Practice Make Perfect

Have you ever been required to go to a meeting you didn’t want to go to or do something that you weren’t really interested in? Were you at the top of your game? Did you pour everything you had into it to get the most out of it? If you were asked to help someone that you really didn’t care about, were your efforts the best that you could give? We make choices all day long. I’ve known of a number of pastors in my lifetime that I can truly say would have done the as much preparation and effort for one person as they would have for a hundred. It has been said that integrity is confirmed or discredited based on how you act when you don’t think anyone is watching. In order to do our best, even if the recipient of our action won’t notice, we need to be prepared... and some of that preparation includes practice. If you are called to read Scripture in church, it is good to practice... to make sure you are familiar with the content, know how to pronounce all the words, and practice, practice, practice. When we are sharing our gifts with others, it might be important how they receive it. It might, however, be more important what your heart is like when you give it. Are you doing it for your glory or for the benefit of the one you are helping? Are you using every opportunity you are given to honor and serve God? What do I mean by that? When you commit to something, are you doing the best you can with the gifts God has given you or are you just going through the motions? It doesn’t matter if you are preaching in church or talking with friends, the desire of your heart effects what you do. I may have shared this before, but I remember a maintenance worker at a camp I worked at in North Dakota saying something that impacted me in many ways. At a campfire, after all the campers had returned home, she declared that she cleaned the toilets to the glory of God. Would you consider cleaning toilets as God’s work? She knew that if the toilets were clean, the campers would be in a better place to receive God’s word. Even if she never verbally shared her faith, she glorified God by doing the best she could with what she had been asked to do. It shouldn’t have to be listed as a ministry for us to do it for the glory of our Father. Almighty God, we haven’t always given our best. Help us to do everything in life, with Your help, to the best of our abilities. Amen

Preparing for Tomorrow

We do it all the time. If we have family and friends coming over, we make sure we have enough food, lodging, etc. to meet the needs. If we are going to purchase a costly item, we make sure that we have all our paperwork in order. If we have to do a presentation at work, we make sure we have all our ducks lined up in a row. How well do you think we prepare for eternity? The problem with that question is that it seems to indicate that we have something to add to make our eternal future more secure. The fallacy is that if we sit around and do nothing, we have already determined our future. So where does that put us? It is true we can not earn our salvation, but we can submit to the One that holds our eternity... Jesus Christ. If we simply acknowledge Jesus, but our life remains longing for the same things as the rest of the world, our future will likely be hot and unpleasant. If our heart hungers for God, as it should for every believer, it will have a desire to worship Him. Not just to worship on our own, but to gather with other believers that we may spur one another to good works. Confession is not a work we perform to gain points with God, but rather it is an admission of our inability to earn salvation and fall on our face before God confessing our failures that He might remove our sins. Prayer is not a ticket to heaven that is measured by the time we spend on our knees, but rather it is a communicating and worshiping the One who holds our eternity in His hands. Bible studies are of no value to us if we are not seeking to know God and what His desire is for His people. Jesus tells us that when He returns, He will separate the faithful and the unfaithful by how they live their lives...by how they treated others. Jesus says, “When I was hungry, you fed me...when I was sick, you visited me...when I was in prison, you visited me.” The faithful do not look at Jesus with pride in their hearts for all the good works they had done, but rather asked, “When did we do [that]?” It is not that we are judged by what we do, but rather that we do what God has put in our hearts to do without any benefit because it is the right thing to do. Father, We measure a man’s worth by what we see, but You judge a man by the spiritual condition of his heart. Fill us with an unconditional love that comes only from You. Help us! Amen

