July 21, 2023

 

We Are All Pharisees

 

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector.’

– Luke 18:11

 

How many times have we read the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector and condemned the Pharisee for thinking his sins weren’t as bad as the tax collector’s sins? How many times have we been the Pharisee by justifying our own sins while soundly condemning the sins of others?

 

Ouch. Most of us live pretty good lives, at least according to ourselves. We try to be good people. We don’t go around shooting people or robbing others or blatantly telling lies. We help those we think need it. We pray sometimes. We may even read the Bible. But we still don’t get it.

 

I’m struggling now to show grace and mercy to someone who is committing adultery. I see the heartbreak he has inflicted on his wife and children. It drags on and on as he tries to discover what will make him “happy.” I honestly would like to throttle him. I suspect God would like to throttle me sometimes too.

 

No. I haven’t committed adultery. But I have judged the sins of another. I have condemned what is not mine to condemn. I have failed to show love and grace, mercy even, as I have held onto my anger. My sins are great.

 

The hard truth is that we are all Pharisees. Pastor Adam Hamilton described himself as a recovering Pharisee who sometimes falls off the wagon. That is true of all of us. We are quick to point fingers, gossip, and condemn the sins of someone else all the while justifying our own sins.

 

I am not excusing his actions. But I also refuse to excuse my own. I pray that God will open both of our hearts so that we may be healed. That’s where he’ll find “happy.” That’s where I will find it too.

January 28, 2023

 

How Did Jesus Do It?

 

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” – Luke 6:27-28

 

Oh, Jesus! How did you do it? How did you love people intent on betraying you? How did you forgive people intent on destroying your temple for money and power and greed?

 

It’s not as though Jesus didn’t know. He did. He chosen the twelve. He broke bread with all of them, including Judas, knowing that he’d be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.

 

Money. Why does it seem like all these years later it still controls the hearts of men and women who proclaim the name of Jesus and still seem intent on betraying him? Will we “sell” our church for the privilege of excluding people made in His image?

 

Disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church has nothing to do with Jesus and the Bible. It has everything to do with men and women who are afraid of anyone who might be different. It’s about power and control. And let’s not forget money. Because those with the most money have the power and control of the church. No female preachers. No homosexuals. No to anyone who might look different than them.

 

And, yet, Jesus loves them. He calls us to forgiveness. He tells us to pray for them. He commands us to do good to those who would harm us. I look around at all the false disciples and see heartache and betrayal. Jesus sees those created in the image of God.

 

 It’s not too late. I remind myself that God can make a way when no way seems possible. I search scripture for passages of His Glory showing up at the last minute. I know this battle isn’t about buildings and endowments. I know it’s about souls and eternal life. This battle isn’t mine to fight.

 

Still, I struggle to do my part. I don’t want to love people who seek to harm our family. That’s what it is. Family. Now it’s torn apart and, regardless of the disaffiliation vote, nothing will ever be the same. Maybe that’s the point. Maybe Jesus wants to make us broken bread so that He can remold us into something far better than we could ever have done ourselves.

January 24, 2023

 

Beware of Your Words

 

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” – Luke 6:37

 

She sat in the very back, watching it all. When the pastor began praying, she began talking about how awful he is and listing all that he had done to harm her church. She is furious at him for what she believes he hasn’t done. She doesn’t see the need to look in the mirror.

 

A few years back she needed, and received, grace. She was fired from her job because of harsh words that deeply hurt a child. Her church, the very one she attends, extended grace and helped her heal. This church even offered her a job that led to her restoration in her chosen field.

 

And now she sat back and condemned a man for doing his best in an awful situation. She rarely lifts a finger to do anything but judge. She’s blaming someone else for all that she sees wrong. She believes, as do others, that a new pastor will fix everything. It won’t because the problem isn’t the pastor. The problem is her and all the others who expect more from one person than he can possibly give. The problem is that we all have forgotten about serving others.

 

We are so quick to judge, aren’t we? We tell ourselves we’re entitled to our opinion and we are. But the Bible reminds us repeatedly to watch our words. The tongue can do so much harm, especially when the devil is in our hard hearts.

 

Our church is discussing disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church. One reason is that many have formed a wall against a pastor doing his best. Is he perfect? Absolutely not. None of us are. We forget that sometimes. We also sometimes forget that we are called to serve with our hands and feet and not just with our checkbooks. We are called to love. And we are warned not to judge.

 

I don’t know what will happen to our church. Only God knows. I’ve no doubt, though, that the Holy Spirit is grieved by all the anger and hatred permeating throughout the hearts of His people.

February 4, 2022

 

Quiet Time

 

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

– Luke 5:16

 

How often do you pray? I’m not asking how often you talk about praying. I’m not counting those one sentence prayers you throw out in desperation or to make a point. I’m asking how often you actually sit or kneel down in a quiet place and spend time with God, talking and listening.

 

We take prayer for granted, don’t we? God is always there so when we really need Him, we pray. Desperation turns a soul toward the One who can make it all right again. We cry out in anguish, in anger, in grief.

 

But what about all those other times. Do we thank God when life is good? Do we spend time with Him when we are filled with blessings? Or do we take it all for granted?

 

Are you tired from the demands of your life? Are you so busy juggling responsibilities that you just can’t seem to find time for God? He understands, you tell yourself. If you bother to think of Him at all, that is.

 

What would happen if you began each day with God? How would your day look if you asked Him to direct your path? How would it feel if God took care of you and everything on your list of responsibilities?

 

God provides us with the power to handle our day. It might not end up looking like the day we imagined. Maybe that’s our issue with kneeling before God. We want to be in control but He demands that we relinquish that control to Him. Funny thing about all that. We aren’t ever really in control. It’s an illusion that makes us feel safe for a time.

 

God is in control. He knows what’s coming. He knows what we need and how best to protect and nurture us. God loves us beyond anything we could imagine. No matter what. There is security in that.

 

So give it a try. Start your day with God. Talk to Him and take time to listen to what He has to say. You may just find yourself craving Him in a way you never imagined. You may even begin looking forward to that quiet time you spend alone with Him.

February 14, 2020

Look to Your Hearts

And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. – Luke 21:17

Everyone likes to be liked. Everyone wants to be accepted and valued. I am no exception. But what happens when God calls you to something that will likely turn your world upside down and cause people to hate you? Eventually, you do it anyway.

For a long time I have felt torn by the increasing chasm between the views loudly expressed by “Christians” and what the Bible actually says. We have become a society good at choosing parts and pieces of Scripture to “prove” our own way of thinking. We use God’s Word to slay others and do it “in the name of Jesus.” In so doing, we miss the point. We miss His point.

Love others. Love your enemies. Love foreigners. Love. Again and again we are told to love people. Again and again we see Jesus helping others without bothering to inquire if they deserve it. Because, honestly, none of us deserve His help. None of us deserve grace and mercy. His gives it freely anyway.

We are just so hard-hearted. We pray for our will to be done, refusing to consider that maybe it is us who have gotten it all wrong. We are so busy being “right” that we fail to look beyond ourselves to actually hear God’s voice.

God’s Word covers so much more than abortion and homosexuality but some groups would have us believe that those are the only two issues that matter. We don’t want to hear about the poor. That might cost us money. We don’t want to read about welcoming foreigners because we don’t want to be around people who aren’t exactly like us.

We hold in high esteem those who are filled with greed, reckless ambition, and selfish motives. We call them successful. We fill our hearts with worthless possessions that make us feel good about ourselves. And we cling to what we claim as ours, refusing to acknowledge God’s ownership over it all.

The truth of our lives isn’t pretty. We are guilty and obstinate in our harsh words and finger pointing. Look in the mirror, oh Pharisees. See yourselves clearly. Your loud proclamations of faith mean nothing when your hearts are so clearly filled with selfishness and evil.

July 20, 2019

Live Boldly

He called out, “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me!”

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” -- Luke 18:38-39

No matter what you do in life there will be somebody telling you not to it. There will always be someone to say you can’t or that your plans are destined to fail. That’s just how life is.

Sadly, some of the worst critics are members of the faith community. They are the modern-day Pharisees, so determined to protect their rules that they miss the point.

They lash out at the Children’s Director for exchanging the Easter egg hunt for a fun event that’s biblically based. The kids love it while some adults grumble. They are the ones who’d rather use their tithes to add to their own comfort rather than help the working poor. They aren’t interested in outreach unless it’s reaching for people just like them.

Maybe you know someone like this. Maybe you are someone like this. Maybe you wish people who just shut up and stop trying to bring change. Maybe you’re one of the crowd shouting for others to stay silent.

Jesus’ church can never grow if we insist it remain the same. We can never serve those He calls us to serve if we don’t want share our pews, our meals, our money. And if we don’t grow, well, there’s that other alternative. We die.

Jesus beckoned this blind beggar to come to Him.

“What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” – Luke 18:41-42

Do you want to be healed? Do you want to see Jesus clearly? Then look to the cross. Really look. With an open heart, an open mind and an open hand.

May 16. 2019

What’s Your Excuse?

Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. … But they all alike began to make excuses.” 

– Luke 16, Luke 18a

It was one of those casual encounters. We’d barely got the hellos out when she began to make excuses for not being in Sunday school class. I tried to brush it off and move on. She kept talking anyway.

And it finally pushed my button. I struggled and barely contained my words. I really don’t care whether she’s in class, in church, or anywhere else. I don’t mean that harshly. I just believe it’s between the individual and God.

What I do care about are the excuses. Her words bordered on lies and I’m being generous when I write that. I’m sure she was tired but not because of her ongoing illness, her knee or anything else. Facebook tells all and I knew from the photos that she’d just returned from Disney World.

I’m happy for her. Vacations and fun times are good things but the sad reality is she’s been in class three times this year. She always has an excuse but the truth is far simpler than any excuse. She doesn’t come because she doesn’t want to come. Period.

Jesus told this parable about those who make excuses, refusing to choose God before all else. Are you attending church regularly? What about small group? Do you pray daily (and not just for your own agenda!)? God comes first and everything else behind it. No amount of excuses will make anything else okay.

We all make choices every day. We prioritize what we value and we push aside what we don’t value. God gave us free will and these are our choices to make. Own those choices. Admit them. Don’t make excuses. Don’t try to rationalize your choices. If you feel guilty, if you are filled with the need to explain yourself, maybe the Holy Spirit is telling you that you’ve made the wrong choice.

May 13, 2019

Appearances

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” – Luke 21:1-4

It’s all about appearances, isn’t it? We log on to Facebook and post all the pretty stuff, ignoring the heartaches and disappointments and failures. It’s the same at church. We clean ourselves up, paste on a smile and tell everyone how wonderful our lives are right now. We don’t mention the child that is lying and skipping school and hanging with the wrong crowd. We don’t talk about the possibility of a job layoff or our marital struggles. We don’t want people to know the ugliness of our lives.

Our churches, those buildings filled with people playing nice, aren’t always what they seem. There are squabbles and financial issues and politics galore. We smile warmly and greet visitors, praying they won’t feel the tension or be put off by the preacher’s message. We tell each other it’s all about Jesus but in our hearts we “know” it’s all about the numbers.

Studies show that people are staying away from churches at an alarming rate. We think it’s because we aren’t “nice” enough or “polished” enough. Maybe the true answer is that we aren’t real enough.

The widow Jesus spoke about gave all she could. Because of where the offering box was located, everyone knew how much she gave. Don’t you know that there were many who watched her and scoffed arrogantly at her meager offering? They judged her by their circumstances rather than taking a moment to look at her heart.

Jesus looks at your heart. He looks at mine too. He sees the flaws, the failures, the issues that linger just beneath the surface. He draws us to Him and tells us to do the same with others. It’s what so many of our churches are missing. They focus on appearances but totally miss the heart.

April 17, 2019

What Is Your Value?

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7

How much are you worth? Where does your value come from? Maybe you have a large bank account. Maybe your life is filled with children and grandchildren and friends galore. Do those things make your life more valuable than the life of someone else?

Society tells us that our worth comes from our income, our social status, the number of people who love us. But what are all those things if we don’t have Christ? Our true value comes from the One who sent His Only Son to die for us. Everything else? Well, it’s just a bonus.

We know this. We do. But we let the opinions of others knock us around. We slump in shame at the missed promotion. We hide in solitude because of mistakes we can’t undo. We beat ourselves up for not being perfect. We will never be perfect. We can never earn enough, be enough, to deserve what Jesus did for us.

The world may scoff at who and what you are. Let it go. Jesus paid for your freedom. You belong to Him. And that makes you more valuable that anything else.

December 24, 2018

We Wait

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

– Luke 1:76-79

The stores are finally closing. Traffic is slowing down. Take a deep breath. Christmas is almost here.

It was never supposed to be this way. The hustle and bustle. All the gifts for ourselves and others. Christmas was never about that. It was always about a child, a baby born to save us all.

John the Baptist knew his role from the very beginning. These verses are part of the prophecy Zechariah gave over his son. The words were a gift from the Holy Spirit.

Remember Zechariah had doubts when the angel Gabriel came to give him the news that Elizabeth would give birth to a son. For that reason, Zechariah remained silent, unable to speak, until after John was born.

Zechariah learned a few things on his journey. He learned never to question any message God sends through his angels. And he learned that sometimes the greatest among us are the ones who lead the way.

That was John’s job in life. He was to point others toward Jesus. Nothing more. Nothing less. He would come to say later in his life that he would decrease as Jesus increased. It was never about John and he knew that.

It’s not about us either. Do we know that? In the midst of this holiday do we understand that we are here to glorify God, to praise Him, to lead others to know Christ as Lord and Savior? Do we understand our purpose?

I’ve certainly got nothing against a beautiful tree surrounded by gifts. I love the gathering of family and friends. I enjoy the food a little more than I should. But the challenge comes when we get so involved in all those things that we miss the coming of the Lord.

Do we see the baby in the manger? Can we imagine his cries? He left heaven for this so that we might be free from the sins that doomed us to eternal death. He came out of love for us. Do we love Him in return? Do we understand in the silence of the night that our lives are meant to point others to Him?

Our church has a beautiful Christmas Eve service. There is lots of merriment and singing of Christmas carols. But the end really brings it back to what’s important. After communion, we pass the light around the dark room. Silence echoes as each person lights the candle held by the person next to him. It is in that moment that we remember. We wait quietly, expectantly, for the sound of a newborn crying in the night.

Jesus. Messiah. Savior. King. Lord. Emmanuel.

Come.

December 23, 2018

Love

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

For the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name. -- Luke 1:46-49

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. Love. That’s the candle we light today. It’s all about how much God loves us. How much God sacrificed for us.

Do we ever really think about that? In our busyness, in our rush to buy gifts and cook delicious food, and gather together, do we ever consider how much God loves us? Do we ever think about what that means in our lives?

What does love mean to you? We tend to put it into categories. There’s romantic love. There’s parental love. There’s friendly love and family love and, well, there’s all kinds of love. But the love God gives to us is so much more than that. The love He has for us is sacrificial love. He gave Jesus to die for us. How many of us would do the same for Him? Not many. How do I know that? Each day we are called to die to ourselves so that we might live for Him. How many of us really do that?

We have such a hard time with love. It hurts, even when it’s good. There’s betrayal and disappointment. There are expectations that can never be met by anyone but God. There’s death that comes too soon and children who are longed for but never come.

We also reject love as too confining, too controlling, too much about someone else. We push people away, so afraid they will consume us that we miss the love behind their actions. We are an independent sort but that only carries us so far.

We love others. We love our children and we call it sacrificial but is it really? Can we ever truly compare what we are willing to do for those we love with what God has done for us? How much would we give, who would we sacrifice, for the wayward children we love to come to accept His priceless gift?

Do we ever really see God for all that He is? Do we truly understand His magnificence? Can we even comprehend that the Creator of the universe chose us? Can we ever grasp how much He loves us?

Think about that today. Take a few minutes to bask in the glory of His love. Let His peace fill you up. Refocus on the child in the manger who came to set us free from the death our sins require.

This season is about so many things but, mostly, it’s about His love for us. Don’t ever lose sight of that.

December 18, 2018

Light Exposes Darkness

“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” – Luke 8:17

But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them. – Ephesians 5:13 (NLT)

Each of us has darkness that lies inside of us. We pretend it’s not there. We ignore the truths rather than face it and let light destroy it. But in the end, it still finds a way to reveal itself.

We are sinners. There’s just no way to get past that on this earth. We can’t ever be good enough, wise enough, blameless enough, to enter God’s Presence on our own. That’s why we so desperately need Jesus.

We try to pretend that we’re good enough. God knows our hearts. He knows we’re trying. Except we somehow find a way to pick and choose where we’ll do better and where we’ll keep on being who we are.

Sometimes the sin is great. Sometimes the sin is gathered together with many parts, none of which seem too bad, until the great multitude reveals a pattern of darkness. We don’t blame ourselves. It’s this society, this world, this media, that leads us to things we wouldn’t otherwise do, see, or hear.

Except we are to blame. We make choices, then attempt to justify ourselves. We allow our sin nature to control us and that, in turn, leads us places we never really intended to go.

It’s the excuse pattern that allows us to fudge a little here or a little there. It’s that wink that lets us think we’re sliding by without any consequences for doing what we know is wrong.

I’m always amazed at how we do what we know is wrong. We watch a movie or television show that we know has inappropriate content. We blame Hollywood for our choice. We listen to music with lyrics that idolize drinking and wild parties and sex without marriage and we blame the record labels. We do whatever we can to get that raise, even if it means telling lies or putting someone else down. It’s a game we didn’t create but we participate in it just the same.

After all, it’s all about us. It’s about what we want. It’s about what’s best for us and for our family. It’s about making choices that entertain us and help us get ahead. It’s about looking at the world through eyes that only see what we want them to see.

Except the light has a way of penetrating through the darkness, exposing the heart of an issue. It reveals our true motives. The light tells the world, and us right along with it, what we truly believe. What do you believe?

Do you truly believe God loves everyone? Then why do you put others down in a vain attempt to build yourself up?

Do you truly believe all people are equal? Then why do you think you’re better than people of other nationalities?

Do you truly believe things don’t matter? Then why do you race to keep up with or surpass the things your friends and family purchase?

The light exposes darkness. It tells the real story of your values and your faith.

December 13, 2018

Bad Behavior

But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

– Luke 3:19-20

We don’t want anyone to point out our sin to us. We get defensive. We blame them. We’re good at pointing fingers but don’t you dare say anything about our own behavior.

That extends to others. This political climate we’re in amazes and distresses me. A common defense is we can’t hold one person accountable for their sins because of the sins of another person. What’s that old cliché? Two wrongs don’t make a right. Someone else’s wrong behavior doesn’t justify your behavior or the behavior of someone you support in the political arena.

How many times have we heard a child explain their behavior with “everyone” was doing it? It’s as though going along with the crowd makes wrong behavior okay. That excuse isn’t limited to kids. Adults do it too.

Think about the excuses you or others offer up: Everyone was drinking; Everyone was padding their expense accounts; everyone was making derogatory comments; everyone was doing whatever they wanted.

Herod was no exception. He was in charge. How dare John the Baptist – or anyone – question whatever he wanted to do? He wanted his brother’s wife. It didn’t matter what John said. It didn’t matter what God said. It didn’t matter what anyone thought or said. It was all about what Herod wanted.

John the Baptist was brave enough to call him out on it. John refused to remain silent even though it cost him his life

Do you remain silent when you see wrong doing? We don’t want to get involved. We judge. It’s not that. We just don’t want to suffer for it. We’d rather voice our opinions, our judgments, behind someone’s back or as a political rant, than to actually go face-to-face with someone.

We don’t want to be criticized or condemned for offering up our “opinions.” A few months ago a friend once again shared and commented on ugly political views. There’s no truth to the allegations she shares but she believes it. That’s her choice. But someone else called her out on it. They were nice but they asked why her comments were so hateful and mean. They wanted to know why she thought it was okay.

She offered up the standard opinion response. I admired the woman who challenged her. She is braver than I. Or maybe I know this woman well enough to know that only Jesus can change her heart. She is a wonderful Christian woman, with a good heart, who prays and tries to live as Jesus lived. Until it comes to politics.

But here’s something else I noticed: After the exchange, she stopped sharing so much ugliness. Oh, every now and then, she’ll share something hateful but mostly she doesn’t anymore. I hope it’s because the Holy Spirit convicted her.

It’s not about opinions. Everyone has a right to their own opinions. It’s about passing on untruths that are mean and bigoted and justifying bad behavior as your opinion. It’s like Herod believing because he was the ruler, he could do what he knew was wrong.

When someone starts pointing the finger at someone else, pause before you chime in. It could just be that the one full of condemnation is only trying to cover up their own sins.

December 12, 2018

Faith Comes First

“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

– Luke 3:8-9

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

– James 2:18

They are good. They’re quick to point that out if anyone tries to tell them about Jesus. They don’t want to listen. They aren’t willing to hear.

In their minds, they are good people. “I’ll just take my chances,” is a popular response. It’s not about chances. If you believe in Jesus, believe He came and died for our sins and rose three days later, you are saved. If you don’t, you are headed to hell.

Sometimes we try to cover the truth with platitudes. Maybe if we surround it with nice things, we won’t have to deal with the black and white nature of sin. We don’t want to tell people we like, people who are basically good people, that Jesus is the only way to live.

Some people truly believe their deeds will save them. They just do. It’s not true but it gives them an excuse to continue on without ever really making a decision. They don’t want to turn their lives over to Jesus. They don’t want to hand Him control.

Others know all the answers. They’re saved. They love Jesus. They attend church. They tithe sometimes. But they aren’t quite willing to give up their sins. They’re forgiven so what does it matter? They want the security of Jesus, they want the reassurance that Heaven is in their future, but they also want to live however they choose in the hear and now.

Does any of this sound familiar? Maybe you know someone, or several someones, who fit into one of the other of those categories. Maybe one of those categories describes you.

John the Baptist was preaching about the Messiah. He was baptizing people with water. He was laying the way for what was to come. Some Jews thought they were good. Abraham was their father. They had no need for a Savior.

Yet, they did. God sent His Son and they missed it. They rejected Him and crucified Him. They were so busy with their rules, with knowing everything, that they missed what was truly important.

The same is true for those who claim a faith they don’t live. How is it possible to have true faith without wanting to change your life and please the One who gives us life? It isn’t. Because true faith brings change inside of us.

That’s what James was saying. Some people think being good, doing good, is all they need to be saved. They’ve got it all wrong. It is faith that saves us and, because of that faith, we want to do good to honor Jesus.

Life is hard. Do good. Be kind. But don’t ever forget that none of it matters if Jesus Christ isn’t in your heart.

December 4, 2018

Depend on Jesus

The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. –  Luke 8:24

The storm raged through the night. Lightening flashed again and again turning the blackness into daylight time after time. The weather radio sounded repeatedly. It was a long night.

There was nothing to do but ride it out in the safety of our home. Well. That’s not really true. Again and again I prayed to God for protection. I asked Him to cover the livestock with His hands. I thanked Him for staying with us through the storm.

The hours of night seemed to last forever. Just when we thought the end was near, another band of rain and wind swept over us. Again and again and again. Would it never end?

Of course, it did end. We survived to emerge and survey the damage. We were blessed. Power remained. Fences stood. The cattle were fine. We gathered ourselves together and headed to worship our God, our Protector, Our Creator.

Some storms are like that. They come for a time and then they are done. Other storms seem to linger into weeks and months, even years. And just when you think you’re standing again, here comes another wave to knock you back down. Have you been there? Do you know someone who is?

One of the most beautiful things about having a close relationship with Jesus is that we never have to walk alone. He stands with us. He settles us, reminding us again not to be afraid. Because no matter how strong the storm seems, Jesus is stronger still.

The disciples were afraid. They saw the wind and the raging waters. They were afraid they would drown. Jesus slept, seemingly oblivious to what was going on around them. When they woke Him, Jesus spoke and the storm vanished. Then He admonished them for their lack of faith.

That’s what happens to us sometimes. We get so consumed with the storm that we lose sight of the One who is in control of it all. We forget that we truly have no need to fear, no matter what happens, because Jesus can calm any situation.

That doesn’t mean we won’t have troubled waters. We do and we will. This journey to heaven isn’t easy and there is much heartache and disappointment along the way. But there is also joy and blessings and so many good and wonderful things. Jesus is the author of it all.

When the storm rages and you feel like you’re losing both your hope and your footing, refocus your eyes and your heart on Jesus. Let Him steady you on the journey. Trust Him to anchor you to withstand whatever comes your way.

November 21, 2018

Who Dines at Your Table?

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

– Luke 14:12-14

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. – Matthew 9:10

I’ve spent the last few days baking and cooking. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and everyone knows it takes days and days to really prepare a big meal. It’s something I enjoy. It’s not the feast, though I will certainly eat more than I should. It’s the people.

Thanksgiving to me is a gathering of friends and family. It’s a celebration with people I don’t always see. It’s a welcoming place where those who are alone feel like part of the family. It’s a day where everyone is included, where everyone has a place to go.

It’s not like that for everyone. Holidays can be hard. Families are filled with strife. Tensions are high, whether it’s politics, football or the petty jealousies that sometimes seem so important. People are lonely, broken, lost. They’ve no grand gathering to attend. There are no invitations to sort through. There are few things as hard as pretending it doesn’t matter when everyone seems to have a place to go but you.

Reach out. Make the phone call. Set another place at the table. Welcome those who didn’t get an invitation. Reach out to those who are alone. Invite them to the celebration.

And let the drama roll off. Refuse to engage in pettiness. Walk away from ugly comments. Is it hard? Oh, yeah. But take a deep breath and love them anyway. Remember that Jesus said it would be hard some days. Jesus told us to love people who wish us harm. Be kind. Rise above the hurt.

Tensions are high. Everyone is in a hurry. We’re stressed with food preparations and travel issues. Kids are tired and cranky. Parents are struggling to juggle it all. And people everywhere are feeling the stress of having a “perfect” holiday. Let it go.

It’s not about the decorations. It’s not even about the food. It’s about the people. It’s about loving and including those God has put into your life.

November 17, 2018

What Are You Doing?

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of the sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” – Luke 4:18-19

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

– John 12:32

Our Sunday school class has been studying Why I Am A United Methodist by William H. Willimon. It’s a wonderful book that gets back to the basics of what being a Methodist is all about. It’s also a good reminder that no matter what denomination you claim as your own, we are called to something larger than ourselves.

John Wesley preached to the least. He didn’t set up a single preaching post in the wealthier boroughs of London. Willimon writes: He used the Methodist movement as an example of how God begins with those whom the world regards as lowly and of little account before God tries much with the rich and powerful.

Do you think that might be because the rich and powerful don’t always realize how much they need a Savior? Have you considered that the folks who have so much might believe deep inside that their money, their possessions, their abilities are what will save them in the end?

Wesley was all about people. He turned Anglican beliefs upside down. Why? Because he believed that religion was meant to be lived. It’s not enough to know that we should do good to the poor. We must live our faith through our actions. Sounds a great deal like James, doesn’t it?

There’s one true thing about the broken and the poor. There’s a common denominator among those who are sick and those who have lost it all. We are humbled by our circumstances. We know how fragile life truly is. We understand the limits of our human abilities. We are filled with compassion because we understand that no matter how hard life may seem, we are still so blessed by the Holy Spirit. We want to share the Good News. We want to share Jesus.

Jesus didn’t come to save those who had all the answers. He didn’t come to lift up those who considered themselves a little above everyone else. Jesus came for the lost, the poor, the broken. He came for you and me.

A local restaurant will head toward the coast this Thanksgiving. The world has moved on but there are still so many people who are homeless and broken in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. It takes a village and a village has responded. Donations have poured in. Volunteers are lined up. One meal has now become three. More than 750 meals in three different locations. God’s hands at work.

We worry so much about having enough. We recruit the wealthy, we beg for money, we don’t see a way. We forget in all our humanness that we don’t need to worry about bank accounts and budgets. We only need to ask our Savior for His will, knowing that He will provide for and bless what He has ordained.

Jesus took a couple of fish and some bread and fed thousands. We forget that, don’t we? We forget that when we offer our small portion to the least, Jesus multiplies it for the masses. We don’t think we are enough but with Jesus we can provide an abundance.

Jesus came for everyone. He said He would draw others to Himself. We are His hands and feet. People who are hurting, people who are lost, will know Jesus because of our actions. Reach out. Show them His love. People need Jesus. What are you doing to shine His light so that all may see?

November 11, 2018

Accept Everyone

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:10

They don’t attend our church anymore. The teenager prefers another church, as does his younger brother. The adults, well, they don’t want the Sunday morning battle. It’s just easier to attend church where the kids want to go rather than try to force them to attend a church they don’t want to attend.

One church member asked about the mom, who had been active in women’s ministry. I explained without getting into great detail. Her reaction shocked me. You see, she volunteers with the youth at our church. She teaches a Sunday school class and knows most of the kids.

“He’s a little different,” she said of the teen. “He just never fit in.”

Excuse me? He’s a wonderful young man who does indeed walk to a different beat. He’s into music, not sports. He gravitates toward theater, not softball. He has much to offer but I wonder how much of it she and others missed because he doesn’t conform to their stereotype.

We certainly missed an opportunity. Church provides a wonderful time to teach people how to accept and form friendships with those who are different than them. Did no one seek him out? Did no one try to include him, to hear him, to see him?

Because I know the backstory to this young man, I understand a bit more about why he might be different. I won’t share that here. It’s not my story to tell. I will say that we don’t always know the traumas others have endured. We don’t err on the side of being kind and inclusive. It’s just too easy to exclude those who don’t conform.

It is high school stuff but it’s stuff we see everyday in church. It’s sad. Church should be the one place where everyone is welcome and accepted. Sometimes that’s true. Oftentimes, though, it’s not.

We want to surround ourselves with people who look, talk and think as we do. We’ve got no room for anyone who maybe dresses a little bohemian or likes things we don’t care for. We prefer our own little cliques rather than try to expand ourselves by reaching out to someone who is different.

Several years ago I gave a ride to a man who was headed to his job at a nearby army base. He was from another country. His wife and sons were thriving in our area. His wife was working on a Masters Degree at a local college. His sons were involved in school and had made many friends. His daughter was suffering greatly. Because of their culture, she dressed differently. And, because of that, she was an outcast at school. No one wanted to be her friend. No one wanted to know her and include her.

I know what you’re thinking and you’re right. They weren’t Christians. So what? They were visitors to our country, to our community. What does this little girl now think about people who call themselves Christians? Did we draw her toward Christ or push her away? You already know the answer.

Our job in life isn’t to criticize, condemn or judge others. That’s especially true when people are different than we are. We have much to learn about Jesus if we don’t get that. Our Savior drew others to Himself. Jesus reached out to the outcast. Why don’t we?

Take a moment today to reach out to someone you don’t know. Include them in your group. Get to know them. Open your heart and your mind. Be kind. Accept them as they are just as Jesus would. Show them your faith through your words and actions. Draw them to Jesus by letting His light shine through you.

November 3, 2018

Would You Help?

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.” – Luke 10:33

Most of us are familiar with this story. Jesus told us how the priest and the Levite saw the victim of a brutal attack and just kept on walking. The Samaritan, the one who knew rejection, was the one who stopped to help.

We all know the point of the story. We are to love others as ourselves, to show kindness and compassion to everyone. We miss that Jesus meant just that: everyone. Not just those who look and believe like us.

The Samaritans were half-Jewish and half-Gentile. The Jewish people wanted no part of them. They were all about purity in their bloodline. Do you remember the woman at the well? She was surprised that Jesus would talk to her because she was a Samaritan.

I wonder if the Samaritan was able to show such kindness because he knew what it was like to be rejected. I wonder if perhaps he helped because he understood what it felt like to be cast aside. I wonder if his actions changed the man he helped.

The hard truth is that those who have suffered greatly sometimes have a greater compassion for others. Those who have had their lives destroyed are more likely to show mercy on those who are experiencing the same. We reach out and embrace those who are hurting because we, too, have known deep hurt.

I’ve heard all those sayings about how God breaks us in order to remake us. There’s some truth in that. How could we possibly know how blessed we are if we never experience true heartbreak?

Please note, too, that it wasn’t the religious leaders who helped. It wasn’t those who thought of themselves as men of God who gave of themselves. Did they consider themselves too important? Were they worried they would be defiled and kept from the temple for a time? Did they truly have no compassion on someone who was in such sad shape?

The Samaritan didn’t just offer a prayer. He didn’t thrust a few coins in the man’s hands and go on his way. He gave of himself. He tended the man himself. He paid for him to stay in a hotel. He sacrificed his time and his money to see to the needs of a total stranger.

Would you have done the same? Probably not. Most of us would have walked on by. We might have called the police. We might have said a prayer or offered money. But we wouldn’t have stopped. We wouldn’t have gotten involved.

I know. There’s a real danger in our world. Sometimes people die when all they’re trying to do is good. Therein lies the true question: How much are we willing to risk to follow Jesus?

Jesus said to love others as ourselves. He didn’t say to only love those who look like us. He didn’t say to only love those we actually like. He didn’t say to love those who see the world as we do. Jesus said to love everyone.

Can we do that? Can you do it? Can I? It’s not an easy road. But, then, following Jesus was never meant to be easy.

October 11, 2018

Love Your Neighbor

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

– Luke 10:29

“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:31

It’s the day after. Hurricane Michael destroyed so much yesterday. Even now, it’s wreaking havoc on other areas. For those where I am, well, today we begin to pick up the pieces.

There are trees to cut up and remove, roofs to tarp until roofers can get to them. Some will be replacing windows and vehicles. Others, hurricane refuges, will grieve for all they have lost.

Facebook has proven to be a good outlet for locating family members, friends, work associates. Storm devastation prevents all but first responders from entering many areas and, with cell service not available, all many can do is pray and wait. Strangers helping strangers. One person posted a photo of a daughter, her husband and their two children so that a frantic mother could know they are fine.

The Coffee County Baptist Association Relief Group headed out this morning. Other religious and civic groups did the same. There are people to be fed, to be helped, to be held through their tears. Strangers helping strangers yet again.

My community was hit by a devastating tornado 11 years ago. It destroyed the high school. Eight students died. People came from all around to help. We remember that and we pay it forward every time something awful happens in another community.

The unfortunate truth is that people are kinder, friendlier, more apt to help strangers, when something awful has happened. Devastating storms bring out the best in us. It’s like we suddenly remember that we’re neighbors, no matter how far apart we live. We remember that Jesus told us to love people, to help others, to do good.

So, we fan out in droves. We pray without ceasing. We donate water and canned food. We hand out pillows and blankets. We pull on work gloves and offer generators. We share what we have because we know it could easily have been us. We love people where they are and forget to notice differences.

I wish we could be like that all the time. I wish we would help the elderly without being asked. I wish we would share and speak kindly. I wish we would focus on what we have in common and look over our differences.

Maybe that’s the lesson God is trying to teach us. Love your neighbors, whether you know them or not. Love your neighbors, whether you live close or far away. Love your neighbors. This world is hurting so badly. Just be Jesus. That’s all. Just be Jesus.