God's Word is Always Right

            I am grateful to the folks at First Baptist for allowing me the weekend away to be with Joanne and her family to observe a celebration of her mom’s life in Presque Isle. It was very good for us to be with family. I was asked to share some memories of Anna at the service. I began by asking forgiveness for all the things I would leave out: some of which certain people may have thought should be said. As I have shared with many folks at a number of funeral/memorial services, it is impossible to capture a whole life in just a few moments of time. But the service went very well.

            After the reception for family and guests, some of the family were to gather at the home of one of Anna’s granddaughters. It is a first home for her and her husband and they were looking forward to hosting a barbecue that evening. And it was a very nice time… just to relax and to be with one another sharing memories and laughs. Joanne and I almost did not make it, however.

            We had never been to the house before, and so I typed in the address on my phone and planned to let Google Maps navigate for me. Because of this I did not communicate with anyone ahead of time for directions. As I followed Google’s navigation I began to have the uneasy feeling that something wasn’t right. The directions seemed off, though I certainly was not 100% sure they were. I was under the impression from something I had overheard someone say that the house was in the opposite direction that I was traveling. But I kept on following the directions I was receiving from Google Maps for about 5 miles until I came to the address. Not having seen the house before, we did not know what to look for. I didn’t see any people and I did not recognize any of the cars in the driveway. And, being a man, I did not get out and go in and ask. Instead I drove away back into town. We tried making some phone calls but wherever people were there must have been a poor signal for their cell phones. Finally Joanne got through to someone and started her conversation with, “We’re lost…”, to which I quickly responded in a fairly loud, fairly agitated voice, “We’re not lost! I know where I am. I just don’t know for sure how to get to their house!”

            It turns out that I did have the right address, and I had gone to the right place the first time. This made me feel a little foolish, but I was glad not to spend all afternoon driving around as if I was lost. We had a great time together once we were there.

            As I was thinking about this yesterday, it occurred to me that this situation is a good example of how we come to the Bible at times. We have the right address – the right verse with the right teaching about a particular topic – but in our uncertainty or pride it just doesn’t sound “right” to us. A good example is the Scripture’s teaching about human sexuality. Another is what the Bible says about money. Another is about the nature of God’s judgment upon sinners. Another is the existence of hell. There are many more that we come upon in the verses of the Bible. At first glance we think, “That can’t really mean that. It doesn’t seem to jive with what I’ve heard elsewhere, or with what I think, or with what I wish it would say.” So we go away from what it says and look for God’s blessing and approval of some other idea or behavior. Finally, we have to come back to what the Bible actually says about the matter. It was not “in error” (It is not the “wrong address”.) in the first place. Some people spend all their time looking for God’s truth and God’s will in places other than the “address” that God gives us for it in His Word. But the Scriptures cannot be broken. God’s Word says what it means and means what it says. God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours: His wisdom unsearchable.

            Just as I had to “submit” to the possibility/probability that my Google Maps navigator was correct (and find out that it was), I must also submit to wisdom and correctness of God’s Word, even when I am tempted to place my own ideas above what the text is saying. God does not make mistakes. Are you and I subject to His Word, or are we trying to find a way to conclusions that are actually contrary to His Word? May He help us when pride and rebellion seek to assert themselves in us… to yield to His Word.

Proverbs 14:12 (NIV) ¹²  There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Psalm 37:23 (NLT) ²³  The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

Psalm 119:105 (KJV) ¹⁰⁵ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) ⁵  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

PRAYER:  Father, so I often I want to live by my conclusions, my ways, and my ideas. Forgive me when I ignore your Word. Please always bring me back to the Scriptures, for in them I find your perfect will. Break me of the pride that I use to set myself up above your Word. Forgive me when I go a-wandering away from your Truth. Thank you for your mercy that navigates me back to your Word, before which I can humble myself in your sight and find forgiveness and wholeness. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott

God's Covenant Love

            I spent a good part of Monday at an auto dealership having a fairly major repair done on my vehicle. Other than the inconvenience, the repair cost me nothing because the vehicle was under warranty. A warranty is...

“a written guarantee given to the purchaser of a new appliance, automobile, or other item by the manufacturer or dealer, usually specifying that the manufacturer will make any repairs or replace defective parts free of charge for a stated period of time." 

           With a warranty I don’t have to be anxious about having to pay and I have the assurance that what is covered will be taken care of properly by the company that offers it. Of course, when the warranty time period runs out… I will be stuck having to pay in full for any needed repairs. Car companies do not make endless warranties. Software companies do not offer support forever on their products, as users of Windows XP have found out. Not only can human agencies, businesses, and individuals not make products that last forever, they also can not provide assurance for the customer that lasts forever.

            How different it is with God. He has not offered warranties to the world, but what He has offered is His Covenant, and it is so much different: so much better and reliable than any human warranty. God’s covenant love abides forever and it is perfectly expressed through His Son, Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus is the communicator and the mediator of the New Covenant love of God. This covenant is the full and complete expression of what God entered with Israel, now offered to all through the blood of Christ. Not only did God make this covenant with all who would trust Jesus Christ by faith: He covered all the costs for it as well. And this covenant has no expiration date. It never expires. It is eternal. And we who are the beneficiaries of God’s eternal covenant love are secure in Him. On the cross Jesus paid the entirety of our obligation to God, so all that we receive from God is free (to us). There are no payments we can make. Jesus has paid. All we can do is enjoy the benefits and love Him.

            Only God’s covenant given to us in Christ is eternal. Every earthly pursuit and all that we may accumulate will wear out, rust, fall apart, or come to an end. It cannot be guaranteed forever. It cannot even be guaranteed tomorrow, for we do not know what a day will bring forth. The earth’s turmoil – earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanos, storms, floods, etc. – overcomes human strength and ingenuity all the time. Human war, crime, and vandalism wreak havoc and destruction on things which should be given an opportunity to last. Only God’s grace is guaranteed. Only God’s covenant is unbreakable and unshakeable. And He offers it to us freely, fully, and forever. What a generous God He is!

Jeremiah 31:31-33 (NIV) ³¹  "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. ³²  It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. ³³  "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Matthew 26:28 (NIV) ²⁸  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 9:13-15 (NIV) ¹³  The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴  How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! ¹⁵  For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) ³⁸  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

PRAYER:  Father, thank you for your grace, and the assurance of your covenant love for me in your Son, Jesus. Thank you that this covenant is unbreakable, unshakeable, and eternal. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott

The Grace Choice

      It always gets me into trouble. Whenever I hear someone mispronouncing a word or using a wrong version of it… I have this strong urge to correct them. Often I can avoid it in public (unless it is in a debate) because I don’t want to embarrass the person misspeaking. But the urge is still there. And in everyday conversation, I often cannot resist. I have a relative who comes to visit us once in a while. When we are deciding what to do, one possibility that might come up is going to Sand Beach. He insists, however, on referring to it as “Sandy” Beach, even after I’ve pronounced it correctly many times. Rather than correcting him, I’ll reference it more with careful diction in the course of the conversation and emphasize the word sand when I use it. It does no good, however, and then I have to decide whether my annoyance is more important than his incorrectness.

When things like this happen, it’s like I have two voices inside me: one is telling me, “Scott, look, it doesn’t really matter. Just let it go. It’s no big deal. You might embarrass this person, or make them feel bad. Chill out!” The other voice keeps telling me, “You’ll be doing them a favor… actually helping them and keeping others from being confused.” What the second voice says, however, usually has more to do with being right than with helping anybody. After I “listen” for a while to these voices, I decide which to follow. Sometimes it is, “Okay, I won’t say anything” and I move on. At other times it is, “Okay, I won’t say anything.” – but the urge does not go away and I keep wanting to say something. And at other times, still, it is, “I can’t help it, I have to say something.” But when I do, I almost always regret it. I know this all sounds trivial and, for the most part, it is. It’s just an example of how the flesh always wants to take over in everyday situations.

In pastoral ministry I have to speak quite a bit, and I misspeak often. When preaching, I can tell I’ve said something not quite right when people will look funny or murmur a little among themselves. Often I have no idea that I used a wrong word or a wrong form of a word. I may even have to ask. If it is a serious enough breach of speech (such as the opposite of what I really want to say or the wrong name) someone will speak up and correct me. Actually, I am very thankful when people help me out like this. I want to be very sure that people get the right message. Giving a wrong name or a wrong biblical concept needs that kind of correction. For the most part, though, people just tolerate my out-of-place words and Joanne may ask me later in the day, “Did you mean to say…?” or “Did you know you said…?” I am usually clueless… sometimes mortified… but always reminded how the grace afforded to me by others is such a blessing. Knowing the difference between when to speak and when not to speak is a piece of wisdom to be treasured. And grace, I think, is almost always the best choice.

I may be the only person who goes through stuff like this, but deep in my heart I don’t think so. You also may be in need of seeing the “grace choice” in everyday situations and conversations. Are you often challenged by the urge to be right at the risk of hurting another person? If you are like me, you need more grace from the Lord to see and to choose the way of grace with others. May the Lord help us to see this way, and may He guide us by His Spirit to speak to and to interact with others with the gentleness of Christ. AMEN.

                                                                                                          

Colossians 4:6 (NIV) – “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Ephesians 4:15 (NIV) – “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

PRAYER:  Father, guide me to not have to worry about being right in matters of no consequence. Let me be gentle and full of grace. Help me to see and to experience such “small” things as important ways to be like Jesus and to please you. Thanks. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott

Walking Sandwich Boards

            Recently we began a free lunch outreach once a week at the church building. Before we got started I put out a general appeal for someone to make us a “sandwich board” that we could use the day of the event each week to get people’s attention. Thanks to Nick Pettee we have a great one that is perfect for our needs.

            The expression “sandwich board” is not about food. Sandwich boards can be carried by a person, with one board in front and one behind, creating a "sandwich" effect. I found the following description on Wikipedia: “The carried version is usually attached to straps acting as suspenders, allowing the person wearing the boards to carry the weight on his or her shoulders and keeping the boards balanced on the wearer. Sandwich boards are most typically deployed in busy pedestrian areas and advertise businesses within easy walking distance. The wearer might also pass out flyers or shout advertising slogans. Sandwich boards were most popular in the 19th century, and have largely been supplanted by billboards, which are more effective in advertising to passers-by who are now likely to be in automobiles, rather than traveling by foot.”

            The first thought that comes to my mind when I think about this kind of sandwich board is (usually a cartoon version of) a man wearing a sign that says, “Repent, the end is near.” This has become a caricature in today’s world, and most people would ignore a real person on the sidewalk with such a sign. Joanne and I used to visit New York City quite a bit when her parents lived in Brooklyn. It was common to encounter street preachers of many types. While there may be a few people who would stop and gather to listen, most would pass by without giving the preacher the time of day. In the case of some preachers that may not have been all that bad. But some good gospel preaching was missed by many. The same kind of thing happens with people wearing sandwich boards.

            Let’s imagine you could wear a sandwich board for a time someplace in our world today. If it were totally up to you, what message would you display on it? To whom would it be directed? What outcomes would you hope for in your decision to wear it?

            If you think about it, we who are followers of Jesus are “walking sandwich boards”. People can “read” us as we live and interact with them day by day. They can read us by the words we say and how we say them. They can read us by the manner in which we conduct our lives. They can read us by how we treat them and how we respond to them. They can read us by the choices we make. They can read us by our posts on Facebook. There are so many ways that we may communicate that Christ is Lord and that He is our all in all. But He must be Lord, and He must be our all in all first on the inside where no one can see. May God be glorified by what others “read” in you and me.

2 Corinthians 3:2-4 (NIV) ²  You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. ³  You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. ⁴  Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.

2 Corinthians 3:2-4 (MSG) ²  You yourselves are all the endorsement we need. Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. ³  Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives—and we publish it. ⁴  We couldn't be more sure of ourselves in this—that you, written by Christ himself for God, are our letter of recommendation.

Hebrews 8:10 (NIV) ¹⁰  This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

PRAYER:  Father, fill me with Your Spirit, and write your love and grace on my heart. Let it be in a kind of writing that cannot be erased, one that will work itself out in my thoughts, words, attitudes, and deeds in such a way that the ongoing work of your grace will be clear and easy to read by all those around me. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott