My daughter Amanda came home from school recently with a new Bible memory verse, Psalm 19:14---May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. One of the amazing things about Scripture is how you can read or hear a verse many times, but if you really listen and allow it to speak to your heart, the Holy Spirit provides new insight or sometimes just a hightened awareness of what God is saying. Amanda's new memory verse had just that type of impact on me.
The two things that define us more than anything are our words and our actions. The Bible reminds us how small, yet how very powerful the tongue is and it's potential for harm (James 3:5-12). Yet it also reminds us that our words can bring peace and build up others (Proverbs 15:1-2, 4, 7). God's Word also reminds us how desperately wicked our hearts can be (Jeremiah 17:9) while calling us love to God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30).
Amanda's memory verse, which she now proudly recites, should be a daily prayer for every one of us who follows Christ. God is not only our Rock, our source of strength, but He is also our Redeemer who freed us from the bondage of sin. The things we say and the things we think should bring honor and glory to the One who created us in His image. When our words and our hearts follow after our Lord Jesus Christ, who saved us by his shed blood, we are indeed pleasing in His sight.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Compromise...Once
My favorite TV show is 24, where the lead character is Jack Bauer--a counter-terrorism agent. Bauer's life is a constant confrontation with people and groups whose ultimate purpose is to commit evil. Some of those he confronts were at one time the "good guys"--people who were committed to the cause of protecting America but chose to become it's enemy. During one episode, when another character asked Bauer how someone could make the choice to switch, he replied, "You can look the other way once, and it's no big deal, except it makes it easier for you to compromise the next time, and pretty soon that's all your doing; compromising, because that's the way you think things are done. You know the guys I busted? You think they were the bad guys? Because they weren't, they weren't bad guys, they were just like you and me. Except they compromised....once."
Ask anyone who has ruined their life by making sinful choices, and you can pretty much trace it back to the decision to compromise...once. Rarely does one set out intentionally to do evil; rather it is typically a bad first choice where the reward momentarily outweighs the feeling of guilt. People who steal are usually caught after multiple attempts, because after trying it once and succeeding, the next time it becomes easier to compromise. The decision to continue visiting pornographic websites becomes easier if the first attempt succeeds without repercussions. An affair that destroys a marriage always starts with one decision: to flirt, to take an undue interest in a member of the opposite sex, to respond inappropriately to flattery, to compromise.
Notice what James 1:14-15 says about the decision to compromise: but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. The decision to compromise is easier to defeat when we stop it at the starting point---our own evil desires. Immersing ourselves in God's Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts and building accountability into our lives will help us keep these desires from being born into sin.
Ask anyone who has ruined their life by making sinful choices, and you can pretty much trace it back to the decision to compromise...once. Rarely does one set out intentionally to do evil; rather it is typically a bad first choice where the reward momentarily outweighs the feeling of guilt. People who steal are usually caught after multiple attempts, because after trying it once and succeeding, the next time it becomes easier to compromise. The decision to continue visiting pornographic websites becomes easier if the first attempt succeeds without repercussions. An affair that destroys a marriage always starts with one decision: to flirt, to take an undue interest in a member of the opposite sex, to respond inappropriately to flattery, to compromise.
Notice what James 1:14-15 says about the decision to compromise: but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. The decision to compromise is easier to defeat when we stop it at the starting point---our own evil desires. Immersing ourselves in God's Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts and building accountability into our lives will help us keep these desires from being born into sin.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
One + One + One = One
There is no other human relationship that reflects the character of God and the love of Christ like marriage. We see early in Scripture that God declared "It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a suitable helper for him (Genesis 2:18). God's perfect design for marriage is for one man and one woman to be joined together as one flesh. (Genesis 2:24). Take one God plus one man plus one woman, all joined together, and you have one great marriage.
Through the marriage relationship, many of God's greatest attributes come into play. Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25) and to lovingly lead their families (5:23). Wives are called to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord (5:22, 24) and to respect them (5:33). Since God is love (1 John 4:7-18), our marriages are stronger when we center ourselves on God and his love. A love that is patient and kind, that isn't jealous, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking or easily angered. A love that keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. A love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres and never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
A marriage conference entitled Vision, Love, Hope, Building a Great Marriage featuring guest speaker and author Winston Smith will be held at Ogletown Baptist Church on October 16 and 17. (the link on the right provides more information and registration details). This conference provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate and grow our marriages. As servant leaders in our homes, I urge every married man reading this blog to come out for this event and invest in building the most important personal relationship in your life. See you there!!
Through the marriage relationship, many of God's greatest attributes come into play. Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25) and to lovingly lead their families (5:23). Wives are called to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord (5:22, 24) and to respect them (5:33). Since God is love (1 John 4:7-18), our marriages are stronger when we center ourselves on God and his love. A love that is patient and kind, that isn't jealous, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking or easily angered. A love that keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. A love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres and never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
A marriage conference entitled Vision, Love, Hope, Building a Great Marriage featuring guest speaker and author Winston Smith will be held at Ogletown Baptist Church on October 16 and 17. (the link on the right provides more information and registration details). This conference provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate and grow our marriages. As servant leaders in our homes, I urge every married man reading this blog to come out for this event and invest in building the most important personal relationship in your life. See you there!!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Our Final Performance Appraisal
Usually, a least once a year, those of us in the workforce have a "Performance Appraisal". This is a time that may bring joy (hopefully) in the form of a pay increase and positive feedback from our bosses or a time of uncomfortable critique and examination of our shortcomings. In preparation for our performance appraisal, we may keep a running list of our accomplishments and achievements and bring them up to enhance our evaluation. Even if our performance appraisal turns out positive, there is probably at least some sense of fear and anxiety going into the experience.
As much as we pay attention to our job-related performance appraisals, there is a much more important one to come---our final performance appraisal. Every person who has ever lived--believers and non-believers---will have a final performance appraisal before God. As we stand before our perfect, holy and just Creator, there will be no opportunity to sell the value of what we've achieved or embellish our accomplishments. There will be no excuses or arguments. All we will have to show and all that we will be evaluated on will be what we did in His name.
Matthew 25:31-46 gives us a vivid picture of what our final performance appraisal will look like. Our Lord Jesus Christ will be sitting on his Heavenly throne (v.31) and everyone will appear before him and be judged (v.32-33). Christ will separate the true believers who ministered to others and served those in need (v. 34-40) from those who did nothing to serve or minister to others (v. 42-45). Those who served others in His name will be rewarded (v. 34) and those who didn't will be punished (v. 41).
There is one way to ensure that our final performance appraisal will result in eternal reward. We must continually examine our hearts and pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to us how to use our God-given gifts and talents to serve others in a way that honors and glorifies Him. Then our final performance appraisal will be our best ever; resulting in our Lord saying to us "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:21)
As much as we pay attention to our job-related performance appraisals, there is a much more important one to come---our final performance appraisal. Every person who has ever lived--believers and non-believers---will have a final performance appraisal before God. As we stand before our perfect, holy and just Creator, there will be no opportunity to sell the value of what we've achieved or embellish our accomplishments. There will be no excuses or arguments. All we will have to show and all that we will be evaluated on will be what we did in His name.
Matthew 25:31-46 gives us a vivid picture of what our final performance appraisal will look like. Our Lord Jesus Christ will be sitting on his Heavenly throne (v.31) and everyone will appear before him and be judged (v.32-33). Christ will separate the true believers who ministered to others and served those in need (v. 34-40) from those who did nothing to serve or minister to others (v. 42-45). Those who served others in His name will be rewarded (v. 34) and those who didn't will be punished (v. 41).
There is one way to ensure that our final performance appraisal will result in eternal reward. We must continually examine our hearts and pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to us how to use our God-given gifts and talents to serve others in a way that honors and glorifies Him. Then our final performance appraisal will be our best ever; resulting in our Lord saying to us "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:21)
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Respect, Honor, Love and Fear
The Bible has a great deal to say about how we should treat others. Passage after passage instructs us how to interact with each other--exhorting us to care for one another, help one another, meet each others needs and value others above ourselves. Yet notice the specific detail provided in 1 Peter 2:17: Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
Some translations use the same word honor in how we relate to others, but the message is clear. We are to treat all people with respect and to show respect to those in authority, so clearly Scripture is teaching us that everyone has value and we should treat them accordingly as people created in God's image (Genesis 1:27). We are then called specifically to love other believers; meaning that we should treat the family of God with an even greater closeness and care--bearing each other's burdens (Galatians 6:2). The church functions more effectively when we function as the body of Christ, each one of us using our spiritual gifts to benefit each other (Romans 12:4-8) and bring honor and glory to Him.
