God’s Hands

As a man with limited mobility living alone with two dogs, to say that my home had become a real mess would have been a gross understatement. On top of that, I have been going through a rough time financially and could not afford the help needed to clean up the mess. The pastors of my church (CLC) came to my rescue. They paid two Christian cleaning ladies to come in like a hazmat team for a total of ten hours to actually get the place presentable for guests to visit. On top of the cleaning, CLC arranged to replace my leaking kitchen faucet and one of the pastors repaired my front door latch which kept me from using that door. Maggie, one of those wonderful ladies, has volunteered to come by once a week without pay to check on me and help keep things from drifting back into chaos. I cannot express how blessed I have been by the actions of all of these brothers and sisters in Christ.

I’m reminded of the Message version of Proverbs 3:27. “Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person.” That is so true. The works their hands have done are truly God’s hand reaching deep into my life. Throughout my life I have tried to help others who needed it and now I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of badly needed help. The amazing thing is that both giving and receiving help have blessed me greatly.

We have all heard that actions speak louder than words. George Elliot once wrote, “Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.” Horace Mann wrote, “It is well to think well; it is divine to act well.” But what is it that makes us feel so good whether we give or receive help? It is love! We read in 1 John 3:18, “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other, let us show the truth by our actions.” When we are prompted by the Holy Spirit within us to help someone else or to ask others for needed help and we obey that prompting, we release God’s love in the life of everyone involved.

God can, and often does, react to a need directly in a miraculous way. But it is obvious to me that He prefers to use our hands to deliver help in order to bless us as we show others the love He has shown to us.

 

Same Vocabulary – Different Dictionary

I love to communicate. Whether it is in the form of a personal conversation, a blog post, sharing with Face Book friends or speaking to a group of people, I have always gotten pleasure out of sharing my thoughts and feeling and listening to the thoughts and feelings of others. I come from a time when we could freely discuss our thoughts and feelings with each other in an atmosphere of mutual respect. You could actually disagree with someone without becoming disagreeable and attacking them personally.  But in this current adversarial climate, I find that sharing my ideas and feelings with some people has become more like traversing a mine field than free and honest expression. It is human nature to take the easy way out and it is easier to attack someone personally than to dispute facts or defend an indefensible position.

In addition to the “us versus them” mentality that produces friction and even hatred, I have found there is a problem with definitions. To me the word gay means happy or cheerful, but our society has assigned a completely different definition of that word. When I talk about marriage I’m referring to the union of a man and woman like the one Carol and I shared for over 50 years, while others define it as a union between two individuals regardless of their sex. To me, “determining sexual identity” is what ultrasound does. To others, it is the self-discovery of one’s sexual orientation independent of biology or genetics. We are using the same vocabulary (words) but they mean something quite different to each of us. It can be confusing to say the least.

They are using dictionary definitions that simply reflect common usage which changes each year based on the way people use words with no regard for truth. On the other hand, I am using Biblical definitions that are based on truth and they do not change with the whims of society. The enemy loves to redefine words in order to deceive and confuse. We have even allowed our secular society to redefine the word Christian in the most negative terms. As a result, many Christians choose to call themselves Believers. That will never work. First, it doesn’t indicate what you believe in. Secondly, the same people who attack and degrade Christians will do the same thing to Believers and then what new term will you choose to describe yourself? We have given up far too much to the enemy! I will continue to call myself a Christian until the day I die because that is who I am. If we allow others to make us ashamed to claim the name of Christ, how can we expect Him to claim us as His own? (See Matthew 10:33) I think refusing to profess our allegiance to Christ is no different than Peter denying he ever knew Jesus and it is exactly what Satan wants us to do – distance us from God.

When confronted with opposition we need to clarify definitions. I heard a pastor describe an encounter he had with a woman in a store. She overheard the fact that he was a pastor and she confronted him, “How can you possibly worship a god like that?” He responded, “What do you mean by a God like that?” She said, “You know, an old man with a long white beard who loves to zap people with lightning every time they do something wrong.” He said, “I would never defend Zeus. Thankfully, that is not the God I worship.” Then and there he introduced her to the loving and merciful God who sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

 

Going to the Source

Growing up in southern Indiana, my parents and grandparents had a lot of “old sayings” they would pass on to me from time to time. A few of them dealt with horses and the fact that their teeth grow longer as they age. Instead of saying that a person is getting old, they would say that he or she was getting “a little long in the tooth”. Another one was, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”. By the time I came along that simply meant, “When someone gives you a gift, be grateful and don’t nitpick about it”. But my favorite one was, “Go straight to the horse’s mouth”. In other words, don’t take someone else’s word for it; go straight to the source to get the truth. That advice has served me well throughout my life.

I think that is why I love the red letter editions of the Bible so much. When I read those red words, I am getting it straight from the source of all knowledge and for that matter the source of all creation. It was John 3:16 that drew me to accept God’s love and sacrifice for me. It still thrills me to know that those are not the words of a witness or observer. It is the firsthand account from the main participant; the Son of God sent to save the world by sacrificing His life for all who will believe.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17 KJV) When I heard those familiar words nearly 64 years ago, Jesus spoke to my heart, “God the Father so loved you, Jim that he sent me into the world so that you can believe in me and not perish but have eternal life. I didn’t come into the world to judge you, but to save you by giving myself to be sacrificed in your place.”

All scripture is the word of God inspired by his Holy Spirit, but the first person revelations from God to Moses for his chosen people (and us) in the Old Testament and the first person teachings and example of Jesus Christ for his followers (including us) in the New Testament are the foundation upon which the entire Bible is built. The miracle of God’s word is that sometimes when we read a very familiar passage it suddenly takes on new meaning for us and provides us with just the instruction or encouragement we need at that moment. When we prayerfully read and study God’s word, His message to us is personal.

When we sing hymns or worship songs, we use those powerful words of poetic imagery to express what God has done and especially what he has done for us. Are those words as powerful as God’s word? Of course not! They are powerful because of God’s word! When God expresses what He has done and what He will do, to human ears it almost sounds like boasting, but as my favorite hall of fame baseball player, Dizzy Dean, used to always say, “If you can do it, it ain’t bragging”. God can do it!

Grieving

Today (March 16, 2018) is my 75th birthday. Yesterday I had to say goodbye to my little miniature dachshund, Fritz, who was a source of joy In my life for nearly 16 years and my constant companion the past three years since my wife died. We grieved her loss together and now I grieve for him. Putting him down was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but he was in so much pain and I couldn’t stand for him to suffer like that. Setting him free from his pain was my last act of love and kindness for him, but it is hardly conducive for a happy birthday the next day.

Grief is a sad reality of life. It is not a sign of weakness or of a lack of faith. It is, simply, the evidence of love. The deeper our love is, the deeper our grief will be. I told a friend that I think I have cried more over losing Fritz than I did when my wife died. She told me that didn’t surprise her. A grief counselor once told her that when we suffer a major loss of a parent, spouse, child or someone else very close to us, the next loss we experience has a cumulative effect bringing back that past grief in addition to the current feeling of loss. I think there is some truth to that statement. Fritz was a part of Carol’s life too and now losing him feels like I’m losing a part of her all over again.

Some people try to avoid the pain of loss by avoiding love. They are missing the greatest gift God gives us. After all, God is love and He knows the important role it should play in our life. I would not give up one moment I have shared with my parents, my wife or our beloved dogs to relieve my grief from losing them because I know the loss is only for a while.

There is good news for those who receive eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. In that New Jerusalem where God will dwell with His people forever, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:4) I know for sure I will be reunited with my parents and my wife there, but there are differing opinions about whether pets go to heaven. The Bible does tell us, “In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion and a little child will lead them all.” (Isaiah 11:6) If those animals qualify, then I have to believe my loving Fritz, Tillie, Hans and Gretchen will meet me there some day too.

 

 

 

 

Armed and Armored

I haven’t heard this hymn since I was a boy. “Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before. Christ the royal master leads against the foe. Onward into battle, see His banners go. At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee. On then Christian soldiers. On to victory! Hell’s foundations quiver with the shout of praise. Brothers lift your voices. Loud your anthems raise. Like a mighty army moves the church of God. Brothers we are treading where the saints have trod. We are not divided. All one body we. One in hope and doctrine. One in charity. Onward then ye people. Join our happy throng. Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song. Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the king. This through countless ages, men and angels sing. Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.”

Could it be that song is too masculine for Christian churches today, where so often men are either absent or quiet spectators? Or could it be that we are just more comfortable when the Shepherd leads us through green pastures and beside the still waters instead of into battle? I think we simply want to concentrate on the love, joy and inner peace our relationship with God through Christ Jesus brings into our life. But living a Christian life is often more like a battle field than a church social, as the enemy does everything he can to keep us from doing God’s will in our life. In his letter to the Ephesians (and us), Paul reminds us who it is that has declared war against us, “For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)

Paul also points out that we are not defenseless or unarmed in that fight. For protection, God provides the breast plate of His righteousness to protect our heart and the helmet of salvation to protect our mind. He provides the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of Satan’s attack. But even more important, He arms us with the most powerful weapon in existence; the sword of His Spirit and His word.

I have experienced the mighty power of God at work as Christian men pray together, laugh together, break bread together, share burdens and blessings together and encourage and mentor one another. Truly, we become a “band of brothers” in the war against temptation, sin and evil.

In addition to church and worship, if you do not meet regularly with a group of Christian men or women, I highly recommend that you join a small group or better yet, form a group. I meet a small group of men every Saturday morning for breakfast and I cannot begin to tell you how much that Christian fellowship and those men mean to me.

Transported

Time machines have been a staple of science fiction for ages. In Star Trek and other sci-fi shows we see them use a machine to instantly transport people to another location. Man has not yet perfected such devices in real life, but God has. As I study the scriptural accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection in anticipation of Good Friday and Easter, I am reminded of the times He has transported me to another place and time.

Nearly 64 years ago now, I knelt at the altar of a church. As I acknowledged my sins and the fact that God’s only Son died in my place (John 3:16), I suddenly found myself kneeling at the foot of the cross nearly two thousand years earlier as the blood Jesus shed dripped down on me, penetrating my body and cleansing my soul. I could almost hear the angels celebrating that another lost lamb had been found – another son had been added to God’s family.

Ten years later, while visiting the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, I knelt, closed my eyes and found myself before the entrance of another empty tomb nearly two thousand years earlier. I could hear the angel saying, “He is not here. He has risen.” My mind raced and my spirit soared as the realization that Jesus is alive flooded over me.

Just over three years ago now, my Christian brothers at CLC laid hands on me and prayed that my long term sciatic pain would be healed. My arthritic knees would no longer allow me to kneel, but as I bowed my head and closed my eyes I found myself kneeling on a dusty road in front of Jesus. I wanted to reach out in faith to touch the hem of his robe, but I felt His hand on my shoulder and I knew everything would be alright. I slept soundly that night and the next morning I awoke with no nerve pain in my hips and legs for the first time in eight years.

Paul describes being transported to the third heaven. (2 Corinthians 12:1-4) He did not know whether it was in the body or if it was an out of body experience of his spirit, but he knew it was real. I’m sure skeptics would chalk my experiences up to imagination or even hallucination and my healing as some sort of placebo effect, but I know they are more than that. I really don’t know if I was transported in mind, body, spirit or some combination. The only thing I know for certain is “with God all things are possible”. (Mark 10:27)

Someday, in the not so distant future I will shed this old body and be transported one last time to be where Jesus is. I will once again be able to kneel before Him and personally thank Him for allowing me to share eternity with Him.

 

 

 

 

My Greatest Fear

Often at the beginning of Sunday service at CLC our pastor will put a two minute countdown on the screen and encourage us to share something with those sitting around us. One morning he asked us to share our greatest fear with each other then he quickly walked all the way back to where I was sitting and asked my greatest fear. The first thing that came to my mind was my first experience speaking before a group of people.

Afterwards, I wondered why that event came to mind instead of other fearful times in my life.     You would think my mother and I fleeing our burning home when I was 9 with nothing but the clothes on our backs, then watching as it burned to the ground would have topped my list. But the memory of that event is forever softened by humor. We fled to our neighbor’s house and because I was recovering from the measles my mother asked the neighbor to call our doctor and see if I needed any special care, while she ran back and untied our dog from the clothes line near the house. When she got the doctor on the line the neighbor blurted out, “I’m calling for Mrs. Anderson. Their house is burning down and she wants to know if Jimmy can go outside.”  I learned that day that laughter is a tremendous stress reliever. My mother also laughed when I told her and she said, “I hope he said yes.”

You would think my brush with death when I was twelve should be high on my list. I became sick and our old family doctor treated me for the flu, but I kept getting worse. My grandmother was babysitting for a young doctor and his wife. She told him about my illness and he told her to have my mom bring me to the clinic where he worked. He diagnosed it as histoplasmosis and put me in the hospital and then on complete bed rest at home. After a few weeks of improvement I suddenly developed a cough again. He told my parents if it was a recurrence of the histoplasmosis there was nothing more he could do for me. He came back with the test results and a big smile telling them it was pneumonia. When he ordered me back to the hospital I was not smiling. I had only been a Christian for a year, but I knew it was God who found that doctor for me.

At 19, while stationed on Okinawa I rode out a typhoon that directly hit our small communications base.  Then later I spent three very tense days on alert during the Cuban missile crisis. We came very close to World War III as Chinese jets and our planes all scrambled in preparation. I guess I was too busy for the fear to burn itself in my memory.

In every survey about what people fear most, fear of public speaking ranks higher than the fear of death. So, my memory as a fourteen year old standing behind the pulpit of our church in front of a congregation of about 200 and sharing my experiences at summer church camp was the fear that came to my mind. I don’t think it was the stage freight I experienced that burned it into my memory. It was because that was the first time God led me out of fear. His perfect love cast out my fear and I still enjoy speaking to groups of people to this day.

 

Contrast

Discovering contrast between things helps us appreciate the good things, avoid the not so good things and make informed decisions. We would not appreciate light without darkness with which to contrast it. Even when making a purchase, we put items side by side to see the differences. Often the best choice seems to jump out at us when we see the contrast.

The enemy continually points out apparent “inconsistencies” to unbelievers to get them to doubt the infallible truth of God’s word. But what appear to be contradictions are usually just contrasts between physical and spiritual truths. When Jesus dictated letters for John to write to the seven churches in Revelation he used two such contrasts. In the letter to the church at Smyrna (Revelation 2:9) we find, “I know about your suffering and your poverty – but you are rich.” That seems to be a contradiction. How can they be both in poverty and rich? It is a contrast between their physical, earthly poverty and their spiritual, heavenly riches. In the letter to the church in Laodicea the contrast is reversed. “You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ and you don’t realize you are wretched and poor and blind and naked.” (Revelation 3:1) Again, how can they be rich and poor at the same time? It is a contrast between their physical, earthly riches and their spiritual, heavenly poverty. Both statements are true, but true in different realms.

The most glaring and important contrast in the Bible is found between the life of a Christian and the life of an unbeliever. Scripture makes it very clear that if you are born once, you will die twice; if you are born twice, you will die only once. If you are only born in the flesh, you will die in the flesh and then die again in the spirit. One definition of death is separation. The first death separates body from spirit. The second death separates spirit from God. In contrast, if you are born in the flesh and then born in the Spirit, you will die in the flesh and then live forever in the presence of God, never separated from Him. (See John 3:1-8)

We are born with an earthly perspective. It isn’t until we are born of the Spirit that we gain a heavenly perspective that allows us to see the contrast between the two. Jesus was a man and when Satan tempted Him, he tried to appeal to His earthly perspective, but Jesus also had a spiritual perspective and it was that heavenly perspective based on God’s word that gave Him the advantage. He knows the human body needs food to continue living, but He also knows the human spirit needs every word of God to sustain spiritual life. (Luke 4:4 and Matthew 4:4)

Why would anyone choose to die twice? Could it be that Christians have not shown them enough contrast? Can they look at our life and see the important differences spiritual birth makes? Without clear contrast, how can they make that crucial decision to receive the second, spiritual birth? It is up to us to share the wonderful Good News with them, not in words only, but also demonstrated in the contrast between our life and theirs.