Abba Father

One of the absolute joys of my life is when my daughter Amanda calls me "Daddy". Often she'll come running across the room and give me a big hug and say, "I love you, Daddy!" Other times, she'll say, "Look what I made, Daddy" or "Will you play with me, Daddy?" The word Daddy brings with it a special and unique bond that goes light years beyond being just a biological father. Sometimes, it can be very difficult to say no when Amanda's request is followed by that wonderful term of endearment.

In Scripture, the word Abba carries the same meaning as Daddy; even Arabic children use the word Abba instead of Daddy. Now see the privilege we have as God's men that is found in Galatians 4:6-- And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. crying, "Abba! Father!" The previous verse confirms that we have been adopted into God's family through Christ's redemption of our sins on the cross. In the model prayer that Jesus gave his disciples (Matthew 6:9-13), he instructed them to address God as Our Father--the same Greek word for Abba.

Some of us have a less than ideal relationship with our earthly fathers; even to the point where it may be difficult to understand the notion of Abba Father. We must recognize that our Heavenly Father is the definition of love (1 John 4:8) and his perfect love casts out fear (v.18). We must remember that a relationship with us was so important that He allowed Jesus to suffer and die for our sins. He is never too busy, never too preoccupied, never unapproachable and never too tired to spend time with his children. Being disowned or abandoned is never possible with Abba Father.

I find it extremely comforting that the One who spoke the universe into existence and who is the Alpha and the Omega is my Daddy. And you should too!

No Room at the Inn

One of our family traditions on Christmas day is reading the story of Jesus' birth in Luke 2. The angel of the Lord appearing before the shepherds announcing the arrival of the Messiah (v. 8-12) and the multitude of angels praising God and declaring peace to believers (v. 13-14) are a few of the glorious events recorded here. Yet we also find this somewhat sobering truth from verse 7: Jesus was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger because there was no room at the inn.

Nearly two thousand years later, as the celebration of our Savior's birth get pushed further and further into a sea of other holidays under the guise of political correctness, we must ask ourselves--is there still no room at the inn? Sure, we can adopt a pharisee-like attitude and look down at those who would water down Christmas by saying "Happy Holidays" while we are pushing and shoving our way through the malls and stores trying to get just one more last-minute bargain. Amidst all of the activities and social events that revolve around Christmas day, do we ever take time to pause and reflect on the miracle that happened in Bethlehem that made these events possible?

Trust me, I'm not advocating a Grinch-like approach to Christmas. I love everything about Christmas: the special church services, the lights, the decorations, the carols, the joy and excitement in children's (and adult) faces as they open gifts, the celebrations. But what I love the most about Christmas is still that old story in Luke 2--the story that reminds us that for unto us is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (v.11).

As we enjoy what is truly the most wonderful time of the year, let us not forget the miracle of Immanuel. The Wonderful Counselor. The Almighty God. The Everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace. And as we continue into the start of a new year, let us make sure our hearts are open to Him and that there is room at the inn.

God with Us

Very few of us are in a position at work where we can just waltz into the CEO's office, sit down and have a chat. The larger the company we work for, the more likely we are shuffled further and further away from the one in charge. If the big boss does make an appearance, it isn't likely for the purpose of building a relationship. Rather, it is probably a stress point that starts with cleaning up your work area and admonishment from your supervisor to stay busy and keep quiet while he's here.

As Christmas Day draws near, I am struck by the amazing truth that God chose to come to earth to be with his people. He chose to leave the majesty and splendor of Heaven and come to us in the least spectacular way possible--as a helpless baby born in a manger. Matthew 1:23 tells us that the virgin Mary would conceive and bear a son and he would be called Immanuel which means "God with us".

Announcing the coming of Jesus to the shepherds, the angel of the Lord said "for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11). Jesus was the Messiah born for us! God himself chose to dwell among his people. He chose to reveal himself in human flesh to those He created in his image. Through Jesus Christ, we get a glimpse of who God is, what matters to him, what brings him joy, what brings him sorrow. We see his love, his mercy, his grace, his forgiveness, his strength, his power. And as those who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, we continue to have God with us through Holy Spirit, who dwells inside each and every believer.