Finally, we are to fear God--not be afraid of God---but give Him a place in our lives above anything else. Proverbs 3:7 tells us: Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil. The fear of the Lord provides many benefits to us as believers: it is the beginning of wisdom and understanding (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10), it sustains us (Proverbs 10:27), it gives us a strong confidence and place of refuge (Proverbs 14:26) and is a fountain of life (Proverbs 14:27).
The fear of God and His perfect love casts out all other fear (1 John 4:18) and allows us to claim: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me (Psalm 23:4).
Some translations use the same word honor in how we relate to others, but the message is clear. We are to treat all people with respect and to show respect to those in authority, so clearly Scripture is teaching us that everyone has value and we should treat them accordingly as people created in God's image (Genesis 1:27). We are then called specifically to love other believers; meaning that we should treat the family of God with an even greater closeness and care--bearing each other's burdens (Galatians 6:2). The church functions more effectively when we function as the body of Christ, each one of us using our spiritual gifts to benefit each other (Romans 12:4-8) and bring honor and glory to Him.
Finally, we are to fear God--not be afraid of God---but give Him a place in our lives above anything else. Proverbs 3:7 tells us: Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil. The fear of the Lord provides many benefits to us as believers: it is the beginning of wisdom and understanding (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10), it sustains us (Proverbs 10:27), it gives us a strong confidence and place of refuge (Proverbs 14:26) and is a fountain of life (Proverbs 14:27).
The fear of God and His perfect love casts out all other fear (1 John 4:18) and allows us to claim: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me (Psalm 23:4).
Monday, September 14, 2009
Being Perfect
None of us would probably be bold (or foolish) enough to claim to be perfect. As believers, we know that our Lord Jesus Christ was the only perfect man who ever lived and his perfection was necessary to be the acceptable sacrifice for our sins. Yet listen to what Matthew 5:48 says: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. How in the world can we be perfect, especially like God?
The word perfect in this verse comes from the Greek word teleios, which means complete. What Jesus preached about here in the Sermon on the Mount was the process of becoming more like Him--a process called sanctification. From the moment we accept Christ until the time we breathe our last breath here on earth, God is in the process of changing our old sinful patterns and creating in us a new identity in Christ. While our status in God's family is instant, permanent and secure when we accept Christ, the process of becoming like Christ is a continuous journey for the rest of our earthly existence.
As believers, we can become easily frustrated as we battle sin in our lives; perhaps wishing that sanctification was as instant a process as our salvation. But remember that God does some of his greatest work through the sanctification of believers; drawing many more into His presence through what others can see in us. Hold fast to the words of Philippians 1:6: being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
The word perfect in this verse comes from the Greek word teleios, which means complete. What Jesus preached about here in the Sermon on the Mount was the process of becoming more like Him--a process called sanctification. From the moment we accept Christ until the time we breathe our last breath here on earth, God is in the process of changing our old sinful patterns and creating in us a new identity in Christ. While our status in God's family is instant, permanent and secure when we accept Christ, the process of becoming like Christ is a continuous journey for the rest of our earthly existence.
As believers, we can become easily frustrated as we battle sin in our lives; perhaps wishing that sanctification was as instant a process as our salvation. But remember that God does some of his greatest work through the sanctification of believers; drawing many more into His presence through what others can see in us. Hold fast to the words of Philippians 1:6: being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Trying to Make Sense of it All
Probably the biggest struggle believers face is trying to understand why a perfect, gracious, loving, merciful, everlasting, all-powerful, all-knowing God of all creation would allow His people to experience pain, suffering, hurt and broken-heartedness. Once again, this question comes to mind as one of the men on my ministry team, my friend, Matt Hall and his wife Katie have learned that their unborn child is now in Heaven--depriving them of the joy of raising their child here on earth. What makes this even more painful is that this is the second time this has happened to Matt and Katie--a husband and wife who love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
At times like these, words often fall woefully short of providing comfort and hope. The prayers and encouragement of friends and fellow believers do help, but they can't dry the tears. Verses like Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 29:11 and Hebrews 4:15 are reminders of the love, care and hope we have in Christ, yet the pain is still all too real. While I can't begin to know or understand what our Heavenly Father's plan is in this or any other painful situation, I do find great encouragement and strength in the way His people respond to their suffering. Being able to praise Him during the storms of life provides hope to others who face their own difficulties.
In her personal blog, http://www.katielynnhall.blogspot.com/ Katie shares the wide range of emotions she's feeling: sadness, grief, confusion, anger, disappointment, defeat along with this powerful thought: "So I'm clenching tightly to something else..securing my grip on something that has and always will have me in the center of Grace and perfect and unending love." Matt posted this quote on Facebook from Francios Fenelon, which I know reflects his heart: "No one has ever developed a deep level of spirituality or holiness without experiencing a great deal of suffering. When a person who suffers reaches a point where he can be calm and carefree, inwardly smiling at his own suffering, and no longer asking God to be delivered from it, then the suffering has accomplished its blessed ministry, perseverance has finished its work."
Thank you, Matt and Katie for your powerful testimony and your faithfulness to the One who sustains us!
At times like these, words often fall woefully short of providing comfort and hope. The prayers and encouragement of friends and fellow believers do help, but they can't dry the tears. Verses like Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 29:11 and Hebrews 4:15 are reminders of the love, care and hope we have in Christ, yet the pain is still all too real. While I can't begin to know or understand what our Heavenly Father's plan is in this or any other painful situation, I do find great encouragement and strength in the way His people respond to their suffering. Being able to praise Him during the storms of life provides hope to others who face their own difficulties.
In her personal blog, http://www.katielynnhall.blogspot.com/ Katie shares the wide range of emotions she's feeling: sadness, grief, confusion, anger, disappointment, defeat along with this powerful thought: "So I'm clenching tightly to something else..securing my grip on something that has and always will have me in the center of Grace and perfect and unending love." Matt posted this quote on Facebook from Francios Fenelon, which I know reflects his heart: "No one has ever developed a deep level of spirituality or holiness without experiencing a great deal of suffering. When a person who suffers reaches a point where he can be calm and carefree, inwardly smiling at his own suffering, and no longer asking God to be delivered from it, then the suffering has accomplished its blessed ministry, perseverance has finished its work."
Thank you, Matt and Katie for your powerful testimony and your faithfulness to the One who sustains us!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Lessons from Amanda
I couldn't adequately describe in a blog entry what a blessing my 5-1/2 year-old daughter Amanda (see picture to the right) is in my life. I've taught and written frequently on the role of being a godly father and it's an area where I all too frequently fall short. Yet as I look back on my brief time as a father, I recognize many occasions that God has used her to teach me. Here are some of the life lessons I've learned from Amanda.
1) God's love for us is deeper and more incredible than anyone could ever imagine: When Amanda smiles at me, when she draws a picture for me, when I see joy on her face, when she curls up in my lap to watch TV, when she gives me hugs and kisses, when we tell each other "I love you"---I'm reminded that God loved me so much that he sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross, so that I could live with Him forever. That's a love that's beyond description.
2) God's creation is a wonder we should never take for granted: Amanda's first memory verse in Kindergarten is Genesis 1:1, but the reality is she's marveled at God's creation for quite some time. When she discovers something new or talks about things she's seen, she often reminds me that God made it and that He made us as well.
3) God takes great joy in our obedience: I love it when Amanda listens to me and does what I ask her to do. For those times when she doesn't and I get frustrated, I try to think about how God feels when I disobey Him. After Jesus was baptized, Luke 3:22 tells us how the Holy Spirit came upon Him and God's voice came from Heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
4) God's grace, mercy and forgiveness are ours for the asking: One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is genuine honesty, which includes admitting when we are wrong and asking for forgiveness. Amanda is always quick to forgive me when I ask for it and it allows me to teach her the truth of 1 John 1:9, which tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
5) God desires our undivided attention and time alone with us: Amanda takes great joy in "Daddy time"--which could be playing together, reading together, watching a movie together, running errands, going to the playground---anything as long as we're together. This reminds me that God also desires time with me alone in His Word and in prayer and how much I am blessed when I spend quality time with Him.
