Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6).
One of the counselor's undeniable truths of life is: There is no pain-free or cost-free way of dealing with a problem. Much of the time people expect the counselor to find an easy-does-it cure or a win-win solution, but this is an unrealistic expectation of the counselor. The only pain-free cure is a miracle. I do believe in miracles, but one of the characteristics of miracles is that they are rare, so one should expect to deal with pain when doing problem solving!!!
The role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian is not to make life pain-free, but it is to encourage fruit production (Galatians 5:22-24) and sometimes it takes a little cutting and pruning to accomplish that (John 15:2). So, the cost of problem solving is pain, but the growth that will result will be worth the pain. Your counselor, the Spirit of God, will walk along side of you, encouraging you and strengthening you as you deal appropriately with problems.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
SWEAT EQUITY*
Train yourself in godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come (I Timothy 4:7b-8).
According to Iowa State University research, exercising elderly mice boosts their immunity systems so that they are more like young mice. For people it seems to be true as well. Many of the diseases that afflict those in old age are simply caused by weakening immune systems. Exercise enough to sweat every day; that will help keep you young.
I am sure that Paul the Apostle would agree that bodily training has value if it helps us to serve the Lord on this earth a little better for a little longer. That, I think, it does. Do not, however, let up on the godliness training to spend more time on the bodily training!!! Conditioning the "heart" is way more important than conditioning the body!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post in Silver Bullets.
According to Iowa State University research, exercising elderly mice boosts their immunity systems so that they are more like young mice. For people it seems to be true as well. Many of the diseases that afflict those in old age are simply caused by weakening immune systems. Exercise enough to sweat every day; that will help keep you young.
I am sure that Paul the Apostle would agree that bodily training has value if it helps us to serve the Lord on this earth a little better for a little longer. That, I think, it does. Do not, however, let up on the godliness training to spend more time on the bodily training!!! Conditioning the "heart" is way more important than conditioning the body!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post in Silver Bullets.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
GRIEF IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE*
He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows . . . (Isaiah 53:3-4).
At a workshop I attended on grief and loss, one of the points the presenting psychologist made was, "Loss is anytime life is different from how I wanted or expected it to be." If that is true then in every counseling situation the counselor has to deal with grief. With every problem comes the realization that life doesn't match the picture of life we have in our heads. Our "should-be" world has been lost.
It is a fallen world in which we live, so our dreams of a perfect world, on this earth, will never be realized. As a result, we will always struggle with grief in this life. Grief is not a bad thing--it is an emotional response to the loss of something important or someone who was dear and loved. A person who doesn't grieve is a person who does not care, a person who does not love. What kind of person is that? Nevertheless, even though grief does not ever really go away, it cannot dominate our lives because life does not stop. Grief must be managed because we still have a life to live! Because of Christ, we can find meaning and hope in our grief, . . . that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again . . . (I Thessalonians 4:13-14). It is in Jesus that grief finds its resolution because His resurrection gives us a legitimate hope for a reunion with loved ones; hope for a perfect world in which we will live and the perfect presence of the One who created all things.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
At a workshop I attended on grief and loss, one of the points the presenting psychologist made was, "Loss is anytime life is different from how I wanted or expected it to be." If that is true then in every counseling situation the counselor has to deal with grief. With every problem comes the realization that life doesn't match the picture of life we have in our heads. Our "should-be" world has been lost.
It is a fallen world in which we live, so our dreams of a perfect world, on this earth, will never be realized. As a result, we will always struggle with grief in this life. Grief is not a bad thing--it is an emotional response to the loss of something important or someone who was dear and loved. A person who doesn't grieve is a person who does not care, a person who does not love. What kind of person is that? Nevertheless, even though grief does not ever really go away, it cannot dominate our lives because life does not stop. Grief must be managed because we still have a life to live! Because of Christ, we can find meaning and hope in our grief, . . . that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again . . . (I Thessalonians 4:13-14). It is in Jesus that grief finds its resolution because His resurrection gives us a legitimate hope for a reunion with loved ones; hope for a perfect world in which we will live and the perfect presence of the One who created all things.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
*Revised from an earlier post.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
IT'S A GREAT DAY! IT'S TAX DAY!
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad . . . (Romans 13:1-3).
God has ordained that there be civil government. Civil government is God's instrument to provide order in society. As a result, government officials are entitled to respect and obedience. It goes without saying that government cannot exist if it does not have money; salaries must be paid, office buildings must be built and maintained, equipment and weapons must be purchased, etc. to meet the needs of an orderly society. So, sadly, taxes must be paid; freedom is not free; every one should pay some tax.
Naturally, there is disagreement about what the government should do, how it should work and what the values should be that guide it. One value that has to guide government is that of goodness. If a government does evil and those who do good and stand for what is good are punished then government looses its legitimacy. Government that is a terror to good conduct has lost its legitimacy.
What are the light that guide our government as to what is good or evil? The Bible; Judeo-Christian principles provided the values from which our government has traditionally governed. The Declaration of Independence and, especially, the Constitution are the primary lights. In the case of every American citizen, the Constitution is the governing authority instituted by God. God has not instituted governing officials who took an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution and yet govern arbitrarily.
When Americans allow the lights that guide us to go out, what will become of America? Will we follow lesser lights to our destruction?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
God has ordained that there be civil government. Civil government is God's instrument to provide order in society. As a result, government officials are entitled to respect and obedience. It goes without saying that government cannot exist if it does not have money; salaries must be paid, office buildings must be built and maintained, equipment and weapons must be purchased, etc. to meet the needs of an orderly society. So, sadly, taxes must be paid; freedom is not free; every one should pay some tax.
Naturally, there is disagreement about what the government should do, how it should work and what the values should be that guide it. One value that has to guide government is that of goodness. If a government does evil and those who do good and stand for what is good are punished then government looses its legitimacy. Government that is a terror to good conduct has lost its legitimacy.
What are the light that guide our government as to what is good or evil? The Bible; Judeo-Christian principles provided the values from which our government has traditionally governed. The Declaration of Independence and, especially, the Constitution are the primary lights. In the case of every American citizen, the Constitution is the governing authority instituted by God. God has not instituted governing officials who took an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution and yet govern arbitrarily.
When Americans allow the lights that guide us to go out, what will become of America? Will we follow lesser lights to our destruction?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
MORE EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins (I Corinthians 15:17).
Books have been written on the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What I present here is not new, but is often over-looked evidence that adds weight to the testimony of the Bible.
1. The bodily resurrection of Christ from the grave is the foundation stone of the Christian faith; if Christ did not rise from the dead, none of it is true. Every time the gospel was preached to the Greeks, the resurrection was spoken of as evidence of the truth of the gospel. Yet, because of the religious and philosophical back-ground of the Greeks, resurrection of a body was not a good thing. To them, the body was not good, it was evil. The tendency of the Greeks would have been to disbelieve it or to change it to something more acceptable; there was no advantage to speak of resurrection to them.
2. It was the women who find the empty tomb and meet the risen Christ first. Given the preference of that culture, this is evidence of the truth of the story. If the story were a made-up one it would have been one of the male apostles, Peter or John, who first met the risen Christ to give more gravitas to the story. But, no, it was the lowly women, perhaps the most lowly one, Mary Magdalene, who had the honor of first seeing the risen Christ. When the resurrection story was told to the males, 'it seemed an idle tale to them.'
These bits of evidence simply add more weight to the already thoroughly documented resurrection event of Jesus Christ. It is because of this event that we have a legitimate hope of entering the eternal country whose builder and maker is God!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
The empty tomb in the garden about 100 meters from the place of crucifixion.
Monday, April 06, 2009
CRUCIFIXION DAY
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:44-46).
Jesus was crucified at about noon on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. There are those who argue that the day of Jesus' crucifixion was Wednesday. Others say, Thursday, but tradition says, "Friday." There will always be arguments about the day of the week because the Hebrew calendar is a lunar calendar. As a result, today there are even disagreements about how one calculates the dates for the Easter season. But, there is no disagreement that Jesus was crucified on the 14th day of Nisan, the beginning of the Passover celebration.
The 14th of Nisan was the day God prescribed for the Jews to reenact the events of the Passover. One can read about the institution of the Passover holiday in Exodus 12. Jesus is the real Passover Lamb! He died at about three in the afternoon, the time when it was allowed for the beginning of the sacrificing of the Passover lambs. What the day of the week was is not nearly so important as the fact that He went to the cross for you and for me. Love is the reason for this season because it was His love for God the Father, His love for you and me that held Him on that cross, He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (I Peter 2:24).
In Jesus Christ is the healing of the relationship of God and man; the curtain of the temple was torn in two. The Passover Lamb was slain that we might have exodus from sin to a life of righteousness. All this because of Crucifixion Day! Have you applied the blood of the Passover Lamb to your life?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
The picture is of a likely place for the crucifixion near the garden tomb.
Friday, April 03, 2009
TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (Matthew21:9).
Save us, we beseech thee, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech thee, give us success! Blessed be he who enters in the name of the Lord (Psalms 118: 25-26).
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass (Zechariah 9:9).
A book could be written about this one event in our Lord's life. There are so many events in the history of Israel that are at play in the minds of those who are meeting Jesus. The Davidic covenant in which God promised that Israel would always have a king of the line of David, was one of them. Another major event in the history of Israel that was influencing the people was the celebration of the liberation of the nation of Israel under the Maccabees. Then there were the miracles of Jesus himself. He fed the multitudes, healed the sick and raised the dead--especially Lazarus. Jesus had to be the one who fulfilled the prophets!
Prophecy its self is a major factor in what happened in the triumphal entry. One of the characteristics of the Jews that made them different from all others is that they had a linear view of history, not a circular view. They believed that history had direction because God was in control of it. They believe history had purpose, that it was not just never-ending cycles. Therefore, the prophets could prophesy because God was in control of the future. Because of the prophets, there was a great deal of expectation for the appearance of the promised Messiah immediately before Jesus' birth, during his life, and for a time after his life on this earth. Jesus' life on this earth fit the description of the prophet's Messiah and so he was welcomed in triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
In less than a week's time the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah because he did not fit their expectations of what a messiah should be. Knowing that it leads to this question, What are your expectations of the Messiah? How do they measure up against the truth of God's Word? Has Jesus had a triumphal entry into your life?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
The picture is of the Golden Gate where Jesus would have entered Jerusalem.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
WORSHIP
I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1).
Not all we call worship is worship. There are instances when people seem to be worshipping but no worship is occurring at all. Arriving at true worship is a little like baking a cake; all the ingredients must be included if it is going to be good.
The most important ingredient in good worship is truth. Worship that is rooted in myth and superstition, even though it is given with great reverence, emotion and sincerity, is not pleasing to God.
Though sincerity cannot stand alone as the validating quality of worship, it must accompany truth if worship is to be pleasing to God. Worship that honors God with the lips while the heart is far from Him is hypocrisy.
A healthy amount of service must be stirred in with sincerity and truth to have genuine worship. Simply being obedient to God's will because of one's faith in Him is worship at its best.
Of course, love is the frosting on the cake, enhancing all the ingredients so that they "taste" better. Can there be any worshipping the God who is love without love?
Changing the baby's diapers is worship because God wants us to care for our children. Doing a good job on the job is worship because it is God's will that His people do good work, as well as to earn money to with which to support our families and the less fortunate. Worship is also gathering with God's people to praise Him and His Son, Jesus--this must not be neglected anymore than the other forms of worship.
Worship is not confined to one hour on one day a week, but it is a whole life lived in humble obedience to God.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Not all we call worship is worship. There are instances when people seem to be worshipping but no worship is occurring at all. Arriving at true worship is a little like baking a cake; all the ingredients must be included if it is going to be good.
The most important ingredient in good worship is truth. Worship that is rooted in myth and superstition, even though it is given with great reverence, emotion and sincerity, is not pleasing to God.
Though sincerity cannot stand alone as the validating quality of worship, it must accompany truth if worship is to be pleasing to God. Worship that honors God with the lips while the heart is far from Him is hypocrisy.
A healthy amount of service must be stirred in with sincerity and truth to have genuine worship. Simply being obedient to God's will because of one's faith in Him is worship at its best.
Of course, love is the frosting on the cake, enhancing all the ingredients so that they "taste" better. Can there be any worshipping the God who is love without love?
Changing the baby's diapers is worship because God wants us to care for our children. Doing a good job on the job is worship because it is God's will that His people do good work, as well as to earn money to with which to support our families and the less fortunate. Worship is also gathering with God's people to praise Him and His Son, Jesus--this must not be neglected anymore than the other forms of worship.
Worship is not confined to one hour on one day a week, but it is a whole life lived in humble obedience to God.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
THE SOURCE OF HOPE
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope (Romans 15:4).
A little more than twenty years ago, the news media reported on a wellness study that researched the wellness of 16,936 Harvard alumni. At the time I wrote a devotional about it. One of the statistics resulting from the study was so astounding that I wanted to confirm it before I wrote about it again. So, I "gooogled" "16,936 Harvard alumni" and found the study in The New Wellness Encyclopedia, by the editors of the University of California, Berkeley, Wellness Letter. It confirmed what I had reported many years ago.
The wellness study of 16,936 Harvard alumni revealed that moderate exercise significantly lengthens the span of life. But this quote is the real shocker! Their mortality rates from every major cause were generally half that of most white males--except for suicides, where their rate was 50% higher. Wow! Does that shatter conventional wisdom or what! Health, wealth and a superior education should result in a life of satisfaction and contentment, right?!?
Education does play a significant role in helping a person to cope with the stresses of life, but a hopeless education isn't nearly as significant! A life without purpose is a life without hope. When a person is told that he is an accident, simply the result of time plus chance, then what is the purpose? A life without purpose is a life without hope. God is the source of purpose and hope. It is not an accident that one of the characteristics common to survivors is faith in God.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
A little more than twenty years ago, the news media reported on a wellness study that researched the wellness of 16,936 Harvard alumni. At the time I wrote a devotional about it. One of the statistics resulting from the study was so astounding that I wanted to confirm it before I wrote about it again. So, I "gooogled" "16,936 Harvard alumni" and found the study in The New Wellness Encyclopedia, by the editors of the University of California, Berkeley, Wellness Letter. It confirmed what I had reported many years ago.
