As Paul stood on trial before King Agrippa, he proclaimed His call from God, according to Acts 26:
16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' Paul had his unique call from God, and he fulfilled it mightily - but there's a sense of this call to each of us here, as well - because we are called to by used of the Holy Spirit to help open eyes by sharing love and speaking truth. We can help turn people from darkness into God's marvelous light and show them how to change course from serving the enemy to serving Christ and experience His forgiveness and His promise of eternal life. We are carriers who are called to communicate the powerful message of life change, radical transformation, by the power of Jesus Christ, and we can take advantage of the divine opportunities that He ordains.
In Romans chapter 1, we're reminded of our attitude toward sharing the gospel, as we think about our responsibility to share the good news:
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
A woman from Fargo, ND has sent out a rather provocative letter, which quickly spread via social media after she announced her intentions. According to UPI.com, it's addressed to the parents of the trick-or-treaters who received it and informs the parents that their children appear to be "moderately obese," a local TV station reported. The letter urges parents not to feed children candy and to guide the youngsters toward a healthier lifestyle. The woman, who gave her name as, "Cheryl", told the hosts of a morning radio show Tuesday she wants the city's children to be healthier. "I just want to send a message to the parents of kids that are really overweight ... I think it's just really irresponsible of parents to send them out looking for free candy just 'cause all the other kids are doing it. I'm contributing to their health problems and really, their kids are everybody's kids. It's a whole village."
Dr. Katie Gordon, assistant professor of Clinical Psychology at North Dakota State University, said such a letter could do more harm than good. She believes that if a child is vulnerable, this action might trigger major problems.
I think Cheryl has a good heart and a definite desire to address a major social issue, but when you repel the people you're trying to reach, then it becomes counterproductive. The same principle would be in operation if a Christian believer who is disturbed by the origins of Halloween and symbols associated with it would hand a person a tract without responding to the request for a treat. How many children do you think would buy what it is you are selling?
But, Halloween can be a great time to integrate the gospel - people will be coming to your door; how can you reach them with the love of Christ? Well, for one thing, friendliness is important. If you are displaying kindness to these kids who ring your doorbell, that can be a critical impression. That man down the street from the house I grew up in who was less-than-congenial on Halloween night sticks in my memory really more than the slew of houses that did grant my request for a treat.
And, the church we visited yesterday for a Pastor and Staff Appreciation lunch, Open Door Baptist in Prattville, shared with us a really cool idea - they stuffed goody bags that included not only treats, but also the greatest "treat" of all - the good news of the gospel, how someone can enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Here is a church that is being creative to reach their community for Christ. And, individually and corporately, our outreach to people can follow what our friends at the North American Mission Board call an ABC principle. It's written as part of an event planning tool, but we can be inspired for our own individual outreach, too
"A" stands for "attraction." Unsaved people must be attracted to your event. No matter how dynamic your program, no matter how glorious your music, and no matter how engaging your speaker, evangelism cannot take place without an audience of unchurched people. Plan an event which will attract the unchurched.
"B" stands for "bridge." Provide a nonthreatening, relational bridge for sharing Jesus. This could be a meal, special music, group-building fellowship activity, evangelistic film, or any number of other elements to bring people together to hear the message of Christ. Create a climate in which
communication of the gospel can take place.
"C" stands for "communicate the gospel." Evangelism cannot happen unless the gospel is communicated. There is no point to your event without this. The gospel must be clearly and
convincingly expressed to your audience. Plan to share Christ with as much care and detail as you use planning the other elements of your event. Follow-up is crucial. You must record and follow up on all who surrender their lives to the Lord.
These can also be incorporated into one-on-one evangelism, and is certainly the impetus for Fall Festivals and Trunk-or-Treat events that so many churches are participating in. These are certainly principles that are integrated into the Judgment House concept. And, coming up in just a few days, unsaved people will be joining with believers in homes across America in the My Hope America with Billy Graham outreach, in which people are invited for a simple gathering in a family's home, perhaps to share a meal or some snacks, and to hear a message from Billy Graham and a personal testimony of God's work in someone's life - a simple, but profound opportunity to attract the unsaved, build a bridge, and communicate the gospel. It's so important to be sensitive to divine opportunities to reach out to people with the love of the Lord and to share the best news of all - that God loves them and Jesus Christ came to save!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
More Than Just Good Luck
The apostle Paul gives a short account of the history of Israel in 1st Corinthians 10, and lays out how the sinfulness of God's people resulted in negative consequences:
(4) they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.5But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.6Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.7And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."8Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;9nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;10nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.11Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Nevertheless, despite their sinfulness, God was faithful to the people of Israel. Time after time He held out His loving arms to them, and frequently they rejected Him, and there was punishment from God's hand. But, He was faithful to them - they were descendants of Abraham, children of the promise, and He continued to reach out to them. He gave a prescription for healing and reconciliation, based on humility, devotion, prayer, repentance - as He pledged to hear and heal them, so He promises to hear the prayers of people who are surrendered to Him, who desire to see His healing and restoration poured out on our nation and on each of us individually. Israel sinned against God - regularly, but God continues to hold forth the promise of healing if we repent from our sin and turn to Him.
Our God is a covenant-keeping God, and He is faithful to those whom He has called. In Deuteronomy 7, we read:
9Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;10and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face.11Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.12"Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.
ReligionToday.com reports on an attack, presumably by the militant group Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, where hundreds of heavily armed militants attacked Damaturu, the capital of Nigeria's Yobe state, last Thursday, according to Open Doors USA. The surprise offensive took place in an area that hosts government institutions but is also dominated by Christians. According to the BBC, the militants also attacked a hospital, stole drugs and drove off in ambulances.
An Open Doors worker related, "...This city has suffered many attacks in the past and is now under a dusk-till-dawn curfew. We are concerned over the effect of the continued violence on believers in Yobe state. They are living in constant fear. Every single day there are believers who lose loved ones and see destruction of their property."
Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states in May, but his government has since come under increased criticism for its failure to bring an end to the continuing violence. Nigeria is ranked No. 13 on Open Doors' World Watch List of the worst persecutors of Christians.
No doubt, there are some troubling signs regarding the African nation of Nigeria. But, a few days recently, President Jonathan was on pilgrimage - to Israel. After spending a few days visiting holy sites and meeting with Israeli officials, this Sunday, he and some 3000 Nigerian pilgrims participated in a church service tagged: “A Day with Jesus for Nigeria In Israel,”, which had in attendance a number of state governors, as well as ministers, and other dignitaries. The Sun reported that the service was the climax of a fast observed by over 3, 000 Nigerian pilgrims in Israel. President Jonathan is the first sitting Nigerian president to go on pilgrimage to Israel since the country got its independence in 1960.
After doing the designated Scripture reading, President Jonathan said: “This is the first time the pilgrimage is taking this shape. I believe we will continue in this spirit. Let me reassure you, even though we are passing through challenging periods, God has made it possible for us to be here. Even in the scripture, we’ve seen the many battles the Jews are fighting. But because of their zeal and commitments, God has kept them.
“We’ve learnt from the history of Israel. Every nation passes through challenges. We all have a role to play. We need to leave a better nation for our people. We promised to change the ways things are done and we’ve achieved that in the electoral laws. Evil forces will never bring us down. We will overcome. This is the turning point in our midst. Nigeria will never remain the same again after this.”
Truly some encouraging words from an embattled national leader, someone who professes to be a Christian. He desires to see peace in his land and to see positive political reforms. In the midst of difficult challenges, he hearkened back to the journey of Israel, as God's chosen people, depicted in the Scriptures. In this case, you could say that he, at least in public declaration, has aligned with the ways of God.
Now, you can apply some the words of the Nigerian President to our own nation, and to our own lives. Solomon said to the Israelites that if God's people would humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from ways not pleasing to Him, then He would hear their prayers and heal their land. Hear and heal...those are two key words. How can we be assured that God hears us? We have to place ourselves in the right position. God hears the prayers of people who are humbled before Him and who pray according to His will - His will is revealed to us in the Scriptures. We have to admit that we don't have all the answers and do not want to trust in human strength - and so, we desperately and humbly come before an Almighty God who responds to the prayers of His people. And, in this time of challenge for America, we need the touch of God in a way like never before. If we are committed to praying and living our lives as shining examples for Christ, then we can be part of what God wants to do in our nation - to bring healing and a knowledge of Himself. That's applicable to America - and to our individual lives, our families, our churches, and all that we undertake for Him.
(4) they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.5But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.6Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.7And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."8Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;9nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;10nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.11Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Nevertheless, despite their sinfulness, God was faithful to the people of Israel. Time after time He held out His loving arms to them, and frequently they rejected Him, and there was punishment from God's hand. But, He was faithful to them - they were descendants of Abraham, children of the promise, and He continued to reach out to them. He gave a prescription for healing and reconciliation, based on humility, devotion, prayer, repentance - as He pledged to hear and heal them, so He promises to hear the prayers of people who are surrendered to Him, who desire to see His healing and restoration poured out on our nation and on each of us individually. Israel sinned against God - regularly, but God continues to hold forth the promise of healing if we repent from our sin and turn to Him.
Our God is a covenant-keeping God, and He is faithful to those whom He has called. In Deuteronomy 7, we read:
9Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;10and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face.11Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.12"Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.
ReligionToday.com reports on an attack, presumably by the militant group Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, where hundreds of heavily armed militants attacked Damaturu, the capital of Nigeria's Yobe state, last Thursday, according to Open Doors USA. The surprise offensive took place in an area that hosts government institutions but is also dominated by Christians. According to the BBC, the militants also attacked a hospital, stole drugs and drove off in ambulances.
An Open Doors worker related, "...This city has suffered many attacks in the past and is now under a dusk-till-dawn curfew. We are concerned over the effect of the continued violence on believers in Yobe state. They are living in constant fear. Every single day there are believers who lose loved ones and see destruction of their property."
Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states in May, but his government has since come under increased criticism for its failure to bring an end to the continuing violence. Nigeria is ranked No. 13 on Open Doors' World Watch List of the worst persecutors of Christians.
No doubt, there are some troubling signs regarding the African nation of Nigeria. But, a few days recently, President Jonathan was on pilgrimage - to Israel. After spending a few days visiting holy sites and meeting with Israeli officials, this Sunday, he and some 3000 Nigerian pilgrims participated in a church service tagged: “A Day with Jesus for Nigeria In Israel,”, which had in attendance a number of state governors, as well as ministers, and other dignitaries. The Sun reported that the service was the climax of a fast observed by over 3, 000 Nigerian pilgrims in Israel. President Jonathan is the first sitting Nigerian president to go on pilgrimage to Israel since the country got its independence in 1960.
After doing the designated Scripture reading, President Jonathan said: “This is the first time the pilgrimage is taking this shape. I believe we will continue in this spirit. Let me reassure you, even though we are passing through challenging periods, God has made it possible for us to be here. Even in the scripture, we’ve seen the many battles the Jews are fighting. But because of their zeal and commitments, God has kept them.
“We’ve learnt from the history of Israel. Every nation passes through challenges. We all have a role to play. We need to leave a better nation for our people. We promised to change the ways things are done and we’ve achieved that in the electoral laws. Evil forces will never bring us down. We will overcome. This is the turning point in our midst. Nigeria will never remain the same again after this.”
Truly some encouraging words from an embattled national leader, someone who professes to be a Christian. He desires to see peace in his land and to see positive political reforms. In the midst of difficult challenges, he hearkened back to the journey of Israel, as God's chosen people, depicted in the Scriptures. In this case, you could say that he, at least in public declaration, has aligned with the ways of God.
Now, you can apply some the words of the Nigerian President to our own nation, and to our own lives. Solomon said to the Israelites that if God's people would humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from ways not pleasing to Him, then He would hear their prayers and heal their land. Hear and heal...those are two key words. How can we be assured that God hears us? We have to place ourselves in the right position. God hears the prayers of people who are humbled before Him and who pray according to His will - His will is revealed to us in the Scriptures. We have to admit that we don't have all the answers and do not want to trust in human strength - and so, we desperately and humbly come before an Almighty God who responds to the prayers of His people. And, in this time of challenge for America, we need the touch of God in a way like never before. If we are committed to praying and living our lives as shining examples for Christ, then we can be part of what God wants to do in our nation - to bring healing and a knowledge of Himself. That's applicable to America - and to our individual lives, our families, our churches, and all that we undertake for Him.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
What's Your Excuse?
We have to be so careful to recognize that while we are new creatures in Jesus Christ, we still live in this fallen world and we are in a process of transformation. While we may have an inward desire to obey the Lord, there are forces that will keep us from it. The Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 10:3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.4For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...
Making excuses for our disobedience and rationalizing the actions we take that are not in line with God's plan for us are common activities, I would think, but not acceptable to the Lord. We have to guard against such forces as complacency or distraction, confessing the areas where we fall short, so that Christ's power might be released in us. By our spiritual sensitivity, when we detect that we have areas in our hearts that are not fully surrendered to His Lordship, we devote ourselves in a fresh way to loving and serving our Lord - not making excuses, but loving Him wholeheartedly.
In 1st John 2, we are encouraged to guard against areas that will delude us from our true obedience to Christ, to which we are called:
15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.17And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
There's a new nationwide survey about excuses given by employees who called in sick, and some of these reasons for missing work are, well to say the least, outlandish.
According to UPI.com, the survey commissioned by CareerBuilder of just under 3500 U.S. full-time workers and almost 2100 hiring managers and human resource professionals, carried out online recently by Harris Interactive, found excuses given by employees who called in sick include losing false teeth out the car window while driving on the highway, needing Monday off to recover from a favorite football team's Sunday loss, being unable to get to a car because of a swarm of bees, being unable to leave the house due to windows and doors being glued shut and being too grouchy for work because of quitting smoking.
In 1st John 2, we are encouraged to guard against areas that will delude us from our true obedience to Christ, to which we are called:
15Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.17And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
There's a new nationwide survey about excuses given by employees who called in sick, and some of these reasons for missing work are, well to say the least, outlandish.
According to UPI.com, the survey commissioned by CareerBuilder of just under 3500 U.S. full-time workers and almost 2100 hiring managers and human resource professionals, carried out online recently by Harris Interactive, found excuses given by employees who called in sick include losing false teeth out the car window while driving on the highway, needing Monday off to recover from a favorite football team's Sunday loss, being unable to get to a car because of a swarm of bees, being unable to leave the house due to windows and doors being glued shut and being too grouchy for work because of quitting smoking.
The survey suggests 32 percent of U.S. workers have called in sick without actually being ill in the past year and 30 percent said they went to work despite their sickness so they could save their sick days for when they were well.
The survey suggests 30 percent of employers note an increase in sick days being used around the holidays, and 30 percent said they have checked in on employees who called in sick to verify their ailments.
We can sometimes be imaginative to our detriment. There are excuses, sometimes legitimate, and then there are outright lies, stories that are spun that don't have any resemblance to reality. And, as believers, we can sometimes tell ourselves lies to rationalize why we don't follow the leadership of the Lord in our lives.
There are many reasons why we make up excuses for not being obedient. We have to remember that we are still human beings who are prone to sin. Even though our new nature has been regenerated by Christ, there are still tendencies that remain, and hopefully are being eradicated, that cause us to be less than passionate about our obedience.
And, there are legitimate attacks of the enemy upon us, which, if not repelled, can result in our being less than connected to and less than effective for Christ. We have to take up the full armor every day, or else we risk falling prey to temptation. It's been said if Satan can't keep us out of the Kingdom of God, he will try to keep us unproductive for the Lord. We have to make sure that he is not keeping us deceived and distracted.
Why don't we wholeheartedly follow Christ? I think we recognize it could be our own flesh or the attack of the enemy. And, we have to identify what we love. The Bible says that we are to have no other gods before Him, and when we put the things of this world on a higher pedestal than the Lord who died for us, then we find ourselves in a state of experiencing less than God's best for us. We can be challenged to follow the Great Commandment to love the Lord our God with our entire heart, soul, mind, and strength. We can rationalize all we want and make excuses, and tell ourselves lies, but the truth is that God wants us to surrender our entire hearts and lives and to develop a passion for Him, to follow His will in an excuse-free fashion.
Monday, October 28, 2013
The Other Cheek - Compassion in Action
In Colossians chapter 3, we get a glimpse into how we are called to walk as people of compassion - rooted in the presence of Christ and with a heart of forgiveness and forbearance:
12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;13bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Because we have been called and chosen by God and we have a new nature by the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we are told that we can "put on" certain qualities - these are resident within our hearts, but we have to activate them. We have the capacity to be kind and compassionate, longsuffering and forgiving, but these attributes and activities have to be released by our choice to rely on the Spirit. We can put on love - we can do it - it runs contrary to what is called human nature, but if we stay connected to Christ, we can see His character expressed through us.
