Tuesday, March 29, 2016

It's the Little Things

Joshua 6:18 (NIV)  But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it.

            I have been reading in the Book of Joshua in recent days. There is a portion of this book that is devoted to the victory over Jericho. It was a mighty demonstration of God fighting for the Israelites and keeping His promises to give them triumph over the peoples of Canaan. This victory gave them confidence, assurance of God’s presence, and was a reminder of His guidance and aid. You could say they were “on a high” after it. But have you ever felt a letdown after a high? That happened to me after Easter. Easter Sunday is a day I usually “ramp up” to with services during the week and a lot of preparation and anticipation. The day itself was full of celebration in worship and with friends as we remembered that Jesus is risen. Then Monday came and I experienced an emotional letdown. This is not uncommon. Some of it is a physical response and some is an emotional one. You may have this experience in your life in certain ways. Sometimes there are “highs” that are followed by “lows”. It’s part of the rhythm of many a life. I am always thankful that my “lows” have never gotten too low or lasted very long. I know for some it can be much harder.

            The Israelites experienced a “low” shortly after the great victory God gave over Jericho. And it was over a very small matter. The next city to conquer was tiny compared to Jericho. So Israel’s leaders, in a bit of over-confidence, send out a small contingent of soldiers. The numbers really don’t matter when it comes to the Lord - if He is fighting your battles for you. But the Lord wasn’t fighting this battle for them, and the men of the small city – Ai – routed the soldiers of Israel. It wasn’t even the over-confidence that was the problem. But it was something small in men’s eyes. In men’s eyes the “little things” are often of no consequence. But in God’s eyes, the little things always matter. In this situation a man named Achan had decided to help himself to some of the spoils of the victory over Jericho – a nice robe, some coins, and a small piece of gold. These weren’t very significant in the larger scheme of things. “Certainly they would not be missed,” Achan must have thought. He had hidden them in his tent. And then Israel lost the battle against Ai. God held the entire nation responsible for one man’s sin. The actions of one man kept God’s blessing from His people. In a way that is a scary thought, because each of us is “just” one person. Are the “little things” in our lives ever in the way of God’s blessing of ourselves and others, like a small stone stuck in a hose blocking the flow of water? I know I would not want that to be the case because of me. In this way, this story is an encouragement to me to pursue holiness. Ultimately, I abide in the righteousness of Christ, so I am thankful that His blood covers my sin and keeps me from being a stumbling block. Yet my choices and decisions do matter. God calls me to holiness. And holiness becomes real and deep in the little things.

            Achan was discovered and ended up being judged by the Lord because of the “little things”. Temptations to small bits of dishonesty… to small acts of thievery… to brief views of things that don’t please the Lord… to tiny morsels of selfishness – these are among the many “little things” we face in our lives. We discount their importance because they are little. We fool ourselves into thinking they do not matter. It is always good to remember that there are no little things with God. We know that based on the Bible’s descriptions of God’s blessing on and valuing of so-called “insignificant” people and His judgment of people for what we view as minor matters. But in God’s eyes there are no minor matters or minor people. The by-word of the Christian ministry called Ligonier Ministries is a reminder that we live coram deo – “before the face of God”. We live moment by moment in the presence of, and in the full knowledge of God. We forget this often, and it is often to our detriment and grief. Another of R.C. Sproul’s mottos is “Right now counts forever”. If these things are so, then there are no small matters, no little things. May be glorified in the little things of our lives.

1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)  But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NIV) 26  Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, 29  so that no one may boast before him.

Proverbs 15:3 (NIV)  The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Matthew 17:19-20 (NIV) 19  Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" 20  He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

PRAYER:  Father, give me a heart and mind to pay attention to the small stuff in life, that it may all come under the Lordship and reign of Jesus, your Son. Remind me that there are no little people, and that nothing in life that is from you or for you is little. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

A Rearranged or a Changed Heart?

Psalm 51:10 (KJV)  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

            Joanne took advantage of the snow day on Monday by doing some things at the house she had been wanting to do when she had the time. One thing was to rearrange the living room furniture. Do you do that in your home? My mom did it when I was a kid. When you’re little something like that seems like a big deal. Why do people do this? I think probably because they want a fresh look... something different. We get bored with the same old same old and we like to mix things up. In our living room we have no new furniture: it’s the same furniture we’ve had for 10+ years. Two rocker-recliners that still have arm rests that are not close to being as clean as when they were when new. A small arm chair that belonged to my mom many years ago and found its way to our house. A small wooden rocking chair that is as uncomfortable as ever. And a couch that is showing its age. So yes, there is a new look in the room. But it’s just a rearrangement. It doesn’t change how things look up close. A throw might cover up spots and give a new look, but it won’t change what’s underneath. We do clean things up from time to time, but even a cleaning won’t get the “new furniture look” back completely. Small improvements help, but they tend to fall short of a true “new look”.

            My spiritual life can be like the living room at times. In my spiritual life I have lots of “stuff” in my heart. Some of it has been there a long time. It’s well-worn and dirty. In some cases I don’t even remember how it found its way there. But it’s there: an attitude toward someone I’ve been holding onto… a sin I’m unwilling to surrender… an expectation or direction from Scripture that I have been too stubborn to put into practice… a use of my time or money that is selfish and isn’t really honoring to the Lord. Some of these things – maybe just a couple – have been in the living room of my life for a long time. From time to time I move them around or do a cosmetic, superficial alteration: a small cleaning job so it looks passable. I attend to religious stuff a little more or start an effort to be a better person in certain ways… . Those aren’t bad things in themselves, but my real need is a heart change, not superficial, external rearrangement. I need a new heart, and those only come from Christ. I need transformation from old to new, and I cannot make that happen. Only Jesus can do that. When I surrender my “stuff” (when I repent) He will give me something brand new. He will give me from what is His. He doesn’t say to me, “Just apply a little soap and scrub. Just rearrange it so the spots are covered up.”

            Managing sin is like trying to rearrange a living room to make me feel better. Only Jesus can give me something brand new and different. The Gospel is about the righteousness of Jesus being placed over me so that God the Father doesn’t just see a clean cover over something dirty underneath. It’s about a righteousness that permeates me so deeply that it is all there is for the Father to see. There is no unrighteousness for the Father to see because Jesus has replaced it with His own. That’s a massively major transaction that gives me a whole new perspective: new life… clean life… no stains… no blemishes. Jesus is our “interior decorator” extraordinaire. Just one thing… He wants me to know that my heart is His living room now. He decides what goes where: what to keep and what to get rid of.

Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 18:30-32 (NIV) 30  "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31  Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32  For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)  "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

PRAYER:  Father, there is “stuff” in my heart that I have gotten comfortable with and allowed to remain in my life unchanged. This stuff has kept me from you, even when I’ve gone to church and done spiritual duties. I need my heart changed and I recognize that only you can do this. Give me eyes to see the poverty in my soul and my love for things which fall short of what you require. Have mercy upon me and transform me. My efforts to just touch up my brokenness and sin just don’t do it. Let me see the uselessness of thinking my works will ever be able to satisfy your holiness. Have Thine own way, Lord, Have Thine own way. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Flow, River, Flow

John 7:38-39 (NIV) 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.

            When I was a boy a friend and I would spend many summer days exploring the area in which we lived in East Auburn, Maine. There were lots of woods and hills and a lake close by. It was a terrific place to grow up for boys who liked fun, adventure, and exploring. About a mile from my house we could make our way through a hay field off of a small back road out to the Androscoggin River. The Androscoggin is a good-sized river in southern Maine that flows into the Kennebec before it comes out to the ocean through Bath. Far out at the other end of the hay field was a small hill that overlooked the river – or should I say, the dam.

Gulf Island Dam is one of the larger dams and hydroelectric projects in Maine. It was completed around 1927 and spans the river about 4 miles north of the twin cities of Lewiston and Auburn. On the Lewiston side there are access roads and traffic in an out. On the Auburn side there are only trees, a hill, and hay fields… and a fence to keep people from getting too close to the dam. My friend and I would approach the fence and then walk along it down the hill to a huge rock ledge that served as an overlook below the dam. We were also below the height of the dam and had to look up to the top of it. Years before iron bars had been put in place on that rock ledge, suggesting that it was once a formal kind of location for viewing. It’s a great spot.

Now dams are interesting to look at, but when no water is flowing through the gates at the top of the dam it’s hard to stay interested for very long. We could always tell long before we got to the overlook if gates were open or not. The roar of flowing water was intense enough to cover a fair distance. And when you combined it with the sight of millions of gallons of water crashing down on the rocks below, it was pretty impressive. And if water levels were extremely high due to heavy rains, what a show it all put on.

The power of flowing water attracts us - so much so that we build places of safe observation so that they may be enjoyed more fully. Water in Acadia in spring makes a beautiful sound and a beautiful sight. There is a place fairly high up on the Cadillac Mountain auto road where water flow is especially striking over some ledges. The flow of heavy surf crashing on rocks mesmerizes people all up and down the coast of Maine. Great canyons show panoramas of beauty that flowing water has carved out through the centuries. Letchworth Park in upstate New York was a favorite of Joanne’s and mine when we were at college at Houghton. The north-flowing Genesee River had many beautiful, large waterfalls to enjoy. But especially thrilling are the great waterfalls, like Niagara Falls. Even though the flow of water is greatly reduced from what it once was, when you lay your eyes on it for the first time, it is difficult not to be impressed. I am really happy God that created waterfalls and I try to remember to praise Him for their beauty whenever I am around one.

Jesus spoke of another kind of water flow that is even more impressive. Streams of living water will be the natural and normal outcome in the life of the person who believes on Christ. Not literal flowing water, but a flow coming from the presence of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus would give to all who place their trust and hope in Him. We learn in Galatians that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Imagine your life with a “Niagara Falls” of these flowing in you. May God open up the gates in our lives so that this fruit may overflow and impact our relationships with God and with one another. God hasn’t designed this to be a small, quiet flow, but a great flow that crashes and roars with the beauty of the presence of His Spirit and attracts others to Christ.

Psalm 78:14-16 (NIV) 14  He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night. 15  He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; 16  he brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers.

Revelation 22:1-5 (NIV) 1  Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2  down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3  No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5  There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

PRAYER:  Flow, river, flow. Fill me with your Spirit. May his fruit in me be abundant. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Happy Endings

Revelation 22:3-5 (NIV) 3  No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5  There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

            On Sunday night Joanne and I watched the series finale of Downton Abbey. This television program which originates in England ran for six seasons here in the U.S. and gained a large following of fans. One theater in Portland hosted a community viewing of that last episode. Things like this happened in many communities. Fans everywhere could not get enough of the show. PBS used the occasion to garner financial support. After the program concluded one of the PBS hosts was just glowing with delight at how “satisfying” a conclusion the episode was. I think she felt that because virtually every circumstance and relationship of the show’s characters ended up experiencing a happy ending. I remember thinking as I was watching, “This is all a little bit too good to be true, isn’t it?” Of course, with fiction you can write it and make it happen any way you want.

            The world cannot guarantee us happy endings in real life. In fact, life surrounds us with all kinds of injustice, evil, sadness, brokenness, and death. Words like cancer, nuclear, warming, etc., trend our thinking toward unhappy endings for our lives and even the world. Doom and gloom overhang us and keep us from the comfort of the happy endings we long for. In fact, some consider anything that ends happily to be confined to fiction and fantasy. When things are “too good to be true” we may tend expect that it cannot last, or that we do not deserve it. Real life in the real world doesn’t happen that way, we may think. Perhaps we aren’t far from where Solomon was as he wrote the Old Testament book Ecclesiastes. He begins with "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." (1:2), and goes downhill from there. But if you stay with the book of Ecclesiastes you will find a happy ending: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (12:13-14). Now that might not sound too happy to you. But it seems to me that any ending with God in control is a happy ending.

            The Scriptures reveal to us a God who writes the last chapter, and at the end of all things He will establish complete and perfect justice. All injustice will be judged and/or “made straight”. At the end of all things God will overcome all evil and all impact of evil in the universe. At the end of all things God will destroy death and all of the despair that accompanies it. God will put an end to all things that cause hopelessness. All of our hopes in Christ will be fulfilled. There will be no such thing as pain, and all sorrow will be healed. How is all that for a happy ending? And it is not “pure fantasy”. This is the real promise of the Word of God. What a future awaits us in Christ! What joys will result from knowing and walking with Him!

            And here is really good news: The foundation for such a “happy ending” future has already been established. It would be easy to accuse Christians of a “pie in the sky when I die” mentality… if it were not for the cross. When Christ entered this world, the beginning of the end was written. When Christ went to the cross and when He rose again, everything that awaits the people of God was sealed for eternity. The Gospel promises that God will make all things right because the work of Christ on the cross was sufficient to do so. The power of the cross undoes sin. It heals all that is unwell in us and in the universe.

            Are you looking for a true “happy ending” to all the problems and troubles of life? Then look to the cross and to Him who gave His life for you upon it. See there the Gospel of God’s love and grace and put your hope in Christ alone. You will not be disappointed, even though your world may be full of adversity now. We have victory in Jesus and true peace in the midst of hardship. God is faithful and He is good.

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (NIV) 17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Revelation 21:1-5 (NIV) 1  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4  He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 5  He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

PRAYER:  My hope is in You Lord. Thank you for all that is ahead of me in Christ. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Timing is Everything

Galatians 4:4-5 (KJV) 4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

            “Timing is everything.”
            You’ve said or thought that before. You’ve certainly experienced it. I experience it regularly. Last week, for instance, I needed to have some bloodwork done after a doctor’s appointment a few days before. I decided to walk early in the morning and stop by the hospital as a part of my walk. I like to go early for things like that because the lab at the hospital isn’t usually as busy. As I was rounding the corner toward the entrance of the hospital I noticed a man who had gotten out of his car and was also headed to the entrance. He literally entered the building two seconds in front of me. Then he entered the registration area right in front of me. I missed it by… “that much”. Of course I had to wait for my turn to register. Then I had to wait for my turn in the lab because it just so happened that he was there for the same reason I was. He didn’t know me and I did not know him. He did not do anything wrong. But I was annoyed with him. What I originally thought might take about ten minutes in all, ended up being about 30-35 minutes. I had no right to be annoyed with him. He was there just like me. He just happened to be there two seconds before I was. “Snooze you lose,” right? It was just one of those things that happened in a certain way. Those things lead to the “if only’s” of thinking: I could have left earlier or walked faster and I would have arrived sooner and wouldn’t have to have waited. I find that is an unproductive way of thinking, and can even be unhealthy if/when we dwell on things and if our emotions are unchecked. “If only’s” have rarely don me any good.

            If you’ve ever waited to pull out behind another driver who ends up being an extremely slow driver, you are probably familiar with the “timing is everything” experience. The further you have to drive the more you wish you had pulled out in front of this driver, or that you could have gotten out ahead of him. And then you start a thought or a statement with, “If only…”

            Timing is everything in a manner of speaking. We want to be so in control of it, however, that the situations I have described and others like them can be quite bothersome and troubling. I know people who are tightly wound about time issues and are as precise and perfectionistic as a person can be. I know others who don’t even wear a watch. And then there are others who are rarely on time to anything they are obligated to. They live in a state of perpetual lateness (according to my timeframe). So, we all live someplace on the spectrum between totally tight and totally relaxed. I find it’s better for me (physically and emotionally) to use time wisely but to avoid being its victim. Perhaps I will learn someday about many hurts and dangers I actually missed because my schedule was impacted by another person (positively or negatively). Certainly the ways of God are beyond my comprehension, because the same questions can be asked about the hurts and dangers we do experience. I believe that ultimately those questions are unanswerable for us, but that God will make all things clear when we are in His presence someday. In the meantime I will leave those things in the category of the “secret things” that belong to God.

            I do know this: God has never had a problem with timing. There has never been a second of time in the history universe that has been out of order or out of place for Him. He created time as a part of His original work of Creation. And because He knows and does all things well, I can safely offer my time and my attitudes about it to Him. I can trust Him to act always at just the right time in just the right way as I wait on Him from day to day.

Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV)  The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

PRAYER:  In your time… in your time. You make all things beautiful, in your time. Lord please show me every day, as you’re teaching me your way, that you do just what you say, in your time. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott