We hear and talk a lot about our freedom and how much we value it. Hundreds of thousands have died ensuring and defending our freedom. President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation to be effective January 1, 1863 freeing the slaves in all territory still at war with the Union. We’ve been through two world wars and many skirmishes in the name of democracy and freedom. When I think of how quickly we sometimes freely surrender our freedom, it makes me wonder how much we really value it.
Jesus said that to commit sin puts us in bondage to sin. John 8:34, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Whatever we submit to becomes our master.
Our other option is to be a slave of righteousness. Salvation means a change of masters, a change of bondage. Where we once served sin, we should now be committed to a life of righteousness and freedom. John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”. True freedom can only be found is bondage to Christ.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Aging
Does it seem to you that old folks draw closer to God? Is it because of fear that they are nearing death? Or is God’s way of preparing them to leave this world? Is it all part of God’s perfect plan?
Psalms 84:7 tells us that man goes from strength to strength…..from physical strength to spiritual strength….. then, appears before God. Paul tells us in 2Cor 4:16, “though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”
Someone once said that trying to ensure long lasting physical health is like trying to stem the tide with a pitchfork”. Our bodies keep ticking away in inevitable decline. We have a graphic picture of aging in the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes. Pleasures are few (vs1); hands tremble, back bows, teeth fallout, eyes grow dim (vs3); sleep becomes light, hearing fades (vs4); fears increase, muscles weaken, desires fail (vs5); possessions break (vs6); dust returns to the earth (vs7).
The conclusion of the whole matter (vs13&14) is fear God and keep His commandments; the significance is not found in the number of our days, but in what God says about how we have used them. The senses fade, then the body and then the mind. Gradually stripped of everything that props us up; our wealth, health, independence, dignity, beauty, and all of the above; we are left with more and more of God, and are more and more ready to meet Him face to face.
Psalms 84:7 tells us that man goes from strength to strength…..from physical strength to spiritual strength….. then, appears before God. Paul tells us in 2Cor 4:16, “though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”
Someone once said that trying to ensure long lasting physical health is like trying to stem the tide with a pitchfork”. Our bodies keep ticking away in inevitable decline. We have a graphic picture of aging in the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes. Pleasures are few (vs1); hands tremble, back bows, teeth fallout, eyes grow dim (vs3); sleep becomes light, hearing fades (vs4); fears increase, muscles weaken, desires fail (vs5); possessions break (vs6); dust returns to the earth (vs7).
The conclusion of the whole matter (vs13&14) is fear God and keep His commandments; the significance is not found in the number of our days, but in what God says about how we have used them. The senses fade, then the body and then the mind. Gradually stripped of everything that props us up; our wealth, health, independence, dignity, beauty, and all of the above; we are left with more and more of God, and are more and more ready to meet Him face to face.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Joy
I was surprised at my own reactions while watching the recent Olympics on television. I watched sports I only vaguely knew existed and athletes I never heard of, and found myself swept away with the excitement and emotion of the moment. I experienced exhilarating joy over victories and shared tears of happiness at award presentations. It was especially exciting when the cameras would focus on the faces of the athletes’ family members.
Because worldly joy relies on surroundings, conditions, other people and circumstances; disappointments and losses can often rob us of our joy and cause sadness. We can be deflated from ecstatic happiness by harsh words, aches, pains, discomforts or inconveniences. Christian joy should not rely on worldly circumstances; it should be there even when we are disappointed, inconvenienced, hurting, or alone. In John 16:22 Jesus said, “And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you”. In Psalms 30:5, David said, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”.
1 Thessalonians 4: 16 & 17 tells of our Lord’s second coming, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord”.
If I can get so pumped up and excited over something as temporal as the Olympics that occur every four years; I cannot imagine what the joy will be like when I hear the shout of the archangel.
Because worldly joy relies on surroundings, conditions, other people and circumstances; disappointments and losses can often rob us of our joy and cause sadness. We can be deflated from ecstatic happiness by harsh words, aches, pains, discomforts or inconveniences. Christian joy should not rely on worldly circumstances; it should be there even when we are disappointed, inconvenienced, hurting, or alone. In John 16:22 Jesus said, “And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you”. In Psalms 30:5, David said, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”.
1 Thessalonians 4: 16 & 17 tells of our Lord’s second coming, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord”.
If I can get so pumped up and excited over something as temporal as the Olympics that occur every four years; I cannot imagine what the joy will be like when I hear the shout of the archangel.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Prayer
Sometimes a seemingly innocuous statement turns out to be extremely profound. Such was one I heard; “God has no ego problem”. It was said in reference to why He gave us the Ten Commandments; that it wasn’t for His benefit, but ours. I’ve found this also applies to our prayer life.
They say that prayer changes things, and it does, but even more important, prayer changes me. When I kneel in prayer I remember that for every little problem I have, there are ten thousand blessings. I remember that for every minus in my life there are a multitude of pluses.
