The Hard Topic

I feel like this topic has come up multiple times this last week and so I thought I should address it. That topic is death. We had a burial today and I know that feelings can be raw. I remember not that long ago one of my high school buddies past away. We were having a conversation about how to help those left behind. The first thing to note is that everyone handles grief differently. Some shut down. Some pour themselves into work or keep busy. Some need to be around people while others need to be alone. The first thing that I notice is that after a funeral, most people go back to their normal days. Unfortunately, the family is often unable to do that immediately. We shouldn’t force ourselves on anyone, but it is good to be available or check in from time to time to see how things are going. I think that most people get really uncomfortable talking about the death of one who is terminal. My experience is that most people that are dying don’t have a problem talking about death... after all that is their reality now. We can ask how they are doing?... if there are any things that they need to say or accomplish before dying?... and most importantly, if they have a living faith in Jesus? If there is ever a time to talk about faith, it is then. After the funeral, when everyone else goes back to normal, the family may feel isolated. It seems like everyone is walking on eggshells because they don’t know how to talk with that person. Then someone innocently starts talking about their father or mother and awkwardly apologize to the one who lost their father or mother. It gets uncomfortable because everyone is afraid of saying the wrong thing. Again, my experience has been that those that experienced the loss are ok with talking about that person. It keeps the memory alive and lets those grieving know that they meant something to us. It is ok for them to cry. Don’t go in with an agenda or a plan on what you are going to do or how you should act. Be real and in the moment. Be with the one grieving. If you happen to think of a memory of that person, maybe send a text and say, “I was just thinking about them and how they used to ...”. Invite them to join in activities so they can get back into life again. Don’t force. And pray. Father, there are so many people that have lost loved ones and are grieving. Help us to listen, support, and just be there for them. Amen

Self Absorbed

I was driving in town today and came across one of the few traffic lights we have in town. It wasn’t rush hour, but it was getting close. I was wanting to make a right turn at the intersection. When I got there, I noticed that a few cars, going from left to right, had entered the intersection before there was room on the opposite side. There they were, smack in the middle of the intersection. The light changed. We got a green light. It was about as useful as a ping pong ball at a golf tournament. The intersection was blocked. By the time the traffic started moving again, I think only one car had made it across. If the intersection wasn’t blocked, I would guess a dozen cars, at least, would have made been able to move on. Were they impatient? Selfish? Not paying attention? Unaware of the law? Had they been paying attention, everyone would have done better. I couldn’t help but think of Romans 12 where it says, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Believers really should stand out because of how we act... should act. Too often we are no different than the world. That’s a sad commentary. The Apostle Paul calls us to love from the heart, not just because we are told we should love others. As the Spirit of God moves within us, we will find ourselves moving away from that which is evil and worldly to follow Him who is true. The world tells us to look out for ourselves, but Paul tells us to be devoted to one another. And what I didn’t see today? “Honor one another above yourselves”. The more we walk with God, the greater our desire will be to serve and worship Him. He tells us to be “ joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer”, but I will save that for another pondering. We are to share with those in need, not if it is convenient, not if we have extra to give, not to gain praise from others, but because God asked us to. It closes with practice hospitality... a lost gift. Take time to ponder its meaning. Father, here I am complaining about how someone else isn’t acting properly when I know I have failed enough times myself. Help! Amen

How Friendly Should We Be?

We have been going through Luther’s Catechism as the basis of a Bible Study. I think we might be going on about 5 years in the Catechism, looking at all the Bible Passages that Luther believed added clarity to the basic teachings of Jesus. We are just finishing up a section dealing with confession, forgiveness, and excommunication (removing someone from membership because of sinful actions). We looked at a section in 2 Corinthians chapter 2 where the Apostle Paul seemed to indicate that the church needed to deal with someone who had sinned. At some point, the Apostle Paul instructed them to forgive the man and welcome him back into fellowship, making sure they affirmed their love for the repentant sinner. Why was the Apostle Paul so insistent on assuring the man of their love? So that he wasn’t overwhelmed with guilt for his actions and leave the church or worse. It has been documented that many cults, in order to gain more members, look for people that are outcast, overwhelmed, and feeling alone. Their response is sometimes called ‘love bombing’. Everyone encourages this lost person and surrounds them with so much love and acceptance. Even though in many cases they know the group doesn’t stand for what they have been taught is right, the need to feel loved is a greater desire for them. The power of love is expressed by a mom after a child has admitted his/her failure. The mom doesn’t just say thank you for admitting that, but with a desire to see the child restored, wraps that child in her arms making sure that he/she knows that they are loved and have been restored. Love is a very powerful expression. Going back to removing someone from church, how convinced do you have to be of their repentance and how quickly should they be accepted back into full fellowship. Forgiveness bears immediate results, and the congregation should accept that forgiveness fully, the second repentance is expressed. Does everyone who attends worship each Sunday feel that same love and acceptance or do we remain in our own groups. If you don’t feel welcome, you usually don’t stick around very long. If someone leaves not knowing they are loved, we have failed our job. Father, You expressed Your love for us by sending Your Son to rescue us. Fill us with the same love for those You place in our lives. Amen

Unseen Danger

Today was both a good day and a little bit of a struggle. I had to see the dentist. It wasn’t just for a cleaning or even a filling. I had lost a chunk of tooth that now needs to have a crown put on it. There was some sign of decay around the filling that was left in the tooth, so the dentist drilled, and drilled, and drilled. Because of the “novocaine”, I didn’t feel any intense pain, but as the drilling got deeper, I could tell the nerve was really being taxed. The numbing shot was very isolated... just the one tooth he was working on. In the past, it seemed like much of my mouth went numb. When I left, after all the pushing, stretching, drilling, I thought I would be sore. That didn’t come until later in the day when the numbing agent was wearing off. Then there was a little aching, but more than that, there was exhaustion. It seems strange that something I couldn’t feel had such a debilitating effect on me. Then I started thinking about our spiritual walk. If I face something big and overwhelming, I know it is there and I can seek help to deal with it. If, however, the problems are more subtle and/or they happen when we are distracted with other things, we may not even consider the damage they could do. Note that a small glowing ember, or even a spark, can cause a forest fire. Whatever thought, action, or obstacle that is in our life, even if it seems small and insignificant, can grow over time and create much destruction. I recall a psalmist speaking of sin and say that when he remained silent, his bones wasted away within him. Even though the tooth didn’t cause much pain, it controlled how I felt later in the day. Even though we do things, or participate in things that don’t seem “really” bad, it has a way of tainting our heart and spirit. With the illustration earlier, a glowing ember is much easier to put out than a forest fire. Likewise, when we become aware of things in our lives that aren’t perfectly aligned with God, that is the time to take care of it. The longer we wait, the more likely it will eventually get out of control. This is why we need the fellowship of others and a sense of accountability, so that these things don’t creep up on us or fester in our hearts and minds. We are not to seek to belittle but to strengthen and equip other believers. Father God, if there is someone reading this pondering that is struggling, even if it is small, send someone to help them. Amen

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

I felt bad that today in worship I was partially responsible for distracting some parishioners during worship. I must admit that I was totally unaware of the problem that was there. During or after the message, I was totally unaware that a wasp had landed on my robe and was quite close to the arms of the robe. I was told that at times it would get lost in the folds of the robe. It wasn’t bothering me because I didn’t know about it. If it had bothered me, it could have been quite disruptive to worship. I was thankful that one of the ushers came up, when it was appropriate in the service, and swiped it off of me. I was clueless to the danger that might have been there. I was never allergic to bee stings, but I find that as I age, things change and so I don’t like to gamble on the outcome. That wasp caused two issues. It distracted some worshipers and it might have put me in a little danger. Sin has a way of doing the same thing. For many people, even believers, we can carry with us sin that is threatening to destroy us. All sin, great or small, condemns us without Christ. Our blindness to the sin not only is a danger to our souls but can cause others to fall. Addictions can distract families and communities from the real solution... Jesus Christ. Our spiritual blindness can also cause others to take their eyes off of Christ. Why? Because they are influenced or tempted by my sin and that distraction has a way of compromising our faith. That is why it is so important when we go before the Lord to confess our sins, to confess not only the sins that we are aware of, but also for the sins that we are unaware of. It is not a matter of trying to argue how God would judges us for sins we are not aware of. All sin condemns us therefore should be confessed to God. In our confession, we need to truly understand that we are lost condemned sinners and that Jesus is our only hope. That can’t be just words. It has to come from the heart. The flip side of that is that having repented and confessed that sin, we are not to dwell on it anymore nor does it have the power to destroy us. Just as we must be aware of the dangers of sin, we must all the more live our lives in the sure hope our risen Savior brings. Your sins have been removed. Father, Even though we sin often, Your forgiveness is greater still. Help us to walk in the knowledge of our Your promises. Amen

