What compels us to go home?
Last week we went back to our home state of New Jersey for vacation. It was hectic, relaxing and affirming—all at the same time!
Trying to visit everyone we wanted to see was hectic. They’re all on different schedules.
We did manage to get to the Jersey Shore. Boardwalk. Sea gulls. Ocean. Very relaxing.
Then we took our new grandson to meet his great-grandparents. We ate a lot of good food and spent some wonderful time with family. Being with family can be very affirming.
In every culture people try to go home. Eventually most people want to go back.
Why do we have such a deep longing for home? Perhaps the Bible gives us a clue.
“Now hold on just a minute! What does going home have to do with the Bible?”
Because the story of humankind’s first home is in the Bible.
The Bible tells us that, in the beginning, the first man and woman lived in the Garden of Eden. It was a place God made to fit them perfectly. It was their home.
In Eden they had a close personal relationship with our Creator, God. Everything they needed was in the garden. They were loved and accepted completely and unconditionally.
Then everything changed.
According to the first book of the Bible, Genesis, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were expelled from their home. They discovered that the world had become a very hostile place. But their sin prevented them from returning home.
Ever since humankind has longed to go home. To be homeward bound. To get to the place where we were loved, accepted and cared for. We think we will find it if we can just go home.
But even if we eventually return to our hometown, we discover everything has changed.
Try as we might, we cannot return to a time and place that now exists only in our minds. As someone once told me, “There’s no going back.”
Something in the human soul still longs for our ancient home in Eden where everything was perfect. But the truth is we will find it only when we reach our heavenly home.
The Bible says Abraham, the father of faith, was “looking forward to the city with foundations whose architect and builder is God.” Abraham lived in tents—temporary dwellings. According to the Bible, his longing for a permanent home was really a desire to be with God.
What’s more, Jesus said that when he returned to Heaven, he would “prepare a place” there for those who believe in him. The Bible explains that this place is not just for people of one race or nation. God wants everyone to be part of his ultimate heavenly home.
The only obstacle to keep us from reaching our ultimate home is the same one that kept Adam and Eve from going home--sin. But the message of the Bible is that God has provided a way home through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for sin. It’s a free gift God paid for.
Now the only thing standing between home and us is whether we trust in Christ as our savior.
On the cross Jesus said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He was rejected from the family so we could be accepted in God’s family once again. And welcomed home.
As the Son of God, Jesus got what we deserved so we could receive what he deserved. So we could become sons and daughters of God and be homeward bound through faith in him.
Because of Christ, God invites us to come home.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Imperfect World
I didn’t have a friend in the world. That’s how I felt as a boy. And it hurt.
People I loved let me down. I was blamed and punished for things I didn’t do. As a result I felt unloved, rejected and alone. Like I didn’t have a friend and no one understood the real me.
In a perfect world people wouldn’t treat me like that. But we live in an imperfect world. One in which virtually every problem in our lives can be traced back to one root cause: Sin.
“Now hold on just a minute! We’re modern people. Who’s to say what sin is or causes?”
Great question! And the answer is God.
One reason the Bible was written was to help us understand how humankind got in the mess we’re in. Then it offers the only real solution that works every time it’s used.
To solve the problem, we must get at the sin behind the bad behavior. And then use the gospel of Jesus Christ on it. But that proves difficult because it is painfully self-incriminating.
Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and theologian, offered a good explanation of the sin underneath our sinful behavior. He said in “Sickness Unto Death” that sin is building your identity on anything but God.
That’s why the first of the Ten Commandments in the Bible is “You shall have no other gods before me.” And the second commandment adds, “You shall not make for yourself an idol.”
Why did God say that? Was it because he didn’t want us to have freedom of choice? No.
God knows that if we allow something else to be the focus of our affections, if we seek the main source of our life, happiness, and self-worth in anything but him, we will be disappointed.
Most of us fancy ourselves to be modern people. The idea of an “idol” sounds so primitive. However, we all have idols. Not some little statue or image we worship but something that is more important to us than anything else.
For some it’s money or sports. For others it’s another person’s approval. It could be pleasure or power—controlling others—that makes them feel alive and secure.
Everyone at some basic level thinks, “If I had that, if I did that, if I chose that, then my life would be worth living. Then I will feel alive.” And that thing is the main idol of your life. You adore it. It brings you pleasure. You worship it.
Whatever that thing is for you, you’ll need to have it and it will enslave you. If you actually get it, it won’t completely satisfy you. And if you fail it--it will curse you the rest of your life.
Do you remember the Bible story about the rich young man who came to Jesus? He said he had kept all the commandments. (Read about it in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 19.)
What a great disciple or church member he would have made! But he left Jesus. Why?
He was disappointed because Jesus told him, “‘If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
What was Jesus saying? That he needed to be more generous, more charitable? No. Jesus knew that his god, his idol, his security and his savior were all wrapped up in his wealth. And until he gave up its hold on him, Jesus could never be his Lord and Savior.
Jesus Christ is the only master that satisfies. And if you fail him, he died on the cross to forgive your sin. Your idols can’t do that. No one else can die on the cross for your sin.
I believe Jesus would say to us today, “Give up your false gods. Then come, follow me.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
People I loved let me down. I was blamed and punished for things I didn’t do. As a result I felt unloved, rejected and alone. Like I didn’t have a friend and no one understood the real me.
In a perfect world people wouldn’t treat me like that. But we live in an imperfect world. One in which virtually every problem in our lives can be traced back to one root cause: Sin.
“Now hold on just a minute! We’re modern people. Who’s to say what sin is or causes?”
Great question! And the answer is God.
One reason the Bible was written was to help us understand how humankind got in the mess we’re in. Then it offers the only real solution that works every time it’s used.
To solve the problem, we must get at the sin behind the bad behavior. And then use the gospel of Jesus Christ on it. But that proves difficult because it is painfully self-incriminating.
Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher and theologian, offered a good explanation of the sin underneath our sinful behavior. He said in “Sickness Unto Death” that sin is building your identity on anything but God.
That’s why the first of the Ten Commandments in the Bible is “You shall have no other gods before me.” And the second commandment adds, “You shall not make for yourself an idol.”
Why did God say that? Was it because he didn’t want us to have freedom of choice? No.
God knows that if we allow something else to be the focus of our affections, if we seek the main source of our life, happiness, and self-worth in anything but him, we will be disappointed.
Most of us fancy ourselves to be modern people. The idea of an “idol” sounds so primitive. However, we all have idols. Not some little statue or image we worship but something that is more important to us than anything else.
For some it’s money or sports. For others it’s another person’s approval. It could be pleasure or power—controlling others—that makes them feel alive and secure.
Everyone at some basic level thinks, “If I had that, if I did that, if I chose that, then my life would be worth living. Then I will feel alive.” And that thing is the main idol of your life. You adore it. It brings you pleasure. You worship it.
Whatever that thing is for you, you’ll need to have it and it will enslave you. If you actually get it, it won’t completely satisfy you. And if you fail it--it will curse you the rest of your life.
Do you remember the Bible story about the rich young man who came to Jesus? He said he had kept all the commandments. (Read about it in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 19.)
What a great disciple or church member he would have made! But he left Jesus. Why?
He was disappointed because Jesus told him, “‘If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
What was Jesus saying? That he needed to be more generous, more charitable? No. Jesus knew that his god, his idol, his security and his savior were all wrapped up in his wealth. And until he gave up its hold on him, Jesus could never be his Lord and Savior.
Jesus Christ is the only master that satisfies. And if you fail him, he died on the cross to forgive your sin. Your idols can’t do that. No one else can die on the cross for your sin.
I believe Jesus would say to us today, “Give up your false gods. Then come, follow me.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Without Faith
Here’s a story to make you think. It is used with permission of the author, Steffi Rubin.
In the land of DONTBELIEVE, long ago, there lived a sad little people called the DONTBELIEVITS. They were little because they didn’t believe they could ever be tall. And they were sad, because they didn’t believe they could ever be happy.
In this land of DONTBELIEVE, people walked down the road and greeted each other by saying, “I don’t believe it.” The customary reply to this greeting was, “Me neither.”
The king’s name was DONTCOUNTONIT VII. He was mean and made his people work very, very hard. Every week work began early Monday morning and ended late Sunday night.
Naturally the king didn’t believe in vacations, sick pay, coffee breaks or social security.
Occasionally, the people of DONTBELIEVE would plead with the king for a day off. But the king simply grunted and recited his own name: “Don’t Count On It.” And that would be that.
At the same time a quiet young man lived in the land of DONTBELIEVE. He lived in a modest home in a poor section of the country. He worked hard in a menial job and seldom spoke.
A neighbor once greeted the young man with “I don’t believe it.” He replied, “WHY NOT?”
This unusual behavior created quite a stir. Some thought he was secretly trying to overthrow King DONTCOUNTONIT VII. Perhaps he was a rebel or a revolutionary!
Others suggested that the quiet young man bore a resemblance to exiled old King HOPE-A-LOT. They thought he was the old king’s great-great grandson.
Legend had it that hundreds of years before King DONTCOUNTONIT VII, there was an invasion. Before that time the land of DONTBELIEVE was called the LAND OF MIRACLES. It was a place where wonderful things happened every day.
Then one morning the gloomy army of King DONTCOUNTONIT III from the neighboring country of DONTBELIEVE charged across the border. He swept across the sunny countryside and overcame sweet old King HOPE-A-LOT.
The invaders brought dark clouds of negativity and depression. For centuries, there wasn’t a glimmer of hope in all the land…until the day the quiet young man asked, “WHY NOT?”
Opinions about the young man flew thick and fast: “Well,” said one, “if he is the great-great-grandson of the old king, where are his royal robes?” “Quite true,” said another, “and where is his royal horse and servants?” “Of course,” said a third. “Where is his royal ring and scepter?”
So it was decided that he was not, in fact, a king at all. And that was sad.
Indeed, the young man was the true heir to the throne of the land. He was the great-great grandson of King HOPE-A-LOT. But the people of the land just kept sighing their customary sigh: “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it.”
Nearly 2,000 years ago a king came to the Jewish people. He didn’t wear royal robes; he didn’t ride a royal horse; he didn’t carry a royal scepter. He lived quietly among his people and came to them as a soft-spoken carpenter. So they didn’t believe he was their king.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God is more than the rightful king of Israel. He asks you to make him king of your life. He died so that we DONTBELIEVITS can have a new life. And he rose from the dead to dispel the clouds of doubt and fear so we can live in the sunlight of God’s love.
The Bible says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
In the land of DONTBELIEVE, long ago, there lived a sad little people called the DONTBELIEVITS. They were little because they didn’t believe they could ever be tall. And they were sad, because they didn’t believe they could ever be happy.
In this land of DONTBELIEVE, people walked down the road and greeted each other by saying, “I don’t believe it.” The customary reply to this greeting was, “Me neither.”
The king’s name was DONTCOUNTONIT VII. He was mean and made his people work very, very hard. Every week work began early Monday morning and ended late Sunday night.
Naturally the king didn’t believe in vacations, sick pay, coffee breaks or social security.
Occasionally, the people of DONTBELIEVE would plead with the king for a day off. But the king simply grunted and recited his own name: “Don’t Count On It.” And that would be that.
At the same time a quiet young man lived in the land of DONTBELIEVE. He lived in a modest home in a poor section of the country. He worked hard in a menial job and seldom spoke.
A neighbor once greeted the young man with “I don’t believe it.” He replied, “WHY NOT?”
This unusual behavior created quite a stir. Some thought he was secretly trying to overthrow King DONTCOUNTONIT VII. Perhaps he was a rebel or a revolutionary!
Others suggested that the quiet young man bore a resemblance to exiled old King HOPE-A-LOT. They thought he was the old king’s great-great grandson.
Legend had it that hundreds of years before King DONTCOUNTONIT VII, there was an invasion. Before that time the land of DONTBELIEVE was called the LAND OF MIRACLES. It was a place where wonderful things happened every day.
Then one morning the gloomy army of King DONTCOUNTONIT III from the neighboring country of DONTBELIEVE charged across the border. He swept across the sunny countryside and overcame sweet old King HOPE-A-LOT.
The invaders brought dark clouds of negativity and depression. For centuries, there wasn’t a glimmer of hope in all the land…until the day the quiet young man asked, “WHY NOT?”
Opinions about the young man flew thick and fast: “Well,” said one, “if he is the great-great-grandson of the old king, where are his royal robes?” “Quite true,” said another, “and where is his royal horse and servants?” “Of course,” said a third. “Where is his royal ring and scepter?”
So it was decided that he was not, in fact, a king at all. And that was sad.
Indeed, the young man was the true heir to the throne of the land. He was the great-great grandson of King HOPE-A-LOT. But the people of the land just kept sighing their customary sigh: “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it.”
Nearly 2,000 years ago a king came to the Jewish people. He didn’t wear royal robes; he didn’t ride a royal horse; he didn’t carry a royal scepter. He lived quietly among his people and came to them as a soft-spoken carpenter. So they didn’t believe he was their king.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God is more than the rightful king of Israel. He asks you to make him king of your life. He died so that we DONTBELIEVITS can have a new life. And he rose from the dead to dispel the clouds of doubt and fear so we can live in the sunlight of God’s love.
The Bible says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Bankrupt God
For some Americans, god went bankrupt last fall. How? Because money was their god. And when the economy crashed, their god failed them. Many lost everything.
For others, sports is a god. That god has been morally and ethically bankrupt for a long time.
“Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that a little extreme?”
Not if we listen to Jesus. He spoke truth in a way that helps us understand the lies we believe.
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will love the one and hate the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Your master, your god is what you serve. It’s what makes you feel alive. For some folks it’s money. It occupies their every waking thought. Follow the money. It’s all about the money.
For others, it’s sports. It starts out as a harmless hobby. But soon they eat, sleep and breathe sports. It’s all they want to talk about. It’s the most important thing in their lives. They live for sports. Sports becomes their god. But sports makes a poor god.
You hear at school how great sports is. How it builds character.
Tell that to all the disappointed fans of sports stars who used performance enhancing drugs. Tell it to the coaches who have all they can do to keep some players out of jail.
If money, sports or anything else is your god, it will let you down every time. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy your soul and give you peace, purpose and provide for your needs.
When you follow Jesus, he blesses you and makes you a blessing to others.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not talking about getting religion. I’m speaking of a one to one, heart to heart relationship with your creator-God, Jesus Christ. He loves you and died for your sin on the cross almost two thousand years ago.
I’m also not talking about just going to a church or joining an organization.
Just as Jesus came to serve others, so Christ’s followers find joy and purpose in serving others together in his name. Local churches give the opportunity to do that. But a church can’t save your soul or change your life. Only Jesus Christ can do that.
Following Jesus is a journey. It begins when one puts his or her trust in Jesus Christ.
The first step is to hear the gospel and believe he is the Son of God as he claimed. That his death paid the penalty for your sin. And that his resurrection is the basis for a new life through faith in Christ. (Don’t just take my word for it. Read it for yourself in the Gospel of John.)
You continue the journey by becoming part of a local church. There you can explore and grow in your faith in Christ. You can worship God in spirit and in truth. And you will find opportunities to put your faith in action by sharing your faith with others and serving the needy.
Through the trials of life you learn that God is faithful. As you grow closer to him, your life takes on a whole new purpose and meaning compared to what you were before. Soon you realize that every task and every person in need is an opportunity to serve God and grow in your faith.
Sadly not everyone follows Christ. Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
When it comes to worshipping God you have a choice. Don’t serve any of the bankrupt gods of this age. You can’t depend on them. Instead choose the narrow road, the path less traveled.
Follow Jesus. Learn from him. Live for him. Because in the end, that’s all that matters.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
For others, sports is a god. That god has been morally and ethically bankrupt for a long time.
“Now hold on just a minute! Isn’t that a little extreme?”
Not if we listen to Jesus. He spoke truth in a way that helps us understand the lies we believe.
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will love the one and hate the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Your master, your god is what you serve. It’s what makes you feel alive. For some folks it’s money. It occupies their every waking thought. Follow the money. It’s all about the money.
For others, it’s sports. It starts out as a harmless hobby. But soon they eat, sleep and breathe sports. It’s all they want to talk about. It’s the most important thing in their lives. They live for sports. Sports becomes their god. But sports makes a poor god.
You hear at school how great sports is. How it builds character.
Tell that to all the disappointed fans of sports stars who used performance enhancing drugs. Tell it to the coaches who have all they can do to keep some players out of jail.
If money, sports or anything else is your god, it will let you down every time. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy your soul and give you peace, purpose and provide for your needs.
When you follow Jesus, he blesses you and makes you a blessing to others.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not talking about getting religion. I’m speaking of a one to one, heart to heart relationship with your creator-God, Jesus Christ. He loves you and died for your sin on the cross almost two thousand years ago.
I’m also not talking about just going to a church or joining an organization.
Just as Jesus came to serve others, so Christ’s followers find joy and purpose in serving others together in his name. Local churches give the opportunity to do that. But a church can’t save your soul or change your life. Only Jesus Christ can do that.
Following Jesus is a journey. It begins when one puts his or her trust in Jesus Christ.
The first step is to hear the gospel and believe he is the Son of God as he claimed. That his death paid the penalty for your sin. And that his resurrection is the basis for a new life through faith in Christ. (Don’t just take my word for it. Read it for yourself in the Gospel of John.)
You continue the journey by becoming part of a local church. There you can explore and grow in your faith in Christ. You can worship God in spirit and in truth. And you will find opportunities to put your faith in action by sharing your faith with others and serving the needy.
Through the trials of life you learn that God is faithful. As you grow closer to him, your life takes on a whole new purpose and meaning compared to what you were before. Soon you realize that every task and every person in need is an opportunity to serve God and grow in your faith.
Sadly not everyone follows Christ. Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
When it comes to worshipping God you have a choice. Don’t serve any of the bankrupt gods of this age. You can’t depend on them. Instead choose the narrow road, the path less traveled.
Follow Jesus. Learn from him. Live for him. Because in the end, that’s all that matters.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
First Contact
During the past week I’ve spent time getting to know my new grandson, Kyle. What a joy!
Like most newborns, he spends his time eating, sleeping and keeping the disposable diaper industry going. He also spends a lot of time being held by the adults in his life.
There are brief periods he is awake. And if I’m holding him during one of them, I enjoy looking into his eyes. I remember reading somewhere that babies look for another pair of eyes.
What I want him to know, more than anything else, is that I love him. That’s what I told all my children and grandchildren after they were born.
Of course Kyle doesn’t understand a word I’m saying. He just looks back at me with those handsome eyes. But one day, when I say those words, he will hear my heart.
Meanwhile I expect I will have to patiently repeat myself until he gets the message. I guess I’ve learned that lesson from God’s patience and how he has treated us.
“Now just a minute! How is telling a child of your love similar to how God treats us?”
Over and over, down through the centuries and through the pages of scripture God has patiently repeated himself. He said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” The Bible tells us, “God is love.” Jesus said, “As the father has loved me, so have I loved you.”
First through the scriptures and then through his son, Jesus Christ, God repeats his love for us. But like a newborn, many don’t understand him. So he tells us again and again.
The message of the Bible is that God has been communicating his love to the human race for thousands of years. Some people think the Bible is a history book. In reality, it’s more like a love letter to the world.
One of the most important things to know about God is that he loves you. He wants you to have peace and joy in your life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
That’s why the Bible tells us, “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.”
Eternal life isn’t just after death. It starts now and brings purpose, peace and blessing to our lives. People who understand God’s great love and what it cost him to save us from sin—those people discover the joy and purpose in life that comes in serving others in Jesus’ name.
One of my goals as a parent and grandparent is to help my children have a wonderful life. Not by just giving them things but by loving them unconditionally. Why? So they will know they have value and worth. And so they know their dad and granddad will always be there for them.
But God is an even better father than that. He is the only one who can always be there during this life and into the next. That’s why he says his love “is an everlasting love.”
So, if you have been blessed with children and grandchildren, let the love you feel for them remind you of God’s great love for you. And if you have not responded to his love, do it today.
Why? Because the Bible says, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” It adds, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
God loves you. Will you love him back?
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Like most newborns, he spends his time eating, sleeping and keeping the disposable diaper industry going. He also spends a lot of time being held by the adults in his life.
There are brief periods he is awake. And if I’m holding him during one of them, I enjoy looking into his eyes. I remember reading somewhere that babies look for another pair of eyes.
What I want him to know, more than anything else, is that I love him. That’s what I told all my children and grandchildren after they were born.
Of course Kyle doesn’t understand a word I’m saying. He just looks back at me with those handsome eyes. But one day, when I say those words, he will hear my heart.
Meanwhile I expect I will have to patiently repeat myself until he gets the message. I guess I’ve learned that lesson from God’s patience and how he has treated us.
“Now just a minute! How is telling a child of your love similar to how God treats us?”
Over and over, down through the centuries and through the pages of scripture God has patiently repeated himself. He said, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” The Bible tells us, “God is love.” Jesus said, “As the father has loved me, so have I loved you.”
First through the scriptures and then through his son, Jesus Christ, God repeats his love for us. But like a newborn, many don’t understand him. So he tells us again and again.
The message of the Bible is that God has been communicating his love to the human race for thousands of years. Some people think the Bible is a history book. In reality, it’s more like a love letter to the world.
One of the most important things to know about God is that he loves you. He wants you to have peace and joy in your life through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
That’s why the Bible tells us, “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.”
Eternal life isn’t just after death. It starts now and brings purpose, peace and blessing to our lives. People who understand God’s great love and what it cost him to save us from sin—those people discover the joy and purpose in life that comes in serving others in Jesus’ name.
One of my goals as a parent and grandparent is to help my children have a wonderful life. Not by just giving them things but by loving them unconditionally. Why? So they will know they have value and worth. And so they know their dad and granddad will always be there for them.
But God is an even better father than that. He is the only one who can always be there during this life and into the next. That’s why he says his love “is an everlasting love.”
So, if you have been blessed with children and grandchildren, let the love you feel for them remind you of God’s great love for you. And if you have not responded to his love, do it today.
Why? Because the Bible says, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” It adds, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
God loves you. Will you love him back?
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
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