The Power of Music

Whether you are a believer or not, I think everyone knows, to some degree, that music carries great power. It can cause a grown man to cry, but also lull a baby to sleep. It can heal the wounded soul, but also put fire in the heart. It can express the best that a community has to offer, but it can reflect the depravity of the soul. The words can add great depth, but often the music alone can stir one’s spirit. When we look at the Scriptures, music is woven all the way through it. There is a whole book of the Bible dedicated to this art... the Book of Psalms. This was their hymnal. A great musician leading the worship service can have an enormous influence on drawing hearts to God. Many of traditional hymns were grounded in great theology, while some even recounted specific passages from the Bible. When there is zeal in the life, the spirit often expresses itself in music. Even if one doesn’t have a perfect voice or hasn’t been trained to sing, we often sing in the shower. There is something so therapeutic in that. Some musical styles have come from necessity, such as chanting. Without sound systems, the leader would have struggled to be heard, but tones of the chant match the same tones as if we were shouting from the mountain tops. Other music is borrowed, such as “A Mighty Fortress” that many believe was originally a bar tune. Luther, the author, asked why should the world get all the good music? No matter what the style of music is, it is the message that the music conveys that determine to a large part, how good the music is. So, how much is music part of your worship at church, home, or in the car? How do you use it? ... to stay awake, to lift your soul to the Lord, to be background noise, or is there another purpose? I pity the believer who is unable or doesn’t use music often. How can we worship without music? Even heaven speaks of music there. Churches often argue more about the style of music that is played rather than debate the content and its theological message. Even though I often like to drive in silence, music is always near and dear to my heart. On Sunday, study the words of the hymns, allow the words to minister to you, and take the joy of worship with you when you leave. Father, may godly music fill my heart and mind each and every day. May music minister to hearts of many. Amen

Opening Up Conversations

We had a wedding recently and we use an area in the basement for changing. It is roped off and curtains are hung for privacy. Those curtains are temporary and so they are pinned together and the old-fashioned clothes pegs keep them hanging in place. When I was taking them down, I took the clothes pegs off and put them in my pocket. After the first curtain was down, I put the clothes pegs in a bag for storage. Then I took the next curtain down... put the clothes pegs in the bag. Then the third curtain. After I had put everything away. I ended up at a store. I reached in my pocket to get my wallet, only to find out there were a bunch of clothes pegs in that same pocket. That’ll start a conversation. For once I was at a loss for words. I guess there is a whimsical song that speaks of sunshine in our pocket as a symbol of happiness. I don’t know if I will do this, but I am seriously contemplating painting the clothes pegs into beautiful colors and then putting a picture of the sun on one side and writing sunshine on another. The thought is if I got in a conversation at a checkout, or with a person, etc. I could clip one of those pegs on something near them and simply say that I wanted to share some sunshine with them... maybe putting a smile on their face or giving them something to think about. I haven’t quite figured out how to make it cute and not creepy. Behind my thinking is simply a way of opening up conversations. That sort of thing gets remembered and can be a catalyst for further conversations, which hopefully will deepen. The point is that we need to find ways to open conversations with others other than, “Nice day, isn’t it?” or political observations. We need to connect with people, for until we want to know them, they don’t want to know what we have to share. Tracks are great to start someone thinking, but it doesn’t help with the questions raised. We are called to make disciples, not just to greet them in passing. Making disciples requires investing time and caring for their eternity. It takes faithful prayer. It takes patience. Is there someone God is calling you to invest in? Is there a way that you can begin a new conversation? Pray that God would prepare your heart for such an opportunity. Father God, open our eyes to see the people that are hurting or hungering. Use us to begin that vital conversation. Amen

Don’t Get Fixated

When going to the same place as another driver, I don’t like to be right behind the car or have the other car right behind me. Why? I tend to fixate on them. If it is ahead for a while, I can lose my alertness to my surroundings. If they are behind me, I always want to know where they are in case a deer runs out in front of me or another car brakes quickly. Either way, I can fixate too much on them and not enough on my surroundings. I had an interesting experience recently. I was at a red light and there was a cement truck that appeared to be coming from the left and making a left turn in front of me. He was waiting on the traffic. As I looked at the cab, it seemed smaller than normal and then I realized I couldn’t see a side window. How could he make safe turns in traffic. I had fixated on the cab, or at least what I thought was the cab. It ended up that the cover over the motor and controls was shaped very much like a cab. On the other end of the truck, there was an actual cab with windows and doors etc. I must admit I was a little embarrassed. I wonder how many times we do that in life. We get so focused on a particular aspect of life that we miss other things that are taking place. I imagine that we can be guilty of doing that in our faith walk as well. How often do we determine, without faithful prayer, what we should do as a church, what we should do with our budget, or what we should do with our day? Then we wonder why God doesn’t seem to be present or why He doesn’t cause our ministry and outreach to be successful. We fixate on what we think we should do without going to God and seek His will and direction. Joshua, in the Old Testament, tried to do that when they were going to battle against Ai. God’s people were whooped... until they turned back to God. God is not to be consulted only when we run into a wall, but is to be the first place we seek each day and in every plan. So what are you fixating on today? Is there something that is consuming a lot of your time and energy that you have not consulted God about? If you set goals, are they your goals or Gods? God tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you as well. What do you think that looks like for you? Will you do it? Father, help us to seek Your will every day and redirect us what we try to take the drivers seat. Amen

Visiting the Sick

There are many different levels of sick. One can just be worn down and indicate that they are feeling sick. Someone might be in the hospital with a disease or physical limitation. Others might be struggling with sin and guilt which can cause a spiritual breakdown. We might talk about someone who does depraved things as being sick in the mind. Even though there are varying degrees of sickness and brokenness, the end result is a need for healing. All these are kind of covered in James 5:13-16, “Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” We sing praises when our heart is light, but there is healing with the heaviness of heart too. The healing seems to be tied to the elders, and yet it says to confess to each other and the prayers of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Too often we think of visiting the sick as the pastor’s job. I believe every believer is called to minister to others... just maybe in different ways. We also read about the how Jesus, when He returns to judge the world, was going to separate the faithful and unfaithful. So who will be saved? Matthew 25:34-36 tells us that those who fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, invited the stranger, clothed the needy, cared for the sick, and visited the poor would enter the kingdom of God, for every time we served others, it was as if we served Christ. So, how do we visit the sick? We could bring food to their homes to sooth the spirit, offer to get things from the store, send a get well card, or even take them to doctor appointments. Better yet, we can encourage them (body), read from God’s word and pray for them (soul/spirit). One doesn’t have to be a pastor, or even an elder, to read God’s word and pray. Listen to them and what their needs might be (spiritual and physical). Lord, give me ears to hear their need. Give me words to minister to their hearts. Give me faith to lift them up to Your gracious care. Amen

How Precious Is Marriage?

We know that there are several places where God tells us that a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two will become one flesh. There were a few reasons given where, because of the hardness of man’s hearts, divorce was permitted... not encouraged. This included marital unfaithfulness and an unbelieving spouse leaving the marriage. In general, I think it is clear to say that God hates divorce. Marriage is important enough that we have a book of the Bible that is devoted to the courtship, dating, marriage design. That book is the Song of Solomon or Song of Songs. It may take a little cultural understanding to the comprehend the illustrations, but the picture is powerful. Unlike the world today, they didn’t use the phrase 'boys will be boys' when it comes to justifying sexual encounters outside marriage. On multiple occasions, the woman offers her body to the man, and each time he restrains himself, and points to the time when all will be freely given... marriage. When looking at the image of marriage, God uses it to describe the relationship of the church with God. The church is the bride, and the groom is Jesus Christ Himself. Christ lays down His life for her that she might be presented to the Heavenly Father as one without blemish or spot, cleansed by Christ Jesus. I don’t believe that God would use the image of marriage to describe the church if there wasn’t already great value placed on marriage. Going back to the decree in Genesis about the man leaving his father and mother, we see the design of a new family unit, not one hanging onto the past. The groom builds their new home and the bride joins him there where they will start their life together bringing new life into the world. Indeed, Christ has laid the foundation upon which the church is to be built. In 1 Corinthians 13, it says, “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” The Apostle Paul speaks of love and a time when we will all enjoy the depth of this unconditional love in Heaven. We have a foretaste... we know in part, but the day will come when we will fully know God and be fully known. Father, thank You for the precious gift of marriage. Draw husbands and wives nearer to each other and to You. Amen

Ruts and Roadblocks

I was driving on the highway today and so I decided to set the speed control so that I didn’t have to keep my foot on the gas pedal. I didn’t ask for this feature and I’m still not sure whether I like it or not, but my car has a speed control setting that slows down when other cars slow down. It is a nice feature when I am not paying as close an attention to the road as I should and keeps me a safe distance away. It has a drawback too. If I am on a two lane highway and I want to go at a certain speed for a long period of time, I just set the control. Too often, I am watching the traffic, but not the speedometer, since the speed is set. Problem is, if the car in front is going slower, my car gradually slows down to that speed and I often don’t realize it for miles. If I’m not in a hurry it is no big deal. If I am trying to make time, it becomes very frustrating to slow down without knowing it... especially since I could just pull out in the next lane and pass. We do way too many things out of habit (coasting), not out of service (to God). Our commitment slows down. Our Scripture reading and devotions slow down. Our faith slows down. We begin to follow that “vehicle” ahead of us instead of going around and doing what we were meant to do. That “vehicle” can be worldly desires, complacency, habit (even if they are not bad), others expectations, and the like. They are not always bad, in and of themselves, but they pull us away from doing that which is good. We are blindly following the crowd, but we are failing to focus on our destination as we should. Because we have convinced ourselves that we are heading the right direction, we fail to stay focused on God, His word, and His leading. As the old slang goes, we are stuck in the mud. If we follow that “vehicle” too long, we may not even notice that it has exited the highway and we are still following. We might need to see a roadblock before we realize we are on the wrong road. Don’t expect tomorrow to be like today. Be on your toes, alert for opportunities and aware of the Devils attacks. Surrender your worldly wants and pray that God’s Spirit would direct your way. Make sure you are staying tuned to God, His word, and how God might be calling you. Father, strengthen us in faith and help us to avoid getting caught in ruts and roadblocks. Help us to grow, stay fresh in our faith, and dependant on You. Amen

Heart Desire vs. Reality

On Memorial Day, we took a trip to Door County to check out the cherry blossoms, some unique stores, and just see the sites. We planned to use a good chunk of the day and were looking forward to just enjoying it. The beauty didn’t fail us. The flowering orchards, the quaint towns, the specialty stores, and seeing the bay and all the beauty. As we though it couldn’t get better, we hadn’t considered if it might get worse... which it did. We discovered that a few of us had allergic reactions to the cherry blossoms. All our best plans and desires didn’t look so amazing after congestion started setting in. Even though we left the area, the allergic reaction lasted for the rest of the day. Our plans seemed well thought out until a wrench got thrown into the mix. What our heart was desiring seemed to be much less valuable than the reality of the situation. I think that there are many with a romantic view of faith, figuring that everything will just fall into place, all struggles will cease, and we will live happily ever after. We don’t consider what God is calling us to do and that there may be suffering involved. God promises an amazing eternity if we walk by faith, but He doesn’t guarantee what day to day will look like. If we live in perfect harmony with the community, especially those that aren’t walking by faith, we have to ask ourselves if we are truly living out our faith. Has our faith become so private that those around us don’t understand how important and life changing it is or do we not realize how important it is and out of fear of rejection, choose to make our faith private? We have to ask ourselves where our hearts desires come from. After all, God says that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. Are our spiritual conversations saved for church and Bible studies, or do we boldly live out that faith for the world to see? Sometimes, even our best plans must be changed. Even though we must always test to see if our desires are in line with God’s will, we must also know that God tells us that if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts... not the selfish ones, but the ones that come from delighting in God. Reality can be harsh, but life would be very depressing if we didn’t have the desires that only God gives. Father, fill us with Your Holy Spirit and change our hearts to align with Your word so that our hearts might truly rejoice. Amen

O, That They All Could

One of our readings today, the Day of Pentecost - when the church celebrates the Holy Spirit being poured out in a new way in the church, showed the relationship between us and God. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was given to the prophets and those that spoke on God’s behalf. One of our Scripture readings today dealt with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the leaders of the God’s people while they were in the wilderness. The Holy Spirit was taken from Moses and split up between the 70 men. They met on the outskirts of the community and began to prophesy. Two of these men hadn’t gone out with the others and so were prophesy within the community. Someone told Joshua, who told Moses of the two men that were prophesying elsewhere. Joshua told Moses to quiet them, but I love his response. Are you so jealous for me that you would silence them? I wish that all people (were filled with the Holy Spirit) could prophesy. Today, we have leaders and members who want to be in control. Maybe it is the Pastor that feels people must follow his every desire. Maybe it is a big financial giver that feels their voice is more important than others. Maybe it is the person who has an agenda that they feel everyone else should follow. Moses isn’t concerned about himself or his recognition. When he sees the Holy Spirit poured out on so many, he realizes the benefits of more people teaching God’s word. Now imagine when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost what the possibilities were. The prophesying wasn’t outside the camp but proclaimed to large crowds that were in the city that week. Along with the gifts of the Holy Spirit were the fruit of the Spirit for all which was love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. There were also given, as the Holy Spirit chose, the manifestation of the Spirit, the message of wisdom, the message of knowledge, faith, the gifts of healing, miraculous powers, distinguishing between spirits, different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. So what is holding us back from being the church God called us to be? O Holy Spirit, You have given these gifts so that Your church might grow in faith and obedience. Fill to overflowing. Amen

The Joy of Serving

We live in a time where so many people feel like the rest of the world owes them something. We have Lawsuits because we don’t like an outcome. Kids expect to get what they want when they want it. Workers who do basic labor somehow think that they have a right to share in the riches of the CEO and management. Many teens don’t even look for work, expecting to be taken care of. That is not the call God put on our hearts, and it is not the example that He set for us. Jesus’ own words claim that He didn’t come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. Think about that... Jesus came to serve. In contrast, there many who pray, mainly when they are in need, for God to help them. Help me get a job. Help me to score well on a test. Don’t let anyone find out what I did. Help my team to win. Does that seem to line up with the example Jesus left for us? Now, I’m not saying we can’t pray for those things, but it should not be our main focus. We hear about the gifts of the Spirit that include teaching, leading, serving, being generous, etc. These gifts are not given for the benefit of the one who receives it but rather puts a greater responsibility on the one who has the gift to use it in service to God. King David was a great king, but he knew where his power came from. He tended sheep, fought Goliath, played the harp for King Saul and wrote many Psalms (hymns) about who God is and how much we depend on Him. There are many others that illustrate the need for us to serve God. Even the great Prophets were called by God and were required to share what God spoke to them, even if they were killed for sharing that word. I would also like to share that serving the Lord isn’t a punishment or hard labor. It is an honor to be about God’s work. One of the Psalmist clearly describe the desire to serve God... “Better is one day in His courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than dwell in the tents of the wicked” (Psalm 84). We get lost fighting for our rights rather than living in service to God. The world might bring momentary joys, but in the end, it brings eternal condemnation. The joy of serving is not about personal gain, but rather a privilege to serve the Creator God. Father, You have gifted each person differently. Fill our hearts with a joy and satisfaction as we use those gifts to honor You. Amen

Is War Acceptable?

We are approaching Memorial Day Weekend in the USA. Many see it as a sign that the summer is officially beginning. Its meaning is much deeper and more personal. It is a day to remember those serving in the military that paid the ultimate price... they never came home. We have a number of holidays to remember the men and women that serve our nation through the military. Some feel that we shouldn’t go to war and may even go so far as to believe that fighting is wrong, after all one of the Ten Commandments says that we should not kill, right? Wrong! It says that we should not murder. What is the difference? Murder is a premeditated intent to harm another for personal gain. When a life is taken protecting ourselves or others, it is not murder. I will admit that there are some wars that are wrong... those that seek to destroy other nations so that they may grow larger and stronger. This would likely fall under murder and greed. There are wars against people because of hate. Again, this is not acceptable. There are other reasons that would be unacceptable too. A country has the right to go to war to protect its own citizens. If a country threatens another nation and has shown resolve to carry it out, that nation can go to war preemptively to defend itself. Romans even says that the ‘government doesn’t carry the sword for nothing’ meaning that it has the right to take life to maintain order. Our first allegiance must be to God... no other option comes close. Then I believe we serve our families, and then our nation (assuming the nation isn’t operating contrary to God). Very few countries can have order and peace if have no way to defend themselves. Some nations depend on others to defend them. Some are able to defend themselves. Without protection, eventually someone will overtake that nation. The nation (and those under its protection) that has a strong military, doesn’t desire to conquor the world, and continues to have the latest technology and equipment will likely enjoy the greatest peace. Those that serve in their military to protect that nation deserve great respect. This is why we honor those that died while serving. We owe them a debt of gratitude. Take time to remember the price of freedom. Father, thank You for the men and women that have served to protect us over the years. Watch over those that have lost loved ones. Amen

Spring Is Here... Almost

I grew up where the only change of season was rainy or dry season. You could set your clock by where the sun was... 6 am, noon, and 6 pm, with sun straight above for noon. Now Spring is coming, though I have still heard of snow, ice, and hard freezes. There are more leaves on the trees, the apple trees are almost ready to blossom, and yet the tall grass on the edge of the lawn is still brown and flat on the ground. That too will rise. I hear the frogs out at night now and unfortunately, the mosquitos are starting to come out too. It’s the blooms and the leaves that really get me excited. Still a little early for the garden with tomatoes and warmer weather plants. The earth seems to testify to power and glory of God. We read in Psalm 19, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Again we read in Psalm 97, “The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols — worship him, all you gods!” His creation declare His creative power. His creation declares the glory of His name. His creation is a witness to power of of God. We join with the Psalmist who wrote Psalm 25, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God.” We often look at what we see around in light of what it does for us. We may not truly comprehend the beauty of the birds and flowers. We might not see how God provides for us in all His creation around us. We notice what helps and often ignore everything else. One person notices one part of creation while another sees something else, but if both of them look, they all point us to God, the Creator of heaven and earth. Romans 1 talks about how we are without excuse because God is revealed in all that He has given to us. Whether you see it in the Spring or Fall, lift your voice in praise and worship. Heavenly Father, to You we lift up our soul. In You we will trust all day long. May our hearts sing praises to You and about You. Amen

Graduates

I don’t know how many people reading this know of someone who graduates this year. I don’t know if you have had any influence on their lives... parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, and friends. The high school graduates have put in at least 12 years of their life studying to get to where they are now. They have learned many things, some of which will be beneficial and some things that may become obstacles they will need to overcome. College and tech school graduates are put in an even more important position where they must determine what they are doing. Some have a great faith, some a minimal faith, and some no faith at all. What is the future going to hold and where do we fit in? The most valuable thing that we can be doing is praying for those that are preparing to embark on a new adventure. Pray that God would give them great wisdom and insight into what the future will hold for them. Pray for the Spirit to surround them with good and Godly friends. Pray for churches that are in the area these students might end up so that they can find that church home that can be so invaluable. Even pray for those that may not be believers that God would draw them to Himself. Continue to pray for them. On top of that, encourage them. Make sure they know there are people that care for them so that when they are tempted or overwhelmed, they know that there are those praying for them. The closer your relationship, the more depth those encouragements might be. We are not talking about stalking, but a positive interaction. If you are family, be involved as you are able. We don’t want to send these folks out alone because we know that opens them up to being influenced by others. They need other friends, but colleges or going out into the workforce full time have its own challenges. It’s not too early to begin praying for the Juniors in high school and college. There are many decisions that will be made before they reach graduation. Both present and future graduates should be praised for their hard work, be challenged to weigh carefully what they will do, and be encouraged to make God a priority. Pray generically or specifically, but know they need to be anchored in healthy habits. Father, thank You for allowing so many graduates to complete their study. Prepare them for the future and guard their hearts. Amen

How Should We See God?

If I were to mention a political figure, a Hollywood personality, or sports icon, there would be differences of opinions. Why? We have different values and ways to process these people. They might stand for different priorities, they may not believe as we do or play on a rival team. We tend to judge people through our own personal belief system as to whether they are valuable to us or a traitor (in some cases). It seems like everything we come across either has value or gets in the way. I think we get so used to judging things through our eyes that we may put the same standard on God. We may not say it, but we seem to decide who we think God should be and what He should do for us rather than to rightly understand who God is and adjust our life to Him. We might put value on God if we think that He has something to offer... a way that He will make our life better or help us in our time of need. The real question is, how should we see God? Is He our friend to bring us comfort and support us? He is a friend of sinners, but that is directly connected to whether I recognize I am a sinner in need of His grace and healing. Is He there to help me when I get in a jam or am facing great obstacles in life? There is nothing in God’s word that points to Jesus as a Genie that is there to meet our every wish and command. Is He the One who will heal those that are sick and hurting? He is the great Physician, but unlike a doctor, we don’t make appointments, but rather meet Him in prayer. Nothing is impossible for Him to heal, but He determines what is best. Is He the One who gives me the answers I need to succeed in life? He does know everything and desires to give wisdom to all who call out to Him, but he isn’t our cheat sheet in life. God is God. He rules over all things. He created us and desires for us to walk with Him and grow in intimacy through faith. The Bible says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That means recognizing that He is has authority over me and all things and that I have been called to serve Him, not be served. We pray with confidence knowing He can do all things, but acknowledge “not my will but Yours be done.” He is my hope, my life, my salvation, my Savior, my joy, and my all in all. Father, You are the King of Glory and we are sinners in need of rescue. Help us to know the true You and seek Your face. Amen

