Castles or Company?

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. - John 13:34-35

A good man was walking on a beach on a hot summer day when he came across two children playing in the sand. Amused by their play, he paused to watch them. They were diligently building an elaborate sand castle. It had everything a fairy tale construct could desire: towers, walls, a moat and a draw bridge. The children even went so far as to begin building a secret passageway from the inner keep to the outside of the maze-like artifact. They were nearly finished when a huge wave came rolling in and instantly destroyed the project that had taken them hours to build.

But instead of crying as the tzaddik expected, they simply ran hand in hand away from the wave, laughing. Their sweet spirit and delighted laughter taught him a valuable lesson.

All the things on which we spend so much time and effort in this life are only so much sand. Sooner or later, the waves of time will sweep all our jobs, houses, cars, ministries, programs and projects into the great ocean of the forgotten past. When that happens, only the person who is able to stand hand in hand with another will be able to laugh. Only our relationships with God and man will last eternity.

Some people may believe that they love their solitude, but that is only because they know in their hearts that they cannot actually achieve true solitude. Here is a test – if you knew you were going to be stranded on a deserted island for the rest of your life and that you would never be able to escape, would you take a book or another person?

We were created to be social creatures. We need each other. You may sometimes feel that the only way forward in a relationship is through compromise. But if you feel that love IS a compromise, a defeat, you are mistaken. Love is a victory. It is the way we overcome life’s circumstances. Is love sacrificial? Absolutely. But all we sacrifice is those parts of us that are selfish and narcissistic. We are like the great artist’s statues hidden deep inside a marble slab. All that is needed is to get rid of the extra junk to reveal the work of art inside.

Don’t be afraid to let go. This is the time to choose. An act of love could tip the balance. No one ever got poor by giving themselves away.

The Shouting Shepherd

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. - Deuteronomy 6:4-5

A tzaddik once heard that there was a shepherd who, though unlearned, was known for his particular rapport with God. Since Proverbs teaches that wisdom may be found anywhere to those who know how to look, the tzaddik immediately made for the area the shepherd was known to frequent, hoping to discover some means to improve his own relationship with the Lord God.

Soon, he spied the shepherd from a distance. The shepherd was watching over his sheep but he seemed to talking to himself. Moving closer, the tzaddik discovered to his surprise that the shepherd was shouting toward heaven.

“Master of the world!” he shouted, “You are so great and marvelous! I stand in awe of your creation! I have nothing to offer you. I am poor and uneducated. But I do have the horn that I use to call my sheep. I will play it for you!” He proceeded to blow with all his might until he fell down exhausted and out of breath.

After a few minutes, he recovered his energy and once again called out, “Great Lord! I am just a simple shepherd. I only know a few shepherd songs but I will sing them for you!” He then sang lustily the few songs he knew until he was once again exhausted.

Once again, he recovered his strength and shouted “Mighty God! I have played my horn and I have sung all the songs I know. I have nothing left to offer but a couple ridiculous tricks. I know they are not worthy of you, but they are all I have. Please receive them to your glory.” He then jumped onto his head, and while doing a hand stand waggled his feet in the air. After a couple moments, he began to do somersaults over and over.

The tzaddik moved away from the area, overcome with awe at the shepherd’s approach to God. The holy man was certain that the Lord God was well pleased with the shepherd’s gifts. Not because of their intrinsic worth, but because of the love and the passion that went into them.

Each of us has some small gift to offer our King. Moses had nothing but a stick. But God used that stick to bring Egypt to its knees and to liberate an entire nation from bondage. Esther had her beauty. Abraham had nothing but blind obedience. What’s important is not the greatness of our gifts, our abilities, our talents or our resources. What is important is the motive: the humility, gratitude and service that drive the act of giving. An all-consuming desire to please Yahweh, to serve Him with all our heart soul and strength is the greatest gift we can give Him.

Self Sacrifice

Then he turned to his critics and asked, "Is it legal to do good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing harm? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him. He looked around at them angrily, because he was deeply disturbed by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, "Reach out your hand." The man reached out his hand, and it became normal again! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to discuss plans for killing Jesus. – Mark 3:4-6

A great tzaddik (holy person) once traveled to a small town. The town’s church folk were thrilled to receive the famous man and competed amongst themselves for the privilege of housing him.

To their dismay, however, the teacher chose to go the house of an unbelieving, rich man who was known for his persecution of the saints. The tzaddik went to the rich man’s house to eat and then stayed there all night long. Their disappointment turned to bitter gossip. “He went there to eat the rich man’s sweet meats” claimed some.

“He has developed a taste for the high life,” gossiped others. The next day, the tzaddik left the house and went on his way without saying a word.

Shortly thereafter, one of the rich man’s servants exited the house. The church folk pressured him to reveal what he knew. “My master became convinced that one of you had cheated him on a business deal. He hired a bunch of thugs to beat you up and burn down your church. They were gathered in his house, ready to go when the tzaddik arrived. For some reason, my master agreed to reason with him. They talked all night. At one point, as my master took a break, I asked the tzaddik why he had not simply sent my master a letter. He responded that if he was able to save the church, then wonderful. But if he was unable to change my master’s mind, then the tzaddik was ready to die with you.”

We think of that righteous man and shake our heads in wonder at his willingness to lay down his life for his peers and their total inability to recognize what was going on. They thought the worse of him as he was doing the best for them. But that tzaddik had learned “mesirus nefesh” (self-sacrifice) from a Great Master.

Jesus saw a man crippled by palsy and felt compassion for him. He knew the consequences of performing this miracle on a Sabbath. His enemies were just waiting for him to “slip up.” But he chose to go ahead and help the cripple. As a result, his enemies went wild with rage and began to plot his death. He went on to dedicate his whole life to doing good works, even though he knew it would end with his crucifixion.

We are too concerned with the bottom line. We care too much for our lives. We want others to like us too much. We need to meditate on Jesus’ words “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it.” (Matthew 10:39). We need to come to understand and practice the skill of mesirus nefesh.

Generation P

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these. – 2 Timothy 3:1-5

An incident in Iraq has been made much of in the news lately. Apparently, a group of young soldiers planned the rape and death of a young Iraqi girl. As a by-product of their horrible act, they killed her parents and sister, too.

The army reports that they gave the young man who was the leader in this crime an honorable discharge after serving only eleven months due to a diagnosis of “anti-social personality disorder.” This is a polite way of saying, “The guy is a psychopath!”

When dealing with a person with APD, you need to remember the following mnemonic. The word is CORRUPT and it stands for:

C – cannot follow the rules or law
O – obligations will be ignored
R – remorseless
R – reckless
U – underhanded
P – plans will never be made
T – temper; has one – will yield to it

But before we get on our moral high horses and look down our noses at these young men, we need to carefully examine Paul’s prophecy in the scripture above in light of what we are seeing in society today.

Write 2 Timothy 3:1-5 out on a piece of paper. Go buy a newspaper. Hold the piece of paper next to the articles you read in that paper. Notice a strange resemblance?

We have all heard of Generation X and Generation Y. I am afraid that the new name for this coming generation will be Generation P (for psychopath). Here is the dictionary definition of psychopath: a person with an antisocial personality disorder, manifested in aggressive, perverted, criminal, or amoral behavior without empathy or remorse.

Parents refuse to discipline their children and wonder why they are completely out of control. They lie to them constantly saying “Stop or I’ll do…(fill in the blank).” But they never (or rarely) follow through. Then they wonder why this generation disregards authority. Our children are taught that all sins are merely “alternate lifestyles.” We label sinful behavior as a “syndrome.” Then we wonder why they are remorseless. We teach them that the individual’s highest pursuit is personal gratification. Then we complain that they are reckless. Little children are allowed to stomp their feet, scream, cry and pout and then we are amazed that they grow into adults who are completely unable to control their violent tempers!

