Month: June 2019

A few weeks ago a friend on Face Book who is a Christian shared the self-affirmation statements he says to himself every morning in the mirror as he is shaving. None of them had to do with God or his faith. My first thought was, “been there and done that” as I thought back to the Power of Positive Thinking and Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. I think my friend’s inspiration came from the fictional Stuart Smalley character on Saturday Night Live, who looked in the mirror and affirmed his abilities, always ending with: “I am good enough, I am smart enough and doggone it, people like me”.

Self-affirmation may give temporary psychological confidence and peace of mind, but it is dependent on our environment and human limitations. It wasn’t until I had a spiritual awakening that my emphasis changed and I began to affirm the power within me described in the “super eight” chapter of Romans. Since then I affirm with confidence God’s power and His ability to use me. I not only have peace of mind, but a peaceful spirit as well and there are no limitations to God’s power. Cody Johnson had that same spiritual awakening when he wrote these lyrics: “I thought number one would surely be me. I thought I could be what I wanted to be. I thought I could build on life’s sinking sand, but now I can’t even walk without you holding my hand. I thought I could do a lot on my own. I thought I could make it all day long. I thought of myself as a mighty big man, but now I can’t even walk without you holding my hand. Oh Lord, I can’t even walk without you holding my hand. The mountain’s too high and the valley’s too wide. Down on my knees, that’s where I learned to stand. Oh Lord, I can’t even walk without you holding my hand.”

That song has special meaning for me and my walker, but I have always needed to feel His hand in mine even before I realized it. His hand has always been there like the loving Daddy (Abba) that He is. You may have noticed I didn’t quote scripture this time. The entire book of Psalms is filled with words of affirmation of God’s power and love as well as our need for both.

The concept of sin is misunderstood in our society these days and, sadly, even in some churches. I read recently that the California legislature has drafted a bill against pastors preaching about sexual perversion from the pulpit labeling it hate speech against those sinners. Of course such a law would be unconstitutional in our country, but it illustrates popular thinking about this important God given instruction. Why is this so important? Without a grasp of the meaning of sin, there is no understanding of the need to repent. I have heard several people say, “The two biggest lies being told today are if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle you hate them and if you love someone you must accept their lifestyle. Neither of those is true. It is possible to love others and still stand on God’s principles.” As a matter of fact, when you have struggled under the burden of sin and been set free by the amazing grace and mercy of God, it is impossible to hate someone else who is struggling with sin. It is with love and empathy we identify the sin and pray that they will be set free as well.

In the book of Job we read, “Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned, but I will sin no more?’” A part of the sinner’s prayer to accept Christ as our savior is admitting our sinful nature and repenting of our sins. We must be willing to be born again spiritually with our sins forgiven by God. In the eighth chapter of John we read about a woman caught in the sin of adultery who was brought to Jesus to get Him to approve of her execution under the Law of Moses. First He called out the accusers’ sins and then forgave her, but His last words to her were “Go and sin no more.” I think a lot of people have redacted that line from their Bible wanting to believe that God’s forgiveness does not require us to turn from sin and repent of it. When I receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ I am God’s adopted child, but He wants me to be an obedient child. I did not become a spiritual robot without a will of my own. I became a child of God who needs to receive discipline and repent of my disobedience from time to time. Fortunately, the longer I spend with my Abba (Daddy) the less I need to repent because I have learned to be an obedient child,

It won’t surprise anyone that the lyrics of a song inspired this blog post. Many of you may know the song. The melody sounded so familiar, but the name Daystar didn’t ring a bell. Then the words of the chorus reached out and grabbed me. “Lead me Lord, I’ll follow. Anywhere you open up the door. Let your word speak to me; show me what I’ve never seen before. Lord, I want to be your witness; you can take what’s wrong and make it right. Daystar shine down on me, let your love shine through me in the night.” That is my prayer! It reminds me of something a dear personal friend shared with me recently, “If you want God to continue to open doors for you, take your hand off of the knob!”

Jesus is the light of the world. “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’” (John 8:12) He passed that torch to us by announcing that we are also the light of the world. “You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14) The light of the Father’s love shines through Jesus and His love shines through us by way of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. It is one of the things that separate us from the world around us so that we stand out in sharp contrast. We are in the world, but not of the world.

I have mentioned that I spent years in the pest control industry teaching new employees how to identify and eliminate pest infestations. A bright flashlight is the most important tool in their service kit. Most pests are nocturnal; preferring to move at night. Flying pests are usually attracted to light; while many crawling pests run for cover when the light shines on them. That is the way it is with the world’s reaction to God’s love light. Those who are seeking a better life are drawn to His light like a beacon from a lighthouse leading them to safety. Those who don’t want their secret lives exposed or disturbed scurry to get away from God’s light. I can’t control how the world reacts to “this little light of mine”, but “I’m gonna let it shine” anyway and leave the rest to God. Together, we can light up the world!

There is an old Randy Travis song that I love about three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway. I especially love this line from the chorus, “It’s not what you take with you when you leave this world behind you; it’s what you leave behind you when you go.” When we leave this world, we will be traveling very light; even leaving behind our earthly bodies (which, in my case, will be a huge blessing). Everything we own will be left as an inheritance for someone else. But much more important, we will leave a legacy of memories and feelings in the minds and hearts of others. I’ve mentioned before that psychologists have found that more than our words or even our actions, people remember most about us the way we make them feel when we are with them. Leaving love, encouragement and joy in the hearts and minds of everyone who really knows me is the most valuable legacy I can leave behind, especially if it encourages them to find and grow into a loving relationship of their own with God.

I’ve heard it said when an elderly person dies; it is like a library just burned to the ground full of wisdom, stories of personal experiences and an eyewitness account of history. One of the reasons I started this blog was to share all of that information while I’m still around. In addition to being shared on my blog, every one of my posts, the eulogy for my wife, my personal mission statement and more are stored on a thumb drive. I have five or six oral presentations of about eight minutes each that I hope to record. They include songs, recitations and my testimony. They could even be used in a memorial service for me some day or just for someone’s encouragement and inspiration.

Enough about our legacy; I want to remind you of God’s legacy to us. In his sermon Sunday, Pastor Sam Hamstra of our Hammond campus described the fostering and adopting of their son, Daniel. It is an amazing story of love, joy and faith. Of course he reminded us that God has adopted us into His family, as described in Romans chapter 8, and is now our loving Abba (Daddy). The same benefits and privileges Daniel enjoys in his adopted home are available to us on a much larger scale. God’s legacy includes an inheritance in heaven someday, but it is the legacy that He provides us even now through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ so that we can become His adopted sons and daughters and joint heirs with Jesus. We don’t have to rely on how we feel when we are in His presence during prayer or worship. His Holy Spirit actually dwells in us continually providing the love, encouragement, correction, wisdom and guidance of our loving Daddy (Abba). Our heavenly Father knows how to give perfect gifts to his children. Everything He does for us, including discipline, is for our own good. All He asks of us in return is our love and obedience.  

Kevin Welch wrote, “There’ll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read ‘em. But all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ‘em.” Sometimes when I look back on my life, it almost seems like a little dash that has flown by so quickly. Other times when I think about my past it seems like a marathon that tires me out just thinking about it. I have been given one life here with no guarantee of tomorrow. Fortunately, I learned early to do the best I can living one day at a time with God’s help. That view of life has become even more important to me as I grow older. I don’t want to reach the end with any regrets about a kind word unspoken or a mission left undone.

I read recently about a middle aged woman who had a heart attack and while on the operating table she had a near death experience. She found herself standing before God and asking, “Is it my time already?” God told her, “No. As a matter of fact you have forty years, two months and six days of life remaining.” When she recovered, she determined to make the most of all of those remaining years. She stayed in the hospital for a face lift, liposuction and a tummy tuck. She even had someone come in to dye and restyle her hair. She left the hospital feeling like a new woman, but was struck by a truck while crossing the street and died instantly. Standing once again before God she asked, “I thought you told me I had forty years left to live. Why didn’t you pull me from the path of that truck?” God replied, “I didn’t recognize you.” We can laugh at that story, but we know God sees more than our outward appearance. Although – I wonder sometimes if He recognizes us when He sees the way we live the life we have been given.

I have a Face Book friend in Nashville. We met online through common friends in the pest control industry, but we soon discovered that we also have faith in Christ and love for people in common. (She even loves and shares my blog.) She has a weekly radio program on a Christian station that she has titled, “Living your best life.” She is very active in community organizations locally, regionally and nationally. She has the best family, friends and guests on her show. Every year around Christmas, she becomes Mrs. Santa, bringing presents, love and cheer to homes for children in the area. I told her recently that I live vicariously through her “road trips” and activities. She replied, “Buckle your seat belt! This summer is going to be a record breaker.” Genma Holmes is living her best life a day at a time – every day.      

Have you ever heard someone quote, “God helps those who help themselves”? It sounds scriptural, but don’t bother looking for it. It is not in the Bible. It is one of the many counterfeit humanistic “proverbs” cloaked in religious language to fool those who are not familiar with God’s word. Scripture actually declares an opposite view. Instead of helping ourselves to all the blessings we can grab, we are told to give to others and then God will help us when we need it. Paul put it this way to the church at Corinth, “Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.” (2 Corinthians 8:14) I have mentioned before and I can’t say it often enough; I have been blessed by giving to others in my lifetime and now I’m blessed by receiving the generous help of others. Giving and receiving; sowing and reaping; it is all a blessed part of life as a child of God.   

We celebrated Pentecost Sunday this week; the spiritual birthday of the Messianic church (later to be called Christian). The Holy Spirit entered the hearts of believers and they came together as a community for the first time in Jerusalem, just as Jesus had promised. The world was amazed by the power of the Holy Spirit which was displayed on that day, but even more impressive was the way they shared what they had with each other as the Spirit led them to do from day to day. The story of Ananias and his wife in Acts chapter five makes it clear that sharing of earthly goods was not a requirement laid down by the disciples, but was the result of God’s Holy Spirit moving in each of their hearts.

Without a personal knowledge of God’s Spirit, the world has tried time and time again to emulate that utopian community by taking wealth from the rich and giving it to the poor. It is what I call the Robin Hood effect. Although it is a system praised by the poor while it lasts; it has always failed, because when you share the wealth of others it doesn’t make you a hero or a saint; it just makes you a generous thief.

I love the old chorus, “I will sing of my redeemer, by his blood he purchased me. On the cross he sealed my pardon, paid the debt and made me free.” Jesus is our Redeemer. Job looked forward to his coming when he said, “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and he will stand upon the earth at last.” (Job 19:25) Christians have each been redeemed by Jesus, but what does that mean?

Christian theologians tell us that the Greek word apolutrosis, translated to English as redeem, is used in the New Testament to refer to deliverance from sin and freedom from captivity. An example is a ransom paid for the return of someone kidnapped. It has always been so comforting for me to think that God loved me so much that He paid my ransom and set me free from sin.

Since I am not a theologian, I want to share with you a dictionary definition of redeem that jumped off the page for me when I saw it (that usually happens when the Holy Spirit wants to get my attention), “To exchange for something of value”. My wife was the coupon clipping queen of our household. There were few items she ever paid full price for. I learned from her that manufacturer coupons were the best because they could be “redeemed” at any place that sells that item. I think I was once a “Manufacturer’s coupon” created with valuable potential, but only one Redeemer could complete the transaction and exchange me for something of value to Him.

There is an old joke that goes, “How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but the bulb has to want to change.” How many redeemers did it take to exchange me? Only One, but I had to want to change.

J.P. Morgan once said, “The first step toward getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.” Although it is very true, that decision isn’t always easy. I have written before about overcoming inertia and taking a first step. It is our comfort zone that causes our resistance to change. My wife was very organized and methodical. It was very important for her to get into a comfortable routine. Any change on the job or at home would cause her a lot of stress until she could make the change a part of her new routine. During our 50 years of marriage I agonized with her through many changes; large and small.

My pastor recently described how a mother eagle prepares her young nestlings to leave the nest and learn to fly. The first thing she does is to remove all soft materials from the nest making it uncomfortable for them. It is much easier for us to make the decision to no longer stay where we are when that place becomes uncomfortable. Have you ever felt God removing some of the comfort from your comfort zone? I have!

There has also been a time when I knew God had finally planted me where He wanted me to be, but He still wanted me to continue to grow and learn why He wanted me there. My last full time employer was by far my longest one and my last position with them lasted 17 years. Training and encouraging new employees was definitely where I could have the most positive impact. All of the changes that I went through before that were just preparing me for that opportunity.

Once, I heard a comedian say, “I always wanted to be somebody. Now I realize I should have been more specific.” So it is with getting somewhere. We need to get to the specific place God wants us to be and where serving Him will be most effective. God will continue to open doors for you until you arrive at exactly where He wants you to serve Him. Just don’t get so comfortable along the way that you miss a door He has opened for you. Transitions may be rough at times but believe me the end result is worth it all when you are finally planted by the Master. As satisfying as that situation is, don’t forget that it is not your final destination. There is an even greater reward for those of us who follow Jesus every step of the way.

Have you ever thought about how many roles you have had to take on in life? I have been a son, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, student, airman, Sunday school teacher, husband, lay minister, route salesman, college food service director, insurance salesman, pest control salesman, route technician, service manager, corporate trainer, friend and business associate. I haven’t even had the important roles of father or grandfather, but through all of those roles I have taken on, I have been a child of God – a Christian. Some people refer to the roles we take on as putting on another hat. If that were true I would be able to open up a hat shop, especially now that I’ve added retiree and veteran to the list.

Being a Christian is not a role I take on or a hat I don; it is who I am. So that doesn’t conflict with those other roles, but many times I was asked to wear more than one hat at a time and that is when things got really “interesting”. I hate generalizations and stereotypes, but I have found from experience that men generally do their best when they are concentrating on one thing at a time, while women are capable of multitasking and make it look easy. There is a very funny video of a comedian comparing a man’s brain to a woman’s brain. He says a man’s brain is compartmentalized and he can only use one compartment at a time. A woman’s brain, according to him, has all cells firing indiscriminantly. The thing that women will never understand about men is that one of the compartments in a man’s brain is empty. He can literally be thinking of nothing. What makes that comedy routine funny is that there is more than a grain of truth in it.

Scriptures don’t say much about all of the roles I have taken on, but it does tell me to honor my parents as a son and love my wife as a husband. It spends more time telling me how to behave as a son of God. Jesus teaches us everything we need to know about living a life that is pleasing to the Father and when we do that it will make all of our relationships and jobs successful.

God is the ultimate multitasker. He is the Creator and our Father. He answers our prayers and He comforts, instructs, and prompts each and every Christian around the world; while convicting unbelievers of their sins. He didn’t simply create the universe; He is active in it day and night. We can always count on Him to be there whenever we call on him.