Letting God Speak

      All the hoopla around the suspension of Tom Brady has been hard to avoid. I am a New England Patriots fan and the likelihood of some level of wrongdoing – especially covering up the truth – is disappointing to say the least. Whatever happened, I think the old saying applies: “Honesty is the best policy.” I wish Tom Brady the best and hope that he will handle himself in an honorable way as the story continues to unfold.

The recent judgment of the NFL against the Patriots and against Brady raises lots of questions. Many New England fans feel it is unfair. Most football fans from the rest of the country think it falls short of what he deserves and what the team deserves. The response to his cheating has been almost vitriolic. People seem very happy to point fingers at his wrongdoing. Many feel that justice has finally been served and they want Brady and the Patriots to pay severely. Such things fill newspaper columns and make for interesting conversation on ESPN and sports radio. Everybody has an opinion and strong feelings so there is a highly dramatized element to the whole story. By way of example, Mike Sielski, a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, wrote on May 13: “Boiled down, it doesn't. The pretext for this entire exercise in pedantry and self-importance is that, by having others fiddle with footballs on his behalf, Brady gained an inappropriate competitive advantage in the Patriots' 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Jan. 18. Nevertheless, the seriousness of the transgression doesn't justify the saturation coverage of the story, the hue and cry over Brady's snickering at the accusations, and the haughtiness of the NFL's investigation. (The Wells Report was 243 pages. The Gettysburg Address was 272 words. And it certainly doesn't justify so draconian a penalty, no matter how much face commissioner Roger Goodell and the league want to save after mishandling the Ray Rice spousal-abuse incident last year.”

A mentor of mine was fond of saying, “This too will pass.” He used it frequently with my friends and I as he discipled us in a high school ministry our church sponsored. He would see us get all worked up about something – what you might call getting in a “tizzy” – and we would always hear those words: “This too will pass”. And such will happen to this story, because the media is constantly on the lookout for the next big story and the masses move on as the spotlight shifts.

Whenever I observe feelings as strong as those associated with (the ones against) Brady and the Patriots, it makes me wonder why people so often have such a hard time recognizing that God has the right to be angry with sin. Every day people make judgments about the wrong that others do. Their sense of justice can result in a righteous indignation that is quite intense. If I asked an anti-Brady fan if he had the right to be angry and judgmental of Tom Brady, the answer would come back, “Of course I do!” (actually that is the polite version of the response). But how many people who practice some form of this in life (well beyond just the realm of football) would at the same time be offended when the Word of God calls something a sin. Society considers pointing out sin or pointing to a God who judges sin as one of the greatest offenses a person could commit. “How dare you suggest…”… “What gives you the right to…”… “You hypocrite…”… “Judge not…”… etc.

When they do such things, people like this are claiming a right to do something but refusing to give God the right to do the same thing, though of course only He can judge justly. Our religious culture loves to declare, “My God is a God of love… A God of love can’t possibly call what I want or what I do… wrong! He loves me just the way I am…”  But God, who is sovereign, does indeed have the right to define and declare what is right and what is wrong. Human opinion does not and cannot change or undo God’s decrees. But human humility and submission to God can lead us to experience His grace, something we so desperately need for missing the mark of His will and ways. His standards and judgments lead us away from pride to our need for Christ, in whose righteousness we have life. May we take God’s law seriously and cast ourselves on Christ, depending wholly on grace. AMEN!

Isaiah 46:9-10 (NIV) ⁹  Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. ¹⁰  I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

Psalm 19:7-11 (NIV) ⁷  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸  The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. ⁹  The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. ¹⁰  They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. ¹¹  By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

PRAYER:  God, please let me recognize as sin what you call sin and may it lead me to my desperate need for Christ. Your decrees are right and your will is perfect. Give me grace to strive after holiness in thought, word, and deed. Cleanse me, I pray. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

God Helps Us Understand His Word

            Recently I needed to buy a new windshield wiper for our car. When my wipers go bad it always seems to be a spot in my driver’s sight line. There’s a streak where the wiper isn’t working properly and the only thing you can do to make it better is replace the wiper. Usually I’ll let it go for a while until I can’t stand it anymore. I usually just go to Walmart and buy one of the cheaper replacement wipers. Assuming I can actually get it on to the wiper arm correctly, it usually works okay. But the cheaper ones don’t typically last that long. On this occasion I decided to lay out for a top line Bosch model. They aren’t cheap, but they are supposed to work amazingly well compared to the $5 no-name brands. I was able – with relative ease - to mount it properly and, feeling very proud of myself, got in to test it. It was horrible. It was streaking worse than the broken one. I thought, “What is up with this?” and began feel a little irritated. When you spend a little more for something you expect a better result. And when you spend a lot more for something, you expect it to dazzle you.

            Joanne is very good at not laughing at me when I do foolish things. And she was good that day. I got out of the car and took a closer look at the wiper. I noticed that its entire edge was whitish in color. That didn’t seem right. Then it dawned on me that the whitish edge was a piece of plastic put on to protect the rubber edge. In other words, a bit of fancy packaging and protection for such a “fine” piece of equipment. I decided to see if it came off. Was it part of the product, or part of the packaging? I didn’t know for sure. You can tell how experienced I am at car stuff. It slid off easily. I placed the wiper back against the window, and returned to the driver’s seat and tested it again. Wow… I really was amazed. Crystal clear… no streaks… all was well in my world again, except that I felt a little foolish. It’s one of those occasions when you hoped no one was around to see you do something that was laughable. Joanne and I had a good laugh and the life of the day resumed.

            When you read the Bible – God’s Word – it is not always crystal clear. There can be passages, phrases, and words that are confusing or hard to understand. But as Christians we have been given the Holy Spirit, and one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit to us is illumination. The doctrine of illumination relates to the ministry of the Holy Spirit that helps the believer understand the truth of Scripture. The Holy Spirit “unveils” our eyes – the eyes of our understanding – to comprehend the things of God. He does this directly as we read the Bible, and also as He leads and gifts those who teach God’s Word to instruct us. He uses things like language and grammar study, as well as spiritually – what we might call miraculously – revealing God’s mind to us. As we humble ourselves… as we seek the Lord wholly and with open hearts and minds… as we ask Him to speak to us, guide and lead us, and teach us His Word, the Holy Spirit does just that. For me, prayer is like removing the plastic covering of the wiper. I confess my sin and put my trust in Him, and I ask for His help. I remove anything in me that might be getting in the way of the Holy Spirit’s work. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit’s work of illumination, because God’s Word is so very important to know and to apply. Through it I know God. I know of God’s character and nature, of His holiness and His love, along with all that He has done in His world. I know of His Son’s existence, life, death, resurrection, and eternal reign – for sinners like me.

            When you read the Bible, may the Holy Spirit give you understanding and make very clear to you the person and will of God the Father and of Jesus Christ, His Son. And may you and I seek to be doers of that word, and not hearers only.

Psalm 19:7-11 (NIV) ⁷  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸  The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. ⁹  The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. ¹⁰  They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. ¹¹  By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Psalm 119:9-12 (NIV) ⁹  How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. ¹⁰  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. ¹²  Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.

James 1:22-25 (NIV) ²²  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴  and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.

PRAYER:  Lord, open my eyes that I may see, glimpses of truth Thou hast for me. Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for Thee, ready my God Thy will to see; Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine. In the name of Jesus, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Search Me, O God

            How do you respond when you pick up the phone and someone wants your opinion? Since this often happens during supper, if you’re like me you say you’re sorry… not interested… not available at the moment, or some such thing. You may find it easy just to hang up on the person. Or you may find it hard to say no, and do it so as to not disappoint your caller. My typical response with such calls is, “How long will it take?” I do not want to get hung up answering questions “forever”, so I like to check first.

            One of the things we may not necessarily like to do, yet is a very helpful thing in life, is to take time to evaluate. Job evaluations, personal evaluations, medical evaluations, product or service evaluations, church health evaluations… this list can get quite large. Socrates is credited with the statement, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” In other words, life has greater value if it is examined… or shall we say, evaluated (surveyed, inspected, scrutinized… however you want to put it).

            If my life is going to be examined, then an important question is, “By whom?” Who would you allow to examine your life? Who do you trust enough to go beyond the surface into the depths of who you are? Do you trust yourself? Most of us would not want to subject ourselves to the examination of just anyone. It might be too painful. We might not listen as carefully to the results. Allowing others to evaluate us can be extremely difficult, but when it is done in good faith by people we know to care about us and our well-being… and even love us… it can be so helpful, and great gains in life can be realized.

            Another important question is, “What does a person do with the examination?”… How do I decide to use it? Do I change anything? What do I change? What will happen if I change? This question helps us be intentional. What good do surveys do if nothing comes out of them? Our church completed a survey in February. It hasn’t been forgotten, but we are just getting around to using it to ask these kinds of questions. Whether personal or corporate, no one wants to do any kind of evaluating that adds up to a waste of time.

            In Psalm 139, David affirms that his life is constantly under God’s scrutiny. This brings some fear into his life. He is overwhelmed at the scope of God’s personal knowledge of him. But it also inspires him with great awe. To think that the Creator of the universe knew him with such detail and care. He concludes the psalm with a request for God to examine him: (Psalm 139:23-24 NIV) - “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” He knows God can be trusted, that God knows him truly, and that God loves him. To put himself in the hands of God might be intimidating, but it was the most necessary thing if God’s way was to become his way. And “the way everlasting” was what he longed for. When we seek Him out as David did, God will never waste our time. But He will change us… for His glory and our good.

Proverbs 27:6 (NIV)  Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

Psalm 139:1-7 (NIV) ¹  O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. ²  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. ³  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. ⁴  Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. ⁵  You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. ⁶  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. ⁷  Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV) ¹³  For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. ¹⁴  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. ¹⁵  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, ¹⁶  your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV)  "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

PRAYER:  Father, soften my heart that I may willingly come under your examination, and may out of that search come the person Christ died to make possible. In His name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

What Remains to Be Said?

            Have you said all you need to say… to that person who may be waiting for or needing more from you? I recently used gmail to respond to an email I had received. I am more comfortable using Outlook, but typically competent to use gmail. On this occasion, however, I must have typed something at the wrong time because, before I was ready, I saw that my message had been sent. “Wait… I didn’t want that sent. Why did gmail do that?” I thought. Obviously I mistakenly somehow told it to, but I wasn’t really ready. My message was incomplete, but it went anyway. There was no harm done, though I can envision circumstances where incomplete information – a partial email - could be less than desirable.

            My communication skills can always be improved. What I think I have said is not always what is heard, or understood from what I have written. And I fail frequently on the listening end of the process. I know there are some situations in life where too many words can get in the way. But there are also occasions in relationships where there is unfinished business. For example, how many conversations fall short of containing two very necessary short words: “I’m sorry.”? Or the words “I was wrong.”… or “Please forgive me.”? Yet those may be the very words our loved one is waiting to hear, and we haven’t said all we need to say. “I forgive you”… “I love you”… “I’m responsible”… “It was my fault”… Can you think of others?

We sometimes tell ourselves we don’t need to say “it” – whatever “it” is. We may stubbornly just not want to. We may assume s/he already knows. We may be afraid it won’t be received well. It is a good thing to overcome obstacles like these, by asking ourselves, “Is there anything I need to say today to my wife, husband, children, parents…?” This is a good question to ask ourselves regularly. Reminders are helpful. In his acceptance speech for winning best supporting actor at the Academy Awards, J.K. Simmons said the following: “And if I may, call your mom, everybody. I’ve told this [to], like, a billion people, or so. Call your mom, call your dad. If you’re lucky enough to have a parent or two alive on this planet, call ‘em. Don’t text. Don’t email. Call them on the phone. Tell ‘em you love ‘em, and thank them, and listen to them for as long as they want to talk to you. Thank you. Thank you, Mom and Dad.” I wonder how many people were blessed by that reminder and how many moms and dads had their (next) day brightened.

I understand that there are many things in life that are better off unsaid. James tells us that the tongue is an out-of-control fire and that it can do great damage. We do well to beware of this and to guard our tongues. But the tongue is a great tool for blessing, too. So… if you have more you can say today that can bless another, don’t leave it unsaid. Break through whatever might be holding you back – pride, fear, anger – and go for it. Speak with sincerity and from the heart. Such words will bring joy and encouragement to the hearer.

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.

Proverbs 12:25 (NIV)  An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

Isaiah 50:4 (NIV)  The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.

Proverbs 25:11 (NIV)  A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

PRAYER:  Father, fill my mouth with words that bless and build up, and may I use them freely and be generous in expressing them. Keep me from unfinished business. In Christ’s name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott