Sunday, December 26, 2010

Unwanted Gift

So how was your family’s Christmas this year? Did you have a good one?

I've been blessed to have many good Christmases in my life.

Several years ago I wrote about the perfect Christmas. You know what I mean. It’s the one pictured in movies and magazines. The Christmas with a warm hearth, a glowing tree and a happy family. Well that year my sister surprised me and made it happen for our family!

But this year was the best Christmas in a long time. At least for me. This year all my children and grandchildren were together in our home for the first time.

We enjoyed it all: Happy hellos. Wonderful meals together. Bedtime stories with the little ones. The beautiful Christmas tree and showing the ornaments to the youngest grandchildren. A granddaughter reading the gospel account of Jesus’ birth before we opened presents.

Then came the goodbyes, a quiet house and the time to treasure the memories. I thought, “Seeing my family all together was the best gift I ever received!”

Oops—hold on just a minute! That’s not quite true. The best present I ever received came to me when I was a child. But it was an unwanted gift.

Listen to children talking after Christmas and you’ll notice they get right to the point: “What did you get for Christmas? Did you get what you wanted?”

The goal in buying a gift for someone is to get something they want and (hopefully) need.

Not everyone is successful. The evidences of that are the long lines in stores the day after Christmas for returning unwanted gifts.

But what if you need something you’re not aware of? As a result, you don’t want it. That was the case with the best gift I ever received. My unwanted gift.

The Bible records the Christmas angels saying, “A Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord.” A savior was God’s gift to us. But I didn’t know I needed a savior or that I needed saving. I thought I was a pretty good boy, better than others I knew.

Then came the day I realized that, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t be a perfect person. Sooner or later I disobeyed my parents, misbehaved and disappointed them. God, too.

Suddenly the Gospel story had new meaning for me. Jesus was born to live the perfect life I should live and to die the death that justice demanded for my sin. I understood for the first time that Jesus was my only hope for a life of peace with God and others. So I put my trust in Christ.

That simple act of faith changed my life. Finally I was relieved from the need to be and act perfect. I knew God loved me, accepted me and forgave me because of Jesus. I had true peace.

Sadly many people celebrate Christmas without Jesus and without peace. Why? Because they don’t want the real gift of Christmas, a Savior and the wonderful eternal life he gives us.

For many years the Chicago Daily News printed the same cartoon every year after Christmas. It was called "The Morning After." The cartoonist drew a Christmas tree with wrapping paper and bows strewn all around. But under the tree, one gift remained ignored, unwanted and unopened. On the gift was written these words: “Eternal Life.”

I hope that isn't the way it is in your home or your heart this year. Make this the year you receive God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, the one who loved and died for us all.

Let's not just celebrate Christmas as a gift exchange honoring a baby. Let’s celebrate Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection all year long! And let’s follow his example in serving others.

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

Monday, December 20, 2010

Tree Talk

Do you have a Christmas tree in your home? If so, why? Have you ever thought about it?

The custom itself has both pagan and Christian roots. Some pagans worshipped tree spirits and brought trees indoors during the winter solstice on December 25.

In the Middle Ages (1300s) Christians celebrated Adam & Eve day on December 24. A Play was used to tell the story in church and a pine tree with apples tied to it served as a prop for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Soon it became a popular tradition in Christian homes.

Regardless of how the custom began, a recent Rasmussen Reports survey showed that 68% of adults plan to have a Christmas tree in their home this year. Eighty percent of those with children in the home plan to have a tree.

“Now hold on just a minute! Why question such and old and beautiful tradition?”

That’s a good question. And the answer is that we should know why we practice traditions. Otherwise they are meaningless. But if properly understood, traditions contribute to the holiday.

Most people have heard that Christmas is the official celebration of Christ’s birth. But how can a tree help us celebrate his birth? The only written record of his birth in the Bible makes no mention of a tree at all.

Many years ago I attended a Christmas service and the church’s pastor used the Christmas tree as an object lesson during the children’s sermon. I found it so memorable that I have used it in a similar fashion ever since. So let’s start with the tree. How can a tree remind us of Jesus?

When Jesus died, he died on a cross. And crosses were made from wood taken from a tree.

But it’s not an oak tree, maple tree or apple tree. It’s an evergreen tree. Why evergreen?

After Jesus died, the Bible says he arose from the dead! It tells us that he’s still alive in Heaven and talks to God about us and for us! So a tree that doesn’t die, a tree that’s EVERgreen, is a good way to remember Jesus. Plus it looks like an arrow pointing to Heaven, his home!

Then there are the lights. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” A light shows you the way when it’s dark. And Jesus came to show us the way to God and salvation. It’s by trusting in his death on the cross for our sins and his resurrection from the dead to give us new life.

The ornaments on the tree reflect the light. And that reminds us to reflect the light of Jesus to others so they, too can see the way to God through faith in his son, Jesus Christ.

After the tree is decorated, everyone looks forward to putting presents under the tree. The presents remind us of the very first Christmas present, Jesus, who was a gift to us from God. Presents also reminds us of the gift Jesus gives us--eternal life.

Since Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth, it’s really a birthday party! And like a birthday party, we ought to bring a gift to the guest of honor, Jesus. What should we bring?

The Bible says that the greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all you heart.” Have you ever heard that? And since Jesus is our God, he wants us to love him with our whole heart. That means we love him more than anyone or anything else.

When you love someone with your whole heart, one thing people say is, “I gave him my heart” or “I gave her my heart.” This Christmas, will you give Jesus your heart? Will you love him more than anyone or anything else?

If you would like to give your heart to Jesus, you can do it today. You do it by talking to Jesus and telling him you want him to be your Lord and your Savior. He can hear you right now.

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

Monday, December 13, 2010

Open Secrets

What if all your secrets were made public? What would you do?

That’s the dilemma facing the United States government and many other countries in the wake of the Wikileaks scandal. More than a quarter of a million classified and top-secret documents have been made public on the Internet. And what they reveal is embarrassing.

The secrets and dishonesty of governments are now in the open. Trust was the first casualty.

Then, on the heels of an international scandal comes a more personal one. In a series called “What They Know,” the Wall Street Journal reports that companies are keeping track of our online activities through sophisticated tracking technology.

Your name, email address, Facebook ID, Google searches and web sites you visit are all being recorded. --And you thought your secrets were safe. So did the government.

It’s amazing what people will do and say if they think no one will find out about it. But now it turns out that no secret is safe.

“Now hold on just a minute! How should we live in a world where even the most classified secrets can be leaked and our personal secrets may no longer be private?”

In a word – with honesty. Out in the open. If you have no secrets, none can be ‘leaked.’

With our sense of sophisticated superiority, we convince ourselves that ‘little white lies’ and smooth talk will fool others. But even if we completely succeeded (which is unlikely), we cannot fool God.

The Bible warns us, “Be sure that your sin will find you out.”

Jesus added, “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”

It almost sounds like Jesus was predicting Wikileaks! And maybe, in a way, he was.

God wants us to know that he’s aware of all our secrets. Even if we succeed in fooling others, the Bible says that one day we will all stand before God and give an account of our lives to him.

Now that’s a frightening thought. Every motive, every thought, every action will be out in the open. The Bible warns us that we will be held accountable for every idle word we speak.

Once the truth is out, there will be no doubt in our mind what we have coming. Like the prophet Isaiah we will cry out, “Woe is me!” Or to put it more modernly, “I’m doomed!”

There will be no lawyer to argue your case. Just you, God and the truth.

What’s the solution? We need a savior, someone to forgive us and fix our brokenness.

As Isaiah discovered, God will forgive our sinful self-centeredness. And the Bible says you can find forgiveness and a fresh start through faith in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection for us.

Pick up a Bible and read about it in the New Testament Gospel of John.

Then, when you find yourself standing before God, Jesus will come to your defense. He will claim you as one of his own and that your sins are forgiven because of your faith in him.

Once that’s cared for, you can begin living openly with no secrets—no matter how others may live. And you will discover that there’s great freedom in honest living. Not only does it provide you with a clear conscience, it will completely transform your business dealings.

People will discover that your word is your bond. You can be trusted.

Imagine a society based on deliberate honesty. There wouldn’t be much work for lawyers!

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

Monday, December 6, 2010

Saving Christmas

Will you feel like you missed the real Christmas this year? Then save it before you lose it.

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be so hectic with special sales, shoppers packing the malls, parades, school plays and concerts, presents to buy—and the list goes on.

Soon last minute panic sets in over presents purchased (will they like it?) and still needed.

To make matters worse, some family members ask for specific gifts. Then they let it be known they won’t be happy if they don’t receive exactly what they want!

What happened to the joy of Christmas? Somehow the joy of giving is turned around to the joy of getting. So we stress out trying to get everyone something they’ll like. We even ask our children, “What do you want for Christmas?”

We do it because we want to be good parents and give them the desires of their heart.

Then we drive ourselves crazy and bust the budget trying to get everything on their list. We hope for a big smile on Christmas day and an excited, “Thank you, thank you! It’s what I always wanted!” --As if Christmas was only about presents under the tree.

Why not take a break from the stress and try something more peaceful? Something to help recapture Christmas’ true meaning. Consider the plan one dad came up with for his family.

This father wanted to celebrate the tradition of gift giving that honors God’s gift of his Son, Jesus. But he also wanted to save the budget, stop the madness and save Christmas.

His plan was simple: to buy his children four gifts for Christmas each year. That’s right—FOUR gifts. They were “Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read.”

If the children complained, he asked them, “Whose birthday are we celebrating?”

Once he started buying just four gifts for each child, the children began to appreciate every gift they received. They insisted he label them. There was no more comparing who got the most gifts. No more whining, “Is that all there is?” amidst the piles of torn paper and boxes.

It also helped focus on the true meaning of Christmas presents: That we give gifts, like the Wise Men, to honor the Christ Child. And we do it to remember God’s gift of love to us.

The Bible 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.” God’s gift is a son that gives life.

Teach your children that one of the reasons you give them gifts is because you love them. And because God loves us, he gave us his greatest gift at Christmas: a Savior who is Christ, the Lord. Don’t let Jesus get lost under the tree. He is the reason for the season.

The four gifts are just a suggestion. But, if you tried it, it might get rid of the craziness trying to find and buy gifts you can’t afford. And trying to make everyone happy.

Then don’t forget that the real Saint Nicholas is remembered for giving gifts--not to those who had more than they needed but to those who had almost nothing. Maybe you could get your family excited about helping another family in need.

You could make Christmas about giving instead of getting. Just like the first Christmas.

Remember the words Jesus said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Do your children and grandchildren or nieces and nephews know that?

The choice is yours: Missing Christmas by focusing on presents or saving Christmas with a focus on Jesus. Why not save Christmas for your family this year? You’ll be glad you did.

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

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Christmas Adventure

The turkey was barely cold before shoppers hit the stores last week for “Black Friday.” Some found unbelievable deals while others found disappointment because they missed the specials.

Amazingly, some actually finished all their Christmas shopping last weekend. But why were they buying gifts? The reason many buy presents is for a holiday that could be called ‘Giftmas,’ the tradition of exchanging gifts. In many homes it’s all about the presents.

For an increasing number of Americans the Christmas tradition centers on putting up pretty lights and a tree. Then they worry about what gifts to put under the tree. But if a gift exchange is the only point of Christmas, we’ve settled for second best.

“Now hold on just a minute! Are you trying to ruin family Christmas celebrations?”

No--just the opposite. Hear me out. I’m suggesting that, to improve your family’s Christmas celebration, it might be advantageous to add a new tradition. Would you consider that?

It might even be exciting—sort of a Christmas Adventure—to add something new to your family traditions. So if you’d like a real adventure, introduce Advent to your family this year.

What is Advent? During the weeks before Christmas many Christians and churches intentionally focus on a 2,000-year-old event--an event that divides history and unites Christians.

Of course I’m speaking of the birth of Jesus Christ. His birth divides time into B.C. (“Before Christ) and A.D. (“Anno Domini” – Latin for “in the year of our Lord”). And Christ’s birth unites Christians because all agree it’s the defining moment in history.

The word ‘Advent’ means the arrival of something. So Advent is the four-week period before Christmas preparing to celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child 2,000 years ago.

Once Thanksgiving is over, people often remark about how “Christmas will be here before you know it.” Well, celebrating Advent is a good way to prepare and to ponder why Jesus’ birth was important. Even though Advent began last Sunday, there’s still time to celebrate it.

Without Christ, Christmas celebrations become about us--the decorations, the food, the parties and the gifts we like. Advent helps keep Christmas about Christ.

But even if you focus your Christmas celebration on the birth of Jesus, you won’t necessarily have Christmas joy. Why not?

Well, why do we celebrate the birth of someone who lived 2000 years ago? We don’t celebrate the births of Plato, Aristotle or even Socrates. So why celebrate Jesus’ birthday?

Because Christmas is the day “God moved into our neighborhood.” That’s significant.

Jesus showed us what God is like and that he wants a relationship with us. But he not only showed us, he made it possible. How? His death on the cross makes it possible for the sin that separates us from God to be forgiven. Result? We can become children of God by faith in Jesus.

So Jesus’ birthday is significant to you if your faith and trust are in him as your Savior. Otherwise, why bother celebrating Christmas? Until Christ has changed your life, his birthday is no different than other days. But as a child of God you want to celebrate—because he’s family!

Now I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just thinking about how Christmas can be more of a benefit to us than just increasing our stash of stuff. One way is to make it an Advent-ure.

Here’s a suggestion: During December buy an Advent calendar for your family. Attend a church that celebrates Advent and introduces people to Jesus Christ as their Savior. Then become God’s child by faith. When you do, you won’t believe the joy you’ll have at Christmas!

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

Monday, November 22, 2010

Food Fight

For many Americans, Thanksgiving Day is more a time of stress than giving thanks.

Almost half of Americans say family is what they are most thankful for. However, of those that find Thanksgiving stressful, about a third identified family as the source of that stress.

“Now hold on just a minute! What’s going on here? Can’t families get along for one day?”

Apparently not.

In a recent poll, 68% reported there will be a “gobble squabble” --a family fight--before dinner is even served! 37% of Thanksgiving hosts think their role is very stressful and 20% dread it. Among all respondents to the poll, 13% dreaded Thanksgiving.

What are we so upset about? People admit to arguing about ex-family members, how they think their family should live their lives and whose favorite football team is the best. Others disagree about family members that are not present. Some argue over whose illness is worse.

Holiday happiness may unravel because of our expectation assumptions. If you’re hosting the dinner, you want the day to be “perfect.” Good food, nice weather, happy family and friendly conversation. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble and family members owe it to you to behave well.

If you’re attending, maybe you’ve traveled a great distance and traffic was awful. Or people at the airport were rude and your flight was delayed making you late. So you assume your family will understand your grumpiness and you expect them to be nice.

Perhaps the real reason Thanksgiving can be so stressful is we’ve forgotten the day’s purpose. It’s more than just going around the table and coming up with one thing to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving is about an attitude of gratitude. It’s about wanting to give thanks to God.

That’s not my idea. It’s what our leaders have said in establishing a day for Thanksgiving.

President George Washington proclaimed our first national day of Thanksgiving was to be observed "by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God.” President Lincoln referred to America’s blessings as “gracious gifts of the Most High God.”

In his 2009 Thanksgiving proclamation President Obama continued the practice and referred to America’s tradition of thanking God for our blessings.

In good times and bad, peacetime and war, America has reached out to thank God. And that is the key to a happy Thanksgiving celebration. To thank God.

It’s not enough, as some say, to just “be thankful.” To truly give thanks requires someone to whom we give thanks. Yes, I know—we’ve worked hard for all we have and think we deserve it. But who gave you your health, strength and abilities? Every good thing is a gift from God.

The Bible warns us that prosperity can lead to an ungrateful heart that forgets God. In order to avoid that, it encourages us to “give thanks to him and praise his name.”

This week as we gather in our homes and places of worship to thank God for his many blessings I encourage you remember how God has blessed you. Do you have a place to live? Family? Food on your table? Clothing to wear? Then that is enough for which to give thanks.

And while you’re at it, thank God that he is a God of love, mercy and forgiveness.

Yes, I know it’s hard work. It’s much easier to complain and whine. But to avoid a food fight, to prevent a “gobble squabble,” cultivate an attitude of gratitude in your heart.

Then “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

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

Monday, November 15, 2010

Losing My Religion

Religion is too hard. So I’m giving it up.

You might think I’m losing my sanity but I’m not. I’m just losing my religion.

And I’m not alone. Recent surveys reveal that many people have given up on organized religion. They still consider themselves spiritual but have quit their church, temple or synagogue.

Why give up on religion? Too many rules to remember. Too many toes to avoid stepping on.

“Now hold on just a minute! Aren’t you a pastor? Why would you give up on religion?”

Because I’m giving up man-made religion to follow Jesus Christ. I want to be part of a church that follows Jesus and shares his mission to serve and to seek and save the lost.

Giving up man-made religion sounds noble. How does someone, steeped in religion do it?

By listening to Jesus. Like the time he spoke about some of the most religious people of his day. He said, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Jesus’ words shocked his listeners. Why? The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were well-respected religious leaders. Ordinary people looked up to them.

To be fair, all faith or belief systems could be described as a ‘religion.’ But what I’m talking about is man-made religion as opposed to the kind of faith in God Jesus described.

Man-made religion is more about manipulating God than pleasing him. Jesus used the words of the Prophet Isaiah to describe it. He said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”

Rules taught by men are what we end up with when we take away from what God has said or add to it. And God is not impressed with our attempts to ‘improve’ his words.

Some of Jesus’ most scathing criticism was leveled at religious leaders who didn’t understand God’s sense of justice and his passion to help those who were powerless, helpless and lost.

Please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. Jesus wasn’t against pious people. It was those who demonstrated false piety that angered him. He called people hypocrites that were in religion for the recognition, power and wealth.

So what was Jesus’ point? That connecting with God involves so much more than rituals, right interpretations and rule keeping. Since the Garden of Eden, God has sought to have a personal relationship with men and women.

As Timothy Keller points out in his book, “The Prodigal God,” Jesus did not come to promote religion or the lack of religion. He came to show us a third way. A way to have a personal, one-to-one, heart-to-heart relationship with our Creator-God through his Son, Jesus Christ.

So when I say I’m losing my religion, what I want to do is abandon the European religious model. The model of the holy man, the holy place and the holy ritual as the way to please God.

What I’m calling for is a return to the simple, pure message of Jesus: That God loves us and wants us to love him. That he (Jesus) is the only way to God through faith in what his death, burial and resurrection accomplished for us. And that our job is to take that good news to others.

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

The answer to life’s problems is not more religion. The answer is to lose our man-made religion and follow Jesus Christ. That is a proven path to peace with God and a life worth living.

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

Monday, November 8, 2010

Getting Along

Do you get along well with others?

I can remember when “Gets along well with others” was an evaluation on my school report card. And I remember how proud I was to show my parents when it was checked off as a positive statement about my behavior.

Years later Rodney King echoed that evaluation in Los Angeles when he asked, “Can we all get along?” Last week his words were quoted following demonstrations in Oakland, California.

Let’s face it—one of our biggest problems in life is getting along with other people. It begins when we’re born and goes downhill from there.

Early in life we discover that others don’t always do what we want. So life becomes a quest to manipulate them so they will. But, at the same time, they’re trying to control us.

At some point frustration kicks in and an emotional meltdown can follow (“temper tantrum”).

The sad part is we all have the problem and few know the solution. We’re experts at conflict (“He knows how to push my buttons.” “She makes me so angry!” “I hate you!”).

Unfortunately human nature doesn’t come with a peacemaking program. The result for many is a nightmare of disappointment, despair and depression.