God is calling us out of this moral morass. He is offering us something better, higher, purer, nobler. He has our good at heart. But we must trust Him. We must listen to Him. We must do it His way. If we refuse, then we must content ourselves with an entire generation with anti-social personality disorder – Generation P.

Deep Running River

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.' But this He spoke of the Spirit… John 7:38-39a

One day a group of missionaries journeyed into northern Chad in order to reach a particular group of people. The trip took them into some of the most arid and intimidating territory that brutal country has. It is said that Land Rovers and Jeeps go to this area to commit suicide. The temperatures routinely reach 120 degrees in the shade (when you can find it), so water was running short and tongues began to thicken. Concern began building in their hearts as to whether or not they would make it.

Suddenly, an oasis was spotted. They gratefully arrived in the shade of date palms and sat listening to the trucks ticking and pinging in the change of temperature. A local group of nomads showed the missionaries where to find water. To reach it, one had to go down deep beneath the surface of the earth by a series of steps carved out of rock. There they found a river in a cavern that was a good 40 degrees cooler than the surface. It was like stepping into air conditioning.

What a difference: above - sun-blasted, dust-covered furnace. Beneath – cool, moist air and life-giving water. This is the kind of picture Jesus offers us in John 7. Life may be bitter and harsh at times. You may suffer persecution for doing what is right. You may suffer the consequences of doing what is wrong. You may suffer the consequences of someone else’s sin! But Jesus offers a source of life that will well up and refresh you from the inside.

The source of this power and capability is the Holy Spirit. We non-charismatic Christians don’t talk a lot about Him. But the Father raised the Son through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11). If He can resurrect Jesus from the dead, what do you think He can do for you? Think about it. Jesus’ cadaver was lying on a stone slab, buried behind a huge stone with a Roman seal and soldiers guarding it. The next thing you know, the soldiers have passed out, the stone is rolled away and Jesus emerges in a glorified body!

Now that very same Spirit is available to those who will submit their lives to the mastery of Jesus the Christ. We can experience peace as the world collapses around our ears; joy when around us is nothing but despair; contentment in a culture that breeds envy. We can trade impotence for power over sin and self. All that is required is to take Jesus at His word and believe in Him – in His lordship, his salvific powers, and His soon return. What are you waiting for?

We Are Dispensable

"But now your reign will not endure. The LORD has found a man loyal to Him, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not done what the LORD commanded." - 1 Samuel 13:14 HCSB

God desired a relationship with humanity. Adam and Eve messed it up and God had to kick them out of the garden but that didn’t change His overall plan to have a relationship with humanity.[1] Two individuals were kicked out, but God’s plan for mankind continued.

Elohim still sought a relationship with Man but mankind was so evil that He had to reject them all except for Noah and his family.[2] All of mankind was killed except for eight people, but God’s plan continued.

The people of Israel were given the opportunity to enter the Promised Land and out of a lack of faith they rebelled.[3] That entire generation was rejected and had to die in the wilderness, but God’s plan was fulfilled with the next generation.

Saul was to have been not just king over Israel during his lifetime - his lineage was to have been messianic![4] His throne could have endured forever through Jesus Christ. But because of his disobedience the promise “to establish your kingdom forever” was taken from him and given to David. Again, the throne endured though the individual and his family was rejected.

Israel was given the opportunity to have the messianic kingdom established[5] but they rejected it.[6] They were temporarily set aside, but God continued His plan of redemption by giving the Gentiles an opportunity to be “grafted” into God’s vine.

Annanias and Saphira tried to elevate themselves in the church and were killed for their presumption.[7] Here we see a couple rejected, but the church actually thriving after their demise!

Hymenaeus, who was apparently a leader in the church, elevated himself, taught principles that were not founded on scripture but his own thoughts and philosophies and indulged in “worldly and empty chatter…leading to ungodliness…that spread like gangrene.” He was “turned over to Satan.”[8] A leader of the church was rejected, but the church of God marching on anyway.

No one individual is necessary for God’s plan to succeed. He is sovereign and omnipotent. He will succeed whether we go along with His plans or not. To forget that fact is to lose the humility that is prerequisite to a proper relationship with God.

Go back to Saul again.[9] Why was he rejected? Because he disobeyed. Why did he disobey? The problem did not begin until he quit being “little” in his own eyes.[10] He was not building an altar to God but to himself![11]

Do I need you? Sure! Do you need me? Absolutely. But we must not confuse our needs with God’s. He is not human. He is God and He does not need us. The amazing thing is that in spite of that, He WANTS us.

[1] Genesis 3
[2] Genesis 6
[3] Numbers 13 and 14
[4] 1 Samuel 13:14
[5] Matthew 21
[6] Matthew 26
[7] Acts 5
[8] 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:14-18
[9] 1 Samuel 13
[10] 1 Samuel 15:17
[11] 1 Samuel 15:12

It's Your Life That Counts

Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. - Matthew 7:21

We celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ on Christmas. But is it really His birth we should celebrate or His life? What if the Master had been born, but then took the devil up on his offer to make the stones into bread, or to seize the rule of the kingdoms of the earth, or to do some fantastically publicized but self-glorifying deed? It is because the Lord spent His life doing the will of His Father and being a submissive servant all the way to His death that we can celebrate Him (Philippians 2:5-8).

It is the same with us. Our births, whether they be low or high are insignificant. Our appearances, whether good or bad, are meaningless. Neither money, nor prestige, nor race, nor position, has any import.

It’s our lives that count. Not our professional beliefs, nor our form of worship, nor the church we may attend. What counts, above all else, is how we live. Nothing we say with our lips can outweigh what we do with our lives. Nothing we claim to believe is nearly as important as what we actually act upon. Our lives must be characterized by integrity, sensitivity, unselfishness, a forgiving spirit and an indefatigable desire to obey and submit to God. True happiness is directly tied to doing what’s right and having a clear conscience.

The verses that follow today’s text reveal the dangers of self deception. On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized’ (Matthew 7:22-23)

What a tragedy to go through our lives being assiduously religious only to discover our deception! What a disaster to do all those good works only to find that because they were driven by the wrong motives they do not count! So if simply being religious, or doing great charitable works do not make our lives count, what does? Jesus answers that question in the very next verse.

Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock (Matthew 7:24). Obedience. That’s it. That’s what makes your life count. Simple obedience to the will of the Father and the teachings of the Christ. It’s not about what you or your family or friends, or your church or even I think. It’s about Jesus. You make your life submissive to him and your life will count.

How to Whine Effectively - Part 2

I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! I’d rather you killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!” – Numbers 11:14 -15

We saw how the Israelites were condemned by God for their arrogant whining. But just nine verses later, Moses whined and got help! How can that be? Why should the Israelites get scorched and Moses get saved? As always, context is everything.

Moses had to feed, water and shelter at least three and a half million people in the middle of a desert. It would have taken five hundred tons of food EACH DAY to feed them all. It would take two freight trains, each a mile long, to provide all that food. And water! It took 11,000,000 gallons…that's a train 1,800 miles long just for water to satiate their thirst. And it probably took another 4,000 tons of wood just to cook the food.

When Moses was given orders to march the people across the Red Sea in one night, we must realize that if they walked double file, the line would have been 800 miles long. At that rate, it would have taken them 35 days to get across. The only way they could possibly get across in one night would be to have a space three miles wide and walk 5,000 abreast.

Understandably, Moses was having a tough go of it. But when he whined, he whined correctly.

First of all, instead of whining to other people, he took his complaint to God Himself. Many people have complained about me, but as often as not they go spreading their negativity to other people rather than coming to me and letting me deal with it! God doesn’t appreciate that any more than we do.

Second, Moses identified the problem as being his own inadequacy. He didn’t say that God didn’t know what He was doing. He just admitted that he felt he wasn’t up to the task laid out for him.

Third, Moses was willing to be set aside so that someone else could do the job. Too often we hang on to our ministries far beyond our usefulness. “Ministry” is about serving others. If we start thinking that the ministry is about us and our needs it becomes about recognition, power and control. Moses took the problem to the One who could help, was willing to admit that he may not be up to the job, and was willing to step aside if need be.

And what was the result? Help. Where the people of Israel got axed, Moses got assistance. Now, if the Lord can take care of three and one-half million people, in the desert, it seems to me that he could take care of our problems too. And you know, if we will only put Him first, He will do just that. (Romans 8:28; Matthew 6:33)

How to Whine Effectively - Part 1

The people soon began to complain to the Lord about their hardships; and when the Lord heard them, his anger blazed against them. Fire from the Lord raged among them and destroyed the outskirts of the camp. – Numbers 11:1

The people of Israel had just been miraculously delivered from Egypt. They had been subject to systematic racism, considered second-class citizens, not unlike the “apartheid” in South Africa. Bigotry became slavery and they were forced to build Egypt’s storehouse cities. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill all male Jewish babies as they were delivered. They were ostracized, persecuted, beaten, starved, enslaved and killed. The Lord graciously delivered them from this bondage through a series of amazing miracles. They no longer had to do any hard labor – all they were doing was traveling a few miles a day and pitching their tents. Their food and water was delivered to them on a daily basis. To get some perspective, imagine what it must have been like finding an appropriate campsite two-thirds the size of Rhode Island (25 miles wide and 130 miles long) for millions of people every single night! But they began to take their blessings for granted and ingratitude deteriorated into a positive dislike for their present condition.

How typically human! We are enamored by something new, only to have familiarity breed contempt. Instead of being grateful for all the many good things that God has done for us, like spoiled children we start nit-picking and whining – only happy when we are being given new toys. We feel like we deserve better; like everybody should listen to us; like we should be able to “have our say.” Arrogance! Hubris!

Notice God’s response. God became angry - very angry. In fact, He got so angry that a fire was literally kindled! We must keep in mind that though God is patient, He does not tolerate ingratitude because it is a sign of pride. God despises pride (Proverbs 6:16-19) because it is so hurtful. Pride makes it impossible for a man to learn new things. Pride renders a woman incapable of admitting that she is wrong.

When the Israelis whined, they weren’t bringing their concerns and fears TO God. They were complaining ABOUT God. They felt they deserved better. God saw their pride and reacted as any good parent does when his child is placed in danger because of foolishness – with anger. But just as we acknowledge that kind of parental anger is driven by a love for the foolish child, so God’s anger with us is driven by His love. He doesn’t expect us to like all of what life brings our way. He doesn’t expect us to keep our fears and disappointments bottled up inside. But when we do bring them to Him, He rightfully expects a respectful and grateful attitude marked by an expectation that God our Father will take care of it.

Teddy Bear or Lion

“For I know the plans I have for you, “ says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

We are often reticent in our prayers because we are unsure of our standing with God. “What does He intend for me?” we ask. “What if His calling for me is to do some terrible thing, like travel to a foreign country where I will be persecuted?” “What if He wants me to be single for the rest of my life?”

This mistrust is natural, to a certain point. After all, God is not like us. He says that He is the embodiment of love and yet He was willing to drown the known world when they became evil. He claims to be humble and lowly of heart and yet He drove the money changers out of the Second Temple and cried out against them, “You Scribes and Pharisees…hypocrites! Blind leaders of the blind! Whitewashed sepulchers full of dead men’s bones!”

Many people feel that because God is love, He should be comfortable like an old shoe, a teddy bear or your grandfather. When they encounter the real God, not their make-believe one, they are shocked and left with these lingering doubts as to His intent. This is a good thing. We should never get so comfortable with God that we forget that He is – well – God! He is omniscient where we are pitifully ignorant. He is omnipresent when we are stuck in one place. Where He is terrifyingly holy and pure, we are the very essence of sin…and sin can find no place in God. His presence destroys sin.

But with all these qualities that should distance Him from us and leave us groveling on the ground, there remains one stupendously confusing element in God. He desires intimacy with us! Unbelievable, I know. Incomprehensible, I realize. And yet, there it is. The Sovereign Lord wants to get one on one with you and He says that His intentions are good. He wants you to have a future and a hope. When He limits you, it is for your safety. Where He calls, He shows you the way. When He calls, He will give you the strength and grace to not only endure it, but will cause you to flourish in that calling - no matter where it is, no matter what it is.

It’s like having a lion suddenly roar, charge you and just as you throw up your hands in despair, he suddenly stops. Purring, he nudges you out of the way of a dangerous serpent that (unbeknownst to you) was sneaking up on you. Unsettling to say the least; but once you understand what’s really going on, it can be quite a rush.

A Healing of the Soul

Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My son, your sins are forgiven." – Mark 2:5

Jesus was back in his adopted home town called Capernaum after a quick tour of Galilee (Mark 1:35-39; Luke 4:42-44; Matthew 4:23-25). As usual, the news spread quickly that he was home and soon, the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door.

Four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed friend on a sleeping mat. Realizing that they could not approach Jesus the normal way due to the crowds, they climbed to the roof which, like most Jewish houses, was flat and used as a porch. Once there, they somehow determined Jesus’ location, dug straight through the roof, opened a hole and lowered their paralyzed friend in front of Jesus.

This whole scene is completely surrealistic and difficult to understand. First, why wouldn’t all these people, who had come to hear Jesus speak of mercy and compassion, get out of the way so this paralyzed man could be healed? Second, why didn't anyone say or do anything while those guys were tearing off the roof? But let’s get to the REALLY strange part.

Those four guys went to all that trouble: risking life and limb, an encounter of the legal kind, and the anger of the very man from whom they were seeking help. After all, it was Jesus’ house they tore up, right? But after going through all that to get their friend healed, Jesus’ response was “My son, your sins are forgiven.”

Can’t you just imagine them laying on their stomachs, looking down through the hole and thinking, “WHAT? Come on, Jesus! Can’t you tell he’s paralyzed?” And the fact of the matter was, Jesus could tell the man’s physical condition and was concerned about it. But the man’s soul was more important than his body. The body, even after its miraculous healing, would only last a few more years. The man’s soul would last forever. Jesus ended up offering them the physical healing they sought, but he gave them so much more. He gave them “tikkun hanefesh” – a healing of the soul.

I have been terribly concerned about the degeneration of my body. I thought that the time I spend in a wheelchair would slow me down so much that I would no longer be able to effectively work. What I have discovered is that it has slowed me down enough to actually listen to God and people. I thought that the loss of my hearing would so cripple my ability to communicate that my counseling would have to stop. Instead, because I must focus so much on listening, paying attention to the body language and asking people to repeat or clarify their statements, I have become a more effective counselor and my load has nearly tripled! God is taking my handicaps and making me more effective. It seems the more broken I am, the more powerfully God has been able to use me.

We get so caught up in our physical circumstances. We feel the pain and want to immediately be delivered of it. But God may be seeking to provide so much more than simple comfort. He is bringing about tikkun hanefesh if only we will be patient enough to allow it.

Ozymandias

When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor. – James 4:10

I met a traveller from an antique land,

Who said -- "two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert ... near them, on the sand,

Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lips, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;

And on the pedestal these words appear:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings,

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away." – P. Shelly

Osymandias is the Greek name for the Egyptian king Rameses II, who lived from 1304-1237 BC. You know, the Pharaoh of Exodus fame. He reigned for 67 years and if there had been a Guinness Book of World Records at the time, he would have appeared in it. He built the most cities, the most statues, the biggest pyramid, had the most wives (eight–not counting concubines), and fathered over a hundred children! He ruled a territory that stretched from Libya to Iraq, from the Sudan to Turkey. At his command, cities were demolished and families were separated. He actually believed that he was a god! The inscription on the pedestal of his statue reads "King of Kings am I, Osymandias. If anyone would know how great I am and where I lie, let him surpass one of my works." This Pharaoh thought that he was all that and a bag of chips.

But then he came across the real deal. He encountered the God Job described in Job 9:4-13 For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully? Without warning, he moves the mountains, overturning them in his anger…If he sends death to snatch someone away, who can stop him? Who dares to ask him, “What are you doing?” And God does not restrain his anger. The mightiest forces against him are crushed beneath his feet.

We all know what it took to break Pharaoh. What will it take before you submit to the mighty hand of God? When will you yield to Him? At what point will you lower your flag in unconditional surrender? I don’t want you to miss the point – you will yield. You WILL surrender. The question is not if but when. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11) A wise man would recognize an unbeatable force and reconcile himself with it. A wise man would beware of the Ozymandias syndrome.

The Fiddler

The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! - Isaiah 55:10-12

One day a very gifted, very skilled fiddler began playing in a park. His devotion to his music was such that he was soon completely enraptured by the act of playing. A crowd of people began to form around him, listening to music that was so uplifting that they spontaneously began dancing, forgetting all their worldly cares.

But then a deaf man happened by and stood with wondering eyes, gazing at the scene before him. He could not hear the music, so he could not understand why all the people were whirling around, stamping their feet, clapping their hands, smiling at one another. Since he couldn’t understand the reason for their joy and movement, he concluded that they were all madmen.

The music of God’s presence is everywhere around us. Nature sings of His almighty presence. Those who have a spiritual ear hear it, recognize the tune and cannot help but fall sway to its rhythms. The believer dances with joy, tapping his feet to the beat of God’s heart. He becomes enraptured by the Spirit’s presence, not inebriated with wine but on God’s love.

The unbeliever, being spiritually tone deaf, cannot understand what all the excitement is about. He does not hear the music that is playing in our hearts but looks only upon the outward ecstatic expressions of that love. That music is expressed when we care for one another, when we serve our community, when we submit to the appropriate authorities and work hard for our living; generosity is the harmony, love takes the lead, service is the backbeat and worship is the result.

The world looks at our eyes shining through our tears, our hope in the midst of terrible circumstances, our strength in the face of persecution and shakes its head crying out “Fools!” But they didn’t understand Christ’s light when He came either. “Although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God.” (John 1:10-13).

Are you struggling through your life? Are you barely making it emotionally? Maybe you need to start listening to the Fiddler.

Patience of the Sands

It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city. – Proverbs 16:32

Many years ago, a French company decided it was going to mine the desert. It brought in its machines, pushed aside the huge dunes building in their place an airstrip and a building complex. They hooked up huge diesel-powered generators and began digging.

But the Sahara has been around a while and is unimpressed by our civilization. After all, it has seen many human empires come and go. Like a dragon sleeping on its hoard, it jealously guards millions of human bones deep within its bowels.

Dust wore out the monster machines repeatedly and the heat killed off many more. The sand dunes kept shifting and burying the airstrip and the highway they had built. It began costing more and more until the company finally realized they were paying a huge price for their mineral harvest. Grain by grain, dust mote by dust mote the desert started to smother the Frenchmen.

After the French finally cut their losses and went home, the desert patiently began stripping the buildings of their paint. It rusted all the metal till everything collapsed. Then it buried the whole sad affair under one huge dune. Five years after the human invaders gave up, there was no evidence they had ever even been there.

There are lessons to be learned from this debacle. First, we must not be so arrogant in our estimation of technology. Sometimes, we feel that our machines can conquer anything. But we must recognize in our efforts to fill the earth, and subdue it (Genesis 1:28) that we are stewards – not conquerors.

Second, we should understand the concept of “die back.” Nature has a way of finding equilibrium. If, like a virus, we endlessly replicate and spew our excretions all over creation, like any living system invaded by another, creation will fight back. It will overheat until our polar ice caps start melting and the glaciers begin retreating, throwing our weather into a hurricane creating frenzy. The coral reefs will die, red tide will flourish and the large fish will be reduced to less than ten percent of their previous population. Viruses will rise (Ebola, Aids, Sars, Mad Cow, West Nile) that are resistant to our best drugs. Does any of this sound familiar? If we push nature, nature will push back – and we may lose.

Third, on a more personal level, nature’s patience should be imitated. We usually want our solutions immediately. Someone can’t get along and play nice so we just quit! But nature fights back a grain of sand or one virus at a time. Take your time. Fight like the jungle does. Send out creepers that wear down walls, slowly form cracks in concrete and cover up all their works. Wear them down, be slow, be patient, be in it for the long haul. Be as patient as the desert.

A Cattle Dealer's Worship

The kind of fasting I want calls you to free those who are wrongly imprisoned and to stop oppressing those who work for you. Treat them fairly and give them what they earn. I want you to share your food with the hungry and to welcome poor wanderers into your homes. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. – Isaiah 58:6-7

There once lived a wealthy business man who took $1,500 (a fabulous sum in the day) to a distant city in order to conduct some business. While there, he happened to see on the street a remarkable elderly man whose entire demeanor expressed a holy joy. People explained to him, “That’s our Pastor. He is seeking donations to free people who have been imprisoned for their debts.”

Today’s passage teaches that ransoming captives is a very sacred deed (a mitzvah). The cattle dealer was so impressed with the godly man’s evident spirituality and holy desire that he approached the tzaddik and asked, “How much money do you need to collect?”

The Pastor replied “Only $1,500. I have worked for many days and have already collected $12! Praise to the Holy One!”

The cattle dealer gave the Pastor the $1,500 that had been designated for his business who in return gave the cattle dealer the $12 so that he could get home. The business man started to go and then turned back. “I have one favor to ask in return for my gift.” He said. “I would like for you to pray that I would experience the presence of the Holy One like you do.” The Pastor laid his gnarled old hands on the business man’s head and prayed for Jehovah’s blessing upon him.

When the business man returned home, his wife asked, “Where are the cattle you were supposed to buy?”

As he thought of the prisoners being released and the joy caused by his gift, he responded, “I have bought much better merchandise.”

That Sunday, the business man entered into worship with great zest. He fully realized the joy of worship liberated from material desires. He danced to the songs and lifted his hands in praise to the Lord as he heard the words of truth spoken.

Many of us long to experience true worship. But we remain trapped in our ideas of what worship entails. We long for relationship, but fail to reach out and serve others. We long for freedom, but clutch our wallets with palsied hands when the world is reaching out in need. You were liberated of the eternal consequences of your sin if you accepted Christ as your Savior. But are you still trapped by your desires? Seek first the Kingdom of God, above all else. Fear the Lord above all else. Therein lies to path to liberated worship.

Glorifying Work

The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes ask anything in my name, and I will do it! - John 14:12-14

The work of the Son brings glory to the Father. That seems like a truism but when you put it together with what Jesus says in verse twelve, you begin to realize how important our role is in the universe. We exist to bring glory to the Father. We are to worship Him, glorify Him and enjoy Him. “But how do I do that?” you ask. Again, we turn to the phrase “the work of the Son brings glory to the Father.”

If you can identify the work of the Son and join yourself to that work, then you are realizing your purpose in life. What did Christ do while on earth? He fed, clothed, healed, exorcised, taught, led, challenged, rebuked, comforted, rejoiced, suffered and ultimately, died for humanity. So, feed the hungry. Heal the sick. Build hospitals, dispensaries, participate in or finance medical studies. Clothe the naked.

Do you know that there are some twenty million orphans in the southern half of the continent of Africa? Do you care? Bring people to Christ, freeing them from the darkness and the shackles of sin. Break the bondage of addiction and fear. Study so you can answer the world’s questions concerning God. If God is good, why is there evil in the world? If He is powerful, why doesn’t He stop wicked people? If God cares, why did this innocent child have to die? Comfort those who are hurting; rejoice with those who are happy. Accept your share of the suffering of this world and then take on some more so that someone else doesn’t have to. Identify with the weak and the sinful without falling into their sins. Be willing to lay down your life for the world.

Don’t whine about the evil in the world, yet do nothing to stop it. Don’t complain about the politicians who try to drive God out of our schools when you don’t get out and vote. Why sing “Nearer My God To Thee” when you don’t take the time to meet Him in devotions?

You see, Christianity is not about what you think. It is not a cerebral religion. It’s really quite simple. What you truly believe will drive you to action. If you think that the stove will burn you, then you will withhold your hand. You are built to glorify God. You are called to the work of the Son. Do you believe it? Do you understand it? Or, are you in rebellion to it? What are you DOING? That’s the real answer to these questions.

Unfailing Love

Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself; how I praise you! Psalm 63:3

A person who recognizes God’s unfailing love in his life is on his way to wisdom. He will discover that peace comes from knowing that God has his best interest at heart. He will find joy because he is now at liberty to pursue the interests that develop from his natural gifts and talents. He will be patient in that pursuit because he understands that he is immortal and has all eternity to develop his skills. He is kind to his fellow man because he can afford to be. Their petty slights are meaningless to an immortal. As a result of his kindness, he is generally better loved by others.

All these traits come from discovering that God’s love is truly unfailing. But how can one go about discovering this eternal fount? How can you know intellectually – experientially - that God loves you? Take a look at the cross.

God’s love was so deep and unimaginable that even before you were born, before the foundations of the universe were laid, He set a plan in motion that would offer reconciliation for sins you had not yet committed. He loved you so much that when He knew that your sin would separate you from Him, He preferred death to that separation. He took on the form of a man (in itself a type of death for an infinite God), was born in a backwater province of the Roman Empire, withstood all the onslaughts of Satan, refused to give in to the temptations of his human flesh, and died a horrible death which by all rights should have been yours.

God’s gifts may be delayed by His love. That’s right, by His love. He may want to give you all things immediately, yet His love will only allow Him to give them to you at the perfect time. He will not spoil you, but He also will not bring undue hardships to you.

When life throws you curves and you are tempted to ask God “why?”, ask yourself “why not?” Why not you? Would you prefer that hardship be given to someone else? Who then? To whom would you give this suffering? Christianity should breed heroes. We do not fear the consequences of death so we face it gladly. Because we are assured of our place in heaven, we should be willing to lay down our lives for someone else whose fate is not so assured. We should be willing to imitate our Master who took on all the sins, burdens and grief of the whole world and bore it in the world’s stead. What have you done to deserve an easy life? With all the things He has done for you, could you not take a few hardships for him? Trust Him. Trust His love.

Three Views

Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. - Luke 10:33-34

In the story of the Good Samaritan, we see three very distinct perspectives on life. There were the thieves who mugged the poor man, taking his things and leaving him for dead. They are like those who care nothing for the poor, but deliberately exploit them. Their view is “What’s yours is mine – I’ll take it.”

Then you have the religious and the successful that pass by those in need; too busy to see, too disgusted to stop. They refuse to take time out of their busy schedules to raise someone out of the ditch into which they’ve fallen. They cannot stain their Armani suits with the body fluids of someone who “should’ve known better.” Their choice is to ignore the need. Their view is “What’s mine is mine – I’ll keep it.”

Then you have the good Samaritans of life. They stop, look and act. They pick up those who are wounded by life and take them to help. They give of their time, of their money, of their efforts and of their hearts. They not only take a moment of their time to write a check but make a commitment to return to the issue and do more if necessary. Their view is “What’s mine is yours – I’ll share it.”

Which of these three views do we see the most evidence of in the world? One and one-half acres of rainforest are lost every second with tragic consequences for both developing and industrial countries. And rain forests are merely one issue of many thousands! We are destroying our own planet for the sake of the bottom line.

Which of these views do we see in our county? Where I live in the rural midwest, we have 51 churches in a county of approximately 18,000 people. If each church could care for, nurture and love 350 people, no one would fall through the cracks. And yet we have working poor with no health insurance and who cannot escape the consequences of their own mistakes and sins.

Jesus, when faced with people’s needs, inevitably dealt with both their physical and spiritual needs. (Mark 2:9-12) It is time for the Church to gather her wits about her and seek solutions to this world’s problems. If we cannot offer solutions to the poverty of their lives, how can we pretend to offer help for the poverty of their souls? If we are more concerned about liability in ministry than the liberation OF the ministry, then we should evaluate which of these three views characterize us.

Wile E. Coyote and Odd Symmetry

If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will roll back and crush you. - Proverbs 26:27

Do you remember the Bugs Bunny Road Runner Show? I used to love watching the coyote trying to catch the road runner. “Wile E. Coyote – Genius” it said on his business card. He would buy a catapult from the ACME company and try to launch a big rock. The only problem was that the rock went straight up and landed on him. He tried to move farther away but the platform flipped instead of the arm and landed on him. It seemed that no matter what he did, it ended up hurting him!

There is a great biblical principle hidden in this cartoon designed for children (or the child-like). There is an odd symmetry to the universe. “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you,” says the Lord (Genesis 12:3). “(The wicked) set an ambush for themselves; they booby-trap their own lives! Such is the fate of all who are greedy for gain. It ends up robbing them of life” (Proverbs 1:18-19). “Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need” (Proverbs 21:13). Jesus taught, “Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.” What goes around comes around.

In the book of Esther, a wicked bigot named Haman lusted after power and hated a Jew named Mordecai. He plotted and schemed to gain power for which Mordecai cared not a fig. But because Mordecai loyally served the king, Haman ended up being forced to honor Mordecai publicly (6:11). He tried to have the Jews killed by deceiving the king, only to end up having the Gentiles slaughtered by the Jews by order of the king. He wanted to have Mordecai hung, so he had gallows built in his yard that he and his sons ended up hanging on! We see in chapter eight that Haman’s signet ring was given to Mordecai. His house was given to Mordecai. Everything he desired was given to his enemy. Everything he plotted fell back on him.

Jesus understood this odd symmetry, this reciprocity that runs the universe and taught that if we want to gain our lives we must be willing to lose them. If we want to be great in the kingdom of God, we must be willing to be the least. If we want to rule, we must be willing to serve. Small wonder then that He would teach us “Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

Wrestling Gorillas

Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. – James 4:8a

Have you ever tried to grapple a 300-pound gorilla? It would be like wrestling under water. When you push, instead of moving your opponent, you actually end up moving yourself. I understand that this same effect is found in space. Astronauts end up spending many, many hours in huge pools, trying to get used to the difference in leverage.

Unfortunately, many Christians have not learned how to use the different leverage that is found in prayer. We believe that by praying, we are going to move God to perform a certain action. Instead, we find that prayer is like pulling on a rope that is attached to something immoveable. Instead of moving the anchor point, we end up moving ourselves. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Through prayer, we end up with a different perspective on things. We learn that by moving ourselves, we still end up at the same relative distance and we are now in a new position of power and leverage. It is counterintuitive, but works.

When I say that prayer draws you closer to God, I don’t mean that He loves you more. He could never love you any more than He already does. After all, Christ showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, He died for us. I also don’t mean that you are closer to God in the sense of space. God at times created things that allowed us to “see” Him like the shekina glory over the tabernacle so that we would know when to address Him and would have a place to look. He allowed Moses to see the “back” trailing edge of His glory which caused Moses’ face to shine for days. But Christ tells us that “no one has seen God (the Father) at any time.” Your prayers cannot bring you any closer to a God who is omnipresent. But it does bring you closer to His way of thinking. It causes you to become more “Godlike”. Remember the Devil’s lie to Adam and Eve that if they would disobey God they would become gods? The truth was sadly the opposite. They became mortal and further from being Godlike than they were before. Only through prayer, only through righteousness, only through obedience and submission to God does that hope ever get fulfilled.

If you let it, prayer will also allow you to begin thinking outside of the box. It will allow you to see the world from God’s perspective. Instead of trying to cause your circumstances to change, you will begin trying to see what God wants you to do IN your circumstances. It will teach you the wisdom of God. But you cannot try to move the immoveable throne of God. Instead, pull on the towrope of prayer and you will find yourself a little closer to the throne with a whole new perspective opening up for you.

False Humility

This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand or perform. It is not up in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go to heaven and bring it down so we can hear and obey it?’ It is not beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear and obey it?’ The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it. – Deuteronomy 30:11-14

Sometimes people come to me complaining about their struggle with sin. They talk about their battle with the devil as though it were World War III and liken it to the struggle described in Ephesians 6:12.

I understand what they’re saying and to a degree I’m forced to agree with them because I am equally guilty! I also have not achieved a sinless state as yet. Maybe next week!!! Though there is a process to salvation and we are “working out” our salvation like a baker works the yeast into every bit of the dough (Philippians 2:12), I must also believe that the commands of God are not impossible to achieve.

Christ told us that His yoke was easy. There is still a yoke, a burden, but it is a light one. God tells us that His commands are not difficult. They don’t require a tremendous effort. Christ reiterated this when He said that if we just had a mustard seed’s worth of faith, we could move mountains. So, what’s the problem?

Part of it could be the Pharisee Syndrome. The Pharisees were a legalistic and separatistic group who strictly but often hypocritically kept the law of Moses and the unwritten “tradition of the elders” (Matthew 15:2). Jesus accused them in Matthew 23:4 of crushing the people with impossible religious demands, yet those hypocrites would never lift a finger in order to help. Perhaps the terrible burden that you are struggling with is one of your own making. Carefully check it out in the Scriptures. Is this something that God is actually demanding of you?

A large part of the problem, however, is false humility. I call it false because it seems so humble to admit your failures and weaknesses. All the while, our wicked and treacherous hearts are providing us with an excuse to not do what we know we should. “If only I were stronger, I could accomplish this, Lord! If only I weren’t sinful by nature, I could better love my neighbor, Lord! If only my heart weren’t so wretchedly evil I could do what you tell me.”

God’s response is “Listen folks, this isn’t rocket science.” As a wise man once said, “It is not so much all the things in the Bible that I do not understand that disturb me so much as all the things that I do understand and don’t obey.”

Resistez!

And I assure you of this: If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I, the Son of Man, will openly acknowledge that person in the presence of God’s angels. But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before God’s angels. – Luke 12:8-9

A few hundred years ago, in the southern French town of Aigues-Mortes, a young girl named Marie Durant was dragged before the court and charged with heresy. Marie was a Huguenot. She was bright, attractive and only fourteen years old. In those days, fourteen was marriageable. She was commanded to deny the Huguenot faith. She was not asked to commit any immoral act, sacrifice to an idol or even change her lifestyle significantly. She only had to say one French word – “J’abjure”. It means “I deny.” That was it. But she would not deny Christ. So she and thirty other women who were accused of the same crime of heresy were imprisoned in a tower by the sea.

“J’abjure.” It’s not a lot to say. Such a small price to pay for one’s freedom. She could have been at home in her village. She could have enjoyed the attentions of young suitors. Marriage and children were hers for the asking. But for thirty-eight years she continued to refuse to utter that short word. And instead of saying “J’abjure” she scratched into the stone walls of her dungeon “Resistez!” which means “Resist!”

We live in a time marked by unholy loves, persistent self-seeking and monumental indifference. We think of the nearly four decades that she survived in that hellish place and shake our heads in wonder. Imagine the agonizingly slow passage of time in such a place; time which consumed and dried the once-beautiful skin, atrophied the muscles, caused the joints to become stiff and the mind to become stupefied by lack of stimulation. To feel all this and yet persevere in stubborn refusal to give up on a matter of principle seems stupid to religiously relativistic people.
Being a Christian is more than attending church as long as it is socially useful; more than something to mark on a card; so much more than the petty squabbles over inconsequentials that characterize most churches. It is a deep, abiding passion for the Christ that confesses His lovely name not just once in a quick, fiery blaze of martyrdom, but day after day after day for decades. A true Christian places the name of Jesus Christ above all other names and would rather die than ever deny Him before others or deny Him access to a part of our lives.

If you ever find yourself wondering whether or not Christianity is real; if you begin to doubt because you have never met a person you considered to be truly changed by their faith – then meditate on what it would take for a teenager to show that much strength and character. Whatever it was, what would happen if you could unleash it upon YOUR soul?

Ugly but Serviceable

Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart: “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with smooth stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." Therefore the LORD raises against them adversaries – Isaiah 9:9b-11a

Ugly often works better. Though my current service dog is a pure bred Golden Labrador, some of the best dogs I have ever owned have been Heinz-57 mutts. In my experience, the best trucks are the beat up old rust pots that just never say die. The M-16A2 is a beautifully precise rifle. But if you even think about mud, it jams. The AK47 on the other hand is ugly but unbelievably rugged.

In the East, bricks are generally of sun-dried mud and therefore susceptible to rain. But since there is not a whole lot of rain in the Middle East, they work wonderfully. Consider how few stone artifacts remain for archeologists to study. Now compare the number of enormous mud brick cities that have survived the millennia and are still there for our perusal. Stone, though considered by the wealthy to be preferable to mud, is not actually better in the long run. Amos actually decried the stone mansions of the wicked because of their pretentiousness (Amos 5:11)!
Sycamores grow abundantly in the low lands of Judea and are useful in construction because of their antiseptic property. In fact, it is precisely because of this quality that the Egyptians used sycamore in their mummy cases. However, cedar smells nice. It’s free of knots (making for ease of use) and was again more highly valued because of its appearance (1 Kings 7:2-3; 10:27)
God provided the people of Israel with manna from heaven on a daily basis but they soon grew tired of this heavenly bread and longed for the leeks and onions of their bondage!

God offers us simple, healthy fare and we desire the sweet meats of this world, not realizing that it will soon turn to rottenness in our gut. We look for stuff that smells nice and is easy to use while God tries to get us to use material that actually works. Like children, we are easily attracted to the world’s candy when what we need is some spiritual broccoli.

This is why we are commanded to be satisfied with whatever condition or state God brings our way (Philippians 4:11). This is why Daniel satisfied himself with gruel when he could have had the kings’ meats (Daniel 1:8). This is why Moses turned down the chance to be Pharaoh and looked instead for the kingdom of God (Hebrews 11:24).

Perhaps your calling in life is not flashy. Perhaps there is not a lot of recognition or gratitude for what you do. Or, perhaps you’re thinking that your marriage is blah and the grass is looking greener elsewhere. Practice the spiritual discipline of simplicity. Remember – prettier is not always better.

Here Lies an Honest Man

“The Lord demands fairness in every business deal; he sets the standard.” – Proverbs 16:11

Quentin O’Connor, the noted lawyer, died and went to heaven. He had no sooner gotten inside the Pearly Gates when a tremendous chorus of angels began to sing gloriously in his honor. The air was filled with a golden aura, clouds of incense wafted everywhere, and approaching O’Connor was St. Peter himself.

“O’Connor,” said the celestial gatekeeper, “we have long been awaiting you. You are the first human being ever to break Methuselah’s mark for longevity. You have lived 1,037 years.”

“What are you talking about?” said O’Connor, astonished. “I died at the age of sixty-five.”

“At the age of sixty-five?” said St. Peter, astonished in his turn, “Aren’t you Quentin O’Connor?
The corporate lawyer?”

“Yes.”

“From Philadelphia?”

“Yes.”

“But the Record Book has you down for 1,037 years.”

“There must be some mistake. I’m only sixty-five.”

“Something must be wrong,” said St. Peter. “Let me study the book.” He did so and suddenly clapped his hand to his forehead. “Ah, I see where we made our mistake. We added up the hours you billed to your clients.”

Why is it so important to be honest? Well, for one thing, honesty is necessary for us to live in God’s presence. Psalm 24:3-4 says “Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.” God expects honesty from us.

My level of honesty or dishonesty reveals just what my character is. The Bible tells us that “the plans of the godly are just” (Prov. 12:5) and that “a tree is identified by its fruit” (Matt. 12:33). The Lord also told us in Luke 16:10 that “if you cheat even a little, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”

So look out for all the little subtle dishonesties that we tend to play. Watch for trying to put yourself in the best light, even when it “stretches” the truth a bit. Otherwise you may end up as the lawyer who was buried in a cemetery with a tombstone that was inscribed “Here lies a good lawyer and an honest man.” A little boy walking by with his mother read the inscription and asked, “Mommy, why did they bury two men there?”

God Lover

This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught. – Mark 1:1; Luke 1:1-4

There once was a great rabbi named Hillel who loved learning the Scriptures above all else. In his day, one had to pay a daily fee in order to be able to go to school and learn. Hillel was extremely poor and earned only one small tropaik a day. Part of it he paid to the academy in order to be able to study in the evenings after working all day. The rest supported his family.

One day he had not even earned a whole tropaik and could not afford the entrance fee. So that evening, he climbed up on the roof to listen to the lectures. He was so engrossed in the study of the Word going on that he didn’t notice that it was snowing. Soon he was covered in several feet of snow.

Fortunately, the next morning people noticed a human form was blocking the sunlight coming through the skylight. When they climbed up to see who was up there they found Hillel nearly frozen to death!

Luke addressed his gospel and the book of Acts to “Theophilus”. This name literally means “God lover”. Luke must have had a wonderful relationship with this person to have decided to write two whole books to him! Luke knew that Theophilus’ relationship with God was so important to him that he would appreciate the information on the life of the Master. Truth was so important to the both of them that they dedicated inordinate amounts of time checking the facts and pursuing leads.

As a pastor, I can pretty much predict the rise and fall of church attendance by the rainy days and holidays. If I hear that someone has a cold or an aching back, I can be fairly sure that they won’t be attending next Sunday. We make all kinds of excuses for not attending church or studying our Bibles. “It’s my only day to sleep in!” “I have to play golf sometime!” “I watched ER too late and now I’m too tired for my devotions.”

Oh! If only we had a generation of God Lovers; people who loved the Master so much that they would sacrifice parts of their meager salaries in order to be able to study the Word. If only there were people who would lie in the snow all night long just to hear the Scriptures explained – who would spend months tracking down other Christians just to hear their testimonies and write them down. If only we were all named Theophilus!

Christian Vaccination

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. - Revelation 3:15-16

In the 18th century, smallpox was a killer. Those infected would become covered in horrible pustules and die a painful death. Those who were fortunate enough to recover were left with ugly scars called “poc marks” on their skin.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu had seen people in Turkey deliberately infect themselves with a mild form of smallpox in order to develop immunity to the more virile form - the first form of inoculation. She brought the knowledge back to England in 1721. Unfortunately, many died from the smallpox they were using to protect themselves.

Edward Jenner noticed that people who had contracted cowpox rarely caught smallpox. In 1796, he deliberately infected an eight year old boy named James Phipps with the pus of a cowpox sore. The boy became ill but recovered. Jenner then infected the boy with the normally deadly smallpox. The boy never caught smallpox and the practice of modern vaccination was born.

Vaccination against disease is a good thing. But I firmly believe that too many parents are giving their children a small dose of Christianity, which makes them immune to the real thing! The children know the religious rituals of Sunday but know nothing of a relationship with God Monday thru Saturday!

We attend church fitfully, read our Bible occasionally, and pray half-heartedly. Our worship is nonchalant and does not affect our day to day lives. Then our kids fail to take God seriously when they come of age because we have given them just enough “religion” to inoculate them against Christ.

Even worse, we convince ourselves of our Christianity because we are members of a certain church, or because we have regularly donated to charity, or whatever we decide to put under the “Christian activity” list. We fail to recognize that God is not impressed by our works. Our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment according to Isaiah 64:6. What a terrible thing to fool yourself into believing you possess something you do not. Jesus described what will happen to those poor self-deluded souls:

Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Do not vaccinate yourself against the only thing in your life that can make you right with both God and man. Do not satisfy yourself with just a little religion. Take Christ – all of Him.

Laughing Off the Facts

Asserting in pride and in arrogance of heart: “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with smooth stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." Therefore the LORD raises against them adversaries – Isaiah 9:9b-11a

On September 12, 2001, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle stood before the Senate and gave a speech decrying the 9/11 terrorist attack which included an unfortunate quote from Isaiah 9:10. Like many, he failed to note the context of that verse. It is actually a judgment on bravado!

Around 700 BC, the people of Israel had fallen away from God, forcing Him to bring judgment against them. Their pro-Assyrian king had been assassinated and replaced by an anti-Assyrian tool (2 Kings 15:22-26). They were under pressure from Syria and the Philistines to join an anti-Assyrian alliance. Calamity followed calamity and allies became enemies in a dizzying whirl of betrayal. But instead of humbly realizing that God was trying to bring them back into the fold, they arrogantly pronounced that come what may, they would rise from the ashes.

To laugh off the facts with false bravado may put heart into an audience. But to stubbornly refuse to face what the symptoms imply is foolishness. Nothing then can avert judgment. For a church to boldly claim good health when no one is joining and they have a bad reputation in the community is ludicrous. They should ask “Why are we in such straits?” and then change! To put on a brave front in the face of mounting terrorism is hubris. We need to ask “Why do they hate us?” A marriage that soldiers on through a succession of fights and long silences without counseling is a marriage that is doomed to failure, whether the couple actually divorces or not!

If you are not at peace with God and men, you need to ask yourself why. If your life has been a succession of dismal failures, or has been characterized by a “cut and run” doctrine, you need to stop and determine the reason.

First, get a reality check from a wise person. Candidly discuss your life with your counselor and see if patterns emerge (James 5:16). Second, compare your thought patterns, your philosophies and metaphysical outlook with the Scriptures. There is a way that SEEMS right, but that leads to destruction (Proverbs 14:12). See if you are actually on the right path. Third, spend time quietly asking God to examine you and see if there is any wicked way in you (Psalm 139:23-24). These three elements comprise a spiritual hat-trick: submission to wise counselors, submission to the scriptures and submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Don’t stubbornly continue in self-destructive habits. Follow the Master Who was Himself submissive to the will of the Father (Philippians 2:5-11). The scriptures are clear – the path of submission is the path to ultimate victory.

