“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
About this time next week, we will be toolin’ down the highway on the way to our annual Men’s Retreat at Camp Windermere in the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks. It is a great time to get away from the daily grind and spend a couple of days with some awesome fellowship and preaching of the word of God. Jesus took his disciples “apart” a few times because he knew they needed it. Times like this can refresh the soul and provide a “jump start” for further ministry.
We call this a “Retreat”. But sometimes, I wonder why we would use that term. Wouldn’t it be better to say “Charge!” or “Advance!”? It shows us yet another example of the basically negative mindset of humanity. Intersections are controlled by stop lights, not go lights. Murphy’s law is based on what can go wrong, not right. We program ourselves to think it can’t be done, and to shy away from success. Many people will even go so far as to purposely sabotage success because they are afraid of it. I know that sounds strange, but it is a documented fact and the subject of studies done by many professionals in the field of human behaviour.
The Christian life is a race. Paul used that analogy in I Corinthians 9 when he said, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” If you are going to play, play to win. Hebrews 12 says to run with patience, so our lives are indeed a marathon. But that does not mean we run lazy. Now is not the time to let off the gas. I know your lungs are about to explode out of your chest, your legs feel like boiled linguini, and every muscle in your body is screaming. But the finish line gets closer every day. Maybe Jesus won’t return in our lifetime, I don’t know. Every day I wonder more why we are still here. But we can see the end in sight. We have at least rounded the final curve and the tape is visible. Whether you are caught out in the rapture or live out your full “threescore and ten” (or more), there is never a reason to give up and “retreat”. There may be times when we need to pull back a little on certain areas to “consolidate gains” or to regroup for further service. That is one of the main reasons for “retreat” weekends like these. There are also times when we need to cut certain things out of our lives, and not just sinful things. Life is a continual adjustment. John 15:2 says that the Lord will purge our lives so that we can bring forth more fruit. Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “…lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” We understand laying aside sin to please our Lord, but the verse also mentions “every weight.” Those are the things in our lives that are not sinful, but weigh us down and keep us from running the race of the Christian life in full victory. Have you ever held a pair of real running shoes? I am not talking about the ones you get at WalMart or Foot Locker; I mean real professional shoes that real professional runners wear. It’s like holding a helium balloon. No runner in his right mind would carry a bunch of stuff in his pockets while trying to win a race. Then why do we as believers load ourselves down with so many things that make it impossible to run for our Lord?
We will never reach the point when we have done all that we need to do for our Lord while we are still in this race. Jesus went all the way up the hill of Calvary. Even when he physically could go no further, and got some help from Simon the Cyrene, he kept going. He could have called 12 legions of angels to deliver him, but he did not. He was badgered by the crowd to “come down from the cross”, yet he stayed. He was begged by the dying thief to “save thyself and us”, and he remained on the cross for our sins. He saw his mission through to completion with the words, “It is finished”. We need the same persistence. Advance; never retreat. One day soon, he will say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.”
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Crashing Your Hard Drive
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (II Corinthians 6:17-18)
I am a technophobe. Me and computers do not get along very well. We live in peaceful co-existence and “détente”, but it is a very tenuous peace. I could lose it at any time and launch an offensive that would de-commission my system. It’s not that I am dumb, in fact it is the opposite. I tested out at a 140 IQ in school. That is part of my problem with computers – I can’t just accept stuff as is, I want to tear it apart and know why. I think it through too much. I got behind the power curve on computers when the technology exploded, and now I can’t catch up. I have too many other things going on to invest the time in really learning how to handle this stuff, so I muddle along using just the bare minimums to get by. Most people are like that in life. They do only what is absolutely necessary to survive. That is why they never get ahead at work, why their family lives are hanging by a thread, why their finances are in disarray, and most importantly, why they never accomplish anything of eternal value in service to Jesus Christ.
I have two computers – one at home, and one at the office at church. Vicki has a laptop, a home computer, and she just recently got an I-Pad. All of those computers are hooked up “on-line” except my home computer. I refuse to use it for anything on the internet. I will transfer things via flash drive or get on line with Vicki’s home computer or at the office. But my personal unit at home will not ever see the light of Al Gore’s invention, and that is by design. With all the viruses and other nonsense we get exposed to on line, I want my computer at home to be used for my documents – period. You might think that is weird, and you are probably right. Weird is a good description of me on virtually every plane of life. But I bought that computer in 2004. It is now 7 years old, which is 49 in dog years, and about 490 in computer years. It still works just as good as the day I unpacked it. I learned the word processing package and I am very comfortable in how it operates. The new systems have all sorts of “re-design” issues – some good, but some of them not necessary. I know Word 2003 on my home system. The new programs are compatible and I can work in that format on any of them. Someday my home system might shoot craps and I will have to get a new one. But for the last 7 years, it has worked just fine specifically because I have kept it separated from the world of computer viruses and “new” stuff the world has to offer it. I am trusting God for at least another 7 years with it.
Our lives need to be separated from the world like my computer is. Now when I say that, there is a very delicate balance involved. Too many believers get so separated that they lose all possible influence for Christ. I still use my computer to get the gospel out. I prepare messages using it, I post video and audio from my teaching and preaching, and I am using it right now to write this blog. I will get on line with my office computer, and transfer files from each using a flash drive. But my home computer is protected because it is “off line”. Most of you can probably be fine trusting Norton or some other protection. If you did catch a little “bug”, you are adept enough to de-bug. But I am not. My solution is to reboot with a .44 Magnum. Many Christians cannot function properly for Christ in this evil world because they cannot handle the “bugs”. I can walk into a bar and not be affected, but a recent alcoholic would be. Each person needs to know what areas of life they need to have shielded, and take appropriate steps to do so.
If you have areas of your life that are susceptible to the virus of sin, guard them. Solomon said, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) This world will chew you up and spit you out. Guard your heart. If you need to go “off line”, do so. But don’t ever stop using your life to preach the gospel.
I am a technophobe. Me and computers do not get along very well. We live in peaceful co-existence and “détente”, but it is a very tenuous peace. I could lose it at any time and launch an offensive that would de-commission my system. It’s not that I am dumb, in fact it is the opposite. I tested out at a 140 IQ in school. That is part of my problem with computers – I can’t just accept stuff as is, I want to tear it apart and know why. I think it through too much. I got behind the power curve on computers when the technology exploded, and now I can’t catch up. I have too many other things going on to invest the time in really learning how to handle this stuff, so I muddle along using just the bare minimums to get by. Most people are like that in life. They do only what is absolutely necessary to survive. That is why they never get ahead at work, why their family lives are hanging by a thread, why their finances are in disarray, and most importantly, why they never accomplish anything of eternal value in service to Jesus Christ.
I have two computers – one at home, and one at the office at church. Vicki has a laptop, a home computer, and she just recently got an I-Pad. All of those computers are hooked up “on-line” except my home computer. I refuse to use it for anything on the internet. I will transfer things via flash drive or get on line with Vicki’s home computer or at the office. But my personal unit at home will not ever see the light of Al Gore’s invention, and that is by design. With all the viruses and other nonsense we get exposed to on line, I want my computer at home to be used for my documents – period. You might think that is weird, and you are probably right. Weird is a good description of me on virtually every plane of life. But I bought that computer in 2004. It is now 7 years old, which is 49 in dog years, and about 490 in computer years. It still works just as good as the day I unpacked it. I learned the word processing package and I am very comfortable in how it operates. The new systems have all sorts of “re-design” issues – some good, but some of them not necessary. I know Word 2003 on my home system. The new programs are compatible and I can work in that format on any of them. Someday my home system might shoot craps and I will have to get a new one. But for the last 7 years, it has worked just fine specifically because I have kept it separated from the world of computer viruses and “new” stuff the world has to offer it. I am trusting God for at least another 7 years with it.
Our lives need to be separated from the world like my computer is. Now when I say that, there is a very delicate balance involved. Too many believers get so separated that they lose all possible influence for Christ. I still use my computer to get the gospel out. I prepare messages using it, I post video and audio from my teaching and preaching, and I am using it right now to write this blog. I will get on line with my office computer, and transfer files from each using a flash drive. But my home computer is protected because it is “off line”. Most of you can probably be fine trusting Norton or some other protection. If you did catch a little “bug”, you are adept enough to de-bug. But I am not. My solution is to reboot with a .44 Magnum. Many Christians cannot function properly for Christ in this evil world because they cannot handle the “bugs”. I can walk into a bar and not be affected, but a recent alcoholic would be. Each person needs to know what areas of life they need to have shielded, and take appropriate steps to do so.
If you have areas of your life that are susceptible to the virus of sin, guard them. Solomon said, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) This world will chew you up and spit you out. Guard your heart. If you need to go “off line”, do so. But don’t ever stop using your life to preach the gospel.
Monday, August 8, 2011
I Don't Know, and I Don't Care
“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Mark 13:31)
Well, here we are again at youth camp. It is our annual event once a year when the youth groups from our sister churches get together for a week of fun (depending upon your definition of fun). This is our 15th year in a row of this camp, and the impact made in young lives is fruitful and life changing. There are usually a number of great decisions for the Lord during this week. Last year we had 9 kids get saved, and we already have one this year (it’s Tuesday afternoon). The bonds of friendship that have been created at these camps continue to grow. Some of these kids have been coming to camp for many years. Even after they graduate from High School, they keep coming back to be counselors and workers. God keeps working in their lives in times like these.
One of the best things about camp is getting away for a few days. I am typing these words on Tuesday evening with absolutely no idea what is happening with the debt crisis in Washington that was supposed to mark the end of the world today. I have no idea how my fantasy baseball team is doing this week, or what the latest news is coming from the Chiefs training camp. I guess I should care, but somehow, I really don’t. It is amazing how much passion, time, and interest we invest in things that we really can’t do all that much about. It’s not so much that things don’t “matter”, because they do. The debt crisis is important to all of us. But what can one person do about 14 trillion dollars? What contribution can I possibly make to the outcome of a Royals’ game? It’s not like they take the field and then say, “Hey, how are we supposed to win if Greg isn’t watching?” These things are a part of the fabric of life, and as such, there is at least some meaning to them, even if it is only minor. But our focus should be on things that have eternal significance, even as we partake of the daily grind of life. The best part of camp and missions trips and such things is the strong reminder of that truth.
The reality of this week is that life on this planet will pass without my knowledge and without my involvement. It almost makes me depressed to think about how insignificant I really am in the grand scope of things, until I remember that the God of the Universe thought enough of me to die on the cross for my sins and give me a home in heaven with him. I am totally insignificant to this world, but not to the one who created it. Isn’t that a cool thought? No one outside of my family and maybe a few hundred friends would even notice or care if I died, and I am one of the lucky ones. I am “famous” because of my position. The vast majority of the inhabitants of this planet can’t even count on the “few hundred” friends. Yet God knows the very hairs of all of our heads.
Our significance in life comes not from the news or from our own personal accomplishments, but from the God who made us and loves us. While the world goes on and on without us, God’s word and his plan for us works in us and through us. Paul said in Philippians 2:13 that God works in us to accomplish his will through our lives, and in Philippians 1:6 he says that God will perform his will and work in our lives until he comes to take us home. So regardless of what they do in Washington or at Kauffman Stadium, our lives have eternal meaning. The world can just go right ahead and pass us by. In the process, we are passing the world by on our way home.
I Corinthians 7:31 says, “The fashion of this world passeth away.” Isn’t it interesting how the world uses Bible terminology even as they profess not to believe it. When someone dies, we use the euphemism “pass away” to try to lighten the seriousness of death. This world is dying a slow and agonizing death because of the rejection of the “way, truth and life”, our Lord Jesus Christ. Someday it will melt with a fervent heat, and God will bring forth a “new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness” (II Peter 3:10-13). Until that time, let’s rescue as many of the perishing as we can with the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, here we are again at youth camp. It is our annual event once a year when the youth groups from our sister churches get together for a week of fun (depending upon your definition of fun). This is our 15th year in a row of this camp, and the impact made in young lives is fruitful and life changing. There are usually a number of great decisions for the Lord during this week. Last year we had 9 kids get saved, and we already have one this year (it’s Tuesday afternoon). The bonds of friendship that have been created at these camps continue to grow. Some of these kids have been coming to camp for many years. Even after they graduate from High School, they keep coming back to be counselors and workers. God keeps working in their lives in times like these.
One of the best things about camp is getting away for a few days. I am typing these words on Tuesday evening with absolutely no idea what is happening with the debt crisis in Washington that was supposed to mark the end of the world today. I have no idea how my fantasy baseball team is doing this week, or what the latest news is coming from the Chiefs training camp. I guess I should care, but somehow, I really don’t. It is amazing how much passion, time, and interest we invest in things that we really can’t do all that much about. It’s not so much that things don’t “matter”, because they do. The debt crisis is important to all of us. But what can one person do about 14 trillion dollars? What contribution can I possibly make to the outcome of a Royals’ game? It’s not like they take the field and then say, “Hey, how are we supposed to win if Greg isn’t watching?” These things are a part of the fabric of life, and as such, there is at least some meaning to them, even if it is only minor. But our focus should be on things that have eternal significance, even as we partake of the daily grind of life. The best part of camp and missions trips and such things is the strong reminder of that truth.
The reality of this week is that life on this planet will pass without my knowledge and without my involvement. It almost makes me depressed to think about how insignificant I really am in the grand scope of things, until I remember that the God of the Universe thought enough of me to die on the cross for my sins and give me a home in heaven with him. I am totally insignificant to this world, but not to the one who created it. Isn’t that a cool thought? No one outside of my family and maybe a few hundred friends would even notice or care if I died, and I am one of the lucky ones. I am “famous” because of my position. The vast majority of the inhabitants of this planet can’t even count on the “few hundred” friends. Yet God knows the very hairs of all of our heads.
Our significance in life comes not from the news or from our own personal accomplishments, but from the God who made us and loves us. While the world goes on and on without us, God’s word and his plan for us works in us and through us. Paul said in Philippians 2:13 that God works in us to accomplish his will through our lives, and in Philippians 1:6 he says that God will perform his will and work in our lives until he comes to take us home. So regardless of what they do in Washington or at Kauffman Stadium, our lives have eternal meaning. The world can just go right ahead and pass us by. In the process, we are passing the world by on our way home.
I Corinthians 7:31 says, “The fashion of this world passeth away.” Isn’t it interesting how the world uses Bible terminology even as they profess not to believe it. When someone dies, we use the euphemism “pass away” to try to lighten the seriousness of death. This world is dying a slow and agonizing death because of the rejection of the “way, truth and life”, our Lord Jesus Christ. Someday it will melt with a fervent heat, and God will bring forth a “new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness” (II Peter 3:10-13). Until that time, let’s rescue as many of the perishing as we can with the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Point of No Return
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
We are “on final approach” for getting our Day Care venture started here at Crest Bible Church. It has always been my goal to have a ministry to impact young families and children during the most critical time of their lives called the “formative years” of ages 2-5. It is a lot of work, but well worth the effort when you consider what can be accomplished in little lives.
Any business venture requires a start-up period where you are investing time and money but getting nothing in return. This is no different. We went into this with a budget and a plan that included a time period where we knew nothing would happen on the positive side of the ledger. Now that we are firmly into it, it is getting a little scary. As anyone who has done things like this knows, a construction project or a business plan always takes longer and costs more than you planned, even with the best projections and planning you can do. We are now sitting at the place we would call “the point of no return”. We are too far in to quit, but not yet in business. Pilots know what this point is like. As the airplane is taking off, there reaches a point on the runway where it is too late to hit the brakes. There is not enough runway to stop, but the plane is not yet off the ground. You just have to close your eyes, put the hammer down, and trust your equipment and the laws of aerodynamics to get you in the air.
The concept of “living by faith” includes hitting this point on a regular basis. God often wants us out on the end of the limb, while he is sitting back at the trunk with a saw in his hand and a grin on his face. In a life of faith, we are to trust our equipment (the Bible), and know that God’s laws will always work to get us off the ground. This is the life God designed man to live. Adam had it, but he blew it by eating of the forbidden fruit and plunging his children into a fallen state. But man can still walk with God even in his fallen state. Noah and Enoch both did. David was the man after God’s own heart. Abraham was called the friend of God. All of these men did this in their fallen state. What is even more significant is that they did it in the Old Testament, without a completed Bible, without the perfect sacrifice for their sins, and without an indwelling Holy Spirit to guide them. Surely, if these men could do that, why can’t we?
We have a number of new Christians in our midst at Crest Bible Church. When you first start out on your new journey in Christ, there is an ideal in mind of what the Christian life might offer. No matter what you thought, the process always takes longer and costs more than you think. I have been at this non-stop for nearly 33 years – as long as Jesus lived on this earth. I am scratching the surface. The costs incurred for walking with Christ have been far more severe than I could have ever imagined at the outset. If I had known half of what I would go through it would have scared me off. But I can assuredly affirm with a full resounding certainty that it will be worth it all when we see Jesus. It has been worth it in this life. Despite the costs, and regardless of how much time and effort I have had to put in, the journey of the last 33 years has been awesome. I wouldn’t mind another 33, and it would not ruin any plans I have if Jesus returned to take us all home 33 minutes from now.
Regardless of the costs, keep the hammer down. God said he would never leave us or forsake us in Hebrews 13:5. You can walk with God, even in the flesh, and even though you will still sin. The old gospel hymn says, “His word will not fail you, he promised. Believe him, and all will be well. Then go to a world that is dying, his perfect salvation to tell.” That comes from the song, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.” When you feel like you have reached the point of no return, just remember his promise of eternal life and rewards for service, and keep the hammer down.
We are “on final approach” for getting our Day Care venture started here at Crest Bible Church. It has always been my goal to have a ministry to impact young families and children during the most critical time of their lives called the “formative years” of ages 2-5. It is a lot of work, but well worth the effort when you consider what can be accomplished in little lives.
Any business venture requires a start-up period where you are investing time and money but getting nothing in return. This is no different. We went into this with a budget and a plan that included a time period where we knew nothing would happen on the positive side of the ledger. Now that we are firmly into it, it is getting a little scary. As anyone who has done things like this knows, a construction project or a business plan always takes longer and costs more than you planned, even with the best projections and planning you can do. We are now sitting at the place we would call “the point of no return”. We are too far in to quit, but not yet in business. Pilots know what this point is like. As the airplane is taking off, there reaches a point on the runway where it is too late to hit the brakes. There is not enough runway to stop, but the plane is not yet off the ground. You just have to close your eyes, put the hammer down, and trust your equipment and the laws of aerodynamics to get you in the air.
The concept of “living by faith” includes hitting this point on a regular basis. God often wants us out on the end of the limb, while he is sitting back at the trunk with a saw in his hand and a grin on his face. In a life of faith, we are to trust our equipment (the Bible), and know that God’s laws will always work to get us off the ground. This is the life God designed man to live. Adam had it, but he blew it by eating of the forbidden fruit and plunging his children into a fallen state. But man can still walk with God even in his fallen state. Noah and Enoch both did. David was the man after God’s own heart. Abraham was called the friend of God. All of these men did this in their fallen state. What is even more significant is that they did it in the Old Testament, without a completed Bible, without the perfect sacrifice for their sins, and without an indwelling Holy Spirit to guide them. Surely, if these men could do that, why can’t we?
We have a number of new Christians in our midst at Crest Bible Church. When you first start out on your new journey in Christ, there is an ideal in mind of what the Christian life might offer. No matter what you thought, the process always takes longer and costs more than you think. I have been at this non-stop for nearly 33 years – as long as Jesus lived on this earth. I am scratching the surface. The costs incurred for walking with Christ have been far more severe than I could have ever imagined at the outset. If I had known half of what I would go through it would have scared me off. But I can assuredly affirm with a full resounding certainty that it will be worth it all when we see Jesus. It has been worth it in this life. Despite the costs, and regardless of how much time and effort I have had to put in, the journey of the last 33 years has been awesome. I wouldn’t mind another 33, and it would not ruin any plans I have if Jesus returned to take us all home 33 minutes from now.
Regardless of the costs, keep the hammer down. God said he would never leave us or forsake us in Hebrews 13:5. You can walk with God, even in the flesh, and even though you will still sin. The old gospel hymn says, “His word will not fail you, he promised. Believe him, and all will be well. Then go to a world that is dying, his perfect salvation to tell.” That comes from the song, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.” When you feel like you have reached the point of no return, just remember his promise of eternal life and rewards for service, and keep the hammer down.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Rock and Roll
“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” (Psalm 40:1-3)
I like almost any kind of music. We joke at church about my ineptitude in music, but that is just because I can’t carry a tune in a bucket; in fact, I’m not even sure I could carry the bucket even if it was empty. The last musical instrument I tried to play was in grade school. It was a required class. We had to learn to play the “flutophone” – how many of you remember that thing? It was a cheap plastic flute-like gizmo that you blew into and tried to make various musical notes by covering the holes with your fingers. I never could get the hang of that stupid thing, and I really never wanted to, so I never practiced. When it came time for the big class “recital” in front of our parents, I just stood there with the flutophone in the proper position and wiggled my fingers the best I could to try to fake it. I didn’t blow into the thing because I knew I would hit all the wrong notes. The teacher spotted me and could see that my hand movements had absolutely nothing to do with the actual music we were playing. I flunked that part of the course, but hey, at least I didn’t have to actually play a musical instrument.
But my total lack of any musical skill does not extend to the ear. I can enjoy listening to great music even when I can’t participate in it – at least not publicly. Alone in my car with all the windows rolled up tight flying down the freeway at 70 mph is another story. The best part of music is how it affects the heart of man. They call music the “universal language” because of how it moves us and speaks to our core spirit, whether the words are in our native tongue or not. Music is transcendent. It is about so much more than just harmony, melody, and rhythm. There is a spiritual component to music that comes from the original creation. Lucifer was the first music director in the Bible, and history culminates in a “new song” in the hearts of the redeemed as they worship the Lamb at the throne of God (Revelation 5:9).
We humans argue all the time about music styles, especially between generations. My parents thought our music was weird, and I think the same about some of today’s stuff. Music in the church has become one of the biggest battlegrounds of today’s Christianity. Drums and up-tempo contemporary music is the benchmark for whether your church is “legalistic” or “modernistic”, and both camps criticize each other for it. Several places in the Bible, God speaks of us singing a “new song”. That is never a reference to a style of music, but a response of the heart to God’s love and truth. David said in Psalm 40 above that God put a new song in his heart because he had set his feet upon the rock. Throughout the Bible, the rock is Jesus (not Peter). When our lives are anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ, it produces something on the inside. Knowing that Jesus redeemed me from a horrible pit makes my heart soar and burst forth into praise for his grace.
But there is another aspect of the verse I want to point out. The words of the Bible mean things. They are chosen specifically to reveal God’s truth to mankind. It says that the new song in our mouth has a testimony to others. “Many shall see it…” Wait a minute. I thought we heard music. What is this, the first music video in history? No, it is a reference to the transformed life that occurs when we give our lives to Jesus Christ and walk in his grace. Others should be able to see the difference. Paul said we are to reflect the life of Jesus, so that it “might be made manifest in our mortal flesh”. (II Corinthians 4:10-11) One time, some people came up to Philip and said, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” (John 12:21). That is a great request. Lost people don’t need to see us, they need to see Jesus in us. When his grace transforms our hearts, the new song is seen, and our purpose in life is fulfilled to draw others to the Saviour.
I like almost any kind of music. We joke at church about my ineptitude in music, but that is just because I can’t carry a tune in a bucket; in fact, I’m not even sure I could carry the bucket even if it was empty. The last musical instrument I tried to play was in grade school. It was a required class. We had to learn to play the “flutophone” – how many of you remember that thing? It was a cheap plastic flute-like gizmo that you blew into and tried to make various musical notes by covering the holes with your fingers. I never could get the hang of that stupid thing, and I really never wanted to, so I never practiced. When it came time for the big class “recital” in front of our parents, I just stood there with the flutophone in the proper position and wiggled my fingers the best I could to try to fake it. I didn’t blow into the thing because I knew I would hit all the wrong notes. The teacher spotted me and could see that my hand movements had absolutely nothing to do with the actual music we were playing. I flunked that part of the course, but hey, at least I didn’t have to actually play a musical instrument.
But my total lack of any musical skill does not extend to the ear. I can enjoy listening to great music even when I can’t participate in it – at least not publicly. Alone in my car with all the windows rolled up tight flying down the freeway at 70 mph is another story. The best part of music is how it affects the heart of man. They call music the “universal language” because of how it moves us and speaks to our core spirit, whether the words are in our native tongue or not. Music is transcendent. It is about so much more than just harmony, melody, and rhythm. There is a spiritual component to music that comes from the original creation. Lucifer was the first music director in the Bible, and history culminates in a “new song” in the hearts of the redeemed as they worship the Lamb at the throne of God (Revelation 5:9).
We humans argue all the time about music styles, especially between generations. My parents thought our music was weird, and I think the same about some of today’s stuff. Music in the church has become one of the biggest battlegrounds of today’s Christianity. Drums and up-tempo contemporary music is the benchmark for whether your church is “legalistic” or “modernistic”, and both camps criticize each other for it. Several places in the Bible, God speaks of us singing a “new song”. That is never a reference to a style of music, but a response of the heart to God’s love and truth. David said in Psalm 40 above that God put a new song in his heart because he had set his feet upon the rock. Throughout the Bible, the rock is Jesus (not Peter). When our lives are anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ, it produces something on the inside. Knowing that Jesus redeemed me from a horrible pit makes my heart soar and burst forth into praise for his grace.
But there is another aspect of the verse I want to point out. The words of the Bible mean things. They are chosen specifically to reveal God’s truth to mankind. It says that the new song in our mouth has a testimony to others. “Many shall see it…” Wait a minute. I thought we heard music. What is this, the first music video in history? No, it is a reference to the transformed life that occurs when we give our lives to Jesus Christ and walk in his grace. Others should be able to see the difference. Paul said we are to reflect the life of Jesus, so that it “might be made manifest in our mortal flesh”. (II Corinthians 4:10-11) One time, some people came up to Philip and said, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” (John 12:21). That is a great request. Lost people don’t need to see us, they need to see Jesus in us. When his grace transforms our hearts, the new song is seen, and our purpose in life is fulfilled to draw others to the Saviour.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Craziness Continues
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Peter 3:13)
I got a notice in the mail the other day about a class action lawsuit that I guess I am a part of. One of the major insurance companies is the defendant. I won’t mention which company, but anyone who has not lived under a rock for the last century would know the name. This illustrates the absolute absurdity this world operates by. Without trying to go into a lot of detail, let me try my best to explain the verdict. Some guy got upset over some added fees the company charged. He thought they were “making too much profit” (an actual quote). So he got a team of buzzards and sued the company on all of our “behalf”. The company claimed it was a legitimate business practice, and it probably was, especially since millions of people paid it without a fuss. The company could have fought it, but rather than spend the money, they agreed to settle out of court. It would be much cheaper than fighting it for years and possibly losing anyway to a sympathetic judge or jury. So they set aside a fund of $455 million dollars. This fund will be distributed to everyone who had policies with this company over a ten year period, based on the premiums they paid. My rebate totals $7.60. Yes, that is right. I get a grand total of 7 bucks. I don’t know how much the idiot who sued gets. Maybe he had a lot more policies with this company, but he can’t be getting any more than $100 at the most. None of the other millions of policy holders will get more than $100 each either. The lawyers in the case get a lump sum settlement of $90 million dollars. You know for a fact that the company will not just lose that $455 million. They will just raise the rates of their millions of customers by a small amount to recover it – let’s say, oh, about $7.60 for me. So all of us will actually pay more for our insurance (and our gasoline and food as other companies pass on their rate hikes) while we get a tiny rebate check in the mail and beat our chests and pride ourselves in “sticking it to the man”. In the meantime, a bunch of lawyers ride off in the sunset with a cool $90 million. Makes us all proud to be an American, huh?
Corporate greed and abuse is very real, and we certainly need to be protected from it. But this is lunacy. If you feel a company is “making too much profit”, buy their stock. Don’t waste the time and energy of the rest of us just so you can make a bunch of lawyers rich at our expense.
The real solution for this insanity – and all other problems of mankind – is the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. Jeremiah says, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” (Jeremiah 23:5) The world thinks that Bible believers are crazy, then they pull stunts like this. But there is coming a time very soon when God will have had enough of man’s sin, and will pull the plug on society and man’s dominion of the earth. At that time, true justice and judgment will be served. As Peter said above, righteousness will reign in the earth. Greed and fraud will be unknown. Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Rev 19:15), and show mankind how it is supposed to be done. Until that time comes, just count on abuse, ignorance, greed, oppression, and sin ruling the day.
People see injustice and they try to find answers in lawsuits, causes, and government actions. Real justice is found in Jesus Christ and him alone. Speaking of justice, we all deserve a bed in hell because of our sin. The greatest injustice ever perpetrated in the history of the world took place in a crooked trial in the city of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. A sinless man was arrested out of pure envy, and tried on trumped up charges. He was brutally murdered for no other reason than he loved people, did good, and preached the word of his Father in heaven. His sacrifice paid the debt for my sin, and yours also. Receive him today if you have never done so. If you have, tell others about his love for them. One day soon, he will return to administer true justice.
I got a notice in the mail the other day about a class action lawsuit that I guess I am a part of. One of the major insurance companies is the defendant. I won’t mention which company, but anyone who has not lived under a rock for the last century would know the name. This illustrates the absolute absurdity this world operates by. Without trying to go into a lot of detail, let me try my best to explain the verdict. Some guy got upset over some added fees the company charged. He thought they were “making too much profit” (an actual quote). So he got a team of buzzards and sued the company on all of our “behalf”. The company claimed it was a legitimate business practice, and it probably was, especially since millions of people paid it without a fuss. The company could have fought it, but rather than spend the money, they agreed to settle out of court. It would be much cheaper than fighting it for years and possibly losing anyway to a sympathetic judge or jury. So they set aside a fund of $455 million dollars. This fund will be distributed to everyone who had policies with this company over a ten year period, based on the premiums they paid. My rebate totals $7.60. Yes, that is right. I get a grand total of 7 bucks. I don’t know how much the idiot who sued gets. Maybe he had a lot more policies with this company, but he can’t be getting any more than $100 at the most. None of the other millions of policy holders will get more than $100 each either. The lawyers in the case get a lump sum settlement of $90 million dollars. You know for a fact that the company will not just lose that $455 million. They will just raise the rates of their millions of customers by a small amount to recover it – let’s say, oh, about $7.60 for me. So all of us will actually pay more for our insurance (and our gasoline and food as other companies pass on their rate hikes) while we get a tiny rebate check in the mail and beat our chests and pride ourselves in “sticking it to the man”. In the meantime, a bunch of lawyers ride off in the sunset with a cool $90 million. Makes us all proud to be an American, huh?
Corporate greed and abuse is very real, and we certainly need to be protected from it. But this is lunacy. If you feel a company is “making too much profit”, buy their stock. Don’t waste the time and energy of the rest of us just so you can make a bunch of lawyers rich at our expense.
The real solution for this insanity – and all other problems of mankind – is the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to this earth. Jeremiah says, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.” (Jeremiah 23:5) The world thinks that Bible believers are crazy, then they pull stunts like this. But there is coming a time very soon when God will have had enough of man’s sin, and will pull the plug on society and man’s dominion of the earth. At that time, true justice and judgment will be served. As Peter said above, righteousness will reign in the earth. Greed and fraud will be unknown. Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Rev 19:15), and show mankind how it is supposed to be done. Until that time comes, just count on abuse, ignorance, greed, oppression, and sin ruling the day.
People see injustice and they try to find answers in lawsuits, causes, and government actions. Real justice is found in Jesus Christ and him alone. Speaking of justice, we all deserve a bed in hell because of our sin. The greatest injustice ever perpetrated in the history of the world took place in a crooked trial in the city of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. A sinless man was arrested out of pure envy, and tried on trumped up charges. He was brutally murdered for no other reason than he loved people, did good, and preached the word of his Father in heaven. His sacrifice paid the debt for my sin, and yours also. Receive him today if you have never done so. If you have, tell others about his love for them. One day soon, he will return to administer true justice.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
It Makes No Sense
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts that your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
We are getting closer to being able to open our Pre-School here at Crest Bible Church. As most anyone knows, when you take on a venture like this, there are all sorts of regulations and issues to concern yourself with imposed upon us by our government. Most of it is very understandable, especially when little children are involved. They are helpless and vulnerable, and we have seen far too many instances in the past where tragedies could have been easily prevented with a little common sense and foresight. In the grand scheme of things, it is better to be a little over cautious in safety and security issues than to live in an environment when anything can happen, and often does. The costs and hassles are well worth the effort when little lives are affected.
But some of this stuff is just plain stupid. For example, we are installing a playground area for the children, and we have to put down a 4-6 inch bed of mulch to cushion the blow if one of them happens to fall off of one of the climbing toys. I understand that. The ground is pretty hard, I can attest to that myself. We submitted a sample of the mulch we were going to use. The State of Kansas Health Department said the mulch was “too dirty”. I am not kidding. Mulch is ground up trees. It bio-degrades into dirt. It was ground up sufficiently so that there were not any huge chunks and sticks to give kids splinters, but the dirt was too dirty. And the air is too airy, and the water is too wet. So we have to contract with another supplier who uses only a special type of wood and runs it through a “cleaning” process that drives the price up significantly. When we got into this building at the first, we had to install “occupancy” number signs for each room, mainly for the benefit of the Fire Marshall so they would know about how many people could potentially be in a room in case of fire. We had to add braille to the signs per ADA code. First, if a blind person walks into a room and “reads” in braille that the maximum allowable occupancy is 50, how is he supposed to know if he is the 51st person? He is blind. It is like the sign I saw on a door once, “No pets allowed, except seeing eye dogs.” How is the blind person supposed to read that? Or is the dog supposed to read it? What if the dog reads only Spanish? The other problem with the braille occupancy signs is who they are primarily intended for. The Fire Department needs to have a “head count”. How many blind firemen are there?
All of that type of stuff and more can drive a sane person to drink. This is the world we live in, and they think those of us who believe the Bible are crazy!
But there is a sense in which the same principle holds for the word of God. The regulators think these rules make perfect sense, and since they live in that world all the time, they do – to them. They speak the language. They see things the rest of us don’t. Many of the things that those of us on the “outside” think are goofy probably are not, if we could see it in light of accidents and law suits that have happened in the past. I Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him.” The reason the world can’t see the truths of the Bible is because they don’t look at it in light of its author. They don’t see it from the vantage point of someone who lives in its pages 24-7. God sees things we don’t see. He communicates to us his word so we can live in his world. His gospel is simple: Jesus died for sinners. His commandments for his children are “not grievous” (I John 5:3). They make perfect sense to those of us who have seen the results of life lived in its pages. I don’t understand the city codes because I don’t make it my life. But life in God’s word is far more important. Codes protect us from accidents. God’s word saves us from hell and gives us an abundant life now. Get in on the “inside” of its pages. Your life will make sense when you do.
We are getting closer to being able to open our Pre-School here at Crest Bible Church. As most anyone knows, when you take on a venture like this, there are all sorts of regulations and issues to concern yourself with imposed upon us by our government. Most of it is very understandable, especially when little children are involved. They are helpless and vulnerable, and we have seen far too many instances in the past where tragedies could have been easily prevented with a little common sense and foresight. In the grand scheme of things, it is better to be a little over cautious in safety and security issues than to live in an environment when anything can happen, and often does. The costs and hassles are well worth the effort when little lives are affected.
But some of this stuff is just plain stupid. For example, we are installing a playground area for the children, and we have to put down a 4-6 inch bed of mulch to cushion the blow if one of them happens to fall off of one of the climbing toys. I understand that. The ground is pretty hard, I can attest to that myself. We submitted a sample of the mulch we were going to use. The State of Kansas Health Department said the mulch was “too dirty”. I am not kidding. Mulch is ground up trees. It bio-degrades into dirt. It was ground up sufficiently so that there were not any huge chunks and sticks to give kids splinters, but the dirt was too dirty. And the air is too airy, and the water is too wet. So we have to contract with another supplier who uses only a special type of wood and runs it through a “cleaning” process that drives the price up significantly. When we got into this building at the first, we had to install “occupancy” number signs for each room, mainly for the benefit of the Fire Marshall so they would know about how many people could potentially be in a room in case of fire. We had to add braille to the signs per ADA code. First, if a blind person walks into a room and “reads” in braille that the maximum allowable occupancy is 50, how is he supposed to know if he is the 51st person? He is blind. It is like the sign I saw on a door once, “No pets allowed, except seeing eye dogs.” How is the blind person supposed to read that? Or is the dog supposed to read it? What if the dog reads only Spanish? The other problem with the braille occupancy signs is who they are primarily intended for. The Fire Department needs to have a “head count”. How many blind firemen are there?
All of that type of stuff and more can drive a sane person to drink. This is the world we live in, and they think those of us who believe the Bible are crazy!
But there is a sense in which the same principle holds for the word of God. The regulators think these rules make perfect sense, and since they live in that world all the time, they do – to them. They speak the language. They see things the rest of us don’t. Many of the things that those of us on the “outside” think are goofy probably are not, if we could see it in light of accidents and law suits that have happened in the past. I Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him.” The reason the world can’t see the truths of the Bible is because they don’t look at it in light of its author. They don’t see it from the vantage point of someone who lives in its pages 24-7. God sees things we don’t see. He communicates to us his word so we can live in his world. His gospel is simple: Jesus died for sinners. His commandments for his children are “not grievous” (I John 5:3). They make perfect sense to those of us who have seen the results of life lived in its pages. I don’t understand the city codes because I don’t make it my life. But life in God’s word is far more important. Codes protect us from accidents. God’s word saves us from hell and gives us an abundant life now. Get in on the “inside” of its pages. Your life will make sense when you do.
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