Some turn violent. Others end up like James Thurber’s Walter Mitty: outwardly meek but living an inner life of fantasy adventures. Perhaps that’s why video games are so popular.

But most become part of the “mass of men” Henry David Thoreau described as leading “lives of quiet desperation.” Thoreau observed, “What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.”

There are bright spots--love, marriage and family. But eventually babies turn into two-year-olds and teenagers--and then conflict begins all over. Even the joy of romance fades with time.

“Now hold on for just a minute. This is depressing! Can I change the channel, please?”

Actually, that’s a good idea. As long as we stay stuck on channel WMEE (all me all the time), things won’t change much. But be careful which channel, which solution, you choose.

What we need is something proven to work with people problems. Something effective. And since you can’t change others, there’s only one solution: A New You. Not “turning over a new leaf” but getting a new heart and a new mind. Lasting change happens from the inside out.

God diagnosed our problem a long time ago. When people kept disappointing him, the Bible reports he said to them, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.”

But good advice (even God’s) only works if you follow it. And the Bible is full of good advice about life. For instance it says, “Don’t show favoritism” to others. In other words, get rid of your prejudices. Now that’s easier said than done. What you need is a mind to obey.

That’s why Christians talk about being “Born Again.” When people come to Jesus Christ and receive him as Lord and Savior, a change happens. God forgives their sin and gives them a new “heart”—a new mind and attitude. It’s a completely new way of looking at life.

For the first time, they are at peace with God and want to obey him.

After receiving unconditional forgiveness in our lives, we become peacemakers by pointing others to that same forgiveness. And that has helped people get along for 2,000 years.

The path to inner peace and peace with others goes past the foot of Jesus’ cross and his empty tomb. Faith in the Christ who died for our sins and rose from the dead is the only way to a new heart and new relationships with other people. In Christ we CAN all get along.

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

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Spin Factor

When I was a boy a gyroscope was one of my favorite toys.

To get a gyroscope going, I wrapped a string around the shaft or spin axis and pulled it. As long as the disk was spinning, it stood by itself. When it stopped spinning, it fell down.

For me it was just a toy. Real life gyroscopes are used for navigation and stability on aircraft and satellites in space. But when a gyroscope stops spinning, it’s useless.

Kind of reminds me of television opinion shows and commercials during an election!

Many channels run ads and employ commentators to spin facts about the candidates. But when they stop spinning they’re useless, leaving more questions unanswered than answered.

For some people the spin is enough. They’re glad to let someone else do the thinking for them. It’s too much trouble for them to check out a candidate and compare positions on issues.

In his book, “The Curate’s Awakening,” George MacDonald describes a college student with this quality. He wrote, “She never had an original thought. She thought a great deal of other people’s thoughts, thinking they were her own.”

My first thought was, “I know people like that!” My second thought was, “I hope that doesn’t describe me!” Does it describe you? It can happen so gradually you don’t realize it.

For weeks we’ve been overwhelmed by opinions and pressured by pundits, prognosticators and prophets. Believe this. Think that. Vote for this candidate to fix America.

It takes a while, but after an election we gradually realize new politicians can’t fix it either.

What’s the solution? Stop thinking politics or a politician can save the world. If only our politicians would remember the first rule of medicine: “First do no harm.”

Well hold on just a minute! Can’t an election make things better?

It may change some things, but if you think our problems are over, I’ve got news for you! Politicians can’t issue proclamations and change things at will. They must work within the law.

Besides that, belief in the ability of one person or a political party to fix what’s wrong in America is misplaced faith. If it were possible, we would have solved most of our problems by now. The history books are full of leaders who tried their best--but to no avail.

The real solution goes back beyond the founders of our country to the founder of our faith. Jesus had the answer when he said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

We’ve all heard politicians quote that. But Jesus wasn’t talking about political truth or truth in general. He wasn’t speaking of political freedom. He meant the truth leading to salvation and freedom from sin. He added, “If the Son [Jesus] sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

What Jesus said is honest truth, not spin. Although politicians promise security and a better life, it is impossible for them to deliver. Jesus, however, can and does deliver.

Faith in Christ is the only solution that can save us from the mess we’re in. Because if history proves anything, it demonstrates that people let us down. Big time.

Presidents, senators, congressmen and governments will eventually fail us. Even military power doesn’t guarantee safety. But those who trust in Christ know that Jesus never fails.

So as you listen to the post-election analysis, skip the media’s spin. Listen to God first. He doesn’t spin the truth.

Regardless of who runs the government, God is still in charge. What does he recommend? He said of Jesus, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” And that’s no spin.

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

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Strange Land

Is the United States of America still the great nation it once was?

If our founding fathers saw America today, they probably would not recognize it as the nation they pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to create and defend.

They would think they were in a strange land. In a country of people with unfamiliar ideas.

Some time ago I received an email illustrating just how much we’ve changed since the Second World War. The email was reportedly written by an 80 year old man. I can’t verify its validity, but it made a lot of sense.

The author believed former President Bush made a terrible mistake going to war in Iraq. But he suggested that the mistake was not the war against terror. It was his foundational assumption.

“Bush's mistake,” he wrote, “came in his belief that this country is the same one his father fought for in World War II. It is not!”

Now hold on for just a minute! Not the same country? How can he claim that?

The article continued: “No, President Bush did not make a mistake in his handling of terrorism. He made the mistake of believing that we still had the courage and fortitude of our fathers. He believed that this was still the country that our fathers fought so dearly to preserve!”

“It is not the same country. America is now a cross between Sodom and Gomorrah and the Land of Oz. We did unite for a short while after 9/11, but our attitude changed when we found out that defending our country would require some sacrifices.”

“Today, for many folks, America is not at war--the military is at war. America is at the mall!”

When I read that, the truth hit me: America has transformed into a different country.

Instead of sacrifice, Americans are into convenience and comfort. Instead of liberty we want license—the unbridled pursuit of any and every passion that suits our fancy.

Shame on us. We were raised to be better people than that. We have forgotten who we were.

John Adams, the second President of the United States, wrote that our government did not have the power to control “human passions unbridled by moral and religion.” And then he added, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

In the House Judiciary Committee Report on March 27, 1854, the leaders of Congress issued the following observation: “At the time of the adoption of the Constitution and the amendments, the universal sentiment was that Christianity should be encouraged… In this age there can be no substitute for Christianity…That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants.”

Much has happened in 156 years. Since then America has lost her faith, her morality, her will and her way. The question before us now is “Who will lead us and where will they take us?”

Sadly, some in America do not want God to be part of our future. They don’t believe that faith and politics belong together. They don’t want us to be a Christian nation. And when that becomes the majority view, many Americans will truly become strangers in a strange land.

What’s the solution? As usual, the Bible has the answer. It says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” The word “LORD” is the special name for the God of the Bible.

It is not too late for America to return to her spiritual roots. But it only happens one person at a time. Will we listen to God when he says, “Return to me and I will return to you”?

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

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Trustworthy or Not?

Whom do you trust? With the political season upon us, that’s an important question.

A recent Harris poll showed that Americans put their greatest confidence in military leaders. Next were small business owners, university leaders, medical leaders, the Supreme Court, the White House and leaders of organized religion.

At the bottom of the list were the press, lawyers, Congress and Wall Street. No surprise there!

Most people put their confidence in someone. But with confidence in many institutions at an all time low, whom do you trust the most?

A “Con Artist” is someone who convinces others to confide in him or her. Then they swindle the “Mark” out of their cash or valuables. First they gain your trust; then they trick you.

Every year con artists bilk Americans out of millions of dollars. They especially target vulnerable people like senior citizens. One of the latest techniques is to send an email promising you’ve inherited part of a fortune. Those that respond often lose large sums of money.

Sadly, religion attracts con artists too. Convincing followers they’re the only ones with the truth, they begin a new cult or counterfeit religion. It works because people desperately want to believe in something. They want a foundation for their life. But cults are a con.

Whom are you willing to trust with your eternal destiny?

To trust someone with your soul, you need to be completely sure they’re not a con. But how can you know? The founders of most religions all claimed to be “The One.” That they were THE prophet of God. So how do you know which to follow? They can’t ALL be right! Right?

Some take the easy way out and brand all religious leaders as phonies. They choose to believe in nothing, concluding that it’s impossible to identify who’s truly a prophet of God.

Well hold on just a minute! Did you know the Bible gives a simple two-step test to find out?

God said that if a prophet speaks in the name of God and it does not come true, then God has not spoken through that prophet. Secondly the Bible tells us that a prophet’s teaching must agree with what Jesus taught.

If you study the evidence you’ll discover that false religions hide their prophets’ mistakes. In addition followers are discouraged from asking questions. What does your group do?

Unfortunately, many attack the Bible without ever examining the overwhelming evidence that supports it. In “The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict,” Josh McDowell documents the historical evidence for the Christian faith and the reliability of the Bible.

McDowell’s book is a great place to investigate the Bible and the claims of Jesus Christ.

Most people agree that Jesus was a prophet and a teacher. But the Bible clearly states that Jesus claimed to be God. Now what kind of sane, moral person goes around claiming he’s God?

Either Jesus was telling the truth, lying or just plain crazy. If he wasn’t telling the truth, then he wasn’t a good prophet or teacher. But if you consider his words and listen to the eyewitnesses, you may end up agreeing with the soldier at the cross who said, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

So here are you’re choices: Either Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Lord of all or else he’s a liar or a lunatic. Logic does not give you a fourth option. You owe it to yourself to find out.

I encourage you to investigate Jesus. Read what he taught. You’ll find him trustworthy.

If you’re skeptical, take 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.”

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

Monday, October 11, 2010

Connected Life

How connected are you?

Americans like to keep in touch—with their world and with each other. At least that’s one conclusion that can be drawn from a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. In it they asked 2,967 adults over the age of 18 which consumer products are necessities and which are luxuries.

When it comes to television, we still like it. Many adults now watch video content on their computers and cell phones and just 42% consider a TV set a necessity. But, while that’s down from 64% in 2006, there are still more TV sets per household than people!

Landline telephones are still considered a necessity by 62% of the population. Last year it was 68%, but now 47% say that its newer cousin, the cell phone is a must have. Fully 82% of adults use cell phones, up from 53% in 2000.

Internet usage is up as well. Some 79% of adults now use the internet and 45% see it as indispensable compared with 29% four years ago. Video conferencing and social networking are more popular than ever.

Americans sure live a connected life!

Well, hold on for just a minute. With all that connectivity, to whom do we talk, text or chat?

How many people use their cell phone, text messaging and computer to keep in touch with friends--but they nonchalantly go about their lives without ever talking to or hearing from their maker? Quite a few, I suspect.

Have you tried connecting to God? If it’s been a while, try again.

Did you ever wonder what God thinks about your plans, your life or your decisions? The Bible lets us know. It says about God, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

The Bible? What could an ancient book possibly have to say to modern man?

You might be surprised! Pick one up sometime and read it. A good place to start is the New Testament Gospel of John.

It’s reported that Billy Graham liked to read every day from the Psalms and the Proverbs. He said that the Psalms teach us how to get along with God and the Proverbs teach us how to get along each other. Good advice from a good man.

Then after you’ve heard from God, you might try talking to him. It’s easier than you think.

To talk with God you don’t need a cell phone, computer or an email account. All you have to do is pray. Prayer is another way we connect with God.

Jesus encouraged people to pray and even gave us a model prayer in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew. It’s in chapter 6, verses 9-13 and you may already know it. The prayer begins with “Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name.”

The Bible adds, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

A connected life can be a good thing as long as you don’t forget God.

So the next time you pick up a cell phone, let it remind you to talk with God. And if you text a friend, remember to read God’s text message to you, the Bible.

Once you connect with God it won’t be long until you’re saying, “The Bible and prayer? I can’t live without them!”

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

Monday, October 4, 2010

Triple Threat

Is the world, as we know it, about to suddenly change? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran, certainly seems to think so.

Why is the world so taken with a man who began his September 23 speech to the U.N. with a prayer to Allah to hasten what some would call the end of the world? --What? You didn’t catch that part? No surprise since most media outlets didn’t report it and left his prayer out entirely.

He said, “All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe, and peace and blessing be upon our Master and Prophet, Mohammad.... Oh, God, hasten the arrival of Imam Al-Mahdi and grant him good health and victory and make us his followers and those who attest to his rightfulness.”

Ahmadinejad is not a lunatic, as some believe. He is a dedicated Shiite Muslim who believes in the soon return of a Messiah-like figure, the Mahdi, a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed.

Muslims of this persuasion believe that the Mahdi’s return will coincide with an apocalyptic battle between the forces of good and evil (an “Armageddon,” if you please). Ahmadinejad sees his role as a “John the Baptist” type, preparing the way for this Muslim “Messiah.”

For listeners that understood his meaning, Ahmadinejad’s speech was troubling. And for students of the Bible, it’s hard not to notice an unusual convergence of End Times beliefs taking place in the three monotheistic religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

A triple threat, if you please.

“Now hold on just a minute! What is threatening about the beliefs of these three religions?”

Due to the best-selling “Left Behind” books, many Americans are aware that Evangelical Christians believe in the “Second Coming” or return of Jesus Christ. They also believe it is “imminent”—meaning it could happen at any time—and that it involves judgment of the world.

What many didn’t know until recently is that Islam and Judaism shared similar expectations.

Muslim “Twelvers” like Ahmadinejad believe in the promised Mahdi (the Twelfth Imam) who will return with Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ). In addition, there are Rabbis in Israel discussing and writing books about whether the Jewish Messiah is about to come and if we are seeing a present-day fulfillment of the biblical prophecies in Ezekiel 38 and 39.

Until recently I had no idea that these three religions shared similar, Messianic “End Times” expectations. (Even more interesting is that Israel apparently had a similar Messianic expectation just before Jesus Christ was born.)

A recent survey of average Americans shows that 42% believe we are living in what the Bible calls the “Last Days.” And it’s not just Evangelical Christians. One in three Jews also believe we are living in the “Last Days.”

Regardless of what you believe about the Bible and its prophecies, just a brief review of these facts should be interesting, if not disturbing. There are many differences between the three religions. But all three seem to agree on this: Jesus Christ was a teacher or prophet and that he (or a messianic figure like him) may be about to come soon—in one way or another.

All of this, plus the daily events in the Middle East, is enough to make a thoughtful person wonder if something important (of Biblical proportions?) is unfolding on the world stage.

Do you want to see what Jesus said about all this? Now might be a good time to pick up a Bible and read the Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 24, where Jesus said he is coming back.

What if it’s sooner than we think? Now that would change the world overnight!

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

Monday, September 27, 2010

What Time Is It?

It’s the best of times. It’s the worst of times.

The stock market is back up and the Iraq war is winding down. However the Afghanistan conflict seems like it’ll never end and terrorism is spreading around the globe.

But, in spite of economic uncertainty, people are still buying technology toys—flat-screen televisions, computers, and smartphones—like there’s no tomorrow.

Well, what if there was no tomorrow? Frankly, I think there will be a tomorrow. But what if tomorrow brings a very different world than today? That’s a more likely scenario.

Now hold on for just a minute. Could the world be all that different tomorrow? Absolutely.

We know from recent history that the world can change overnight. It happened several times in my lifetime. It’s just a matter of time before it happens again.

The day after President Kennedy was assassinated, our world was a different place. It changed forever the day after the Columbine School shootings. After 9-11-2001 people talked about a “New Normal.” And nine years later we’re still learning to adjust.

It seems like every day the media reports a catastrophe somewhere: Earthquakes, hurricanes and terrorist attacks planned, thwarted or perpetrated. Every night the news from the Middle East is more troubling than the day before.

Does anyone really understand the times we live in?

Someone does. More than 2,000 years ago, God told the prophets of Israel about what would happen in our times. They recorded this “future news” in the Bible for our benefit. Author Joel C. Rosenberg calls Bible prophecy “Intelligence intercepts from the mind of God.”

God revealed to the Biblical Prophet Ezekiel that in the last days Russia and Turkey would become allies with Iran against Israel. For thousands of years there hasn’t been a Russian-Turkish-Iranian alliance but it’s developing now. (Turkey was a friend of Israel until recently.)

God also said that Babylon (Iraq) would one day rise again to be a world power.

Jesus Christ spoke to his disciples about the end times. He said war and earthquakes would multiply. He talked about the rise of false religions and cults. He said evil would increase and then there would come a time of great distress, unmatched in human history.

The Prophet Joel talked about all the nations turning against Israel and seeking to divide it. In the Bible book of Revelation, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse causes a devastating worldwide food shortage, which leads to massive inflation.

These events sound as if they were ripped from today’s and tomorrow’s headlines!

One of the Bible’s purposes is to help us understand what is happening and why from God’s perspective. It also tells us that part of God’s plan is for Jesus Christ to return one day and fix the mess we’ve made on planet earth.

Students of Bible prophecy tell us that recent history and current events seem to line up with many of the Bible’s predictions. Our world could change overnight.

What should we do? How should we live in such a time as this?

The Bible tells us Peter, the disciple of Jesus, wrote that since “the day of the Lord will come like a thief,” that is suddenly and unexpectedly, “you ought to live holy and godly lives.”

What time is it? It depends on your relationship with God. If you are far away, now may be the right time to seek the Lord. If you are close to him, encourage others to trust in Christ.

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

Monday, September 20, 2010

Calloused Heart Treatment

It’s a blessing to be raised in a God-fearing home. It can also be dangerous.

Now hold on just a minute. Before you jump to conclusions, let me explain.

When one is raised in Sunday School and church, the Bible can be like air. It's all around you.

Heroes of the faith--Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter and Paul--are like friends of the family. They’re very familiar to you. Stories about Jesus are embedded in your memory.

So where's the danger? It’s in the familiarity. Because familiarity breeds contempt.

Jesus warned us about having a calloused heart—being spiritually blind and deaf. His exact words were, “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand…. This people’s heart has become calloused.”

The danger is that we can get to the place where we no longer see God at work, hear his voice or understand what he is doing. We can even attend church regularly and enjoy the rituals. But when God’s Word is read, it’s no more than familiar words.

How can we tell if we have a calloused heart? One sign is that we’re more interested in the rituals of religion than in a personal relationship with God.

If we’re not careful we begin to view religion as a contract. In other words, “I do my part and God does his. I go to church, believe in God, pray and even tithe. Then God will bless me and keep me and my family healthy and happy.”

But the Bible says that God wants us to be more than dutiful worshippers. He wants us to be his children. And that involves a relationship of trust, accountability, obedience and love.

Maybe you’d say, “I was raised in church but it’s dead ritual to me. I don’t enjoy it at all.”

Why is that? The Bible explains one possible reason. It says, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The only solution is what the Bible calls the “new birth.” To be “born again.”

To be born again is not reincarnation or a physical rebirth of some kind. Jesus made it clear that it involved a spiritual birth. It’s more than agreeing to a creed or changing your mind.

The new birth, according to the Bible, is an act of God bringing new life, eternal life--his life--into our soul. It happens when we stop trusting in our own good works to earn salvation and begin trusting in Jesus Christ. It is his life, his death and his resurrection that saves us from sin.

God promised he would do this through the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel when he said, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” And it is personal faith in Christ—believing in HIM--that brings this new life.

The Bible puts it like this: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

Just as we receive human life from our parents, we receive eternal life from God. That life comes through the presence of God’s Holy Spirit whom the Bible says indwells all who put their faith and trust in Christ.

The good news is that, regardless of whether we were raised in a religious or non-religious home, everyone can receive new life and a new heart through faith in Jesus Christ.

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

Lake Side Church of the Brethren

http://www.lakesidecob.org/

How Many of Me?


HowManyOfMe.com
LogoThere are
33
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

sitemeter