Reminding God

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.” - Psalm 51:1

We know that God is omniscient. We know that He cannot forget anything He chooses to remember. Yet, we find instances in Scripture where people remind God of His own attributes. In Psalm 51, David seems to be reminding God that His love is unfailing – that He is characterized by compassion. Why does David feel the need to remind God? It’s not so much that God forgets when He’s angry; it’s more like claiming promises of God. God tells us that His love never ends. So in prayer, we respond “God, I’m claiming the love that you promised.”

In the Bible, we find people arguing with God, like Moses who tried to stop God from killing the Israelis in the desert. He argued “The Egyptians will say, ‘God tricked them into coming to the mountains so he could kill them and wipe them from the face of the earth.’ Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you are planning against your people! Remember your covenant...” (Exodus). 1 John 5:14 tells us that if we pray according to His will, God hears us. We know that it is God’s will that He be glorified. We know that it is His will that others see His power and witness His mercy. Make sure He knows that you will give Him the glory for the answer to prayer. Be sure to tell Him that you are looking out for Him, not just trying to escape the consequences of your sin.

This means that when He forgives you this time, you need to put some kind of safeguard in place so that sin won’t happen again. You cannot ask Him to forgive you while knowing in your heart of hearts that you plan to do it again. Repentance is not just mouthing the words “I’m sorry”. Repentance involves a changing of your ways. Do not think that you can psychologically manipulate the Lord of the Universe into becoming your private genie in a bottle, granting your three wishes. Remember that He knows your heart. He knows things about you that you don’t know about yourself!

Claim His power, love, mercy, compassion, pity, righteousness. Claim His goodness when asking for something material. Claim His immutability when asking for something He’s given someone else. Remind Him of His faithfulness when staking a claim on a promise He gave in Scripture. But my suggestion is: when you do…do it respectfully.

Terah's Idols

Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…You have not lied to men but to God. And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last. Acts 5:3-5a

There’s an old Jewish midrash out of Tanna d’Bei Eliyahu about Abraham and his father, Terah. It says that Abraham’s father, Terah, was an idol worshipper. In fact, he owned a shop where people could buy idols of whatever god they chose to worship. One day, Terah had to go somewhere and he left Abraham in charge. Abraham had doubted the power of these idols for a while, so he decided to smash them all while his father was gone. He proceeded to destroy the idols with an ax except for one, the largest, in whose hands he placed the ax.

Terah returned to find his stock demolished and naturally questioned Abraham as to what had happened. Abraham told him that the large idol had become angry at the lesser ones and had destroyed them all with an ax. Terah was absolutely livid and screamed, “Stop lying to me! You know that these idols can’t walk or talk or move!”

So, Abraham responded, “If they can’t protect themselves, then why do you pray to them to protect you?”

Good question! Tell me something. To whom are you praying to today? Are you truly praying to God? Or, are you perhaps praying to yourself? Many times we discover, that when we should be praying to God, we are praying to ourselves instead. You know what I’m talking about. Those long rambling prayers that really sound like you’re trying to figure things out; trying to find a way out; trying to connive an escape route; trying to comfort yourself by developing excuses for your behavior. Making false promises to “never do it again” when in your heart of hearts you already know you want to.

Ananias and Saphira tried that one time. They wanted to look and act like they were doing something really holy. They were going through the motions, being religious, but they weren’t doing it for God. They were worshiping the people around them. They wanted to look good to the others in their church. So many times we catch ourselves praying to ourselves or to other humans. Yet, we humans are powerless to protect ourselves much less each other. What does it matter what other humans think of you? Can they add another day to your life? Why struggle – trying to answer your own questions?

The fact that you’re asking questions shows you don’t have the answers. Why not give it up? Why not dedicate yourself anew to the real Lord of the universe? The Lord is the One who needs no one to defend Him; He’s the One who can actually make a difference in your life. But you must be sure that you’re actually praying to Him.

How to Say "I Love You"

He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him. – John 14:21

A man approached a tzaddick, wanting to be reassured that he was on the right path. When the elder gently pointed out sins that the young man was contentedly living with, he answered, “Yeah, I know that those are probably sins, but I attend church, I provide for my wife and I don’t steal. So, I think that in the end God will accept me.”

The tzaddik was nonplussed by this attitude and sat thinking for a minute. “What do you do for a living?” he asked.

The man said that he owned a construction company. “I would like to work for you for a day,” the tzaddik responded. The owner was bemused by the request but agreed.

When the day arrived, the tzaddik showed up late. He told the owner, “I know I’m late, but it’s okay. I brought a big lunch!” The owner had no idea how one was related to the other, but decided to let it go.

The young man gave the tzaddik instructions to clean up debris left over from the previous work days. “Clean this up and I’ll be back in an hour to give you more to do” he commanded.

When he came back, every bit of garbage was still sitting on the ground. The owner bit his tongue as the elder excused himself. “I didn’t get the garbage picked up like you asked but I did build a table at which to eat lunch!”

The owner asked the tzaddik to plumb a wall with a 4 foot level. Instead, the tzaddik used a 6” torpedo level. Of course, the wall he built was leaning terribly. The owner was fuming internally, but managed to control himself.

On and on, the day went. Everything the holy man was told to do was left undone. He always did something different instead. Finally, the young construction worker could take no more. He roared his disapproval, calling the tzaddik disobedient, rebellious and completely inept.

The tzaddik smiled at him and said, “Now you know how God feels when you choose to replace His will with your own.”

God says “I want you to attend church” (Hebrews 10:25). We answer, “But it’s my only day to sleep in!”

God commands, “Serve one another. Think of other’s needs not just your own” (Philippians 2:3-4). We whine, “They just aren’t meeting my needs! They don’t make me feel good, safe or comfortable.”

God tells us, “Do not conform yourself to the mindset and philosophies of this world” (Romans 12:1-2). And of course, we say, “How close to the edge of sin I can get without getting burnt?”

We truly demonstrate love when we obey. Are you telling God you love Him very often?

In Jesus' Name

“The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. Yes ask anything in my name, and I will do it!” John 14:12-14

Did you notice that a couple elements are necessary for us to receive answers to our prayers? The first is that the Lord had to return to the Father. Jesus said He had to go so that we could receive the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s role in prayer is to whisper to us of Jesus.

Everything should ultimately lead us back to the glorification of Christ. The Holy Spirit also teaches us what is right and wrong. He prods our consciences so that things that previously may have never bothered us now do. Sometimes it works the other way. Things that bothered us tremendously before, may become trifling and unimportant under His tutelage. He keeps us focused on the truly important things in life. He also gives us the power to achieve what our consciences and hearts are trying to get us to do. So the Holy Spirit establishes the goal (Christ-likeness), shows us the way, and gives us the power to achieve our objective. That’s what I call a complete package! But in order for us to get it, Christ had to leave us.

The second required element for prayers to be answered is that they be in His name. This is so much more than simply tacking “in Jesus’ name – Amen” on the end of our prayers. Tacking on those words to the end of a self-centered, egotistical prayer will not cause God to answer positively. God is not a machine that automatically responds to a set of stimuli. To pray in Jesus’ name is to place His interests above your own. It means that you take on the projects, missions and goals that Christ had at the center of His ministry while He was here on earth. It means you pray for those and act in their interests. It also means you don’t hope your good works will get you on God’s good side so He’ll answer.

Our works are so futile that He doesn’t love us any more for them or any less for their lack. His only consideration is our degree of faith and submission to His Son, Jesus. That’s painful. We like to think that if we feed the poor, God will love us more. We are like the prodigal son’s brother. He grew resentful when he realized the father loved both sons the same even though one ran away and the other remained. Praying in Jesus’ name means we realize that He’s the only one that counts. His will is the only one that matters. He must increase and we must decrease.