Month: April 2018

The Apostle Paul compares a Christian with an athlete training for and running a race. “…let us strip off every weight that slows us down especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1) God has laid out the course for us and given us our own lane in which to run. Unlike the Olympics or other track and field races, we are not competing against others. Actually, paying attention to how others are running their race will distract us and slow down our own progress. We are to run our own race at the pace God has set for us with the strength and endurance He provides. Our goal is to reach the finish line, not to set a world record or beat someone else’s time.

I have pointed out many times that my race has been more like a marathon than a dash. Endurance is a necessity if we want to make it across the finish line and claim our prize. We must not overlook the fact that there are often hurdles in our lane that must be cleared. Most of them are low hurdles the enemy has placed in our path just to trip us up or discourage us. Sometimes it is God who places a hurdle in our lane, especially when we become overconfident in our own ability and strength, just to remind us that we are not running this race under our own strength, but by the power of His Spirit within us.

I was not a star athlete in high school, but I loved participating in sports. I learned that the secret of running the hurdles is to take them in stride as you keep moving forward at a constant pace. If you slow down or speed up as you approach a hurdle, it will throw your timing off and you won’t be able to clear it and that could trip you up and even take you out of the race.  As we run the unique course God has prepared for each of us, we must maintain the steady pace He has set for us so we can take the hurdles we encounter in stride.  Clearing hurdles requires endurance. Without endurance that last hurdle may as well be ten feet high. My race is actually the leg of a relay because I will be passing the baton to the next generation of Christians as I cross my finish line.

As I draw closer to the end of my race, I want to be able to proclaim with the Apostle Paul, “I press on to reach the finish line where I will receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:14) Then as I cross my finish line I can say with confidence, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

 

I ran across this entry in my journal from almost two years ago, just after five police officers were killed during a demonstration in Dallas. I think it is still appropriate today.

I am overwhelmed by the disturbing news of the past week and really over the past few years.  We seem to be constantly reminded that injustice, racism, hatred and evil still exist in our nation and the world. The injustice of young black men losing their lives needlessly during traffic stops stirs both sorrow and anger within us. We want to do something to put an end it.  Then five white policemen who had nothing to do with those injustices are gunned down while providing security for a peaceful protest march in Dallas and once more sorrow and anger at that injustice tugs at us.  In addition to the attack in Dallas, a policeman in the small town of Baldwin, Missouri, where Carol and I got married, answered a 911 call this week and was ambushed and shot three times by the caller.  Similar incidents in several other states have been reported as well. This has been going on for far too long. Our anger, though natural, does not solve anything.  Innocent people and their families are burdened with sorrow and pain. Anger and violence can’t ease that pain or put an end to injustice and hatred. Only the love of God can do that.

There is some good news that isn’t being reported as often as the bad and it is having a positive, healing effect. Acts of love are occurring throughout our country.  Police officers and the black community are reaching out to each other hugging and praying together on the streets or wherever they meet. They pray together for this violence and injustice to come to an end. They are putting love into action by reaching out to each other as never before. One such incident was recorded on Facebook by a young black woman and I want to share it with you.

“ I went into a convenience store and saw two policemen talking to the clerk. As I grabbed my purchases one of the officers came down the aisle toward me.  He asked how I was doing and I said, ‘Fine, how are you?’  Then he said, ‘How are you really doing?’  I told him, ‘I’m very tired.’ He said, ‘This is not a good time to be either one of us, is it?’ He reached out and hugged me as tears streamed down my face.”  Acts of love like this are happening more often than the confrontation and violence being reported on the news. During our noon service at CLC today I held the hand of a young black woman as we prayed together that injustice and violence would not harden our hearts. I do not know her name, but I know we have both been adopted into God’s family so we are close relatives. We prayed that we will be able to show God’s love through our words and actions.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. knew that answering violence with violence only brings more violence and sorrow.  It is only when we answer anger and violence with love that we can short circuit the cycle of hatred, prejudice and violence.  Our acts of love are needed more now than ever before.  All we can do is show our love for God and for others through our loving actions, but with God’s help that will be enough to turn the tide.

Dragnet was one of my favorite TV shows when I was a boy. Sergeant Joe Friday was not interested in personal opinions or conjecture. He would regularly tell witnesses, “Just the facts”. It has become even more difficult in this day and age to separate facts from fiction, opinion or conjecture.  I think we are all searching for “just the facts”.

Forensic Faith is a new book by J. Warner (Jim) Wallace. Jim Wallace was a real life police investigator and this book is the third book of a trilogy. His first book, God’s Crime Scene, made the case for God’s existence. His second book, Cold-Case Christianity, made the case for Christ. Forensic Faith helps us understand why we, as Christians, have a duty to defend the truth of God’s presence in our life; develop a strategy to master the evidence for our faith; learn how to use the techniques of a detective to discover new insights from God’s word; and learn the skills of professional case makers as they lay out the facts to a jury.

We don’t have to be shy about sharing the true, logical and compelling basis for our faith. Truth, logic and critical thinking are all from God. The enemy uses half-truths, twisted logic and false criticism proudly put forth by people who mistake them for wisdom. Instead of avoiding or ignoring their criticism, we need to present them with the facts upon which our faith rests. More than 70 years ago, a prominent agnostic professor in Great Britain, C.S. Lewis, began critically investigating the Bible and Christianity. He not only came away a believer, but he became one of the greatest apologists (defenders) of Christian faith. During World War II, Lewis held a number of radio debates with noted atheists. The transcripts of those debates are amazingly thought provoking.

Much more recently, an atheist legal reporter at the Chicago Sun Times, Lee Strobel, began a personal investigation to prove his wife’s Christian faith was baseless. His investigation led him to faith in Christ and to write the story of his search for truth. The Case for Christianity also became a powerful movie.

We don’t have to be a trained police investigator, successful investigative reporter or brilliant university professor to find and express the truth of God’s love, mercy and grace. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will give us the words and wisdom to answer those who attack faith in Him at just the time we need them. (Mark 13:11) All we need to do is study God’s word and develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit within us.

A good friend of mine told me about giving her unscripted and unplanned testimony at church two weeks ago. She told me that the words just kept flowing out of her mouth without hesitation and the congregation’s response was overwhelming. I know how she felt. There have been times in my life when God has put words in my mouth that someone needed to hear at that precise moment. Many times as I write posts for this blog, my hands on the computer keyboard seem to have a mind of their own. God is good!

Solomon asked for and received wisdom from God, so when he writes about wisdom I pay attention.  “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. Wisdom will multiply your days and add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.” Proverbs 9:10-12

One of my favorite illustrations of the difference between knowledge and wisdom is this: knowledge is being aware that a tomato is a fruit – wisdom is not adding one to your fruit salad.

In my final days as a pest control trainer, I discovered that many members of the younger generation seek knowledge, but find wisdom boring. One of my last trainees quit after two weeks of training and when asked why he said, “I could not sit through one more of Jim’s boring stories.” You see, I taught them the facts of pest biology and behavior, inspection and treatment techniques, customer service skills and safety measures. But I added true experiences I had while performing pest control that provided me with wisdom. Previous generations had found those bits of wisdom interesting and useful, but that impatient young millennial just wanted me to provide him with the basic knowledge needed to do the job and then turn him loose to gain wisdom the hard way through his own experiences and mistakes.

I try hard to keep each of my blog posts around 500 words or less so they are not too much to digest or become boring. But it occurs to me that a millennial might still find my “war stories” as a Christian to be uninteresting and not useful to them. I find that very disappointing, because it is the best way I know to impart to them the wisdom I have gained over 64 years of Christian life.  Wisdom they will need in this world.

Solomon has been called the wisest man who ever lived, but he stumbled and fell victim to his own desires because he didn’t heed God’s wise instructions. God told him too many wives would lead him away from God, but instead of heeding that wise advise, he married 300 women and added 700 concubines. Those thousand women in his life lured him into worshiping idols instead of the true, living God. As a result, he was not the only one who suffered. His sons followed in his footsteps after his death and his kingdom was divided into two nations with idol worship continuing.

We must remember what Solomon once knew but forgot. ,All wisdom comes from God and no matter how wise we think we have become, it will only be meaningful as long as we are obeying God’s wise teachings and instructions.

My men’s group at CLC is studying the various battles we face against the enemy as Christians. I pointed out that when we come under attack our first instinct is to seek the safety of our weekly meetings or the sanctuary and the worship services, but we are not called to hold the fort – we are called to advance the Kingdom. The way to advance the Kingdom is to go behind enemy lines and pick off Satan’s foot soldiers one at a time, introducing them to Jesus and the love of God.

