Water Break

            Something happened at Sunday evening’s World Cup game that has never happened before in the history of the quadrennial sporting event. About 35-40 minutes into the first half of the match between the U.S. and Portugal, the referee stopped the match for a water break. Soccer is a sport that is pretty well known for its “stop-for-nothing” approach to the game. I remember many games in college that were played in horrendous weather conditions in western New York State. I always felt sorry for the three Nigerians on our team whenever we played in snow, sleet, or freezing rain. But I felt sorry for myself as well. There were times when it was nothing short of miserable… but the game always went on.

On Sunday the conditions in Brazil were just the opposite: extremely warm and humid. The humidity at this year’s World Cup has been exceptionally challenging for many teams, especially in towns in or near the Amazon rainforest where some games have been played. Many cramps and pulled muscles are sidelining players and causing concern for coaches. So, at this game – with a court order behind them - the officials invoked a rule that makes it possible to take a short break for water, since the playing conditions made dehydration a serious, even dangerous problem. I assume that the players were appreciative for this break, because they all took advantage of it. In a couple of minutes play resumed and the match went on.

There are conditions in life that make us extremely thirsty, but in a different way. That thirst – or longing – is for God: for His help, for His comfort, or to meet some need (usually desperate) before we are “sidelined” physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Jesus promised living water to the woman at the well. In promising the Holy Spirit to whomever would believe on Him, He described the result as “streams of living water” flowing from within them.

It is wonderful that God invites us to be refreshed in Him… to come to Him freely for an abundant provision of that which will quench our thirst. God is not stingy. He does not hold back. If we are thirsty it is because we hold back from Him. We seek to “quench” our thirst for many things in life by drinking from the world’s fountains. But what the world has to offer cannot meet our deepest needs. It cannot fill the longings of our souls like the presence and friendship of the Lord can. Unfortunately, it can take people (in some cases) a lifetime of running from God and the experience of a great dryness of the soul before they come to the Lord to be “hydrated” in His mercy and blessing. God is very generous to all who come to Him humbly and in sincere faith. If you have a thirst that the world has not been able to meet, take it to the Lord and see what He will do. He will not let you down.

Psalm 23:5 (NIV) ⁵  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV) ¹ As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. ²  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Psalm 107:8-9 (NIV) ⁸  Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, ⁹  for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Psalm 107:35 (NIV) ³⁵  He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs;

Isaiah 44:3-4 (NIV) ³  For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. ⁴  They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.

Isaiah 55:1 (NIV) ¹  "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

John 6:35 (NIV) ³⁵  Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 7:37-39 (NIV) ³⁷  On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." ³⁹  By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

PRAYER:  Father, thank you for the invitation to drink and be filled. In my thirst – whatever it may be – may I always come to you. You alone can quench my deepest longings and meet the needs of my soul. Your provision to me in Jesus is abundant and full. In Him I lack nothing. Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. May His presence flow freely and fully in me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott

A Good Beginning

      “Where do we start?”

      If you’ve ever asked that question as you faced a big job, you probably know the difficulties of choosing what to do first, especially when the task seems overwhelming. Joanne and I have a cellar full of “stuff” that has been sitting there for quite a while – long enough to cause me a little embarrassment - and I admit I am a procrastinator in the face of it. When death comes, most people will leave behind things and information to others who may ask the question, “Where do we start?” as they deal with what someone else can no longer possess. As Jeff, our new church office assistant got started last week, he didn’t ask the question, but we both felt it lingering over us: “What do we do first?” We tend to ask this question when there is so large a task before us that we often do not know how to get going on it. Even if it doesn’t really matter that much where we begin, we still may wonder, delay, or find something else to do.

      In my sermon on Sunday I made reference to Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Last week that simple statement percolated in my thoughts for quite a while. And it was the word “beginning” that I couldn’t stop thinking about. I have known too many people who figured in their lives that they would “deal” with God later: they would get to Him at some unplanned time in the future – even at the time of their deaths. What a foolish plan (or lack thereof) that is! I have also known many people who pursued all that this world offers with all their hearts and souls. What they missed, however, was the pursuit of God first. And when they did this, everything they gained or accumulated became useless. All the study, all the learning, all the preparation, all the investment, all the expenditure of energy, all the achievement,… all futile in the end. Why? Because God had been totally left out of the picture. They hadn’t begun with the Lord.

     The Holy Spirit tells us through Solomon’s words that there is something at the start – at the beginning – that indicates possession of knowledge. All and any knowledge of lasting, eternal value, only exists where the fear of the Lord precedes it. Where the fear of the Lord – reverential, respectful trust and deference, priority and honor given to God – exists, then I can say I truly know anything. People – young people especially today – who have so many hopes and dreams do well to begin with the Lord, and seek Him with an attitude and relationship that takes into consideration His holiness, righteousness, glory, and nature as God. To not start with this… to ignore Him… is to miss everything and end up in futility in life.

Jesus knew these things. He once offered a man eternal life. Who wouldn’t want that? The man, however, walked away from Jesus in sadness, because he had given his heart to his possessions – all that he had accumulated in this life. He was given first to the material things of this world, and not to the fear of the Lord. So, in truth he was an ignorant man, not really knowing or even possessing anything of value, because he didn’t start with the Lord. All knowledge, ability, skill, and accomplishment in this life will not last beyond the grave and will not bring satisfaction apart from the Lord. This is why it is so important to begin with the Lord. It is so important for us to acknowledge God’s place in everything, and to worship and serve Him above all things.

In any endeavor… any dream or aspiration… any desire to know, understand, or achieve… may we always begin with the Lord. Let us not treat Him as an aside, as a corollary to our existence. Rather, let us first acknowledge Him at the very center – leading and guiding, providing and instructing through His Word. With every goal and objective in life we set, let us always start with the Lord – acknowledging His priority and will. May we always love for Him to be first, and may we rest in Him and be confident that everything that begins with Him is what we really need to know in this life.

Matthew 16:26 (NIV) ²⁶  What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Proverbs 1:7 (NIV) ⁷  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Exodus 20:3 (NIV) ³  "You shall have no other gods before me.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (NIV) ⁵  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. ⁷  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

PRAYER:  Father, whenever I am faced with a decision or when I need to know what to do, may I always go to you first. Incline my heart and mind to always consider first what your Word teaches and may I seek your will first in all things. Thank you for the grace that you show to me in Christ, that I might even be able to consider these things – to know you and to do your will. May you have the priority in my life. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott

A Newbie Needs You

            Are there things in your life that are “easy” now… things that you once were greatly challenged by and found extremely difficult? They’ve become so easy now that you take them for granted. There are some programs on my computer that were very intimidating when I first loaded and used them. Now I skip through them and use them somewhat effortlessly (though I’m sure I could still learn more). I usually do not notice this has happened until I have to explain to someone else how to use the programs. When something has become easy for you, it requires care and patience when you are trying to teach someone else. You cannot assume or expect them to be at the same comfort or experience level as you are. Joanne’s mother was a master when it came to cooking and baking and feeding people. It all looked like it came “easy” to her. Not all of her kids have her gift, though. Those gifts are not automatically duplicated in others. It takes one’s own effort, work, and practice. They too, must learn “from scratch”.

            I think of all the men and women who were patient, gentle, and loving with me when I was a clueless novice. It was a tremendous struggle, for example, when I first took guitar lessons. I feel sorry for my teacher and what he had to put up with. Nothing sounded right. When he played “it”, it sounded so good… so smooth… and it looked so easy. But it wasn’t for me. It took me months to be able to play an “F” chord without getting a buzz or muffled sound from the strings. Today, after years of playing, I can manage somewhat better than those first years of playing. But then I listen to or watch Tommy Emmanuel or some other highly accomplished guitarist and I am amazed at how easy they make it look, and what it would take to get to their playing level. I wonder how patient I would be if I were in the role of teacher to someone just beginning. Would I have what it takes to help them learn, and not focus on their inability?

            Praise God for our Sunday school teachers, our VBS leaders, our youth group leaders, and all the people who helped us find Jesus and grow in Him. In my life they were patient with my “newbie” ways and limited understanding of the things of God. They helped me get into and understand God’s Word, and they led me to know Christ in a personal way that ultimately led to many things that are “easy” now (or should I say, “easier”). At least they may look that way to others. But all of our growth in Christ is all by the Spirit and His power. He must receive the credit for any transformation in us and any abilities we may have. But He used many people to help me, and I’m thankful for each one of them. Every day I am reminded how much deeper, further, and higher there is to go in knowing Christ and walking with Him. The depths of God’s Word will never be fully uncovered by me, or by any one person. The key is to keep going deeper with Jesus. He always has more for the hungry heart.

            When God’s grace has enabled you to grow spiritually, what can you do with that? - Become a teacher, an encourager, a “blesser” of others. Lots of folks feel like “newbies” when it comes to the things of God. Whatever God has given you, and whatever He has done in your life… is ultimately for others. Find a way to share it. Seedlings and sprouts need tender-loving care, however. It’s not “easy” for them. Let us not forget where we ourselves have come from, and how far God has brought us. What person new in Christ could you begin to pray for… could you ask “How are you doing?”… could you offer to help in some way? You do not have to be an “expert” before you can help others.

