A Day You Will Never Forget

I wonder what it would have been like that day? You see the crowds gather. You see the excitement and the shouting of the crowd. You wrestle your way through the crowd and see people waving branches and throwing their coats on the road.

You see a man riding on a young donkey. There is something unusual about this man. People are shouting and calling him king. But he doesn’t look like he is dressed like a king. As he passes by, he looks at you and you feel a warm flow through you. You also see sadness.

Suddenly some church leaders angrily push their way through and start talking to the man. He is to tell these people to be quiet – they are causing a public disturbance. You overhear the man say something about the stones crying out if the people are quiet.

It’s A day you would never forget. The day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem for the last time. That day, the crowds worshipped Him and proclaimed Him as their Messiah - their King.

I invite you to get your Bible and read Matthew 21:1-11. As you read this passage you can discover something about this man and what he provokes for a response in us.

Who is this man? 

A. He Is The LORD  vs.3

"If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them.”

B. He Is Your KING  vs.5

“'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'”

C. He is JESUS  vs.11

"The crowds answered, "This is Jesus…”

D. He Is a Prophet vs.11

“The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

What response does he provoke?

A. As Lord, He calls us to OBEDIENCE.

B. As King, He calls us to HONOUR & WORSHIP

C. As Jesus, He calls us to respond to Him as Savior

D. As Prophet, He calls us to pay attention to His prophecy.

Such Irony

Isn't it ironic? The very people who were instrumental in the execution of Jesus were also centrally involved in bringing about the very thing they tried to stop. The Romans tried to stop the uprising they feared might be taking place in Jerusalem. The Jews tried to stop the one they feared would attract many away from their religious order and practices and jeopardize their desire for political freedom.

Listen to what it says in John 11,

⁴⁵Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. ⁴⁶But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. ⁴⁸If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

⁴⁹Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

⁵¹He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵²and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. ⁵³So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

 - John 11

A Jewish high priest prophesied that Jesus would die for the all the "children of God." Yes, they managed to kill Jesus, but his death (and his resurrection) brought about freedom and life that they could not stop.

And I find it ironic that Rome, who desired to conquer and rule the world, was eventually conquered by the Christian faith and became the centre of Christianity for centuries.

Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."

The Plight of A Prophet (Pastor)

Kind of sounds like he might be a pastor. People watching him to see if he might slip up. In Jeremiah 20 we read,

¹⁰I hear many whispering,
“Terror on every side!
Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends
are waiting for me to slip, saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
then we will prevail over him
and take our revenge on him.”

It is fascinating how friends and even fellow Christians can watch leaders (especially pastors) to see if they will slip up. To see if they will make any mistakes - and then judge them. As a pastor you know this comes with the territory.

I used to use the describe it this way.... When you are new in ministry of the church you start at the bottom. Every time you do something good, you are raised up in people's minds. However, once you become a pastor, you are put on a pedestal and every time you make a mistake (of any kind) you drop in people's minds. As a pastor, there seems to be no way but down.

Sounds like Jeremiah 20. But just as for Jeremiah the Lord is with us.

¹¹But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
their dishonor will never be forgotten.
¹²LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous
and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance on them,
for to you I have committed my cause.

And because the Lord is with us we can sing with confidence!!

¹³Sing to the LORD!
Give praise to the LORD!
He rescues the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked.

Eternal Youth

"Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”

- John 8:31

Never see death? Wow!! Jesus must have caught the attention of the people with that bold statement.

If I could invent some concoction that would keep people young and keep them from dying, I would be rich! People would flock to me and would pay big money for this product.

The fascinating thing is - we already have the potential to "never die" and be "forever young." And it's free. Well, free for us anyway. It came with a huge price.

Next week we celebrate Easter week. And we celebrate the very fact that Jesus Christ came to this earth, gave his life for us, died on the cross to pay for our sins and rose from the grave to conquer death. And as a result, death on earth is not the end for us. When we put our trust and faith in Jesus Christ we have the promise from God himself that we will live forever and will never die. And in that forever state we will never get old, our bodies will never deteriorate.

And we will never see death. Totally cool!!

Conditional Clauses

We don't like them! If we are honest, we would prefer the "if's" were removed from the following statements.

³¹To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

³³They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

³⁴Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵ Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed....

⁴²Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.

- John 8

In his dialogue with the Jews, Jesus made some statements that are quoted frequently. The problem is, we don't read them as conditional statements. For example...

We quote part of verse 32 "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free" and we apply it to any situation where it is convenient or beneficial to us. And expect to experience freedom - as we decided according to our terms. Somehow we miss the first part of that conditional statement. "IF you hold to my teaching." This statement indicates that we will be set free if we LIVE out the teaching that God has given to us. Knowing information is not enough. We need to live it. And it needs to be God's truth - not just whatever we claim to be our truth.

And "IF the Son has set you free - you will be free indeed."

And "IF God is your Father, you will love me..." Jesus said.

I guess that means that in our relationship with God, we have a responsibility.

I wonder why he chose to do it that way?

⁴They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; ⁵they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

⁶Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. ⁷The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

⁸The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” ⁹So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

- Numbers 21

Why did God choose to have Moses make a snake and have the people look at the snake to be healed? Could they not just have gone to the tabernacle and ask for prayer? Couldn't they have prayed from their own tent and have been healed? I wonder why? Would the people not be tempted to start worshipping the bronze snake?

And, why did Jesus have to die on a cross? Lifted up from the ground for all to see? Why not a quick death? Why not in a day when there was the electric chair where one could be executed in privacy away from the public eye?

²¹Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”

²²This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”

²³But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. ²⁴I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”

²⁵“Who are you?” they asked.

“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. ²⁶“I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”

²⁷They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. ²⁸So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. ²⁹The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” ³⁰Even as he spoke, many believed in him.

- John 8

I wonder if the reason has something to do with "faith." The people had to exercise their "faith" to be healed. The very act of looking at the snake was an act of faith. And you had to do it the way God said.

The effect Jesus brought about on the cross also has to do with faith. Once again, those who want to receive the benefit Jesus brought need to exercise their faith.

And what will I do about it?

Oh the questions I have...

What would we do? What would I do? What would we have done if we would have been in Jesus' shoes? Would we have condemned the woman like the religious leaders did? Would we have cried out in righteous indignation at the woman? How dare you? What were you thinking?

Would we have responded like Jesus? Would we have had mercy for the woman? Would we have extended the offer of forgiveness? Would we have required penance?

And where was the man? I presume there was a man involved in the adultery. What about him? Why were they not accusing him? Why was he not brought to the kangaroo court? Were only women not allowed to commit adultery?

¹But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. ²At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. ³The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁶They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

⁹At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

¹¹“No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

- John 8:1-11

Oh, the grace, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus! We - I have so much to learn!!

No Fear

It is amazing how fear can rule us! Paralyze and immobilize us!

Especially fear of people.

I love how Jesus responded to people. Maybe it was because he was/is God. Maybe it was because he lived by faith as he calls us to live by faith. When Jesus encountered people who tried to harm him, he didn't retaliate or try to defend himself. Yes, there were some times when he stayed out of the public eye for particular reasons. But that was hard to do given his popularity. And when they tried to harm him prematurely, he knew he was okay.

At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

- John 7:30

We might be afraid because we know we are not God as Jesus was. But are we any less safe than Jesus was?

I don't think so.

As much as God expects us to use our judgment and common sense He has given us, we are still in his hands and he will not allow anyone to harm us before our time.

So, today I can live without fear - because the Lord is my Shepherd, and I shall not lack anything.

Persistent Prayer

⁸This is what the LORD says:

“In the time of my favor I will answer you,
and in the day of salvation I will help you;
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people,
to restore the land
and to reassign its desolate inheritances,
⁹to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’
and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’

“They will feed beside the roads
and find pasture on every barren hill.
¹⁰They will neither hunger nor thirst,
nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.
He who has compassion on them will guide them
and lead them beside springs of water.
¹¹I will turn all my mountains into roads,
and my highways will be raised up.
¹²See, they will come from afar—
some from the north, some from the west,
some from the region of Aswan.^[b]”

¹³Shout for joy, you heavens;
rejoice, you earth;
burst into song, you mountains!
For the LORD comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

¹⁴But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me,
the Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!

- Isaiah 49

Tough Question

I wonder what he was thinking? And, who was he? But, he (whoever "he" was) had been an invalid for 38 years. He had not been able to work ro take care of himself for all those years. Now this stranger comes to him and asks if he wants to get well?

Well DID he?

²Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda^[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. ³Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. ⁵One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

⁷“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

⁸Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” ⁹At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

- John 5:2-9

When Jesus asked the question, the man was faced with an avalanche of problems. What would he do if he was healed? Now he would have to get a job and look out for himself. What would he do? Did he have any family? If not, he would have to feed and clothe himself. Did he ever "say" he wanted to be healed?

What about us?

Elder and the Sinner

A paraphrase (with liberty)...

There were those who had their act together, were considered stalwarts in the church, and were confident of their spiritual status. To these Jesus told this story:
"There were two men who showed up in church one Sunday morning, a church elder and a sinner. The elder got up in front of everyone and prayed: 'O Gracious and Mighty God, we are so blessed that we are not like those sinners around us - people who smoke, drink, go to dances and carouse all night. Bring judgement on those liberals who would take away our freedoms and raise our taxes. We faithfully go to church and give our tithes and offerings. Thank you that Thou hast kept us from being like these awful sinners.

The sinner in church that Sunday bowed his head in despair. "God, I beg you to have mercy on me! I am a sinner, forgive me."

¹⁴“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

- Luke 18:9-14

¹“Come, let us return to the LORD.

³Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.”

⁶For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

- Hosea 6

Authentic Community

Funny how we are about truth! We tend to choose what we want to accept as truth - even when it comes from the very same document or source. This is not only true in politics or media - it is also true in the church. Out or our traditions and prejudices we select what we want to believe and accept. Then we judge others according to our standards.

I met a fellow at lunch today. It soon became clear that he was from a church that considered itself a cut above any others in the community. Not that he would admit it, but it became clear in the dialogue. I could not help but think, "is this what Jesus had in mind?" When He came as the Word made flesh, did he intend for us to form our little exclusive groups to "guard the truth" so that we  would make sure we were not erring in any way? To the point where we had such division in the church community? And I don't mean the "big stuff."

What about what Jesus taught in Mark 17?

²⁸One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Never mind John 17?

Oh that we would learn to walk together, learn from each other, encourage each other - you know - the kind of stuff the Bible talks about...

Biblical Integrity

My mind mulls over our church's new Directional Statement as I prepare for our Annual Meeting tonight and preach on the subject this coming Sunday. The first point of our statement declares that as a Church we are committed to Biblical Integrity.

We declare that we believe what the Bible teaches as truth. We should not only get to know that truth, but live it out in our daily lives. Truth and life need to be integrated. In today's world many question whether we can ever know truth. Still others have no apparent connection between what they claim as truth they believe and how they live  their lives.

Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.

Jeremiah 7:28

Today, if only you would hear his voice,
Do not harden your hearts...

Psalm 95:7-8

Our challenge today is to first accept God's Word as truth. Then we need to live that truth. And God is faithful - absolutely!

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

James 1:22

Our Mission

I just read the statement, "There is no mission for the Christian other than the one Jesus shares with us."

In the Bible we read various statements from Jesus that we regard as His mission for us. Matthew 22:37-39; 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8 for example. In Acts 1:8 Jesus promised the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit was going to guide and direct the followers of Jesus Christ and instruct them once Jesus was gone.

In Acts 2 we read of how the Holy Spirit fell upon Christ's followers and they began to do what He guided and empowered them to do. After the significant events of Pentecost, we read of what the followers of Jesus continued to do. I believe what we see them do forms the core of what our church today is to do.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

- Acts 2:42-47

As Bethel Church in Three Hills we have affirmed what we believe God has called us to do. Here is our statement of direction:
"Bethel Church is committed to helping more people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ through:
1. Biblical Integrity
2. Authentic Community
3. Persistent Prayer
4. Active Worship
5. Intentional Outreach

Forgiveness

"The litmus test for being a Christian is not whether one can say the creed and mean it, but whether one can forgive and love an enemy." (Not By Bread Alone: Daily Reflections)

²¹Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²²Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times....

- Matthew 18

Jesus then told the story of a man who was forgiven his incredible debt, but would not forgive another person a minute debt. His forgiveness thus revoked and he was thrown in prison until he could repay his debt.

³⁵“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Forgiveness is one of those things that we can easily believe in when we are the ones that need to be forgiven. However, when the time comes when we need to forgive someone else, we struggle intensely. Jesus came to offer forgiveness. Forgiveness brings peace.

The End - The Beginning

It can be a bit shocking! Suddenly life comes to an end - for those you love and you are not ready for it.

In January my Dad passed away after struggling with his health for many years. Yet, at the end, he went downhill quickly and was gone much more quickly than I expected. Now my mom is battling for her life. It is hard to believe.

It does remind me that none of us knows when our time will come. We don't know that we will make it to tomorrow, or next week, or another year or till we reach 90 years of age. Are we ready should it be our turn?

Thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ that we can have assurance that when our life is over here on this earth that we can have life forever.

Birds of a Feather...

What a great quote! It goes perfectly with my sermon for tomorrow.

"Birds of a feather flock together," as the saying goes. How strange, then, to see Jesus, the sinless one, eating and speaking with sinners and others who were detested by "respectful" citizens. Yet, that is exactly what Jesus did and he made it very clear that the reason he came was to reconcile everyone to the Father. (Not By Bread Alone: Daily Reflections For Lent).

Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

- Micah 7:18-19

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

- Luke 15:1-2

Talk about headaches

Okay, so I have been pretty serious on here during Lent. So, today I will quote something else I read. Nothing to do with Lent.
----------------------------------
Little Susie, a six-year-old, came home from school and said, "Mommy, I've got a stomachache."

"That's because your stomach is empty," her mother replied. "You'd feel better if you had something in it." She gave Susie a snack, and sure enough, Susie felt better right away.

That afternoon the family's minister dropped by. While he was chatting with Susie's mom, he mentioned he'd had a bad headache all day long.

Susie perked up. "That's because it's empty," she said. "You'd feel better if you had something in it."
---------------------------------
The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.

Search the Heart and Mind

We think we have it figured out! We think we pretty much know all there is to know and think we are in control. Well, at least that is what we would like to believe.

We even like to tell God what to do - what he can or cannot do. What he is allowed to do. What he would do IF he is a good God at all.

Somehow we have this all backwards. Jeremiah had it right...

⁵ This is what the LORD says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

⁷ “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

¹⁰ “I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind,...”

- Jeremiah 17

We are the ones who need to pay attention to God and follow HIS purpose, teaching and influence. God is the creator, we are the created. God is the one who is trustworthy. We are the ones who cannot be trusted.

In keeping with this Romans 12:2 gives great advice.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Only 10 Words

Only 10 words!

What a difference 10 words can make.

This past weekend the leadership of our church spent a weekend away praying and working through the purpose of our church. Why are we here? What are we here to do? What priorities should determine how we use the resources God has given us? After much discussion we affirmed our purpose is this...

"Helping more people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ."

That purpose should direct all that we do as a church. Essentially we should eliminate anything we do that does not help us accomplish our purpose.

It is sadly interesting that far too often we get sidetracked and actually do things that keep us from accomplishing our purpose. And how we talk to and about others has a lot to do with this. I was struck by this when reading Jeremiah 18

¹⁸ They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.”

¹⁹ Listen to me, LORD;
hear what my accusers are saying!
²⁰ Should good be repaid with evil?
Yet they have dug a pit for me.
Remember that I stood before you
and spoke in their behalf
to turn your wrath away from them.

- Jeremiah 18:18-20

We get wrapped up in our own lives, forgetting that God has called us to influence others toward Jesus Christ. Just like "the two brothers" we forget that we are in the presence of Jesus Christ and he has an amazing mission for us. Instead we jockey for the positions of power and personal benefit.

¹⁷ Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, ¹⁸ “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death ¹⁹ and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” 

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.

²¹ “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

²² “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

²³ Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

²⁴ When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. ²⁵ Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

An Illusion

I got stuck in the snow today! The snow blower would not work, so I shovelled some snow, and soon gave up. I got the car out of the driveway okay and managed to start down our street. Then came the corners. I made it past the first one, then got hung up on the second. After much shoveling and help from others, I got going once more.

The snow looked soft and "friendly" but in reality it was hard, and stopped my vehicle in it's tracks.

In the passage for today we are challenged in regards to our lives. We had such a tendency to lives for the sake of what we might look like to others. Yet, on the inside, we know we are not what we appear to be.

¹⁶ Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
¹⁷ Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.^[a]
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.

¹⁸ “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.

- Isaiah 10:16-18

When we come to Christ, seek and receive his forgiveness, we truly become white as snow. On the other hand, when we try to "cover up" what is inside and pretent we have it all together, we not only harm ourselves, but hinder others in finding true cleansing and hope. In Matthew 23 Jesus warned against hypocricy.

¹ Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries^[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; ⁶ they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; ⁷ they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

- Matthew 23:1-7

Lord, today may my life be a reflection of your work in my life. May I experience true purity as you make me pure and I follow your ways.

Mercy and Forgiveness

“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁵we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. ⁶We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

⁷“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. ⁸We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, LORD, because we have sinned against you. ⁹The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; ¹⁰ we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. - Daniel 9:4-10

³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

³⁷“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  - Luke 6:36-38

"What grace this is for us who have sinned. Though w have turned away from God's love, God remains faithful and continually invites us back into his embrace." (Not By Bread Alone: Daily Reflections For Lent 2011)

Who can ever make it?

How can anyone ever make it?

In my reading from the Old Testament this morning, it seems that a person determines whether he will "live" or "die" based on his own righteousness. Ezekiel 18 states,

²¹“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. ²²None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live....

²⁴“But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.

Then in the New Testament we find that Jesus elaborates on the subject. In Matthew 5 he said,

²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

The Pharisees attempted to live (at least in the public eye) in obedience to the laws that were found in the Scriptures. Yet, Jesus said that our righteousness must surpass theirs if we wish to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Who then, can make it?

Praise God, there is a righteousness that is not our own, but comes from God. We are approaching Easter where we celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ gave his life to pay the price for our sin - to provide righteousness that we cannot attain on our own. It is only through faith in Christ.

Knock, Knock!

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

- Matthew 7:7-12

Why would God invite us to ask, seek and knock? Of course, there is a progression. Asking is somewhat passive. Seeking takes action on our part. Knocking requires us to become vulnerable, anticipating but not knowing what is behind the door.

Our life with God is not a static affair. It requires us to "get up and move."

Who IS God?

I am often amazed at how we try to tell God what to do. How "I" try to tell God how he should do things - what is acceptable and what is not.

Now we know that God knows much better than we do. That he knows the past, present and future. He sees the big picture. He has the power to step in and intervene in our lives - even in nature. Yet, somehow when we pray, we have our own minds. When God answers prayer the way we expect, he is a good God. But, should he respond differently than we expected - especially if it is contrary to what we think is beneficial to us - he somehow is no longer good. Go figure!

Jonah was such a typical person. Just like us.

¹ Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

³ Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. ⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

 ¹⁰ When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

- Jonah 3

As we read further we discover that Jonah was quite upset at God for not destroying Nineveh. God had the big picture in mind. Jonah had his own personal agenda.

Today, when I seek God - when I pray, what is my agenda? How will I treat God? Will I treat him as the Almighty God - where I worship and serve him? Or will I treat him like I am god and He is my servant? Will I only consider him good if he does things My Way?

Prayer

"Prayer reveals our true self before the living God."

Life for many of us, is relentless and crowds our minds and schedules. Who has time to pray? Strange how we can feel that way. There is so much to do, so many demands. Who can afford the luxury of sitting quiet talking to One whom we cannot even see? Of course, we would never admit to others that we feel and think this way. But if we are honest, is that not how our actions reveal our thoughts?

The truth is... prayer is essential as we walk the journey of Life with God. Prayer is vital as we develop our relationship with God. Prayer connects us to the Living God who desires to communicate with us and be our "very present help in time of need." Prayer is not a "luxury." It is at the very heart of our existence on earth which transcends the every day mundane.

⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹Give us today our daily bread.
¹²And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³And lead us not into temptation,
   but deliver us from the evil one.’

¹⁴For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

- Matthew 6:7-15

The End or The Journey?

I was struck by the Lenten reading for today. Matthew 25:31-46 talks about a day in the future when everyone will come before Jesus and He will inform each one of of their future.

³¹“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left."

This passage is all about the future, right? I confess that until today I always read this passage to indicate that I ought to live my life today so that in the end I will be found among those who will receive a positive reward rather then those who receive a negative reward.

But this morning it struck me. None of the people mentioned in the story had any particular concern about the future. They simply acted out their personal beliefs and focused on their own priorities. There were those who had obviously been impacted in their own personal lives to look beyond themselves and selflessly touch the lives of others. Then there were the others who simply lived for self - plain and simple.

I had to ask myself the question, Do I follow Christ today only because I can then be assured of my own personal well being for eternity? Or do I follow Christ today because He has paid for my freedom and He has changed me from the inside out? That change then WILL affect how I live - not simply for personal reward in eternity.

³⁴“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
³⁷“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
⁴¹“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
⁴⁴“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
⁴⁵“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
⁴⁶“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

White as Snow

This morning I am looking outside at the freshly fallen snow. The ground is covered with a blanket of white. It looks so new, so clean, so pure. It makes it easy to forget that underneath is crusty, dirty snow and ice. Hidden beneath are all things that brown and rotting. Then I read the passages from the Bible for today...