A while back, we had a visiting pastor at our Sunday services who had been the pastor of a church in Joliet, Illinois, before planting another church out of state. He recounted how the gang activity was on the rise in Joliet. It seemed like every other day there would be a shooting victim, many of them young children caught in the crossfire. His church decided something had to be done. They vowed that for every innocent person taken out by the gangs, they would send a prayer team into that neighborhood and share the Gospel until three of them were take out, giving their hearts to the Lord. God gave them protection and the opportunity to witness and in a short period of time the crime rate began to drop and the streets became safer. That is the way to win the battle and advance the Kingdom.

Thinking about winning over the enemy’s foot soldiers reminds me of an old gospel song about the conversion of a notorious sinner named Jesse Taylor. These are the words of that song:

“They baptized Jesse Taylor in Cedar Creek last Sunday. Jesus gained a soul and Satan lost a strong right arm. They all cried ‘Halleluiah’ as Jesse’s head went under, ‘cause this time he went under for the Lord. Among the local taverns they’ll be a slack in business ‘cause Jesse’s drinking came before the groceries and the rent. Among the local women they’ll be a slack in cheating ‘cause Jesse won’t be stepping out again. The scars on Jesse’s knuckles were more than just respected. The county courthouse records tell all there is to tell. The pockets of the gamblers will soon miss Jesse’s money and the black eye of the law will soon be well. From now on Nancy Taylor can proudly speak to neighbors and tell them just how Jesse took up with little Jim. Now Jimmy’s got a daddy and Jesse’s got a family and Franklin County’s got a lot more man.

Every time someone comes to Christ for salvation, the angels celebrate (Luke 15:10)  and Satan’s army is weakened. Those who repent of the most sins are the most grateful and the most changed (Luke 7:41-48), so they become the most powerful warriors for the Lord.

The word “radical” has been misused and vilified because it is being used to describe terrorists. We are told they become terrorists because they are “radicalized” by certain Muslim clerics to declare jihad (war) against all non-Muslims. But if you look up synonyms for radical, you will find; fundamental, essential, deep-seated, sweeping, thorough, far-reaching, drastic and major. Those words are not negative and certainly not related to violence, terrorist acts or war.

First century Christians were clearly radicals. Their faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in their changed lives reflected every single one of those synonyms for radical I listed above. Their beliefs and their lives were testaments to God’s unconditional love for them, their all-consuming love for God and the love they showed for their neighbors and even their enemies. They were not afraid or hesitant to share their faith; they couldn’t keep the Good News to themselves even if they tried. Christian wasn’t a religion they had chosen. Christian was who they were.

A recent poll found there are 280 million professing Christians in our country, which is 62% of our population. I wonder how many of those American Christians are radical about their relationship with God. I know it isn’t all or even most of us, because if it was, our country would not be in such a mess. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t my job to judge other Christians; that is God’s job. It is my calling to love them all and encourage them to draw closer to God through His word and His Holy Spirit within them, so that their radically changed lives will have an effect on all of those around them. Like a pebble dropped in a pond, each radical Christian’s life will send out ripples of God’s love in all directions. When all of us act in unity, those ripples will become a tidal wave that will wash over our neighborhoods, cities, states and our nation. That kind of radical influence won’t stop at our borders. We can radically change the entire world by uniting with the other 1.9 billion Christians throughout the rest of the world.

Lord, help us to reignite that radical Christian revival of the first century and let it begin with me.

When I was a young boy my parents gave me a warning, “Be careful what you ask for.” It was grammatically incorrect, but it was very good advice. Many of the things I thought I wanted were attached to responsibilities or consequences that I wasn’t prepared to handle. I learned to seriously consider my requests.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our savior, we have the marvelous privilege of approaching God directly in our prayers. It is normal for us to approach God in awesome wonder of His power and glory and then thank Him for all He has already done for us. But when we begin to ask Him to provide our needs and desires, we must be very serious about it. We must be willing to accept the responsibilities and consequences of our request. When the mother of James and John asked for them to be seated on either side of Jesus in His kingdom, He told her that she didn’t know what she was asking. Was she willing for them to be, as Jesus was, the least of servants on earth? Was she willing to see them endure the torture and excruciating death Jesus was facing? She wanted her sons to have the glory without doing what was required of them to attain it. She didn’t seriously consider her request and neither did her sons who were with her. (See Matthew 20:20-23)

I think many Christians recite the Lord’s Prayer without really taking it seriously. Do we really want Him to lead us away from our favorite temptation? Will we gladly follow Him as He leads us around it? Do we really want Him to deliver us from that evil environment toward which we are constantly drawn? Are we really willing to forgive those who have wronged us even as God has forgiven us? If we are not serious about our requests, God will not respond to them. He is not impressed by our words, but by the content of our hearts.

It has been said that the most dangerous prayer is that of Isaiah, “Here am I, Lord. Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8) While it is true that you really have to be completely dedicated to God’s will to pray that prayer, I think the prayer of David (Psalms 139:23-24) is just as dangerous, “Search me, O God and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” You really have to be serious to open yourself up to that kind of scrutiny and correction. But if we are serious when we pray, God will not only answer our prayer but bless us beyond our wildest expectations.

 

23

We often see ads for food products touting them as “all natural” and we assume that means they must be wholesome and good for us. We don’t stop to realize that arsenic, strychnine and hemlock are “all natural” too, yet they are deadly poisons. Nature, as God created it in the Garden of Eden, was perfect and pure. The human nature of Adam and Eve was also perfect and pure because they were created in God’s image. It wasn’t until they disobeyed God that pain, sin, evil and death became a permanent part of their nature (and ours). The natural world around us was also affected by their disobedience. Poison ivy, poison oak, thorn bushes and weeds are now part of the wonders of God’s creation. Those obstacles and pitfalls exist as punishment for human disobedience and sin.

The Bible is full of references to man’s sinful nature. The psalmist described his tormentor; “Cursing is as natural to him as his clothing, or the water he drinks, or the rich food he eats.” (Psalms 109:18) Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Rome, “For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s law and it never will. That is why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.” (Romans 8:7-8) We are all born innocent and without sin, but the moment we reach the age of accountability our inherited sinful nature takes control of our lives and leads us away from God.

We were all lost and seemingly without hope, but God provided a way for us to break the curse of Adam’s sin and return to the original nature of Adam before he disobeyed God. God sent His son to die for our sins and provide us with His righteousness and His Spirit to guide us toward God and away from our old nature. All we have to do is admit our sinful nature, repent and then believe in and follow Jesus Christ. Paul described it like this, “When you came to Christ, you were ‘circumcised,’ but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision – the cutting away of your sinful nature.” (Colossians 2:11) “Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy.” (Ephesians 4:24) It is a new nature to us, but it is really the original nature God created in Adam and Eve before they disobeyed Him. I will never cease to praise Him for providing escape and hope where there was none.

As far as those flaws in our natural environment, God has given us His power to overcome them while we are here and then He will provide a new heaven and a new earth free of them as our eternal home with Him. (See Revelation 21:1, Isaiah 65:17 and 2 Peter 3:13)

It is Easter Sunday, the climax of a week of holy commemorations. From Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, to the Last Supper (Passover) with His disciples, to His trial, torture and death on the cross on Good Friday and finally to the empty tomb of His resurrection, we follow Him with awe and amazement.

In a live, early morning CLC devotional Good Friday on Facebook, one of my favorite young pastors, Sam Hamstra, reminded us that the cross has the final word. Jesus took in his last breath and shouted, “tetelestai”, which is translated, “It is finished!” As He died, the earth shook and the heavy curtain in the temple that separated us from God’s presence was torn from top to bottom making it possible for us to enter God’s presence directly in Jesus’ name. No longer is animal sacrifice or the intervention of a priest needed. Jesus became the once and for all perfect sacrifice for our sins. Like most words, tetelestai has more than one meaning or use. When a loan agreement was completed it would be stamped “tetelestai” – paid in full. Jesus paid in full the debt for our sins, stamping tetelestai on them in His blood. All we have to do is believe in and follow Him. The empty tomb is evidence of the eternal life Jesus offers to all who believe and obey Him and now that same spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. (Romans 8:11) That is more power than we will ever need.

When I was a boy it was common to attend an outdoor sunrise service on Easter Sunday and I have fond memories of those special times of worship and the Sunday brunch that followed. That tradition seems to have nearly died out. However, many churches like mine will add extra services this weekend to accommodate all of the visitors and occasional church goers who are prone to accept an invitation to attend church on Easter. Many of those people will discover for themselves the thrill of the empty tomb and begin or renew a personal relationship with our risen Lord.

I have written several times about my experience at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, so today I will simply share with you the words from three of my favorite Easter songs.

“Low in the grave He lay – Jesus my Savior! Waiting the coming day – Jesus my Lord! Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes. He arose a Victor from the dark domain and He lives forever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!”

“God sent His son, they called Him Jesus. He came to love, heal and forgive. He lived and died to buy my pardon. An empty grave is there to prove my savior lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone, because I know He holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives.”

“I serve a risen Savior; He’s in the world today. I know that He is living, whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer and just the time I need Him, He is always near. He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.”