way of life to the Christian himself. It is in this way that these become powerful interventions and dynamic influences to bring about change to those who are open to it. Did you ever think you would be a counselor?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Is it possible that this reference connects in some way to modern counseling? Should Christian counselors seek to shape their work and ministry after that of the Messiah? Historically, the word counselor in both Hebrew and English refers to an advisor to royalty. A second historical use refers to lawyers who are counselors at law. In the twenty first century we use the term, "counselor," to refer to many types of helpers--primarily those who work in the field of mental health and social work.
Counseling, according to the Bible, is the sharing of God's wisdom with God's people. Certainly, Jesus did it and Paul said that he did it as well: for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Is not every Christian commissioned to share the counsel of God to those around him? Matthew 28:18-20 is for every Christian as is I Peter 3:15b where Peter says: Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you. I believe that it is God's intention for every Christian to be a counselor to some degree.
The Christian has the full range of tools to use in helping another to find redemption and salvation. The counselor's personal faith, hope and love cannot be kept from expression as he/she influences the one in need. The truth of the Bible exposes the lies that lead to destruction. The metaphors and parables of Scripture help one to look at life in a different way. Baptism, The Lord's Supper, fellowship, music, meditation and the offerings help people to experience the love, grace, beauty and power of God as they grow in faith.
The tools in the Christian's "counselor toolbox" should not be used in a utilitarian way, but should be a way of life to the Christian himself. It is in this way that these become powerful interventions and dynamic influences to bring about change to those who are open to it. Did you ever think you would be a counselor?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Friday, December 25, 2009
A COMMUNION MEDITATION: JESUS CELEBRATED HANUKKAH
It was the feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon (John 10:22-23).
I would have never given a second thought to these verses had I not traveled to the Holy Land two years ago in the winter. The temperature was probably in the thirties that day, that is one of the reasons John said it was winter. It was also time for the feast of the Dedication, not a religious holiday as spelled out in the Old Testament Law, but a Fourth-of-July like holiday that reminded the Jews of God's provision for them as a people.
Atiochus Epiphanes was king of the Seleucid empire, which included the land of Palestine at that time. The culture of the empire was Greek. One of the unintended consequenses of Alexander the Great's conquests was to spread Greek culture from Europe to India. Eventually, Greek became the official language of the Roman empire. One of the purposes of the 10 cities of the Decapolis in the northeastern area of Palestine, even in Roman times, was for the preservation and promotion of Greek culture.
In any case, Greek customs and religion were completely incompatible with the faith of the Jews. Greek culture promoted nudity, homosexuality, worshipping images of many gods, lack of dietary restrictions. Jewish religion was absolutely unacceptable to Greeks because they viewed circumcision as sinful and they did not believe in the one true God. The last straw that brought rebellion in 167 B.C. was when Epiphanes sacrificed a pig on the alter in the temple. Led by the Maccabee family, the Jews were able to drive the Seleucid's out of Palestine and the Jews had their own country and temple back.
The temple had to be sanctified and rededicated. To do this there had to be a dedicated supply of olive oil to light the lights of the temple. The Jews only had a one-day supply, but it would take eight days to prepare a dedicated supply to renew the lights. Miraculously, the one-day supply lasted eight days. As a result of God's provision the lights were able to keep burning. To this day, for eight days in December, the Jews memorialize Hanukka, which means, "to dedicate."
Communion, like Hanukka, is a time of rededication. It is rededicating the temple of our lives, by renewing covenant with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord. The celebration of the Lord's Supper is the Christian Hanukka, the Christian dedication.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
I would have never given a second thought to these verses had I not traveled to the Holy Land two years ago in the winter. The temperature was probably in the thirties that day, that is one of the reasons John said it was winter. It was also time for the feast of the Dedication, not a religious holiday as spelled out in the Old Testament Law, but a Fourth-of-July like holiday that reminded the Jews of God's provision for them as a people.
Atiochus Epiphanes was king of the Seleucid empire, which included the land of Palestine at that time. The culture of the empire was Greek. One of the unintended consequenses of Alexander the Great's conquests was to spread Greek culture from Europe to India. Eventually, Greek became the official language of the Roman empire. One of the purposes of the 10 cities of the Decapolis in the northeastern area of Palestine, even in Roman times, was for the preservation and promotion of Greek culture.
In any case, Greek customs and religion were completely incompatible with the faith of the Jews. Greek culture promoted nudity, homosexuality, worshipping images of many gods, lack of dietary restrictions. Jewish religion was absolutely unacceptable to Greeks because they viewed circumcision as sinful and they did not believe in the one true God. The last straw that brought rebellion in 167 B.C. was when Epiphanes sacrificed a pig on the alter in the temple. Led by the Maccabee family, the Jews were able to drive the Seleucid's out of Palestine and the Jews had their own country and temple back.
The temple had to be sanctified and rededicated. To do this there had to be a dedicated supply of olive oil to light the lights of the temple. The Jews only had a one-day supply, but it would take eight days to prepare a dedicated supply to renew the lights. Miraculously, the one-day supply lasted eight days. As a result of God's provision the lights were able to keep burning. To this day, for eight days in December, the Jews memorialize Hanukka, which means, "to dedicate."
Communion, like Hanukka, is a time of rededication. It is rededicating the temple of our lives, by renewing covenant with God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord. The celebration of the Lord's Supper is the Christian Hanukka, the Christian dedication.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS
And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:10-11).
He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be morning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:3b-4).
There shall no more be anything accursed . . . (Revelation 22:3a).
What would the world be like without Christmas? It would be a world without joy because it would be a world without hope; the hope that only Jesus the Christ can bring. One of the reasons that Jesus is our hope is because Jesus fulfills prophecy--every Old Testament prophecy about the first coming of the Messiah has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Another reason that Jesus the Messiah is our hope is that he has conquered death in his resurrection from the dead. This means, of course, that his word is true and his promises are true and that death is NOT THE LAST WORD!
Another reason that Jesus Christ is our hope is the dynamic change in the lives of those who believe in him and submit to his lordship. They have experienced the love of Christ and thus love others. Tertullian noted that nonChristians said about Christians, "See how they love one another" (Tertullian was a 3rd century Latin church father). The lives of believers begin to take on the character of Christ because the Holy Spirit is at work in their lives.
No wonder Isaac Watts wrote: Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her king. Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room, and heav'n and nature sing.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found! Far as, far as the curse is found.
Not all has been realized yet, but it soon will be.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be morning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:3b-4).
There shall no more be anything accursed . . . (Revelation 22:3a).
What would the world be like without Christmas? It would be a world without joy because it would be a world without hope; the hope that only Jesus the Christ can bring. One of the reasons that Jesus is our hope is because Jesus fulfills prophecy--every Old Testament prophecy about the first coming of the Messiah has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Another reason that Jesus the Messiah is our hope is that he has conquered death in his resurrection from the dead. This means, of course, that his word is true and his promises are true and that death is NOT THE LAST WORD!
Another reason that Jesus Christ is our hope is the dynamic change in the lives of those who believe in him and submit to his lordship. They have experienced the love of Christ and thus love others. Tertullian noted that nonChristians said about Christians, "See how they love one another" (Tertullian was a 3rd century Latin church father). The lives of believers begin to take on the character of Christ because the Holy Spirit is at work in their lives.
No wonder Isaac Watts wrote: Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her king. Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room, and heav'n and nature sing.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found! Far as, far as the curse is found.
Not all has been realized yet, but it soon will be.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
BURIAL OR CREMATION?
So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body (I Corinthians 15:42-44).
So glorify God in your body ( I Corinthians 6:20b).
My purpose is not to say that the cremation of a dead body is a sin, rather it is to make one think about which option communicates the Christian hope the best.
There are a number of pragmatic reasons who one might choose cremation, lower cost being the chief one. When a natural disaster strikes and hundreds, even thousands, of deaths result, one of the best ways to avoid disease caused by decaying bodies is cremation. Cremation is a practical option of dealing with a dead body; however, the growing prevalence of cremation seems to be an indication of a more secular worldview.
In ancient Greek philosophy, the body was viewed as evil and the soul/spirit was viewed as being good. When a person died, the Greeks believed the good soul/spirit was released from the evil body. As a result, the body was not important to them. In contrast, the Bible teaches that a living soul is the result of the spirit entering the body. The body is as essential to the soul as the spirit (Genesis 2:7). Thus, in Judaeu-Christian history there was always respect for the body. The hope of Christians also includes the resurrection of the body--it is not Christian to look forward to eternity as disembodied spirits.
When a person has a choice as to how to dispose of his body, which method of disposal best fits the Christian hope? My cemetery plot faces east under the shadow of a blue spruce tree ready for the Great Resurrection Day!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
So glorify God in your body ( I Corinthians 6:20b).
My purpose is not to say that the cremation of a dead body is a sin, rather it is to make one think about which option communicates the Christian hope the best.
There are a number of pragmatic reasons who one might choose cremation, lower cost being the chief one. When a natural disaster strikes and hundreds, even thousands, of deaths result, one of the best ways to avoid disease caused by decaying bodies is cremation. Cremation is a practical option of dealing with a dead body; however, the growing prevalence of cremation seems to be an indication of a more secular worldview.
In ancient Greek philosophy, the body was viewed as evil and the soul/spirit was viewed as being good. When a person died, the Greeks believed the good soul/spirit was released from the evil body. As a result, the body was not important to them. In contrast, the Bible teaches that a living soul is the result of the spirit entering the body. The body is as essential to the soul as the spirit (Genesis 2:7). Thus, in Judaeu-Christian history there was always respect for the body. The hope of Christians also includes the resurrection of the body--it is not Christian to look forward to eternity as disembodied spirits.
When a person has a choice as to how to dispose of his body, which method of disposal best fits the Christian hope? My cemetery plot faces east under the shadow of a blue spruce tree ready for the Great Resurrection Day!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
WHO WERE THE PILGRIMS?
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God . . . (Psalms 147:7).
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread, and when he had given thenks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body" (Luke 22:17-20).
And all the angels stood around the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen" (Revelation 7:11-12).
Who were the Pilgrims? During this Thanksgiving holiday, one would do well to "google" "Who were the Pilgrims?" and find out--it is my research for what follows.
They were called protestants, puritans, seperatists, and interestingly enough, Calvinists, but William Bradford, signer of the Mayflower Compact and second governor of the Plymouth Colony, called them "The Lord's free people." Bradford went on to say that they joined themselves in the "fellowship of the gospel, to walk in all His ways made known, or to be made known to them." Bradford also said that " They knew they were pilgrims, and looked not so much on those things, but lifted their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country."
The Pilgrims left England and settled in Holland because there they found religious freedom, but they also found a worldliness that was infecting their children. So it was decided that they would sell their possessions to finance a voyage to the new world where they could religious freedom and raise their families within the culture of faith. Even with the sale of their possessions, the Pilgrims could not finance the voyage to the New World, so they found investors to help finance their venture. The investors insisted on a communal arrangement where each family drew equally from a common store. The Pilgrims resisted, insisting on the Biblical principal, "As ye sow, so shall ye reap." It was not until the third year after their arrival, after two years of failure of the communal arrangement, that the Pilgrims reaped a bountiful harvest. Each family was assigned a plot of their own and each family prospered. It also must be noted that were it not for the Divine provision of the Native Americans, the Pilgrims might not have made it to the third year.
No matter how much privation, hardship and death that the Pilgrims suffered, they believed that it was the hand of Divine Providence that brought them to America and they were thankful for freedom! Freedom that was dearly paid for by our forefathers should not be easily squandered by their sons. We who have enjoyed the blessings of liberty are squandering it in ingratitude.
The Pilgrims understood that this world was not their home, that they were just passing through to a better country where the builder and maker is God. Thank God, our best days are yet ahead!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread, and when he had given thenks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body" (Luke 22:17-20).
And all the angels stood around the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen" (Revelation 7:11-12).
Who were the Pilgrims? During this Thanksgiving holiday, one would do well to "google" "Who were the Pilgrims?" and find out--it is my research for what follows.
They were called protestants, puritans, seperatists, and interestingly enough, Calvinists, but William Bradford, signer of the Mayflower Compact and second governor of the Plymouth Colony, called them "The Lord's free people." Bradford went on to say that they joined themselves in the "fellowship of the gospel, to walk in all His ways made known, or to be made known to them." Bradford also said that " They knew they were pilgrims, and looked not so much on those things, but lifted their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country."
The Pilgrims left England and settled in Holland because there they found religious freedom, but they also found a worldliness that was infecting their children. So it was decided that they would sell their possessions to finance a voyage to the new world where they could religious freedom and raise their families within the culture of faith. Even with the sale of their possessions, the Pilgrims could not finance the voyage to the New World, so they found investors to help finance their venture. The investors insisted on a communal arrangement where each family drew equally from a common store. The Pilgrims resisted, insisting on the Biblical principal, "As ye sow, so shall ye reap." It was not until the third year after their arrival, after two years of failure of the communal arrangement, that the Pilgrims reaped a bountiful harvest. Each family was assigned a plot of their own and each family prospered. It also must be noted that were it not for the Divine provision of the Native Americans, the Pilgrims might not have made it to the third year.
No matter how much privation, hardship and death that the Pilgrims suffered, they believed that it was the hand of Divine Providence that brought them to America and they were thankful for freedom! Freedom that was dearly paid for by our forefathers should not be easily squandered by their sons. We who have enjoyed the blessings of liberty are squandering it in ingratitude.
The Pilgrims understood that this world was not their home, that they were just passing through to a better country where the builder and maker is God. Thank God, our best days are yet ahead!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
GOD HAS QUESTIONS FOR YOU
Nearly everyone I know has questions for God--I have a few myself. But did you know that God has some questions for you? Perhaps if we took some time to answer God's questions we would have a better understanding of God.
1. Where are you? (Genesis 3:9). The context of this question is Adam and Eve hiding from God. In our shameless secular age, very few stop to consider where truly they are and what it means to be where they are. Are you nothing but an accident living in a purposeless universe that spontaneously generated out of nothing, or, do you live in a purposeful universe for a purpose? Is there a God to whom you are accountable? Where are you in your relationship with him?
2. Where is . . . your brother? (Genesis 4:9). The context of this question is when Cain killed his brother, Abel. Most of the suffering in the world is caused by jealousy and hate, and the simple neglect of our brothers and sisters because we have better things to do with our time and money. God holds each of us responsible to help our fellow man. I belive that it is a prominent teaching of the Bible that a person has never served God if he has not served his fellow man.
3. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which does not satisfy? (Isaiah 55:2). Much of the stress and strife in this life is self-imposed. We strive after the things that do not really matter. We strive for the dessert and neglect the nourishing food that gives life and peace. How foolish is it to disregard what is essential for life to labor and sweat for empty nutrition? When we do that we become spiritual diabetics.
4. But who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:15). Jesus asked his disciples who he was, and he askes you the same question. How will you answer? In this age of multiculturalism, as in Jesus' time, many answers will be given. God, through the prophet Elijah, asked this question: How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him (I Kings 18:21). Salvation depends on how you answer these questions. A young male nurse asked me why I was a Christian. Because of the circumstances I could only give the short answer, but here it is, "Jesus Christ has risen from the dead." He alone has power over death.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
1. Where are you? (Genesis 3:9). The context of this question is Adam and Eve hiding from God. In our shameless secular age, very few stop to consider where truly they are and what it means to be where they are. Are you nothing but an accident living in a purposeless universe that spontaneously generated out of nothing, or, do you live in a purposeful universe for a purpose? Is there a God to whom you are accountable? Where are you in your relationship with him?
2. Where is . . . your brother? (Genesis 4:9). The context of this question is when Cain killed his brother, Abel. Most of the suffering in the world is caused by jealousy and hate, and the simple neglect of our brothers and sisters because we have better things to do with our time and money. God holds each of us responsible to help our fellow man. I belive that it is a prominent teaching of the Bible that a person has never served God if he has not served his fellow man.
3. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which does not satisfy? (Isaiah 55:2). Much of the stress and strife in this life is self-imposed. We strive after the things that do not really matter. We strive for the dessert and neglect the nourishing food that gives life and peace. How foolish is it to disregard what is essential for life to labor and sweat for empty nutrition? When we do that we become spiritual diabetics.
4. But who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:15). Jesus asked his disciples who he was, and he askes you the same question. How will you answer? In this age of multiculturalism, as in Jesus' time, many answers will be given. God, through the prophet Elijah, asked this question: How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him (I Kings 18:21). Salvation depends on how you answer these questions. A young male nurse asked me why I was a Christian. Because of the circumstances I could only give the short answer, but here it is, "Jesus Christ has risen from the dead." He alone has power over death.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Thursday, November 12, 2009
THE PRESENT HOLOCAUST
For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy Works! Thou knowest me right well; my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them (Psalms 139:13-16 RSV).
For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? (Matthew 16:25-26a).
Since the Jewish holocaust, when Hitler exterminated six million Jews, the civilized world vowed it would never happen again. So how is it that we can be blind to the present holocaust of the unborn in America? In several cities the number of abortions exceeds the number of live births. The frightening logic of the "intellectual elites" is that abortion is never wrong because the unborn baby is completely dependent on the mother and therefore not a person. They believe that personhood does not arrive until the baby is three years old. There is not any mother with an ounce of compassion who believes her unborn to pre-three-year-old child is not a person! That logic would contend that old king Herod was not such a bad guy after all. His killing of the two-year-old boys was just a post-birth abortion.
The argument that a person is a non-person served the slavers, Hitler, Stalin, and Mao well. It allowed each of these leaders to exterminate millions upon millions of people and it allows abortionists to exterminate three babies perminute without a pang of conscience. This is all done in the name of "quality of life." Babies are being killed for such trivial reasons as "It will come during a planned vacation," or "It is the wrong gender." When the baby is referred to as an "it," then the baby is depersonified. DO NOT REFER THE BABY AS AN "IT!!!"
In ancient times babies were sacrificed to idols. As the influence of Christianity fades, babies are again sacrificed to the idols of convenience, personal peace, prosperity, pleasure and fornication. Ancient Christians saved the unwanted babies. Modern Christians can at least speak up for them during the present holocaust! Make your voice and your vote count!! Our politicians need to know that innocent life is not negotiable.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? (Matthew 16:25-26a).
Since the Jewish holocaust, when Hitler exterminated six million Jews, the civilized world vowed it would never happen again. So how is it that we can be blind to the present holocaust of the unborn in America? In several cities the number of abortions exceeds the number of live births. The frightening logic of the "intellectual elites" is that abortion is never wrong because the unborn baby is completely dependent on the mother and therefore not a person. They believe that personhood does not arrive until the baby is three years old. There is not any mother with an ounce of compassion who believes her unborn to pre-three-year-old child is not a person! That logic would contend that old king Herod was not such a bad guy after all. His killing of the two-year-old boys was just a post-birth abortion.
The argument that a person is a non-person served the slavers, Hitler, Stalin, and Mao well. It allowed each of these leaders to exterminate millions upon millions of people and it allows abortionists to exterminate three babies perminute without a pang of conscience. This is all done in the name of "quality of life." Babies are being killed for such trivial reasons as "It will come during a planned vacation," or "It is the wrong gender." When the baby is referred to as an "it," then the baby is depersonified. DO NOT REFER THE BABY AS AN "IT!!!"
In ancient times babies were sacrificed to idols. As the influence of Christianity fades, babies are again sacrificed to the idols of convenience, personal peace, prosperity, pleasure and fornication. Ancient Christians saved the unwanted babies. Modern Christians can at least speak up for them during the present holocaust! Make your voice and your vote count!! Our politicians need to know that innocent life is not negotiable.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Thursday, November 05, 2009
SEVENTEEN SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES FOR LIFE
The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid (Hebrews 13:6).
What follows is a list of strategies that I have tried to implement in my life. I think they will bless anyone who makes use of them too:
1. Read the Bible, study it, and pray every day.
2. Exercise (physical training) every day except for Sunday.
3. Plan your day. Do not allow fear to determine the course of your life.
4. Be happy!
5. Understand your weaknesses--do not allow them to define you.
6. In every problem ask the question, "What does God want me to learn from this?" then be ready to listen to His Word, His people and life experience. God intends for us to be life-long learners!
7. Have an attitude of gratitude!!!
8. Memorize God's Word.
9. Be positive in actions, dress and speech!
10. Always do a little more than is required--"What more can I do for you, Mrs. Steele?"
11. Refuse to use the words "impossible" and "can't."
12. Learn to live with criticism.
13. Refuse to drive a BMW--bitch, moan and whine! This includes "self-talk"!
14. Be willing to start over.
15. Smile a lot!
16. Remember, people are not the problem--satan and his minions are.
17. Show agape, loving others with the love of Christ.
My tendency is to look at life through "dark glasses" so these are the basic strategies I try to use to help correct my vision. They will work for you too.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
What follows is a list of strategies that I have tried to implement in my life. I think they will bless anyone who makes use of them too:
1. Read the Bible, study it, and pray every day.
2. Exercise (physical training) every day except for Sunday.
3. Plan your day. Do not allow fear to determine the course of your life.
4. Be happy!
5. Understand your weaknesses--do not allow them to define you.
6. In every problem ask the question, "What does God want me to learn from this?" then be ready to listen to His Word, His people and life experience. God intends for us to be life-long learners!
7. Have an attitude of gratitude!!!
8. Memorize God's Word.
9. Be positive in actions, dress and speech!
10. Always do a little more than is required--"What more can I do for you, Mrs. Steele?"
11. Refuse to use the words "impossible" and "can't."
12. Learn to live with criticism.
13. Refuse to drive a BMW--bitch, moan and whine! This includes "self-talk"!
14. Be willing to start over.
15. Smile a lot!
16. Remember, people are not the problem--satan and his minions are.
17. Show agape, loving others with the love of Christ.
My tendency is to look at life through "dark glasses" so these are the basic strategies I try to use to help correct my vision. They will work for you too.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
ALTRUISM OR AGAPE?
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:12,13).
But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Most authorities define altruism as a consideration of other people without any thought of self as a principle of conduct. Altruism is a modern secular humanist concept, which attempts to describe selflessness as an evolved trait rather than a spiritual one. It is the secular version of the Christian concept of agape love, agape being the Greek word from which the word love is translated in the cited texts. Being created in the image of God, one of the characteristics of man is that he has the capability to be truly selfless and self-sacrificing, and once in a while, he actually displays it.
Denying the creation, the biological evolutionist combs the earth for animals that display altruism in their social life. If man is to be explained in evolutionary terms, his behavior has to be explained as well. But how does self-sacrificing behavior evolve? Wouldn't those organisms with the self-sacrificing trait extinguish themselves? What benefit is there in being self-sacrificing? Evolutionists cannot explain altruism.
Altruism is the reduction of agape into nothing but an evolved trait--it is cold and sterile. True agape is God's love, and when a human being expresses it, it is high praise to God who made him in his own image. The expression of agape is what makes us fully human and it is to be the dominant characteristic of God's children.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Most authorities define altruism as a consideration of other people without any thought of self as a principle of conduct. Altruism is a modern secular humanist concept, which attempts to describe selflessness as an evolved trait rather than a spiritual one. It is the secular version of the Christian concept of agape love, agape being the Greek word from which the word love is translated in the cited texts. Being created in the image of God, one of the characteristics of man is that he has the capability to be truly selfless and self-sacrificing, and once in a while, he actually displays it.
Denying the creation, the biological evolutionist combs the earth for animals that display altruism in their social life. If man is to be explained in evolutionary terms, his behavior has to be explained as well. But how does self-sacrificing behavior evolve? Wouldn't those organisms with the self-sacrificing trait extinguish themselves? What benefit is there in being self-sacrificing? Evolutionists cannot explain altruism.
Altruism is the reduction of agape into nothing but an evolved trait--it is cold and sterile. True agape is God's love, and when a human being expresses it, it is high praise to God who made him in his own image. The expression of agape is what makes us fully human and it is to be the dominant characteristic of God's children.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Thursday, October 29, 2009
HOME WHERE WE BELONG
In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (John 14:2).
It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found (Luke 15:32).
. . . Home . . . remains in the mind as a place where reunion, if it were ever to occur, would happen . . . It is about restoration of the right relations among things--and going home is where that restoration occurs, because that is where it matters most (A. Bartlett Giamatti).
It has been said that you cannot go home again, but if that is true, what do you do when you have to go home again? Things can never be as they once were because life goes on. Births, deaths, illness, weddings, divorces, new friendships, changing financial fortunes, and changing techonologies make life different, so, one can never really go home again. However, isn't it strange that with all the changes it seems that family themes tend to replay over and over again? Conflicted, cut-off, over-involved and abusive relationships, divorces, addictions, mental illnesses are some of the themes that are recycled through the generations in dysfunctional families.
Why would a person have to go home? It may be to forgive or it may be to be forgiven; it may be to support and encourage or it may be to be supported and encouraged, but in every case, one should go home to gain understanding. Sometimes actually going home can be dangerous, so having someone to help with interpreting family experiences might be the only way to go home, but it will pay dividends on the journey to the home where we belong.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found (Luke 15:32).
. . . Home . . . remains in the mind as a place where reunion, if it were ever to occur, would happen . . . It is about restoration of the right relations among things--and going home is where that restoration occurs, because that is where it matters most (A. Bartlett Giamatti).
It has been said that you cannot go home again, but if that is true, what do you do when you have to go home again? Things can never be as they once were because life goes on. Births, deaths, illness, weddings, divorces, new friendships, changing financial fortunes, and changing techonologies make life different, so, one can never really go home again. However, isn't it strange that with all the changes it seems that family themes tend to replay over and over again? Conflicted, cut-off, over-involved and abusive relationships, divorces, addictions, mental illnesses are some of the themes that are recycled through the generations in dysfunctional families.
Why would a person have to go home? It may be to forgive or it may be to be forgiven; it may be to support and encourage or it may be to be supported and encouraged, but in every case, one should go home to gain understanding. Sometimes actually going home can be dangerous, so having someone to help with interpreting family experiences might be the only way to go home, but it will pay dividends on the journey to the home where we belong.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Friday, October 23, 2009
DYNAMICS OF CHANGE: FELLOWSHIP
And they devoted themselves to . . . fellowship . . . (Acts 2:42).
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Do not be deceived, "Bad company ruins good morals" (I Corinthians 15:33).
Fellowship is a relationship of people that results from shared faith and share values--both positively and negatively. One of the indicators of a person's character and potential for success is the kind of people he or she hangs out with because a person tends to hang out with those who are of like mind. If you want to change then change the kind of people with whom you spend most of your time. It has been said that the first step to becoming rich is to begin to hang around rich people because one learns from and is encouraged by those with whom he or she spends most of their time.
Fellowship was one of the priorities of the first-century Church; they were devoted to it. In the twenty-first century Church, fellowship has to remain a priority! The challenges to remain faithful to Christ are just as difficult as ever so the relational support of fellow Christians is more important than ever. Dr. Larry Crabb wrote a book called Connecting. In it he said with regard to helping people change, If we advise them to live more consistently with biblical principles without offering meaningful connection, we leave them frustrated (p. 45). Christian relationships, themselves, are needed for change. It is not just about sharing knowledge and techniques of change, it is about sharing one's self. Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are family; we must take that seriously! We are to have a family relationship that is safe and secure for it is in that environment that there can be change, growth and healing.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
PS. A dynamic is a powerful influence. I have used each one of these dynamics in my counseling practice to bring about change. It is not uncommon for the counselee to resist these dynamics because God has given each person the freedom to make choices so that love can be freely given from the heart rather than being forced by an irresistible power.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Do not be deceived, "Bad company ruins good morals" (I Corinthians 15:33).
Fellowship is a relationship of people that results from shared faith and share values--both positively and negatively. One of the indicators of a person's character and potential for success is the kind of people he or she hangs out with because a person tends to hang out with those who are of like mind. If you want to change then change the kind of people with whom you spend most of your time. It has been said that the first step to becoming rich is to begin to hang around rich people because one learns from and is encouraged by those with whom he or she spends most of their time.
Fellowship was one of the priorities of the first-century Church; they were devoted to it. In the twenty-first century Church, fellowship has to remain a priority! The challenges to remain faithful to Christ are just as difficult as ever so the relational support of fellow Christians is more important than ever. Dr. Larry Crabb wrote a book called Connecting. In it he said with regard to helping people change, If we advise them to live more consistently with biblical principles without offering meaningful connection, we leave them frustrated (p. 45). Christian relationships, themselves, are needed for change. It is not just about sharing knowledge and techniques of change, it is about sharing one's self. Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are family; we must take that seriously! We are to have a family relationship that is safe and secure for it is in that environment that there can be change, growth and healing.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
PS. A dynamic is a powerful influence. I have used each one of these dynamics in my counseling practice to bring about change. It is not uncommon for the counselee to resist these dynamics because God has given each person the freedom to make choices so that love can be freely given from the heart rather than being forced by an irresistible power.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
DYNAMICS OF CHANGE: ORDEAL
I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out upon you; and your sandals have not worn off your feet; you have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink; that you may know that I am the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 29:5-6).
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed (I Peter 4:12-13).
An ordeal has to do with pain; if there is no pain there is no ordeal. An ordeal can be a religious ritual, a rite of passage or a psychotherapeutic intervention. Whatever the context of an ordeal, the purpose of it is to test character or to help a person relinquish a problem behavior rather than to hold on to it.*
My dad believed in spanking and he did a lot of it. When I was a kid, if I made it through a week without a spanking I thought it to be a big deal. This information is important to this little story. When I was in third grade, I used to ride my bike to my friend's house. He would steal some of his dad's cigarettes and my friend and I would have a great time smoking them. One day at school one of the boys in my class brought some cigarettes. After lunch we went behind the bus barn and smoked. We were caught. Part of our discipline was for us to tell our parents what we had done. Having older siblings who already knew about it, there was no way I could escape telling them. Knowing that I was facing the spanking of my life, in tears, I told dad and mom what I had done. That evening my dad did some of the best parenting in his life when he asked, "Are you going to do it again?" I sobbed, "No." Then he said, "If you mean it, then this is over." From that day to this I have never smoked anything, keeping my promise, though I have been severely tempted. Literally, it was my dad's severe discipline that saved my life because my life would have already ended if I would have become addicted to smoking tobacco. **
Grace&Peace;
Tom
*See Jay Haley, Ordeal Therapy, Josey-Bass, 1984.
**Spanking is one of the tools of discipline, not a response of anger.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed (I Peter 4:12-13).
An ordeal has to do with pain; if there is no pain there is no ordeal. An ordeal can be a religious ritual, a rite of passage or a psychotherapeutic intervention. Whatever the context of an ordeal, the purpose of it is to test character or to help a person relinquish a problem behavior rather than to hold on to it.*
My dad believed in spanking and he did a lot of it. When I was a kid, if I made it through a week without a spanking I thought it to be a big deal. This information is important to this little story. When I was in third grade, I used to ride my bike to my friend's house. He would steal some of his dad's cigarettes and my friend and I would have a great time smoking them. One day at school one of the boys in my class brought some cigarettes. After lunch we went behind the bus barn and smoked. We were caught. Part of our discipline was for us to tell our parents what we had done. Having older siblings who already knew about it, there was no way I could escape telling them. Knowing that I was facing the spanking of my life, in tears, I told dad and mom what I had done. That evening my dad did some of the best parenting in his life when he asked, "Are you going to do it again?" I sobbed, "No." Then he said, "If you mean it, then this is over." From that day to this I have never smoked anything, keeping my promise, though I have been severely tempted. Literally, it was my dad's severe discipline that saved my life because my life would have already ended if I would have become addicted to smoking tobacco. **
Grace&Peace;
Tom
*See Jay Haley, Ordeal Therapy, Josey-Bass, 1984.
**Spanking is one of the tools of discipline, not a response of anger.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
DYNAMICS OF CHANGE: ADVENTURE
And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us; for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few," And his armor-bearer said to to him, "Do all that your mind inclines to; behold, I am with you, as is your mind so is mine" (I Samuel 14:6-7).
It's just nuts! Jonathan and his armor bearer decide to take on a garrison of the Philistines. Most likely, Jonathan knew the story of how Gideon's three hundred men took on thousands of Midianites and won--if one is on God's side, numbers do not matter. As a result, Jonathan and his armor bearer's adventure brought a great military victory to Israel.
There is always a risk in an adventure and if there is no risk there is no adventure. It is that simple. For people who suffer from anxiety it seems as if all of life is a risk, and more than any, these are the ones who should challenge themselves with an adventure. It is difficult to lead a successful life if one imprisons one's self in a stockade of security. For the anxious, adventure of itself has value, but I believe it needs to be emphasized that adventure is to be pursued with the purpose of Christ in view.
Purposeful adventure might seem like a waste of money, but every person's faith and courage must be challenged if they are to grow. The purpose of Jonathan's adventure was the saving of Israel. The purpose of your adventure might be to save your family, your church or your nation, or perhaps, even yourself for his service. Though salvation is a gift of grace, the children of God cannot be content to be ineffective. And, it is certainly not God's will that we play it safe!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
It's just nuts! Jonathan and his armor bearer decide to take on a garrison of the Philistines. Most likely, Jonathan knew the story of how Gideon's three hundred men took on thousands of Midianites and won--if one is on God's side, numbers do not matter. As a result, Jonathan and his armor bearer's adventure brought a great military victory to Israel.
There is always a risk in an adventure and if there is no risk there is no adventure. It is that simple. For people who suffer from anxiety it seems as if all of life is a risk, and more than any, these are the ones who should challenge themselves with an adventure. It is difficult to lead a successful life if one imprisons one's self in a stockade of security. For the anxious, adventure of itself has value, but I believe it needs to be emphasized that adventure is to be pursued with the purpose of Christ in view.
Purposeful adventure might seem like a waste of money, but every person's faith and courage must be challenged if they are to grow. The purpose of Jonathan's adventure was the saving of Israel. The purpose of your adventure might be to save your family, your church or your nation, or perhaps, even yourself for his service. Though salvation is a gift of grace, the children of God cannot be content to be ineffective. And, it is certainly not God's will that we play it safe!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Sunday, October 18, 2009
DYNAMICS OF CHANGE: EDUCATION*
That men may know wisdom and instruction, understand words of insight, receive instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity; that prudence may be given to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth--the wise man also may hear and increase in learning, and the man of understanding acquire skill, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles (Proverbs 1:2-6).
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37b, emphasis added).
Education increases knowledge and fosters wisdom. It is a complex world in which we live so an education is necessary to understand how it works. It was for that purpose the book of Proverbs was written. Education decreases anxiety and opens the mind to new possibilities and equips one to access opportunities that never would have existed without it.
God is not glorified by an undisciplined and ignorant mind. If we love God then it follows that the mind will be educated and disciplined. Faith in God does not glorify ignorance; God wants his people to be disciplined thinkers who can be powerfully influential by articulating their faith in a complex and unbelieving world. Not only that, God wants his people to be able to provide for the needs of their families and educated people tend to do it better. Educated parents are better equipped to break the destructive cycles of the families they came from.
The down side of much of public education is indoctrination. Though there is to be academic freedom in education, many times a grade depends on agreement with the teacher's perspective rather than truth. Many teachers and tests have a socialist, secular humanist agenda that they want their students to believe so it remains for parents to teach and model critical thinking skills to their children and to support them as they face the challenges of public education.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Dedicated to my great aunt Sylvia Scott who matriculated at the University of Mississippi as a history student when she was 90 years of age. She is my example for life-long learning.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37b, emphasis added).
Education increases knowledge and fosters wisdom. It is a complex world in which we live so an education is necessary to understand how it works. It was for that purpose the book of Proverbs was written. Education decreases anxiety and opens the mind to new possibilities and equips one to access opportunities that never would have existed without it.
God is not glorified by an undisciplined and ignorant mind. If we love God then it follows that the mind will be educated and disciplined. Faith in God does not glorify ignorance; God wants his people to be disciplined thinkers who can be powerfully influential by articulating their faith in a complex and unbelieving world. Not only that, God wants his people to be able to provide for the needs of their families and educated people tend to do it better. Educated parents are better equipped to break the destructive cycles of the families they came from.
The down side of much of public education is indoctrination. Though there is to be academic freedom in education, many times a grade depends on agreement with the teacher's perspective rather than truth. Many teachers and tests have a socialist, secular humanist agenda that they want their students to believe so it remains for parents to teach and model critical thinking skills to their children and to support them as they face the challenges of public education.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Dedicated to my great aunt Sylvia Scott who matriculated at the University of Mississippi as a history student when she was 90 years of age. She is my example for life-long learning.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
DYNAMICS OF CHANGE: FAITH
And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
Actually, every person lives by faith--there is no one without faith in something. If a person wants to change his life, he must change what he believes; it is pretty much that simple. Quite frquently, people have irrational beliefs that imprison them in a state of helplessness or negativism that can bring outright destruction into their lives. They believe: "It must be done perfectly," "I'm not smart," "I am no good," "I must fit in," "Mom would want me to do it this way," "God will only love me if I am perfect," "I should have it all," "I should not have to suffer pain," etc. These are just a few of the destructive lies that people often believe.
It is belief in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit that is true, life-changing faith, for the person who trusts in God will obey him. The person who trusts in God will worship, expressing praise and gratitude for God's blessings. The person who trusts in God will forgive as God has forgiven us. The person who trusts in God is optimistic about the future because it is in God's hands. Each one of these natural results of faith is a powerful life-changing dynamic so that the one who believes will grow in love. Faith in God does not mean that the believer will never experience pain or sorrow, but it does mean that one has a legitimate hope in the midst of pain and sorrow.
One of our prayer requests of God should be that he helps us to recognize the destructive beliefs that we cling to and that he helps us to let them go so that our faith in him can grow.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Actually, every person lives by faith--there is no one without faith in something. If a person wants to change his life, he must change what he believes; it is pretty much that simple. Quite frquently, people have irrational beliefs that imprison them in a state of helplessness or negativism that can bring outright destruction into their lives. They believe: "It must be done perfectly," "I'm not smart," "I am no good," "I must fit in," "Mom would want me to do it this way," "God will only love me if I am perfect," "I should have it all," "I should not have to suffer pain," etc. These are just a few of the destructive lies that people often believe.
It is belief in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit that is true, life-changing faith, for the person who trusts in God will obey him. The person who trusts in God will worship, expressing praise and gratitude for God's blessings. The person who trusts in God will forgive as God has forgiven us. The person who trusts in God is optimistic about the future because it is in God's hands. Each one of these natural results of faith is a powerful life-changing dynamic so that the one who believes will grow in love. Faith in God does not mean that the believer will never experience pain or sorrow, but it does mean that one has a legitimate hope in the midst of pain and sorrow.
One of our prayer requests of God should be that he helps us to recognize the destructive beliefs that we cling to and that he helps us to let them go so that our faith in him can grow.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Friday, October 16, 2009
DYNAMICS OF CHANGE: GOD
But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working still, and I am working" (John 5:17).
And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, for "In him we live and move and have our being"; as even some of your poets have said, "For we are indeed his offspring" (Acts 17:26-28).
Sometimes we are frustrated because it seems that some people or some situations never seem to change; just ask a resident of Israel or one trapped in poverty or abuse. And yet, one of the absolute certainties of life is change. If we sit and do absolutely nothing, change will come; it cannot be escaped. I am reminded of a line from the old hymn, Abide With Me: Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me. God is the only one who can make inevitable change work for his purposes.
God is the principal dynamic of change. Being sovereign, all other dynamics of change are subject to him. What is necessary is not that God is on our side, but that we are found on God's side so that when change comes it can be viewed as a blessing, no matter how much it hurts. God is always working so that his purposes will be accomplished. And, God is always working whether we believe in him or not! So, I have always tried to assure my counselees that, even if they are atheists, change will come because God is the dynamic of change so begin looking for it first in one's self.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, for "In him we live and move and have our being"; as even some of your poets have said, "For we are indeed his offspring" (Acts 17:26-28).
Sometimes we are frustrated because it seems that some people or some situations never seem to change; just ask a resident of Israel or one trapped in poverty or abuse. And yet, one of the absolute certainties of life is change. If we sit and do absolutely nothing, change will come; it cannot be escaped. I am reminded of a line from the old hymn, Abide With Me: Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me. God is the only one who can make inevitable change work for his purposes.
God is the principal dynamic of change. Being sovereign, all other dynamics of change are subject to him. What is necessary is not that God is on our side, but that we are found on God's side so that when change comes it can be viewed as a blessing, no matter how much it hurts. God is always working so that his purposes will be accomplished. And, God is always working whether we believe in him or not! So, I have always tried to assure my counselees that, even if they are atheists, change will come because God is the dynamic of change so begin looking for it first in one's self.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Monday, October 12, 2009
THE WATCHER
So we are always of good courage; we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord (II Corinthians 5:6-8).
I went to a funeral today for the wife of a friend and brother in Christ, and with whom I traveled to Romania on a short-term mission in 2003. The officiating pastor clearly expressed the Christian hope and gospel in the funeral sermon so that we might not grieve as those who have no hope grieve. On the back of the funeral folder in which the order of service and obituary is written was the following poem called, The Watcher.
She always leaned to watch for us,
Anxious if we were late,
In winter by the window,
In summer by the gate.
And though we mocked her tenderly,
Who had such foolish care,
The Long way home would seem more safe
Because she waited there.
Her thoughts were all so full of us,
She never could forget!
And so I think that where she is
She must be watching yet.
Waiting till we come home to her,
Anxious if we are late-
Watching from heaven's window,
Leaning from Heaven's gate.
--Author unknown
Perhaps the poem is just sentiment, but it accurately expresses the character of my mother, or any mother who loves her children, and does not want them to miss the glories of Heaven! I absolutely know that if it is at all possible, this is what my mother will be doing when she passes from this life to the next. Statistically speaking, I will likely die before my wife. It will be glorious to be at home with the Lord, but I will always praying for the safe entry of all my family and loved ones into the city called Heaven too.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
I went to a funeral today for the wife of a friend and brother in Christ, and with whom I traveled to Romania on a short-term mission in 2003. The officiating pastor clearly expressed the Christian hope and gospel in the funeral sermon so that we might not grieve as those who have no hope grieve. On the back of the funeral folder in which the order of service and obituary is written was the following poem called, The Watcher.
She always leaned to watch for us,
Anxious if we were late,
In winter by the window,
In summer by the gate.
And though we mocked her tenderly,
Who had such foolish care,
The Long way home would seem more safe
Because she waited there.
Her thoughts were all so full of us,
She never could forget!
And so I think that where she is
She must be watching yet.
Waiting till we come home to her,
Anxious if we are late-
Watching from heaven's window,
Leaning from Heaven's gate.
--Author unknown
Perhaps the poem is just sentiment, but it accurately expresses the character of my mother, or any mother who loves her children, and does not want them to miss the glories of Heaven! I absolutely know that if it is at all possible, this is what my mother will be doing when she passes from this life to the next. Statistically speaking, I will likely die before my wife. It will be glorious to be at home with the Lord, but I will always praying for the safe entry of all my family and loved ones into the city called Heaven too.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
HELP! I'M LOSING MY FAITH!
Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent" (John 6:29).
I believe; help my unbelief (Mark 9:24).
A member of my congregation asked, "How do you answer someone when they tell you they are losing their faith?" What follows are some of my thoughts as I answered her.
1. No one has perfect faith, so it is natural for doubts to creep into the minds of even the most devout saints from time to time. This is true when life is going well, so when it becomes difficult then doubts come much more easily.
2. When someone confesses that they are losing their faith, there is probably a lot more going on than just the confession. The loss of faith could well be a symptom of a past trauma, a heavy stress load, unresolved grief and anger. It has been reported that mother Teresa felt spiritually abandoned and cut off from God for the last fifty years of her life. She felt no presence. She felt alone, but she continued on because she believed anyway. Her experience seems to be the common experience of those who work in difficult and traumatic situations. The Lord Jesus Christ himself cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The Psalmist questioned with tears, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" Within the pages of scripture these honest expressions of doubt are allowed. God understands. This is one of the reasons I believe that the Bible is God's Word; it is real; it speaks truly of the human experience. Somtimes faith is not easy; we under estimate how hard this work of believing is. Doing God's work means believing in Jesus through extremely difficult times when believing doesn't seem to make sense.
3. Many are unbelievers because to be a believer means that they would have to change and they refuse to do that; they do not want to be born--again (Hosea 13:13).
Do not forget two things: 1. Often our feelings do not reflect the truth. 2. No one understands like Jesus.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
I believe; help my unbelief (Mark 9:24).
A member of my congregation asked, "How do you answer someone when they tell you they are losing their faith?" What follows are some of my thoughts as I answered her.
1. No one has perfect faith, so it is natural for doubts to creep into the minds of even the most devout saints from time to time. This is true when life is going well, so when it becomes difficult then doubts come much more easily.
2. When someone confesses that they are losing their faith, there is probably a lot more going on than just the confession. The loss of faith could well be a symptom of a past trauma, a heavy stress load, unresolved grief and anger. It has been reported that mother Teresa felt spiritually abandoned and cut off from God for the last fifty years of her life. She felt no presence. She felt alone, but she continued on because she believed anyway. Her experience seems to be the common experience of those who work in difficult and traumatic situations. The Lord Jesus Christ himself cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The Psalmist questioned with tears, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" Within the pages of scripture these honest expressions of doubt are allowed. God understands. This is one of the reasons I believe that the Bible is God's Word; it is real; it speaks truly of the human experience. Somtimes faith is not easy; we under estimate how hard this work of believing is. Doing God's work means believing in Jesus through extremely difficult times when believing doesn't seem to make sense.
3. Many are unbelievers because to be a believer means that they would have to change and they refuse to do that; they do not want to be born--again (Hosea 13:13).
Do not forget two things: 1. Often our feelings do not reflect the truth. 2. No one understands like Jesus.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Friday, October 02, 2009
MORE REMEDIES FOR LAZINESS
Be not among wine bibbers, or among gluttonous eaters of meat; for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags (Proverbs 23:20-21).
There are many causes of laziness; one of them might be genetic. My paternal grandmother was one who could rock her life away in the rocking chair. I think I inherited that same tendency to be a "sitter." To deal with this genetic predisposition one has to order his life so that his work is interesting and low stress.
Another cause of laziness is connected to how much we eat. Some authorities blame too much fat, while others blame too many carbs. It is my personal belief that it is simply eating too much. We all eat and drink more than we admit to eating and drinking. Both obesity and type 2 diabetes are epidemic in the United States. Both obesity and type 2 diabetes contribute to a lack of energy and lethargy. For me, too much sugar is an energy killer. Gluttony is a respectable sin, meaning that we speak too little of it in the Church. Many Christians, especially pastors, are over weight and obese. Learning to eat a healthful diet must become a priority if one is going to combat laziness!
A third cause of laziness is the lack or organizational skills. Because of this many are simply buried by their work and, as a result, give up and do not do anything. The remedy for this is difficult because of the depression that is involved in this, but basically it is this: Make life as simple as possible. Make learning organizational skills a priority. As skills increase, complexity can increase. Life should not become more complex than one's ability to organize--do not volunteer for other work if your own house is a mess.
The opposite of laziness is diligence. In Biblical use, diligence is not only persistent effort, it is working with a defined purpose, it is working with wisdom, doing what needs to be done as well as it needs to be.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
There are many causes of laziness; one of them might be genetic. My paternal grandmother was one who could rock her life away in the rocking chair. I think I inherited that same tendency to be a "sitter." To deal with this genetic predisposition one has to order his life so that his work is interesting and low stress.
Another cause of laziness is connected to how much we eat. Some authorities blame too much fat, while others blame too many carbs. It is my personal belief that it is simply eating too much. We all eat and drink more than we admit to eating and drinking. Both obesity and type 2 diabetes are epidemic in the United States. Both obesity and type 2 diabetes contribute to a lack of energy and lethargy. For me, too much sugar is an energy killer. Gluttony is a respectable sin, meaning that we speak too little of it in the Church. Many Christians, especially pastors, are over weight and obese. Learning to eat a healthful diet must become a priority if one is going to combat laziness!
A third cause of laziness is the lack or organizational skills. Because of this many are simply buried by their work and, as a result, give up and do not do anything. The remedy for this is difficult because of the depression that is involved in this, but basically it is this: Make life as simple as possible. Make learning organizational skills a priority. As skills increase, complexity can increase. Life should not become more complex than one's ability to organize--do not volunteer for other work if your own house is a mess.
The opposite of laziness is diligence. In Biblical use, diligence is not only persistent effort, it is working with a defined purpose, it is working with wisdom, doing what needs to be done as well as it needs to be.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Thursday, October 01, 2009
LAZINESS REMEDIES
I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content (Philippians 4:11b).
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations . . . (Matthew 28:19a).
I believe one of Newton's laws of motion goes something like this: A body at rest tends to stay at rest. I do not know that anyone has a method of motivating people that works every time, but one thing that every person must do, especially the lazy, is to examine his own philosophy of life, or world-view. Why should a person work in the first place? What would the world be like if everyone sat around and procrastinated and waited for the other person to do it? We would still be living in caves. In most situations, God answers our prayers through diligent work.
One of the blessings of salvation in Jesus Christ is that we are rescued from the wasted effort and futility of sin. In Christ, every effort for him counts. In Christ, it is easier to be diligent because life is now about the Lord, it is not about me. Diligence is more than persistence; it is working with wisdon and doing a job as well as it needs to be done.* When one is wise about work it takes less effort; a diligent person, at times, can look kind of lazy.
Defining success is different to those who possess salvation. The accumulation of wealth is not the primary pursuit of the Christian. Success is defined by how we serve the Savior. Our service to the Savior is a team effort as we work with brothers and sisters in Christ to reach out to the lost, the poor, the orphans, the widowed and the abused. Working is much easier when it is a team effort than it is when one is working alone, and can actually be enjoyable.
My advice for those who battle laziness is to come to a clear understanding of why you need to work and of whom you are working for, Jesus Christ. As much as possible, team up with someone else, you can accomplish more and it is more enjoyable. And, work with diligence--that means there will be much less wasted effort.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*For the obsessive-compulsives, you will drive yourselves nuts if you believe a job has to be done perfectly every time. It only needs to be done as well as it needs to be.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations . . . (Matthew 28:19a).
I believe one of Newton's laws of motion goes something like this: A body at rest tends to stay at rest. I do not know that anyone has a method of motivating people that works every time, but one thing that every person must do, especially the lazy, is to examine his own philosophy of life, or world-view. Why should a person work in the first place? What would the world be like if everyone sat around and procrastinated and waited for the other person to do it? We would still be living in caves. In most situations, God answers our prayers through diligent work.
One of the blessings of salvation in Jesus Christ is that we are rescued from the wasted effort and futility of sin. In Christ, every effort for him counts. In Christ, it is easier to be diligent because life is now about the Lord, it is not about me. Diligence is more than persistence; it is working with wisdon and doing a job as well as it needs to be done.* When one is wise about work it takes less effort; a diligent person, at times, can look kind of lazy.
Defining success is different to those who possess salvation. The accumulation of wealth is not the primary pursuit of the Christian. Success is defined by how we serve the Savior. Our service to the Savior is a team effort as we work with brothers and sisters in Christ to reach out to the lost, the poor, the orphans, the widowed and the abused. Working is much easier when it is a team effort than it is when one is working alone, and can actually be enjoyable.
My advice for those who battle laziness is to come to a clear understanding of why you need to work and of whom you are working for, Jesus Christ. As much as possible, team up with someone else, you can accomplish more and it is more enjoyable. And, work with diligence--that means there will be much less wasted effort.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*For the obsessive-compulsives, you will drive yourselves nuts if you believe a job has to be done perfectly every time. It only needs to be done as well as it needs to be.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
DEFINING LAZINESS
A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the dilegent makes rich (Proverbs 10:4).
Defining laziness is not as easy as it might seem, because there a quite a number of factors that are involved in it. For instance, some do not have the intellect and understanding to know how to do effective work. As a result, they cannot access the productive working world. Are they lazy? Some have physical disorders that leave them feeling low on energy so that any physical exertion leaves them feeling fatigued and exhausted. Are they lazy? Some have psychological disorders so that they are not able to focus on their work. Are they lazy? In each of these instances the technical answer is "yes" and they will suffer the practical consequence of laziness which is poverty. However, in each of these cases, each one of these people could have a will to work, so, no they are not lazy.
Can it be that the busiest man in town is lazy? I have seen people busily doing good things while neglecting the most important things. Are they lazy? Can it be that the person who thinks he is above certain kinds of work is lazy? He thinks that a person with a college degree or a graduate degree is above doing menial work; is that laziness? In both of these instances, though there has been accomplishment, they have not the will to do what is needed, so, yes, they are lazy and could suffer the logical consequence of laziness.
A dictionary definition of lazy is, With little will to work; lack of exertion (Webster). I believe the "will to work" plays a much bigger role in laziness than the "lack of exertion." Laziness begins with the will, with the decision as to whether or not one will work because it is true that some work harder at not working than if they would have done the job in the first place. It is also interesting to me that a lazy person often thinks of himself as being very busy.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Defining laziness is not as easy as it might seem, because there a quite a number of factors that are involved in it. For instance, some do not have the intellect and understanding to know how to do effective work. As a result, they cannot access the productive working world. Are they lazy? Some have physical disorders that leave them feeling low on energy so that any physical exertion leaves them feeling fatigued and exhausted. Are they lazy? Some have psychological disorders so that they are not able to focus on their work. Are they lazy? In each of these instances the technical answer is "yes" and they will suffer the practical consequence of laziness which is poverty. However, in each of these cases, each one of these people could have a will to work, so, no they are not lazy.
Can it be that the busiest man in town is lazy? I have seen people busily doing good things while neglecting the most important things. Are they lazy? Can it be that the person who thinks he is above certain kinds of work is lazy? He thinks that a person with a college degree or a graduate degree is above doing menial work; is that laziness? In both of these instances, though there has been accomplishment, they have not the will to do what is needed, so, yes, they are lazy and could suffer the logical consequence of laziness.
A dictionary definition of lazy is, With little will to work; lack of exertion (Webster). I believe the "will to work" plays a much bigger role in laziness than the "lack of exertion." Laziness begins with the will, with the decision as to whether or not one will work because it is true that some work harder at not working than if they would have done the job in the first place. It is also interesting to me that a lazy person often thinks of himself as being very busy.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Thursday, September 17, 2009
THE CHRISTIAN AND THE CONSTITUTION
Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right (I Peter 2:13-14).
In the United States we take pride in being a nation ruled by law, not by whim, even if that whim is expressed by the popular vote of the people. True law is not established by the legislature, by the president, the judiciary or even the will of the people if it is not God's will or if it is not Constitutional, the Constitution being the supreme law of the land. Our founding fathers generally had a Christian perspective of the law of God and the nature of man. Thus the Constitution was constructed in a way the recognizes the value and dignity of each person by guaranteeing their God-given rights (the bill of rights), and also recognizes human depravity through the separation of powers. God has richly blessed the American people through this kind of constitutional government!
The Constitution is just a scrap of paper without the intelligent support of each citizen of the United States. I believe that it certainly is a Christian's responsibility to support the Constitution. But, the Constitution is like the Bible, there are a lot of people who express reverence for it but they do not know what is in it. We cannot rely on our public officials to properly apply the Constitution to civil law because, though they take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, they regularly undermine it in each branch of government. The day-to-day responsibility of defending and protecting the Constitution lays on the backs of every-day citizens. Each citizen must know what is in the Constitution so that they can hold their elected officials accountable by writing them, in town-hall meetings and, ultimately, in the voting booth. If we continue in ignorance, we will lose America.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
In the United States we take pride in being a nation ruled by law, not by whim, even if that whim is expressed by the popular vote of the people. True law is not established by the legislature, by the president, the judiciary or even the will of the people if it is not God's will or if it is not Constitutional, the Constitution being the supreme law of the land. Our founding fathers generally had a Christian perspective of the law of God and the nature of man. Thus the Constitution was constructed in a way the recognizes the value and dignity of each person by guaranteeing their God-given rights (the bill of rights), and also recognizes human depravity through the separation of powers. God has richly blessed the American people through this kind of constitutional government!
The Constitution is just a scrap of paper without the intelligent support of each citizen of the United States. I believe that it certainly is a Christian's responsibility to support the Constitution. But, the Constitution is like the Bible, there are a lot of people who express reverence for it but they do not know what is in it. We cannot rely on our public officials to properly apply the Constitution to civil law because, though they take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, they regularly undermine it in each branch of government. The day-to-day responsibility of defending and protecting the Constitution lays on the backs of every-day citizens. Each citizen must know what is in the Constitution so that they can hold their elected officials accountable by writing them, in town-hall meetings and, ultimately, in the voting booth. If we continue in ignorance, we will lose America.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
FILLING THE EXISTENTIAL VACUUM
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3).
One of the most worn books in my personal library is Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. In it Frankl uses the term existential vacuum (EV) to describe the feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness that characterize the people of our time; Fankl called EV a mass neurosis. The general symptoms of EV are depression, aggression and addiction, or more specifically, boredom, inertia, work addiction, drug, alcohol and sex dependency and abusive behaviors.
In the pysical world, vacuums do not continue to be vacuums for long. Vaccums suck--they suck things into them to fill the vacuum. Thus, a vacuum cleaner sucks dirt and debris into it until it is full. So it is when a person does not have a meaning for his life, he sucks in all kinds of things to fill the vacuum in an attempt to find meaning. The pursuit of status, the pursuit of power, the pursuit of pleasure and the collection of "toys" are all vain attempts to fill the existential vacuum in each of us.
If you have ever eaten your fill of junk food, though it tastes good it still leaves you feeling strangely empty because you have eaten food that does not satisfy--lots of sugar and fat but no nutrition. That is how the existential vacuum is, filling the life with all kinds of things that do not satisfy until the point is reached that it is full and yet it is strangely empty.
Augustine expressed a true-to-the-Bible truth when he said, 'God has made us for himself; our souls cannot rest until they rest in him.' What Frankl said in secular terms, Augustine said in theological terms hundreds of years earlier. It is in God, through Jesus Christ, that meaning is found! No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37). God has created us in his image and redeemed us so that we can be more than just products of our heredity and environment. We can stand up against circumstances that seem overwhelming and be victors because of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The question to be answered is, will the remaining years of your life have meaning or will it be filled with the strange emptiness of having everything, but having nothing?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
One of the most worn books in my personal library is Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. In it Frankl uses the term existential vacuum (EV) to describe the feelings of emptiness and meaninglessness that characterize the people of our time; Fankl called EV a mass neurosis. The general symptoms of EV are depression, aggression and addiction, or more specifically, boredom, inertia, work addiction, drug, alcohol and sex dependency and abusive behaviors.
In the pysical world, vacuums do not continue to be vacuums for long. Vaccums suck--they suck things into them to fill the vacuum. Thus, a vacuum cleaner sucks dirt and debris into it until it is full. So it is when a person does not have a meaning for his life, he sucks in all kinds of things to fill the vacuum in an attempt to find meaning. The pursuit of status, the pursuit of power, the pursuit of pleasure and the collection of "toys" are all vain attempts to fill the existential vacuum in each of us.
If you have ever eaten your fill of junk food, though it tastes good it still leaves you feeling strangely empty because you have eaten food that does not satisfy--lots of sugar and fat but no nutrition. That is how the existential vacuum is, filling the life with all kinds of things that do not satisfy until the point is reached that it is full and yet it is strangely empty.
Augustine expressed a true-to-the-Bible truth when he said, 'God has made us for himself; our souls cannot rest until they rest in him.' What Frankl said in secular terms, Augustine said in theological terms hundreds of years earlier. It is in God, through Jesus Christ, that meaning is found! No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37). God has created us in his image and redeemed us so that we can be more than just products of our heredity and environment. We can stand up against circumstances that seem overwhelming and be victors because of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The question to be answered is, will the remaining years of your life have meaning or will it be filled with the strange emptiness of having everything, but having nothing?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Monday, August 31, 2009
TERMS OF ENTRANCE
But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment; and he said to him, "Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?" And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, "Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gash their teeth" (Matthew 22:11-13).
Everyone is invited to the wedding feast in Heaven. Not everybody accepts the invitation. Some actually refuse to go. Others think they have better things to do. And still others accept the invitation, but want to come on their own terms. In the parable the invitation was offered freely to all. The only requirments of entrance into the wedding feast was to accept the invitation, show up at the main entrance and put on the wedding garment. The garment itself was free. It was an invitation of pure grace. The guest did nothing to merit the invitation, nor to enter the feast. All the guest had to do was to put on the garment that was freely given. A great celebration, a great party with great food and drink and beautiful people all for free. The host paid for it all!
This was all very expensive to the King, but he wanted every one to be there looking good. Strolling up to the main entrance came a very well-dressed man. When the attendent handed him his wedding garment, the man looked at his own clothing, then looked at the wedding garment and said, "My clothing looks better than the wedding garment, I will just go on in. Give this to someone else who needs it." So he pushed his way on in only to encounter the King. The King was insulted and would not have anyone without a wedding garment at his feast. As a result, the man who came on his own terms was cast into outerdarkness with the others who refused and neglected the invitation.
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27).
Have you put on the wedding garment?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Everyone is invited to the wedding feast in Heaven. Not everybody accepts the invitation. Some actually refuse to go. Others think they have better things to do. And still others accept the invitation, but want to come on their own terms. In the parable the invitation was offered freely to all. The only requirments of entrance into the wedding feast was to accept the invitation, show up at the main entrance and put on the wedding garment. The garment itself was free. It was an invitation of pure grace. The guest did nothing to merit the invitation, nor to enter the feast. All the guest had to do was to put on the garment that was freely given. A great celebration, a great party with great food and drink and beautiful people all for free. The host paid for it all!
This was all very expensive to the King, but he wanted every one to be there looking good. Strolling up to the main entrance came a very well-dressed man. When the attendent handed him his wedding garment, the man looked at his own clothing, then looked at the wedding garment and said, "My clothing looks better than the wedding garment, I will just go on in. Give this to someone else who needs it." So he pushed his way on in only to encounter the King. The King was insulted and would not have anyone without a wedding garment at his feast. As a result, the man who came on his own terms was cast into outerdarkness with the others who refused and neglected the invitation.
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27).
Have you put on the wedding garment?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Friday, August 28, 2009
THE TIME IS FULFILLED*
"Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and you holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place" (Daniel 9:24).
On my Holy Land tour in 2008 the first point of interest in Israel was Qumran. The Essenes lived there from about 200 B.C. until 70 A.D. It has been suggested that John the Baptizer was a member of the Essenes. If he was then one has some insight into how conservative the community of the Essenes was. The Essenes thought it to be their duty to preserve the Scriptures by making exact copies, sealing them in containers and hiding them in the numerous caves of the area. People of the Judeo-Christian faith are extremely indebted to the Essenes! It is because of their obsession for accuracy and preservation that we are assured that we have accurate Old Testament Scriptures.
The book most studied by the Essenes was the book of Daniel. More fragments of it have been found at Qumran than any other. The reason there was so much messianic expectation during the time of Christ is that Daniels "70 Weeks" prophecy is dateable. The scholars of 2,000 years ago could count. They knew that their time was the time to expect the Messiah. It was for this reason that there were quite a few people like Anna and Simeon who waited in the Temple night and day worshipping and watching for the Lord's Messian (Luke 2:25-38). And it was for this same reason that our Lord Jesus came saying, "The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:14-15).
While the time-line of the first coming of Christ was definite and dateable, the time-line of the second coming is not. Paul the Apostle's "man of sin" has been revealed (II Thessalonians 2:3), the dead-sea scrolls have been found and Israel has been resurrected as a nation. But these are only signposts along the way indicating that we are on course and not indicating a timeline. The Lord himself said that NO ONE knows the day or the hour. The Apostolic message was that the Lord's return would be like a thief in the night. The truth is, Jesus could come at any time. Are you ready?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
On my Holy Land tour in 2008 the first point of interest in Israel was Qumran. The Essenes lived there from about 200 B.C. until 70 A.D. It has been suggested that John the Baptizer was a member of the Essenes. If he was then one has some insight into how conservative the community of the Essenes was. The Essenes thought it to be their duty to preserve the Scriptures by making exact copies, sealing them in containers and hiding them in the numerous caves of the area. People of the Judeo-Christian faith are extremely indebted to the Essenes! It is because of their obsession for accuracy and preservation that we are assured that we have accurate Old Testament Scriptures.
The book most studied by the Essenes was the book of Daniel. More fragments of it have been found at Qumran than any other. The reason there was so much messianic expectation during the time of Christ is that Daniels "70 Weeks" prophecy is dateable. The scholars of 2,000 years ago could count. They knew that their time was the time to expect the Messiah. It was for this reason that there were quite a few people like Anna and Simeon who waited in the Temple night and day worshipping and watching for the Lord's Messian (Luke 2:25-38). And it was for this same reason that our Lord Jesus came saying, "The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:14-15).
While the time-line of the first coming of Christ was definite and dateable, the time-line of the second coming is not. Paul the Apostle's "man of sin" has been revealed (II Thessalonians 2:3), the dead-sea scrolls have been found and Israel has been resurrected as a nation. But these are only signposts along the way indicating that we are on course and not indicating a timeline. The Lord himself said that NO ONE knows the day or the hour. The Apostolic message was that the Lord's return would be like a thief in the night. The truth is, Jesus could come at any time. Are you ready?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
Monday, August 24, 2009
ENTROPY HAPPENS*
"Look carefully then how you walk,not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16).
Entropy is a word from the sciences. It defines the inevitable movement from order to disorder. It defines the movement of all matter and all energy as it moves toward a state of inert uniformity. It defines the loss of information in a transmitted message, and the inevitable and steady deterioration of a system or society. This is what the Apostle Paul was speaking about when he said, "the days are evil."
There is always entropy in every human relationship. Every relationship will deteriorate unless there is something that can renew it and hold it together! It takes commitment; it takes faith; it takes the motivation that comes from love to overcome relationship entropy. It means that husbands must expend the kind of energy it takes to really understand their wives, learning to take the time to really watch and listen to what she is saying. To not do this is to communicate that she is not that important. As well, wives owe their husbands the same courtesy. Many wives could have spared themselves a lot of heartache if they would have taken the time to understand their husbands rather than expecting him to follow to follow her around like a whipped puppy.
The good news about relationship entropy is that it can be overcome, but it takes a personal sacrificial investment to do it. When the cited text says, "making the most of the time," a more accurate translation is "redeeming the time." It is to buy up time and opportunities to show the love of Jesus in one's relationships. If your relationships are not going very well, it could be that you are just letting entropy happen.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
Entropy is a word from the sciences. It defines the inevitable movement from order to disorder. It defines the movement of all matter and all energy as it moves toward a state of inert uniformity. It defines the loss of information in a transmitted message, and the inevitable and steady deterioration of a system or society. This is what the Apostle Paul was speaking about when he said, "the days are evil."
There is always entropy in every human relationship. Every relationship will deteriorate unless there is something that can renew it and hold it together! It takes commitment; it takes faith; it takes the motivation that comes from love to overcome relationship entropy. It means that husbands must expend the kind of energy it takes to really understand their wives, learning to take the time to really watch and listen to what she is saying. To not do this is to communicate that she is not that important. As well, wives owe their husbands the same courtesy. Many wives could have spared themselves a lot of heartache if they would have taken the time to understand their husbands rather than expecting him to follow to follow her around like a whipped puppy.
The good news about relationship entropy is that it can be overcome, but it takes a personal sacrificial investment to do it. When the cited text says, "making the most of the time," a more accurate translation is "redeeming the time." It is to buy up time and opportunities to show the love of Jesus in one's relationships. If your relationships are not going very well, it could be that you are just letting entropy happen.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
ARE YOU NUTRICIOUS AND DELICIOUS?
But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love (Ephesians 4:15,16).
Dr. M.W. Orth, associate professor of skeletal biology in the department of animal science at Michigan State University, wrote, With the advances made in genetics, certain livestock species have attained some impressive growth rates. To try to give some perspective, if a week-old, 10 lb. baby boy grew at the rate of a market pig, he would weigh about 467 lbs. at 24 weeks of age. If the same baby grew at the rate of a turkey, he could weigh as much as 1320 lbs. at 22 weeks of age. That is more than four times the size of Shaquille O'Neal. In addition, his body composition would likely compare to that of a middle linebacker.*
That kind of growth really is incredible, but even with the benefit of modern genetics it would not be possible without a proper ration (diet and medication) and environment (shelter and ventilation). Without meeting these other physical needs appropriately, the mortality rates would be very high!
Whether we are leading a family or a church, all the needs of the members need to be considered for life, growth and development. Even when all needs are perfectly met there will be some mortality--Adam and Eve sinned in Eden. Nevertheless, that does not release us from our responsibility to provide the best environment for our families and churches, speaking and doing the truth in love.
What do you contribute to the diet and environment of your family or church so that it can grow in health rather than deteriorate in dysfunction?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post. The quote is from FEEDSTUFFS magazine.
Dr. M.W. Orth, associate professor of skeletal biology in the department of animal science at Michigan State University, wrote, With the advances made in genetics, certain livestock species have attained some impressive growth rates. To try to give some perspective, if a week-old, 10 lb. baby boy grew at the rate of a market pig, he would weigh about 467 lbs. at 24 weeks of age. If the same baby grew at the rate of a turkey, he could weigh as much as 1320 lbs. at 22 weeks of age. That is more than four times the size of Shaquille O'Neal. In addition, his body composition would likely compare to that of a middle linebacker.*
That kind of growth really is incredible, but even with the benefit of modern genetics it would not be possible without a proper ration (diet and medication) and environment (shelter and ventilation). Without meeting these other physical needs appropriately, the mortality rates would be very high!
Whether we are leading a family or a church, all the needs of the members need to be considered for life, growth and development. Even when all needs are perfectly met there will be some mortality--Adam and Eve sinned in Eden. Nevertheless, that does not release us from our responsibility to provide the best environment for our families and churches, speaking and doing the truth in love.
What do you contribute to the diet and environment of your family or church so that it can grow in health rather than deteriorate in dysfunction?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post. The quote is from FEEDSTUFFS magazine.
Friday, August 14, 2009
THE COST OF A DRINK
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whosoever is led astray by it is not wise (Proverbs 20:1).
Former Iowa governor and senator, Harold Hughes, who was an alcoholic himself, said, If politicians ignored any other disease that affected as many young people, put as many people in jail and caused as many deaths on the highway as alcoholism and chemical dependency, Americans would tar and feather them. But because it's alcohol and chemical dependency, we do nothing, absolutely nothing.
According to Iowa Parole Board statistics, 95 percent of the cases it handles have a connection with alcohol and chemical dependency. Furthermore, 85 percent of all crimes in America are committed under the influence of alcohol.
Though I have never knowingly tasted an alcoholic beverage, I always drink the kid's punch, I have had enough experience with it to know that alcohol consumption is bad news. I remember counseling a woman whose husband would drink and then beat her up. I remember having to awaken a young wife at 1:00 a.m. and tell her that her husband had been killed in an automobile accident caused by alcohol abuse. I remember the town alcoholic, who literally drank up a fortune, dying of cirrhosis--he was my uncle. Not one of those who sold him all of that alcohol came to his funeral.
The cost of a drink is more than its price. The real cost is the millions of lives that are damaged and destroyed by alcohol each year. The one who leaves it alone is wise.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Former Iowa governor and senator, Harold Hughes, who was an alcoholic himself, said, If politicians ignored any other disease that affected as many young people, put as many people in jail and caused as many deaths on the highway as alcoholism and chemical dependency, Americans would tar and feather them. But because it's alcohol and chemical dependency, we do nothing, absolutely nothing.
According to Iowa Parole Board statistics, 95 percent of the cases it handles have a connection with alcohol and chemical dependency. Furthermore, 85 percent of all crimes in America are committed under the influence of alcohol.
Though I have never knowingly tasted an alcoholic beverage, I always drink the kid's punch, I have had enough experience with it to know that alcohol consumption is bad news. I remember counseling a woman whose husband would drink and then beat her up. I remember having to awaken a young wife at 1:00 a.m. and tell her that her husband had been killed in an automobile accident caused by alcohol abuse. I remember the town alcoholic, who literally drank up a fortune, dying of cirrhosis--he was my uncle. Not one of those who sold him all of that alcohol came to his funeral.
The cost of a drink is more than its price. The real cost is the millions of lives that are damaged and destroyed by alcohol each year. The one who leaves it alone is wise.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
HUMANZEE?
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds . . .(Psalms 14:1).
For not all flesh is alike, but there is one kind for man, another kind for animals, another for birds, and another for fish (I Corinthians 15:39).
Ilya Ivanov (born in Russia 1870-1932) was a biologist with a considerable reputation in the field of artificial insemination. Not only was he successful in conventional artificial insemination practice, he was also successful at producing hybrids resulting from a donkey and a zebra, for example. He established the world's first center for the artificial insemination of horses in Moscow. The Societs needed strong animals to establish "Utopia."
Because the Soviets wanted to destroy belief in God, proving Darwinism was essential, so they financed Ivanov's efforts to make a human-ape hybrid. He tried to inseminate both human and ape females with the other species sperm. Judeo-Christian ethical concerns were certainly not a concern of either Ivanov or the Soviets.
Today, reports of human-ape hybrids fall into the realm of Big-foot and UFOs because Ivanov, and others following, failed. I do expect that the research will continue, however, because the Darwinists refuse to believe in the Creator to whom they will give account.
This kind of research is an embarrassment to science.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
For not all flesh is alike, but there is one kind for man, another kind for animals, another for birds, and another for fish (I Corinthians 15:39).
Ilya Ivanov (born in Russia 1870-1932) was a biologist with a considerable reputation in the field of artificial insemination. Not only was he successful in conventional artificial insemination practice, he was also successful at producing hybrids resulting from a donkey and a zebra, for example. He established the world's first center for the artificial insemination of horses in Moscow. The Societs needed strong animals to establish "Utopia."
Because the Soviets wanted to destroy belief in God, proving Darwinism was essential, so they financed Ivanov's efforts to make a human-ape hybrid. He tried to inseminate both human and ape females with the other species sperm. Judeo-Christian ethical concerns were certainly not a concern of either Ivanov or the Soviets.
Today, reports of human-ape hybrids fall into the realm of Big-foot and UFOs because Ivanov, and others following, failed. I do expect that the research will continue, however, because the Darwinists refuse to believe in the Creator to whom they will give account.
This kind of research is an embarrassment to science.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Monday, August 03, 2009
GENTLE MAN OR WILD MAN?
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit . . . (Ephesians 6:17).
And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us; for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few" (I Samuel 14:6). Read the whole story of this "wild man" who was also gentle.
A Christmas present from my son-in-law, Kirk, was a book called, Why Men Hate Going to Church, by David Murrow. It was an enjoyable read and I think it made some important points about masculinity. One of them was this, Christianity was never intended as an antidote to masculinity. As is the case with both males and females, Christianity was never intended to cancel out either masculinity or femininity. I believe there will be genders in heaven! Certainly, Christianity was not intended to make us into a neutral gender. Boys naturally tend to be more rough and tumble, willing to take chances than girls. It seems as if, not only in the church, but in our educational systems, we are more focused on neutering boys than civilizing them. The difference between neutering and civilizing is teaching boys to become men of faith who reject passivity, accept responsibility and lead courageously rather than just to become compliant.
Murrow also asked the question, What if Christ turns him into wild man instead of a gentle man? True faith changes our lives. One encounters true masculinity or femininity by faith in Christ. Faith in Christ is the first step to the true you! So, come on guys, pick up the sword, we have a battle to fight!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us; for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few" (I Samuel 14:6). Read the whole story of this "wild man" who was also gentle.
A Christmas present from my son-in-law, Kirk, was a book called, Why Men Hate Going to Church, by David Murrow. It was an enjoyable read and I think it made some important points about masculinity. One of them was this, Christianity was never intended as an antidote to masculinity. As is the case with both males and females, Christianity was never intended to cancel out either masculinity or femininity. I believe there will be genders in heaven! Certainly, Christianity was not intended to make us into a neutral gender. Boys naturally tend to be more rough and tumble, willing to take chances than girls. It seems as if, not only in the church, but in our educational systems, we are more focused on neutering boys than civilizing them. The difference between neutering and civilizing is teaching boys to become men of faith who reject passivity, accept responsibility and lead courageously rather than just to become compliant.
Murrow also asked the question, What if Christ turns him into wild man instead of a gentle man? True faith changes our lives. One encounters true masculinity or femininity by faith in Christ. Faith in Christ is the first step to the true you! So, come on guys, pick up the sword, we have a battle to fight!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Saturday, August 01, 2009
IF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH HELL . . .
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult (Psalms 46:1-3).
Winston Churchill is said to have said, If you are going through hell, keep on going. We* did. On the return trip from California we lost our air conditioning in Bakersfield. It was 4:30 in the afternoon and 105 degrees. Our goal was to make it to Las Vegas before we quit for the night. So we opened the rear vent windows in our Chrysler minivan and headed for the Mohave desert where the temperature rose to 114 degrees. The hot dry air dried my eyes out. Though Helen and I made sure that we had plenty of water and ice, we couldn't keep cool. Sin City (Las Vegas) was never a more welcome sight as we arrived there. It was still 105 degrees at 9 in the evening. Next morning I called a technician who thought he found the source of the problem, but the needed parts could not be obtained. So, at about noon with the temp well over 100 we pushed on. Finally in the mountains of Utah we saw the temperature fall to under 9o and the air coming in the vents felt like air conditioning. It was cooler in Grand Junction, Colorado where we spent the night and visited friends the next morning. At about noon the next day we continued our journey home, stopping for lunch at Rifle, Colorado, where I served as pastor of the Christian Church and where our beautiful daughter, Rebecca was born. When we reach Vailed, Colorado, we encountered rain and much cooler temps, in the 50's, and a little rain. The elevation at Vail pass is over 10,000 feet. At the Eisenhower tunnel, elevation almost 12,000 feet, the temperature had dropped to 37 degrees and there was heavy rain, ice and snow. What made this dangerous was that the malfunctioning of the air conditioning would not allow the heater to work either. The windshield fogged over. I used paper towels to keep it clear as I could. I followed a slow truck down the mountain. Helen and the kids were wrapped in blankets, but I needed none, being too busy keeping things under control. By the time we reached Denver we were doing well and it was a cool and uneventful trip on home.
Churchill's quote came to my mind in the Mohave desert. When one is going through hell, there are not too many options but to keep on going. Churchill knew something of going through hell, suffering with severe bouts of depression** his entire adult life. He could never rid himself of the "black dog," as he called it, yet look at what he accomplished as an author and his life of public service. He did not allow the "black dog" to be his excuse!
What also must be said about going through hell is that the hells we suffer on this earth are only mini hells compared to the great hell.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Tom, Helen and our grandchildren, Alex and Samantha.
**Actually, Churchill suffered from what we know now as bipolar disorder, suffering bouts of deep depression and then great bursts of energy without losing touch with reality.
Winston Churchill is said to have said, If you are going through hell, keep on going. We* did. On the return trip from California we lost our air conditioning in Bakersfield. It was 4:30 in the afternoon and 105 degrees. Our goal was to make it to Las Vegas before we quit for the night. So we opened the rear vent windows in our Chrysler minivan and headed for the Mohave desert where the temperature rose to 114 degrees. The hot dry air dried my eyes out. Though Helen and I made sure that we had plenty of water and ice, we couldn't keep cool. Sin City (Las Vegas) was never a more welcome sight as we arrived there. It was still 105 degrees at 9 in the evening. Next morning I called a technician who thought he found the source of the problem, but the needed parts could not be obtained. So, at about noon with the temp well over 100 we pushed on. Finally in the mountains of Utah we saw the temperature fall to under 9o and the air coming in the vents felt like air conditioning. It was cooler in Grand Junction, Colorado where we spent the night and visited friends the next morning. At about noon the next day we continued our journey home, stopping for lunch at Rifle, Colorado, where I served as pastor of the Christian Church and where our beautiful daughter, Rebecca was born. When we reach Vailed, Colorado, we encountered rain and much cooler temps, in the 50's, and a little rain. The elevation at Vail pass is over 10,000 feet. At the Eisenhower tunnel, elevation almost 12,000 feet, the temperature had dropped to 37 degrees and there was heavy rain, ice and snow. What made this dangerous was that the malfunctioning of the air conditioning would not allow the heater to work either. The windshield fogged over. I used paper towels to keep it clear as I could. I followed a slow truck down the mountain. Helen and the kids were wrapped in blankets, but I needed none, being too busy keeping things under control. By the time we reached Denver we were doing well and it was a cool and uneventful trip on home.
Churchill's quote came to my mind in the Mohave desert. When one is going through hell, there are not too many options but to keep on going. Churchill knew something of going through hell, suffering with severe bouts of depression** his entire adult life. He could never rid himself of the "black dog," as he called it, yet look at what he accomplished as an author and his life of public service. He did not allow the "black dog" to be his excuse!
What also must be said about going through hell is that the hells we suffer on this earth are only mini hells compared to the great hell.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Tom, Helen and our grandchildren, Alex and Samantha.
**Actually, Churchill suffered from what we know now as bipolar disorder, suffering bouts of deep depression and then great bursts of energy without losing touch with reality.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
EVEN BIBLE TRIVIA IS IMPORTANT
He said: (Job 3:2 NIV).
Jesus wept (John 11:35 NIV).
. . . the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (II Timothy 3:15b-17 NIV).
While visiting in California, a jail chaplain pointed out to me--no, I wasn't in jail--that the shortest verse in the Bible is Job 3:2, not John 11:35. I was surprised by this. I guess that I need to read my Bible more carefully! But, this bit of trivia reminded me that there really is no trivia in the Bible. In context, every word is important, being inspired by God and teaching us lessons for this life and the life to come. Because of his great losses Job was driven to the depths of despair. It is important to know what "he said." Though Job said many important things, I think the most important is found in 42:5 when he said at the end, "My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you." Job helps us to understand that for faith to be real it must be tested! Will an untested faith bring us into the presence of the Creator?
In both Job 3:2 and John 11:35 the emotion is intense. The emotion of Job is easily understood; the emotion of Jesus is not. Countless opinions have been expressed, my view being that the One who knows when a bird falls from the air and who has the hairs on our heads numbered shares in our emotions too. There is sorrow in life. God did not insulate himself from it--he feels with you, "Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, 'see how he loved him'" (John 11:35-36).
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Jesus wept (John 11:35 NIV).
. . . the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (II Timothy 3:15b-17 NIV).
While visiting in California, a jail chaplain pointed out to me--no, I wasn't in jail--that the shortest verse in the Bible is Job 3:2, not John 11:35. I was surprised by this. I guess that I need to read my Bible more carefully! But, this bit of trivia reminded me that there really is no trivia in the Bible. In context, every word is important, being inspired by God and teaching us lessons for this life and the life to come. Because of his great losses Job was driven to the depths of despair. It is important to know what "he said." Though Job said many important things, I think the most important is found in 42:5 when he said at the end, "My ears have heard of you but now my eyes have seen you." Job helps us to understand that for faith to be real it must be tested! Will an untested faith bring us into the presence of the Creator?
In both Job 3:2 and John 11:35 the emotion is intense. The emotion of Job is easily understood; the emotion of Jesus is not. Countless opinions have been expressed, my view being that the One who knows when a bird falls from the air and who has the hairs on our heads numbered shares in our emotions too. There is sorrow in life. God did not insulate himself from it--he feels with you, "Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, 'see how he loved him'" (John 11:35-36).
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Saturday, July 11, 2009
A HISTORY LESSON*
Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come (I Corinthians 10:11).
It has often been said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Why is it then that there are so few that learn from history? As a counselor, I know that people with problems very often do not learn the right lessons from their own experience and need someone to help them interpret their own experiences so that positive course corrections can be made in their lives. Unless the right changes are made, all other changes are in vain.
Another reason history is so often repeated is that there is a class of people who think of the past as something to be out grown, not to learn from. To them, with the advances of our age, affluence, science, technology and medical treatments, the past seems so irrelevant. To them the new priest or pastor is a technician wearing a lab coat.
The truth is, history cannot be safely ignored or discarded! The Lord says that in the time when people are saying peace and safety, look out or sudden destruction will come upon them! When people say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape (I Thessalonians 5:3). We will never out grow the lessons of history--past or future (I was just thinking about the lessons of prophecy too, but that is another lesson).
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Completely rewritten from an earlier post.
**I will be away from the computer for a couple of weeks. Do not be discouraged, I shall return if the Lord is willing.
It has often been said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Why is it then that there are so few that learn from history? As a counselor, I know that people with problems very often do not learn the right lessons from their own experience and need someone to help them interpret their own experiences so that positive course corrections can be made in their lives. Unless the right changes are made, all other changes are in vain.
Another reason history is so often repeated is that there is a class of people who think of the past as something to be out grown, not to learn from. To them, with the advances of our age, affluence, science, technology and medical treatments, the past seems so irrelevant. To them the new priest or pastor is a technician wearing a lab coat.
The truth is, history cannot be safely ignored or discarded! The Lord says that in the time when people are saying peace and safety, look out or sudden destruction will come upon them! When people say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape (I Thessalonians 5:3). We will never out grow the lessons of history--past or future (I was just thinking about the lessons of prophecy too, but that is another lesson).
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Completely rewritten from an earlier post.
**I will be away from the computer for a couple of weeks. Do not be discouraged, I shall return if the Lord is willing.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
IT IS FREEDOM DAY!
Once when Jacob was boiling pottage, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red pottage, for I am famished" . . . Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright." Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright (Genesis 25:29-34).
And proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants (Leviticus 25:10).
Freedom is our heritage. It is easy to take it for granted when it is possessed, but when it is gone, it might not ever be possessed again even if it is sought with blood, sweat and tears. Freedom is the absence of arbitrary control. Our founding fathers pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, not to free us from law, but to free us from the whims of unrepresentative government; "czars" and bureaucrats. A very large portion of the world's people suffers abuse and/or sheer terror at the hands of arbitrary government. I thank God for the wisdom and the personal sacrifices of our fathers and for each one who has given his or her life to preserve our liberty!
My greatest concern for America is that we are trading our birthright of freedom for a bowl of government promises. If we turn over our freedom, the government will give us everything from cradle to grave. It is like the temptation of Christ, the devil says, 'worship me and I will give you everything," trading our freedom for the promise of security is a deal with the devil! We will have lost our freedom and will be left with poverty. As it has always been, the political elites will live in luxury while the rest of us live in misery!
Be responsible, take a risk and stand for freedom!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
And proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants (Leviticus 25:10).
Freedom is our heritage. It is easy to take it for granted when it is possessed, but when it is gone, it might not ever be possessed again even if it is sought with blood, sweat and tears. Freedom is the absence of arbitrary control. Our founding fathers pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, not to free us from law, but to free us from the whims of unrepresentative government; "czars" and bureaucrats. A very large portion of the world's people suffers abuse and/or sheer terror at the hands of arbitrary government. I thank God for the wisdom and the personal sacrifices of our fathers and for each one who has given his or her life to preserve our liberty!
My greatest concern for America is that we are trading our birthright of freedom for a bowl of government promises. If we turn over our freedom, the government will give us everything from cradle to grave. It is like the temptation of Christ, the devil says, 'worship me and I will give you everything," trading our freedom for the promise of security is a deal with the devil! We will have lost our freedom and will be left with poverty. As it has always been, the political elites will live in luxury while the rest of us live in misery!
Be responsible, take a risk and stand for freedom!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
GOD'S POLITICS*
A wise man's heart inclines him toward the right, but a fool's heart toward the left (Ecclesiastes 10:2).
Actually, God's place in politics is above what is thought of left and right today. If the political left and the political right are pushed to their extremes, they meet out back somewhere making as bed fellows.
That God is involved politics is without question. The Bible clearly indicates that God is, in ways we do not always perceive, involved in the forming of nations and the decline of nations so that we would seek him (Acts 17:26).
I do believe that God's politics are conservative because, as Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Britain is said to have said, 'The facts of life are conservative.' The Lord concurred when he said to Jeremiah, "Thus says the Lord, Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls" (Jeremiah 6:16). When traditional values are violated there will be national trouble!!!
Conservatives are the brakeman of the national train. They are criticized because it seems like the only word they can say is no. But understand, no is a good word. It is a word that adults say to children for their education and protection. It is a word that law-abiding people say to the lawless and childish for the sake of an orderly society. And finally, no is a word that has to be said to the government so that the rights of each person can be preserved. No is a very good word!!!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Actually, God's place in politics is above what is thought of left and right today. If the political left and the political right are pushed to their extremes, they meet out back somewhere making as bed fellows.
That God is involved politics is without question. The Bible clearly indicates that God is, in ways we do not always perceive, involved in the forming of nations and the decline of nations so that we would seek him (Acts 17:26).
I do believe that God's politics are conservative because, as Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Britain is said to have said, 'The facts of life are conservative.' The Lord concurred when he said to Jeremiah, "Thus says the Lord, Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls" (Jeremiah 6:16). When traditional values are violated there will be national trouble!!!
Conservatives are the brakeman of the national train. They are criticized because it seems like the only word they can say is no. But understand, no is a good word. It is a word that adults say to children for their education and protection. It is a word that law-abiding people say to the lawless and childish for the sake of an orderly society. And finally, no is a word that has to be said to the government so that the rights of each person can be preserved. No is a very good word!!!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
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