Merry Christmas! Emmanuel, God with Us

/1 Comment/in , , , , /by

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:4-7 NIV

The need for a warm touch, a kind word, a gentle hug, or a caring smile is a welcome respite in our frantic, hurried world. Jumbo, a large, multi-site supermarket in the Netherlands, decided to find a way to make a difference. Jumbo launched a customer line, Kletskassa (chat checkouts or slow checkouts), in 2019. The objective of opening a slow lane was to offer a more personal, social shopping experience. The cashiers on the slow line spend extra time chatting with customers. “Sometimes innovation means slowing down operations rather than speeding them up.” (Catherine Douglas Moran, Grocery DIVE)

Colette Cloosterman-Van Eerd, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer, said in an interview, “Many people, especially the elderly, sometimes feel lonely. As a family business and supermarket chain, we are at the heart of society. Our shops are an important meeting place for many people, and we want to play a role in identifying and reducing loneliness.”

There will be times when we need the express lanes of life or even the self-checkout lines, but more often than not, we need the slower lines that nurture relationships and community. We need that warm hand to touch us, to encourage us, to lift us out of darkness, and to hold us steady against life’s storms.

I have never seen an intentional chat checkout line in the United States, though I have stood in countless slow lines that were not intentional. Given the pressures of Christmas shopping, I doubt if most people would welcome a slow line at Walmart. Yet there are life-changing moments that force us into the slow lane, and interruptions that play havoc with the most well-organized calendar. One of these is a birth!

The canopy of night had fallen on the little town of Bethlehem when all of eternity converged. Every home and lodging that night was crowded with families and strangers who had traveled long distances. Joseph and Mary finally found a warm, dry shelter, knowing the baby was coming. Scripture doesn’t record the actual birth details, but you can only imagine the panic on Joseph’s face when he heard Mary say, “The baby is coming.”

You can almost picture someone going to get the older woman in town who had delivered lots of babies.  She served as the midwife to countless young mothers and helped them give birth to their babies. Nothing out of the ordinary for her, she knew how to comfort the mother and quickly took charge of the delivery. The panic on Joseph’s face was relaxing just a bit, Mary was breathing again, and a host of angels were getting ready to sing. This unknown, unrecorded lady held Mary’s wiggling, crying baby. She tenderly caressed the little body, drying the baby off and gently handing Jesus to Mary. Yet for a moment in time, she held Emmanuel, God with Us, looking deeply into the eyes of the One who came that all might have life. Her strong but tender hands held for the first time, eternity in her hands.

Mary held her baby close to her heart, then wrapped him in the cloths she had brought. The King of Kings was laid in a manger filled with clean, fresh hay—the sounds of her baby’s cries breaking the stillness of the moment. Mary, through tears of joy and happiness, looked into the face of Emmanuel, God with us. You can almost hear Mary softly singing to her baby, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on, all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.”

The quiet room was soon filled with shepherds who came seeking to find and worship the Messiah. They had heard the Good News and left their sheep to seek someone greater. “But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)

“In the darkness of a church, the candles burn. They hold the darkness back, just barely hold it back. In the darkness of that Judean night, in the midst of nowhere, to parents who were nobody, the child was born, and whoever it was that delivered him, slapped his bare backside to start the breath going, and he cried out, as each on of us cried out, at the shock and strangeness of being born into the darkness of the world. Then, as the Gospels picture it, all heaven broke loose.” (Frederick Buechner, The Hungering Dark)

Heaven did burst open that night when “a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:13-14)

Advent has been a time of waiting, even as we struggled to find space among the many things to do, people to meet, and activities to attend. Maybe you don’t feel it has been as quiet and reflective as you wanted, but hopefully, there have been moments where you could quietly sit and reflect on the One who came for you.

Jesus, we celebrate your first coming and look forward to your return. In this Christmas season, we pause to say thank you for your love and redeeming us out of darkness.

Merry Christmas. Blessings to you and your family.

God is great!

Almost Christmas – Joy Overwhelming

/1 Comment/in , , , /by

But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Luke 2:10 NIV

It happens to all of us. What happens? You expect something to occur, but then it doesn’t, or at least you think it hasn’t happened. Christmas probably ranks high on the list of times when you have needed to adjust expectations.

I was probably 9 or 10 when the realization hit me that I didn’t have any Christmas presents under the tree. Just for reference, it was probably still three weeks away from Christmas, but time was still close as a kid! My expectation was based on every Christmas past that I had at least a few presents under the tree. Granted, we were not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but there was always something. The smart thing would have been to ask my mother about the situation, but even at that age, I had a fixer mentality. So, the next trip into town, I took what I had saved up over the year and headed for the Ben Franklin store (a micro-mini Walmart) in our small town. I found something that I could buy with the money I had saved, and a very kind Mrs. Skaggs wrapped it for me.  I took my present home to put under the tree. The reality was that I would have had presents, but expectations don’t always match reality, especially at Christmas.

