Good Friday Devotional

"Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit."

John 19:28-30 NLT

Good Friday … I am sure on that first Good Friday, that the first followers of Jesus would have called it anything but Good. That first Good Friday would have been an extremely long, tough, discouraging, dark day.

You see these first followers who had followed Jesus for three years and had had such hope, such confidence and such anticipation of the exciting future that Jesus would bring to their world and to their individual lives. And yet on that Friday almost 2000 years ago they saw their dreams and hopes dashed. You see they hadn’t read the rest of the story, they didn’t know how this exciting historic story was going to unfold.

All they knew was this Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had learned to trust, was now hanging before their eyes … dead on a cross. What must have been going through their minds?

You see even as we read this painful description found in the Bible in the 19th Chapter of John, it is only natural to quickly want to turn to the 20th Chapter and read about the victory that came on Sunday. But for just a moment on this Good Friday, let’s imagine what it would have been like for the first believers in Christ to see the one whom they had come to believe was the Son of God, the Messiah, was now hanging on the cross seemingly defeated.

What feelings must have been rushing through their hearts? They must have been experiencing feelings of discouragement, defeat, and hopelessness? You see … its Friday and although Sunday is coming, they didn’t yet know it!

Isn’t that the way it is in our lives sometimes?

We experience a discouraging setback at work… or possibly lose that dream job and we feel discouragement and disappointment. It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it!

We suffer another tough day in our personal life feeling defeated by that particular temptation, addiction or enslaving habit. We feel stupid, embarrassed, angry, and defeated! It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it.

We experiencing a heartbreaking setback in a personal relationship in our lives … We walk out of court with the words “Divorce” echoing in our ears. We feel rejected, lonely and unloved. It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it.

We hear a bad report from the doctor for ourselves, or a loved one. Our hearts race with fear, anxiety and uncertainty. It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it.

We stand beside the grave of someone we love very much and we feel a deep loneliness and ache in our heart. It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it.

It is in those moments that we feel the darkness of that first Good Friday!

It is in those moments that we need to take to heart the example of Jesus that is described in the Bible in the Book of Hebrews. In the 12th chapter of that encouraging book, Jesus is described as our champion who initiates and perfects our faith. We are reminded that as Jesus went to the cross he had the following focus: “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross.” That was an incredible focus!

Corrie ten Boom, who suffered in a Nazi death camp, explained the power of focus: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ you’ll be at rest!”

… This morning as we allow ourselves to feel the darkness that those first believers must have felt, let’s focus our thoughts on the fact that … Yes at times in life, the candle might have been blown out temporarily, but it will shine again very, very soon! You see … it is Friday, but Easter Sunday is coming! Let’s take a moment now and reflect on what they must have felt and the reminder that no matter what we might be going through in our lives … It is Friday, but Easter Sunday is coming!

Consistent Journaling (Blogging)

We are concluding this week a church wide 40 Day adventure. As a church we have been reading a book entitled, “The Purpose Driven Life.” Today’s reading challenged the reader to continue to put into practice what has been learned over the last 6 weeks regarding the five purposes of worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and mission.

One of the quotes that grabbed my heart was the quote by Dawson Trotman who said, “Thoughts disentangle themselves when they pass through your fingertips.” One of the challenges during this 40 Day Challenge was to learn the discipline of keeping a spiritual journal.

I have sought to keep my journal through the typed pages on this blog. As you look at the frequency of my posts, you can see that I have struggled with being consistent.

And yet one comment in today’s reading that got my attention was found in Day 39 of The Purpose Driven Life. Warren writes the following: “In the middle of painful experience, the psalmist wrote, “Write down for the coming generation what the LORD has done, so that people not yet born will praise him” (Psalm 102:18; TEV). You owe it to future generations to preserve the testimony of how God helped you fulfill his purposes on earth. It is a witness that will continue to speak long after you’re in heaven.” (Warren; TPDL; page 309).

It had never dawned on me that by journaling I could actually be sharing my faith with future generations, which is a very encouraging thought and added motivation to be a consistent blogger!

Snowflakes United

Vince Havner quipped, “Christians, like snowflakes, are frail, but when they stick together they can stop traffic” (Warren; TPDL; page 275).

A week ago today, Southwest Ohio was pounded with a blizzard. It was amazing how much snow fell in a little over 24 hours and the effect that the “united effort” of a bunch of snowflakes had on our region. Plans were changed, meetings were cancelled, and traffic stopped or at least was altered!

This morning, I had the privilege to witness a group of Christians work together to put on an Easter Egg Hunt for area children at our local YMCA. It was amazing to see the sight of hundreds of young children running to gather up their share of 6,000 + Plastic Easter Eggs filled with candy treats.

It was encouraging to see the smiles on the children’s faces, the joy of grateful parents, and the traffic jam at the YMCA all because some imperfect, frail followers of Christ join together to serve others!

A Steward Mindset

In day 34 of The Purpose Driven Life, the author describes the mindset of a servant of God. He makes the following statements: “Servants think like stewards, not owners. Servants remember that God owns it all. In the Bible, a steward was a servant entrusted to manage an estate. … How are you handling the resources God has entrusted to you?”

You see we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that our money, our resources, and all of our stuff belongs to us, but the Biblical perspective is to remember that it all belongs to God and that we are simply called to manage it on God’s behalf.

Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13 NLT). It is interesting to note that Jesus didn’t say you should not serve both God and money, but instead he said “you cannot serve both God and money.”

Rick Warren writes, “When Jesus is your Master, money serves you, but if money is your master, you become its slave. Wealth is certainly not a sin, but failing to use it for God’s glory is. Servants of God are always more concerned about ministry than money.”

As we give back to God financially let’s realize that the money we give is really money owned by God and we are simply managers (or stewards) of it. Also, let’s keep our focus on the ministry that can be accomplished through this money, and the blessing that this ministry can be to others.

PBPGINFWMY

I love the reading for today in The Purpose Driven Life entitled, “It Takes Time.” The author (Rick Warren) describes the process of mature in Christ. He reminds the reader, “don’t get in a hurry” when it comes to spiritual maturity.

I love the illustration that if God wants to grow a mushroom, He does it in a night, but if He wants to grow an oak tree it takes decades.

Personally, I don’t want to be a flash in the pan, that it is simply a façade of growth with fake fruit (a fungus like a mushroom), but I want to be the real deal with authentic spiritual fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)).

Although I am not where I want to be spiritually, I am grateful that I am not where I use to be. After today’s reading, I would like to have a button or sticker to wear which simply reads PBPGINFWMY (Please Be Patient, God Is Not Finished With Me Yet!).

Work Out ... Not Work For

One of the statements in the Bible that use to confuse me was the strong statement written by the Apostle Paul to the Philippian Church urging them to live out their faith even though he was no longer with them in person. He wrote, “… continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13 TNIV).

For years, I struggled to know how to square these Bible verses with passages like …
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

I think that the best explanation of the tension that exists between these verses is found in Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life. Warren writes the following describing the verses found in Philippians: “This verse, written to believers, is not about how to be saved, but how to grow. It does not say “work for” your salvation, because you can’t add anything to what Jesus already did. During a physical “workout,” you exercise to develop your body, not to get a body” (Warren, Page 181; PDL).

I was thinking about this quote during an afternoon run and I think that there are a lot of interesting parallel between a physical workout and a spiritual workout. My salvation is a gift, just as my physical body. Working out spiritually cannot earn my salvation, but it develops my spiritual life, just like working out physically does not make my body, but it can make a huge difference in my physical well being.

Another parallel that “hit me” while running, was that if you don’t apply yourself to physical training (like myself the last 10 years … ok 15 years), then you can lose some of your physical strength. The same is true spiritually, if you don’t apply yourself to spiritual training, then you can grow weaker spiritually.

I am grateful that I don’t have to “work for” my salvation, but I am reminded to “work out” my salvation, and prayerfully wait for God to “work in” me so that I can grow and develop spiritually “to fulfill his good purpose” in my life.

"Abba, Father"

Jesus faced troubles on the time he spent on this Earth. Now we don’t become more like Christ by simply going through troubles, but if we learn to react to those troubles as Jesus did, then God will use those troubles to transform us. Let’s see how Jesus responded to trouble …

Toward the end of his life after he had been falsely accused, rejected, and mistreated, he was preparing for his biggest challenge and that is going to the Cross … Prior to facing that ultimate challenge, he prayed the following …
36 “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Mark 14:36 NLT

Do you know what the phrase … “Abba Father” means? The word Abba can be translated … Daddy … Jesus in the midst of trouble and hardship turned to His Father putting his trust in the Father, the way that a small child puts their trust in their Daddy!

You know I love being a Daddy, but it has been along time since one of my kids called me Daddy. I kind of liked being Daddy that was a great time in life … when my kids were younger, because they laughed at my jokes, they thought I knew everything, and they trusted me completely. At that age, they would jump off the side of the pool into my arms, or off the side of a porch, because they trusted Daddy.

So the next time life is real tough (trouble, hardship, or suffering) … instead of asking: Why Me? And falling into a Pity Party … Remember you have Father in Heaven whom Jesus taught us by example to say … Daddy … Instead of asking “Why Me,” ask, “How can I more completely surrender my life to God, My Father … My Daddy in Heaven” – so He can use this trouble (work it toward good) to make me more like Christ!!” Do you trust your Heavenly Daddy? Do you trust that even the troubles of this life can be used by God to develop our character to become more like Christ?

Remember: “God’s ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development.” (Rick Warren; page 173; PDL)

Learning to Be Realistic

Our church is half way through an exciting 40 day adventure, entitled A Purpose Filled Easter. We are utilizing the 40 days leading up to Easter to renew our commitment to God’s purposes in our lives and in our church. As part of this adventure, we are reading The Purpose Driven Life, written by Rick Warren.

In today’s reading, day 21 the author describes the importance of unity within the local church. In the chapter entitled Protecting Your Church a number of scriptures are referenced describing the high importance of making every effort to keep the unity of the local church.

The author talks about the importance of being realistic in our expectations of the church. In my experience, the author is right on target of how easily members of a church can be disillusioned with a church once they realize that the church and the church leaders are not perfect. (By the way, I am a poster child for that truthful statement.)

Rick Warren writes, “We must passionately love the church in spite of its imperfections. Longing for the ideal while criticizing the real is evidence of immaturity. On the other hand, settling for the real without striving for the ideal is complacency. Maturity is living with the tension.” (Warren, The Purpose Driven Life; page 162)

I long to be mature accepting the imperfections of others within the church and yet never become complacent always striving for the ideal and seeking ways for the church to reach its full potential. My encouragement is to every reader to live within the tension that exists between the ideal and the real!

"I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made." (Philippians 3:12-16 NLT)

Inspiration from Chariots of Fire

In 1924, the Summer Olympics were held in Paris, France. Great Britain had two fantastic runners … Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell. Liddell was called the flying Scotsman, and he had actually earlier beat Abrahams in the 100 meter, but because the 100 meter was being run on a Sunday, Liddell chose to scratch from the event and instead run the 400 meter, which was not his normal event.

The amazing story of these two runners, their training for the Olympic Games and their eventual victories in the Olympics was retold in the 1981 Movie, Chariots of Fire. One of my favorite scenes in the movie was when Eric Liddell the “flying Scotsman” was being challenged by his sister, Jenny, why he was spending so much time training for the Olympics and not moving forward with his plans to go to China on a mission trip. Liddell says, “God has made me for his purpose, but he has made me fast … and when I run … I feel his pleasure.” Eric Liddell went on to run the 400 meter race and he did it to glorify God.

Eric Liddell went on to be a missionary to China. In fact he died there in a Japanese Prison Camp at the age of 43 in 1945. And I am certain that he brought honor to God as a worshipper suffering persecution for his faith, but I suggest that he was also worshipping God through using his ability to run fast! You see … our first purpose to focus on during a Purpose Filled Easter is the purpose that God has created us to Worship Him to Please Him not just with attending a service once a week, but to live a life that pleases Him. We are called to Worship God in Spirit (Authentically); Worship God in Truth (Attentively to the Truth in God’s Word); but we are also called to Worship God continually (Always) in everything we do …

Let’s close by reading Romans 12:1 in the Message Bible:

1 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Romans 12:1 MSG

Worship as a Lifestyle

I love how the Message Bible reads in Romans 12:1 …

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. (Romans 12:1 MSG)

Have you compartmentalized your life in such a way that you have limited your Worship of God to simply the time that you spend together with other believers on Sunday mornings, or have you embraced the Biblical definition of Worship as living your life in such a way to honor and glorify God with your “everyday, ordinary life!”

This is why the 1st Century Christians and the 21st Century Christians are taught to …
"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Colossians 3:23 NLT

Do you view time with your family as worship?
Do you view your time at the work place as worship?
Do you view your time in the classroom as worship?
Do you view your recreation time as worship?

In fact, a good rule of thumb is if we are involved in an activity that doesn’t bring glory to God, then maybe that is an activity that we shouldn’t be involved!!

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe that we need times weekly that we are encouraged in song, in prayer, in giving, in reading of the Bible, in spending time with other Christians, but we need to begin to cultivate the Biblical definition that worship is honoring God in everything that we do!

Finishing Week One

Today, Saturday, February 16, 2008, marks the end of the first week of a Purpose Filled Easter! During the 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday, March 23 our church is focusing on renewing our purpose as followers of Christ.

We are encouraging everyone to read The Purpose Driven Life written by Rick Warren. This book is an excellent devotional guide to all who are participating in this exciting spiritual adventure. This book is extremely well written and serves as a very helpful tool in an individual’s spiritual journey. (If you somehow came across this blog and you don’t attend Southwest Church, then I want to invite you to read this extremely practical book as well and contact me if you need a copy!)

You will find encouragement, inspiration and challenge in each of the daily readings. Although you will find it difficult to read only one day at a time, please take the time to pause, pray and contemplate the personal application of each day’s reading.

As with any other book, it is always best to evaluate each claim of the author in light of the Scriptures listed and others to be found on that particular subject. For the most part, Rick Warren does an excellent job of supporting principles within this book with scripture references. These references are listed in the notes section beginning on page 327.

Additional scripture references for a simple and yet thorough explanation of God’s plan of salvation is listed below. Please consider these verses in light of the author’s explanation on page 58 and 59 of day 7.

Believe. We must put our faith in Jesus Christ as God’s Son and our Savior. (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 3:23; 5:1-10)

Repent. Our faith must result in a change of heart and mind. (We must decide to turn from a self-directed life, to a Christ-directed life.) (Matthew 4:17; Acts 3:19; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10-11)

Confess. Our faith must lead us to verbally identify ourselves with Christ by confessing him as our Lord and Savior. (Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9)

Be Baptized. Our faith must lead us to visibly identify ourselves with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus by being baptized (immersed in water). (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38-41; 8:36-39; Romans 6:1-10)

If you have additional questions or remarks concerning this book or the upcoming 40 Days of a Purpose Filled Easter, then please feel free to contact me at roger@southwestchurch.org or simply make a comment on this blog.

The Effects of a Funeral

Today, some friends and I went to a funeral to support a friend who was mourning the death of a loved one. Funerals have a strange effect on me. They remind me that life on Earth is temporary and very short. The minister and family members did a good job reminding the family and friends gathered that life is extremely short and that for the Christian death is not the end, but simply the beginning of spending an eternity with God in heaven.

In an amazing timing, I read this morning the following quote from C.S. Lewis recorded in The Purpose Driven Life: “All that is not eternal is eternally useless.” Also, in my Bible reading this morning I read the following words from Jesus Christ. He said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6:41).

These words and the experience of attending a funeral reminded me to keep my focus on Jesus the real sustenance of life and on the eternal things of God!

Life Metaphors

In Day 5 of the Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren describes God’s view of life. He writes, “Your unspoken life metaphor influences your life more than you realize. It determines your expectations, your values, your relationships, your goals, and your priorities.” He continues by challenging the reader to examine their image of life and what metaphor would best describe that image.

What is the metaphor that you would use to describe life?

The metaphor that came to my mind is that “Life is a journey.” It has a beginning at birth and then it unfolds through winding roads, mountain top experiences, plateaus, and sometimes valley times. It also has a destination with death, but that isn’t the end, but simply the transition from this life (which is so short) to an eternity that we will either spend with God or forever be separated from him. (As I don’t think God will force anyone to have a relationship with Him.)

Jesus reminded us to keep our eyes focused on what really matters on this journey. He said, “But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” (John 6:27 NLT)

Don't Be Afraid

Our church is focusing on living a Purpose Filled Easter as we prepare over the next 40 days to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus in a special way on Easter Sunday. We have encouraged all of our members to read the book, The Purpose Driven Life.

I love the eternal focus that is emphasized on day 4, which is entitled, Made to Last Forever. Rick Warren, the author writes, “Just as the nine months you spent in your mother’s womb were not an end in themselves but preparation for life, so this life is preparation for the next. If you have a relationship with God through Jesus, you don’t need to fear death. It is the door to eternity. … Rather than being the end of your life, it will be your birthday into eternal life.” (Page 39-40; The Purpose Driven Life).

I love that thought of physical death being our birthday into heaven! This is a reminder for the follower of Christ to not be afraid of death. It also reminds me of Jesus’ words to the first followers when he came walking to them on the water. He told them, “Don’t be afraid, I am here!” (John 6:20; NLT). It seems to me that if the believer can simply keep his/her trust in Jesus that they don’t have to be afraid no matter what life might bring!

The Hidden Idols

It is amazing that even in the midst of the recorded story of people of faith, that we see examples of unbelief and forms of idolatry. Abraham was a first generation believer with his dad, Terah, a worshipper of idols. It shouldn’t shock the Bible reader that members of the family still are caught in the trap of idol worship.

Jacob, the grandson of Abraham spent 20 years with his uncle, Laban. During that time Jacob married two of Laban’s daughters (Rachel and Leah). (It must not have been against the law to practice polygamy or marry cousins at that time.) As Jacob and his entire family plan to leave Laban’s estate, Rachel steals her father’s household idols.

Laban is irate and catches up with the departing family of Jacob and demands the return of his idols. Rachel cleverly hides the idols and then lies to her dad to disguise her theft. “Laban went first into Jacob’s tent to search there, then into Leah’s, and then the tents of the two servant wives—but he found nothing. Finally, he went into Rachel’s tent. But Rachel had taken the household idols and hidden them in her camel saddle, and now she was sitting on them. When Laban had thoroughly searched her tent without finding them, she said to her father, “Please, sir, forgive me if I don’t get up for you. I’m having my monthly period.” So Laban continued his search, but he could not find the household idols” (Genesis 31:33-35; NLT).

It is important that we not have hidden idols in other words anything that is more important to us than God (money, success, possessions, popularity, hobbies, etc.) in our lives. If we have such idols let’s not be like Rachel and lie about it to those closest to us!

Conditional Tithing or Unconditional Tithing

To tithe is to give ten percent of your income in financial giving to God. Abraham is the first individual in the Bible to tithe. He tithed the spoils of victory over the Kings of Elam, Goiim, Babylonia, and Ellasar (Genesis 14:20). Abraham’s grandson Jacob commits to a conditional tithe. Jacob made the following vow to God, “If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, and if I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will certainly be my God. And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me” (Genesis 28:20-22).

It appears that Jacob has enough faith to say to the LORD, “I will give if you bless me in the future.” It is another step of faith to say, “I will give because God has blessed me in the past, and I am confident that He will continue to bless me.” The first approach is conditional tithing (a first step), and the second approach (a more mature step) is unconditional tithing.

A step of faith in 2008 is to tithe unconditionally, trusting God all the way!

Jacob - The Deceiver

Jacob is one of the most fascinating characters recorded in the Bible. This is the guy that later had his name changed to Israel, and is the patriarch of the Nation of Israel. And yet when the Bible reader is first introduced to Jacob, he is not a mountain of faith, but instead a conniving, deceptive individual.

It is interesting that even his name originated at his birth, when he “was born with his hand grasping” his twin brother’s (Esau) heel (Genesis 25:26). The footnote in the New International Version Bible states that Jacob means he grasps the heel (figuratively, he deceives). I have often wondered if that Hebrew saying is like the American saying, he is pulling your leg.

Well … Jacob was a deceiver. He tricked his brother into giving up his birthright and his father’s blessing. Jacob’s brother, Esau, angrily points out that Jacob lived up to the meaning of his name when he said, “No wonder his name is Jacob, for now he has cheated me twice. First he took my rights as the firstborn, and now he has stolen my blessing” (Genesis 27:36; NLT).

Another American saying is “what goes around comes around,” and that is about what Jacob is going to experience when he runs away from his angry brother, Esau, to go live with his deceptive uncle, Laban. It appears that God is going to let Jacob experience the frustration of being deceived at the hands of his uncle. The transformation is about to begin!

Like Father, Like Son

Although Abraham was a great individual of faith, on two occasions the Bible records that he was deceptive about his relationship with his wife, Sarah. Abraham would do this to avoid a foreign king killing him to take Sarah, who was a beautiful woman into their harem.

With this as a historical backdrop, it is interesting to see how Isaac, Abraham’s son, would react when faced with a similar situation. Isaac and his beautiful wife, Rebekah, were later directed by God to not go to Egypt, but to live in the land of the Philistine King, Abimelech, to survive a famine. Even though the LORD had promised Isaac that he would be safe, Isaac still caved into fear while in a foreign land.

The Bible records the following: “When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.” But some time later, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, looked out his window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah.
Immediately, Abimelech called for Isaac and exclaimed, “She is obviously your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?”
“Because I was afraid someone would kill me to get her from me,” Isaac replied.” (Genesis 26:7-9; NLT).

Isaac followed in Abraham’s footsteps, even when they were missteps. This is a good reminder to me as a Dad, to make sure that I am living a good example in front of my children, because they will pick up hopefully some good qualities from me, but they will also be tempted to take on my bad habits and qualities as well.

A Recipe for Family Disaster

As the Bible records the good, the bad, and the ugly of its main characters, we gain insights into life. Isaac, the son of Abraham, and his wife, Rebekah, have twin sons, Esau and Jacob. The Bible describes a dysfunctional family on a collision course with major family conflict.

We are told that … “As the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter. He was an outdoorsman, but Jacob had a quiet temperament, preferring to stay at home. Isaac loved Esau because he enjoyed eating the wild game Esau brought home, but Rebekah loved Jacob” (Genesis 25:27-28; NLT).

It is not surprising that Esau and Jacob went on to have major conflict in life and come to the point that they didn’t see each other for years. Their “sibling rivalry” … actually major conflict began with parental favoritism.

As a parent, although each of my children are different it is important that I make every effort to not show favoritism, or pit one child against the other!

A Simple Prayer

When Abraham sent his servant to a foreign country to find a wife for his son, Isaac, he faced a huge challenge. His challenge was to find a young woman who was from Abraham’s homeland, who would be willing (or more likely allowed) to leave her family, her home, and her culture and move to a foreign country and marry a man that she had never met. (By the way, this was long before internet dating and probably dating of any kind.)

Abraham’s servant was recruited for this tough mission. I love the simple prayer that he offers up to God. The servant prayed, “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission” (Genesis 24:42). As we begin a New Year, I want to imitate this humble servant’s prayer and ask the LORD to give me success (as He defines it) to fulfill His mission for my life!

Raw Faith

One of my favorite quotes in the Bible is from Abraham in the 22nd Chapter of Genesis. He has been commanded by God as a test to offer his long awaited son as an offering on a mountain in the land of Moriah. Abraham was obedient to God’s test (although he didn’t know it was a test) by taking his son, two servants, and some wood for the “sacrifice.”

When Abraham reached the location designated for the sacrifice, Abraham demonstrates raw faith in God’s ability to provide. Abraham told the two servants, “Stay here with the donkey … The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” (Genesis 22:5)

Abraham didn’t understand how God would work out the details, but he trusted that the LORD would provide a way for Isaac to be spared and that they would return home together. It is no surprise that later in that scene when God intervened in the sacrifice and had Abraham substitute a ram, that Abraham named the place of the sacrifice … “Yahweh-Yirah (which means “ the LORD will provide”)” (Genesis 22:14).

It appears that raw faith means trusting the LORD even when we can’t see the end of the situation that we find ourselves!

Not Perfect ... but Persevering!

One of the things that I love about the Bible is that it records the good heroic feats of individuals of faith and it also records the disappointing missteps of their lives as well. Abraham was an individual of great faith and yet he wasn’t perfect in how he lived it out. (Actually, I am encouraged by this revelation, because I am far from perfect in living out my faith.)

Abraham struggled at times. He had lied on a couple of times to escape danger (Genesis 15:10-13; 20:2), he had tried to talk God into another plan (Genesis 15:2), he had struggled with trying to take matters into his own hands and have a child through another woman (Hagar) (Genesis 16:1-3) … which only led to more problems because that child was Ishmael (the ancestor of all of the Arab people of the world), and by the way there have been problems between Israel and the Arab Nations ever since (Genesis 21;18). You see Abraham wasn’t perfect in this journey, but God continued to urge Abraham to persevere in his FAITH!

I am grateful that God blesses, works His Plan through, and uses for His Glory imperfect people that learn to persevere in their faith in a perfect God!

Don't Laugh ... Believe!

One of the most encouraging characters in the Bible is a guy named Abraham. Abraham is a great example of genuine faith. Although Abraham did not have a perfect faith, his faith was real.

The LORD had promised Abraham and his wife Sarah a son, but they continued to grow older and yet they still did not have a child. Through the course of time, Abraham had considered naming a household servant as his heir, had fathered a child with another woman (Hagar), and had grown weary of ever having a child with Sarah. And yet, God continued to renew his promise to Abraham that he and Sarah would have a child.

Finally, the LORD appeared to Abraham and challenged his faith one more time. The LORD told him (and us the reader) … “Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:14; NLT). The Bible records that Sarah laughed at the possibility of having a son in her old age, and yet God challenged her lack of faith and later gave her a son named Isaac, which means “he laughs!”

Is there any promise of God in your life or my life that we have considered off limits, because of our lack of faith? Let’s not limit God’s power and His faithfulness. Don’t Laugh … Believe!

The Power of a Name

The 17th chapter of Genesis is a fascinating Bible chapter, which explains the power of a name. In this most interesting chapter Abram’s name, which means “exalted father,” was changed to Abraham, which means ‘father of many.” Sari, whose name which means “princess,” was childless, would have her name changed to Sarah, who would become a princess with a child. It is important to also note that the son of Abraham (age 100) and Sarah (age 90) would be named Isaac, which means “he laughs,” because Abraham and Sarah laughed at the possibility of having a baby in their elderly years.

The most important name revealed in Genesis 17 is a name that the LORD described himself to Abraham. The Lord said, “I am El-Shaddai-‘God Almighty’” (Genesis 17:1). This is the name that God reveals to Abraham as he gives His amazing promise of a future child. God wanted Abraham and he wants us to understand that He is Almighty and that He can do anything that He chooses to do even if it appears impossible … because nothing is impossible for El-Shaddai!

God's Patience Seen Throughout the Bible

It is not uncommon for someone to share with me that they have trouble with the God of the Old Testament. I hear comments like the following: “Why is God so harsh and judgmental in the Old Testament?” “I have trouble with the wars in the Old Testament.” “I like the God of the New Testament better than the God of the Old Testament.” (Which makes me wonder … if people believe that God “became a Christian in the New Testament?”)

And yet as I read the Bible, I see God’s patience throughout the Bible. One of the little “hidden examples” of God’s Grace is seen in the story of Abraham. God promises Abraham that his descendants will eventually be given the entire land of Canaan as the “promised land.” God tells Abraham that this will come true in 400 + years. He tells him one of the reasons for the delay of this promise being fulfilled is the following: “You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure" (Genesis 15:15-16).

It appears that God was patient with an entire nation waiting for their sin to reach its full measure before allowing Israel to displace (and destroy) the Amorites and take captive of the land that they now inhabited (see Numbers 21 and 22). God was willing to wait 400 years longing for the Amorites to turn away from evil and turn to Him.

Now that is patience!!

Getting Drawn In

One of the most fascinating characters in the Bible is a guy named Lot. Lot was the nephew of Abraham and yet he doesn’t seem to have the faith or the character of his uncle.

In Lot’s travels with Abraham there comes a time that Lot and Abraham needed to part company to make sure that there is enough land for their two herds of cattle and flocks of sheep and goats. So Abraham gives Lot a choice of lands to claim as his own.

Lot chooses the land that looked the most fertile and beautiful to settle and Abraham graciously lets him have this choice land. The Bible records that “Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain. But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord.” (Genesis 13:12-13 NLT).

It appears that Lot eventually was drawn into the sinful atmosphere of Sodom, because shortly following this description, we learn when trouble surfaces that … “They also captured Lot—Abram’s nephew who lived in Sodom—and carried off everything he owned” (Genesis 14:12 NLT).

It appears that just like today that it is easy to be drawn into evil behavior, practices, habits and environments over time. Let’s learn from Lot’s bad example and seek to avoid getting drawn into evil.

Now that is a "Calling!"

Sometimes you hear people talking about a “calling” that they have received from God. As a kid growing up, I was pretty suspect of such talk. I wasn’t sure if there was such a thing, or was that simply “religious talk.”

Later in my life I have personally sensed that God was calling me to full time ministry. Now personally, I have never “heard a voice” or seen “writing in the sky,” but I am convinced that the LORD has called me by "writing on my heart" a desire to serve him full time and spend my life teaching the Bible to others.

One of the first main characters to “pop up” in the Bible was an individual named Abram (later changed to Abraham). The Bible describes the “special calling” that the LORD gave to Abram. Here is the Biblical description of Abram’s calling:

“The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3; NLT)

The amazing thing about Abraham’s faith is that he immediately answered this call in his life from God. The Bible records the following: “So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.” (Genesis 12:4; NLT)

Is God calling you to any special service, ministry, or action?

The Mystery of the Tower of Babel

The Tower of Babel is one of the most fascinating stories in the Bible. It shows the arrogance of human beings … “let’s build a great city for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4 NLT). It shows the power of unity … “the people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!” (Genesis 11:6 NLT) And finally it shows why from one family (Noah’s) we have countless languages being spoken on earth … “the LORD confused the people with different languages” (Genesis 11:9 NLT).

From my limited human perspective, it is hard for me to understand why God chose to confuse the languages and create distance between groups of people. And yet it is at times like these that I am reminded of a good definition of theology, which is “faith seeking understanding.” It is also a time that I am reminded of the words of Job, when he said, “So who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with him?” (Job 9:14 NLT)

God's Do-Over

As I read the story of the flood, I recognize both God’s judgment on the evil in the world, and I also see the grace and power of God to bring renewal and repopulation of the earth. Listen to the interaction between God and Noah following the flood:
“Now be fruitful and multiply, and repopulate the earth.” Then God told Noah and his sons, “I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth. Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.” Genesis 9:7-11 NLT

Some of us have that tendency to get down, to get inward focused and discouraged by past mistakes and/or even past failures. If we are not careful, we can find ourselves stuck in a funk. I know firsthand that this is a dangerous place to be. That is why I received so much encouragement from the following passage found in Isaiah which reminded me and hopefully some of you as well to … Not Dwell on the Past!!

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

I am grateful that God gave Noah and his family a “do-over” and I am glad that God continues to provide ‘do-overs” for those who will not dwell on the past, but are willing to trust God’s plan to make all things new!

A God Who Feels

The traditional view of God is that He is this Being that is without feeling or passion. And yet, as we read the Bible, we see a picture of a God who cares deeply and emotionally for his creation.

We do not get very far into the Bible record of human history, before we see the heart of God surface in an amazing way. Some time has passed since creation and as the world is growing in population, and yet the human race is headed in the wrong direction.

Listen to the LORD’s heart come out in his description of the human race: “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.” (Genesis 6:5-6 NLT)

I am moved to see the heart of God, and I long to understand more deeply this year the heart of God. Also, I want to make sure that I do not break the heart of God with my actions, my words, and/or my thoughts this year.

How about you?

We Have a Choice

As I read scripture, I continually see evidence that God created human beings to be creatures of free choice. The question that begs to be asked by each one of us: Are we making good choices?

It appears from the very beginning that God created wonderful opportunities (i.e., the Garden of Eden), but also the freedom to choose our responses to his gifts and opportunities (the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil).

Adam and Eve made a bad choice in the Garden of Eden and they forever paid the consequences for those choices. Their son Cain was faced with a similar choice once he realized that his brother’s sacrifice of animals to God was more pleasing to the LORD than his sacrifice of crops. Cain became angry and jealous of his brother, Abel and eventually killed him. (Wow … the first human family was pretty dysfunctional!)

Prior to killing his brother, the LORD reminded Cain of his freedom to choose in the following conversation: “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.” (Genesis 4:6-7; NLT)

This passage reminds the Bible reader that no matter how strong the temptation for a particular sin might be … we have a choice!

Will you join me in a commitment to a year of good choices in 2008?

Saying "Yes" to God and "No" to Satan's Schemes

After the excitement of creation and the newness of human life, evil raised its ugly head. Satan disguised himself as a serpent and tempts the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, to eat the forbidden fruit. To disobey God’s command was so easy, so alluring, and so enticing, and yet the end result was so bad.

The Bible describes the scene as follows: “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness” (Genesis 3:6-7; NLT).

It seems that the challenge to obey God and the temptation to do what is wrong continues to be the same for human beings whether you live in the Garden of Eden or the suburbs of Ohio. The challenge to say ‘yes’ to healthy living, healthy habits and healthy patterns of relationships continues to be great. The allure of giving into sinful temptations, bad habits, and selfish decisions seems so strong at times. The end result of saying ‘yes’ to God is always a sense of satisfaction and peace, on the other hand the result of giving into temptation results in the feelings of guilt, shame and alienation.

I want 2008 to be a year that I say “YES” to God’s lead and say “NO” to Satan’s schemes!

The Breath of Life

As I begin the year rereading the beginning of the human race, I long to experience a new beginning in my personal life and in the ministry that the LORD has placed me. 2007 had some particular challenges that I have learned a great deal. And although I am going to go to great lengths to learn from the mistakes of the past, I am eager to experience the thrill and joy of a new beginning. With this as my personal backdrop, I am impressed with how God makes all things new.

The Bible records the beginning of the very first human, Adam, as follows: “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person” (Genesis 2:7).

It would be interesting to know the level of physical maturity that the LORD gave Adam. Was it a teenage body of 19… a twenty something body … or a thirty something body? Did he have any age spots, wrinkles, grey hair, or tired muscles? (Or was he completely new?)

On the other hand, no matter how perfect the physical body of Adam was … it did not have life until the LORD “breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils.” * It took the breath of God to bring to life a clump of dirt (or a jar of clay). Personally, I am praying and believing that the Spirit of Christ will breathe on my life and the life of the church that I serve in a special way as we begin a new year, so that we can experience a renewal that can only come from the LORD!

Happy New Year!

2008 … A Year of New Beginnings!

2008 began with an exhilarating rush. A number of us from Southwest Church jumped into the New Year participating in the Polar Bear Dip at Ceasar’s Creek. The temperature outside was a balmy 28 degrees and the water was oh … so cold!

But the courageous and yet crazy bunch of friends from our church plunged into the New Year together. It was an exciting way to start the New Year.

On a personal note, I began the New Year reading from the first chapter of Genesis (the first book of the Bible). This morning, as I read Genesis 1, two observations struck me. The first was that God Almighty is so powerful that God simply spoke the universe into being. Repeatedly, in the first chapter (verses 3, 6, 9, 14, 20, 24, 26) it is recorded … “Then God said …” I am at awe with a God that can simply speak creation into being!

The second observation that I had this morning was that at the end of his first week of creation (by the way, I believe that God continues to create and recreate … Praise God!). That he celebrated and the Bible records … “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Genesis 1:31) Although I believe that we live in a fallen world (that comes later in chapter 3), this morning as I begin a New Year, I am going to focus on the many good things that God has created and I too will celebrate!