The Unopened Gift

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Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:8

Feeling angry? Are you mad at someone? Feeling depressed, frustrated, hopeless, or whatever? I discovered this week that modern technology has the answer. You simply release stress by screaming into the digital void. You type the word that you are feeling such as mad, angry, or frustrated, and then click the button with the word, “scream.” Your computer yells the word and sends it into the great digital void. A nice gift but one that doesn’t last long.

We live in the golden age of 24-7 activity and accessibility. Who remembers when TV ended with the national anthem and then went static? Now if you can’t sleep at three in the morning there is a plethora of choices on TV. Forgot something at the store? No problem, Walmart is open 24 hours a day. In this golden age of accessibility, there is one commodity that is in short supply: rest. God gave us an amazing gift of rest but unfortunately, rest often goes unopened in our modern era.

At the very dawning of time, God set in motion the need to rest. After a busy period of creation, He looked around after saying it was good, and “so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” If God took rest seriously at creation, why do we think it’s optional for living? God saw rest as good and “blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

God set in motion a day to rest after a super busy week. Interestingly there is a growing social media trend called “bed rotting” where young people stay in bed all day. So, what is bed-rotting? Sleep scientist Vanessa Hill’s definition is “It’s kind of like a rejection of productivity culture by doing nothing and taking the time to rest.” Sounds good on the surface since the focus is on rest, however, the focus of this rest is often more on avoidance. “While an occasional lazy day is not a problem, if it becomes a habit, where the bed is preferred to anything else, that’s an issue.”

God’s idea of rest came after a season of life-sustaining activity and creativity. Apparently, the Sabbath was so important that the longest of the Ten Commandments addresses the issue of rest. The commandment didn’t just address the individual, but everyone involved with the family, even the animals. Men and women who culturally and socially had no rights and whose needs were seldom considered by others found out that God did care and included them in the Sabbath!

I grew up in Oklahoma when they had a series of blue laws where certain activities were restricted on Sundays. We served in South Africa when they had very strict blue laws starting on Saturday afternoon through Sunday. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day mandated a long list of restrictions for Sabbath observances. The problem with blue laws, Sabbath restrictions, and even well-intentioned forced rest, all of it becomes a burden trying to keep the rules to rest. Keeping the rules becomes the most important element, not the life-giving gift of rest that God intended.

Jesus took the Sabbath and again breathed new life back into the day. Jesus reminded the rule givers that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28) Jesus modeled rest by being with friends and fellowship. Jesus enjoyed a hike through the meadows. (Mark 2:23) Jesus used the day to bless a man who had struggled for years with a physical disability and gave him a restored body. (Mark 3:1-6) Jesus used the day to worship with a community of believers. “And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.” (Luke 4:16) Jesus modeled Sabbath that leaves us with a restful soul through relaxing, fellowshipping, ministry, worship, and scripture reading but not a set of rules on how to enjoy the day.

The Sabbath was never meant to be a “bed-rotting” experience but a time to re-create, re-energize and re-focus our lives on God. Instead of something to be marked off of a to-do list, the Sabbath was to bring life. Jesus understood the challenges we would face, the burdens we would carry, and the struggles we would face and offered us the real gift of rest; Himself. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke (instead of a bunch of dos and don’ts) upon you and learn from me…For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-30)

“When followers of Jesus observe the Sabbath, we live as if this restoration has already taken place. We take a break from the broken rhythms of hustle and hardship to set aside time to honor Jesus’ rule, enjoy his presence, and extend rest to the world around us. When we trust God’s invitation to come to him and truly rest, we become places where his presence can dwell.” (Missy Takano)

What keeps us from opening this precious gift? Self-importance, pride, and even denial are only a few reasons. We think we can handle the non-stop life we find ourselves in each day. We think we have too much to do to slow down, take it easy, or refocus our energies. We think we can yell into a computer that takes our stress into the digital void.

God set in motion the pattern of rest by modeling for us what and why we need to rest. He saw how important the day was and declared it holy. Jesus took the time to model how the Sabbath was life-giving for our souls. The Holy Spirit takes our rhythm of rest to replenish and restore within us the fruit of our souls so that we can be givers of life and hope.

The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. (J. Stowell)

The Sabbath is God’s gift that allows you to finish this life with your torch still blazing bright. What keeps you from opening this gift from God?

God is great!

Influencers of Hope

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The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Isaiah 58:11 NLT

Toe bone connected to the foot bone
Foot bone connected to the heel bone
Heel bone connected to the ankle bone
Ankle bone connected to the leg bone
Leg bone connected to the knee bone
Knee bone connected to the thigh bone
Thigh bone connected to the hip bone and on and on until you get to the head bone.

United Health Group’s executives may not be singing and dancing to the classic children’s song “Dem Bones” after a recent financial report. According to various news articles, United Health Group reported that those cute little bones would contribute a staggering $377 million in medical costs this year for procedures such as hip replacements and knee surgeries. Always on the hunt to get to the bottom line, UBS Group AG analysts offered a surprising theory: pickleball!

Pickleball is estimated to see a 150% jump in players or “Picklers” in 2023, to 22.3 million. According to a Bloomberg article, “While more activity is generally seen as good and healthy, the analysts offer a somewhat depressing conclusion: “While we generally think of exercise as positively impacting health outcomes, the “can-do” attitude of today’s seniors can pose a greater risk in other areas such as sports injuries, leading to a greater number of orthopedic procedures.” (Joe Weisenthal) If you are a pickler, enjoy and keep on hitting, just be safe!

Juan Ponce de Leon set sail in search of a rumored fountain of youth. Still, according to a CBS news report on the American Society for Nutrition conference, he just needed to adopt eight healthy lifestyle habits that would have earned him 24 years of his life.

According to the report, these lifestyle changes included being physically active, being free from opioid addiction, not smoking, managing stress, having a good diet, not regularly binge drinking, having good sleep hygiene, and having positive social relationships. All of these added up to a longer life expectancy.

Just like Ponce de Leon, many are looking for easy ways to attain health and fitness. People search for a healthy life in all kinds of places, some good and some not so much. Many are following the advice of TikTok influencers. Leah Anduiza promotes among her 47,000 followers a solution of borax and water which she drinks daily with her morning coffee. Another TikTok influencer, Todd Mendlesohn, with 25,000 followers “promised his audience that a pre-workout drink of borax, baking soda, and Celtic sea salt would give them “the biggest pump on the planet.” Borax is a chemical compound that’s sold as a laundry detergent or cleaning agent. According to the National Capital Poison Center, drinking it or bathing in it can cause skin rashes, and if taken long enough, anemia. (from an article by Abby Ohlheiser)

The search for health and fitness didn’t start with Ponce de Leon nor will it end with the host of social media influencers. The search comes down to what is truth and who can be believed. Health misinformation, whether it comes from a man driving his wagon from town to town selling his magic elixir, a white-suited preacher selling a bottle of anointed oil, or the new social media trend, all of them share the same story of playing into the longing for a cure that gives hope. How can you doubt the testimony of someone supposedly cured?

Misinformation is as old as time, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” (Gen 3:1b) It has been downhill ever since giving a receptive audience to the snake-oil salesman when he comes to town.

What will your role be as a truth influencer in a world filled with misinformation influencers? You may not be a TikTok influencer, or have a social media impact but you daily find your unique roles of influence. You have some awesome information since your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, (I Cor 6:19-20), you know God cares for you as He cares for the birds of the air, (Matt6:25-27) and you know that from the very beginning, you were made in His image. (Gen 1:27).

So, go and play pickleball, hike, golf, or whatever you enjoy and gives you pleasure. Go eat your veggies, even kale. Find ways that provide your soul and body rest. Avoid those things that degrade and destroy your body. Live in community that fosters and encourages you in your daily walk. “So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (I Cor 10:31)

There are lots of influencers in our world but there is only One that can be totally trusted. He has a proven track record. He is steadfast, reliable, compassionate, insightful, caring, and above all else, His love endures forever! (Ps 106:1) “Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8a NIV)

God is great!

God Longs to Hear Us

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Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. (Revelation 8:3-4)

Would you pay for someone to repeat “gang gang,” “yes yes yes” and “ice cream so good” as she licks a virtual ice cream on screen? Apparently, a lot of people do since TikTok creator and leading influencer Pinky Doll is making $7,000 a day according to an article in Fortune by Orianna Rosa Royle. Pinky Doll, real name Fedha Sinon, is part of the growing number of creators on the platform pretending to be NPCs (non-playable characters). The term is from the world of gaming and refers to the background characters in video games “who are not controlled by players and are coded to give pre-determined dialogue.”

According to Royle, “Human NPC influencers are controlled by TikTok viewers who are paying real money to send them gifts on the app and watch them perform these gestures and phrases. Sinon has 820,000 followers willing to pay and see her repeat “gang gang.” I am glad Sinon found a way to provide for her family but I wonder if she will have generational significance?

What if you would compare the lasting impact of Pinky Doll with that of William Wilberforce? Saturday was the 190th anniversary of his death, and unlike Pinky Doll, did have a lasting impact. Wilberforce was a hero of justice who campaigned tirelessly against the British slave trade. He was elected to the UK parliament when he was only 21.  He wrestled with the decision of whether to stay in parliament or become a full-time preacher. John Newton, the former slave captain, author of ‘Amazing Grace’ and himself a church minister wrote to him, “It is hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of His church and for the good of the nation.”

Wilberforce did stay in public life as a member of parliament, though the opposition and health concerns for him were great. He found his passion and wrote in his journal, “God Almighty has placed before me two great objects: the suppression of the Slave Trade and the Reformation of Manners.” (morals of the nation.) Wilberforce spent his life fighting the injustice of slavery and seeking revival for the nation. Finally, after 46 years, a law was passed to ban slavery altogether in the British colonies. Three days later, Wilberforce died on July 26, 1833.

Charles Spurgeon shared the story of a young boy who refused to doubt that God would answer even the simplest prayer. The headmaster told the children at the beginning of the school year that they would be punished if anyone was late to class. Unfortunately, one day the boy was considerably late for school, and as he walked toward the building, the bell began to ring for class.