I wonder what expectations Mary had when she was chosen to be the mother of the promised Messiah. She had to have a lot of expectations, given that the announcement came directly from an angel. “But the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” (Luke 1:30-32a)

Mary had one simple, procedural question: “How will this be, since I am a virgin? Once the angel gave her an answer, she willingly said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

Did Mary think that her friends and family would be excited about the baby she carried? Young, unmarried, and pregnant didn’t fit well in her cultural setting. All we know is that “Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea” to be with Zechariah and Elizabeth.

Did Mary think that Joseph would be excited about the baby she carried? “Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.” (Matthew 1:19)

Did Mary think that she would have a high-profile birth? It wasn’t an unrealistic expectation given the royal status of the baby she carried. “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:32b).

Did Mary think she would deliver in a palatial mansion? “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:4-8

Whatever expectations Mary had that night when she was told she would be the mother of the long-awaited and promised Messiah, reality quickly dashed them. Mary did not get a chance to fix up the nursery; she left quickly in a self-imposed exile to stay with Zechariah and Elizabeth in the Judean hill country.

It took an angel to persuade Joseph not to divorce Mary but to take her as his wife. Mary and Joseph walked a tough 70-90-mile journey over rough roads to reach the place where Jesus would be born.

Surely Jesus would be born in lavish surroundings, but even that expectation did not come true that night. Mary gave birth, and the baby was gently wrapped in cloth and laid in a simple, ordinary manger where animals ate their food.

Whatever expectations Mary might have had were entirely unimportant when she said yes to God. Mary’s yes brought her more joy and fulfillment than any expectations she might have had that first night. She came to a deeper understanding of God through obedience and trust. Although Mary had no idea what lay ahead when she said yes, she knew it was the only thing to do. Her song of praise expressed her heartfelt joy.

And Mary said, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” (Luke 1:46-55)

Advent is a time of waiting for something greater than we can ever imagine. Unfortunately, our expectations often fall short of reality. However, when our hearts are focused on the Christmas message of God’s love for the world as Emmanuel, God with us, then we will encounter the most incredible gift any of us could ever receive. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2: 14)

God is great!

Finding Peace In the Waiting

/1 Comment/in , , , /by

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 40: 1-5

How is your anxiety level as we get closer to Christmas? Are you making progress on your to-do list? Most of us will fall somewhere in between; it will never be completely done, and things are starting to come together. Finding peace can often be a challenge in the busyness of these days. However, it is nothing compared with Hedviga Golik’s story.

Hedviga Golik died alone in her parking lot-sized, 190-square-foot, one-room attic apartment in Zagreb, Croatia. However, the tragedy was not her death but how long it was before anyone discovered her body. No one came to investigate her disappearance for 42 years, even though she resided atop a four-story apartment building surrounded by other buildings. Finally, in May 2008, her door was broken down, and Golik’s mummified body was found lying in her bed with an empty tea cup next to her.

Golik’s disappearance from others’ lives was a complex story. She had told neighbors she would be gone for an indeterminate period. She was known for her eccentric lifestyle and frequent mood swings. During those 42 years, a war broke out in Yugoslavia, neighbors were involved in an ownership dispute over the supposedly empty apartment, and life just got busy. A tired nurse that night fixed herself a cup of tea and then simply vanished from anyone’s thoughts.

If someone were to ask you how much God loves you, what would you say? There are several good theological answers, but Christmas and Easter are the two most powerful responses you can give. “The Maker of the stars and sea, Become a child on earth for me.” (Poet John Betjeman)

“The joy he has in the Son, he has in us. The eternal commitment he has to the Son he has for us. We cannot fully understand God’s love for us by simply comparing it to human love. If you want to understand how much God loves you, meditate on his love for His Son. God’s love for you is at no greater risk than his love for his Son, and that is the best of news.” (Paul David Tripp)

I don’t know if Hedviga Golik had an answer that night she stepped into eternity. John understood fully when he penned the introduction to his gospel account, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. (John 1:1,4,9)

“The true light has come. The message of the gospel is startling because it is true. It arrests attention, transforms hearts, changes destinations, and reshapes nations. It is good news for all, equally beautiful for every age and stage of life. It reaches every tribe, every tongue, every nation, announcing the evangelion, the good news: Jesus has arrived, and his light and life are a message of love for all.” (Sarah Yardley)

The popular Bible app, YouVersion, announced this week in a press release that its most-engaged verse for 2025 was Isaiah 41:10. This announcement and the selected verse are perfect as we focus on peace during the second week of the Advent season for Christmas. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Bobby Gruenewald, YouVersion’s CEO, commenting on the verse, said, “In a world full of anxiety and uncertainty, people are drawn to God’s promise to be with us, to strengthen us, and to help us. That message never gets old because the need for it is universal and timeless.”

In a world filled with tension, brokenness, and unrest, two of the most relevant titles for  Jesus during this time in history are Emmanuel and Prince of Peace. Wherever we are in our life stage, we can take great comfort in calling on Emmanuel, God with Us. (Matthew 1:23). When we face anxiety and anxiousness, what a great comfort and assurance it is that Jesus is the one who walks with us. In these times, He brings overwhelming peace in our most difficult and stressful situations. Thankfully, we do not have to walk through dark times alone or without help.

Come, Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, shine your light into the darkest places, that the world might witness the brightness of your glory, full of grace and truth. (Sarah Yardley)

Traditional Christmas carols usually do not include “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus,” but maybe they should, as we face the last three weeks of the Christmas season. Just maybe we need to find time in our busy schedules to simply be with Jesus.

“O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim. In the light of his glory and grace.” (Baptist Hymnal, p 198, Helen Lemmel)

Come, Lord Jesus. Fill me afresh with your light that my life may shine brightly. Give me eyes to see this Christmas season those who are lonely, hurting, sad, and hopeless. Let me be an instrument of peace in their lives.

God is great!

Countdown to Christmas

/1 Comment/in , , , /by

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. Isaiah 9:2 CSB

“I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.” I tend to agree with Maya Angelou’s words of wisdom as we enter this Christmas countdown. Many of us have experienced all three, and on rare occasions, on the same day.

Decorating for Christmas is a global ritual that welcomes the holiday season. According to a YouGov survey, 83% of Americans decorate for the holidays, with 79% decorating a Christmas tree. The when of decorating is a personal preference, but among those surveyed, 14% decorate before Thanksgiving, 48% the week after Thanksgiving, 23% the first week of December, and the rest in the second week of December or later. Other countries tend to follow Advent as their guide on when to decorate. I didn’t find any surveys on the percentage of people who struggle with tangled Christmas lights, but I did find that Vermont leads the United States as the number one state for Christmas decorating.

So, why do we decorate? Traditions are a big part of the reason, but many of us see them as a visual reminder of the Good News of Christmas. People want to hear good news, which explains the fascination with the Hallmark Channel’s predictable Christmas movies. The drama is woven into the story until the last few minutes, when everything comes together for the couple.

We decorate and give. The National Retail Federation estimated that in 2024, the United States’ spending averaged $902 per person, including gifts, food, and decorations. They are projecting this will drop to $890 in 2025. Yet, all of this spending amounts to about $950 billion annually.

This might be one reason the “7 gift rule” for Christmas has gained popularity. This is a new idea I came across during my research this year; the concept is to simplify holiday shopping by giving seven gifts to each person in your family. Each gift fits into a specific category: “Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read, something to do, something to eat, and something for the family.” Some people add an eighth category, something to charity.

We decorate, give, and some even untangle the Christmas lights. We enjoy the Hallmark movies, the brilliant light displays, the Christmas parties, and finally the mountain of unwrapped Christmas presents, but all of these together do not ultimately bring the good news we need. Pastor David Jeremiah says it well, “All the Christmas presents in the world are worth nothing without the presence of Christ.”

Sunday, November 30, marked the beginning of Advent, a church tradition that has been part of the Christian community since the 4th century. Celebrated differently across denominations and faith traditions, it prepares the heart and the church for the coming of Jesus Christ. Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival.” The various Advent traditions help us keep our focus on Christ throughout a month that can become overwhelming in the busy schedules and activities. Whether part of your Sunday church service or observed at home, it can serve as a visual way to celebrate the Good News of Christmas.

Traditionally, Advent is marked each Sunday by lighting a different candle with a specific symbolic meaning. These five candles help to remind us of the coming of Jesus. “The central themes of Advent include hope, peace, joy, and love. These themes express key aspects of Christ’s coming, both two thousand years ago and in his return: Hope in his promises, peace through his reign, joy in his salvation, and love through his sacrifice.” (Britt Mooney)

The single flame in week one of Advent reminds us of the hope that is found in Jesus. Once we were “the people walking in darkness,” but now “have seen a great light.” That light of hope is found in Jesus.