We Make It Too Hard

I remember being asked riddles as I was growing up that had a lot of details. I would try to keep track of how many of each item was talked about and was anticipating what the final question was going to be. In the end, it was such a basic question, but I had been so busy trying to figure out all the details that I often would miss the obvious answer. We seem to have a habit of doing that. Instead of working on the basics and doing that well, we begin to focus on things that are beyond our responsibility. An example might be when entertaining company, we are told that they will just eat some oatmeal for breakfast. We might offer more and they decline. In order to make ourselves feel like better hosts, we may try to make a big hot breakfast or a fancy brunch. The intent is good, but maybe they have allergies or are on a diet, or for what ever other reason cannot have what is made. We put in a lot of work that accomplishes very little. We see that in sharing our faith. I read a quote recently that said, “It is not our business to make the message acceptable, but to make it available. We are not to see that they like it, but that they get it.” We take responsibility for things that are not ours to do. We feel as if we have failed if they don’t respond in a positive way to what we have shared. The problem is, that is not our job. We are not to water down the gospel or try to make it easier to accept. Instead of being honest about unwise choices, we sometimes are tempted to soften God’s word so as not to offend the person. That’s not our job. The truth is that God has called us to share the good news of Jesus Christ with them, whether they choose to listen or not. Why are we so often more concerned with how someone feels about what we say and do than we care what God thinks? When Jesus returns to judge the earth, he is not looking for who had good intentions. He’s not looking for the person with the most friends or who gave the most financially. He is looking for the person who has a true faith in Jesus. This faith will dictate how we act. A strong faith would indicate someone who will not compromise easily on their faith. Are you willing to stand on what you believe no matter what? Are you sure? Father, I want to serve You with all my heart, but my sinful nature is always tugging at me. Help me to trust You always. Amen

Seeking Answers

Those of you that have read my ponderings or talked to me probably already know that I am not a big fan of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There are too many things that are being manipulated and it gets harder and harder each day to tell the truth. Those that aren’t paying attention will probably go through life believing a lot of things that are not true. Those that are paying attention will also be deceived, just not as often. I believe in so many ways that it will be our downfall (the world), but the cat has already been let out of the bag, so to speak. In spite of my great dislike, I have to admit that I was reminded that God is the God of all things, including AI. We were going to sing the praise song, “How Great Is My God”. I asked the musician if she could send me the words she wanted in the bulletin. After receiving it, she said by shrinking the letters or font, she could fit it all on one page. I looked at what I had and knew it was impossible. She started to read some of what she had and we realized the attachment I received was not what she sent. We made several attempts without success. I went over to their home to get a hard copy and then I would just type that in. Even as I was there, something else seemed to glitch on her computer. When we looked at her copy, it had added the chorus of the hymn, “How Great Thou Art”. We had been struggling to know how to end it and I believe that the Holy Spirit found the answer and caused it to be put into our lyrics. We didn’t do it. I see no other explanation. It ended up being an amazing and powerful close to the song. We tend to look at the world through what we can and can’t do. God sees no such limitation. I’m still not a big supporter of AI, but it was a wonderful reminder that all things come under His control. I need to re-look at what is going on in my life and try to weed out my human limitations and begin to see what God is doing or can do. I challenge you to do the same. We need to be more faithful in putting everything into God’s hands and letting Him lead the way. Our greatest desire should be to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. Yes, auto correct can change what we wanted to say, and AI can create things that only seem true, but God the Lord of all. Heavenly Father, I give You control of all that is in my span of control, both living and digital. Amen

Our Responsibility

Hatred between left leaning and right leaning politics has gone on for ages. Sadly, it has built up to an all-time high. I’ve heard of people that have left one church and joined another, not because of false doctrine being preached, but because of political differences. I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that we have always had people in churches that have had differing views and yet the church has gone on. When we start making decisions based on worldly standards and not on God’s word, we become part of the cause of churches losing respect in the communities. The church preaches love, but the community is watching closely at how that love is lived out and many times it is not a good showing. We need to find ways to reach unity, not of our wants and opinions. We need unity based on the truth of God’s Word. There may be some things in one party that seems to reflect God’s commands. There may be some things the other party is good. To me, it shows greater unity to have different views and yet be in agreement on God’s word and not anyone’s agenda. My intent when writing this was actually not about where we go to worship. I wanted to focus on how we should see our government... from a Biblical perspective. In Romans 13, it say, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.” Before we say it refers only to governments that are acceptable to us, Jesus spoke about taxes and said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”. It doesn’t mean we have to like it. Unless the government is tyrannical and has no respect for law, I believe we must operate within that system. If we try to sway the government by threat and violence, God says, if we do wrong, we should be afraid. We don’t get to rewrite laws, but work within the accepted law. Government should exercise justice, treating each citizen equally regardless of money, race, or affiliation. We should pray for said leadership and stand against lawbreakers, condemning those that would harm. We are to submit to leaders and law, due to conscience. Father, give us wisdom to sift through truth and deception. Protect all our leaders from harm and give Godly wisdom to each one. Amen

Momentary Troubles

We have become such an instant society, wanting what we want, when we want it. I had a friend from seminary who was from Africa and was still adjusting to here. One day he started sharing about a trip he took to the grocery store. He began talking about how he walked through one aisle and saw a jar of Tang, which he discovered was a powdered juice. The label said to just add water in order to get orange juice. He noted how amazing that was. A little later he went down another aisle and saw a box labeled powdered milk. It said to just add water and you had a glass of milk. Then he found a box that spoke of powdered mashed potatoes which, of course, you add water to and you get mashed potatoes. He said he was not prepared as he went through the pharmacy section and saw a container labeled Baby powder. Then he walked away leaving people wondering if he was serious or not. He had such a great sense of humor. Instant. Now. Immediately. I think we have lost the concept, in many ways, of preparing for tomorrow. I admit that finances can be tight, but too many people don’t put any money aside for the future. It might mean living in a simpler house, a cheaper car, and being thrifty. We live beyond our means. The same thing might be said of our daily walk with God. When we pray, we want the answer now, and we want it our way. When we invest in ministry, it is for something now and not investing in something that might have a great payoff down the road. In 2 Corinthians 4 we read, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” Paul is reminding us not to be so focused on our current situation that we lose track of the bigger picture, eternity. Our bodies age and we struggle with worldly things, but as we walk with God, our spiritual life is renewed daily. The troubles we face today for God, will reap eternal rewards. Stay focused on the goal, the salvation of souls. Father, we are too often quick to complain and slow to learn. Help us to daily invest in You for our future, our salvation, our eternity. Amen

God’s Amazing World

I’m not sure why this came to mind, but I have been thinking about all the sea life in the ocean. I grew up in Papua New Guinea and we were in the water all the time. We had made our own aquarium, and we caught our own fish. I may have had one of the most exotic fish tanks, compared to standards in the USA, and never paid a cent for a fish. We had clown fish & their home, the anemone. We had puffer fish, sea horse, butterfly fish, and so on. Even more amazing than being able to watch the fish in the aquarium, was watching the sea life in person. I had learned to hold my breath for a long time, be able to dive deep enough to discover new things and be a good enough swimmer to get to where I wanted to go. If I had known I could, I probably would have trained to be a sea biologist so that I could continue to study what I grew up seeing. One of the most amazing was what was called a Spanish dancer. It was like a slug only with bright colors and edges that looked like a Spanish Dancers dress. It could swim, looking almost like a small piece of ribbon drifting in the water. The parrot fish was an assortment of colors from greens to yellow and orange. It had a parrot like beak that enabled it to eat coral. We also had a starfish that looked like it was covered with chocolate chips. Even the dull looking stonefish could display vibrant colors on its fins as it swam. I wish I could take people to where we were and share with them the amazing underwater world that was filled with colors, beauty, mystery, and discoveries. When we look at the oceans, we marvel and desire to see all the varieties of sea life and wanting to know more about each one. Why do we make a complete 180 when it comes to people. If you look around, you can see all kinds of people. The skin color is different, along with hair, height, and body build. There are different personalities and skills that add depth to each person. Instead of celebrating the differences, we try to put people in boxes or categories. We determine what is good and bad based on what we see, not on who they are. We need to start seeing and understanding that each person is a precious gift from God. If we learned to lift each other up rather than find division, all would be good. Thank You Father for the amazing beauty that You put in each person. Use each of us display Your abundant provisions. Amen

Wonderful News?

I remember, as a young man, dreaming of finding a great treasure that would change my life. I’m kind of ashamed that it wasn’t to benefit others... well maybe my immediate family. In some ways, we have someone that might have found a treasure... a treasure greater than I could have ever imagined. Somewhere around Mount Ararat, there is an image that looks much like a large ship. They have done some scans that seem to indicate there are passages in that ship, not a mountain feature that has tunnels in it. As the snow has melted, the shape of this ship has become clearer. What could it possibly be? Due to its location and distance from any large body of water, it is logical to assume, if it is a water vessel... it could very well be the Ark that Noah had built. We’ve heard the story in the Bible multiple times if we grew up going to Sunday School. It was an amazing story, but I think many have assumed that is all that it is. What would it mean for the world if it was determined that it was indeed Noah’s Ark. Truthfully, beyond fascinating a lot of people, for man it would mean very little spiritually. You see, if someone doesn’t want to believe, they will start questioning how two of every kind of animal could have fit on board. There would be questions on logistics, technology, age, etc. in an effort, by many, to discredit its historic importance. So, what will we learn, if it is indeed the Ark. It will mean yet another part of Bible is verified. Even more than that, it will support a young earth, not one that took millions and billions of years to form. How do I determine that? The Bible records only a thousand or two years before the Ark was built. All things were created by God in Eden around the same time as Adam. That means that dinosaurs would have existed in that timeline. How would Noah have known the creation history? Methuselah, the oldest person to live on earth knew (or lived at the same time as) both Adam and Noah. So, Noah’s knowledge of creation might have been from someone who knew Adam. Then Shem, who may very well have talked with Methuselah, lived until Jacob was a young man. Outside of historic importance is likely a verification of the Biblical account/timeline. Father, If it is the Ark, I don’t know why you have revealed it now but enable us to know how to use the find to draw in the lost. Amen

Why Do Believers Fall Away?

I know that there are those that teach that once we “accept Jesus”, we can never fall away from God. I don’t see that fit with God’s word as God emphasizes over and over again that we are saved by faith. I was reading recently from Acts 3, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you — even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'” A couple of things stand out in these verses. In terms of salvation, we are told that anyone who does not listen to Jesus will be cut off from among his people. I don’t believe that God will cut us off from His people if He intends for us to be with Him in heaven. Not listening and unbelief go hand in hand and lead to condemnation. The other thing that strike me in this passage is the beginning that speaks of repenting, turning to God, having our sins removed, and experiencing times of refreshing. In other words, recognizing our sin, acknowledging that sin, and turning back to Him. This is God’s plan to rescue us. What we don’t always talk about is the times of refreshing. Forgiveness removes the sin that burdens us down. We don’t get weighed down overnight, but we can be renewed in an instant... after confession and repentance. It is as if we carry a backpack with us. Each day we sin and begin to carry that burden. It is not heavy at first, but it keeps piling up. We learn to carry it instead of removing it. It is after our confession and repentance that Jesus takes that burden from us and we experience that deep sense of relief and times of refreshing in the Lord. If we knew God and then fall away, it is either because of some great trial, or more likely because sin has gradually weighed us down to the point of giving up and walking away. It often starts with allowing little things to build up. Father, Help us not only to reach out to the lost and unbelieving, but help us to encourage and build up those of the faith. Amen

Jesus, the Bread of Life

When we think about Jesus and bread, our minds normally go to the Passover or Holy Communion. God’s people were slaves in Egypt and had cried out to God to save them. God sent Moses. “Let my people go”. Nine plagues and still God wouldn’t release the people. God instructed this last plague would cause Pharaoh to release them. The LORD would strike down the eldest male from every family and animal that didn't have the blood of a lamb brushed on the door frame. The people were instructed what to eat the night before and it included lamb, unleaven bread, and bitter herbs. They were to eat in haste, staff in hand, ready to travel quickly. Thus, they would have no time for the bread to rise. The Passover was a symbol of unity. Some thought the leaven caused fermentation which would break unity. After the Passover, they could go back to bread with yeast again. I had always focused on the lamb and not the bread, but during a study, someone raised the image of the unleaven bread (pre-Passover) and the leaven bread (post-Passover) as valuable in the message of the feast. In Egypt, they were slaves, unable to save themselves. In many ways, the unleaven bread might represent the last meal before they were set free. The lack of yeast (fallen dough) was picturesque of their predicament. The bread that followed their freedom was risen, giving hope of a fresh start. Even more importantly, in New Testament times, the unleaven bread might also represent their condition of slavery to sin. Unleaven bread had a similar appearance, but lacked the full texture that bread offered. Sin has a way of breaking us all down. After the resurrection, when sin was atoned for, the bread (with yeast) rose to give its full flavor and texture. Even though the unleaven bread indicated haste, it was haste to leave the slavery of Egypt or sin in the New Testament. Just as unleaven bread is connected to Communion, Passover, or the Eucharist, we might equally celebrate the bread with yeast that has risen. In Christ we have been given the hope of entering the promised land, not of earthly origins, but concerning our heavenly inheritance. Like those that lacked faith to cross the Jordan River to fight for the land God had promised, many will miss Heaven due to lack of faith. Father, I don’t know if bread carried all this significance but teach us each day to treasure the new life with our Risen Savior. Amen

God Will Do What He Says

In our Sunday Adult Study, we have been going through the book of Jeremiah. God’s people have turned away from Him and have become disobedient. Jeremiah has been sent to tell the people that they must repent. It seems each chapter, the prophetic word of God becomes more and more destructive in the outcome of the people. Jeremiah is a constant irritation for the King and his followers. God predicted that the armies of the north were going to come down and destroy the people, but the false prophets mocked God’s word through Jeremiah. Egypt had come to their rescue, and as the enemy scattered back to the north, Egypt headed back home. The people were basking in the knowledge that the enemy had been pushed back, and I imagine they assumed that Jeremiah was wrong or that they had changed the outcome. Jeremiah’s words in chapter 37 was that even if the northern army was defeated, those that had been injured would attack and overthrow Israel. Talk about a slap in the face. Jeremiah is telling them that God’s word will always do what He promises. Before they become confident in the retreat of the northern army, they must remember God’s word. If Israel believed they had defeated the enemy, God is saying that even the injured men of the northern army would be enough to defeat them. God doesn’t need a mighty army. His word is sufficient. How well do we do trusting God’s word? When the Apostle Paul was facing a “thorn in the flesh”, God told him, "’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.” Do we rejoice in our weakness so that Christ’s power would rest on us? Do we believe the God’s grace is sufficient? I think far too many people don’t even consider all that God has done and His promise to be with us and lead... even in the hard times! What God has done is more than enough. His promises offer far more than we deserve, yet we can count on every promise He has given. How often are we like the people of Israel in Jeremiah’s day? Are we obedient or are we seeking our own way. Is God’s word enough or do we want our way? God, You are sufficient. Your promises are sufficient. Your grace is sufficient. Your mercy is more than we deserve. Thank You. Amen

The Goal of Life

If I were to ask the average person on the street what the goal of life was, there would be an incredible variety of answers, I’m sure. It would range from spiritual to very selfish. I would guess that a vast majority of the people would be looking at earthly success, power, and possessions. That is the trade mark of an earthly desire. Some might mention helping others, being kind, and spreading love and encouragement. These are very noble to aspire to, but still don’t match God’s desire for us. I am not saying helping, kindness, and love are bad, but if they are not being done in service to God, they are just actions. I read an interesting quote the other day, “Life is strange. You arrive with nothing, spend your whole life chasing everything, and still leave with nothing. Make sure your soul gains more than your hands.” In the Old Testament, Job already had that figured out. Even after he had lost almost everything, he says, “Naked I came into the world and naked I will return. Praise be to God”. Job was also the one that maybe two thousand years before Jesus came said, “I know that my Redeemer lives and that at the end I will stand upon the earth. I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me.” Job knew the score. Why do we spend all our time trying to accumulate and striving for worldly success when, in reality, the more worldly we become, the further we are from God’s design. If we can’t take it with us, how can we invest it into the Kingdom of God so that more souls surrender and are redeemed? In 1 Peter 1, he speaks of the hope we have through the resurrection and the inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. He ends the paragraph with, “Though you have not seen [Jesus], you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” If we know we start with nothing and end with nothing, what are we going to do with the time we have been given in between? Will we waste it or invest in it? Is it our time or God’s time? Will we seek our own comfort or seek to plant God’s word? It is time to ask the Holy Spirt to mold us according to His plan. Father, I must admit that too often I have invested in the world and not Your Kingdom. Show me how to use what I have for You. Amen

Trusting God’s Directions

I love to take pictures, especially of nature, like flowers, animals, sunsets, waterfalls, etc. I'm always challenged to get the picture to express what I see and feel. Most often, the picture doesn’t come close to truly expressing all that is there. The camera on the phone that I have can take incredibly close-up pictures. If I were to take something that is very familiar, like a rose, and zoom way in on a petal, the stem, or even a leaf, it would be unrecognizable, or close to it. Why? We never see it that close and we are used to seeing everything at once. I had a game on my phone for a while that started off really close to the object and when I gave up, it would zoom out a little more. Each time I would see more of the object until I finally recognized it. The score was based on how quickly I identified it. We need to see the bigger picture to truly understand. I knew what every object was, but sometimes it had to be zoomed out three or four times to understand what I was looking at. Our spiritual life is much the same. We act as if we know what is happening. Sometimes we try to guess why things are happening the way they do. We try to comfort ourselves with assumptions rather than trusting God’s got it. Why is it that we think we need to know the bigger picture? All we need to do is be obedient to God’s word. If God showed us the whole picture and what His intent was, we might try running away. Jonah, instead of going to Nineveh like God has commanded, tried to run away in the opposite direction. God, in His mercy, gave Jonah a second chance although it wasn’t at all how Jonah thought things would work out. If we knew God’s whole plan, we might try to avoid it. If we knew the trials and struggles our obedience to God might cause, we would likely have second thoughts. If we realized we were called to plant seeds of spiritual truth in some one’s life and that no one would know what we did and that results would take decades to happen, we might feel insignificant. The truth is, the more we know about what is going to happen, the less likely we would willing volunteer or accept. God sees the bigger picture. He shows us what we need, when we need it. Father, reveal what you want us to do today. Forgive us for the times we think we need to know everything. Help us to obey. Amen

Does the Bible Say We Shouldn’t Judge Others?

I’m sure you have heard that more than once. Maybe it has been used against you to silence you. They will quote passages like Matthew 7 that say to not judging lest you be judged. There is even a clear illustration of not looking at the speck in your brother's eye while ignoring the plank in your own eye. There is a clear warning that before we start condemning someone else’s actions, we need to make sure our own lives are being held in check to God’s word. Our purpose of pointing out any wrong in our brother or sister is not to embarrass them or belittle them, but rather to redirect and restore them to God. This is why when a brother sins against us, we are to go to them one on one. Solve the issue so that it doesn’t drag the whole church down. If I wait to correct someone until my life is perfect, then I will not be able to address anything. Also, how can the brother that is sinning be restored unless someone will be bold enough to address it firmly, but gently. Does it make a difference whether the person is a believer or not. Yes. The unbeliever doesn’t believe God’s word. Therefore, if someone is caught in adultery and we call them out on it, they feel less shame because they don’t understand God's authority. The law is written on their hearts, but due to the hardness of hearts, it is often weak in its power to convict them. They need to know God and hunger to follow Him. Once the Spirit of God is at work in their hearts, He will convict them of that sin. I have met people that hate watching football. A large number of those people don’t know a lot about how the game is played. Why? If they don’t care about the game, what motivation do they have to learn how the game is played. When they love the game they will desire to know the rules. When we love God, we also desire to know His rules. We read in 1 Corinthians 5, “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." Again, judging is not personal. It is not our law, but God’s. We don’t’ stand superior to others because we all need God’s mercy and grace too. Judging should be restorative. Father, Help us to love and restore the broken and defiant by Your word. Teach us to be gracious to all we meet. Amen

Using Your Gifts

It is easy to look at others and wish we had the gifts and abilities that they had. If only I could be like “Fred”, then I would be a better Christian. The truth is, if we aren’t able to use the gifts that God has given us now, we wouldn’t be any more effective if we had different gifts. When the great theologian, Martin Luther, spoke of our mission field, he referred to it as our vocation. Wherever God has placed us is our mission field. Whatever our occupation, there are the people we can influence. Whatever gifts we have been given will be our means of proclaiming the Gospel. You may think that your abilities are insignificant and that God can’t use them to touch other people. I recently heard the testimony of a man who had a rough patch in his life. As he was coming out on the other side, he really wanted to serve God. While seeking the Lord, he was given an idea... Jerky 4 Jesus. He loved to make Jerky and God put on his heart that he should start a business making Jerky. What does that have to do with the Gospel? He packaged it with the name Jerky 4 Jesus and his packaging was to stir up conversations about faith. Someone told him that changing the name would make it easier to market, but he insisted that anything that reduced the focus on faith was not part of what God called him to do. It is still fairly early in his business and outreach, but if God gave him the idea, God will also accomplish the work. Does that mean that thousands of people will put their faith in Jesus? That would be wonderful, but it is not guaranteed. We focus on the visible result instead of focusing on being faithful. As I talked with the gentleman that started this ministry, it became clear that his desire and calling was beginning the conversation about faith. The Spirit of God would take it from there. So, what is it God would have you do? I know some that have gifts in crafts, woodwork, etching, etc. that have used those gifts to create items to remind us of Christ. Maybe your gift is baking, accounting, welding, quilting, medical, farming, teaching, leading, giving, etc. Whatever the gifts and abilities might be, take it to God, asking Him to give you wisdom how to use it to honor Him. Ask Him to show you. Father, reveal to each believer what gifts and abilities they have been given and how to use it in our vocation and life. Amen

Are There Hypocrites in Church?

This is one of the main reasons people give for why they don’t go to church or believe in God. I have been told that, “You have people that sit in church on Sunday and look all perfect and honest, and then they go to work on Monday and they are completely different than they were at church.” To that I answer, “You are right!” I guess I need to ask the question about where they heard that Christians are perfect. The Apostle Paul wasn’t perfect... he killed Christians, at first. Peter wasn’t perfect... he denied Jesus three times. Moses wasn’t perfect... he disobeyed God and wasn’t allowed to enter the promised land. Adam and Eve weren’t perfect... well, they were when they were created, but they disobeyed God and brought sin into the world. As a matter of fact, the Bible is full of imperfect people. That is the whole point of Jesus coming into the world. I want to share a quote I read recently... “You say that church is full of hypocrites, but you train in gyms of unhealthy people, sit in hospitals full of sickness, and work with broken humans daily. The church isn’t for the perfect; it’s for those honest enough to admit they need God.” According to the Bible, are we to hate sin? Yes. Unfortunately, there is no one who is without sin, except Jesus. Are there people too comfortable with their sin? Sadly, Yes. Why don’t we kick them out? Does a hospital kick out a patient who disobeyed the doctor’s orders and ended up in the hospital again? No. They give them what they need and encourage them to follow the instructions. Does a gym only take healthy and fit people? Some may try, but most offer the tools to get back in shape. If the person chooses not to go or not to train hard, they will likely continue to be out of shape. We accept failure in every other field except the church. Why? Maybe they’ve experienced a pompous Christian who expects others to shape up even when they don’t. Maybe they don’t want to change and so if they can cut down the church so they feel justified not going. Maybe they know they need a Savior, but are afraid, embarrassed, or overwhelmed and lash out. We come before our Gracious God just as we are with all our sin, but our prayer is that God transforms us and strengthens our faith. Merciful Father, we confess to You that we are sinners in need of a Savior. You are our only hope. Transform us. Amen

Are Churches Actually Spiritual?

As I look at the world around us, I have seen many people lose jobs to Artificial Intelligence (AI). The kiosks in the fast-food restaurants, assembly lines, music, writing, movies, etc. I have watched some of the miniseries on the internet and always wondered how some of the same actors were in so many different things. I never considered that they were manufactured by AI until I noticed a few where the voice was tied to the wrong person. Their mouth moved perfectly for the words, but the voice was another character completely. So many of the stories are minor variations of the same story... different characters, different occupations, and different approaches, but the same story. Makes me think that even the storyline may have been produced by AI. What can we trust? So what about the church. I have seen multiple places that offer to write the sermon for me. I just need to provide the text or topic and it will do the rest. I believe that there are many pastors that are doing this and maybe seem very effective, but there is something missing. It can only produce “man’s wisdom” and not the heart of God. I ran across a quote by A.W. Tozer. He said, “Most churches could run without God.” Is he right? Have our churches become so predictable and unspiritual that we don’t need the moving of the Spirit to inspire, convict, convert, and cause us to respond? The fear of the Lord cannot be produced by AI. An inspiring and motivating message can. AI might be good to search for information, but it is too easy to get dependent upon it. If I seek AI to help me put my message together, it has no way of truly connecting the texts with what the Spirit might lay on our heart to say. What would a church look like that was needing God? Humble. The focus would not be on us or what we wanted. It would be focused on missions... making disciples of all nations. It would be spiritual. The fruit of the Spirit would be present everywhere. It would be forgiving, but not accepting of anything contrary to God’s word. It would be loving toward all people, Christian or not. It would also be just, standing on the truth of God’s word. It would be single minded about faith with Christ as the head. Lord, help us to be a spiritual church that hungers for You and Your word. May Your love shine through us in all that we do. Amen