Every night, I pray this prayer for Amanda when Cheryl and I put her to bed: "Protect her from evil, cover her with Christ's blood, fulfill Your purpose in her life." Teaching me is certainly one of those purposes.
1) God's love for us is deeper and more incredible than anyone could ever imagine: When Amanda smiles at me, when she draws a picture for me, when I see joy on her face, when she curls up in my lap to watch TV, when she gives me hugs and kisses, when we tell each other "I love you"---I'm reminded that God loved me so much that he sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross, so that I could live with Him forever. That's a love that's beyond description.
2) God's creation is a wonder we should never take for granted: Amanda's first memory verse in Kindergarten is Genesis 1:1, but the reality is she's marveled at God's creation for quite some time. When she discovers something new or talks about things she's seen, she often reminds me that God made it and that He made us as well.
3) God takes great joy in our obedience: I love it when Amanda listens to me and does what I ask her to do. For those times when she doesn't and I get frustrated, I try to think about how God feels when I disobey Him. After Jesus was baptized, Luke 3:22 tells us how the Holy Spirit came upon Him and God's voice came from Heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
4) God's grace, mercy and forgiveness are ours for the asking: One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is genuine honesty, which includes admitting when we are wrong and asking for forgiveness. Amanda is always quick to forgive me when I ask for it and it allows me to teach her the truth of 1 John 1:9, which tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
5) God desires our undivided attention and time alone with us: Amanda takes great joy in "Daddy time"--which could be playing together, reading together, watching a movie together, running errands, going to the playground---anything as long as we're together. This reminds me that God also desires time with me alone in His Word and in prayer and how much I am blessed when I spend quality time with Him.
Every night, I pray this prayer for Amanda when Cheryl and I put her to bed: "Protect her from evil, cover her with Christ's blood, fulfill Your purpose in her life." Teaching me is certainly one of those purposes.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Dead with Christ
What most people recall about Jesus' earthly ministry were the miracles and the people he healed. Often overlooked are some very important teachings as he went toe-to-toe with the religious leaders of his time. The Pharisees knew Scripture and meticulously followed the law, but they also added their own set of rules and standards to elevate themselves about others. We see in Mark 7:11-13 how they even ignored their own family responsibilities while pointing out how others failed to live up to the law. The apostle Paul even had to deal with this prevailing attitude in the early church: Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules (Colossians 2:20).
Sadly, this notion of adding rituals and responsibilities to God's Word still surfaces in today's churches in the form of legalism. Scripture is very clear that our salvation is a free gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ and not of our own doing (Ephesians 2:8-9). Legalism chokes the life out of believers and drives non-believers away in droves--perhaps depriving them of ever hearing the life-changing message of the Gospel. Since the Gospel frees us from attempting to gain Heaven by self-effort, there is absolutely no reason to subject ourselves--or anyone else--to legalistic ordinances. Colossians 2:8 also warns us be on guard against deceptive philosophy based on human traditions that can distort the truth of God's Word.
Listen to Jesus' response to the Pharisees and their legalistic traditions: He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. 'You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." (Mark 7:6-8).
Being dead with Christ means not only being free from the bondage of sin, but also the entrapment of following legalistic rules---allowing us to victoriously proclaim: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
Sadly, this notion of adding rituals and responsibilities to God's Word still surfaces in today's churches in the form of legalism. Scripture is very clear that our salvation is a free gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ and not of our own doing (Ephesians 2:8-9). Legalism chokes the life out of believers and drives non-believers away in droves--perhaps depriving them of ever hearing the life-changing message of the Gospel. Since the Gospel frees us from attempting to gain Heaven by self-effort, there is absolutely no reason to subject ourselves--or anyone else--to legalistic ordinances. Colossians 2:8 also warns us be on guard against deceptive philosophy based on human traditions that can distort the truth of God's Word.
Listen to Jesus' response to the Pharisees and their legalistic traditions: He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. 'You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." (Mark 7:6-8).
Being dead with Christ means not only being free from the bondage of sin, but also the entrapment of following legalistic rules---allowing us to victoriously proclaim: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
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