Power to Choose

     I had a difficult choice to make.  And it was one I’d made before:  “Was I going to get it or was it going to get me?”

     In tenth grade the ‘it’ was Geometry.  It college and grad school ‘it’ was learning difficult foreign languages (Greek and Hebrew).  And in every case, choosing to ‘get it’ meant giving up personal time to memorize a great deal of information.

     Was it worth it?  Absolutely.  Not only did I end up doing well in those subjects, but I also learned to think logically and to read the Bible in its original languages.  As an added bonus I became more self-disciplined and more confident.

     So let me ask you: “Are you committed to making better choices now than you did last year?”

     Some folks never learn. They repeat the same mistakes over and over. What they don't seem to understand is that the power of choice is the power to change. To become better.

     The easy choice is to complain.  Or to blame someone else for life’s trials.  That way we can avoid difficult choices and the path of responsibility.

     But while difficult choices are often painful in the immediate future, they can be the path to growth, maturity and blessing if we learn to be patient.

     “Now hold on just a minute!” you may say. “What if I choose wrong?”

     Then you have a choice.  To learn from the mistake is to grow wiser and choose better. To not learn from the mistake is to choose ignorance and avoid responsibility.

     The celebrated artist and author Thomas Kinkade wrote, “Life, if you have eyes to see the whole picture, brims with meaning, with purpose.” Then he added, “The best things in life are yours for the choosing.”

     That is never truer than in the realm of faith.  God has revealed himself through the world he created and through his written word, the Bible.  And down through history he presents people with the choice to trust, obey and follow him.

     The alternate choice is to follow a false religion.  And there are plenty to choose from.  So, to help us, God has given us the Bible, his written word and his Son, Jesus, the living Word.

     Today, instead of religious rules and laws, God has made it clear he wants a relationship with us through his son, Jesus Christ.  Because of Jesus’ death on the cross for our sin and resurrection from the dead to give us life, we now have direct access to God.

     No longer is it necessary to go to him or listen to him through a mediator such as a priest or prophet.  Instead, the Bible says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

     So God says, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.”

     If we follow Jesus and trust in him, he also offers to help us with other difficult choices in life.  The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

     Thank God he didn’t make us robots that can only do what they’re programmed to do.  He created us with the power to choose.  And with it the power to change and become something better than we’ve been by trusting in him.

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

Bad Behavior

     Do you have a problem with your behavior?  I do.  And I’ll bet you do, too.  That’s why it’s popular to make New Year’s resolutions.  Because we’re not the people we should be.

     We know what we should do but we don’t do it.  Children and adults both face this struggle.  It must be human to think we’re exempt from the rules others should keep.

     Like what?  Well what about texting on your cell phone while driving?  Or driving over the speed limit?  What about eating too much food with salt or sugar?   We all break the rules.

     People often pursue with abandon behaviors that have serious consequences.  Addictive behaviors.  Self-destructive behaviors.  Behaviors that steal time and maybe a bit of their souls.

     Part of the problem is that, while we’re often given the correct information, we don’t use it to change our lives.  We haven’t learned a thing.

     “Hold on just a minute!” you say.  “What’s the benefit of knowledge if it doesn’t change us?”

     Nothing. 

     In college I took a class on Principles and Methods of Teaching.  One thing I never forgot is this principle: “Teaching hasn’t occurred until learning has occurred and learning hasn’t occurred until there has been a change in behavior.”

     For me it was one of those rare “Aha!” moments.  In a flash I realized that most of my education was just a transfer of information.  Information that, by itself, changed nothing.

     But the Bible wasn’t given to us for information alone.  It was given for our transformation!

     Only the Bible contains the words of life.  Its words are living, active and powerful enough to transform the worst criminal into a godly saint.

     God’s solution is to change us through faith in Jesus Christ.  He changes us from the inside out. 

     When we accept that Jesus is the Son of God, Lord of all and that his crucifixion was for our sin, God forgives our failures, removes our guilt and gives us a totally new outlook on life.

     Then God begins the process of renewing our minds.  To do that, he uses his Word, the Bible.

     Jesus’ final instructions to his followers include one that said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

     Notice that Jesus didn’t say, “Teaching them everything I have commanded you.”  That IS what many churches do.  But it’s NOT what he said.

     Jesus said, “Teaching them to OBEY everything I have commanded you.”  Big difference!

     It’s all about the behavior.  About bringing our obedience level up to our knowledge level.

     Don’t take my word on it.  Find out for yourself.  Pick up a Bible and check it out.  Start in the New Testament Gospel of John and then keep reading.

     You’ll discover that God can speak to you through the pages of his book.  That’s why the Gideons put Bibles in hotel rooms around the world.  To see lives transformed.

     When I give talks about the Bible, my goal is to see lives changed.  Sadly, not everyone who hears God’s Word allows it to change his or her behavior.  But that doesn’t diminish its power. 

     God changed my heart and his Word changes my behavior.  I work with him on it every day.  And if you’re troubled by your bad behavior, the Bible can transform your life, as well.

     Understanding this can transform church attendance from a pleasant past time to a life-changing event.  The truth will set you free if you obey it!

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

Savings Plan

     This is the time of year some people are afraid of their mailboxes.  Why?  Because December is the month for overindulgence.  We overeat and we overspend.

     January is the month for ‘facing the music.’  It’s the ‘moment of truth’ when the credit card bills arrive and we realize we spent more than we could afford on Christmas.  Again.

     For many it’s a vicious cycle.  In January we vow we’ll never do it again.  Then the Christmas season hits and we get caught up in the spirit of buying.  Before you know it–it’s January again and we’re miserable when the bills arrive.  Why do we do it?

     Well hold on just a minute.  If it happens every year, why not do something about it this time?  Pay off the credit cards and come up with a reasonable savings plan.

     If you start now, you can save a little each week.  And when the 2012 Christmas catalogs begin to arrive you’ll have the cash.  No credit cards needed!  Just think of the wonderful January you’ll have in 2013!

     Unfortunately Americans aren’t big on planning ahead.  We like to live for today.    Part of the reason we do it is fear of the future.

     Some people are too afraid to invest.  They don’t trust banks or the stock market.  And if they were to save cash at home they’re afraid someone might break in and steal it.

     Others “invest” in possessions.  Their motto is “Buy now because tomorrow never comes.”  But depreciation can make that a bad deal.  And here’s the worst part:  One day you’ll leave it all behind.  Permanently.  Then who benefits from all your hard work?  

     So what can you do?

     Jesus Christ gives us advice that makes sense both financially and spiritually.  He said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

     It makes sense to plan for the future.  It’s also good advice to put your treasure in something (and somewhere) that will last.  Something truly valuable and significant.

     Most people plan to retire some day.  Many have a retirement or savings program in place.  But what about forever?  We’re all going to spend forever somewhere.  It makes sense to think about it now and send something ahead. 

     First you need a plan to get to heaven.  Jesus took care of that when he said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”  Trust in him.

     Then invest in things with eternal dividends.  Since people are the only thing you can bring to heaven, support organizations that help people with their physical and spiritual needs.  Especially those agencies that bring people the gospel of Jesus Christ.  That’s how they get to Heaven!

     Jesus said, “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”

     Don’t kid yourself. One day your wealth will be gone. What will you have to show for it?

     Christmas Clubs and savings accounts can relieve January stress.  But don’t settle for just money.  One day, by planning ahead, you can have ‘treasure’ that will last forever.  By trusting in Christ and pointing others to him you can have an eternal saving plan.

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

The End is Near!

     Yes, 2012 is almost upon us.  And, yes, I know that many are talking about the end of the world.  But that’s not what I’m talking about.

     “Now hold on just a minute!” you say.  “What about the European financial crisis?  What if Iran goes nuclear and sparks another war in the Middle East?  Is that the beginning of the end?”

     Maybe.  But that’s not the ‘End’ I had in mind.  I’m talking about the end of the year.

     Every year at this time people become wistfully reflective.  “Where did the year go?” they ask.  “Time is just flying by,” another will say.

     But, instead of commenting on the obvious, why not consider the obscure?  Instead of barreling through life at top speed, why not briefly slow the pace and ponder some of life’s important questions.

     Questions like, “Is this all there is?”  Or, “When you die, what's on the other side?  What’s the final reality?”

     Morbid?  Not really.  It’s more likely that you or I will enter the ‘Final Frontier’ in 2012 than that the world will end.  Every day more than 150,000 people enter eternity.  Are you prepared?

     People spend their lives planning and preparing for retirement.  And how long does that last? Fifteen to twenty years?  Or maybe thirty--if they’re blessed with good health and long life. 

     And remember--there’s no guarantee they’ll even make it to retirement!  But everyone is guaranteed to die.  Last time I checked, no one is exempt.

     Because of this fact of life, the Bible’s advice to us is, “Prepare to meet your God.”

     Now the Bible doesn’t tell us that to frighten or scare us.  The point is to encourage us to push the “Pause” button on our busy lives and think about what happens when life’s movie ends.

     Listen to the wisdom of God’s Word:  “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the dust returns to the ground it came from and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

     According to the Bible there is no reincarnation, no purgatory, and no second chances.  Jesus clearly taught that eternity holds just two options:  a place of delight the Bible calls heaven and a place of eternal punishment Jesus called hell. 