Luke 6 gives us a strong admonition regarding how Jesus would desire for us to respond to those who treat us poorly:
12Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;13bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Because we have been called and chosen by God and we have a new nature by the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we are told that we can "put on" certain qualities - these are resident within our hearts, but we have to activate them. We have the capacity to be kind and compassionate, longsuffering and forgiving, but these attributes and activities have to be released by our choice to rely on the Spirit. We can put on love - we can do it - it runs contrary to what is called human nature, but if we stay connected to Christ, we can see His character expressed through us.
Luke 6 gives us a strong admonition regarding how Jesus would desire for us to respond to those who treat us poorly:
27"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,28bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.29To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.30Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.31And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
Jessica Eaves is an outreach leader at First Christian Church of Guthrie, OK was shopping in a local grocery store recently and remembered seeing a man come up behind her. The next thing she knew, her wallet was missing from her purse.
According to a report on ChristianNews.net, instead of immediately calling the police, Eaves decided to do something bold: she tracked him down. But as she did so, an admonition from the Bible came to mind.
She told local television station KWTV that she walked toward him and "kind of weaved through the carts. And as I did, this Scripture from Luke kind of jumped out at me that said if someone hits you on the cheek, turn the other cheek. If someone steals your cloak, give them your shirt. So I thought, ‘Well, I’ll just be nice.’”
She told reporters, “I said to him, ‘I think you have something of mine. I’m gonna give you a choice. You can either give me my wallet and I’ll forgive you right now, and I’ll even take you to the front and pay for your groceries.”
However, she also told the man that if he chose not to return her wallet, she would call the police.
Jessica Eaves is an outreach leader at First Christian Church of Guthrie, OK was shopping in a local grocery store recently and remembered seeing a man come up behind her. The next thing she knew, her wallet was missing from her purse.
According to a report on ChristianNews.net, instead of immediately calling the police, Eaves decided to do something bold: she tracked him down. But as she did so, an admonition from the Bible came to mind.
She told local television station KWTV that she walked toward him and "kind of weaved through the carts. And as I did, this Scripture from Luke kind of jumped out at me that said if someone hits you on the cheek, turn the other cheek. If someone steals your cloak, give them your shirt. So I thought, ‘Well, I’ll just be nice.’”
She told reporters, “I said to him, ‘I think you have something of mine. I’m gonna give you a choice. You can either give me my wallet and I’ll forgive you right now, and I’ll even take you to the front and pay for your groceries.”
However, she also told the man that if he chose not to return her wallet, she would call the police.
He handed it back to her and she followed through on her offer. The man became emotional and was moved to tears as she covered his $27 bill. She paid for it with cash, which she says she never carries with her - and the amount she had was $28. She told The Christian Post, “And so I knew in that moment it wasn’t me. It was Christ that played in that moment.”
Eaves says that she never wanted any attention over the matter, but that when she posted about the experience on Facebook, word began to spread. While some have been critical of the college student and mother of four for not reporting the man for theft, Eaves believes that she did what was right and would like to see others also react the same when in similar situations. She also says that she hopes the man has learned his lesson and will stop stealing.
Eaves says that she never wanted any attention over the matter, but that when she posted about the experience on Facebook, word began to spread. While some have been critical of the college student and mother of four for not reporting the man for theft, Eaves believes that she did what was right and would like to see others also react the same when in similar situations. She also says that she hopes the man has learned his lesson and will stop stealing.
This is actually a remarkable story of a woman who was willing to confront someone who had done her wrong and to respond with Christ-like compassion. For one thing, I think I would have headed straight to store security and made my accusation. Of course, by that time the man could have left the store and been headed who-knows-where. So, she had to think quickly, and what she came up with was inspired by the Lord, I think.
It's a great reminder to us to be reliant on the Holy Spirit, connected to Him so that we can respond the way He desires us to in any situation. How often can we say that we are really seeking His wisdom and acknowledge that He is with us? We can be challenged to put the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit into practice as we find ways to think on Him and remind ourselves that Jesus has sent Him to help and to counsel us?
And, not only that, we can be ready to be compassionate. Not only did she confront a man who had wronged her, but she offered to meet his needs. And, in so doing, she made an indelible impact on this man who was out of money and thought he was out of options. She didn't only ask the man directly for her wallet back, but she truly went the second mile, offering forgiveness and demonstrating the love of Christ.
Finally, she had $28 in her pocket to cover a $27 grocery bill. Sometimes God will give us little reminders of His providence and we can reflect on how we have seen Him move. After she had decided to minister to this man, He helped her to see that she had been obedient to Him. Perhaps there are God-moments in our lives that we allow to slip by without perhaps even giving them a second thought. I believe we can be sensitized to His working in and through us and then give Him the glory.
Friday, October 25, 2013
A Fresh Perspective
As we read the 36th Psalm, we can be encouraged by the faithfulness of God, and drawn to know Him better:
5Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.6Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast.7How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.8They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.9For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
I think we need to be challenged in our view of God - sometimes, as we become burdened by the mundane, everyday details that we all have to be concerned about, we lose sight that we serve a great and majestic God. A fresh perspective is incredibly helpful. Perhaps we need a shift in altitude, in other words, trusting God to give us His view of a situation, because He truly does see the big picture. He is the One who gives wisdom and understanding, and will help us to accept that He is at work and performing His will in our lives.
In Psalm 19, we read a magnificent passage that reminds us that the heavens communicate a powerful story, the story of Almighty God and His majesty:
(1) The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.2Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.3There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.
Wouldn't you like to fly in a beautiful balloon - 19 miles above the curvature of the earth? Well, if you have $75,000, you just might be able to, according to a piece from WORLD writer Daniel James Devine on the WorldOnCampus.com website. A company called WorldView Enterprises has drawn up plans for a gigantic helium balloon that would carry two pilots and six passengers 19 miles high. At that altitude, occupants would get an unforgettable view of Earth's curvature, though not complete weightlessness.
Jane Poynter is the CEO of World View and co-founder of its partner firm, Paragon Space Development Corp., which has built hardware for NASA missions and experiments. She was also a crew member on the Biosphere 2 project. Poynter relates that,"Seeing the Earth hanging in the ink-black void of space will help people realize our connection to our home planet and to the universe around us, and will surely offer a transformative experience to our customers."
World View's proposed balloon would spend 2 to 6 hours floating as high as 100,000 feet. Since human blood would boil at that altitude, due to the lack of air pressure, the balloon would carry passengers in a pressurized capsule with windows. The capsule would protect its eight occupants from radiation or micrometeoroids that zoom through space at 22,000 mph. The capsule would have landing skids and a steerable parafoil to guide it to touchdown at the end of each flight.
Daniel writes that:
I have been known to use the phrase, "the view from 30,000 feet", meaning a broad overview, a general analysis or description of a situation. Often, we get caught in the details and miss the big picture. We may not be able to see all that is occurring in a set of circumstances because we don't grasp the concept of what is truly going on. And, when we're trying to figure something out and hit the wall, we need to take another look, maybe a broader analysis, or even just a different perspective or perhaps other counsel.
We also realize as believers that God does see the big picture. We often do not view our circumstances through spiritual eyes. If we are encountering difficulties, we continue to rely on our own limited understanding to try to dig our way out or solve a problem. In our problems, God wants to give us perspective. And, in the midst of our trials, we find that He is teaching and strengthening us. When we are experiencing frustration, it just may be an invitation from the Lord to pause, maybe even to come away, to pray, maybe even to fast, and to get a fresh set of eyes - consistent with His eyes. We question God because we are unable and maybe even unwilling to gain a sense of that fact that He is at work, even though we may not see how...and He may want to help us to see.
And, finally, just in the physical sense, what lies beyond, in space, is fascinating to us, and can tell us stories of God's handiwork. If you stop and think about the beauty of the earth, a magnificent testimony of creation, and the placement of the earth - just the right distance to sustain life, with precisely the right conditions, you recognize that this was orchestrated by a master designer. Consider all the wonders of planet earth, combined with a great and expansive universe, and you admit that they testify to the work of Almighty God.
5Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.6Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast.7How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.8They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.9For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
I think we need to be challenged in our view of God - sometimes, as we become burdened by the mundane, everyday details that we all have to be concerned about, we lose sight that we serve a great and majestic God. A fresh perspective is incredibly helpful. Perhaps we need a shift in altitude, in other words, trusting God to give us His view of a situation, because He truly does see the big picture. He is the One who gives wisdom and understanding, and will help us to accept that He is at work and performing His will in our lives.
In Psalm 19, we read a magnificent passage that reminds us that the heavens communicate a powerful story, the story of Almighty God and His majesty:
(1) The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.2Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.3There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.