The wellness study of 16,936 Harvard alumni revealed that moderate exercise significantly lengthens the span of life. But this quote is the real shocker! Their mortality rates from every major cause were generally half that of most white males--except for suicides, where their rate was 50% higher. Wow! Does that shatter conventional wisdom or what! Health, wealth and a superior education should result in a life of satisfaction and contentment, right?!?
Education does play a significant role in helping a person to cope with the stresses of life, but a hopeless education isn't nearly as significant! A life without purpose is a life without hope. When a person is told that he is an accident, simply the result of time plus chance, then what is the purpose? A life without purpose is a life without hope. God is the source of purpose and hope. It is not an accident that one of the characteristics common to survivors is faith in God.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Saturday, March 21, 2009
A LESSON FROM MY LOADER
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17).
When I was still in the cattle business, my loader tractor ran about four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year. There were two little cap screws on the hydraulic controls that regularly worked themselves loose no matter how tight I tightened them. The cumulative effect of hours of vibration is what loosened those screws. When I would put my hand on the controls it didn't seem like the vibration was severe enough to loosen those cap screws, but it was. The shock of each vibration seemed to be minute, but enough of them can loosen, fatigue and break almost anything.
Life is like that. It is not the big shocks that do us in, it is the cumulative effect of all the little ones. Then when the big shockers come along, our lives fall apart because we haven't kept our "screws tight," so to speak. The unchristian philosophies and values that are promoted through the entertainment industry, the personality conflicts, the gossip, the inconveniences, etc., are vibrations that loosen the "nuts, bolts and screws" of our lives.
How do we keep our lives properly maintained so that they hold together? Have faith in Jesus Christ. Develop a circle of Christian brothers and sisters to support you in the faith. Pray and study the Bible on a regular basis. Worship with the body of Christ. Be involved in Christian service--helping others in the name of Jesus. All of these are indispensable to your life-maintenance schedule.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
When I was still in the cattle business, my loader tractor ran about four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year. There were two little cap screws on the hydraulic controls that regularly worked themselves loose no matter how tight I tightened them. The cumulative effect of hours of vibration is what loosened those screws. When I would put my hand on the controls it didn't seem like the vibration was severe enough to loosen those cap screws, but it was. The shock of each vibration seemed to be minute, but enough of them can loosen, fatigue and break almost anything.
Life is like that. It is not the big shocks that do us in, it is the cumulative effect of all the little ones. Then when the big shockers come along, our lives fall apart because we haven't kept our "screws tight," so to speak. The unchristian philosophies and values that are promoted through the entertainment industry, the personality conflicts, the gossip, the inconveniences, etc., are vibrations that loosen the "nuts, bolts and screws" of our lives.
How do we keep our lives properly maintained so that they hold together? Have faith in Jesus Christ. Develop a circle of Christian brothers and sisters to support you in the faith. Pray and study the Bible on a regular basis. Worship with the body of Christ. Be involved in Christian service--helping others in the name of Jesus. All of these are indispensable to your life-maintenance schedule.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Friday, March 20, 2009
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
. . . now he commands all men everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he as appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:30,31).
On May 19, 1780, night fell on New England at ten in the morning and continued for five hours. The birds went to roost, the noon meal had to be eaten by candlelight, and no reading or writing could be done except by candlelight. No, this was not an eclipse; the moon was in the wrong phase.
I think the most interesting part of the whole story is the human response to the "unnatural" phenomena. Church buildings became a gathering place for many to seek a last-minute pardon from God. Many others crowded into the taverns to escape reality. But the most healthy response was uttered by House member Abraham Davenport when the Connecticut Legislature came to the panicky conclusion that it was Judgment Day: The Day of Judgment is coming or it is not. If it is not, there is no occasion for alarm. If it is I wish to be found in the line of my duty . . .
How will it be for you when the promised judgment really does come?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
P.S. It is said that the explanation for this phenomena was massive forest fires in Canada that the smoke blotted out the sun. Perhaps so, but it seems very unlikely that would happen so early in the year in eastern Canada.
On May 19, 1780, night fell on New England at ten in the morning and continued for five hours. The birds went to roost, the noon meal had to be eaten by candlelight, and no reading or writing could be done except by candlelight. No, this was not an eclipse; the moon was in the wrong phase.
I think the most interesting part of the whole story is the human response to the "unnatural" phenomena. Church buildings became a gathering place for many to seek a last-minute pardon from God. Many others crowded into the taverns to escape reality. But the most healthy response was uttered by House member Abraham Davenport when the Connecticut Legislature came to the panicky conclusion that it was Judgment Day: The Day of Judgment is coming or it is not. If it is not, there is no occasion for alarm. If it is I wish to be found in the line of my duty . . .
How will it be for you when the promised judgment really does come?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
P.S. It is said that the explanation for this phenomena was massive forest fires in Canada that the smoke blotted out the sun. Perhaps so, but it seems very unlikely that would happen so early in the year in eastern Canada.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
THE POWER OF ONE
How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news! (Romans 10:15b).
Today is St. Patrick's day--I hope you have your green on!
The dates of Patrick's birth and death are not known with certainty, but they fall roughly between 385 and 461. Patrick was taken as a slave, while still a boy, to Ireland. He managed to escape and return to his home land, but he felt the call of God to return to Ireland with the gospel. He was about forty years old when he did actually return. Patrick was not particularly talented as a teacher or a preacher, but the impact of the good news on Ireland was not lost. Almost single-handedly, Patrick brought literacy and Faith to a nation. Hopefully, the Irish will not throw away their most important heritage!
See what one person can do?!?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Today is St. Patrick's day--I hope you have your green on!
The dates of Patrick's birth and death are not known with certainty, but they fall roughly between 385 and 461. Patrick was taken as a slave, while still a boy, to Ireland. He managed to escape and return to his home land, but he felt the call of God to return to Ireland with the gospel. He was about forty years old when he did actually return. Patrick was not particularly talented as a teacher or a preacher, but the impact of the good news on Ireland was not lost. Almost single-handedly, Patrick brought literacy and Faith to a nation. Hopefully, the Irish will not throw away their most important heritage!
See what one person can do?!?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
TRY A DIFFERENT ROAD
. . . ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls (Jeremiah 6:16).
It was in Mrs. Skinner's English class at Sutherland High School that I first remember being introduced to the works of Robert Frost. The message of The Road Not Taken has stayed with me these many years since I first read the poem; it has played a significant role in my decision-making. Of course, the message is that we should take the less-traveled ways during the course of our lives because we will have rewards that most people will not experience.
Less-traveled roads are not the quickest, easiest or safest roads to travel, but they do have the freshest air, the prettiest scenery, and a slower pace to enjoy it all. Naturally, less-traveled roads are probably the oldest roads. They were used less and less as corners were cut and easier ways were found to reach one's destination.
During this journey through life, we must pause occasionally to consider what we are missing by following the masses on the easy roads. What have we missed by taking the well-traveled, and consequently, smoggy road of self-indulgence rather than breathing the fresh air of true love? What beautiful view have we missed by traveling the well-worn road of materialism rather than the scenic road of faith? How much stress do we carry by traveling the crowded freeway of ambition rather than the serene route of service to God?
And I--I took the road less traveled by, and that made all the difference.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
It was in Mrs. Skinner's English class at Sutherland High School that I first remember being introduced to the works of Robert Frost. The message of The Road Not Taken has stayed with me these many years since I first read the poem; it has played a significant role in my decision-making. Of course, the message is that we should take the less-traveled ways during the course of our lives because we will have rewards that most people will not experience.
Less-traveled roads are not the quickest, easiest or safest roads to travel, but they do have the freshest air, the prettiest scenery, and a slower pace to enjoy it all. Naturally, less-traveled roads are probably the oldest roads. They were used less and less as corners were cut and easier ways were found to reach one's destination.
During this journey through life, we must pause occasionally to consider what we are missing by following the masses on the easy roads. What have we missed by taking the well-traveled, and consequently, smoggy road of self-indulgence rather than breathing the fresh air of true love? What beautiful view have we missed by traveling the well-worn road of materialism rather than the scenic road of faith? How much stress do we carry by traveling the crowded freeway of ambition rather than the serene route of service to God?
And I--I took the road less traveled by, and that made all the difference.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Thursday, March 05, 2009
IN HONOR OF MARCH MADDNESS: JOHN WOODEN'S PHILOSOPHY
A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones (Proverbs 14:30).
I have a great deal of respect for coaches because the result of their philosophy of life is brought to life and tested in the public arena of competition in each game. One such coach, who is arguably the greatest coach in the history of the game of basketball, is John Wooden. He coached the UCLA Bruins to ten NCAA championships. I will never forget something he said in a television interview many years ago. His thought was basically this: One of the most common mistakes coaches make is emphasizing what they do not have in terms of talent, size and speed, rather than what they do have. Wooden pointed out that when a coach is wishful for what he doesn't have, and can't do anything about, he fails to develop fully what he does have.
Not only do coaches make this mistake, almost everybody else makes it too!! So many lament their lack of money, power, talent, good-looks, etc. that they fail to develop what they do have. As a result, they lose. One cannot do anything about what he doesn't have. Develop what you have! Play the hand you have been dealt!
The first thing that anyone can develop is a relationship to God. It has been offered to all in Jesus Christ! This not only will transform your life, it will give you possessions that can never be taken away!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
I have a great deal of respect for coaches because the result of their philosophy of life is brought to life and tested in the public arena of competition in each game. One such coach, who is arguably the greatest coach in the history of the game of basketball, is John Wooden. He coached the UCLA Bruins to ten NCAA championships. I will never forget something he said in a television interview many years ago. His thought was basically this: One of the most common mistakes coaches make is emphasizing what they do not have in terms of talent, size and speed, rather than what they do have. Wooden pointed out that when a coach is wishful for what he doesn't have, and can't do anything about, he fails to develop fully what he does have.
Not only do coaches make this mistake, almost everybody else makes it too!! So many lament their lack of money, power, talent, good-looks, etc. that they fail to develop what they do have. As a result, they lose. One cannot do anything about what he doesn't have. Develop what you have! Play the hand you have been dealt!
The first thing that anyone can develop is a relationship to God. It has been offered to all in Jesus Christ! This not only will transform your life, it will give you possessions that can never be taken away!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Sunday, March 01, 2009
DILIGENCE
The hand of the diligent will rule . . . (Proverbs 12:24).
Hayden Fry, the winningest football coach in Hawkeye history, would use this expression to communicate diligence, "We're stickin' to our knittin'." My banker calls it, "scratchin'." Webster calls it "constant, careful effort." However you phrase it, diligence is necessary for a successful, meaningful existence.
Diligence implies a plan. Life can be very frustrating and depressing if one does not have a goal and a plan by which he can reach it. Taking God's will into account, make a goal and make a plan to reach it within a year's time. Planning is the first step to winning!
Diligence means working your plan carefully. Haphazard efforts rarely bring success or personal satisfaction into our lives.
Diligence also means perseverance. Any goal which is worthwhile will cost you something to achieve it. That's life; it even costs God something to achieve His plans. Don't give up too quickly; give your plan a chance to work!
It is noteworthy that this text does not promise success to the righteous or to those who are evil, but to the diligent. That is why those who are righteous must be ever vigilant and diligent or else evil will rule!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Hayden Fry, the winningest football coach in Hawkeye history, would use this expression to communicate diligence, "We're stickin' to our knittin'." My banker calls it, "scratchin'." Webster calls it "constant, careful effort." However you phrase it, diligence is necessary for a successful, meaningful existence.
Diligence implies a plan. Life can be very frustrating and depressing if one does not have a goal and a plan by which he can reach it. Taking God's will into account, make a goal and make a plan to reach it within a year's time. Planning is the first step to winning!
Diligence means working your plan carefully. Haphazard efforts rarely bring success or personal satisfaction into our lives.
Diligence also means perseverance. Any goal which is worthwhile will cost you something to achieve it. That's life; it even costs God something to achieve His plans. Don't give up too quickly; give your plan a chance to work!
It is noteworthy that this text does not promise success to the righteous or to those who are evil, but to the diligent. That is why those who are righteous must be ever vigilant and diligent or else evil will rule!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Saturday, February 28, 2009
ORIGINAL SIN OR ORIGINAL RIGHTEOUSNESS?
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness . . ." (Genesis 1:26).
One of the most commonly accepted doctrines in Christendom is the doctrine of original sin, the belief that sin is in human nature. It is so embedded in human nature that even the remission of sin found in Jesus Christ cannot eradicate it, for it continues to be passed along to the children of Christian parents.
It seems to me that a doctrine that makes the sin of Adam a more powerful dynamic than the redemption and pardon found in Jesus Christ is suspect. If the doctrine of original sin is such an obvious teaching of Scripture, why is it that the earliest creeds of the church, the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed, did not teach it? Because the earliest Christians still held an Apostolic view of the fall; they understood the difference between guilt and consequences. We do not bear the guilt of Adam's sin, but we share in the consequences, two of which are these:
1) When sin entered the world through Adam's disobedience, he passed from a state of innocence to a state of personal accountability. We share in that consequence.
2) When Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden, they no longer had access to the tree of life, thus their physical death was a forgone conclusion. We share in the consequence of physical death too, for the same reason.
If there is something in the make up of a human being that is passed from one generation to another, it is original righteousness--we are created in the image of God. Though all humanity has fallen into sin, following the desires of the flesh, the wisdom of the world and the seduction of satan, the image has not been blotted out! Beings created in the image of God have great nobility! Beings created in the image of God have a great responsibility! Beings created in the image of God have a great Savior!
The doctrine of Original Sin is a doctrine of death. The doctrine of Original Righteousness is a doctrine of hope!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
One of the most commonly accepted doctrines in Christendom is the doctrine of original sin, the belief that sin is in human nature. It is so embedded in human nature that even the remission of sin found in Jesus Christ cannot eradicate it, for it continues to be passed along to the children of Christian parents.
It seems to me that a doctrine that makes the sin of Adam a more powerful dynamic than the redemption and pardon found in Jesus Christ is suspect. If the doctrine of original sin is such an obvious teaching of Scripture, why is it that the earliest creeds of the church, the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed, did not teach it? Because the earliest Christians still held an Apostolic view of the fall; they understood the difference between guilt and consequences. We do not bear the guilt of Adam's sin, but we share in the consequences, two of which are these:
1) When sin entered the world through Adam's disobedience, he passed from a state of innocence to a state of personal accountability. We share in that consequence.
2) When Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden, they no longer had access to the tree of life, thus their physical death was a forgone conclusion. We share in the consequence of physical death too, for the same reason.
If there is something in the make up of a human being that is passed from one generation to another, it is original righteousness--we are created in the image of God. Though all humanity has fallen into sin, following the desires of the flesh, the wisdom of the world and the seduction of satan, the image has not been blotted out! Beings created in the image of God have great nobility! Beings created in the image of God have a great responsibility! Beings created in the image of God have a great Savior!
The doctrine of Original Sin is a doctrine of death. The doctrine of Original Righteousness is a doctrine of hope!
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Friday, February 20, 2009
THE REAL WASHINGTON
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22).
One of the disadvantages of being dead is that those who are living can make any kind of person out of you that they want. Evidence can be bent enough to make the dead person into the image that the historian chooses. So it has been with the life of our first President, George Washington*. There have been historians who contended that Washington was a deist and not a Christian because he did not speak of Christ very often. He did not speak of Christ often, that is true, but when he did it was powerful. Proclaiming the first Thanksgiving holiday, Washington said,
It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor.
In an address to his soldiers he said, To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.
Powerful stuff!! His words represent the thinking of the great majority of our founding fathers!
Washington's personal motto was, Deeds not words. He was a doer who did not spend a lot of time talking. What our deeds say is the real truth about who we are. When Henry Lee, interestingly, the father of Robert E. Lee, gave Washington's funeral oration, he said about him,
First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen. To that we say, AMEN for he was our first and best president.
Remember, Washington's birthday is the 22nd.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
* Much of the information in this devotion I owe to the research of Peter A. Lillback, Ph. D. and the History News Network of George Mason University, 2-12-07.
One of the disadvantages of being dead is that those who are living can make any kind of person out of you that they want. Evidence can be bent enough to make the dead person into the image that the historian chooses. So it has been with the life of our first President, George Washington*. There have been historians who contended that Washington was a deist and not a Christian because he did not speak of Christ very often. He did not speak of Christ often, that is true, but when he did it was powerful. Proclaiming the first Thanksgiving holiday, Washington said,
It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor.
In an address to his soldiers he said, To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.
Powerful stuff!! His words represent the thinking of the great majority of our founding fathers!
Washington's personal motto was, Deeds not words. He was a doer who did not spend a lot of time talking. What our deeds say is the real truth about who we are. When Henry Lee, interestingly, the father of Robert E. Lee, gave Washington's funeral oration, he said about him,
First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen. To that we say, AMEN for he was our first and best president.
Remember, Washington's birthday is the 22nd.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
* Much of the information in this devotion I owe to the research of Peter A. Lillback, Ph. D. and the History News Network of George Mason University, 2-12-07.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
ALEXANDER CHOSE SIDES ON VALENTINE'S DAY
. . . baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. . .(I Peter 3:21 NIV).
When my grandson, Alexander, was baptized on Valentine's day I was thinking, "Now Alexander has officially chosen sides." In a sense, Alexander has been a Christian all of his ten years of life. He has Christian parents who have taught and modeled the teachings of Christ his whole life long. Ninety per cent of the time, when there is congruence between what the parents say they believe and their actual behavior, the children will adopt the parent's faith. That is the way it is with Alexander. But, on Valentine's Day, Alexander made it official. In baptism he made the pledge to serve our Lord Jesus Christ and to trust our savior, Jesus Christ, for salvation.
The term that is translated "pledge" is also translated "answer" in other versions of the Bible. Giving an answer or making a pledge are essential in making a vow or a covenant. In this case, in baptism, one swears by the blood of Jesus--the covenant is signed in the blood of Jesus and sealed in the Holy Spirit. Alexander now has all the blessings of the New Covenant available to him. He now has all of its responsibilities too, that of living a life of service to Jesus Christ.
Have you publicly pledged, on Christ's terms, not your own, your trust in and your service to Jesus Christ? Alexander has.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
When my grandson, Alexander, was baptized on Valentine's day I was thinking, "Now Alexander has officially chosen sides." In a sense, Alexander has been a Christian all of his ten years of life. He has Christian parents who have taught and modeled the teachings of Christ his whole life long. Ninety per cent of the time, when there is congruence between what the parents say they believe and their actual behavior, the children will adopt the parent's faith. That is the way it is with Alexander. But, on Valentine's Day, Alexander made it official. In baptism he made the pledge to serve our Lord Jesus Christ and to trust our savior, Jesus Christ, for salvation.
The term that is translated "pledge" is also translated "answer" in other versions of the Bible. Giving an answer or making a pledge are essential in making a vow or a covenant. In this case, in baptism, one swears by the blood of Jesus--the covenant is signed in the blood of Jesus and sealed in the Holy Spirit. Alexander now has all the blessings of the New Covenant available to him. He now has all of its responsibilities too, that of living a life of service to Jesus Christ.
Have you publicly pledged, on Christ's terms, not your own, your trust in and your service to Jesus Christ? Alexander has.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Lincoln & Darwin, Their 200th Birthday
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth . . . Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth" (Genesis 1:1, 26 RSV).
The great emancipator, Abraham Lincoln, and best articulator of the theory of evolution, Charles Darwin, share the same birthday, February 12, 1809. A quote from each man is revealing. In them we see the implications of the logical consequences of their different faiths.
First, a quote from Lincoln's second inaugural address, spoken near the end of America's costliest war, the Civil War:
With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds . . .
Now a quote from Darwin found on Google's Brainy Quotes:
At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilized races of man will almost certainly exterminate, and replace the savage races through out the world.
The legacy of Lincoln is that the preserved Union became best nation in the history of the world. Treating people, no matter who they are, as God's creation and worthy of love, had a great deal to do with America's strength and goodness.
The legacy of social Darwinism is grim. Sigmund Freud, Margaret Sanger, Hitler, Stalin, etc. followed the logical conclusions of social Darwinism and the result has been a story of pain, blood and death.
Oh yes, Darwin was a man of faith. Though his disavowed faith in the God of the Bible, he adopted faith in nature, about which knowledge is not absolute. I'm sure that when he met God, who has absolute knowledge, there was weeping and gnashing of teeth!
Which birthday do you want to celebrate?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
The great emancipator, Abraham Lincoln, and best articulator of the theory of evolution, Charles Darwin, share the same birthday, February 12, 1809. A quote from each man is revealing. In them we see the implications of the logical consequences of their different faiths.
First, a quote from Lincoln's second inaugural address, spoken near the end of America's costliest war, the Civil War:
With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds . . .
Now a quote from Darwin found on Google's Brainy Quotes:
At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilized races of man will almost certainly exterminate, and replace the savage races through out the world.
The legacy of Lincoln is that the preserved Union became best nation in the history of the world. Treating people, no matter who they are, as God's creation and worthy of love, had a great deal to do with America's strength and goodness.
The legacy of social Darwinism is grim. Sigmund Freud, Margaret Sanger, Hitler, Stalin, etc. followed the logical conclusions of social Darwinism and the result has been a story of pain, blood and death.
Oh yes, Darwin was a man of faith. Though his disavowed faith in the God of the Bible, he adopted faith in nature, about which knowledge is not absolute. I'm sure that when he met God, who has absolute knowledge, there was weeping and gnashing of teeth!
Which birthday do you want to celebrate?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Monday, February 09, 2009
WHAT IS SELF-CONTROL? 2
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable (I Corinthians 9:25).
John Tierny, New York Time columnist, wrote an article called, For Good Self-control, Try Getting Religious About It.* In it he cited research done by the Universities of Miami and Maryland which confirmed that religious people do tend to be more self-controlled than nonreligious people.
Why is that? Faith gives us purpose to live in a certain way so that we can live intentionally rather than simply being victims of our feelings, impulses and urges. Faith not only restrains us from negative behaviors, it motivates us to do right behaviors in spite of our feelings. Much of what is called "depression" is simply a lack of self-control. Faith gives us a reason and it gives us a resource to get up and get going. The dynamic of the Holy Spirit is essential to the formation of self-control in our lives--the fruit of the Holy Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:23)!!
Faith in Christ does not mean that self-control problems will vanish, but it is the necessary first-step to a life of real purpose and fulfillment.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
John Tierny, New York Time columnist, wrote an article called, For Good Self-control, Try Getting Religious About It.* In it he cited research done by the Universities of Miami and Maryland which confirmed that religious people do tend to be more self-controlled than nonreligious people.
Why is that? Faith gives us purpose to live in a certain way so that we can live intentionally rather than simply being victims of our feelings, impulses and urges. Faith not only restrains us from negative behaviors, it motivates us to do right behaviors in spite of our feelings. Much of what is called "depression" is simply a lack of self-control. Faith gives us a reason and it gives us a resource to get up and get going. The dynamic of the Holy Spirit is essential to the formation of self-control in our lives--the fruit of the Holy Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:23)!!
Faith in Christ does not mean that self-control problems will vanish, but it is the necessary first-step to a life of real purpose and fulfillment.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
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