Jesus himself declared "whoever sees me sees him who sent me" (John 12:45). Let us not forget to rejoice in the greatest Christmas gift ever given. Jesus Christ. Immanuel. God with us.

Click Here

I can't imagine what life would be like now without the Internet. I read the Bible online. I read newspapers online. Most of my communication is online. Sites such as Facebook and Google have become virtually indispensable parts of our lives. The Internet has made global outreach and the ability to share the Good News even easier. So much information is so readily available when we follow a simple command--click here.

Unfortunately, "click here" can also get us in trouble. Our enemy is well aware that men are visually stimulated and the ability to "click here" can make us an easy mark for fiery darts that attack our purity. When we fall prey to this temptation, we can easily allow our guilt to consume us and draw us away from God. The secrecy of this temptation makes it difficult to confess and hard to stop repeat offenses. The cycle of indulging, remorse, shame and indulging again is crippling.

There are now over one million pornographic websites on the Internet; along with countless more suggestive advertisements and shows that are merely a click away. Coupled with an ever lowering moral conscience in our world, the battle for purity is only going to get tougher. As God's men, we must resolve to fight--now and united. Don't try and fight this battle alone. Share any struggle you may have with a close friend who is also committed to spiritual growth and encourage each other to maintain purity.

A good way to fight temptation is to leave up several Internet tabs on your computer that are on God-honoring websites (including this one!). Then we can make "click here" a choice that will draw us closer and not farther from our Savior.

Spit it Out

Have you ever noticed how sometimes people will be telling a story and you keep waiting for them to get to the point? You wonder if they're ever going to get there. The story keeps rambling on and on until you just want to say, "Spit it Out!" How much more do we appreciate people who are direct (and hopefully loving) and get to the point?

In Mark 10, we see the story of Jesus and his disciples leaving Jericho and along the roadside there was a blind man named Bartimaeus. The man cries out, "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!" (v.47). When Jesus calls him over, he asks Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?", to which he replies, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight." (v.51). Then Jesus says, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." and immediately Bartimaeus regains his sight! (v.52).

By referring to him as the son of David, Bartimaeus acknowledged who Jesus was--the Messiah from the House of David (Luke 1:26-33). Our Savior then reveals his servant's heart by asking him what he could do for him. Bartimaeus doesn't ramble; he cuts right to the chase in asking for his sight. And Jesus answers his prayer immediately in recognition of the rock-solid faith behind his request.

Failing to get to the point in our prayer life, much like a rambling story that never seems to end, can also make our prayers ineffective. The Lord certainly knew Bartimaeus' need for sight. What he also needed was the faith to believe that God and God alone could meet his need. Our Father stands ready, willing and able to answer our prayers if we have the confidence that says our faith in Him is unwavering. Just spit it out.

Guilt Trips

Many of us love to travel. There is something thrilling about seeing and experiencing new places. We look forward with anticipation to our vacation times; especially if it involves going someplace new or back to a familiar place that brings us pleasant memories.

Unfortunately, the travel reservation we most often make is the dreaded guilt trip. Like it or not, we all struggle with feelings of guilt from time to time. Sometimes our guilt is actually conviction from the Holy Spirit that does require repentance on our part. But more often that not, our guilt centers around past mistakes---mistakes that were dealt with at the cross. John 5:24 tells it like it is: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement but has passed from death to life. Many other verses in the Bible, including Romans 5:17, Ephesians 1:7 and Hebrews 9:14, speak to the eternal security and forgiveness that we have through the shed blood of Christ.

As God's men, we must be able to discern between these two types of guilt. False guilt over past mistakes comes straight from the pit of hell. If we allow false guilt to remain, we will begin to doubt God's promises. We will begin to feel unworthy of his love, mercy and grace. We will begin to become dual-minded and unstable in our ways. False guilt lessens our effectiveness in advancing God's Kingdom and drains the energy we need for more useful purposes.

Drawing strength from our Lord, staying grounded in the truth of His Word, obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit and not dwelling on past mistakes are the keys to defeating false guilt. And just as we have choices in where we want to travel on our vacations, a guilt trip is a voyage we don't have to book.

Food and Water

I can think of anybody I know that doesn't love food. We love to talk about our favorite foods and the best places to find them and enjoy them. We even plan our days and events around food. Some of us do a good job of eating healthy while others (like me) crave stuff like pizza, cheesesteaks and buffalo wings. Yes we love food, but we also need food. We won't survive very long without it. And we can only last a few days without water.

Jesus uses food and water to teach us some very powerful Biblical truths. When his disciples were trying to get Jesus something to eat, he said to them: "I have food to eat that you do not know about...my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work" (John 4:30, 32). When Satan tried to tempt him in the wilderness to misuse his power and satisfy his hunger, our Lord responded: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4). Regarding water, Jesus told the woman at the well that if she drank the living water that He provided, she would never thirst again and have everlasting life (John 4:10-14).

Just as our bodies can't survive physically without food and water, we can't survive spiritually without Biblical refreshment. Our diet begins with God's Word that nourishes us with His wisdom, knowledge and power. It continues with knowing God's will as he reveals it to us through His Word and Spirit and then carrying it out in our lives. Our spiritual food gives us the strength to accomplish what He has called us to do and gives us the fuel to exercise the spiritual gifts our Father has graciously given to us.

And finally, our Savior provides living water that leads to eternal life; a life not possible without His sacrificial payment of our sin debt on the cross at Calvary. Only Christ's living water can quench our spiritual thirst--a thirst that cannot be satisfied by any other worldly cause or endeavor.

Gentle and Lowly

There are several characteristics that men usually admire. Most of them revolve around power, strength, wealth and success. It's what draws us to leaders. It's probably a big reason why we love and watch sports. It's likely what excites us about thrilling, outdoor adventure that requires skill, endurance and bravery. It no doubt explains why we place such emphasis on winning and personal achievement.

Gentle and lowly are two characteristics that rarely make any one's most admired list, yet these are the very ones that our Lord Jesus Christ used to describe himself in Matthew 11:29---Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Some translations replace lowly with humble. Yet just a few verses earlier, Jesus makes it clear just how powerful he really is: All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him (v.27).

Make no mistake, our Lord and Savior is exalted above all in his rightful position at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33) with the name above all names (Philippians 2:9). No one has more right to describe himself as mighty, powerful and supreme than Jesus. Yet he chose to describe himself as gentle and lowly; giving all glory and honor to God the Father. That is the example we need to admire and follow.

Discernment

I've spoken a lot lately on the notion of judging others and how only the Righteous Judge--our Lord--is qualified for that role. But what about making value judgments? Is Matthew 7 telling us not to judge when we have an important decision to make? Should we not consider character when we choose to place a certain trust in an individual? What about those of us who earn a living in the marketplace by making decisions?

As God's men, what we need is discernment. By definition, discernment is the ability to distinguish or differentiate between two or more courses of action to make the right decision. Paul makes it very clear in Hebrews 5:14 how important this is when he talks about spiritual maturity: But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. The solid food that Paul referred to--the diet that brings us discernment and spiritual strength--is the Word of God. Spiritual immaturity, or lack of discernment, is caused by not listening to biblical truth (v.11), not understanding the basic principles of Scripture (v.12) and being unskilled in the practical life application of His Word (v.13).

When Paul prayed for the church in Philippi, he prayed that the believers' love would abound with knowledge and discernment (v. 1:9). When Solomon prayed for wisdom in leading the nation of Israel, God gave him both wisdom and understanding (1 Kings 4:29). James 1:5 is our promise that if we lack wisdom, God will generously provide it to us without finding fault. Bottom line: God expects us to use our brains to make wise decisions--decisions that are passed through the filter of His truth. Time to feast!