Worth Repeating - February 14, 2017

Song of Solomon 8: 7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.

Romance was so complicated that it must take a genius to figure it out.*

Anyone who has ever been through a divorce knows that this verse isn’t universally true. Love, especially romantic love, is sometimes wishy-washy and unreliable. My love for my children is a better example of unquenchable love because there is nothing that could make me stop loving them.

The Song of Solomon is a somewhat confusing love song. And love songs are not the most reliable source of information about true love outside of the realm of romance. We generally refer to chapter 13 of I Corinthians as the final authority on what love is. But I think we still don’t get it. In the words of Max Lucado: “When it comes to love, feelings rule the day. Emotions guide the ship. Goose bumps call the shots. But should they? Can feelings be trusted? Can a relationship feel right but be wrong?”* 

   

So, even though we are reading the words about how love is patient and kind, we are expecting that we will feel patient and kind if we love someone. The fact is, if we love someone, we will be patient and kind, no matter how we feel. There would be a lot less feelings of guilt in the world if we understood that true love cannot be quenched – it just sometimes feels that way!

The world regards love as an involuntary emotion – something we fall into (like we fall into a ditch) or out of (like falling out of a tree).*

Worth Repeating - February 13, 2017

Mark 10: 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

Some Christians are burdened by an unexpressed fear that it may be wrong to want anything.*

For most of my life, I have been asking God for the wrong things. I’m not whining about seldom getting what I asked for because God’s will is always superior to mine. I find myself, however, reluctant to express my true desires to God because . . . well, I know that he’s going to give me what’s best so it must not matter what I want. . . I’m thinking that might be the wrong attitude!

Jesus asked the blind man what he wanted Jesus to do for him. I believe Jesus wanted the man to be specific. Would Jesus have granted his request if he had asked for anything other than healing? Who knows. But what if the man had been cautious – even timid – in his request? Perhaps asked for a new cane, a service dog, money . . . How silly would that have been when Jesus had the power to make him able to see!

I say, if you want something, ask for it. Ask for it according to God’s will. Wait expectantly for God to give you what you asked for - or something better. I say, if you are thankful for what you get, you won’t regret what you didn’t get. I say, as your faith matures, your asking will, too. I look forward to the day when I want what God wants, and when he asks, “What do you want me to do for you,” I won’t hesitate to tell him.

The more we thank, the more we see to be thankful for.*

Worth Repeating - February 12, 2017

Acts 4: 20 “For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Speaking what one has seen and heard is the essence of witnessing.*

One night, in my role as a camp counselor, I was having trouble getting the little girls in my cabin to settle down and go to sleep. Finally, one little girl piped up, “There’s a room full of girls here and I just have to talk!”

Perhaps Peter and John could relate to that little girl. They were filled with the Spirit and bubbling over with good news to share. They literally were not able not to speak! Such exuberance was a new development for them. Remember when they were not so bold? Yet, here they were in court where one is supposed to tell the truth about what you have seen and heard and they are being commanded not to speak! Instead of quaking in fear, they are “willing to pay the price of this defiance with their lives.”*

As someone has pointed out, “A leader’s execution is not a usual recipe for heartening his followers,”* so what accounts for the difference in their demeanor? They were pumped because of what they had seen and heard. Have you ever witnessed something astonishing? I saw the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger; I saw (on TV) the airplane flying into the second tower of the World Trade Center; I saw a boy and his bicycle thrown across an intersection after colliding with a pick-up truck. When we see something like that, isn’t it our natural reaction to want to tell someone? Imagine being an eye-witness to the events that Peter and John had seen. What a story they had to tell!

Can you give a first-hand account of what you have seen Jesus do in your life?  How anxious are you to share your story with anyone and everyone – regardless of the consequences?

Actively sharing your faith solidifies your personal convictions.*

Worth Repeating - February 11, 2017

Genesis 15: 11 Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

To moderns, idolatry is as weird as cannibalism; we’re not tempted to try it.*

When humans “create” pretend gods, we never make them perfect. A perfect god might have expectations that are too high so we make them like ourselves and expect little from them. In Isaiah, chapter 44, we read an ironic observation about how the same piece of wood from which an idol is fashioned is also used for fuel. How can we worship, or rely on, things made by human hands?

You think you don’t know any idol-worshippers? Do you know someone who believes in a man-made religion? I’m sure you are acquainted with churches that have altered the Word of God to suit their own beliefs. Have you ever heard someone say something like this: “The God I believe in wouldn’t_______,” (fill in the blank with something like “send anyone to hell” or “allow people to suffer”)? Those people have created a false god. You can’t choose some attributes of God to keep and others to discard.

We know that there is no other God but people worship lots of other things. They may not bow down and pray to them, but they treat them as gods. If we allow something else to take his place, we are guilty of idolatry.  

He is either the only God, or he is not God at all.*

Worth Repeating - February 10, 2017

Genesis 17: 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”

[read Genesis chapters 15-17 for the background story]

Prayer puts one in touch with a planet.*

Abraham, in his attempt to give God a hand in accomplishing his will, unleashed a conflict upon the ancient world that has raged throughout history. Abraham could not know the generational repercussions of his actions, but he did come to regret what happened to his firstborn son, Ishmael. He prayed for Ishmael to live under God’s blessing, the same as any parent would wish for his child. Muslims believe that Ishmael is an ancestor of Muhammad, and that God promised Muhammad that he would establish a great nation.*

Today, the news is full of accounts of horrifying acts done in the name of Allah, the version of God that Muslims worship. I don’t claim to know enough about the religion to say with certainty that it is or is not a religion of peace, but clearly many who claim to follow the teachings of the Koran (or whatever the acceptable spelling is!) are not peaceful people. (History reveals those who have committed atrocities in the name of Christ, as well – but that’s another story!)

What can we do? We can start where Abraham did – we can pray that “Ishmael” might live under God’s blessing. Just like every other sinner, Muslims need the Savior. We can pray for workers who are willing to go into a field that is ripe and ready for harvesting – in every part of the world! If you find it difficult to pray for a bloody terrorist, picture Saul before he became the Apostle Paul. Even now, a Muslim who is actively persecuting Christians may be on the brink of a conversion experience, igniting an evangelistic fire among the Islamic world . . . if only someone is willing to confront him with the gospel.

We live in a scary world. But Christians have the ultimate WMT – Weapon of Mass Transformation: the Holy Spirit. Open your instruction manual and learn how to operate the Spirit’s power to overcome the world.

The Gospel army must move upon the nations. The Lord seeks universal empire, and sends forth his armies to conquer the world. Every church and every disciple must understand that they have marching orders.*

Worth Repeating - February 9, 2017

Lamentations 3: 19-22 I remember my affliction and my wandering; . . . yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

The study of the past can enrich the present.*

I really get tired of hearing people say, “Everything happens for a reason.” I don’t believe it’s true. Not the way they mean it. They’re implying that everything that happens to us – good or bad – is part of God’s big plan. We won’t be discussing my reasons for disagreeing because I want to dwell on an alternate theory: Everything that happens to us is an opportunity.

We are shaped by a world that is beyond our control, but we are also shaped by the choices we make. Things that happen to us require us to make choices and those choices make things happen. The random happenings of our lives and the choices we make and the results of those choices are fuel for the fire of our memory. Remembering adversity helps us to grow stronger. Remembering the results of our bad choices schools us to make good choices. Calling to mind the good things gives us hope.

To paraphrase a famous quote: those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. We shouldn’t forget the bad things that happen to us – and especially the bad choices that probably led to them. But what we should dwell on is God’s faithfulness.

We live in clear and present danger. . . The clear and present danger is found in our short memories.*

Worth Repeating - February 8, 2017

Luke 8: 38, 39 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

The first principle of discipleship is this: We are set apart for the purpose of doing whatever Christ commands.*

A formerly demon-possessed man has a dramatic testimony, one that would add pizzazz to any evangelistic team. He begs to be allowed to go with Jesus, but Jesus refuses to take him. Why wouldn’t Jesus want to include this man in his roadshow?

In my former career, we often had to plan and execute big projects. When it came to assigning the right personnel for each task of the operation, my assistant did a masterful job. She knew the strengths and skills of each staff member so she was able to use each person where he or she could shine and make us all look good.

Jesus knows our strengths and where we can use them for the best benefit of the Kingdom. We don’t all have the same mission field. As in any major project, there are big jobs and small jobs that have to be done in order to accomplish our goal. Some of us may have to travel to another state or a foreign country to fulfill our part of the mission, but most of us are required to “return home and tell how much God has done for you.”

What has God done for you? Are you ready to tell your story?

If you find what you do each day seems to have no link to any higher purpose, you probably want to rethink what you’re doing.*