Do I Need Stuff

As Americans, we too often look at the stuff that other people have and feel like we won’t be complete unless we have what they have. For many Americans, we may not have an abundance of money, but we often have an abundance of stuff. I hear people say that one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. That can be so true. I know that I have a problem with collecting too much stuff. It is all good, but it is too much. I feel guilty saying that when I know that so many around the world are struggling just to have food, or clothing, or a roof over their head. I ran across a little sign that was almost too true to be funny. It went like this - “The Three Stages of Life: 1. Wanting stuff. 2. Accumulating stuff. 3. Getting rid of stuff.” The infant growing into a child and sees stuff that they want... a toy car, a doll, ice cream, a favorite blanket, etc. They can whine, cry, and fuss in an effort to get what they want and don’t have. This desire moves to the acquire stage. They have a job or allowance and so they can start acting out on their desires. I’m thankful that there seems to be a generation or two that are moving away from an overabundance. There is, for many, a need to gather what they can even if they don’t always need it. Then as they start reaching their later years, they begin to realize that all this stuff they have will be a burden for their children to clean up or overwhelming to move to a smaller home. There is both pain and joy in down-sizing. We have to give up a part of our wants to find what we really need. What is missing in this conversation is that there is a fourth stage... no stuff. When we breath our last, we cannot take it with us. My most treasured stuff will go to someone else or worse yet, get thrown away. King Solomon referred to this concept as meaningless. When I really get down to it, there is only one thing that I truly need and that is Jesus. The stuff lasts for a moment, but what hear in God’s word, the time we spend with God in prayer, and the promise of eternity is just that... eternal. Sometimes we can have so much stuff that we can’t find what we need. May the “earthly stuff” we treasure never overshadow what is necessary. Is today the day that you need to focus on spiritual housekeeping? Father, take away my desire for the things of the world and replace them with a deep love and passion for You. Amen

God’s Not Done With You Yet!

I was recently thinking about Moses when God called him through the burning bush. God told Moses that He wanted him to go to Egypt and tell Pharaoh (the king) to let God’s people go. Moses wasn’t too excited about this assignment and had a list of excuses. God said that He would give Moses help, but He didn’t remove the call or responsibility. I’ve noticed that Moses isn’t the only one with excuses. I hear people say that they are too young, too old, not knowledgeable enough, etc. We want to see the world changed... but through someone else. Someone had posted something on social media that caught my eye. It went like this, “I tried to throw in the towel. God threw it back and said, ‘Wipe your face. You’re almost there.’” Jonah was called to go and preach to the people in Nineveh, but he ran the other way. God didn’t give up on Jonah. The Apostle Paul (formerly Saul) was killing Christians and trying to destroy the Christian church. God gave Paul a second chance. Peter denied Jesus three times, but he was given another chance. I kind of liked the above phrase because it is a no nonsense approach. Don’t give up. God’s still got you. He still has a plan. I think too often we have been taught to be impatient. We eat fast food, microwave food, instant food, etc. We need to be more like farmers that grow food and wait for it to produce. When God puts a burden or a call on our hearts, he doesn’t expect us to try it for a few days and then give up. Our spiritual growth shouldn’t be an up and down relationship, but rather a slow and consistent growth. God doesn’t call us because He thinks we are perfect, but rather he makes us perfect for the job that He calls us to do. I believe there are way too many Christians that fail to accomplish what God has called them to do because they don’t find instant gratification. Discipling is not just handing someone a book or telling them what they need to do. It is, again, a slow and consistent growth. It doesn’t matter how big the job is that God is calling you to do. He just wants you to faithfully follow Him until He takes the call away from you. That may be an hour, week, year, or lifetime. We need to stop making excuses and start responding with, “Send me!” Father, help us to grow in faith each day so that we don’t give up or get frustrated when the answer isn’t instant. Help! Amen

Why Do We Go to Church?