“A friend, standing nearby, saw the youngster running and heard his simple prayer: “Dear God, do grant that I may be on time for school.” It occurred to the friend that for once the boy had offered a prayer that was impossible for God to honor. Indeed, one cannot change the time. Still, he was curious to see what might result. Interestingly, it also happened that this very morning the schoolmaster, in trying to open the schoolhouse door, turned the key the wrong way and jammed the bolt. Unable to force it loose, he sent for the local locksmith. Precisely the moment the locksmith fixed the bolt, the boy arrived.”

I can almost picture Jesus’ excitement as he turns the corner to his hometown. Yet as Mark captured Jesus’ homecoming in the Gospel of Mark, he wrote a heartbreaking line, “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.” (Mark 6:5) The town knew all about Jesus:  they knew his occupation, they knew his family, they were amazed at his teaching but Jesus couldn’t do any miracles. Mark didn’t say he wouldn’t do any miracles; he said he couldn’t do any miracles. You can hear the sadness in his voice as he says “He was amazed at their lack of faith.” (6:6a)

Barry Black, a retired US Navy Rear Admiral and current Chaplain of the U.S. Senate writes, “The wheels of progress move primarily because of the labors and prayers of the less-gifted few who make the effort. So I use fervency in my prayers, joining other one and two-talent colleagues in making our voices heard in heaven. God only expects us to faithfully use what he has given us. I can’t sing like an angel or preach like Paul, but by God’s grace, I can faithfully pray with passion and fervor. Prayer is a wonderful resource available to all.”

Can you imagine what a modern-day Wilberforce using TikTok could do to impact the “Reformation of Manners” in our current culture? Can you imagine when even the one and two-talent prayer warriors make their voices heard in heaven? God longs to hear us, be with us, respond to us but unbelief smothers out the life of the prayer. Jesus performed miracles, preached to the masses, and fed the thousands yet the disciples would have only one request, “Lord, teach us to pray.”  This is the same request we should make daily! Just maybe Newton’s words can be said again of you, “It is hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of His church and for the good of the nation.”

God is great!

 

Not Applicable Today

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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. Joel 1:3

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. Luke 1:50

Time apparently stands still, especially regarding an overdue library book. Anyway, that was the case at St. Helena, California public library when Benson Lossing’s 754-page “A History of the United States” was finally returned, 96 years overdue. Whoever checked the book out originally forgot to return on Feb. 21, 1927, the due date. Library Director Chris Kreiden said, “A man returned the book to the front desk but didn’t leave his name.” Kreiden said the staff would love to know the back story of how he came into possession of the book. The library did go fine free in 2019 so the over-due fee was forgiven!

As I read the story the thought occurred, what if this was the original borrower? He would certainly have discovered Ponce de Leon’s fountain of youth by keeping over-due library books! Life is filled with time limits – some we create, and others are created for us. I am sure you have thrown away a few items in the pantry or refrigerator that had expired dates on the packaging. Some people see an expiration date as a legal requirement, others the date is only a suggestion.  When we were living in South Africa I watched as some airport employees placed a sticker over the due date of some expired food items. The sticker read, “Not applicable in RSA.”

Last week during a men’s meeting, we watched the movie “Jesus Revolution.” It is a movie reflecting a unique movement of God in the 60s and 70s which many historians consider as one of the largest spiritual awakenings in American history. The closing tagline of the movie read, “Beginning in California, the Jesus Movement spread across the country, culminating in 1972.”

Is there an expiration date on spiritual movements? After the movie, we discussed and shared our thoughts. Several shared the impact of that particular movement on their spiritual walk and how they made commitments to follow Jesus. These men have now walked faithfully with Jesus and remained strong in their commitment for over five decades. This made me consider the closing tagline “Culminating in 1972.”  The movement as portrayed may have ended, but not the fruit of that movement. Already two generations have been impacted because they were faithful to “tell the next generation.” (Ps 78) I am not so sure if the expiry date is applicable.

Is there an expiration date on spiritual movements? “74 years ago, in the Outer Hebrides off the Scottish coast, an awakening began that impacted many. During a prayer meeting a young man stood and read Psalm 24. As he shut his Bible he said, “It seems to me just so much sentimental humbug to be praying as we are praying, to be waiting as we are waiting here, if we ourselves are not rightly related to God.” Then, leading by example, he began repenting of his sin, before falling to the ground, overwhelmed by the Spirit. This vulnerable and humble act of repentance helped spark a move of God in which thousands gave their lives to Christ. “(Carla Harding, Lectio365)

Is there an expiration date on spiritual movements? Not if you consider the impact of five college students in 1806 who had begun to pray twice a week to see a movement of God. This simple prayer meeting became known as the Haystack Prayer Meeting. “Many historians would tell you that all mission organizations in the U.S. trace their history back to the Haystack Prayer Meeting in some way.” (Ronnie Floyd)

Is there an expiration date on spiritual movements? Augustine once wrote, “Without God, we cannot; without us, God will not.”  Dr. Andrew Taylor writes, “Transformation and salvation in the nation always begins with personal consecration.” There is no expiration date on what God can do and will do.

Pentecost Sunday is the powerful event that forever pulled off the expiration date of spiritual renewal. The same power that came upon this small group of believers has not lost any momentum through the generations. A popular quote of unknown origin and variations is “Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.”

The Jesus Movement may have culminated in specific ways on a certain date but it has morphed into the continuing movement of God through the lives of those impacted. The First and Second Great Awakenings are considered historical but if I had the time to research, I am certain that even today there will be those who could trace their spiritual heritage to the movements. The Asbury Awakening, earlier this year, lasted for 16 days on campus but the impact continues to be felt across college campuses and the world.

Is there an expiration date? “So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So, I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” (Hebrews 3:7-11)

Together as we continue in faithful prayer, life choices, and witnessing, we can place a sticker over the due date, “not applicable in God’s Kingdom.”

God is great and applicable through all generations!

 

Doubt Mixed with Hope

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We have seen the Lord! But (Thomas) said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” …Jesus came (and to Thomas) “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” …Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20:28-29

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Matthew 28:16-17

I can’t do that! I will never be able to climb to the top! I’m afraid! I will never believe that unless I see it! The word doubt is defined as: “To be uncertain or skeptical about; be undecided about. To tend to disbelieve; distrust.” Have you ever doubted? You are not alone since research shows 85% of people suffer from self-doubt. According to management expert Jamie Taets, “So many times, we compare our potential and confidence to those around us, yet they too are doubting themselves.”

Barna, in a similar study, shared that two-thirds of Christians face doubt. Spiritual doubt has been a reality for many on their Christian faith journey through the years. Yet as Selwyn Hughes writes, “Those who doubt most, and yet strive to overcome their doubts, turn out to be some of Christ’s strongest disciples.”

I have lost count of the times I used the famous chair illustration for faith.  This is the one that says you can believe the chair exists but only if you sit in it will you have faith that the chair will hold you up. I did modify the illustration a bit after our old reliable rocking chair didn’t hold up. When Courtney was a baby, I believed the chair that I had used daily for months would hold us up.  However, while rocking one night, the chair broke apart! Thankfully, neither baby nor Daddy was hurt. However, it did instill in me a healthy doubt as I sit down in future rocking chairs! Writer Michael Novak says that “doubt is not so much a dividing line that separates people into different camps as it is a razor’s edge that runs through every soul.”

Since Easter, as I have focused on several post-resurrection stories, I have been greatly impacted by Thomas. Growing up in church I can’t guess the number of references to Thomas as “doubting Thomas.” The term has even been used as a put-down for someone’s lack of faith. Does Thomas really deserve the title?

We are not given lots of details about Thomas but what we are given is life-changing. We know he was a loyal and trustworthy disciple of Jesus. When the other disciples tried to convince Jesus not to return to Bethany after Lazarus died, it was Thomas who boldly said, “Let us also go,” even if it was said with a tinge of fear, “that we may die with him.” (John 11:16)

Thomas’ questioning doubt around the final Passover meal allowed Jesus to share a critical truth about himself. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Thomas’s defining moment was recorded by John. The other disciples were all together behind a locked door out of fear, but not Thomas. John doesn’t tell us where Thomas was that evening but we know he wasn’t in the room behind a locked door out of fear. I am sure that Jesus’ resurrection created a lot of drama and excitement in the community. There was no telling how the story was being told and retold since Resurrection morning. We now live in an age of instant access to news and information, but even so, it is often distorted. Like us, Thomas probably thought, What can I really believe?

Thomas was confronted with the disciple’s story about seeing Jesus. What would you have said? Thomas had doubt, but that doubt was mixed with hope and faith. If this was not the case, he wouldn’t have said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25) “I believe and I doubt. I hope and I fear. I pray and I waver. I ask and I worry. I believe; help my unbelief.” (the Doubter’s Prayer-John Ortberg)

Doubt would have dismissed the disciple’s claim outright but hope leaves room for faith to work. Lesslie Newbigin writes, “Believing everything uncritically is the road to disaster. The faculty of doubt is essential. But as I have argued, rational doubt always rests on faith and not vice versa. The relationship between the two cannot be reversed.”

Doubt when rightly pursued creates a healthy soul and future. However, if doubt takes control of one’s life, it creates a paralyzed soul, keeping us stuck at that moment and unable to handle new risks and challenges. “Faith is a footbridge that you don’t know will hold you up over the chasm until you’re forced to walk out onto it.” –Nicholas Wolterstorff

You can almost feel the tension that evening as Jesus walks through the locked door again and greets his disciples, “Peace be with you!” He then slowly and methodically turns to Thomas with outstretched hands. Do you need more proof, Thomas? John doesn’t say but I can only picture Thomas falling on his knees before Jesus with tears streaking his face as he made his powerful declaration of faith, “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas left the room a changed follower of Jesus. I am sure Thomas still had questions because inquiring minds always have questions. Yet he takes Jesus’ gentle reprimand to heart as he shared the hope of Jesus, according to tradition, as the first missionary to India. Can you see Thomas smiling as he remembers Jesus’ words, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”?

God is great!

“Be merciful to those who doubt” –Jude 22

Better Early than Late

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They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:10-11 (NIV)

Following his resurrection, Jesus has been busy getting everything ready for his ascension. In this Post-Easter transition time, he has dealt with restoring broken Peter, reassuring his band of disciples, and giving final instructions to his followers when He ascends.

I came across this meme the other day which caught my attention. “If the living knew what the dead knew, the whole world would follow Jesus the Christ.” I don’t know who created the meme and it may sound right, but actually, the living does know what the dead know. The difference is the living can still act upon this knowledge that the dead refused to act upon when they were living.

C. S. Lewis, in his masterful fantasy classic, The Great Divorce, takes passengers on a bus trip from Hell to the outskirts of Heaven. Lewis’ unnamed narrator introduces us to a few passengers that choose to get on the bus. The majority opt not to board the bus even with the possibility of escaping hell. Through the book’s pages, even those who did choose to get on the bus ended up returning to Grey Town. As Lewis writes “If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell.” In the story, one person does choose to give up his souvenirs and accepts grace to stay. Remember, Lewis’s book is a fantasy. “It has of course—or I intended it to have—a moral…I wish is to arouse factual curiosity about the details of the after-world.” (Lewis)

Jesus tells the story in Luke of two men. Luke doesn’t even bother to give us one man’s name, he is only identified as a rich man. The other man, and we know his name, is Lazarus. Yet until his death, he is known only as a beggar. Both men face the same state of life that every person must face: death. The rich man who didn’t need God on earth now begs for a simple drop of water. Lazarus who had no earthly resources now enjoys the treasures of heaven.

This account in Luke might give credence to the meme when he asks for someone from the dead to go to his brothers so they will repent and not come to this place. However, that is not the complete story as we read Abraham’s response to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:19-31)

The unnamed man in Jesus’ story has all the comforts of life, education, and opportunity. Most likely he is an elite member of the temple’s inner circle because of his wealth and status. Most likely he is known by the religious leaders as a generous giver to the treasury. He has all the information needed to make his choice of eternity. Yet he is the man that C. S. Lewis writes about “Every human being is in the process of becoming a noble being; noble beyond imagination. Or else, alas, a vile being beyond redemption.”

Pastor emeritus Erwin Lutzer of The Moody Church writes, “One minute after you slip behind the parted curtain, you will either be enjoying a personal welcome from Christ or catching your first glimpse of gloom as you have never known it. Either way, your future will be irrevocably fixed and eternally unchangeable.” The rich man in Luke’s account could testify to Lutzer’s statement.

It should never be easy to forget the price paid as Jesus’ flesh-torn and beaten body was lifted off the cross. Easter reminds us not to overlook the darkness that engulfed the world as God turned his back on mankind. Religion may try to explain the ripped curtain, but the one vitally important thing that can’t be overlooked or denied is an empty tomb! “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.” (C.S. Lewis)

Would Pilate have made a different decision if someone from the dead had told him? Pilate had the living Jesus in front of him.

Would Caiaphas, the high priest, have made a different decision if someone from the dead told him? Caiaphas had the living Jesus in front of him.

Would the mob that was yelling for Jesus to be crucified have made a different decision if someone from the dead told them? They had the living Jesus in front of them.

Would you make a different decision if someone from the dead told you? Thankfully you have the living Jesus in front of you!

We don’t need a witness from the dead when we have a living Savior’s promise. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7 CSB)

God is great!

 

It’s a Matter of Minutes

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Be gracious to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Psalm 86:3 (CSB)

A minute! Nothing overly exciting about a minute. It simply makes up 60 little seconds or 1/60th of an hour. However, if you are trying to hold a one-minute plank, then it feels like an eternity, and the final minute of an NFL game seems to go on forever. Three of the Super Bowl games were won at the last minute, many a traveler missed their flight at the last minute. Suddenly the lowly minute takes on a life of its own.

Life is filled with minutes. Each day you get 1440 minutes to work, rest and enjoy. Every month you get 43,800 minutes to fill up with activity. Over the year God gives you 525,600 minutes to make a difference. God has given us the gift of minutes. The question becomes, what do we do with those minutes?

A simple minute could be a game-changer for you considering the many one-minute books that Amazon offers, such as: “The One-Minute Organizer: Plain & Simple: 500 Tips for Getting Your Life in Order; The New One Minute Manager; The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey; One Minute Answers to Skeptics; One Minute Bible for Starters; or The One Minute Millionaire: The Enlightened Way to Wealth.”