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

- Isaiah 58:9-10

 ²⁷After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, ²⁸and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.

²⁹Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. ³⁰But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

³¹Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³²I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

- Luke 5:27-32

I am challenged to ask myself, What is the state of my inner soul? Am I spiritually healthy? Not so much, what does my life look like to others, but how am I doing in my relationship with God? Is there the cover-up of "white snow" on the outside, yet inside it is filthy? Is there only the appearance of being white as snow or have I deeply experienced Isaiah 1:18?

 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Authenticity

The reading for today is Isaiah 58:1-9. God is speaking to the people and talks about how they seek out God and desire His blessing.

"They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them."

But then the people complain and ask,

'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it?

Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?'

God gives them an answer they neither expected nor wanted.

"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.

Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists.

You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. 

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself?

 Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?

 Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?

It is so common and easy for us to behave just like the people of Isreal as described in Isaiah 58. We readily attend church services where we sing and "worship" God. Through our songs we declare our undying devotion to God. Then we leave "church" and essentially ignore God's desires and directives to us.

May my life be consistent with what I declare in the safety of the sanctuary.

Choose Life

¹⁶For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.... ¹⁹This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. - Deut. 30:15-20

²³Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. ²⁵What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? - Luke 9:23-25

Life is all about choices. Even though God has the power over all, He has given us the freedom to make choices. Choices that will affect us and our futures. Choices that will affect others - for good or bad. God has given us the choice to determine not only how we live our lives, but where we will spend eternity. Of course, He continually invites and draws us to HImself and pleads for us to choose Him - and to choose LIFE.

Ironically, for those who desire forever life, it means to give up one's life. To turn one's life over to Jesus Christ. To trust Him for complete forgiveness and restoration. To allow the Holy Spirit of God to control and empower one's life completely. To worship God the Father over anything else in or out of this world. In abandoning my life to God, I gain life that is far more fulfilling, purposeful and ever lasting.

Ash Wednesday

Today is the beginning of Lent. The observation of the season of Lent has not been a part of my spiritual heritage partly due to the fact that there is no Biblical instruction or even suggestion for such a thing as Lent. Of course, neither is there any indication that we should celebrate Christmas. Celebrating either of these can bring value if kept in perspective and bring us to focus on God, his work in the past, and His desire to work in us at present. It is my aim to follow guided reflections during Lent this year. I intend to journal some of my impressions in this blog.

Joel 2:12 - "Even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weepeing and mourning."
2 Cor. 5:21 - "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteounses of God."
Matt. 6:1 - "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven."
Rom. 5:1 - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God thorugh our Lord Jesus Christ."

What an amazing privilege - we can have peace and complete forgiveness through Jesus Christ. So often we fall into the idea that we have to somehow strive to "pay" for our own sin. That was reality until Jesus Christ voluntarily gave his life the cross to pay the "once for all" price for our sin. As I come to Him, open my heart to him, place my life and trust completely on Him, I am forgiven! Now I desire to live my life as a living statement of gratitude to Him for what he has done in my life!

Christmas

The Christmas Season is upon us. Life can become frantic as we try to keep pace with all the demands we allow to crowd our lives. Sometimes we need to stop and take a breath, and consider what this season of celebration is all about. We encourage you to pause a moment and consider the Christmas Narrative in a fresh way. Put yourself in the shoes of those we find in the Christmas Story.

We sing about the Three Kings who came from the Orient following a star to the place of the birth of Christ. In all probability these individuals were not kings, but foreign priests or spiritual advisors who were following the stars to the place where a king was to be born. We might wonder how God could use people like this to confirm the fact that the Son of God was born on earth!

Then there was Mary. Why did God choose Mary to be the one to give birth to the Son of God? What about Mary’s dreams and plans? All of life was going to be affected! Yet, Mary was humble, obedient and devoted to her Lord. God used her to help change the world.

And then there were the farmers. Well, we know them as shepherds. To them was given the most amazing news! Good news of great joy – which was to be for all people! God didn’t give them the news to keep to themselves.

Then of course, there is the Centre of the whole story – Jesus! We can become enamoured with all the trappings of those surrounding the story and forget that the whole point of what was going on was that God was stepping into this world to bring hope.

The Power Of A Positive Perspective

What do you think about most often? what consumes your thinking?

Do you spend hours dreaming about winning the lottery and what you would do with the money if you were to win millions? Do you worry about your children or grandchildren? Do you agonize over problems and problem people at work? What do you think about?

Do you tend to think negatively or positively?

How and what you think makes all the difference. What you think can kill you or it can give you life, hope and a future. A healthy life comes from healthy thinking. You really are what you think!

In Philippians 4:4-8 Paul wrote, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  

We discover here that we can develop a healthy way of thinking by first acquiring a positive perspective. We are to rejoice in the Lord always. No matter what circumstances we face, we can see either the positive or the negative. What do you see?

Secondly, develop an optimistic attitude. We are told not to be anxious about anything. Isn't it strange that we find all kinds of excuses for worrying about things going on around us. We drown in a sea of "what if's." Yet, most of those "what if's" never come to be. Give whatever it is you are worrying about to God and let God worry about it. Only worry if you believe you can handle the situation better than God.

Finally, when you stop spending your time worrying, you will continue to think about something. We are encouraged to think about what we know to be true (not all those things we speculate about), Think about what is honorable, what is right (not everything that is true, is right for us to think about), what is pure. Think abou what is positive and thankful, waht is worth an A+, what is excellent and what is worth a standing ovation.

I have a hunch that our lives would change if we changed our thinking to follow the instruction in Philippians 4.

*These thoughts are a summary of the second sermon in the series "The Power Of A Positive Church" I have been preaching at Bethel EM Church in Three Hills, Alberta.

Transitions

Life is about to change for Debbie and me once again. Beginning October 1, 2011 I will begin serving as "Intentional Transitional Pastor" at Bethel EM Church in Three Hills Alberta.

After serving as senior/lead pastor for several decades, we came to Didsbury three years ago where I would serve as associate pastor. When we came I was asked how I would adjust to the role of associate pastor after serving as senior pastor for so long. I said I didn't know, and we would have to see. I was given the responsiblities to oversee the worship, small group, newcomers and adult education ministries. I looked forward to the opportunity to try somethings I had always wanted, but had never had the time.

After one year of serving in this role, I did not feel settled in what I was doing. I told myself that I needed more time to adjust. After two years I knew that this role was not for me. Too much of me was pressing me to be involved in the strategic leadership of the church. I missed preaching on a consistent basis and managing ministry programing was not "getting me up in the morning." I began to pray regularly - weekly if not daily - that the Lord would show me me where he was directing me. Silence. I continued to pray and journal about my interaction with the Lord, and about his apparent silence on the matter.

Finally in the Spring of 2011 I could no longer remain silent. I talked to a few key people about my inner need to make a change. Still, the Lord was not opening any doors. In time I talked to our senior pastor about what I was going through. Fortunately he was completely supportive in my quest to find God's place for us.

Part of our dilemna was that we felt we would like to stay living in Didsbury for at least another year - for various reasons. How could we make a change and remain living here. Then the thought crossed my mind, "what if there was a church within driving distance of Didsbury that needed an interm pastor?" Then we could remain living here and I could use the gifts and passions that God has given me. I talked to our Regional Ministers about this, but there seemed to be no church in the area that needed an interm pastor.

Then the Lord began to reveal His amazing planning. The senior pastor at Bethel EM Church in Three HIlls resigned. The church decided they wanted someone to come in for about a year to be their Intentional Transitional Pastor (ITP). We began to dialogue and in the course of time the decision was made for us to leave Zion EM Church in Didsbury to become the ITP at Bethel Church in Three Hills.

On October 1st, I will officially begin ministry in Three Hills. We will continue to live in Didsbury where Debbie will keep her job at Front Porch Realty and our daughter Liesel will live with us as she completes her studies at Rocky Mountain College in Calgary. Of course we will miss the regular fellowship at Zion Church - and particularly the worship team I have been leading - our Life Group - and the staff at the church. But I am excited about the work that lies ahead and the opportunity to make a real difference in God's church.

He Is Alive And It Makes All The Difference

I wonder what that "first" Easter morning was like. I expect that for most people it was an ordinary morning to begin a week. However, for the followers of Jesus it was anything but ordinary. Their leader had been taken from them. Then, to their surprise, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and conquered death.

Jesus is alive and it makes all the difference. This was my theme as I preached my sermon on Easter Sunday. Jesus is alive and it makes all the difference becuase He (by His Spirit) is with us 24/7 now - which is both comforting and challenging); He desires to guide and direct us as we ask him and follow his leading; He conquered death so that we may also live (life does not end when we physically die).

Jesus is alive and it does make all the difference. To listen to the full sermon go to www.zemc.org and follow the links to listen to a sermon on April 24, 2011.

Courage & Hope

Interesting… I read in a devotional this morning… on worship…

“If you have been involved in the worship ministry of your church for any length of time, there have probably been some disappointments along the way…. Maybe there have been times when people have not truly recognized the time and effort you and the others have devoted to worship ministry…. Or perhaps someone was critical of you or the others.

Whatever the case, you have certainly been disappointed. There may have been times when your hope for things getting better had vanished. Perhaps you’re there now.

Even in the midst of difficult times God still offers you hope. Do you have the courage to fish again? Will you call to God in time of trouble? For those who are willing, His hope is still there.”

Keeping up to the "new thing"

One of the catch-words in church ministry these days is "cutting-edge." We are supposed to keep up to the latest and greatest if we are going to be effective. If we don't people will leave our churches and go to churches where they can find what they are looking for. In the book "Times of Refreshing" Arlen Salte wrote,

"One of the sobering realities that has come with being in full-time ministry so many years has been seeing the "hot" thing come and go. The inability to change and to stay fresh is one of the greatest challenges in ministry."

It seems to me that we have been lured into a superficial world where sacrificial life change is uncommon. Jesus called people to deny themselves and follow him. They were to take up their cross and follow him. "Blessed are the persecuted." I suspect that once we get back to a genuine life-change experience, there will be many in this world who will desire to experience what we are experiencing.As soon as I read that, I thought, "is that what church is supposed to be?" Is the church and the Christian life really so superficial that unless it keeps up to the latest 'fads' it will fail and die away? I hope not!

Like a Flower in Spring

I have been reading through the book of Isaiah over the past few weeks. Much of the first 39 chapters is pretty depressing. There are warnings after warnings of God's judgement on the people. It makes you want to skip those chapters entirely. Because of sin and rebellion against God, some detail is given about how one nation will be destroyed, anther devastated, and the people of Israel will be looted and dragged into captivity.

At one point King Hezekiah is a hero for turning to God in a time of national crisis and the nation is spared for a time. Then he shows his true colours when he is told that after he is gone the land will be looted and even his family will be ravaged, and he glad. Why? Because there will be peace in his life time.

Finally after all that darkness we come to Isa. 40. What at turn in focus and feeling. Suddenly we hear the words "comfort," "He gathers his lambs," "The Lord is the everlasting God," and "those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." It feels like spring has arrived after an Alberta winter. Flowers start to bloom and there is the healing warmth of the sun (without the threat of spring storms).

I am reminded that God is a God of justice and a God of Grace. When we turn against God, we will be held accountable. But when we turn to God, God extends his grace and bring forgiveness and refreshing into our lives. There are times when we experience pain - even excruciating pain, and he brings us to a place of healing and wholeness. And we have the promise of perfect wholeness in eternity.

So, as the writer to the Hebrews wrote, "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Heb. 12:3)

Listening before we speak

As a pastor, I preach and teach, but who are people really hearing? Mark Buchanan put it so well when he wrote in his book "The Rest Of God,"

All our authority is derived. Either God gives us words, or we are only giving opinions. Either God vouches for us, or our credentials are forged. If anyone ever stops to listen to you or me, this had better be solidly in place: Our speaking comes out of our listening. What we say comes out of what we hear. We have to be people who listen, day and night, to God. Our utterances ought to be as Jesus' were: an echoing of the Father, an imitation of him. They ought to be a holy ventriloquism, a sacred pantomime. Peter puts it this way: "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God" (1 Pet. 4:11). That verse should be paired with Jesus' statement: "He who has ears, let him hear."*

This "advice" is so timely for me because I am taking some time to prepare for preaching and teaching as I read this. May my preaching and teaching be what God desires to say, not simply what I think people should hear.

Service of Worship

Quoting from "Times of Refreshing", Gerrit Gustafson reflects on a conversation with Mother Theresa... he asked what worship meant to her...

"If you really want to bless the Lord and pour out your love on Him, He has told us how to do it." And then she quoted Jesus' words in Matthew 25: "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me" (NKJV).... She challenged me with these words: "If you really want to lavish your love on God, pour out your life on the needy."

... On my flight home, somewhere between Delhi and Frankfurt, I came across these words in Hebrews 13: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifice4s God is pleased" (Hebrews 13:15-16).

Worship is about bowing down before God and serving him with all of our lives.