Wouldn't you like to fly in a beautiful balloon - 19 miles above the curvature of the earth? Well, if you have $75,000, you just might be able to, according to a piece from WORLD writer Daniel James Devine on the WorldOnCampus.com website. A company called WorldView Enterprises has drawn up plans for a gigantic helium balloon that would carry two pilots and six passengers 19 miles high. At that altitude, occupants would get an unforgettable view of Earth's curvature, though not complete weightlessness.
Jane Poynter is the CEO of World View and co-founder of its partner firm, Paragon Space Development Corp., which has built hardware for NASA missions and experiments. She was also a crew member on the Biosphere 2 project. Poynter relates that,"Seeing the Earth hanging in the ink-black void of space will help people realize our connection to our home planet and to the universe around us, and will surely offer a transformative experience to our customers."
World View's proposed balloon would spend 2 to 6 hours floating as high as 100,000 feet. Since human blood would boil at that altitude, due to the lack of air pressure, the balloon would carry passengers in a pressurized capsule with windows. The capsule would protect its eight occupants from radiation or micrometeoroids that zoom through space at 22,000 mph. The capsule would have landing skids and a steerable parafoil to guide it to touchdown at the end of each flight.
Daniel writes that:
Private entrepreneurs are banking on space tourism becoming big business. More than a half-dozen wealthy tourists have each paid $20 million or more to ride Russian rockets to the ISS since 2001. One company, XCOR Aerospace, is selling $95,000 advance tickets for suborbital flights 62 miles high. Another, Virgin Galactic, is planning to take tourists 60 miles up in a rocket-powered plane. Its flights will cost $250,000 and could begin next year. About 600 wealthy space enthusiasts have already paid Virgin Galactic in advance for their seats.World View's website promises, "Your view of the world is about to change". And, while the aim of World View is apparently wrapped up in unprecedented space travel and tourism, from a spiritual standpoint, we can be reminded that perhaps a new altitude can help our view of the world change.
I have been known to use the phrase, "the view from 30,000 feet", meaning a broad overview, a general analysis or description of a situation. Often, we get caught in the details and miss the big picture. We may not be able to see all that is occurring in a set of circumstances because we don't grasp the concept of what is truly going on. And, when we're trying to figure something out and hit the wall, we need to take another look, maybe a broader analysis, or even just a different perspective or perhaps other counsel.
We also realize as believers that God does see the big picture. We often do not view our circumstances through spiritual eyes. If we are encountering difficulties, we continue to rely on our own limited understanding to try to dig our way out or solve a problem. In our problems, God wants to give us perspective. And, in the midst of our trials, we find that He is teaching and strengthening us. When we are experiencing frustration, it just may be an invitation from the Lord to pause, maybe even to come away, to pray, maybe even to fast, and to get a fresh set of eyes - consistent with His eyes. We question God because we are unable and maybe even unwilling to gain a sense of that fact that He is at work, even though we may not see how...and He may want to help us to see.
And, finally, just in the physical sense, what lies beyond, in space, is fascinating to us, and can tell us stories of God's handiwork. If you stop and think about the beauty of the earth, a magnificent testimony of creation, and the placement of the earth - just the right distance to sustain life, with precisely the right conditions, you recognize that this was orchestrated by a master designer. Consider all the wonders of planet earth, combined with a great and expansive universe, and you admit that they testify to the work of Almighty God.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
What Will Be On Your Tombstone?
From Philippians 1, we recognize that our physical death is not the end - that each of us has an eternal destiny:
21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.22But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.23For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.24Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
This is a great illustration of a mindset that is focused on eternity. This life is not all there is, and God has loved us so much that He has provided us a way to be with Him forever. Because Jesus Christ died on a cross and is now risen from the dead, we have the opportunity to inherit His new life. And, that life doesn't end when our time expires here on earth. I believe that God wants us to think on eternal things and to evaluate our status once we leave this earth - we can know, because the Word of God promises that is we make Christ our Lord and Savior, we are assured of life with Him forever.
In 1st Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul reminds us that our physical death is not the end - Christians have the bright promise of living forever in eternity with Jesus:
16For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.17And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!18Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.20But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
There have been a couple of reports recently about tombstones and their content:
One story is out of Cincinnati. Army Sgt. Kimberly Walker served two tours of duty in Iraq, only to lose her life, allegedly at the hands of her boyfriend, when she returned. According to UPI, in order to commemorate her death, her family decided to erect 2 tombstones at her gravesite. The monuments were of the cartoon character SpongeBob Squarepants, and the family spent $26,000. CNN reports that one honored Kimberly, the other her twin sister Kara, an IT specialist for the Navy. One SpongeBob was dressed in Army garb, the other in Navy. Each of the monuments stands more than 6 feet tall and weighs 7,000 pounds.
The monuments were ordered and arrived 2 weeks ago, but were removed by the cemetery after they were erected. The president of Spring Grove Cemetery said, "The family chose a design with the guidance of a Spring Grove employee who unfortunately made an error in judgment. The monument does not fit within Spring Grove Cemetery guidelines, was not approved by senior management and cannot remain here."
However, when her family advised the director of the city-owned cemetery of the desired inscription for the marker, he stated that he could not grant the request. Shawn Rewoldt explained that the fish would be acceptable, but the name of Jesus presented a problem. Daughter-in-law Stacy Adams told commentator Todd Starnes that, “At first they told us it wouldn’t fit. But after we kept pushing them, the cemetery director told us that it might offend somebody. They weren’t going to allow it.” And, apparently, there was plenty of Scripture to go around in the cemetery.
The family went to Sterling, CO city manager Joe Kiolbasa, who said he had to confer with the legal department and appeared to be stonewalling. After going public with their concerns, Kiolbasa explained that there had been an “error” in Rewoldt’s judgment, and that the city would not interfere with Christian-based inscriptions on tombstones.
“This gentleman thought it may have been objectionable to someone because of the Christian connotation,” Kiolbasa told reporters. “It has been corrected.”
While Baker’s tombstone is finally being engraved as desired, Adams says that she is still disturbed by the entire situation. She told Starnes that it is grievous that “people are so fearful of one name that they would go to such lengths to try and eliminate it.”
Personally, I would not be thrilled if 2 6-foot SpongeBobs turned up in the cemetery where my loved ones were buried...I have absolutely no problem with the name of Jesus being engraved on a tombstone. These tiffs over tombstones can remind us of some important points:
First of all, you recognize that a grave is just the resting place for our earthly bodies. It's important that you have made the decision on your ultimate resting place - where you, the real you, will spend eternity. And, that can be decided by your acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Our eternal destiny is determined by our choice for Christ.
While the design of a tombstone is an important consideration in the proper burial of a person's body, we recognize that what is spoken at a funeral and the legacy we leave is far more important. We honor and remember people after their deaths, and I would hope that I live my life in a manner that would provide for a compelling story when it comes time for a speaker to memorialize that life. You would hope that the stories that are told on that occasion would be a testimony to the power and presence of Christ.
One of the common components of a tombstone inscription is the dash between the dates of birth and death. The question has been explored: what will you do with the dash? Mark Harris highlighted that in his song, "The Line Between the Two". Our days have been determined by God. So our challenge is to make the best use of the days given to us by the Lord here on this earth. The time period represented by that dash is a gift, and we want to be good stewards and manage our time well so that He is exalted through us.
I'm thankful that this public cemetery in Colorado has made the right call about including the name of Jesus on this pastor's wife's tombstone. And, perhaps the SpongeBob situation is somehow being resolved. But, we can be drawn to think about the story behind the monuments, and would hope that our eternal destination is settled. It can be...
21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.22But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.23For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.24Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
This is a great illustration of a mindset that is focused on eternity. This life is not all there is, and God has loved us so much that He has provided us a way to be with Him forever. Because Jesus Christ died on a cross and is now risen from the dead, we have the opportunity to inherit His new life. And, that life doesn't end when our time expires here on earth. I believe that God wants us to think on eternal things and to evaluate our status once we leave this earth - we can know, because the Word of God promises that is we make Christ our Lord and Savior, we are assured of life with Him forever.
In 1st Corinthians 15, the apostle Paul reminds us that our physical death is not the end - Christians have the bright promise of living forever in eternity with Jesus:
16For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.17And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!18Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.20But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
There have been a couple of reports recently about tombstones and their content:
One story is out of Cincinnati. Army Sgt. Kimberly Walker served two tours of duty in Iraq, only to lose her life, allegedly at the hands of her boyfriend, when she returned. According to UPI, in order to commemorate her death, her family decided to erect 2 tombstones at her gravesite. The monuments were of the cartoon character SpongeBob Squarepants, and the family spent $26,000. CNN reports that one honored Kimberly, the other her twin sister Kara, an IT specialist for the Navy. One SpongeBob was dressed in Army garb, the other in Navy. Each of the monuments stands more than 6 feet tall and weighs 7,000 pounds.
The monuments were ordered and arrived 2 weeks ago, but were removed by the cemetery after they were erected. The president of Spring Grove Cemetery said, "The family chose a design with the guidance of a Spring Grove employee who unfortunately made an error in judgment. The monument does not fit within Spring Grove Cemetery guidelines, was not approved by senior management and cannot remain here."
The last report I have seen is that the parties are trying to work things out.
And, then there's the case of another tombstone in Colorado. This story is from ChristianNews.net.
Linda Baker, the wife Mark Baker, pastor of Harvest Baptist Church in Ovid, Colorado, passed away recently following a battle with cancer. According to reports, one of her last wishes was that her tombstone be engraved with an Ichthus fish and the name of Jesus in the center.However, when her family advised the director of the city-owned cemetery of the desired inscription for the marker, he stated that he could not grant the request. Shawn Rewoldt explained that the fish would be acceptable, but the name of Jesus presented a problem. Daughter-in-law Stacy Adams told commentator Todd Starnes that, “At first they told us it wouldn’t fit. But after we kept pushing them, the cemetery director told us that it might offend somebody. They weren’t going to allow it.” And, apparently, there was plenty of Scripture to go around in the cemetery.
The family went to Sterling, CO city manager Joe Kiolbasa, who said he had to confer with the legal department and appeared to be stonewalling. After going public with their concerns, Kiolbasa explained that there had been an “error” in Rewoldt’s judgment, and that the city would not interfere with Christian-based inscriptions on tombstones.
“This gentleman thought it may have been objectionable to someone because of the Christian connotation,” Kiolbasa told reporters. “It has been corrected.”
While Baker’s tombstone is finally being engraved as desired, Adams says that she is still disturbed by the entire situation. She told Starnes that it is grievous that “people are so fearful of one name that they would go to such lengths to try and eliminate it.”
Personally, I would not be thrilled if 2 6-foot SpongeBobs turned up in the cemetery where my loved ones were buried...I have absolutely no problem with the name of Jesus being engraved on a tombstone. These tiffs over tombstones can remind us of some important points:
First of all, you recognize that a grave is just the resting place for our earthly bodies. It's important that you have made the decision on your ultimate resting place - where you, the real you, will spend eternity. And, that can be decided by your acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Our eternal destiny is determined by our choice for Christ.
While the design of a tombstone is an important consideration in the proper burial of a person's body, we recognize that what is spoken at a funeral and the legacy we leave is far more important. We honor and remember people after their deaths, and I would hope that I live my life in a manner that would provide for a compelling story when it comes time for a speaker to memorialize that life. You would hope that the stories that are told on that occasion would be a testimony to the power and presence of Christ.
One of the common components of a tombstone inscription is the dash between the dates of birth and death. The question has been explored: what will you do with the dash? Mark Harris highlighted that in his song, "The Line Between the Two". Our days have been determined by God. So our challenge is to make the best use of the days given to us by the Lord here on this earth. The time period represented by that dash is a gift, and we want to be good stewards and manage our time well so that He is exalted through us.
I'm thankful that this public cemetery in Colorado has made the right call about including the name of Jesus on this pastor's wife's tombstone. And, perhaps the SpongeBob situation is somehow being resolved. But, we can be drawn to think about the story behind the monuments, and would hope that our eternal destination is settled. It can be...
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Marinating on an Idea
Isaiah 30:18 reminds us that God is gracious and totally faithful, and even when we may not see evidence that He is at work, we can still be confident in Him and wait patiently on the Lord:
18Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
Waiting is not necessarily something that comes naturally for humans. And, the culture has conditioned us to want it now and have the means to get it now. Even when we are convinced that God has directed us into a certain undertaking, it becomes difficult to wait when it doesn't unfold the way we think it should when we think it should. We have to recognize that His ways are perfect, and He operates in a manner far beyond our human understanding, and His timetable is not the same as ours. So, we pray, we keep trusting Him and grow in our faith, and we take the necessary steps that we can in order to perform what He has called - the end result is up to Him.
This passage from Psalm 33 paints a wonderful picture of a faithful God:
18Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,19To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.20Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.21For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name.22Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.
Mary Hunter has enjoyed cooking for her congregation at the Yes Lord Church in Gary, IN. She told a New York Times reporter that her recipes have a divine inspiration. She is quoted as saying, “I don’t have a cookbook. God gives me my own.” She says prayer is “where I get 99 percent of my recipes.”
And, about 19 years ago, she had an idea, or you could say that the Lord gave her an idea: “I was writing down some recipes and God said to me that I should take that ink pen and stick holes all through it and put a clip on one side so that you can open it” — lengthwise — “and then put your onions and your garlic
and your aromatics down the middle and put it inside your meat — then, you won’t have to eat bland foods.” And so was born her invention, a long stainless steel device that, according to tests in restaurants and elsewhere, far outperforms those herbal injectors and other disappointing methods for introducing flavors into the interior of a big piece of meat.
Soon, Mary's Marinating Sticks will be going on sale in Target stores.
18Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
Waiting is not necessarily something that comes naturally for humans. And, the culture has conditioned us to want it now and have the means to get it now. Even when we are convinced that God has directed us into a certain undertaking, it becomes difficult to wait when it doesn't unfold the way we think it should when we think it should. We have to recognize that His ways are perfect, and He operates in a manner far beyond our human understanding, and His timetable is not the same as ours. So, we pray, we keep trusting Him and grow in our faith, and we take the necessary steps that we can in order to perform what He has called - the end result is up to Him.
This passage from Psalm 33 paints a wonderful picture of a faithful God:
18Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,19To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.20Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.21For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name.22Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.
Mary Hunter has enjoyed cooking for her congregation at the Yes Lord Church in Gary, IN. She told a New York Times reporter that her recipes have a divine inspiration. She is quoted as saying, “I don’t have a cookbook. God gives me my own.” She says prayer is “where I get 99 percent of my recipes.”
And, about 19 years ago, she had an idea, or you could say that the Lord gave her an idea: “I was writing down some recipes and God said to me that I should take that ink pen and stick holes all through it and put a clip on one side so that you can open it” — lengthwise — “and then put your onions and your garlic
and your aromatics down the middle and put it inside your meat — then, you won’t have to eat bland foods.” And so was born her invention, a long stainless steel device that, according to tests in restaurants and elsewhere, far outperforms those herbal injectors and other disappointing methods for introducing flavors into the interior of a big piece of meat.
Soon, Mary's Marinating Sticks will be going on sale in Target stores.
It's an idea that the Times headline says has been marinating for 19 years. The process of getting the product to market began with the heavenly vision and continued when Mary took the advice of a Gary alderman to attend a class on patenting, offered at a Chicago library. Thus she learned the ropes. Three years later, she had a patent and she also had arranged for an industrial designer, David Smith, an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois. She had put the idea on paper, Smith created several proof-of-concept versions, and the frustration began to mount. Smith said, “I had spent an entire summer making a prototype and made 20 renditions and none of them worked." He recalls going to Mary's house to deliver the bad news, but she said, "God told me you are the one to do this."
He states, "And I’m sitting there in Mary’s dining room, when God showed me an old commercial for the Maxwell House percolator.” That memory of the commercial made him realize that the device would not only have to hold the spices and aromatics but also allow enough flow to permit juices to move in and out. He went back to the shop and hammered out a new stainless steel model.
Then the process of testing and marketing the unique marinating sticks began - a company had agreed to manufacture and distribute the product, but then it was purchased by an out-of-country conglomerate. She then decided to do it herself, with the help of family members. They experienced moderate success, and one day, she had the chance to enter a booth in a trade show - there she came to the attention of a reality show called "Invention Hunters". In the show, the hosts took the marinating sticks to Rosebud Steakhouse in Chicago where the chef tested them and gave them a rave - declaring that the sticks earned an 8 out of 10 points. Mrs. Hunter was the undisputed winner of "Invention Hunters", and now her product has national distribution.
There are some applications for our lives from this great story of this 73-year-old woman from Indiana. First of all, recognize that God will give us creative ideas. We serve the Lord God, Creator of the universe, and God will touch our minds and our imaginations to give us ideas that can be used for Him. When we need that creative spark, or just wisdom to know how to proceed in a particular situation, we can call on and rely on our great God.
Something we do well to realize is that God's timing is perfect, so don't give up. Mary experienced a vision, frustration, even bordering on the death of the vision, and an extremely long process in getting this product to market. But, she kept trying. And, perhaps that is what God is calling you to do - if you are committed to a vision and believe that the Lord has given it to you, then you can trust in His faithfulness to bring it to pass in His time. Even if what you think should happen doesn't occur, perhaps the Lord is trying to teach you some other lesson through that set of circumstances.
Finally, Mary's story teaches us that God will open and close doors for His people. There were some incredible opportunities along the way - for instance, the closing of the door of her original manufacturer resulted in the family deciding to do it themselves. That resulted in a grassroots marketing and distribution campaign. She ended up in a large trade show, which got her on "Invention Hunters". So, the process may have not been what she thought it would be, but you have to acknowledge that God was at work in the process. So, even when we don't necessarily see how He's doing it, we can trust that He is at work for His glory!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Searching For Precious Jewels
Proverbs chapter 8 instructs us that the words of the Lord and the principles of Scripture are more valuable than precious jewels:
10Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold;11For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
Nothing can compare with the wisdom of Almighty God, and another passage in Proverbs encourages us to seek to know God and His ways as we would search for hidden treasures. God has so much in store for each of us, and while, as the Father of good gifts, He will bless us materially, His ultimate aim is for us to know Him and grow spiritually. We are encouraged to search diligently for the presence and wisdom of Almighty God, to come to appreciate and apply His Word, which is of greater value than the treasures of the earth. How we need to know His ways in these challenging times!
In Proverbs 2, we see a wonderful passage of Scripture that encourages us to seek for the things of God as if we were searching for precious jewels, and indeed, God's Word is a treasure for us:
1My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,2So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;3Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,4If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;5Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.
Tana Clymer is a 14-year-old from Oklahoma who went on a rather unique excavation journey recently - to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. You see, there are diamonds in this volcanic crater and if you find one, you can keep it. Other semi-precious stones and minerals, including amethysts, garnets and quartz, are also there for the finding.
According to a report on ABCNews.com, Tana had been digging and sifting through dirt in the 37-acre park for about two hours when something caught her eye.
"I thought it was a piece of paper or foil from a candy wrapper," Tana said, according to the Arkansas State Parks website.
It was a jellybean-size, teardrop-shaped, yellow stone.
"Then, when I touched it, I thought it was a marble," she said. "I think God pointed me to it. I was about to sprint to join my family, and God told me to slow down and look. Then I found the diamond."
Tana said she said a prayer of thanks and named her diamond the God's Jewel diamond.
Park experts evaluated the diamond and told her it was a 3.85-carat canary diamond.
Assistant park superintendent Bill Henderson said in a statement: "What an experience for Tana to remember the rest of her life...Tana told me that she was so excited she couldn't sleep last night. She's either going to keep the diamond for a ring, or if it's worth a lot, she'll want that for college." Tana's is the 396th diamond found so far this year in the park. More than 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed at the site since 1906.
10Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold;11For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.
Nothing can compare with the wisdom of Almighty God, and another passage in Proverbs encourages us to seek to know God and His ways as we would search for hidden treasures. God has so much in store for each of us, and while, as the Father of good gifts, He will bless us materially, His ultimate aim is for us to know Him and grow spiritually. We are encouraged to search diligently for the presence and wisdom of Almighty God, to come to appreciate and apply His Word, which is of greater value than the treasures of the earth. How we need to know His ways in these challenging times!
In Proverbs 2, we see a wonderful passage of Scripture that encourages us to seek for the things of God as if we were searching for precious jewels, and indeed, God's Word is a treasure for us:
1My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,2So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding;3Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding,4If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;5Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.
Tana Clymer is a 14-year-old from Oklahoma who went on a rather unique excavation journey recently - to the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. You see, there are diamonds in this volcanic crater and if you find one, you can keep it. Other semi-precious stones and minerals, including amethysts, garnets and quartz, are also there for the finding.
According to a report on ABCNews.com, Tana had been digging and sifting through dirt in the 37-acre park for about two hours when something caught her eye.
"I thought it was a piece of paper or foil from a candy wrapper," Tana said, according to the Arkansas State Parks website.
It was a jellybean-size, teardrop-shaped, yellow stone.
"Then, when I touched it, I thought it was a marble," she said. "I think God pointed me to it. I was about to sprint to join my family, and God told me to slow down and look. Then I found the diamond."
Tana said she said a prayer of thanks and named her diamond the God's Jewel diamond.
Park experts evaluated the diamond and told her it was a 3.85-carat canary diamond.
Assistant park superintendent Bill Henderson said in a statement: "What an experience for Tana to remember the rest of her life...Tana told me that she was so excited she couldn't sleep last night. She's either going to keep the diamond for a ring, or if it's worth a lot, she'll want that for college." Tana's is the 396th diamond found so far this year in the park. More than 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed at the site since 1906.
How interesting - free diamonds in Arkansas! All you have to do is pay the $7 admission fee, and there may be some supplies necessary, and you're in business. That's not one of those vacation destinations you think about, is it? But, if you find one, it's definitely worth the effort.
It's gratifying that a young girl gave glory to God for her discovery. And, this can be an inspiration for each of us. If we believe that God is involved in every area of our lives, then we can certainly give Him glory for material blessings. Tana, in fact, believes that the Holy Spirit was guiding her to this great discovery - we can be inspired to attribute the operation of God to the blessings in our lives. Realizing that He is the creator and the owner of the world and everything in it helps us to have the right focus about the material possessions we acquire.
The story of this discovery also serves to remind us that God has placed certain treasures on this earth for us to enjoy. He is the Father of all good gifts and diamonds are certainly a gift of our benevolent Creator.
Tana is a young girl who conducted a search, and God wants us to search for treasures of His truth. She received word of a potential discovery, she and her parents went to the right place, and she searched diligently and encountered the treasure. So, it is with God and His Word - we know that His ways are best for us, and we need to intentionally go to His Word, with the expectation that we will hear from Him. His Spirit is there to guide us and meet us as we seek Him out, and we can encounter the treasures that result from discovering more about Him - we find keys to spiritual growth, to abundant life, to knowing Him.
A diamond is a precious jewel, one of the hardest materials on earth, and His absolute truth is like a diamond, penetrating our hearts - the Bible even says in Jeremiah that the sin of God's people is written with a pen of iron and a point of a diamond. His ways are sure, His Word is settled, and His truth can convict and correct our hearts - the work of His Spirit in conviction can serve to not only remind us of the weight of our sinfulness, but when His truth convicts us, we can turn to Him to help us repent of our sin and reverse the direction of our lives.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Making the Grade
The apostle Paul wrote on the topic of speaking boldly for Christ in Philippians chapter 1:
12But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,13so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;14and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
So, here's the progression - Paul was placed in prison, but that didn't take him off the playing field. In fact, he saw that as an opportunity to rely on the Holy Spirit and participate in the furtherance of the gospel. God gave him the boldness to demonstrate his devotion to and reliance on Christ, who used him, even while in chains. He also inspired confidence in the people of faith who were embolden to speak God's truth and to do so fearlessly. Jesus told His disciples that when they were brought before the officials not to worry about what they would say because He would give them the right words, irresistible words. Think about being used of God - even when we may not be satisfied with our circumstances, perhaps God has us in that place so He can speak truth through us.
As he closed out Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul asked the readers to pray for Him, that boldness would be given to him by the Lord:
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--19and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Erin Shead is a 10-year-old student at an elementary school in the Memphis area. Her class was giving an assignment to write about their idol. When she was told of the assignment, she asked if she could right about God. Erin’s teacher said no. Undeterred, Erin did two assignments. According to Christian legal advocacy group Liberty Institute, when she attempted to hand in her assignment about God, the teacher rejected it and told her that Erin had to take her paper about God off of school property because it might violate the First Amendment for it to remain in the classroom! For her second try, Erin chose Michael Jackson, which her teacher said was deemed acceptable. Afterward, students openly mocked Erin’s belief in God, causing her to ask her mother about whether she is allowed to talk about God in school.
12But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,13so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;14and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
So, here's the progression - Paul was placed in prison, but that didn't take him off the playing field. In fact, he saw that as an opportunity to rely on the Holy Spirit and participate in the furtherance of the gospel. God gave him the boldness to demonstrate his devotion to and reliance on Christ, who used him, even while in chains. He also inspired confidence in the people of faith who were embolden to speak God's truth and to do so fearlessly. Jesus told His disciples that when they were brought before the officials not to worry about what they would say because He would give them the right words, irresistible words. Think about being used of God - even when we may not be satisfied with our circumstances, perhaps God has us in that place so He can speak truth through us.
As he closed out Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul asked the readers to pray for Him, that boldness would be given to him by the Lord:
17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--19and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Erin Shead is a 10-year-old student at an elementary school in the Memphis area. Her class was giving an assignment to write about their idol. When she was told of the assignment, she asked if she could right about God. Erin’s teacher said no. Undeterred, Erin did two assignments. According to Christian legal advocacy group Liberty Institute, when she attempted to hand in her assignment about God, the teacher rejected it and told her that Erin had to take her paper about God off of school property because it might violate the First Amendment for it to remain in the classroom! For her second try, Erin chose Michael Jackson, which her teacher said was deemed acceptable. Afterward, students openly mocked Erin’s belief in God, causing her to ask her mother about whether she is allowed to talk about God in school.
Liberty Institute stepped in and went to bat on Erin's behalf. After discussions with Liberty's attorneys, Shelby County Schools reversed the decision of their teacher and allowed Erin to turn in her original assignment about God. And, she earned an “A!”
Attorney Jeremy Dys is quoted as saying, “Of course students can talk and write about God in school...Young teachers, like Erin’s, have been barraged with so much false information for so long that they are afraid that a 10-year-old student’s coloring assignment might violate the First Amendment. That kind of intimidation by the ACLU and Freedom from Religion Foundation is wrong and is precisely what Liberty Institute was founded to combat.”
Erin’s mother told reporters that she simply “wanted Erin’s right to be able to express herself not to ever be taken away again.”
“I just wanted every Christian to know that we have a right to be able to express ourselves,” she told the news reporter. “We understand that they’ve taken prayer out of schools, but they cannot take God out of our children.”
Attorney Jeremy Dys is quoted as saying, “Of course students can talk and write about God in school...Young teachers, like Erin’s, have been barraged with so much false information for so long that they are afraid that a 10-year-old student’s coloring assignment might violate the First Amendment. That kind of intimidation by the ACLU and Freedom from Religion Foundation is wrong and is precisely what Liberty Institute was founded to combat.”
Erin’s mother told reporters that she simply “wanted Erin’s right to be able to express herself not to ever be taken away again.”
“I just wanted every Christian to know that we have a right to be able to express ourselves,” she told the news reporter. “We understand that they’ve taken prayer out of schools, but they cannot take God out of our children.”
This incident reminds us how important it is to be bold for our faith, and we can learn from this 10-year-old how to live life with God as our "idol", as the assignment suggested, or hero, or the driving force of our lives. The 10 Commandments tell us that we are to have no other gods before us and that we are not to set up idols that take the rightful position of God in our lives. And, if He is the center of our existence, then what will that look like? Well, Erin can teach us here - for one thing, I would hope that we would be bold to testify about Him - Paul wrote that he was not ashamed of the gospel, the power of God for salvation.
When we are given the opportunity, I would hope that we would respond to the Holy Spirit and rely on Him to give us the right words. And, that's another important component - not only can we depend on God for the boldness to testify, but He will help us say the right thing, to speak into a situation in the proper manner.
Also, this situation illustrates that misinformation can be detrimental to the Christian foundation of our culture. There are officials who have bought into the distortion of the so-called "separation of church and state" that they react improperly when the subject of religion is brought up in a public setting, like a school or a government meeting. That phrase, written by Thomas Jefferson, was written to a group of church leaders, it's not in the Constitution, and it was intended to express that the church should not be regulated by the government, that there should be no "state church" - I don't think it was ever intended to diminish or eliminate the influence of religion on the state, as some would have you believe. So, we can stand strong confidently in our right to express our faith.
Finally, Erin got an "A" on the paper - she did a good job! And, that's a reminder to us that if we are doing something, anything for the Lord, that doesn't mean that we sacrifice quality. Whatever we do, Scripture tells us, we are to do for the glory of God - He is pleased when we give our best and recognize that He will use what we have entrusted to Him. We should always have the motivation to pursue excellence, knowing that He will take our gifts and talents, that He has given us in the first place, and use them to honor His name and to testify to His presence in us.
Friday, October 18, 2013
A God of Second Chances
In Galatians 6, we see the law of sowing and reaping laid out, including the promise of reaping a harvest, of producing good fruit, to the glory of God.
7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.8For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.9And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
God has establish certain principles, you could say laws - there are natural laws such as the law of gravity or the laws of thermodynamics, and there are spiritual laws, such as sowing and reaping. We do reap the consequences of our choices - I believe that is a principle that's assured by Scripture. But, even when bad decisions yield bad outcomes, we can rely on the faithfulness of a good God, not to relieve us of pain, but to be present with us in suffering. And, when we do make mistakes, we can surrender to the God of second chances, who wants to free us from guilt and regret, forgive us of sin, and establish us in His ways stronger than ever.
Hebrews 4 reminds us that we serve a faithful God, who desires to heal and restore us as we surrender our lives to Him:
14Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
In a new survey, almost half of those responding - 47% - say that they are dealing with the consequences of a bad decision. But, there is an overwhelming number of respondents who believe that in the aftermath of such a decision, that they will receive a second chance.
The survey was conducted by LifeWay Research in support of a new Bible study called, "Bible Studies for Life: Do Over".
84 percent of those surveyed said they believe God gives second chances for those who have made a bad decision. Now, the survey does indicate that between a-third and a-half of people think that the second chance is conditional. 19 percent of Americans believe God gives a second chance when a person depends only on God, followed closely by when a person makes restitution (18 percent), does enough good (15 percent) or promises not to repeat the mistake (11 percent). Fewer than one in six Americans say they are not sure why God gives second chances.
Ronnie Floyd, general editor for Bible Studies for Life says, “In all, some 44 percent of respondents believe God’s offering of a second chance depends on some kind of human action. He adds that, "The problem with trusting in one’s self to gain a second chance from God is that we cannot trust ourselves to get it right." He believes that we shouldn't put pressure on ourselves to fix things, stating that, "The most scriptural response to a failure is to ask God to intervene to accomplish His will.”
There are essentially two issues here that are linked: 1) people are dealing with the consequences of their choices, and in some case, you would think that they are facing regret or guilt over the bad decisions that they have made, and 2) they believe that God will offer some sort of "do over", a second chance.
I do believe there is a principle of sowing and reaping - the Bible is clear that if we make choices according to the flesh, consistent with human desires and reasoning, then we will reap the consequences of those choices. And, it's important that we accept that. Even though we receive forgiveness from Jesus when we come before Him and confess our sins, that may not necessarily relieve us of the effect of that we have done.
The good news is that we can depend on the Lord for strength in our suffering. And, we don't have to beat ourselves up - sure, we can make ourselves absolutely miserable with regret over what we have done. But, we recognize that what's done is done and we must move on and attempt to follow God's will more wholeheartedly, surrendering to His ways. Past decisions can be powerful tools to teach us about how to choose more wisely in the future.
And, as so many indicated in this survey, our God, who specializes in the turnaround, will give us a second chance. Even when we blow it, we can rely on Him, not on ourselves, to forgive us and teach us in those areas where we stumble. Not that He'll relieve the consequences, but He will walk with us to repair and reverse the damage that has been done. The bottom line is that we can turn to Jesus, who can turn our lives around and be glorified, even in the aftermath of our own human failures - when we come to Jesus, He will affirm and establish our ways.
7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.8For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.9And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
God has establish certain principles, you could say laws - there are natural laws such as the law of gravity or the laws of thermodynamics, and there are spiritual laws, such as sowing and reaping. We do reap the consequences of our choices - I believe that is a principle that's assured by Scripture. But, even when bad decisions yield bad outcomes, we can rely on the faithfulness of a good God, not to relieve us of pain, but to be present with us in suffering. And, when we do make mistakes, we can surrender to the God of second chances, who wants to free us from guilt and regret, forgive us of sin, and establish us in His ways stronger than ever.
Hebrews 4 reminds us that we serve a faithful God, who desires to heal and restore us as we surrender our lives to Him:
14Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.16Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
In a new survey, almost half of those responding - 47% - say that they are dealing with the consequences of a bad decision. But, there is an overwhelming number of respondents who believe that in the aftermath of such a decision, that they will receive a second chance.
The survey was conducted by LifeWay Research in support of a new Bible study called, "Bible Studies for Life: Do Over".
84 percent of those surveyed said they believe God gives second chances for those who have made a bad decision. Now, the survey does indicate that between a-third and a-half of people think that the second chance is conditional. 19 percent of Americans believe God gives a second chance when a person depends only on God, followed closely by when a person makes restitution (18 percent), does enough good (15 percent) or promises not to repeat the mistake (11 percent). Fewer than one in six Americans say they are not sure why God gives second chances.
Ronnie Floyd, general editor for Bible Studies for Life says, “In all, some 44 percent of respondents believe God’s offering of a second chance depends on some kind of human action. He adds that, "The problem with trusting in one’s self to gain a second chance from God is that we cannot trust ourselves to get it right." He believes that we shouldn't put pressure on ourselves to fix things, stating that, "The most scriptural response to a failure is to ask God to intervene to accomplish His will.”
There are essentially two issues here that are linked: 1) people are dealing with the consequences of their choices, and in some case, you would think that they are facing regret or guilt over the bad decisions that they have made, and 2) they believe that God will offer some sort of "do over", a second chance.
I do believe there is a principle of sowing and reaping - the Bible is clear that if we make choices according to the flesh, consistent with human desires and reasoning, then we will reap the consequences of those choices. And, it's important that we accept that. Even though we receive forgiveness from Jesus when we come before Him and confess our sins, that may not necessarily relieve us of the effect of that we have done.
The good news is that we can depend on the Lord for strength in our suffering. And, we don't have to beat ourselves up - sure, we can make ourselves absolutely miserable with regret over what we have done. But, we recognize that what's done is done and we must move on and attempt to follow God's will more wholeheartedly, surrendering to His ways. Past decisions can be powerful tools to teach us about how to choose more wisely in the future.
And, as so many indicated in this survey, our God, who specializes in the turnaround, will give us a second chance. Even when we blow it, we can rely on Him, not on ourselves, to forgive us and teach us in those areas where we stumble. Not that He'll relieve the consequences, but He will walk with us to repair and reverse the damage that has been done. The bottom line is that we can turn to Jesus, who can turn our lives around and be glorified, even in the aftermath of our own human failures - when we come to Jesus, He will affirm and establish our ways.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
In Search of a Forever Family
Romans chapter 8 establishes the truth for us that we have been accepted into God's family, that because Jesus is our Savior, we have a new identity and we can know that we are truly His children:
14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.15For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."16The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,17and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
This is who we are if we belong to Christ - we have been given a new identity and we can know, because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, that we are a child of God. That has enormous implications for us, because at the point of our need, Christ was there for us, and as we recognize that we need Him each day, every moments, then we can experience His love and power. He enables us to break the chains of the past and walk in the freedom of our new life in Jesus Christ. By His power, we can put off the sinful behaviors of the past, of the old self, and put on our new identity, created in the image of Christ.
In Galatians 4, we read about the great and glorious news that each of us, by virtue of receiving Christ as Lord and Savior, have been adopted into God's family:
4But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,5to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.6And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
The young man shuffled to the pulpit at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. He declared, "My name is Davion and I've been in foster care since I was born. . . . I know God hasn't given up on me. So I'm not giving up either."
14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.15For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."16The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,17and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
This is who we are if we belong to Christ - we have been given a new identity and we can know, because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, that we are a child of God. That has enormous implications for us, because at the point of our need, Christ was there for us, and as we recognize that we need Him each day, every moments, then we can experience His love and power. He enables us to break the chains of the past and walk in the freedom of our new life in Jesus Christ. By His power, we can put off the sinful behaviors of the past, of the old self, and put on our new identity, created in the image of Christ.
In Galatians 4, we read about the great and glorious news that each of us, by virtue of receiving Christ as Lord and Savior, have been adopted into God's family:
4But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,5to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.6And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
The young man shuffled to the pulpit at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. He declared, "My name is Davion and I've been in foster care since I was born. . . . I know God hasn't given up on me. So I'm not giving up either."
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Davion Navar Henry Only loves all of his names. He has memorized the meaning of each one: beloved, brown, ruler of the home, the one and only.
But he has never had a home or felt beloved. His name is the last thing his parents gave him.
He was born while his mom was in jail. He can't count all of the places he has lived.
In June, Davion sat at a library computer, unfolded his birth certificate and, for the first time, searched for his mother's name. Up came her mug shot: 6-foot-1, 270 pounds — tall, big and dark, like him. Petty theft, cocaine.
Next he saw the obituary: La-Dwina Ilene "Big Dust" McCloud, 55, of Clearwater, died June 5, 2013. Just a few weeks before.
But he has never had a home or felt beloved. His name is the last thing his parents gave him.
He was born while his mom was in jail. He can't count all of the places he has lived.
In June, Davion sat at a library computer, unfolded his birth certificate and, for the first time, searched for his mother's name. Up came her mug shot: 6-foot-1, 270 pounds — tall, big and dark, like him. Petty theft, cocaine.
Next he saw the obituary: La-Dwina Ilene "Big Dust" McCloud, 55, of Clearwater, died June 5, 2013. Just a few weeks before.
He had shared the idea of going before the church with his foster care case worker, who had facilitated this journey. She sat beside him as he heard the words of the preacher, Rev. Brian Brown, as he discussed the apostle Paul. Rev. Brown said, "He was in prison...Awaiting an uncertain future . . ."
The article related that sometimes Davion felt like that, living in a group home with 12 teenage boys, all with problems. All those rules, cameras recording everything.
Davion always longed for a family. Connie Going, his caseworker, took him to picnics, put his portrait in the Heart Gallery. But he had thrown chairs, blown his grades, pushed people away.
When he learned his birth mother was dead, everything changed. He had to let go of the hope that she would come get him. Abandon his anger. Now he didn't have anyone else to blame.
Going says, "He decided he wanted to control his behavior and show everyone who he could be." He attempted to calm his rage, he dropped some weight, applied himself in school, and decided to go to church and make his request for someone to tell and show him that he matters.
"You may be in a dark place," said the preacher. "But look for the joyful moments when you can praise God." He talked about orphans and the desire of Jesus to lift them up. Then he introduced Davion.
Davion's words were simple and honest: "I'll take anyone...Old or young, dad or mom, black, white, purple. I don't care. And I would be really appreciative. The best I could be." So far, reportedly 2 families have responded to the appeal.
The article related that sometimes Davion felt like that, living in a group home with 12 teenage boys, all with problems. All those rules, cameras recording everything.
Davion always longed for a family. Connie Going, his caseworker, took him to picnics, put his portrait in the Heart Gallery. But he had thrown chairs, blown his grades, pushed people away.
When he learned his birth mother was dead, everything changed. He had to let go of the hope that she would come get him. Abandon his anger. Now he didn't have anyone else to blame.
Going says, "He decided he wanted to control his behavior and show everyone who he could be." He attempted to calm his rage, he dropped some weight, applied himself in school, and decided to go to church and make his request for someone to tell and show him that he matters.
"You may be in a dark place," said the preacher. "But look for the joyful moments when you can praise God." He talked about orphans and the desire of Jesus to lift them up. Then he introduced Davion.
Davion's words were simple and honest: "I'll take anyone...Old or young, dad or mom, black, white, purple. I don't care. And I would be really appreciative. The best I could be." So far, reportedly 2 families have responded to the appeal.
Davion's story is one of hope and redemption, and illustrates for us some truths relative to the Christian life. First of all, he shows the desperation that so many children in foster care are facing. One of the encouraging trends in the church is to see families who are opening their homes and becoming the forever family for children, including those who are in foster care. There is an opportunity to help mold the lives of kids, including teens, who have experienced the uncertainty of living without a permanent home and the lack of affirmation or outright rejection from their parents.
And, there's a great spiritual application here - because each of us, even though we were created in the image of God, were born in a state of need for the love of a Savior. Sin separated us from the love of our Heavenly Father, but grace has enabled us to be adopted into His family. The love of God is powerful and compelling, and He is calling each of us to receive His love and experience true, unconditional acceptance.
Finally, we acknowledge the ability of God to give us a new identity in life. Davion was someone who was rejected, angry, afraid, insecure, and wanting to experience love. He wore that identity around his neck, and it choked him. But, he decided to take a step in the other direction - and if we are willing to forsake the past and to let go of the burdens that hold us back, we can experience true forgiveness and transformation. We have the chance to release the identity of Christ in our lives as we believe on Him.
He can take away anger, rejection, and pain, and we can know His unconditional and unlimited love.
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