            May God open our eyes to see that what He has given to us is for our joy, but also for the joy of others.

2 Timothy 2:2 (NIV) ²  And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) ¹⁰  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

Philippians 1:6-7 (NIV) ⁶  being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷  It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.

PRAYER:  O Lord, you have been so gracious and longsuffering with me. You have brought me to where I am now. And you will lead me further and higher and deeper by your Spirit and through your Word. Use me to encourage and bless others, I pray. Give me patience with people if they are not yet where they could be. Lead me to ever point them to Jesus, who gave himself for them. Thank you for your grace, because all I am and all I have is only by your grace. I love you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott

Start Cooking!

            An extremely loose paraphrase (from 1 Corinthians 12:4-27):

            “There are different kinds of utensils, but the same One doing the cooking. There are different cooking methods, but the same Chef. There are lots of different recipes, but the same Grill Master works all of them for everyone’s enjoyment… The grill is a unit, though it is made up of many parts. And though there is this variety of form and purpose, all the parts together form one grill. This is the way it is with Christ. It’s like this: the Spirit is the Assembler who took all of us and put us together into one working grill, whether our background is Jewish or Gentile, dependent or independent – the Assembler’s fingerprints are all over us. Now the grill is not made up of one part, but of many. If the wheel should say, ‘Because I am not the cooking grid, I do not belong to the grill,’ it would not for that reason cease to be a part of the grill. And if a control knob should say, ‘Because I am not a burner, I do not belong to the grill,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the grill. If the whole grill were a burner, where would the propane tank be? And if the whole grill was a propane tank, where would the grease tray be? But in fact the Grill Designer has arranged and assembled the parts in the grill, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the useable grill be? As it is, there are many parts, but one grill. The propane tank can’t say to the warming rack, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the lid cannot say to the wheels, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the grill that seem to be insignificant are very important, and the parts that seem so common and not that big a deal – like screws – we give special attention to because they are very important. And the parts that get dirty and smelly we may not always want to display, but we don’t think of other parts as being more important. The Grill Master wants all the parts to work together perfectly – each doing its own thing: what it was made to do. If one part rusts or breaks or fails in some way, the grill isn’t everything it could be. But if everything is put together right, and works correctly – each part doing its job – some awesome and beautiful meals are prepared by and for the Grill Master. Now you are the ‘grill’ of Christ, and each one of you is part of it.”

            I received a new grill for Christmas and, due to the cool spring and some other factors, haven’t used it yet. My son Connor assembled it for me last week after several months of just being stored in the shed (the grill, not Connor). It wasn’t doing anyone any good there, in unassembled condition. But now everything is tested and prepared for doing what the grill was designed to do – start cooking. There is one tiny thing missing, however. On the lid there is a part still needed. It’s just a small, relatively insignificant rubber part called a hood bumper stop. There are supposed to be two of these – one on each side of the lid, so it can rest evenly on the grill body when closed. Can we still cook without it? Yes. But I want my other hood bumper stop, and I’m going to get it. The grill was designed with its purpose in mind and I want it to be right. I want the lid to rest evenly and not let heat escape unnecessarily. So I am waiting for my little hood bumper stop to arrive.

            Every person in our church is important. Each one has been designed by God with His purpose in mind, to the end of His glory and honor. When a member doesn’t function according to His will and plan, others are impacted – usually in a negative way. What we are in the Body (or grill) of Christ matters to the Body and to the Lord. If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit has equipped you with gifts, abilities, passions, personality, and experiences that are useful to the Lord and the Body. You have been made by Him and have the privilege to experience great joy in being available to Him for whatever use He has in mind for you. That joy will become a joy to others as well. And your joy in the Lord will be a foundation of praise to Him. The Lord wants you, whether prominent or “hidden”. He wants you in place to serve Him. May our prayer be, “Lord, I’m ready… start cooking!”

Romans 12:4-10 (NIV) ⁴  Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵  so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. ⁷  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; ⁸  if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. ⁹  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

PRAYER:  Father, thank you that you have a purpose for me. Your plan is carried out in me and through me every day. May your will be done, and not my own. Open my eyes to see that I am not a “lone ranger” Christian. I am a part of Christ’s Body. Lead me to faithfulness in response to your calling and equipping. Thank you for assembling me together with others for much that is so much greater than I could ever aspire to or experience alone. Lead me to love the Church – the redeemed and called of God who are saved by Christ. Take joy in your church, and be glorified in us. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott