Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Conditions of Service

"Christians in the American culture are willing to serve God as long as it does not inconvenience them."



I heard this statement on the radio today and it sent chills down my spine. Then as I thought about it, I realized there is more truth to this than we want to admit.



Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a young girl in her teens. She had dreams just like every other young girl in her world. Then God interrupted her life. She was chosen to birth the Son of God--Jesus.


It must have been a fearful and yet joyful time for her. She must have wondered what would happen while knowing that God would see her through. Mary lived through the doubt with the aire of certainty. The certainty was made more concrete when she spent time with her cousin, Elizabeth, only to find that Elizabeth too had experienced a miracle of God. Imagine how the two pregnant women must have talked.



If Mary lived in our world, she probably would have had to check the schedules before being certain. Her work schedule, recreation, and family schedule, the football schedule--all would have to have been clear in order to do what God would have her do. And of course, the ability to carry the Son of God would have to rate high on the happiness meter of her life.



In fact, Mary would probably just have to tell God that this birthing thing is going to have be done later in life. It is not a good time. There were too many things that just had to be done before she could squeeze one more thing into her life's schedule. Certainly God would understand.



Some live in the illusion that believing and professing in God means that we serve God when it is convenient to us or just when we feel like it. Nothing could be further from the truth. When Christ is born in your life as your Savior, he reigns! Jesus becomes that which everything else revolves around. Otherwise, the Christmas season is nothing more than Santa Claus, toys, and sleigh bells.



So the question during this season is "Can God Count on You?" Mary answered with an unconditional yes.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Buy Less, Give More, and Laugh More!

This is the time of the year that you fight the battle. Okay, it is the time of the year you fight many battles.

There is the battle of the bulge. It is caused by the overuse of the eating utensils to the mouth combined with the urge to rest your bottom on the couch or easy chair. I have always wondered why it is called an easy chair. The older I get the hard it is to get out of the thing! Could it be that the chair makes it easier to life to kill me?
Some fight the battle of the family. Families are a wonderful gift from God. However, some family moments turn into battles. Then there is tough battle of blended families. Kids have to be taken and picked up. Past hurts are often visited whether we want to visit them or not.

The most tempting battle is the shopping frenzy that is offered in our culture of more. Tony Campolo labels it a commercial orgy. People running into the store to get more stuff that they think they need or have to have. Or they have convinced themselves that being a good friend, parent, or spouse is to get someone more. And then the bill comes. Some will create a debt in the next 30 days that will require payments for years.

Maybe we should buy less, give away more, and laugh more.

A young rich lawyer came to Jesus. The lawyer was full of himself. He obviously had done well and was religious. So his question to Jesus was one that he thought he knew the answer. Lawyers are like that. They ask questions that they know the answer already. Only Jesus did not give the answer the lawyer expected. Jesus told the lawyer to sell all he had and give it to the poor. This is the only person that these instructions are given to by Jesus.. And the man would not do it.
You can have everything that this life can offer but without God........
The key to winning life's battles is to surrender. Surrender to God. You will buy less, give more, and laugh more.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Change--A Part of God's Work in Us!

Has your faith changed you?

I am amazed at how difficult change is for our culture. Perhaps it is because our world is in a state of constant change. As I was driving home from a visit with my parents this week, I was thinking about how much the world has changed in their lifetime. Then I chuckled as I thought of how much the world has changed in my lifetime. You would think that with so much change around us, we would be pretty adaptable by now.

Some folks think before they can become a follower of Jesus, they have to clean up their lives. The thought is that if God knew how much dirt there is in their life, God could not love them. Folks who think this way spend alot of time on the treadmills of life. They are always working out or trying to improve themselves. The truth of the matter is that once you give your life to Christ, God changes you!! God's love is not based on points or performance. (Thank Goodness!) Your task is to open yourself to God's precious grace through Jesus Christ and let grace abound. Experiencing grace makes you a different person.
Others think that they can be a Christian without changing. It is hard to get these folks to even change their underwear. It is what I call the "Popeye Syndrome"--"I am who I am." They have created a self idolatry that even uses the name of God for themselves. Remember when Moses asks God for a name? God answers, "I am who I am!"
It is no wonder that most of these folks are regular church goers. They sit in the same seat. They have given the same amount of money to the church for the last twenty years (and it is is rarely a tithe). This camp of folks have given effective pastors more grief and sorrow than one can imagine. And they are proud of it. They are the "loyal opposition" to what God is doing in the world around them because they fear change. The fear is to let go of their control of life and let God lead them.
The book club of our church is reading Drew Bree's book, "Coming Back Strong" In the book, Drew shares a perspective of faith. It is a deeper belief. He shares, "It's the kind of belief that changes your behavior, your attitude, and your outlook on life, and the people around you can't help but notice it." I think Drew is right!
This Thanksgiving, maybe it is time for us to accept the changing world and changing experience of God that overwhelms us! You might be surprised what God can do!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

What Makes God Strong Makes Us Strong

There is a passage in the book of First Chronicles that fascinates me. In the sixteenth chapter, verse eleven talks about the role of study in the life of faith. The passage says to "study God and God's strength" (The Message)

What makes God strong?

As aa little boy, I would look at all the pictures of the guys with great strength. I think all guys at one time or another dream of looking like that. Some even fulfill the dream; However not without much work and discipline.

I remember starting out to exercise. I was really great the first couple of days. Then slowly but surely, I gave up. Or did I just forget? Or did I wake up from the dream.

One thing is for sure, I did no research on what made guys look like that.

So what makes God strong? It is in the character of God to be of great strength. Character is what separates the strong. Unlike humanity, God's character has always been. God did not have to work at it. God is what God is--or as God told Moses--I am who I am.

So what is this about studying God? How is that supposed to strengthen us?

Once we examine the character of God, we discover that we have the capability of God character. You see, we are made in the "image of God". We are beings that can be transformed by a living relationship with God. In studying God, we find ourselves. We discover whose we are and who we are not.

Once we are found by God, then God strength is at our disposal. The saying is clear: God never gives us more than we can handle---with God's help.

So on the days that you feel not so strong---study God and God's strength. Then seek God and be found! You will be amazed at what God can do through you.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Is God Working In Your Life?

If you want to hear silence, just ask this question, "Where is God at work in your life?"

It is interesting to see people's reaction to the road signs--Construction ahead. Some folks see these signs as a reason to speed up and get ahead of anybody and everybody. They will almost kill themselves and others to just get one more car ahead. Then when everybody is going the same speed bumper to bumper--they are too! Go figure.

Then there is the person who is going to put their bumper in the trunk of your car. They think that if they get close enough to your bumper, you will run over the car ahead of you. It is the aggressive driver's way of intimidating you. I heard of a guy that carried a bunch of old golf balls in the car with him. When these folks irritated him enough, he would start throwing golf balls behind out of his moon roof. I must admit that I found this technique tempting.
It is interesting that we all have to go through construction on the road to anywhere. At one point or another, we meet the cones, orange signs, and those folks that wear those hats. They slow us down while they work. Then finally one day they take all their tools of the trade and leave. Things are better! The road is smoother. Life returns to its frantic pace.
Without construction, the roads of life become life threatening. I found out the other day that according to one of our representatives the stretch of I-55 that is now being repaired was the most dangerous stretch of interstate highway in the country due to its condition. Finally it will be remade.
God is at work in our lives. God puts the "slow down" signs in the traffic of our lives. God places those folks in our lives(sometimes preachers or teachers) to work around us and in us. Yes, some of us get frustrated with the speed or pace required of us. And some of us are tempted to be mischievous along the way.
I think it is important for us to know what God is doing in our lives. We need to be able to share that with our fellow travelers. We may find that our journey is a common one.