Finding Your Way to Bethlehem: Peace

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Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:9-11 CSB

What are you drawing son? The father watched as his son meticulously drew in his sketch pad.
The little boy looked up and said, “I’m drawing a picture of God.” His dad looked at him and smiled, “Son, no one knows what God looks like.” The little boy looked up from his drawing and declared, “They will when I’m done!” (from Mark Batterson, A Million Little Miracles)

The little boy was extremely confident but God beat him to it. Christmas is God’s answer when we ask to see a picture of Him. “See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” (Matt 1:23)

“Good news from heaven the angels bring,

Glad tidings to the earth they sing;

To us this day a child is given,

To crown us with the joy of heaven.” (Martin Luther)

John tells the Christmas narrative a bit differently from Matthew or Luke. He simply begins his account of the story with, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…. No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.” (John 1:1,14,18)

John didn’t capture any of the heartwarming events of the Savior’s birth, such as shepherds out in the field, angels singing, or wise men coming from a distant land. The popular little lapel buttons that many people wear at Christmas, saying, “Jesus is the reason for the season,” sum up nicely John’s beginning narrative and set the stage for Jesus’ work of redemption.

We find Moses at a point where he was struggling with leading the people and in a tender, intimate moment asked God to see His glory. Did Moses make his request out of bold audacity or overwhelming love? Moses had already witnessed numerous acts of God in his life, talked with God “face to face” and lived with a holy expectation of what God would do, so maybe the request was a little of both. Moses was told though, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the LORD’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But he added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.” (Ex 33:19-20)

“Jesus came as God, veiled in human flesh, with the full intensity of God’s glory hidden within Jesus. If Jesus had removed the veil of His flesh to reveal to the world His full glory, the light of that glory would have consumed every person on the planet.” (Robert Clifton Robinson)

Jesus would respond to a similar request when Philip asked him, “Show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” (John 14:8) John would have been sitting with the other disciples as Jesus responded to Philip. Jesus’ answer may have served to stimulate John’s opening narrative of his Christmas story. “Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time and you do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.” (John 14:9-11)

Christmas celebrates the transforming work that Jesus began that night and continues throughout the world through his disciples. St. Augustine said it well, “A Christian is: a mind through which Christ thinks, a heart through which Christ loves, a voice through which Christ speaks, and a hand through which Christ helps.”

Jim Denison, pastor and cultural theologian writes of celebrating Advent in four tenses. Denison suggests that Jesus’ ongoing engagement with our world should actually be understood in four “comings.”

At first, he entered the world for the purpose of purchasing our salvation by his death on the cross (I Peter2:24; I John 2:2; Rev 13:8)

At his second, he enters humans individually when he becomes our Savior (John 1:13) and his Spirit takes up residence in our lives (I Cor 3:16).

At his third, he comes for humans individually when he takes us to heaven (John 14:3).

At his fourth, he will return to the world as the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 19:16). (from the Daily Article Dec 5, 2024)

Advent traditions have been used within church history for contemplating and preparing for the coming of the Messiah. Advent season allows us a time to slow down in this busy time to simply focus on Jesus’ message of salvation and redemption. Advent opens our hearts to celebrate the birth of the Savior. We can sing the Christmas carols because of the hope we have in Jesus, remembering the true meaning of Christmas: Immanuel, God is with us.

May your Christmas this year be filled with the unbridled excitement of a child, the wonder of a shepherd, the perseverance of a magi, the serenity of Mary, the faithfulness of Joseph, and the peace that comes only through Jesus.

Wishing you a blessed and Merry Christmas,

God is great!

 

 

Finding Your Way to Bethlehem: Faith

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A voice of one crying out: Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness; make a straight highway for our God in the desert. Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill will be leveled; the uneven ground will become smooth and the rough places, a plain. And the glory of the LORD will appear, and all humanity together will see it, for the mount of the LORD has spoken. Isiah 40:3-5 CSB

There is something extraordinary about international travel. There is the adventure and excitement, and then reality hits when you are sitting elbow to elbow with your knees at your chin in your 24-inch-wide seat (give or take a few inches). That is, unless as you are boarding you tell the flight attendant one of the magic numbers where you get to turn to the left. You get to head to paradise in the air with seats that recline into a bed, full-course dinners, and one-on-one attention. Now, I am not personally acquainted with first-class travel, but I do read a lot. Maybe someday!

My economy section seats were always much better than the woman who boarded a Delta flight last week at New York’s JFK on her way to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Though her ticket was free, she had to move between lavatories during the flight because she neglected to get a ticket for the flight. According to investigators, the woman got past multiple security checkpoints to board the plane, hiding in the aircraft’s bathrooms during the flight. Paris officials boarded the plane when it landed and arrested the stowaway who is now waiting for deportation back to the United States. Traveling is never easy, but I definitely do not recommend the way this woman traveled to Paris. (based on Nov 30 reports- CNN and USA Today)

The road to Bethlehem was not an easy journey for those on it but they knew of God’s promise of a Messiah. Advent allows us time to slow down and reflect upon the coming of Jesus. Advent allows us to travel the road to Bethlehem not as stowaways but as ones seeking again to walk in a renewed freshness of faith. Thomas Aquinas wrote of faith,  “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

Theologian and writer Henri Nouwen wrote about Advent, “I am struck by the fact that the prophets speaking about the future of Israel always kept reminding their people of God’s great works in the past. They could look forward with confidence because they could look backward with awe to Yahweh’s great deeds. I pray that Advent will offer me the opportunity to deepen my memory of God’s great deeds in time and will set me free to look forward to the fulfillment of time by him who came and is still to come.”

The road of faith is often found in times of waiting. Now a lot of us have an aversion to waiting which has probably not changed through the generations. Luke records one couple’s marathon waiting season for a baby. He writes about Zechariah and Elizabeth, “But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.” (Luke 1:7)

Waiting can test the very core of our faith, leading to doubt and even fear. Elizabeth and Zechariah could have grown bitter and angry at God because they had served well and most likely had prayed every day for a child. Luke even records that “both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.” (1:6) Waiting is often one of the most difficult encounters on the road of faith.

Waiting has a way of making us insensitive when the answer does come. Zechariah was going about his priestly duties in the Temple when he was confronted by “An angel of the Lord.” Angels have a way of getting our attention but even more when they tell you your prayers have been answered. “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.” Great news that got even better. “He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah.”

Waiting can cause you to lose sight of how God could choose to answer. You have one picture in mind, but God’s answers are totally different from what you expected. Maybe Zechariah was having a bad day, maybe someone didn’t show up for work that day, or maybe he was just tired, but his negative response did not sit well with God’s angel. “How can I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” This is probably not the thing to say when God is answering your prayer.

Zechariah’s doubting response did not change God’s plan. They were going to have a baby! What Zechariah got was nine months of not being able to talk. Was it a punishment or God’s grace? It was perhaps a little of both. In those nine months, Zechariah lost the most important tool he had as a priest: his voice. His voice was the main tool that he used daily to teach, counsel, and perform his priestly duties. His focus was no longer on doing things for God but on being with God.

Waiting changed everything for Zechariah. When tradition would call for the baby to be named after himself, Zechariah chose to listen to God’s voice. “He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” In his time of speechlessness, he came to see it as a blessing, no longer was the focus on what Zechariah and Elizabeth wanted but on what God was going to do through this child.

Waiting gave Zechariah a new voice. “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea.” (Luke 1:64-65)
Zechariah and Elizabeth’s stories were only given a few short lines but what we do know is that they found their way to Bethlehem. Zechariah’s new voice “was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.” We know very little of their final chapter of life except the results of having parented John, God’s prophet to the nation. “The child grew up and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.” (v80).

Waiting, especially when you are on the road to Bethlehem, can be spiritually challenging and often physically exhausting. Yet waiting can be God’s gift of grace giving us courage, strength, and a new voice to our faith.

God is great!

Finding Your Way to Bethlehem: Hope

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The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness…For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. The dominion will be vast, and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the LORD of Armies will accomplish this. Isaiah 9: 2,6-7 CSB

Science fiction has a way of becoming reality. NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are currently stuck in space on the International Space Station due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft which returned to Earth without them. In June, they arrived at the space station for a week’s assignment but are now lost in space. Technically they are not lost since NASA communicates daily with them but they are still unable to return home.

“Darling, very little on this planet makes sense, by Earth’s standard.” These words of wisdom were spoken by John Robinson, the leader of the Robinson family who found themselves lost in space. One of my favorite shows growing up was Lost in Space. For those who are not familiar with this great TV series, it featured the Robinson family who became lost due to the evil actions of Dr. Zachary Smith, an agent for an enemy government who sabotaged the mission. Unfortunately, in reprogramming the ship’s robot he became trapped on board and became hopelessly lost, joining the fight for survival with the others as they tried to find their way back home.

Very little made sense on earth after evil reprogrammed God’s plan at creation. Yet God wasn’t lost in what to do and began His work to correct the problem. Written on the pages of the Old Testament is God doing only what He can do, redeeming a broken world. “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40:28-31a NIV)

The ultimate story of salvation found its way to Bethlehem as our ultimate story of salvation still finds its way to Bethlehem. As we enter this season of Advent our hearts and minds turn toward Bethlehem where hope is found in fullness. This week’s candle lights the candle of hope.

The world defines hope as something to desire with anticipation, to want something to happen or to be true. Hope’s synonyms include words such as wish, aspire, consider, dream, try, ponder, and endeavor. These are all words with a maybe mindset.

As we light the hope candle, it is not with a maybe mindset but with a mindset that is based upon the rock-solid promise of God. Hope is a confident expectation that supernaturally stems from faith. As we find our way to Bethlehem we encounter a hope that carries no doubt. The Advent season is a time to slow down and refocus on finding our way to Bethlehem. Finding hope because of what God did for us.

What Advent doesn’t let us do is simply hold a baby Jesus in our arms and go about our daily lives without addressing our need for a Savior. Advent allows us a time for waiting, expectation, and preparation for what God wants to do in our lives. “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” (Romans 5:5 NLT)

J.B. Phillips wrote a small book over 70 years ago titled Your God Is Too Small. He writes in his introductory remarks, “Many men and women today are living, often with inner dissatisfaction, without any faith in God at all. This is not because they are particularly wicked or selfish or, as the old-fashioned would say, “godless,” but because they have not found with their adult minds a God big enough to “account for” life, big enough to “fit in with” the new scientific age, big enough to command their highest admiration and respect, and consequently their willing cooperation.”

The Robinson family never found their way back to Earth and the TV series ended with them lost in space. NASA astronauts Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to return to Earth sometime in 2025. The question for all of us is, will we find our way back to Bethlehem? Will we stop somewhere during this busy season to simply reflect upon the promises of God and the fulfillment of those promises in Jesus?

Traveling with small children means every parent has been bombarded with the words, “Are we almost there”? Over and over we answer the question with, “We are almost there”. Christmas is the answer God gives to all of us when we ask, “Are we almost there”?

Michael Smith wrote a beautiful song, Almost There. The song ends with the words,

“You’re almost where your journey ends

Where death will die and life begins

The answered prayer, Emmanuel

You’re almost there.”

I trust you find in this Advent season special times as you find your way to Bethlehem.

God is great!

Blessed Are You When People Revile and Persecute You

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You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12 CSB

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God,” Corrie ten Boom’s quote exemplifies her life. Corrie and her devout Christian family are best known for their courageous acts of hiding and assisting Jews to escape the brutal terror of the Nazi regime in The Netherlands. Through their effort, over 800 lives were saved from the Holocaust in World War II. The family’s effort to help others resulted in all the family being arrested and imprisoned with Corrie’s father and sister dying in the concentration camps.

Betsie could not survive the horrors of Ravensbruck but left a message with Corrie to share with the world. “Tell everyone who will listen that Jesus is a reality and that he is stronger than the powers of darkness. Tell them He is our greatest friend, our hiding place. Only prisoners can know how desperate this life is. We can tell from experience that no pit is too deep, because God’s everlasting arms always sustain us. Even in Ravensbruck, God’s love still stands when all else has fallen.”

Betsie and the generations of Christians who have been martyrs for their faith would understand what Jonathan Pennington wrote. “If you are slandered for the name of Christ you are flourishing, because the glorious and divine Spirit rests upon you.”

John Foxe died in 1587 but his monumental work, “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs” has endured as a legacy of inspiration for the persecuted church to remain faithful and as a challenge to all the church to remain steadfast in the face of persecution. Sabina Wurmbrand, co-founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, is quoted in an updated version of this classic book. “Leprosy is a disease without pain. No remedy is found because the nerves don’t work. Lepers lose their fingers and toes in accidents because they cannot feel any pain. When the Church does not feel pain with those that are part of them, the Church’s nerves also become dead. Then the Church loses parts of its body. It loses power to touch souls. The Church loses its credibility before the world. On the other side, the suffering church gives the whole Church strength to fight for Christ. Suffering makes the soul to cry out and look for help, to draw strength from the source of help—Jesus Christ.”

Jesus concluded his introductory remarks before launching into his transforming teachings commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount. Biblical scholars differ on whether verses 11 and 12 constitute a stand-alone 9th Beatitude or a continuation of the Beatitude in verse 10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted.” Regardless of whether 8 or 9, each Beatitude serves as a powerful bridge to Jesus’ teachings that followed on how his followers were to live life.

Jesus uses the Beatitudes in much the same way a caring hostess prepares for her guests. The table is meticulously set, each dish and cutlery item placed in its proper place and each detail of the table arranged correctly. Yet the table setting is not the main focus, it serves only as the container for the delicious food that is about to be served.

Servais Pinckaers writes, “We can compare the work of the beatitudes to that of a plow in the field. Drawn along with determination, it drives the sharp edge of the plowshare into the earth and carves out, as the poets say, a deep wound, a broad furrow…In the same way the word of the Beatitudes penetrates us with the power of the Holy Spirit in order to break up our interior soil. It cuts through us with the sharp edge of trials and with the struggles it provokes. It overturns our ideas and projects, reverses the obvious, thwarts our desires, and bewilders us, leaving us poor and naked before God. All this, in order to prepare a place within us for the seed of new life. “(from Pursuit of Happiness}

You are more familiar with Corrie ten Boom and her family’s effort on behalf of those persecuted and for their own imprisonment. What is not generally known about the Ten Boom family is their 100-year prayer legacy. Corrie’s grandfather, Willem gathered his family around the dining room table to pray on behalf of the Jewish people and “for the peace of Jerusalem” from 1844 to 1944 until the Nazis arrested the family and sent them to concentration camps. She saw a connection between the prayer century for the Jews and the role her family played in World War II.

“In a divine way which is beyond our understanding, God answered those prayers. One hundred years after Willem began his prayer meetings, his son, four grandchildren, and a great-grandchild were arrested in the same house where the prayer meetings started, because they had saved Jewish people from Adolph Hitler’s plans to kill them.” (from an article by Mark Ellis)

I can’t remember a time when Jesus wasn’t a central part of my life yet as I began writing on each Beatitude over these last nine weeks I came away with a fresh perspective of a flourishing and blessed life. Yet these last Beatitudes challenged me in so many ways. How do I respond to Jesus’ words, “Blessed are you when they insult you”? Am I able to “be glad and rejoice”? John Stott powerfully gave words to some of what I was thinking. “Since all the beatitudes describe what every Christian disciple is intended to be, we conclude that the condition of being despised and rejected, slandered and persecuted, is as much a normal mark of Christian discipleship as being pure in heart or merciful.”

Together we can pray for the persecuted church, for each other, and the church’s impact on our culture. “He who rescued us from so deadly a peril will continue to rescue us; on him we have set our hope that he will rescue us again, as you also join in helping us by your prayers, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” 2 Cor 1:10-11 (NRSV)

God is great!

Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted

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Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Matthew 5:10 CSB

Did I hear you right Jesus? Are we blessed when we are persecuted? Scripture doesn’t tell us the crowd’s reaction that day as Jesus was teaching, but I am sure these words got their attention. The other teachings that morning were game changers in living in God’s kingdom, but to be persecuted? I am sure a lot of heads shot up with these words that day, but Jesus already knew that flourishing in his kingdom would not be easy. Jesus was not calling them to an easy life, just a fulfilled life. The same is true for us today.

Persecution was not a new concept when Jesus spoke these words that morning. David writes from hiding in a cave, “Listen to my cry, for I am very weak. Rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.” (Psalm 143:6) Persecution through the years has taken on various forms but at its core, the ultimate source of persecution of God’s people is Satan. John Stott wrote, “Persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value systems.”

The Apostle Paul knew a thing or two about persecution and wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.” (Eph 6:12) The Apostle Peter also knew a few things about persecution as he wrote, “Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.” (I Peter 4:12)

Jim Denison in his commentary on Matthew writes, “Persecution has been a constant theme of Christian discipleship from Jesus’ day to ours. An estimated “more than 70 million Christians have been martyred over the last two millennia, more than half of which died in the 20th century under fascist and communist regimes” and an estimated “1 million Christians were killed between 2001 and 2010 and about 900,000 were killed from 2011 to 2020.”

Pauline learned that her husband, Rami, had been murdered for his Christian faith and his ministry activity in Gaza. Pauline wrote, “I was very, very mad at God,” but then “When I would think about myself in this situation I would feel depressed. But when I looked to God, he would lift me up.” Years later she continues strong in her faith and ministry. She expressed what others who have faced persecution have done, “I realized that not to forgive is a sin.” (based on a story from Voice of Martyrs)

In areas of the world where extreme persecution is most intense, reports of amazing growth are being shared. As leaders gathered in a Global Development Consultation in Butuan City, Philippines a message was shared from a church leader in one region of persecution asking, “that we not pray for the persecution to stop but simply that they would continue to be faithful. Give praise to God who is at work everywhere, even in some of the most challenging places. Pray that those under persecution will remain strong in their faith, clinging to Christ and the hope they have in Him.” (article in Team Expansion)

An Egyptian believer shared a most helpful insight about praying for them. “Please don’t pray for us, please pray with us. If you pray for us, you will pray for the wrong things. You will pray for our safety. You will pray that persecution will cease. But if you pray with us, you will ask God to bring millions of Egyptians to faith in Christ. You will pray that when the inevitable Muslim backlash comes because of our witness, we will be faithful, even if it costs us our lives.” (Al Janssen, Open Doors International)

Persecution comes in all forms against followers of Jesus. It comes as murder, kidnapping, community harassment, and family rejection. David Platt, pastor and founder of Radical gives examples of a Middle Eastern businessman losing his right to run a business, a believer in the Himalayas losing the right to water or electricity, a church in a Southeast Asian city forced to pay extra, and sometimes exorbitant fees to rent or own a building. But it can also look like a British Christian being arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic or an American Christian being fired from his job for expressing his views on biblical sexuality.  (from an article in Christianity Today)

Sunday, November 3rd was designated as The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. If your church did not mention it or you did not know about it, today is just as good of a day to pray for the persecuted church since 1 in 7 believers around the globe suffer some level of persecution and discrimination for their faith. They would greatly appreciate your unrelenting prayer support.

We may not be in the echelon of political power but we are actually in a better place because we can approach the sovereign God of all creation on behalf of the persecuted church. The same God that opened prison doors, unfastened shackles, drew people to Him, and ultimately transformed a nation because the people devoted themselves to prayer is still the same God who will open prison doors, unfasten shackles, draw people to him, and transform nations.

“We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body.” (2 Cor 4:8-10)

God is great!

 

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

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Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 NRSV

What comes to your mind when you think about the word pure – the face of a newborn baby? Unexpected snow blanketing the ground? Jesus looked across the hillside and spoke the sixth Beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart.” Without a doubt, He knew the condition of their hearts and minds, yet He saw beyond their present conditions to what His followers could become through Him.

The rich, the powerful, and the religious elite were among the crowd that day who heard Jesus speak, and heard the words, “Blessed are the pure in heart.” They probably thought about their ceremonial and religious cleansing rituals as they looked with disdain at the dirty masses. However, the ‘crowd’ heard words of hope, encouragement, and a future. Jesus’ words were aimed at the powerless, the oppressed, and the nobodies of society. It was a message for them (and us today) on how to flourish in life and live in God’s kingdom by trusting in God rather than the powerful for deliverance.

Martin Luther contrasted inward and outward purity with a very earthy view. “Christ…wants to have the heart pure, though outwardly the person may be a drudge in the kitchen, black, sooty, and grimy, doing all sorts of dirty work. Though a common labourer, a shoemaker or a blacksmith may be dirty and sooty or may smell because he is covered with dirt and pitch…and though he stinks outwardly, inwardly he is pure incense before God because he ponders the word of God in his heart and obeys it.” (The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, John Stott)

The Beatitudes were not teachings intended to be in isolation from each other but bundled together like you would do a flower bouquet, nine distinct but equally beautiful teachings. Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky was born to Orthodox Jewish parents in Lithuania in 1831. When he was 15, he entered rabbinical school, and it was there he came into contact with Christianity. A friend gave him a Bible and through reading it, became convinced of the truth of Christianity. Schereschewsky emigrated to America, and it would be many years before he would fully commit himself to Christ.  He would later train for the priesthood and was sent out by the Episcopal Church as a missionary to China.

He was uniquely gifted as a scholar and linguist, translating the Bible into Mandarin and Wenli (the classical Chinese style of writing), serving as the Bishop of China, and starting churches and educational institutions. We could easily mistake these successes as the blessed part of his life,  yet Schereschewsky’s life would flourish even with his disability. Developing Parkinson’s disease, he became almost completely paralyzed. He would complete his Wenli Bible, finishing the last two thousand pages which he typed with the one finger that he could still move. Shortly before his death, he said to a friend, “I have sat in this chair for over twenty years. It seemed very hard at first. But God knew best. He kept me for the work for which I am best fitted.” (G. Wright Doyle)

I think Eugene Peterson captured the essence of the verse beautifully in The Message Translation: “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.” (Matt 5:8 The Message) “Greek scholar Fritz Rienecker defines “heart” as “the center of the inner life of the person where all the spiritual forces and functions have their origin.” (Jim Denison)

“As John Calvin observes, most people hold to the erroneous belief that the happy person is the one who is “free from annoyance, attains all his wishes, and leads a joyful and easy life”; the mistaken idea is that true happiness is about our present emotional state. However, in these Beatitudes, Calvin continues, Christ exposes this belief as false, lest Christians think that calamities and reproaches are at variance with the happy life…The disciples of Christ must learn the philosophy of placing their happiness beyond the world, and above the afflictions of the flesh.” (Jonathan Pennington)

David captured this relationship of the heart with our relationship with God in the Psalms. He would write “Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.” (Ps 24:3-4) Nathan the prophet would confront David after he had committed adultery and murder exposing David’s heart. David would write Psalm 51 seeking to restore the purity of his heart toward God. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions…Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Ps 51:1,10-12)

How does one live in a time when we are drowning in images and words that crush the heart? The same way as every generation before us, staying focused on Jesus.   “Come near to God and he will come near to you…purify your hearts….” (James 4:8) “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart…” (Heb 10:22).

“To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.” (William Temple)

The words of Brian Doerksen’s song, Purify My Heart, amplifies our calling to be pure in heart:

Purify my heart. Let me be as gold and precious silver

Purify my heart. Let me be as gold, pure gold

Refiner’s fire, my heart’s one desire is to be holy, set apart for You, Lord

I choose to be holy, set apart for You, my Master, Ready to do Your will…

https://youtu.be/ayH5iV5zmrI?si=1Dt7VkcfcPBaTaJZ

God is great!

I apologize for last week’s technical problem causing you to get the post twice. Hopefully, I have fixed it.

Blessed Are the Merciful

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Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7 CSB

Merciful is easy to define but even more easy to identify. Mercy can be defined as sympathetic, compassionate, pardoning, refusing to punish, or forgiving. However, seeing mercy in action brings life to the definition. What does mercy look like? Over the last few weeks, the Eastern Coast of the United States has been pulverized by back-to-back hurricanes, Helene and Milton. The evening news has highlighted the valiant effort of total strangers helping other total strangers in their devastation. Line crews from across the country are working endless hours to restore electricity, medical personnel ministering to the physical needs of communities, government, and non-profit organizations working together to provide housing for the homeless, and feeding stations providing food to the hungry.

Gary LeBlanc did the only thing he could do after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he volunteered to cook food. What he witnessed during the aftermath of Katrina left him heartbroken. Gary and his wife Ann started Mercy Chefs in 2006. Chef Gary said that the Lord called them to “feed people; just go feed people.” Eighteen years later, from one disaster to the next, the LeBlancs’ organization has served over 27 million meals. LeBlanc said, “In the box is love, hope, and a way forward. In the box is all the love we can muster — fit into a box.”

“For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6 NKJV) The world and the people within were far from perfect as Jesus taught his followers. He knew then as we need today, how to flourish in this imperfect world. Each of the beatitudes that Jesus gave that day were and are critical for living life. Glen Stassen writes, “Mercy is about an action, that is, a generous action that delivers someone from need or bondage.”

Eugene Peterson says in his book, Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading, “Scripture does not present us with a moral code and tell us “Live up to this,” nor does it set out a system of doctrine and say “Think like this and you will live well.” Rather the biblical way is to tell a story and in the telling invite: “Live into this—this is what it looks like to be human in the God-made and God-ruled world; this is what is involved in becoming and maturing as a human being.”

Mercy reflects the beautiful act of forgiveness. Jesus continued his discourse that morning with the words, “For If you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.” (Matthew 6:14-15) Extending mercy to others can never be done within our own power or desires.

Corrie ten Boom survived the horrors of Ravensbruck in World War II but years later had to confront her own unforgiveness while speaking in a Munich church on forgiveness. It was in that church she encountered the guard who had inflicted so much pain on Corrie and her sister Betsie. The guard said, “But since that time I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein—will you forgive me?”

It is far easier to define mercy than to be merciful. It is easier to give examples of mercy than to be merciful. Extending the gift of mercy to someone who has wronged you goes beyond our abilities. Jesus realized the challenge as He outlined how a disciple of His could flourish in this world. Who should we extend mercy to? Yes, even that person! “There was no need for Jesus to elaborate. Our God is a merciful God and shows mercy continuously; the citizens of his kingdom must show mercy too.” (John Stott)

“And I stood there—I whose sins had every day to be forgiven—and could not. Betsie had died in that place—could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?”

Jesus brought a new fresh spirit to the passage in Hosea as he spoke the words again in Matthew. The legalist would struggle, the bitter and angry would struggle, yet mercy would be the only way forward, “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matt 9:13)

“Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.”

“But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. Have mercy on those who waver, save others by snatching them from the fire; have mercy on others but with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” (Jude 20-23)

“Jesus, help me! I prayed silently…And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bring tears to my eyes. I forgive you, brother! I cried. With all my heart.” (Corrie ten Boom on Forgiveness)

We too ask ourselves the question, how can I extend mercy to that person? Jesus gave himself as the model of Blessed are the Merciful. Thankfully, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Can you think of a more exciting time to be alive as a follower of Jesus? In a world that has seemingly grown darker, we can be a light for those wandering in the darkness. Jesus gave generations of followers a way to flourish as he taught them the Beatitudes. “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ’care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.” Matthew 5:7 The Message

God is great!

 

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

Keep your fork, the best is coming! This illustration has been told and re-told countless times by preachers in their sermons. Without a doubt, in my mind, the master teller of this illustration would have to be Glenn Boyd. Now the story goes that a woman learned that she only had a couple of months to live and her pastor came to visit. However, she was mostly interested in ensuring he knew what to do at her funeral. She made sure he knew what scripture verses to read, what she would wear, what songs would be sung, and who would speak. Plus, she wanted to make sure her favorite Bible would be placed in the casket.

As the pastor was getting ready to leave she made one additional request: to place a fork in her hand in the casket. He looked a little confused but the woman smiled and explained that she had been to more church functions than she could count where food was served. She said there was always one final instruction after the dishes were cleared, keep your fork. I always knew something better was coming, something substantial. You don’t need a fork for Jell-O or pudding but you did for a piece of cake or pie. She told him that when they see the fork, they will know I have something better now.

Glenn in his deep, rich voice told that story often in a way only he could. Glenn was a powerful singer, and could easily have been an opera singer but instead chose to “hunger and thirst for righteousness” as a missionary. Glenn was a missionary colleague and fellow Oklahoman where he and his family served in Kenya and it didn’t take long before you knew his heart and love for God. Glenn’s final years were not easy, filled with pain but he never stopped being hungry and thirsty for the things of God. I didn’t get to attend his funeral but I wonder if he had a fork in his hand.

Hunger and thirst are basic human needs regardless of who you are, where you are from, or what you do in life. It is a given that without food and water, a person will die.  Abraham Maslow developed his hierarchy of needs beginning with the very basics of life – air, food, water, shelter, clothing, warmth, sleep, and health. It is the very foundation of his pyramid of human needs.

Jesus begins his fourth Beatitude by simply saying, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst.” The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 107, “For he has satisfied the thirsty and filled the hungry with good things.” (v9) Jesus understood that hunger and thirst for food was essential to survive in life but even more critical to flourish spiritually you had to hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness.

Spiritual hunger should be a driving characteristic of all God’s people. John Stott in his classic book on the “Sermon on the Mount’ writes, “Christians are not like pagans, engrossed in the pursuit of possessions; what they have set themselves to ‘seek first’ is God’s kingdom and righteousness.”

Biblical righteousness is like a brilliant diamond viewed through a prism including a legal, moral, and social aspect. We will hunger and thirst for a right relationship with God. We will hunger and thirst for a personal character and conduct that pleases God. We will hunger and thirst for a social or cultural righteousness that fosters a right relationship with others in our community and world that glorifies God. “We search for God in order to find him with greater joy, and we find him in order to keep on searching with greater love.” (Augustine)

Martin Luther wrote, “The command to you is not to crawl into a corner or into the desert, but to run out, if that is where you have been, and to offer your hands and your feet and your whole body, and to wager everything you have and can do. A hunger and thirst for righteousness that can never be curbed or stopped or sated, one that looks for nothing and cares for nothing except the accomplishment and maintenance of the right, despising everything that hinders this end. If you cannot make the world completely pious then do what you can.”

This last Friday (October 18) marked Anti-Slavery Day. The creation of the day was to raise awareness of the almost 50 million people who are currently held in modern-day slavery. Modern slavery differs from the transatlantic slave trade of history but has the same core evil, the loss of freedom. Today it is identified as human trafficking, forced labor, debt bondage, child slavery, forced and early marriage, and domestic servitude. “Slavery may be hidden but it exists and it’s controlling the lives of millions of people.” (Hope for Justice)

Jesus gave these teachings, not as forms of spiritual steps or requirements, but as ways his followers could flourish in this world. Luke recorded a beautiful model of how these first followers lived out this fourth Beatitude. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47

Hunger and thirst are perpetual characteristics of Jesus’ disciples. What a difference our world could be if we started each day with that same hunger and thirst as those early followers.

“I am the bread of life, Jesus told them. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.” — John 6:35 CSB

God is great!

 

Planting Spiritual Trees

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He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.” Matt 13:31-32 (CSB)

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”  This well-known Greek proverb could easily describe Dr. William Leslie’s life as a medical missionary to a remote corner of the Congo in 1912. Dr. Leslie and his wife, Clara cleared land along the Kwilu River at Vanga for a new mission station but after 17 years of intense labor, they returned to the United States discouraged. Dr. Leslie believed he had failed to make an impact for Christ and died seven years later thinking his mission had failed.

A team led by Eric Ramsey in 2010 hiked into the jungle to where the Yansi people lived. Ramsey’s research led him to believe there was some exposure to the name of Jesus. What he discovered was a thriving network of reproducing churches throughout the area. They found a church in each of the eight villages they visited scattered across 34 miles. “Each village had its own gospel choir, although they wouldn’t call it that. They wrote their own songs and would have sing-offs from village to village.”

Ramsey was able to piece together the story of how Dr. Leslie would cross the Kwilu River from Vanga and spend a month traveling throughout the area teaching the Bible, teaching the children how to read and write, and telling Bible stories. Ramsey writes of Dr. Leslie, “His goal was to spread Christianity. He felt like he was there for 17 years and he never really made a big impact, but the legacy he left is huge.” (Mark Ellis, God Reports)

There is just something rewarding about planting seeds or small seedlings in the ground and watching them grow to maturity. Though I haven’t had much experience planting mustard seeds, I have planted trees wherever we lived, leaving a place for others to sit. The trees brought enjoyment but I always knew, those that followed would enjoy even more.

Jeremiah Lanphier planted a spiritual tree that would bear fruit for years to come. Lanphier, a New York City merchant, in 1857 gave up his trade position to accept a position with a dying church to visit people in the area. The work was slow, seeing very little success and he would return to his room in the evening and “spread out his sorrows before the Lord.”

The idea of a mid-day prayer meeting came to him and he invited people to come but the first day, he was the only one on hand. After thirty minutes another six businessmen did show up to pray. “That small meeting was in no way extraordinary. There was no great outpouring of the Spirit of God. Lanphier had no way of knowing that it was the beginning of a great national revival which would sweep an estimated one million persons into the kingdom of God.”

“Early in 1858, the revival power poured over the Appalachian Mountains and into the West. Every major town fell before it—Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Omaha—and on to the Pacific Coast.” “And everywhere, it was a revival of prayer. There was no hysteria, no unusual disturbances. Just prayer.” (from the C. S. Lewis Institute)

We may never get to know the full outcome of planting spiritual trees but often God gives us a peek at some of the green leaves. Our team returned last week from Kenya with full hearts and thankful souls. The spiritual tenderness of Kenyans was such a joy as we gathered in times of training, teaching, participating, and sharing. We had the privilege of walking with 85 different individuals in their spiritual journey as they said yes to Jesus’ invitation to life.

One young man living on the streets said yes to Jesus’ invitation of hope. Homelessness and discouragement marked the future of this young man until one of our team members took the time to talk with him. For the first time in a long time, he felt loved and accepted. After we had left Kenya, the pastor of the church we were working with wrote to tell us that he had taken the young man back home to his parents. The pastor wrote, “He had left home two and a half years ago. The family knew that he had died and even did a burial ritual for him. At the arrival of their son, it was just like that of the prodigal son in the Bible.” One “chance” encounter that changed a young man’s life and family.

Last week the United States marked the 23rd anniversary of 9-11 and most of us can remember that fateful day and probably even recall the very place you heard the news. Yet for a growing number of people, it is simply a page in a history book. The vast majority of recent college graduates were not even born when the attacks took place. For them, 9-11 will only be a historical occurrence, not a shared experience.

I wish I could tell them that we planted a spiritual tree for them to sit under. I remember going to our church that night and it was filled with people praying and worshipping. Across the nation, churches were filled to capacity for several weeks but then life returned to normal. Unfortunately, the passion and fervor of those days lost its glow and the hope for another national spiritual awakening soon vanished. What could have been a great awakening turned into multiple wars around the globe, a divided nation, social unrest, spiritual dryness, school shootings, and political disunity.

Yet we keep on praying! Planting physical trees definitely brings a lot of satisfaction but even more so are the spiritual trees we plant throughout our lifetime. We may go through life thinking, what have I done to make a difference, yet little do we know what impact these spiritual trees will have on others. We plant on this journey of life so that someday others will enjoy the shade.

“But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” –Psalm 1:2-3 NLT

God is great!

The World Needs a Few Peculiar People

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But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. I Peter 2:9 KJV

Cat lovers rejoice – Dolce & Gabbana to your rescue. You no longer have to smell your friend’s dog anymore. Luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana has introduced a perfume for dogs, which “blends fresh and delicate notes of Ylang Ylang, Musk, and Sandalwood,” in an “alcohol-free scented mist.”  Dog owners or cat lovers can order “Fefe’” fragrance for 99 euros or $108.13 plus shipping. The company says, “It’s a tender and embracing fragrance crafted for a playful beauty routine. This fragrance is housed in a sleek green lacquered glass bottle, adorned with a vibrant red metal cap and a precious 24-carat gold-plated paw.” (Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today) I will put this information into my quirky file though I do like dogs.

A few miles up the road from where we live is the little town of Turin, Georgia. You will not find a large, bustling city but you will find a little, quirky beach called, “Barbie Beach.” It has an international following on Facebook and people stop from all over to visit and take pictures. Created by Steve and Linda Quick in 2006 in celebration of the Olympics that year in Turin, Italy, the mostly naked Barbie and Ken dolls have been lounging around in a six-by-four-foot stretch of sand since then. Over the years the display has changed to reflect whatever current event caught the attention of the Quicks, such as The Final Four playoffs, the royal wedding, or national football championships. It is a must-see if you are in this area. Weird, quirky or whimsical, you decide.

The longer I live the world seems to be getting a little quirkier, or maybe I’m just seeing things a little quirkier. The King James Bible translators used the word, peculiar to describe the people of God in I Peter. Granted, the word has morphed a bit in meaning since the KJV translation in the 1600s. Nowadays if you describe someone as peculiar you normally think they are strange, unusual, odd, weird, or maybe bizarre. However, the King James translators were using the word within the context of their day, meaning unique, a people for possession, that God’s people are meant to belong to him uniquely.

I rather like the word peculiar. Using the modern definition, it might actually be a good word to describe Christians today. I am sure you can probably identify a few quirky Christians in the modern sense of the word. However, the word can speak volumes when you consider the impact that a bunch of peculiar Christians focused only on Jesus could have in our current divided and godless society.

It will take peculiar people to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” –Matt 5:44

It will take peculiar people who can “Whenever you stand praying, forgive” –Mark 11:25

It will take peculiar people that will “Love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return” –Luke 6:35

It will take peculiar people who are willing to die for others. Last week marked the death of Maximilian Kolbe on August 14, 1941. 1939 saw the start of World War II with Poland quickly falling and Warsaw being captured by the Nazis. Kolbe could have been spared because of his German father if he had signed a register that would have given him rights and protection, but he refused. “Instead, he and the few friars who had not fled provided shelter for Polish refugees and hid around 2000 Jews. The Nazis eventually closed the monastery down and arrested the friars in February 1941, and Maximilian was sent to Auschwitz.” (Carla Harding, Lectio 24-7 Podcast)

It was at Auschwitz that ten men were chosen to be starved to death as an example but when the priest heard one of the men cry out in fear of losing his family, he volunteered to take the man’s place. Kolbe ministered to the other nine even as he faced starvation and died in the starvation bunker with a smile on his lips.

“Through obedience we transcend our own limitations and align ourselves with God’s will, which, with infinite wisdom and prudence, guides us to do what is best. Moreover, as we become filled with the divine will, which no created thing can resist, so we become stronger than all others.” (Letter written by Maximilian Kolbe)

It will take peculiar people who share the Gospel even in the most unorthodox ways. During a press conference after winning the gold medal in Paris, German shot-putter Yemisi Ogunleye responded to the interviewer’s question about how she approached that decisive final throw. Ogunleye said, “Before the last attempt, I didn’t think about anything but just lifted my hands and prayed. And that might seem weird to some people, but that is really the source of my peace and joy…After seeing where the shot landed, when I knew it was hopefully going to be enough for the gold medal, I just went on my knees and said, ‘Thank you, Jesus.’” She then responded during the interview with an impromptu rendition of  the song, “God Kept Me” by Harvey Watkins Jr.  yemisi ogunleye interview – YouTube

It will take peculiar people who can see a broken world but can tell others of the one who can restore brokenness. One such peculiar person was missionary E. Stanley Jones who went as a missionary to India in 1907. His ministry touched both the upper and lower classes of society, a confidant of Pres. Franklin Roosevelt, and friend of Mahatma Gandhi. He gained influence “as he stressed that the reconciliation brought through Jesus Christ was intended for the whole world.” (Asbury University bio of Jones)

Jones would write, “The early Christians succeeded because they did not lower their heads in despair and say, “Look what the world has come to.” Instead, they lifted their eyes in delight and said, “Look Who has come to the world.”

It will take peculiar people to be part of the radical transformation from darkness to light. We may get called weird, quirky, and strange but peculiar people can and do make a difference. Let’s be the light for our part of the world today.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.” Isaiah 9:2

God is great!

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