JESUS LOVES YOU

 

We love him because he first loved us.  I John 4:19

 

Joseph lives in another country and is a convert from another religion to Christianity.  His story is most instructive.

Joseph was a well-known religious leader who was skilled in debate and an articulate speaker.  One day two Christians appeared at his door.  His sister answered the door, and they told her their business, which baffled her.  She rushed into the salon where Joseph was seated and said, “There are two Christians here, and they want to talk to you.”

Initially, Joseph refused to see them, but on a mischievous whim, he told his sister to show them to the salon.  He knew he could cut them to pieces with his words.  Two very shy Christians stepped boldly into the lion’s den, into Joseph’s salon.  After Joseph welcomed them, the two men said, “We just came to tell you that Jesus loves you.”

Joseph was shocked.  Everyone knew who he was, and they knew of his militant faith.  How did these Christians dare to come tell him about Jesus?  Then Joseph began to ask the young men theological questions to which their only answer was, “We don’t know.  We only came to tell you that Jesus loves you.”  Again and again, Joseph barraged them with words.  They could only repeat their original statement, “We came to tell you that Jesus loves you.”  The men finally left, probably feeling completely dejected and total failures.

But the story doesn’t end there.  Joseph couldn’t stop thinking of these low-status, ignorant Christians who dared to come to his door to tell him that Jesus loved him.  He began to wonder, Have I ever talked to anyone about my faith?  The obvious answer was no.  Joseph began a search to discover what it was that gave his visitors confidence and courage to speak about Jesus.

Initially, Joseph’s research led him to non-Christian material that proclaimed the truth of Jesus’ divine Sonship.  And then he was drawn to reading God’s Word.  One day he said, “I am a Christian.”  And from that point on, he consumed the Bible and pursued fellowship in a local Christian church.  Today he is a powerful Christian evangelist.

Just because two young men boldly shared the Christ who had radically changed their own lives…  Two young men who probably left Joseph’s house thinking that they had failed their Lord…  Wondering why they had ever thought they might make a difference in Joseph’s heart…

 

Father, thank you for the people who spoke your love to us.  Make us bold to share your love and your Good News with those in our world.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO PRAY

 

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  Jeremiah 29:12

 

One of the biggest mistakes we make in crisis is to focus our prayers on the circumstance rather than on God.  The gravity of the situation increases, and we find ourselves what-iffing.  God, what if this happens or she says that or such and such else?  And then the prayer moves into conversations in our heads.  We begin to operate in what Paul calls the flesh and out of God’s presence.

A sure way to avoid all that nonsense is to pray God’s Sovereignty.  This list of verses was given me by a friend years ago.  I modified it so that it’s a direct prayer to our Father.  Try this next time you don’t know how to pray:

 

God, you are sovereign.  All authority and power is yours.  Matthew 28:18

Nothing takes you by surprise.  All circumstances serve you.  You know the end from the          beginning.  Psalm 119:91, Isaiah 46:9-10

Your word is forever settled in heaven.  Psalm 119:89

You do all things for our good and your glory, to conform us to the image of Jesus.        Romans 8:28-29

The blood of Jesus covers all circumstances, people, places, and times.  You who did not          spare your own Son will freely give us all things.  Romans 8:31-32

You are for us, and nothing can separate us from your love.  That was settled on the      cross.  Romans 8:35-39

Your loving-kindness never ceases.  Your compassions never fail.  They are new every day.  Great is your faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:22-23

You supply all our needs by your riches in Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

You know, care, and number the hairs of our heads.  Matthew 10:30

You are the God of all comfort, Father of mercies.  II Corinthians 1:3-4

You are able to supply your abundant grace to us, so that in all things, at all times, we    have all of your sufficient grace we need for every good work.  II Corinthians         9:8

You show your perfect power in our weakness.  II Corinthians 12:9-10

We can know with certainty that you are able to guard what we have entrusted to you.  II          Timothy 1:12

You are our strength, our shield, our strong tower, our refuge, our hope, our joy, our     peace, our all.  Psalm 18:1-3, Colossians 3:11b

You renew our strength as we wait on you.  Isaiah 40:31

You will never leave us nor forsake us.  You are with us, a very present help.  Hebrews             13:5-6, Psalm 46:1

You never go back on a promise.  Joshua 21:45

You give gladness instead of sorrow and praise instead of fainting.  Weeping may endure           for a night, but joy comes in the morning.  Isaiah 61:3, Psalm 30:5

When we lift you up continually in a sacrifice of praise, we glorify you here and now.      John 12:28a

 

Father, in crises we tend to forget your past faithfulness and get sucked into the problem.  Remind us that if we keep our eyes on you, we are strengthened through the trial, and you are glorified.  In Jesus our Lord.  AMEN.

 

I will not post on Thursday as I will be in a country with sporadic access to Internet.  I would appreciate your prayers for safety, wisdom, and discernment.  Thank you.

A 5-STEP PROGRAM

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  Matthew 6:25-27

Our 24/7 news cycle underscores the fact that we have plenty to worry us.  Every day seems to announce a new disaster, a devastating tragedy, a shocking terrorist attack, or an unimagined horror.  And in the middle of all this, Jesus tells us quite directly that we are not to worry.  He points out the simple provision for the creatures of the air while at the same time bluntly asking us when we’ve accomplished anything through worry.

From John 16 and 17 we see Jesus preparing his disciples for the hardships they will soon face.  Rather than anticipating his own pain and suffering of the cross, he is concerned that his followers will be strengthened to stand.  He assures them that they will have trouble in this world but tells them to cheer up.  He has already overcome the world.  The theme of peace and joy in Jesus permeates these two chapters and echoes Philippians 4:6-7 that reminds us of the incomprehensible peace given to God’s children through prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving.

Who’s not tempted to worry?  But do we really achieve anything through worry?  I’ve not yet seen empirical evidence to indicate the positive effect of worry.  So what steps can we take to avoid this temptation?

1. Acknowledge/confess the problem – worry.
2. Remember God’s promises found in the Word – seek them out or ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them.
3. Apply the promises – determine to activate Scripture through discipline and prayer.
4. Let go of worry – choose to trust God and his Word.
5. Listen to God’s voice and obey – quiet yourself to hear so you know what to do next.

Don’t focus on the problem, focus on the Lord.  Peter walked on water until he became distracted by the waves.  God is able to do what he has promised, but we must do our part in pushing aside worry, praying, and thanking him.  That’s when the peace comes but not until then.

 

Father, we are living in trying times.  Cause us to move from worry to trust so that we live in your peace.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

MEMORIAL DAY

 

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  Psalm 91:2  (KJV)

After much cajoling, my brother Jack reluctantly allowed me to polish his boots.  His ROTC unit was having a major inspection the next day, and he wanted to look his best.  I was confident a girl could make his shoes shine as much as any guy, so I spent the evening brushing and rubbing and buffing until the boots looked almost new.  And it worked.  I was commended for my efforts.

Not long after that, America became engaged in a brutal war in Viet Nam, and the draft was re-instituted.  Jack joined early on, following the tradition of his uncles on both sides of the family during World War II.  As he tends to do with all his undertakings, Jack focused on being prepared for battle in a place that had only recently become part of our daily news.  He graduated from basic training with top honors, and when he finished OCS as the top graduate, my father took his first airplane ride to see his son receive the commanding general’s award.

Deployment soon followed.  Jack had trained to be a Special Forces soldier, so we knew he’d be living in harm’s way throughout his assignment.  That’s when our mother, Momo, told us about the soldiers from her church.  With the bombing of Pearl Harbor, men all over the country (and from her small community church) formed lines to join the military.  (Those were the days of high patriotism:  nations were allied to preserve freedom; women went to work to fill the vacuum here in industry; rationing was instituted; and people prayed.)  Just before the young men deployed, their pastor called them all forward.  The congregation gathered ‘round, and they all prayed the 91^st Psalm, the Soldier’s Psalm.  Every day during their absence in far-flung places around the world, the congregation prayed.  And every one of those boys returned.

The Sunday before Jack was to leave, our pastor called him forward, and the congregation prayed over him.  And our family prayed Psalm 91 for him every day:

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,

and from the noisome pestilence.

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:

his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness;

nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand;

but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge,

even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder:

the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him:

I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

This weekend I sent a long email to Jack that he shared with his buddies from Viet Nam days to thank him and them for their selfless service to our beloved country and to thank God for protecting and keeping them safe.  Jack continues to pray the 91^st Psalm for himself and his two boys who are now deployed.  God has blessed us with his mercy.

Father, your loving care is overwhelming.  We’ve all been through danger and difficulties but none like our military men and women.  Thank you for people who are willing to make the utmost sacrifice to keep us free, and keep them in your love .  God bless America.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

GOD’S VOICE

 

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”  Isaiah 30:21  (NIV)

 

Yesterday was Scott’s turn to teach our adult Sunday school class.  The topic from the Believe series was Peaceful.  The lesson was structured around three points:  peace with God, peace with others, and peace within ourselves.  As he addressed the foundational issue, peace with God, Scott gave us a list that contrasted God’s voice and the voice of our arch-enemy, Satan.

 

God’s Voice	Satan’s Voice
Still	Rushing
Leading	Pushing/restraining
Reassuring	Frightening
Enlightening	Confusing
Encouraging	Discouraging
Comforting	Worrying/distressing
Calming	Obsessing
Convicting	Condemning

 

We all have voices in our heads—sometimes they’re our own thoughts, and sometimes God is speaking to us.  But often Satan injects thoughts that are destructive, negative, or in some way detrimental to our spiritual life.  They rob us of our peace and produce distress in its stead.

 

My mom had an interesting method for identifying the voices in her head.  She said, “Always listen to the pronouns.  You can detect the source if the voice says, ‘He or him.’  God always say, ‘I.’” 

 

Jesus told us that we will know his voice if we’re his sheep.  I speak with my two grown children almost every day.  Never do they call and identify themselves; they just begin the conversation as soon as I say hello.  I know their voices, and they know mine.  I’m convinced that frequent conversations with our Lord will make us more and more familiar with his voice, and we’ll at some time be able to recognize him the moment he speaks.

 

We have all these and many more wonderful tools for walking in peace with Jesus:  discernment of the intent of the message, listening to the pronouns, and recognizing the voice.  There’s no need for us to ever be in confusion.

 

Father, thank you for all the wonderful teachers you’ve given us to grow us in our relationship with you.  Keep us in your peace as we listen to you and follow you.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN.

THOUGHTS ON PRAYER

The prayer of the righteous person is powerful in what it can achieve. James 5:16 (CEB)

Of all the times during my lifespan, this seems to be one of the most crucial periods for believers to vigorously engage in prayer. Friends are coping with serious medical conditions; some are dealing with economic crises; relational stresses are threatening families; and the political and global situations are unprecedented. If we ever need to be effective in prayer, now is the time.

If we are to pray all the time (I Thess. 5:17, Rom. 12:12), our physical position must be inconsequential. If right-standing with God signifies power in prayer (above), the form of our prayer—formal or informal, spontaneous or read, silent or said aloud—has no significance. It appears that God is primarily concerned with relationships—between us and him and us and others—when it comes to prayer.

Here are just a few of my gleanings from Scripture about prayer:

• The focus of prayer is relating to God and not about getting answers. (I Chron. 16:11, Psa. 145:18, Song of Sol. 2:14 and many others)
• We must be reconciled to him and others before we pray. (Matt. 5:23, I Peter 3:7, Luke 6:27, 28)
• God listens to our prayers. (I John 5:14, Jer. 29:12, Psa. 145:18, Heb. 4:16)
• God always responds to prayer in his time, according to his will, and in his way. (Mark 11:24, Jer. 33:3, Matt. 6:6, I John 5:15, Jas. 4:2b)

When my children were first away at school, I knew that almost every time they called, they wanted or needed something. As their mother, I was happy to respond to meet their needs when I could. But the day finally arrived when they called just to chat. What a joy. We had moved beyond need to relationship.

How happy God must be when we talk with him just because we enjoy his company.

Our Father in heaven, teach us to pray and to come to you just to enjoy your presence. AMEN.

RECONCILIATION

Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Matthew 5:23, 24

Walking with Jesus is not for sissies. Nor is it for narcissists. Jesus calls us to crucifixion and requires that we take his demands seriously. In this Matthew passage he asks us to immediately stop our worship of him if there’s an issue with someone else. We have to be the ones taking the initiative to make peace in a circumstance in which we possibly had no control. It really seems unfair.

I once heard a preacher say that God tasks the person who has the most faith with the responsibility of being the peacemaker. Simply put, God is the one who looks into our hearts and instantly recognizes whether or not Jesus is Lord there. He recalls how malleable we have been in his hands and how amenable we are to trusting his ways. And then he calls us to dealing with unfairness, with misinterpretation, and even with wrongs that we may have unknowingly provoked.

God looks in our hearts and knows if we are willing to obey without counting the cost in humiliation or misunderstanding. He knows that taking up the cross and dying to the flesh can only be done by one who walks with him and who knows how to access his measureless grace. And God requires that sort of sacrifice from the one who wants to grow in him.

My mom once told me of a quarrel that she’d had with my dad. Apparently, they were in the car going somewhere – she couldn’t recall where they were going or what the disagreement involved, but she remembered the tension. She said she was prompted to reach over and give my dad a mint, but she resisted. Again, the prompting came, and again she resisted. Finally, she took a gulp of grace and reached across the seat to offer the mint. The tension was broken; the atmosphere was changed. But she had to make the first move.

Father, help us to trust you to give us what we need in our daily relationships with those around us. Give us grace to be peacemakers even when we think we are without fault. Remind us that you are constantly reaching out to us to draw us to yourself, even when we least deserve it. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

JESUS IN THE MIRROR

…we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. I John 3:2 (NIV)
“Every day I look in the mirror to see if I see Jesus there,” remarked my friend Lynne. We were talking about what we’re doing to become more like Jesus. In the course of the conversation, Lynne mentioned some of her personal disciplines and how she is trying to intentionally follow Jesus.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about Lynne’s comment. Years ago I placed myself in God’s hands when I put my faith in Jesus and committed my life to him. But I am wondering what I should be seeing when I “look in the mirror,” searching for Jesus.

Jesus said he always did those things that pleased his Father (John 8:29). Am I intentionally, eyes-wide-open, looking to do those things that please God? To paraphrase Hannah Whitall Smith, Am I loving God’s will?

Jesus said he came to fulfill the Law and not to abolish it (Matthew 5:17). Then he went on to give us those passages we call the Beatitudes (those attitudes that should be part of our intrinsic nature as his children). Am I seeking to obey him in all things and live out the Beatitudes, even when doing so would be uncomfortable or inconvenient?

Jesus said he would ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit who would teach and remind us of all things that he told us (John 14:26) and that the Holy Spirit would counsel us and convict us of sin (John 16:8). Am I staying filled with his Spirit so that I follow his direction and resist sin in my life? Is his Spirit producing fruit in my life—that supernatural love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control (Galatians 5:22, 23)?

There are so many descriptors of Jesus’ incarnational life on earth. Will I ever be like him? And then I am reminded of Paul’s wonderful word to the church at Corinth: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (II Corinthians 3:18 NIV) It is God who is working in us to make us like Jesus (Philippians 2:13). All we have to do is trust, obey, and let him work.

And so, as I think, ponder, and reflect on “the Lord’s glory,” as I center my thoughts and my life on him, I, too, will be changed into his likeness and, with Lynne, will see more and more Jesus when I look into the mirror.

What’s in your mirror?

Dear Lord, thank you for this wonderful encouragement that as we cooperate with you, you are making us more and more like Jesus. THANK YOU. AMEN.

MORE LITTLE THINGS

For God speaks in one way, and in two… Job 33:14 (ESV)

I am convinced that God is communicating all the time; we don’t always have our receivers turned on or we don’t perceive the message as coming from him.

Do you remember Tolstoy’s story of Martin Avdeitch who dreamed Jesus would appear to him the following day? The next morning Martin saw Stepanich shoveling snow and invited him in for a warm drink and told him about Jesus. Later, he saw a young woman with a baby shivering in the cold. He brought them in, gave them clothes, food, and money and told them about Jesus. Then he saw a boy stealing from an old lady. He settled their argument and gave love and compassion to them both.

That night as Martin grieved because God had not visited him as expected, the people he had helped appeared to him. That’s when he realized that God had indeed been present with him. He just hadn’t recognized him in his various shapes.

This weekend I was working in another city and discovered I had inadvertently left my pajamas at home. My team and I made a side trip to the local WalMart where I grabbed and paid for a colorful set of nightclothes with writing all over them. It was not until I was folding them later that I read the message, “All is well.”

Today would have been my mother’s ninety-first birthday. Every time I visited with her during her last year, she proclaimed to me, “All is well.” Thanks, Momo, for reminding me that our Father still reigns, and he still speaks.

Lord, open our ears, our eyes, our hearts to receive you however you wish to make yourself known. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

THE ANNUAL PAGEANT

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:14 (NIV)

Early Christmas carols were sung in Latin, and since most of the people didn’t understand Latin, the practice fell out of favor after a few hundred years. (Imagine singing words you don’t understand at the church service.) But then St. Francis came along and introduced the Nativity Play in the Thirteenth Century along with songs that were sung in the language of the people. This was the beginning of the annual Christmas pageant.

Our family initiated a Nativity pageant when my children were small. Out came blankets for cloaks, scarves for headpieces, bathrobes for Joseph and the Wise Men, and my dad fashioned a manger from his shop scraps.  We made sets from packing boxes.  Momo played the piano as the cast sang and performed the Christmas story for the little ones.

The children have grown older and now have children of their own. We’ve done adaptations of Amahl and the Night Visitors, improvised versions of the Nativity story, revised traditional tales, and this year we will have an original story based on the characters’ preferences. (When five-year-old Caroline said she wanted to be a lamb in October, we knew this was important.) William has decided he will be a dog. The two teen-aged cousins, Mckenzie and Kassidee, have graciously accepted roles as the Two Wise Men. (The Third Wise Man had an undisclosed ailment which kept him from joining them.) Sam (now a young adult) is always the moving/flexible player. This year he will be a shepherd.

Putting together a skit with designated/determined characters is a little like cooking with the ingredients you have on hand. My little ones are set on being a lamb and a dog; the other three are fitting in. We have begun rehearsals with a story line that varies from practice to practice. Improvisation has been taken to a new level.

The whole point of this family tradition, like Francis’ ministry, is to make the story real, to allow the children to be part of the story and to connect with the Baby and his holy family. They are not just observers; they are the story. They experience a sense of Mary’s awe when Gabriel visits; of the holy couple’s rejection in Bethlehem; of the wonder of the shepherds (and lambs and dogs); and of the quest of the Wise Men. And as they participate, the Word becomes Flesh and lives with and in them.

Father, thank you for all the creative ways you’ve given us to share your story in word, in deed, and through our lives. Especially this season, help us to show Jesus to those we love best. AMEN.