“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)
Did you miss me last week? For the first time since I started posting a weekly devotional on our website, I missed a week. That’s OK, because I missed me also. Right at the end of camp a few weeks back, I caught a bug and it kind of put me down just a little bit. I was able to hit it with some Zicam and other stuff and hold it back for a while, but eventually it caught up with me. Last Monday the freight train ran over me, and I lost a full day. I was “amongst the living” just long enough to get a quick bite to eat, but I spent at least 20 of the 24 hours curled up in the sack praying for the rapture. Monday is usually the day I work on this blog, and with a lost day, some things in my schedule had to be sacrificed.
When we lose a day like that, it throws us behind for a while, but eventually we can catch up with life through the normal flow. There are a few things we can double up on, and some others that just sort of take care of themselves and fade off the never ending “to-do list”, and life gets back to a normal dull roar. But in reality, a lost day like last Monday will never be recovered. We are bound to the constraints of time and space, and try as we might, no one has the ability to grant us more than 24 hours per day. As much as we would love to be able to stop the world so we can catch up, it is not possible. Everyone gets the same amount of time.
When a person trust Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, the Bible says they are “born again”. It is the only true “restart” in life. We now have a spiritual nature and a relationship with God that we did not have before, and God gives us the opportunity to go back and fix some things we messed up before. Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” That verse uses another Bible term for salvation: “regeneration”. To generate means to bring forth anew, and when we add a “re-“ to a word, it means to do it over again. I cannot go back and recapture last Monday. But I have a new nature in Christ Jesus that is not subject to the physical laws of the Universe. Ephesians 2:6 tells me that I am seated in heavenly places in Christ. My new nature is already there; not bound by the same “space-time continuum” that the physical world is subject to. How’s that for a little science fiction? (More like a science fact.)
I lost last Monday. But I did not trust Jesus Christ as my Saviour until I was 25 years old. Even though I was alive and did some good things, I lost the first 25 years of my life because I was “dead in trespasses and sins, and alone in the world without hope and without God” according to Ephesians chapter 2. Once I got saved, I could actually go back and redeem that time. We think of redeeming the time as just simply not wasting it anymore. But the concept is much deeper. To redeem means “to buy back”. Last Monday is lost and despite our greatest desires, I can never go back and get any of those 24 hours back. My first 25 years are in the history books, and nothing I can do can change one second of it. But since they are “dead” years, I do have the ability to redeem them. By investing in the word of God and the souls of men, the past can be bought back. So many of God’s people live their lives in utter frustration and despair because of the things they did in the past. They live a life of defeat instead of victory because they are under so much conviction for things they can never change. Instead of living in the natural world, why not enter a “time warp” and begin focusing on the new man in Christ? You actually have the ability to build a huge spiritual portfolio of transformed lives by sharing the gospel and investing the word in other people. No one knows the name of the altar worker who led Billy Graham to Christ in a revival meeting years ago. But his investment of the word of God in another life still bears fruit today. Tap into the new man. You will be amazed at what God can do.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Much Fruit
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:24)
We are back from another very wonderful and successful camp. Many lives were touched by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the power and grace of his word during the 5 days last week. This was our 14th annual camp, and as we say every year, “It was the best camp ever.” (We will say it again next year.) Every time we do something like this, I come back moved and blessed, and at the same time a little closer to the grave! These events wear me out. Trying to keep up with 50 teenagers and their boundless energy and enthusiasm is tough on an old man like myself. But I would not miss camp for the world. I will do it in a walker someday, but I will still be there.
Jesus told us that life and ministry would be like this. Anything worthwhile in life carries a level of sacrifice, dedication, and commitment with it. I am not complaining, just stating a fact of life that when something is fraught with adversity during the development of it, God is often at work. In the verse above, Jesus was referring to himself and alluding to his coming death on the cross. He could have just stayed in heaven and condemned us all to an eternity apart from him in hell. But instead, he willingly gave his life as a sacrifice for our sins when he did not have to do it. When we trust him as Saviour and give our lives to him, we should expect some of the same type of hardship and adversity. Obviously we will never experience what he did, and I am not in any way suggesting that we can even “touch the hem of his garment” in this or any other area. But a “Christian” is a “little Christ”. We are called to “follow his steps” (I Peter 2:21), and that context deals with suffering and adversity. Paul told us to, “…endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (II Timothy 2:3) A soldier does not curl up with his “Snuggie” warmly wrapped around him with a good book and cup of hot cocoa (with marshmallows). He is in training constantly, and always in action, ready to discharge his duties with the utmost bravery and dedication. His work is vital, and the fruit of that labor pays dividends for himself and for those he defends.
Romans 6:5 says, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Jesus was the “corn (kernel) of wheat” that fell into the ground and died to bring forth the church. A saved person is supposed to be like him. We bring forth fruit only when we willingly give of ourselves and lay down our lives and wishes for the work of the Lord and the benefit of others. Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5) Our purpose in life is to bear fruit for the Lord. But you cannot bear fruit until you are planted in his likeness, and die to your own wishes and desires.
But God has promised us that the rewards will be worth it. We are made “conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10) – so that we can also be conformed to his resurrection. When we give our lives to his service, the work is often hard, but the fruit is incredibly rich. Nine young people came to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour last week. Fifty more committed their lives to honor him in their dating relationships and trust him to bring them the right person at the right time. The work was hard. We experienced all sorts of adversity the few weeks before camp, and wore ourselves out during it. But in heaven, it will be worth it all. One soul is worth the world (Matthew 16:26); nine of them are worth a lot more. Whatever the adversity, stay with it. Let God “plant” you so you can bring forth fruit. There is no greater thrill in life.
We are back from another very wonderful and successful camp. Many lives were touched by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the power and grace of his word during the 5 days last week. This was our 14th annual camp, and as we say every year, “It was the best camp ever.” (We will say it again next year.) Every time we do something like this, I come back moved and blessed, and at the same time a little closer to the grave! These events wear me out. Trying to keep up with 50 teenagers and their boundless energy and enthusiasm is tough on an old man like myself. But I would not miss camp for the world. I will do it in a walker someday, but I will still be there.
Jesus told us that life and ministry would be like this. Anything worthwhile in life carries a level of sacrifice, dedication, and commitment with it. I am not complaining, just stating a fact of life that when something is fraught with adversity during the development of it, God is often at work. In the verse above, Jesus was referring to himself and alluding to his coming death on the cross. He could have just stayed in heaven and condemned us all to an eternity apart from him in hell. But instead, he willingly gave his life as a sacrifice for our sins when he did not have to do it. When we trust him as Saviour and give our lives to him, we should expect some of the same type of hardship and adversity. Obviously we will never experience what he did, and I am not in any way suggesting that we can even “touch the hem of his garment” in this or any other area. But a “Christian” is a “little Christ”. We are called to “follow his steps” (I Peter 2:21), and that context deals with suffering and adversity. Paul told us to, “…endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (II Timothy 2:3) A soldier does not curl up with his “Snuggie” warmly wrapped around him with a good book and cup of hot cocoa (with marshmallows). He is in training constantly, and always in action, ready to discharge his duties with the utmost bravery and dedication. His work is vital, and the fruit of that labor pays dividends for himself and for those he defends.
Romans 6:5 says, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” Jesus was the “corn (kernel) of wheat” that fell into the ground and died to bring forth the church. A saved person is supposed to be like him. We bring forth fruit only when we willingly give of ourselves and lay down our lives and wishes for the work of the Lord and the benefit of others. Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5) Our purpose in life is to bear fruit for the Lord. But you cannot bear fruit until you are planted in his likeness, and die to your own wishes and desires.
But God has promised us that the rewards will be worth it. We are made “conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10) – so that we can also be conformed to his resurrection. When we give our lives to his service, the work is often hard, but the fruit is incredibly rich. Nine young people came to know Jesus Christ as their Saviour last week. Fifty more committed their lives to honor him in their dating relationships and trust him to bring them the right person at the right time. The work was hard. We experienced all sorts of adversity the few weeks before camp, and wore ourselves out during it. But in heaven, it will be worth it all. One soul is worth the world (Matthew 16:26); nine of them are worth a lot more. Whatever the adversity, stay with it. Let God “plant” you so you can bring forth fruit. There is no greater thrill in life.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Youth Camp
“And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.” (Mark 6:30-32)
Well, here we are at youth camp again. This is an annual event for kids ages 12-18 that we host along with our friends in churches of like faith. I actually wrote this blog entry last week because I knew I would not have time to do it while at camp. This year we have over 50 youth at camp along with over 20 adults to try to keep track of them. It is a daunting task, but youth camp is always one of the highlights of our year. Lives are changed at events like this in ways that are not possible during the “normal” flow of life. Statistics tell us that about 80% of all people who get saved do so before their 18th birthday. I got saved when I was 25, so I am abnormal (but you already knew that). Many of the “under 18 crowd” whose lives are permanently impacted by the Lord Jesus Christ point to a youth camp as the source of that transformation. There is something very special about having a concentrated time away from the “hustle and bustle” to focus on God and his word. These are “landmark events” in our lives that must be encouraged and maintained.
God designed man to require times of recreation. He set the pattern himself in Genesis chapter 1 when he rested on the seventh day. Vacations are very important times, not just so the family can see USA in their Chevrolet while the kids argue in the back seat. (“Mom…! Johnny is thinking about touching me…!”) In fact, recreation means “re-creation”. It is a time to restore the basic foundations of our lives. Getting away and doing something different and special recharges the batteries and energizes us to accomplish our daily tasks in a more effective way. Jesus knew that and called his disciples more than once to “come apart” and rest. Lester Roloff was an old time preacher from a generation ago who picked up on that verse and said, “If you don’t make time to come apart, you are going to come apart.” (Think about it for a minute…)
A closer look at the verses above shows a deeper aspect of the need to “come apart” than just a time of rest and relaxation. The disciples had “no leisure to eat”. Life and ministry had become so busy that they were skipping meals. But the Bible tells us, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) The bread of life is even more vital to our well being than physical bread. Job said, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12) Man needs to feed spiritually from the word of God as much as he needs to eat to keep the body healthy. Some of us could stand to skip a meal at times (Amen!), but none of us are strong enough to quit feeding from the precious manna of the Bible that sustains our soul. Times like camp refocus our lives around the word of God. Not only will the 75 of us have a great time of fun and games, but there will be about 15-20 hours of concentrated time in the word of God without distractions – no cell phones, video games, facebook, or newspapers to worry about. I won’t be able to track my retirement portfolio or follow the latest news in Washington D.C. (thank God). I won’t know how the Royals are doing (they will drop at least 3 of 5). And unless there is some sort of earth-moving international event, when I return after 5 days of camp, nothing will really be any different. But 75 campers will be.
In a country where obesity is a serious issue, we are starving to death spiritually. The “cares of this life” have kept our Bibles on the shelf. We need to fight to make time for the word of God during the normal flow of life. But you can also fight to carve out a time to “come apart”. It will keep your spiritual life glued together, and you will not “come apart.”
Well, here we are at youth camp again. This is an annual event for kids ages 12-18 that we host along with our friends in churches of like faith. I actually wrote this blog entry last week because I knew I would not have time to do it while at camp. This year we have over 50 youth at camp along with over 20 adults to try to keep track of them. It is a daunting task, but youth camp is always one of the highlights of our year. Lives are changed at events like this in ways that are not possible during the “normal” flow of life. Statistics tell us that about 80% of all people who get saved do so before their 18th birthday. I got saved when I was 25, so I am abnormal (but you already knew that). Many of the “under 18 crowd” whose lives are permanently impacted by the Lord Jesus Christ point to a youth camp as the source of that transformation. There is something very special about having a concentrated time away from the “hustle and bustle” to focus on God and his word. These are “landmark events” in our lives that must be encouraged and maintained.
God designed man to require times of recreation. He set the pattern himself in Genesis chapter 1 when he rested on the seventh day. Vacations are very important times, not just so the family can see USA in their Chevrolet while the kids argue in the back seat. (“Mom…! Johnny is thinking about touching me…!”) In fact, recreation means “re-creation”. It is a time to restore the basic foundations of our lives. Getting away and doing something different and special recharges the batteries and energizes us to accomplish our daily tasks in a more effective way. Jesus knew that and called his disciples more than once to “come apart” and rest. Lester Roloff was an old time preacher from a generation ago who picked up on that verse and said, “If you don’t make time to come apart, you are going to come apart.” (Think about it for a minute…)
A closer look at the verses above shows a deeper aspect of the need to “come apart” than just a time of rest and relaxation. The disciples had “no leisure to eat”. Life and ministry had become so busy that they were skipping meals. But the Bible tells us, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) The bread of life is even more vital to our well being than physical bread. Job said, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12) Man needs to feed spiritually from the word of God as much as he needs to eat to keep the body healthy. Some of us could stand to skip a meal at times (Amen!), but none of us are strong enough to quit feeding from the precious manna of the Bible that sustains our soul. Times like camp refocus our lives around the word of God. Not only will the 75 of us have a great time of fun and games, but there will be about 15-20 hours of concentrated time in the word of God without distractions – no cell phones, video games, facebook, or newspapers to worry about. I won’t be able to track my retirement portfolio or follow the latest news in Washington D.C. (thank God). I won’t know how the Royals are doing (they will drop at least 3 of 5). And unless there is some sort of earth-moving international event, when I return after 5 days of camp, nothing will really be any different. But 75 campers will be.
In a country where obesity is a serious issue, we are starving to death spiritually. The “cares of this life” have kept our Bibles on the shelf. We need to fight to make time for the word of God during the normal flow of life. But you can also fight to carve out a time to “come apart”. It will keep your spiritual life glued together, and you will not “come apart.”
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