I was reading a devotion today about a woman that went into a remote area where people didn’t know God. She worked for 5 years without any result. They just finished putting in a runway when a pregnant village woman was struggling. They flew her to a hospital and she came back healthy, and with a healthy child. The people were amazed and began asking questions and then started following the teachings that were presented. The good news is that they were being surrounded by God’s word. The possible bad news was they might have been doing it based on technology and not based on faith. I know that there was a group in Papua New Guinea known as the Cargo Cult that acted similarly. They saw the “riches” of the westerners and though if they duplicated their life, they too would have riches. When we put it that way, going to church doesn’t necessarily mean seeking God and His leading. Many Americans go to church for all the wrong reasons. They go there to please family members. They go because it can be good for business exposure and connections. They do it because they feel they have to. They do it in order to become a member or get confirmed. I know there are many other reasons people go that are less than admirable. A telltale sign that we might be there for the wrong reason is having no hunger for God as we go and leaving with the same attitude we came with, or worse. So, how do we avoid just going because...? I know we have talked about this before. Get enough sleep. Spend time with God in prayer before going to church asking for God to speak to you and direct your ways. Arrive in time to settle in the pew, find and mark the hymns and scripture readings, read through the hymns to understand the content, and spend time in prayer. It is great to catch up with how others are doing, but it is more important to be prepared for worship. Catch up after the service. Spend time in the word at home, be encouraged by reading from a devotional book, and put your faith into action. Will some people feel you are stand-offish and radical? Maybe, but did you come for them or for God? Bible studies are another great way to grow and be challenged and/or encouraged in faith. Father, open our eyes to see You. Direct us by through the Holy Spirit and put a song on our heart! Amen

You Didn’t See That?

I remember, while on the Fire Department, being at an accident site. The weather was quite foggy, and we were doing our best to keep the scene safe. Three deputies were on scene along with the fire department and all their equipment. The trucks were put in place to block out any cars that might come on the scene too quickly. There were firefighters running traffic control about a 1/4 mile from the accident site. In the stillness of the morning, we heard a car approaching the scene. One could hear the vehicle slowing down and the engine was winding down. As a car saw the traffic patrol with a “slow” sign held up, they decided they were in too much of a hurry and stepped on the gas to race through the scene. As we heard the engine revving up, I also saw three Deputies with their hand on their weapon, moving into the car's pathway, pointing for him to pull over. My guess is it wasn’t the conversation that driver wanted to have. When the Deputies released the driver, he sped away very dangerously, especially for the foggy conditions. I don’t know what he was charged with, but he decided to fight it in court and so those firefighters running traffic control when the driver approached were called in to testify. The firefighters wanted to take a picture of the sign. I suggested they take the actual sign as it was large and fluorescent pink. I’m not sure how the case was going, but when the court was informed that the driver had failed to stop for this obvious “Slow” sign, I heard that the judge said, “You didn’t see that?” I believe that was the beginning of the end for the case. Romans 1 states, “what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” On top of that we have God’s word that is available at church, on the radio, TV, internet, and in person. Sadly, when some stand in judgement before God, and they will, they might hear something similar to that above, “You didn’t see that?” Are we faithfully proclaiming? Are they listening? What will Jesus say to us? Father, give us faith to know that our only hope, when we stand before You in judgement, is that by faith our charges are dropped. Amen

Are There Different Paths to God?

I hear people in the world talk about that question so often. At the heart of many of the arguments is not being judgmental. How can I, as a Christian, say that a Buddhist, a Islamist, a New Ager, or a Mormon will not be saved. At the core, this seems very unfair, critical, and an elitist thing to say... but is it? Let me paint a picture for you. I had gone to the Dakotas for my daughters graduation. She was coming to Wisconsin with us. My wife and my daughter took one car and headed home, stopping at a few quilt shops to find the perfect fabric. I, on the other hand, took a more southern route with less stops along the way. We both ended up getting home. So, it seems that two routes can get to the same location. Hang on a second. What if one was using a faulty map or didn’t understand how to read the map. They may have started heading for Washington state, California, or Texas. When the route was absent the means of accurate directions, it is unlikely that anyone would be able to find their way home through several states. The different paths, that succeeded, still used the same accurate mapping. Let’s go back to the Christian’s claim that Jesus is the only way and that God’s word is the map or direction we need to be saved. One might be Lutheran or Catholic, orthodox or charismatic, traditional or contemporary, but if they are using the same source of direction... God’s word and what Jesus did for us... they will arrive at the same destination... heaven. If, however, we aren’t using the same map (Bible) we will not know God, or His will, or receive wisdom that only the Holy Spirit can give. Therefore, those “religions” that don’t recognize Jesus as God, as our Savior, and as the only way, will not see heaven. This is not my desire or judgement... this is God’s direction and plan. In John 1:12 we read, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”. Jesus also says in John 14, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The Bible is proven accurate through archeology and history. It doesn’t change to suit the world’s desires. That being true, God makes it very clear that there is only one way. Lord, help us to follow Your way revealed in the Bible and keep us from following the philosophies of the world. Amen