I’m reminded that life is not all about me, and that I’m here to serve, not be served. I’m reminded that I’m to be longsuffering and forgiving regardless of how I’m treated. I’m reminded that I’m to love others “anyway”. Jesus knows everything I’ve ever done, everything I’ve ever said, and even everything I’ve ever thought, and He loves me “anyway”. And that’s how I’m to love others. Regardless of how they talk to me, how they treat, disrespect or abuse me, I’m to love them anyway.
When I rise from prayer, the circumstances have not changed, people around me have not changed and my problems have not suddenly disappeared. What’s changed is my attitude and how I can approach and deal with those circumstances.
When Jesus set the example and taught us to pray, it was not because He needed to hear from us, although He does want that, but it is for our benefit. He knew how badly we would need to talk to Him and have our attitudes adjusted everyday.
I know a person that’s always smiling. Every time you see them they are pleasant, cheerful, smiling. Of this person, someone else once commented that such a countenance is not natural.
I agree, it’s not natural, it’s heavenly.
They say that prayer changes things, and it does, but even more important, prayer changes me. When I kneel in prayer I remember that for every little problem I have, there are ten thousand blessings. I remember that for every minus in my life there are a multitude of pluses.
I’m reminded that life is not all about me, and that I’m here to serve, not be served. I’m reminded that I’m to be longsuffering and forgiving regardless of how I’m treated. I’m reminded that I’m to love others “anyway”. Jesus knows everything I’ve ever done, everything I’ve ever said, and even everything I’ve ever thought, and He loves me “anyway”. And that’s how I’m to love others. Regardless of how they talk to me, how they treat, disrespect or abuse me, I’m to love them anyway.
When I rise from prayer, the circumstances have not changed, people around me have not changed and my problems have not suddenly disappeared. What’s changed is my attitude and how I can approach and deal with those circumstances.
When Jesus set the example and taught us to pray, it was not because He needed to hear from us, although He does want that, but it is for our benefit. He knew how badly we would need to talk to Him and have our attitudes adjusted everyday.
I know a person that’s always smiling. Every time you see them they are pleasant, cheerful, smiling. Of this person, someone else once commented that such a countenance is not natural.
I agree, it’s not natural, it’s heavenly.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Word Power
We need to be careful when judging folks, or assuming what or who people are based on names, labels, tags or titles. Words often mean entirely different things to different people. I’ve been a Baptist all my life, but a Baptist today can be anything from Anglican to Pentecostal.
For most of my life, the word gay meant impetuous, joyous, lively, merry, happy or lighthearted; or in reference to colors it meant bright or brilliant. Now it almost exclusively refers to a homosexual. That’s quite a change from my original teaching.
Liberal use to mean belonging to the people, not restricted; it also meant giving freely, generous, large or plentiful, not restricted, broad-minded, tolerant. Liberal can refer to democratic or republican forms of government as distinguished from monarchies or aristocracies. Politically today, liberal means someone that wants to spend it all, or give it all away, someone who is wasteful. However I still want my government to be liberal when it comes to old folks and children. Often I hear conservative preachers say liberal like it was a profane word, but they still want us to be liberal with our tithes and offerings. And I believe the good Samaritan in Luke 10 was very much a liberal.
The word amateur has been misused over the years to the point that it has lost its original meaning. By definition, an amateur is someone who does something simply for the enjoyment of it. In today’s way of thinking, if you get paid for doing something, you’re a professional, so you must be really good at it. Subsequently, you would do a better job than an amateur. We all know from experience that that isn’t necessarily so. I’m reminded of the old joke about the Titanic being built by professionals while the Ark was built by an amateur. Jesus didn’t choose the wise, mighty, or noble by human standards (1 Cor. 1:26). He sought those willing to follow Him. Things are much the same today, God is still looking for “amateurs,” those compelled by love who will serve Him for the sheer joy of it.
For most of my life, the word gay meant impetuous, joyous, lively, merry, happy or lighthearted; or in reference to colors it meant bright or brilliant. Now it almost exclusively refers to a homosexual. That’s quite a change from my original teaching.
Liberal use to mean belonging to the people, not restricted; it also meant giving freely, generous, large or plentiful, not restricted, broad-minded, tolerant. Liberal can refer to democratic or republican forms of government as distinguished from monarchies or aristocracies. Politically today, liberal means someone that wants to spend it all, or give it all away, someone who is wasteful. However I still want my government to be liberal when it comes to old folks and children. Often I hear conservative preachers say liberal like it was a profane word, but they still want us to be liberal with our tithes and offerings. And I believe the good Samaritan in Luke 10 was very much a liberal.
The word amateur has been misused over the years to the point that it has lost its original meaning. By definition, an amateur is someone who does something simply for the enjoyment of it. In today’s way of thinking, if you get paid for doing something, you’re a professional, so you must be really good at it. Subsequently, you would do a better job than an amateur. We all know from experience that that isn’t necessarily so. I’m reminded of the old joke about the Titanic being built by professionals while the Ark was built by an amateur. Jesus didn’t choose the wise, mighty, or noble by human standards (1 Cor. 1:26). He sought those willing to follow Him. Things are much the same today, God is still looking for “amateurs,” those compelled by love who will serve Him for the sheer joy of it.
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