     To be sure we don’t miss this fact, the Bible says, “Man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment.”  That’s the facts straight up.  No sugar coating.

     The good news is that God made it possible to spend forever with him.  Through Jesus’ death on the cross, God offers forgiveness and peace to all who come to him through faith in Christ.

     Jesus came to bring new life now and eternal life later to everyone.  God’s offer is not just for Jews or Christians.  It’s for everyone. 

     The angel who announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you.  He is Christ the Lord.”

     A New Year’s resolution can help change a habit.  But Jesus Christ offers a changed life—both now and forever.  Faith in him brings us peace with God and can help us be at peace with others.

     Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”   Because Jesus came we can follow him by faith to our eternal home.

     So whether ‘The End’ is near or not, we can live without fear by trusting in Christ. And that's the best way to start 2012!

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

Christmas Cancelled

     It was the year with no Christmas.  At least for my family.

     Dad and Mom had read a book about the pagan origins of many Christmas traditions.  They were convinced that God wasn’t honored by the way Christmas had become so commercialized.  And the way all the focus had switched to presents and getting what you wanted.

     So we sat down as a family and they explained to us children that there would be no tree, no decorations and no gift exchange in our home on Sherman Avenue that year.  My brother, sister and I were completely surprised.   And confused.

     Up to that point I’d lived through twelve Christmases.  And every year we bought a Christmas tree, put up decorations and exchanged gifts.  Even the difficult years saw some presents under the tree.  But now there would be none.

     Seventh grade had been tough.  We had moved and I was the new kid in school. But by eighth grade I had made some friends.  Things were looking up.  Then this.

     Of course, the thing I was most upset about was that we’d have no tree and no presents.  The two went together in my mind.  I enjoyed giving, receiving and opening the presents.

     As I recall, I wasn’t sure what to think about this turn of events.  I was upset that we wouldn’t be celebrating Christ’s birth as we had been.  And I was really concerned about the presents.

     “Now hold on just a minute,” you may say.  “How could your parents be so cruel?”

     My parents had always made sure that our focus at Christmas was on Jesus.  We children patiently listened to the Christmas story because of what came next–opening the presents!

     You see, even in Christian homes the focus can shift to the gifts.  As a result of the mixed messages they hear, it’s easy for children to think that Christmas is about them and the things they so desperately want.  And being good enough to get the stuff on their list.

     But the Christmas story and the birth of Jesus is about something more.  It’s about the grace and forgiveness we so desperately need.  Why?  Because we’re not good enough–even though we try to convince ourselves and others that we are.

     So what will your focus be on this year?  Will you celebrate ‘Giftmas’ or Christmas? 

     Children imitate their elders.  And what you do as a parent or grandparent determines what your children or grandchildren believe and think about Christmas.

     By buying into the whole Santa myth are we unwittingly destroying the true meaning of the Christmas celebration?  It may be that our self-indulgence and extravagance is what leaves both our hearts and our wallets empty.

     So what should we do?  Well, almost everyone agrees that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. So instead of canceling Christmas, why not gently turn the attention back to Christ?  Let one of the children read the Christmas story from the Bible in the Gospel of Luke, chapter two.

     Then make the children’s birthdays about them with all the presents you want to give.  But make Christmas about Jesus, God’s gift of love to the world.  Talk about why he was born.

     Listen to what the angel said in announcing his birth to Mary: “You shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins.”

     The Bible adds, “For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  Jesus isn’t just a Savior for Christians or for a particular nation.  The Bible calls him “the Savior of the world.”  Now that’s something worth celebrating.

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

Chasing Christmas

     The perfect Christmas is an elusive prize that many people would like to catch.  But what would it look like?  How would you know when you found it?

     Sadly many don’t know what Christmas is all about.  A small child was once asked why we celebrate Christmas.  Her answer? “Because it’s Santa’s Birthday!”

     At least the little girl got it half right.  Christmas is about a birthday–but not Santa’s!  The fact that some children think that shows we need to do a better job explaining Christmas. 

     No doubt some children think Christmas is about them since they receive all the presents.  Many children get more presents at Christmas than they do for their own birthday.

     “Well, hold on just a minute,” you may say. “Then what’s the point of Christmas?”

     According to the dictionary Christmas is “an annual Christian festival on December 25, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.”  It also says that it’s become a secular holiday when people traditionally exchange presents and greetings.

     We practice many of our Christmas traditions without ever giving thought as to why we do them.  Exchanging presents is a good example.  Why do we do that?

     One reason we give gifts is to remind us that the birth of the Savior was God’s great gift to the world.  But it was a surprise gift.  Most people don’t think they need a savior.  They don’t feel like they need to be rescued.  So why a savior?

     Two thousand years ago Israel was looking for a savior to deliver them from the rule of the Roman Empire and Caesar.  What they got was someone who offered deliverance from sin instead of political deliverance.  The nation’s leaders, however, rejected and crucified him.

     But God turned the rejection and death of Christ into an offer of salvation for the whole world.  The Bible says that faith in Christ brings deliverance from sin and judgment to come. 

     What a gift!  Salvation that doesn’t depend on being born into the right family or belonging to the ‘right’ religion!  Salvation that is free!  What a Christmas present!

     Today many people are drowning in failure and the consequences of bad decisions.  In the Bible God gave us standards to live by.  Those who break his rules often suffer the consequences in their health and in their relationships.  The Bible calls that ‘sin.’

     Unable to fix our broken relationship with God, we need someone to save us.  And that’s where God’s great gift comes into the picture.  God’s purpose in sending Christ was for him to become the Savior of the world.  To save us from sin and its consequences that lead to death.

     The angel told the shepherds, “Today in the town of David [Bethlehem] a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”  People who heard Jesus and personally experienced his ministry recognized that he was “the Savior of the world.”

     So this Christmas, before you put down your credit card to buy presents, pick up a Bible and turn to the Gospel of Luke.  Read about the first Christmas in chapter two.  Join in the wonder the Shepherds felt when they saw Jesus, the Savior.  Worship him with the wise men.

     When a person recognizes who Jesus is and puts their trust in him to save them, God gives them the ultimate gift, eternal life.  That’s the real Christmas present!  Have you received it?

     If you’re chasing Christmas, I hope you find it.  Just remember that the real reason for Christmas is not found in a store or under at tree.  It’s found in a person, Jesus Christ.

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

No Peace On Earth?

      America was at peace, but it was an unsteady peace the first week of December 1941.  Unemployment was high but better than it had been.  Many served our country in the military. 

     Our nation was not at war, but Europe was.  We didn’t call it World War II yet.  It was simply ‘The Emergency.’ 

     Seventy years ago, people went about their daily lives with a sense of normalcy.  They listened to their Philco and General Electric radios.  Children went to school and families anticipated celebrating Christmas in a few weeks.

     On Saturday, December 6, football fans looked forward to the Sunday NFL game.  The Washington Redskins had struggled through another losing season. But the Giants had won the Eastern Division and would play the winner of the Packers–Bears game for the championship.

     No one expected war and the President was in the midst of pursuing diplomatic solutions with the Japanese.  An attack on the Homeland was the furthest thing from anyone’s mind.

     In Washington, D.C. Sunday, December 7 began as a beautiful late autumn day.  People were going to church, reading the Sunday papers and relaxing. 

     Then at about 7:30 a.m. in Hawaii (early afternoon on the East Coast) more than 300 Japanese airplanes dropped from the sky.  They attacked our military bases on Ford Island, Hickam Field and Pearl Harbor.  It was completely unexpected.

     December 7, 1941 was one of those rare days when every American old enough to understand remembered exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news.

     Overnight the United States went from isolationist and nationalistic to an internationally involved country. And the Great War, World War I, instead of being “the war to end all wars,” was the beginning of a long line of wars and military actions that stretch to the present day.

     In fact, ever since the Christmas angels announced to the shepherds in the field, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward to men,” there’s been anything but peace on earth.  Instead it’s been nothing but “wars and rumors of wars.”

     “Now hold on just a minute!” you may say.  “Then what’s all the talk at Christmas time about ‘Peace on earth’?  Who are we kidding?”  Good question.

     Jesus Christ is called ‘The Prince of Peace’ and he talked about a new kind of peace. “Peace I leave with you,” Jesus said, “My peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.”

     In this world real peace is not the absence of war, but the protection of the presence of God. The peace of God is a peace that will never leave you.  If you have Jesus, he gives you peace.  And his peace is not the brief kind that the world makes–it’s a lasting peace.  

     The Bible says that if we follow Christ and trust in him as Lord and Savior, “The peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

     In Christ we are finally at peace WITH God and also have the peace OF God in our hearts.

     Peace comes from understanding that God is in control.  And from choosing to let him be in control of our lives.  When we try to control everything we have no peace.

     December 7, 1941 was the 9/11 for my parent’s generation.  And 9/11 was the ‘Pearl Harbor’ for the younger generations.  Sadly neither World War II nor all the wars since have brought the world any sense of lasting peace.

     What’s the solution?  To walk with God through faith in Christ and be filled with his peace.

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