For week two, we light the second candle of Peace. In a time when anxiety and hopelessness are common, the flames of the Peace candle remind us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God…” (Isaiah 40:1-5)

For week three, the light grows brighter as the candle of Joy is lit. We pray, even in the brokenness, “God, be our joy.” “The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners…And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the LORD to glorify him.” (Isaiah 61:1-3)

For week four, the light of love joins with the other three, bringing light to any room. At the very core of Christmas is the message of love. God literally moves into the neighborhood as Immanuel, bringing salvation, redemption, and a future for all who call upon the name of Jesus. There is no greater message of Christmas than, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

On Christmas Day, as the four candles burn, the fifth candle is lit, the Christ candle. The Christ candle, surrounded by hope, peace, joy, and love, visually conveys the message the world needs. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

The countdown clock towards Christmas ticks faster and faster each year, and you may occasionally need to reach up and stop it. This Christmas, maybe take an extra few minutes to sit and listen to your favorite songs, drink a mug of cocoa a little slower, and just enjoy looking at the untangled lights a little longer. If Jesus is the reason for the season, we may need to let Him have more of the season!

God is great!

What’s In A Name

/1 Comment/in , , , , /by

But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice. John 10:2-5 NLT

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Whether you are a Shakespearean fan or not, you are most likely familiar with this quote. Juliet’s words of love were spoken to her beloved Romeo, even in the midst of their family’s feud. His name, Montaque, was inconsequential to their love.

What’s in a name? If you were to ask Laurence Watkins for his full name, it would take him over an hour to tell you, and he would have to read it since he can’t remember it all. The reason for the confusion is that Watkins has 2,253 unique words making up his moniker. Can you imagine what it was like when he got in trouble as a little boy and his mother yelled at him with all his middle names! Actually, his parents didn’t give him all those middle names. Watkins wanted to set a Guinness World Record and decided he could beat at least one record simply by adding names. However, it took him a lot of money and an appeal to the New Zealand High Court to win the right to add all of his additional names to his legal name.

Watkins only viewed names as a way to break the world record for the longest name. For him, a rose still smells the same. However, Dale Carnegie wrote that names are central to who we are as humans. He wrote, “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

What’s in a name? It has been part of human identity since creation, when Adam and Eve walked in intimacy with God.  Yet throughout history, there have been ruthless, evil efforts to dehumanize people by changing or replacing people’s names. The most recent vivid picture was the Nazi effort to eliminate the Jewish population. In their brutal concentration camps, they gave prisoners numbers in place of their names. These numbers were even tattooed on the prisoners’ arms.

Dr. Robert Rozett writes, “Despite the inhuman treatment and use of numbers instead of names in the Nazi camps, the Jews clung fast to the human spirit.”  Dr. Rozett goes on to write that recent efforts have been made to identify individuals who died. “The gathering of the names of the murdered Jews of the Holocaust is no less important than listening to survivors’ voices. Recovering their names not only restores their identities but also helps us understand that Jews during the Holocaust were not just a nameless mass subjected to persecution and murder. The victims had lives, families, thoughts, fears, and hopes for the future—and each and every one had a name.”

What’s in a name? King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon believed that giving someone a new name was a way to remove their cultural and faith traditions from the conquered people of Jerusalem. The king took the brightest and most talented young leaders from the land to serve in his palace. They were “taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans…The palace master gave them other names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.” (Daniel 1)

Yet what he didn’t know was that the name that truly made a difference for them was the Name of the one they worshiped. “If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden statue you have set up.”

What’s in a name? It makes a big difference when God changes your name to make you an instrument of His redemption. “Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations…I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.”(Gen 17:3-7)

What’s in a name? When that name is Jesus, it is everything! That Name is the beginning of life, the renewing of who we are, and the hope of all that will come. “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Paul David Tripp writes about Jesus, “The great line that divides humanity is not political, economic, social, or ethnic. No, the great fault line is Jesus…The cross of Jesus either is your hope in life and the one to come or it represents the death of a man you do not love and do not need. There is no neutrality in the shadow of the cross. So, today, what will you do with Jesus? Will you bow in worship and gratitude, or will you take life in your own hands and walk away?”

What’s in a name? It is the name you get from the choices you make, the people you know, the way you live your life, and, in the end, the name you put your trust in for eternity. “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” (Prov 22:1)

Charles Spurgeon said it well, “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble.”

God is great!

Staying the Journey Because of One

/1 Comment/in , , , /by

For it is Christ’s love that fuels our passion and holds us tightly, because we are convinced that he has given his life for all of us. This means all died with him, so that those who live should no longer live self-absorbed lives but lives that are poured out for him—the one who died for us and now lives again. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 TPT

What keeps you on your journey? If you ask Dale “Grey Beard” Sanders, it is to reclaim the age record as the oldest person to thru-hike the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail (AT). He captured the title in 2017 at 82, but his life-long friend and fellow hiker MJ “Nimblewill Nomad” Elbert took it from him in 2021 at age 83. The 90-year-old Sanders from Memphis, TN, determined not to be out-aged by his friend, set out on September 6 this year to reclaim the title. If you are unfamiliar with the AT, it starts at Springer Mountain, Georgia, and ends at Mount Katahdin in Maine (or vice versa, depending on which direction you are going), passing through 14 states. It is designated the world’s longest hiking-only trail.

Grey Beard still holds the Guinness World Record for paddling 2,400 miles from the Mississippi’s source in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico (America) at age 87. When asked why the age record motivates him so much, he answered, “I like to break records.” Sanders wants to inspire people to live better, healthier, longer lives. “I’ve always cared about people, and I do this because I still care about people.” (Info from article by Arnold “Bloodhound” Guzman, Appal. Trail website)

We all have something or someone that keeps us on our journey. You may not have plans for thru-hiking the AT, but if you are living, you have something or someone who keeps you on your journey. Connie and I had the blessing of being at Bud Fray’s memorial service last Sunday. Dr. Marion “Bud” Fray served, along with his family, in Zimbabwe and South Africa, then as a professor at Ouachita Baptist University and Southwestern Seminary, and finally retired from a local church ministry.

Why mention Bud? Some of you will know him, others not, but Bud lived out his passion and commitment to Jesus to the very end. In his biography, Both Feet In, he wrote, “How could I claim salvation without absolute abandonment to Jesus as Lord? My Jesus would not share His heart with anything half-hearted or with geographical restrictions. I yielded all to Jesus that morning, the best I knew how. The light of the Lord invaded my heart and captured me utterly.”

It was out of that initial commitment that Bud would live his 97 years, never wavering or with second thoughts. “I realized that my purpose in life was to be like Him no matter where I lived or what I did. It was He, not I, who was working all things together for the purpose of me being like Jesus.”

Bud would live out a totally surrendered life as a missionary in Africa, a university and seminary professor, and foremost as a prayer warrior who loved Jesus with Both Feet In. He would have fully understood the sentiment of Anglican theologian Richard Sibbes, who wrote roughly 400 years before Bud, “The love of Christ and the love of the world cannot lodge together in one heart.”

We need to hear the stories of those who have faithfully stayed on the journey with the One who made the difference in their lives. This journey we are on is not always easy, which makes the stories of others encouraging for us.

When Watchman Nee said yes to Jesus’ invitation to follow him, even though he could have chosen a comfortable life, he never wavered in his passion and commitment to Jesus. “Outside Christ I am empty; in Christ I am full.” Watchman Nee lived out these words, thus becoming a target of the Chinese Communist authorities, resulting in his imprisonment in 1952 until he died in 1972 at age 68 for his refusal to renounce his faith.

A piece of paper was found under his pillow in prison by his grandniece, inscribed with his final words to the world, “Christ is the Son of God who died for the redemption of sinners and was resurrected after three days. This is the greatest truth in the universe. I die because of my belief in Christ.”

British pastor Pete Greig remarked about Watchman Nee’s faith, “His teaching, forged in the furnace of marginalization, persecution and war, was always challenging, particularly for those in the West whose faith had become comfortable and complacent.”

God’s church did/has/will prevail! It is made up of flawed heroes of faith, from well-known celebrities to unknown, ordinary believers, yet each trusting in the One on the journey with them. Jesus laid the rock-solid foundation, and though imperfect saints have often messed up, they never stopped the church from moving forward. Watchman Nee wrote in The Secret of Christian Living that “God’s way of salvation is in Christ, not in your own self. Patience is in Christ, humility is in Christ, holiness is in Christ. All is in Christ. In you, yourself, there is always uncleanness and unholiness. If you live in Christ, you have everything. But if you live in yourself, you remain unchanged.”

Mrs. Gambiza’s story is told in Bud’s book, where she resisted cultural expectations to remain committed to her faith. When she was asked why she did not capitulate when her brother-in-law persecuted her and mocked her faith, she replied, “Pastor, my heart would not let me. Jesus living in my heart makes the decision for me. He is my King.”

Keep on traveling this journey because you have One who never gives up on you. “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” Eph 1:18 NLT

God is great!

Getting the Hammer into the Right Hands

/in , , , /by

The words of the wise prod us to live well. They’re like nails hammered home, holding life together. They are given by God, the one Shepherd. Ecclesiastes 12:11 The Message

You probably have one, but do you have a Stiletto 10oz Trimbone smooth face with a curved handle?  Most people may have a Husky or Milwaukee version, or, like me, a generic off-brand. This thing—the world’s most trusted and familiar tool —is a hammer. My no-name hammer does the trick, except it doesn’t carry the Stiletto price tag of $336 on Amazon. Archaeologists have even discovered hammer-like instruments dating back 3.3 million years.

Hammers may have changed slightly in appearance, what they are made from, and the price tag, but the purpose has not changed. They are either an instrument of creativity and construction or a tool to destroy. American Psychologist Abraham Maslow, who is best known for developing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, wrote, “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.”

The constructive or destructive element comes from the hand that is holding the hammer. I am not sure that Martin Luther, when he picked up a hammer on October 31, 1517, realized that he would unleash a firestorm when he nailed his 95 Theses position paper to the Wittenberg Castle Church. This action would spark the Protestant Reformation, reshaping Western Christianity forever. Out of his commitment for change would come his rallying cry, “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.”

“Christians should be exhorted to be diligent in following Christ, their head…” (number 94 on the list) would be a framework of the Reformation. Luther’s writings, which emphasized that salvation comes by faith alone and that the Bible is the ultimate authority for Christians, spread quickly because of the newly invented printing press.

Eric Metaxas, in his work on Martin Luther, wrote, “To know that others were being cruelly treated, were being imprisoned under horrendous conditions under the threat of death, and to know that some would make this ultimate sacrifice, was surely more difficult for Luther than had he himself endured such things. But there can be no question that they drove him closer to God and made him the more passionate to spread the truth God had entrusted to him. This is one of the practical ways that we can see Tertullian’s famous phrase “The Blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church” being borne out.” (p303-304)

In God’s hand, the hammer is used to drive home the deep impact of his words. In Jeremiah, we read, “Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain? declares the LORD. Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” Jeremiah 23:28-29 NIV

In God’s hand, the hammer of his word breaks our hardness of heart, reshaping it into His image and likeness. It is often hard on us, but in His hands, we can be confident that it will be for our good. “Affliction is God’s forge to soften the iron heart. It is impossible to form iron while it is cold, but make it red hot, and you can stamp upon it any impression you please. The heart is hard, and its natural resistance is much increased by prosperity. God softens hearts with the showers of adversity and makes us more attentive unto him and less influenced by the noise of the world.” (Thomas Case, A Year of Puritan Devotional Readings)

In God’s hand, the hammer gives another chance to build a place of refuge. When the world was overcome with wickedness, God saw in Noah a different spirit. Noah picked up his hammer and, with his sons, built an ark according to God’s plans. “The LORD then said to Noah, Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation…Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.” (Gen 7:1,22,23)

In a godly hand, the hammer is used to build a place of worship. “The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram and workers from Byblos cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple…In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel, or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built.” (I Kings5:18, 6:7).

In a wicked hand, he uses the hammer to destroy. The cries of crucify him, crucify him had finally been heard by Pilate. With a wave of his hand, Jesus was led to the hill where he gave up his life for us. Jesus was laid on the crossbeam as the Roman soldier took up his hammer to drive the nails into his body. “When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes by casting lots.” (Matt 27:35)

In God’s hand, the destructive use of the hammer is restored. “On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb…Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! (Luke 24:1,5)

How much better it is to hand over the hammer of our lives to God and let Him build. God is the ultimate builder, who can take nothing and create a masterpiece. “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 2:4-5)

God is great!

Unwavering Prayer

/in , , , /by

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. I John 5:14-15 NIV

When was the last time you had a bit of hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia? It may have been in your church’s small group when you were asked to read some passage in the Old Testament, such as Nehemiah 10-12. So, what is this word? It is the runner-up in the English language for the honor of the longest word and literally means, “a fear of long words.”

Technically, this very long word describing a fear of long words is not recognized as a phobia in psychology, nor is it considered a medical term. It is used humorously to show how ridiculously long some words can get.

Words have often been created to enhance someone’s self-importance or to complicate the meaning of something, leaving us with a word that professionals have to define. I think prayer is often put into that category, leaving many people to doubt what to pray for, how to pray, or even whether they are worthy to pray.

Luke records the one request of Jesus’ disciples to him, “Teach us to pray.” His disciples had been with Jesus for some time and had witnessed supernatural healings, feeding of the masses, walking on water, turning water into wine, listened to spellbinding teaching, and seen the impact on the people. Instead of asking for the gift of healing, teaching, preaching, or any other amazing action, they asked him how to pray.

Prayer was the very essence of Jesus’ life. His prayer life wasn’t like that of the other religious leaders the disciples had seen and heard. Jesus’ prayer life was filled with joy, hope, faith, and power. When Jesus prayed, things happened, people changed, and miracles unfolded.

Jesus taught the intimacy of prayer in Matthew. Instead of a formal and cold approach to God, he told us to begin with “Our Father.”  We are told to approach God the way a child goes to a loving father, as a loved one of the Father.

Jesus taught us to be persistent in prayer. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) Prayer was never intended to be a one-and-done deal but an active conversation with the One who could make a difference. When do you stop praying? Never! Jesus illustrated in Luke 18 with the parable of the persistent widow. “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (v1)

Jesus modeled His passion for prayer. When facing major decisions, he didn’t consult a committee, read the latest polls, or follow the cultural trend; you found him praying. “One of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.” (Luke 6:12-13)

Jesus prayed even when he didn’t get the answer he wanted. When facing his greatest challenge, he prayed. Jesus and his disciples went to a place called Gethsemane, and he asked his three closest companions to join him in prayer. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He then walked a few steps away and cried out, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will…He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” (Matthew 26:38ff)

Oswald Chambers is best known for his devotional writings, especially My Utmost For His Highest. Yet if Chambers were alive, he would probably say that prayer defined everything about his devotional life. He wrote, “Prayer is the battle; it is a matter of indifference where you are. Whichever way God engineers circumstances, the duty is to pray. Never allow the thought— I am of no use where I am;  because you certainly can be of no use where you are not. Wherever God has dumped you down in circumstances pray… I will do whatever you ask in my name. We won’t pray unless we get thrills, that is the intensest form of spiritual selfishness. We have to labor along the line of God’s direction, and He says Pray.”  (Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest, p215)

I had the privilege of leading a prayer walking seminar during our time in Kenya. I emphasized that we would be walking and praying, but I stressed the need always to be sensitive to where the Holy Spirit was leading. I began to doubt that the man I was walking with had understood the concept since it was new to many of them. We stopped to greet a lady, and he turned to ask me to share the Gospel with her. This isn’t what you do on a prayer walk! I did share the Gospel, and she prayed to receive Christ as her Savior. A little further down the road, we stopped again, this time at a woman’s vegetable stand. She was a believer, but life had been hard. She needed someone to encourage her and pray with her.

We continued to walk and pray. I realized that he had caught the concept, but the Holy Spirit reminded me of what I had taught only a short while before: you have to be interruptible, not on a schedule.

There are times when we must withdraw to our prayer closet and be alone with God. In these times, we are pouring out our needs to God in the secret place of our hearts. However, our time in our secret place of prayer must come to an end as we move into our day. So, what do we do with Paul’s admonition, “Pray without ceasing?” (1 Thes 5:17) We go into our day, praying as we go.

God is great!

Unwavering Faith

/1 Comment/in , , , /by

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Hebrews 11:1-3 NIV

What does faith really look like for you? We often say we have faith, yet we cling to something that we hope will ensure the outcome we want. “There is a significant difference between amazement and faith. You can be amazed by God while not actually putting your faith in him.”  (Paul David Tripp)

Faith may look like the classic illustration of the Little League baseball game when a man walking past asked one of the players what the score was. The boy brightly smiled and said, 18 to 0, we’re behind. The man replied, You must be very discouraged. No, sir, said the young player, we haven’t even been up to bat yet! Unless the young player knew his team was loaded with a lineup of star hitters, the chance of victory was slim.

Unfortunately, many will say they have faith but will “hedge their bet” by holding onto something else in the hope of ensuring the outcome they want. I have faith Google Maps will get me to my destination until it takes me into the middle of nowhere, and we are entirely lost. I have faith that my airline will get me to my destination on time, until all the planes are grounded because the company declared bankruptcy. (Which happened when flying Braniff years ago.) I have faith that I will ace my finals, yet I will not put in the time to study the materials that will be on the exam.

You expect to find stories of unwavering faith in the Bible, and you do. Joseph was sold into slavery, falsely accused and imprisoned, yet at the end he could say, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Gen 50:20) Daniel’s three friends would be handed a “get out of jail” pass if only they bowed down in worship to King Nebuchadnezzar. They chose the furnace and possibly death with the declaration that though God could save them, “But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:18) Mark tells us of a nameless woman who had nothing but faith that she would be healed. “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” (Mark 5:28)

Faith is only as reliable as the foundation on which it exists. Airlines do go bankrupt, Google Maps may be reliable, but not infallible, and typically, effort precedes success. Unwavering faith built on anything other than God will leave you stranded. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

The writer of Hebrews left us the beautiful gift of chapter 11 as a monument of unwavering faith. Verse after verse beginning with “By faith” followed by names of men and women who lived a life of unwavering faith, even though I am sure life did not turn out the way they envisioned. “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” (Heb 11:39)

“The life of faith is about standing at the intersection of brokenness and longing, not questioning God’s presence, power, or goodness, but continuing to trust and obey, assured that he still rules and is marching his world toward the fullness of all he has promised. Do you struggle to wait? God meets you with empowering grace.” (Paul David Tripp)

Scripture is alive with stories of unwavering faith, yet God never intended it to be in the past tense only, but lived out daily by His followers. I had the joy of experiencing this truth over the last couple of weeks in Kenya during a mission trip to Eldoret’s Glory Baptist Church.

Traveling over rough roads, sleeping on 4” mats on the church floor, women came from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to be part of Glory Baptist Church’s women’s conference. These ladies came with a hunger for God’s word. Each morning, they would get up at 3:30 to be ready for a 4:30 time of prayer and worship, seeking God with all their hearts, minds, and souls. No pretense, simply unwavering faith.

Ethnic violence broke out after the disputed presidential election in December 2007, resulting in the death of many Kenyans. Yet as violence raged around the church, Pastor Martin Sikuku created a safe haven at the church, praying and trusting God to place a hedge around the church. Though every structure, including his own house, surrounding the church was destroyed, Glory Baptist remained untouched, providing that safe haven for many as Pastor Martin provided care to any who came, regardless of tribe or political allegiance,  as a testimony of unwavering faith.

Unwavering faith defines the story of Bernard Wafula. This gentle giant of faith was falsely accused and imprisoned. Though despair and hopelessness could be understood, he trusted in God’s faithfulness and served diligently, sharing the Gospel with other inmates and guards. The words of a song came to him one night based on Deut. 1:4-8, when God told Israel, You have stayed long enough, I have given you this land. Imetosha is Swahili for “It is enough.”  For Pastor Bernard, “God is enough,” and he would sing this song until He became known as Pastor Imetosha throughout the prison.

Imetosha x2 (It is enough)

Yesu Asema Mwanangu Imetosha (Jesus says it is enough, my child)

Geuka sasa uelekee Kanani (Turn around now towards Canaan)

Ukazione Baraka zake Mungu (So that you see the blessings of God)

Finally, the courts overturned his wrongful conviction and released him from prison after ten years of imprisonment. He now serves as a pastor.

Unwavering faith will be the key to changing the course of our world. Faith that allows you to reach across ethnic barriers, economic disparity, political disagreements, and social status because your trust is found in the One who is the source of faith. “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.” Psalm 13:5-6

God is great!

The Mind of the Discerning

/in , , , /by


Let a wise person listen and increase learning, and let a discerning person obtain guidance. Proverbs 1:5 NIV

What is the one distinguishing trait needed to succeed in today’s workplace? I am sure you could mention a long list of possibilities. They may include graduating from a top-tier university, family connections, influence network, academic excellence, personality characteristics or just plain luck.  They may be a mixture of these or any one of a thousand others. CEO Michael’s observation is that the best employees consistently share one trait, “intellectual curiosity.”

Insatiable curiosity sets apart the greatest leaders from everyone else. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is known for his voracious reading habit. Google recruiter Nolan Church said, “What continuous learners do is they connect old ideas in new ways, citing Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’s decision to combine cell phones and iPods into an iPhone. One of Indeed CEO Chris Hyams’ favorite interview questions is, “What are you insanely curious about?” Or, alternatively, “What do you care deeply about?” (Info from an Ashton Jackson article)

Scripture would validate Ramlet’s one trait, “intellectual curiosity,” not for workplace acclamation, but for living life that ultimately leads to Kingdom impact.  “ The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it.” Prov 18:15

Scripture celebrates continuous learning as a gift that deepens our relationship with God and enriches our daily life. Our growth in God’s knowledge creates a hunger in us to know more of what God is doing in and around us. “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Prov 2:6

We read about Daniel and his friends in a foreign land, far from home, having been taken captive by the Babylonians. Daniel had a choice to either take the easy path and adapt to his captors’ ways or stay true to God. He chose the more difficult path, staying true to God and His ways.  His passion for God and his commitment to grow in knowledge set him apart.  “In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums in his entire kingdom. Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.”  Daniel 1:20-21

Joshua when facing the difficult challenges of assuming the leadership role after Moses’ death was told by God to be strong and courageous. How? “ To observe carefully the whole instruction.” God’s word provides us with the “why” that lets us do the “how.”  “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.” Joshua 1:8

We are encouraged to grow in knowledge, not for personal affirmation or even success but to be transformed into godly people that will make an impact for the Kingdom. “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:14-15

Let this traditional African saying on wisdom encourage you in your pursuit of continuous curiosity. “Wisdom is the finest beauty of a person.  Money does not prevent you from becoming blind. Money does not prevent you from becoming mad. Money does not prevent you from becoming lame. You may be ill in any part of your body, so it is better for you to go and think again and to select wisdom. Come and sacrifice, that you may have rest in your body, inside and out.”

”Get wisdom—how much better it is than gold! And get understanding—it is preferable to silver.” Proverbs 16:16

If the number one trait for the best employee is intellectual curiosity then out of our passion for God, we never want to stop growing in our knowledge and truth.  We will learn lots from the books we read, the people we interact with, and even our Google searches.  However, God has provided us His unlimited and available wisdom. Knowledge and information are great but the wisdom God provides is life changing.  “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

We arrive today after three weeks in Kenya. It has been an incredible journey walking with the folks in Eldoret, Kenya. God is working in some amazing ways and we are so thankful to be part of this community of faith. I plan on sharing in next week’s post a few insights from this time.

God is great!