Singer Tom Jones realized the power of a minute in his song, A Minute of Your Time:

“For you to think of me

It would only take a minute of your time

To spare one thought for me

Would you miss just one minute of your time…

One minute of your time

Is all it takes to bring us close

When we are far apart”

David, the powerful king of Israel, passionate poet, songwriter, and warrior had used his minutes wisely to prepare for his varied roles. Long before he picked up the rocks to do battle with Goliath, he had spent countless minutes practicing with his sling until that day when “he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” (I Sam 17:40 NIV) He understood that “My times are in your hand,” (Ps 31:15a). He understood that “In your presence there is fullness of joy,” (Ps 16:11)

Frank Laubach, missionary and literacy advocate, realized the real potential of a simple minute. He wrote a small book in 1953 called “The Game with Minutes,” to call Christians back to a constant presence of God in their daily lifestyles. He wrote, “Less than ten minutes a week given to thinking about Christ by one-sixth of the people is not saving our country or our world; for selfishness, greed, and hate are getting a thousand times that much thought. What a nation thinks about, that it is. We shall not become like Christ until we give Him more time.”

If Paul wrote, “pray without ceasing” (I Thess 5:16), “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication” (Eph 6:18), “persevere in prayer” (Rom 12:12) then it is critical to keep God in mind at all times. Laubach wrote, “We try to call Him to mind at least one second of each minute. We do not need to forget other things nor stop our work, but we invite Him to share everything we do or say or think…With God, every minute can be a fresh beginning. Ahead of you lie limitless anticipations.”

You and I have 1440 minutes today, what can we do with them? Laubach wrote, “We never attempt to keep a minute-by-minute record (excepting perhaps occasionally for an hour) since such a record would interfere with normal life. We are practicing a new freedom, not a new bondage. We must not get so tied down to score keeping that we lose the glory of it, and its spontaneity. We fix our eyes upon Jesus, not upon a clock.”

Enjoy the minutes as you ask God to intervene in our nation, community, or family. Enjoy the minutes as you pray to move the mountains of unbelief. Enjoy the minute as you find refreshment for your souls in those one-minute moments.  One thing I do know is that minutes move quickly off the face of the clock, so keep your eyes on Jesus and every minute becomes beautiful. Enjoy your minutes today, they are a gift from God!

“My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips when I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night.” (Psalm 63:5-6)

God is great!

 

Springs of Life

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My son, pay attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. They are not to escape from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their body. Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:20-23 (NASB)

Water! The lifeline for life. As a general rule, an adult can usually live only three days without water. You can live without food much longer than without water. According to The Global Burden of Disease, a major global study on health factors, 1 out of 4 people do not have access to safe drinking water. Unsafe water is responsible for an estimated 1.2 million deaths each year. UNICEF reports that almost 2/3 of the world’s population experiences water scarcity for at least one month each year. Over two billion people live in countries where the water supply is inadequate.

Americans consumed 15 billion gallons of bottled water in 2020 making it the top-selling packaged beverage. Consumption created a $36.3 billion retail sales bonanza for distributors with bottled water sales in the United States topping the total GNP of approximately 96 other nations.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the Bible is filled with verses using water as a metaphor for spiritual life. Understanding that pure water is needed to quench physical thirst, so is the need to spiritually guard our heart, “for from it flow the springs of life.”

I don’t normally write about something that I haven’t watched, so I will give this disclaimer, I didn’t watch this year’s Grammy awards. I am sure there were some good moments within the show and some music-worthy performances, but having read numerous articles on the show’s content and seeing some of the broadcast’s highlights, I am not sure it would have been a healthy source of living water for me.

Kees Postma, a Dutch pastor in his book, “The Retreat: A lighthearted and humorous story about a soul searching pastor,” writes “We men (and women) are quite good at protecting what we have. We take out insurance on almost everything we own. We have burglar alarm systems and video doorbells protecting our property, and baseball bats or something equivalent hidden upstairs should it happen that one breaks into our house. But Scripture points our attention to one other thing that we should guard with all we have in us, and that’s our heart. That’s where our insecurities, our hopes and dreams for the future are stored.”

Postma tells a parable about the fictitious village of Wellsprings. It is a perfect little close community that has been there for generations and offers safety to those within its borders. Houses are perfectly maintained, the people are neatly dressed and all the cars are without any dents or scratches. Visitors are amazed at the city’s spotless perfection from no weeds in the yards to no stains on the kid’s clothes. “We will guard everything we own with all vigilance, for in it we find safety and security.”

Yet through the years, the villagers prized only the outward appearance and no one took a concern for the inner workings until the stench of death became overwhelming as several of its citizens died from lead poisoning from the water. Pipes that should have brought clean life-giving water brought deadly water. Instead of maintaining the source of water, the citizens cared only for outward appearances. They will eventually understand that “It is better to guard the inside with all vigilance than brushing up the outside. Better is an old tap with clean water than a designer one with contaminated water running through it.”

Just as a city must protect the water source, more so should we guard our hearts with all diligence. We can be Hollywood styled, have a picture-perfect physique, and drive a classy car, yet walk around with a dead heart. Jesus confronted the Pharisees, who were lovers of material things by saying, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts.” –Luke 16:14-15

Gary Chapman, long-time pastor, and writer said of himself that he prays, “God, keep my heart. Because if God keeps your heart, and your heart beats with his heart, you’re not going to get very far off the road.”

If the general rule is you can live only three days without water, imagine what happens if you don’t replenish your heart regularly? Instead of “springs of life” our hearts become cesspools of “evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander” according to Jesus. (Matthew 15:16-20)

The Gospel of John captures the beautiful and life-changing encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Instead of being able to rest during the mid-day heat like the other women, we read the story of this broken woman who bears the pain of her past carrying her pots to the well in the heat of the day. Yet she will find in her search for physical water the ultimate gift of living water. Jesus said, “But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.” (John 4:14)

Just as the woman came to the well thirsty, we live in an age when people are coming thirsty but are going to dry wells. The world’s attention may have been focused on the Grammys but God was doing something unique among the students on the campus of Asbury University in Kentucky. What began as a routine chapel service on February 8, 2023, has become a unique outpouring of God’s presence that is touching the lives of students on campus and around the world. Fifty-three years ago, on the same campus, when the nation faced similar conditions of violence, racial division and hatred, a movement of God was felt! Could this be the time when we again see a fresh movement of God?

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.”—Jesus

Come, Lord Jesus!
God is great!

Sunday Mornings – More than just another day

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Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. Acts 2:46

What gets you up on Sunday mornings for church? If you are a child, probably your Mom or Dad. If you are a teenager, hopefully, Mom or Dad takes you to church, but it could be a friend. If you are more mature in life, maybe it is an obligation, but hopefully, it is excitement. Excuses abound for not going to church: the music is loud, the people are all hypocrites, the preacher preaches too long, or the building is too hot or cold. C.S. Lewis was asked the question, “Is attendance at a place of worship or membership with a Christian community necessary to a Christian way of life?” Lewis beautifully captured what it means to go to church:

“My own experience is that when I first became a Christian, about fourteen years ago, I thought that I could do it on my own, by retiring to my rooms and reading theology, and I wouldn’t go to the churches and Gospel Halls, and then later I found that it was the only way of flying your flag; and, of course, I found that this meant being a target. It is extraordinary how inconvenient to your family it becomes for you to get up early to go to Church. It doesn’t matter so much if you get up early for anything else, but if you get up early to go to Church it’s very selfish of you and you upset the house. If there is anything in the teaching of the New Testament which is in the nature of a command, it is that you are obliged to take the Sacrament, and you can’t do it without going to Church. I disliked very much their hymns, which I considered to be fifth-rate poems set to sixth-rate music. But as I went on I saw the great merit of it. I came up against different people of quite different outlooks and different education, and then gradually my conceit just began peeling off. I realized that the hymns (which were just sixth-rate music) were, nevertheless, being sung with devotion and benefit by an old saint in elastic-side boots in the opposite pew, and then you realize that you aren’t fit to clean those boots. It gets you out of your solitary conceit.” – from Answers to Questions on Christianity, God in the Dock

It could be that a few of you may have a long-forgotten treasure tucked away in your keepsake box: a perfect attendance pin from years ago!  God never intended for church going to be about pins, certificates, public recognition, or trying to gain God’s favor.  Rhonda Stoppe writes “Church is not a place to go, rather it is a living body where God wants you to become a part—for your good and His glory.”

You probably have your reasons for going to church but here are a few of my reasons:

I get to celebrate with others. I love my morning prayer times but I need those times together with others in worship to strengthen and encourage me. The times of corporate worship remind me that I am not alone in my faith journey. As I look around on Sunday mornings and worship with others, I realize we are all on the same journey of faith.  Corporate worship is an important part of that “great encouragement we give each other” in Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Amy Carmichael writes in Candles in the Dark to her colleagues of this vital unity, “I depend on you to carry on whatever happens. There may be difficult days ahead, but if you all stand together and go on together, nothing can overwhelm you. There may be attacks upon the pattern shown, and upon your vital unity which is founded upon loyal love. Be it so. I cannot fear. He who has called will hold you fast, and He will lead you on.”

I get to hear the preaching of God’s Word. Yes, I could easily sit in my recliner at home and listen to a smorgasbord of preachers. There are times when sitting at home is unavoidable and necessary and I am thankful for modern technology that connects us to the church. However, in an age of relationship isolation, solo worship fails to meet the need for togetherness. The early church realized the importance of coming together as “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

I get to model what it means to be a follower of Jesus. My kids know I am not perfect but they did see me worshipping a perfect Savior. I may not be a perfect neighbor but my going to church serves as a witness every Sunday morning. I may not be perfect but as I gather with other imperfect people, together we worship a perfect Savior. “The very moment of my salvation in Christ made my union with Christ an objective fact, but it’s not until the moment of realization of communion with Christ that there’s experiential joy.”—Ann Voskamp, The Broken Way

I get to be part of the global church. Long before I get to church on Sunday mornings, literally millions of fellow worshippers have already been to church and then by the time I leave, millions more will be attending church. In some places globally, members gather in secret due to government persecution, other believers gather under trees for church facilities, others gather in century-old sanctuaries, and many more will gather in store-front church plants. Regardless of the location where the gatherings take place, the beauty of these gatherings is “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. “(Gal 3:28) How awesome to know that I am not isolated but part of something far more significant. I am part of a living body of believers scattered throughout the world.

I get to worship God. If for no other reason I go to church because God is worthy to be worshipped. The One who created me in His image, the One who came to rescue me, the One who has prepared a place for all of eternity for me. This is the reason I go to church! “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:1)

There may be a multitude of reasons to worship together. Whatever the reasons, all are simply a preamble to the greatest worship event of all times when “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands, And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Rev 7:9-10)

As followers of Jesus gather together weekly “from every nation, tribe, people and language” it is the most amazing answer we can give to a world drowning in disunity, divisiveness, hatred, and disillusion!

Lord, what an overwhelming celebration of oneness each week as we come together from every nation, tribe, people and language. You are the reason we can gather together as one. May You find us faithful.

God is great!

Exceptional Sleepers

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Many say, “Who can show us anything good?” Smile upon us, LORD! You make me happier than those who have abundant grain and wine. I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, LORD, make me safe and secure. –Psalm 4: 6-8

Ever fall asleep in class, on a plane, in church, or standing in line at Kroger waiting to check out? Then you may be a candidate for a job with Casper Mattress Company. They are looking to hire some expert sleepers and posted this on their website, “Do you love to sleep? Then we have a job that will pay you to do just that. Join the Casper Sleepers and show off your sleeping skills in public, on social and anywhere else people are looking. So join us to literally sleep on the job because we believe a good sleep changes everything.” (Casper.com website)

Casper’s dream candidate has:

Exceptional sleeping ability

A desire to sleep as much as possible

Willingness to be in front of or behind the camera capturing content

Ability to sleep through anything

A passion for sharing and talking about all things sleep through our social channels

I don’t know if this would be my dream job but I can sleep anywhere. Sleep is a blessing when it is estimated that 10 to 30 percent of adults struggle with chronic insomnia. In one of their reports, the Sleep Foundation said, “Insufficient sleep has an estimated economic impact of over $411 Billion each year in the United States alone.” In addition, “Drowsy driving is responsible for more than 6,000 fatal car crashes every year in the United States.”

Some of the major causes of sleep deprivation include stress, anxiety, work-related pressures, bedroom too hot or cold, uncomfortable beds, alcohol, caffeine, jet lag, using electronic devices close to bedtime, or watching TV in bed before going to sleep. The list could go on and on. Outside of health-related sleeping issues, many of the hot button causes of sleep deprivation come from us. Going to bed too late, looking at our Smartphones before bed, drinking that second cup of Starbucks coffee an hour before bedtime, or watching the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series before falling asleep!

Jesus taught us calmness through sleep. During a major storm when his disciples were in a state of panic as “the waves began to swamp the boat.” Instead of finding Jesus anxious and worried about the storm, they found him sleeping. So they came and woke him up saying, “Lord, save us! We are about to die!” There is nothing worse than being awakened from a deep sleep and Jesus was no exception. A little rebuke to the disciples before He took care of the situation.  “Why are you afraid, you of little faith? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was dead calm.” Matthew 8:25-26

Peter taught us trust through the gift of sleep. His friend and co-laborer, James had been executed by King Herod and now Peter finds himself between two burly soldiers waiting his fate. What do we find Peter doing? Sleeping. “Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison.” Acts 12: 6 He could have stayed awake worrying about the situation and his pending execution but his hope was in the Giver of Life, so he slept.

Elijah taught us spiritual and physical renewal through the gift of sleep. He had been on the mountaintop of success, literally raining fire down on the false prophets but now he was running into the wilderness out of fear for his life. “Elijah stretched out and fell asleep under the shrub. Suddenly an angelic messenger touched him and said, “Get up and eat…he ate and drank and then slept some more.” I Kings 19:4-6 Through God’s gift of rest and sleep, Elijah was renewed and sent back to work.

God taught us reliance upon Him through the gift of sleep. Research consistently confirms the human body needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night, so roughly a third of our lives is spent sleeping. Sleep and rest were part of God’s creative plan. Whether sleeping on a Casper Mattress or between two soldiers on a cold floor, it is our statement of trust that God has everything under control. “When you lie down you will not be filled with fear; when you lie down your sleep will be pleasant. Do not be afraid of sudden disaster or when destruction overtakes the wicked; for the LORD will be the source of your confidence.” Proverbs 3:24-26

When we fall asleep we being to turn off our conscious mind and thoughts and begin to let go of our usual daytime defenses.  Living in the fullness of God’s love allows us to sleep during the vulnerability of night. Tonight, as you lay down, remember that sleep is among the many gifts that God gave us to live life. “It is vain for you to rise early morning, come home late, and work so hard for your food. Yes, he provides for those whom he loves even when they sleep.” —Psalm 127:2 NET

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go.”—Psalm 143:8 (NIV UK) “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things are passing away; God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices.”—Teresa of Avila

Now guide me waking, O Lord,

and guard me sleeping;

that awake I may watch with Christ,

and asleep I may rest in peace.   (Night Prayer from the ancient Night Offices of the Church)

God is great!