Monday, August 27, 2007

Heart Trouble

The heart of a problem is sometimes the problem of the heart.

Let me explain. Maybe you’re one of those people whose parents made them go to church as a child and hated it. I was not. So I’ve always wondered what that was all about.

My parents brought me to church before I can remember. They told me that when I was three years old I asked God to forgive my sin and for Jesus Christ to be my Lord and my Savior.

Since I was so young I had no memory of that event. But I do remember repeating that decision during a church service when I was older. I wanted to remember my commitment.

I also remember that I always loved church. Sunday was my favorite day of the week. The songs, hymns, Bible Stories and lessons connected with my young heart. I looked forward to Vacation Bible School every year. When I finally got to go to Church Camp and Youth Group, I was thrilled.

Here’s my guess. If you went to a spiritual life-giving church that taught the Bible, but you hated it and felt rejected, it may have been a heart problem.

Well, hold it just a minute. Aren’t some churches to blame—sort of “bad apples?”

Sure. Churches can be cold, legalistic and judgmental. That’s possible. But don’t give up on church just because you went to one that didn’t meet your need. The solution is to keep looking for one that does—a church where you can meet with God, people live their faith, the Bible is taught, and Jesus Christ is Lord. I didn’t give up on apples just because I had a bad one.

But if the problem wasn’t the church, it may be your heart.

Some folks who attend church have no interest in God. They are self-absorbed takers. Their only interest is whether or not it’s an enjoyable experience for them. Sadly their attitude keeps them from finding the fulfillment they’re looking for and which only God can give them.

It may be you are looking in the wrong place. I encourage you to start looking for your fulfillment where I found it: in a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

When you do, you’ll discover that God is real and that he is not rejecting you at all. He doesn’t reject anyone who comes to him in faith. Because of our self-centered emphasis on pleasure, we reject him. God isn’t hiding from us. The reality is that we are hiding from him.

The greatest discovery of my life was that God loved me, was seeking a personal relationship with me and wanted to forgive all my failures and give me a fresh start.

Jesus said that God seeks worshippers who will worship him in spirit and in truth. He said, “whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” Jesus also told people, “Your sins are forgiven.” He alone can forgive our failures, even when we cannot forgive ourselves.

When we have problems with our physical heart, we go to a heart specialist. We listen to the diagnosis and then take appropriate action. We value the specialist’s advice.

If the problem is spiritual, go to the one who understands the human heart and soul. God alone has the treatment that works every time it’s tried. His advice is invaluable.

Maybe you’re skeptical. Then listen to Jesus’ challenge: “If anyone chooses to do God’s will he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” Then he added, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” He meant himself.

The heart of our problem is the problem of our hearts. The solution? Believe the right message about the right person: Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior of the world died for your sin.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

The Impersonator

The ultimate Elvis impersonator was crowned last week in Memphis, Tennessee.

Shawn Klush won the title as the #1 Tribute Artist in the world. He did it by imitating Elvis’ look, sound, moves and mannerisms. Since his death, the official Elvis impersonator contest was the next best thing to seeing him in person. For a brief moment, Elvis “lived” again.

Thousands of people showed up. Some came to compete but most came to watch. The show celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the “The King” of Rock and Roll’s death.

The media focused on the competitors and fans that confess Elvis is their life. Many have changed and rearranged their lives around Elvis’ music and his death.

Some of the stories were fascinating. One woman’s wedding anniversary fell on the day Elvis died. She admitted she and her husband no longer celebrate on that date but on a day that comes before or after. And no one thought her crazy. She is just another dedicated fan.

Well hold on just a minute. Why aren’t there any Jesus impersonators?

Why not compete to see who is the most like Jesus? Sure it would be hard to duplicate the miracles and the healings. But how about his love and acceptance of those who were down and out? What about his righteous indignation at injustice and hypocrites? Imitate that.

Didn’t Jesus say, “Learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart”? The Bible says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” One of Jesus’ greatest followers, the Apostle Paul, said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” Shouldn’t people mimic Jesus?

The reason there aren’t Jesus impersonators is because Jesus, the real King, is still alive!

Every Sunday Christians celebrate the fact that he is alive. Other religions and fan clubs celebrate the death of the founder or celebrity they worship. Christianity is the only religion that celebrates a resurrection. Crazy? Not if it’s true!

Many who set out to disprove the resurrection discovered that the evidence in support of it is overwhelming. (Read journalist Frank Morison’s “Who Moved the Stone?” as an example.)

According to author Josh McDowell, there is far more evidence Jesus of Nazareth lived, died and rose again than there is to document the lives of philosophers Aristotle or Plato.

The first followers of Jesus were eventually called “Christians” because their speech and lives reminded people of Christ. And it wasn’t because they were trying to impersonate Jesus.

Jesus said he would send the Holy Spirit to live in those who believe in him. The living presence of God in a Christian’s life changes them from a self-centered individual into someone who loves and serves others. Someone like Jesus. God changes Christians from the inside out.

Even though he is the Son of God, Jesus said he “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus put our needs first to save us from our sin.

When someone puts their faith in Jesus Christ, they begin to change into someone like him. For some the transition takes longer than for others, but the result is a real change of heart.

But wait just a minute. Now that I think about it, there may not be Jesus impersonators, but there are Christian impersonators--people mimicking the behavior, appearance and speech of Christians. A Christian impersonator tries to be like a Christian without becoming a Christian.

Such a charade is so unnecessary. The Bible says anyone can be a Christian by admitting they are a sinner, believing Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sin and confessing him as their Lord and Savior. If you follow and obey him, Jesus will make a real Christian out of you.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Monday, August 13, 2007

Mistaken Identity

A woman saw a star from her favorite soap opera on a New York City street. Grabbing the celebrity’s arm, the fan shouted at her, “How could you treat your husband the way you do? He loves you and you’re so mean to him!”

The star looked at the woman with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment and said, “Excuse me but I’m just an actor!”

Sadly the fan mistook the actor for the character in the program. The result is that she was embarrassed and humiliated.

The same thing happens with Jesus. Some people mistake Jesus for someone else.

Hold it just a minute. How could you mistake Jesus for someone else?

Well, some think he’s just a baby in the manger scene at the Sunday School Christmas program. Or they think he’s just the man on the cross in the Easter play, a great teacher or a martyr for a good cause. But Jesus is more than just an infant in a manger, an actor in a play, a great teacher or a martyr. He’s the real deal. He’s the Son of God.

Now some people think Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God. They believe he was just a rabbi, a great teacher whom other people called “the Son of God.” But when the Jewish High Priest asked him, “Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God,” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is as you say. But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Now that’s not something a “great teacher” would claim to be. Others did call him the Son of God but, if Jesus was just a good teacher, he should have straightened them out.

To claim you’re the Son of God if you’re not would make you either a liar or a lunatic. And neither of those would make a good model for people’s lives. But what some of the people of Jesus’ day didn’t reckon with was that he was telling the truth. His miracles, his messages and his resurrection from the dead demonstrated and confirmed his deity.

People today make the same mistake. They fail to see who Jesus really is.

The fact that Jesus is who he claimed to be changes everything. It confronts everyone who hears this about him and forces them to make a decision. They must decide whether or not to believe and trust in him.

Someone once asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” He answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

It is not enough to just understand. It is not enough to just agree. Jesus said we must believe in him--to trust and rely on him to save us and forgive our sin. To voluntarily and personally choose him to be our Lord, our Savior and our God. To obey him and live for him.

If you mistake Jesus for somebody else, you will lose a shepherd for your soul, a provider for your life and a protector for your family. You will also miss out on his church, a place where you can be loved and accepted for who you are. And where you will be encouraged to be all that God made you to be. You will pass up the purpose for your life.

If you confuse Jesus for someone he is not, the result will be more than brief embarrassment. It will cost you eternity.

But to find Jesus--to discover who he really is--and put your trust in him is no mistake.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Holy Terror

It was midnight when the screaming began.

Terrifying screams startled us awake and it sounded like murder. My wife and I bolted from our bed and rushed in to the next room to find our toddler sound asleep but screaming.

Nothing we did seemed to help or calm our child. What’s worse, it continued nightly. Soon we decided that a visit to the pediatrician was in order.

We learned that small children can experience “Night Terrors” and that the cause is still a mystery. There was no real treatment and we were told that our child would “outgrow it.”

With a lighter wallet and no hope we returned home to sleepless nights. The hardest part was that there was no solution. There was nothing we could do about it.

We’ve probably all had terrifying nightmares. But what if you faced a nightmare that never ended--something far worse than living in a horror movie?

Just imagine facing a holy, righteous God without knowing your sins were forgiven. Picture yourself standing before him but Jesus Christ doesn’t claim you as one of his own.

Hey--hold on just a minute! Doesn’t the Bible say that God loves us?

Yes, but the Bible also warns us that if we hear the good news that Jesus died for our sins and then reject it, what awaits us is God’s judgment and a terrifying sentence.

After encouraging us to draw near to God, the Bible warns, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God…. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Now that’s a holy terror!

We are so privileged to live in a culture saturated with the gospel. “Bible Belt” towns are full of churches. Bibles are available everywhere. Christian Radio and TV programs fill the airwaves. Many Americans know the story that Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins. They’ve heard that through faith in him sins are forgiven.

But, as they say, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Many ignore the gospel story.

God is not trying to scare us into becoming Christians. He gave each of us a free will and wants us to choose whether or not we will serve him. But he also wants us to have all the facts.

Right after telling us how much God loved the world in John 3:16, Jesus said, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

God constantly tells us in the Bible how much he loves us. But because he is holy and righteous, he cannot permit sin in his presence. His great love for us moved him to send his Son, Jesus, to take care of our sin problem. And since Jesus’ death on the cross allows God to forgive our sin, the only choice we face is whether to accept or reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Some people think they’ve screwed up their lives so badly that there’s no hope, no solution and nothing they can do about it. And without Jesus Christ there would be no hope.

But when we trust him we receive forgiveness, joy and eternal life. However, God also wants us to know that if we reject him the consequences are terrible. It’s as if God is saying to us, “I’ve given you all the facts. Now you choose. Choose wisely. Choose Jesus.”

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Almost Friends

I’ll never forget the day I almost met Bob Hope in Columbus, Ohio.

As I walked from a restaurant to the parking lot with friends, I almost ran in to him--literally! He was coming up the sidewalk and walked right by me.

“Hey, wasn’t that Bob Hope?” asked my friend. I said, “No way!” My friend said, “Yes it was!” So I went back and took a second look and, sure enough, it was Bob Hope, star of stage and screen. He was much shorter than I expected and looked like an ordinary grandfather. But I never met him. He was headlining the Ohio State Fair that year and had all his “people” around him. It was the closest I ever got to a Hollywood star.

So, if I told you Bob Hope and I were good friends, would you believe me? Of course not! I got close to him but I never met him. We were almost friends. And, as they say, “Almost only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades.”

Some people I know are almost friends of Jesus, too. They are almost Christians.

Well hold on just a minute. How can you be almost a Christian? Good question!

Some people get close to Jesus but never meet him. They almost run into him at church, Vacation Bible School, camp, weddings and funerals. Often they even attend church regularly and sing in the choir. But they don’t know Jesus and he doesn’t know them.

Others are introduced to Jesus Christ but then they forget him and go on with their lives. Maybe a friend introduces them to Jesus and talks about how a relationship with him changed their life. But they don’t personally pursue a “God-connection.” Nothing changes.

If I had personally met Bob Hope and then forgot who he was, it wouldn’t make much difference in my life. But if you meet Jesus and forget who he is, it will matter for eternity.

Last month I asked a young man if he’d met Jesus. He told me, “Not personally.” Well, if you’ve never personally met Jesus, may I introduce you? He’s worth more than a second look.

The Bible’s most famous verse, John 3:16, says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Jesus himself claimed he was God’s son and that his death would provide forgiveness for sin. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Faith in Christ solves your sin problem and gives you the gift of eternal life.

A Christian is a person who meets Jesus Christ in the Bible, puts his or her faith in him and finds Jesus to be all he claims to be. Once a person takes that step of faith, they discover that God changes them for the better, from the inside out! And Jesus becomes a true friend forever.

You read a lot in the newspaper about politics. People are very passionate about it. But politics can’t really change your life forever or satisfy your soul. Only Jesus can do that.

Here’s what I tell folks who ask how they can meet Jesus and become a Christian: “The Bible makes it as easy as A, B, C. A - ADMIT to God that you have sinned and turn from your sin to God. B - BELIEVE that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead. C - CALL upon Jesus and ask him to be your Lord and Savior.”

The Bible says if you do that, you can “know that you have eternal life.” Being a Christian and going to Heaven isn’t just a “hope so.” It’s a “know so” because God said so!

Once you meet Jesus, make peace with God and settle your eternal destination, you can focus on making a difference in this world because the most important issues are finally settled.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!

Lake Side Church of the Brethren

http://www.lakesidecob.org/

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