Posted by David on April 27, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
Hebrews 5:7 In the days of His flesh [speaking of Jesus], He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.
Most Christians enjoy praying on a good day. We enjoy thanking God for blessings we see and glorifying Him for kindnesses obviously surrounding us. To the Christian, it is a real pleasure to say, “Thank you!” to God when life is wonderful and going our way.
However, praying to God on a bad day is an entirely different story. While the Christian is glad God is there to pray to on a bad day, it is much more difficult to see blessings on a bad day than on a good day. Yet, I suspect all of us have had bad days and prayed the following prayer in some form on those days.
“Lord, this is a horrible day. I am so shook up all I feel is anxiety! If something could go wrong, it has gone wrong. I feel awful! I am so discouraged and feel so blah! I feel like there is one knight fighting ten dragons, and I am that knight. My Christian armor may be protecting me, but it is getting uncomfortably hot in here.
“Most of the time my life flies by, but this bad day seems to be dragging on forever. I surely wish this bad day would come to a conclusion, and I could start fresh with a good day tomorrow-could you do that for me? God, I know You are there, but I surely have trouble seeing You. This bad day makes everything so dark I just do not see You at work as I did day before yesterday when everything was going great.
“Father, help me feel Your presence. Things are so bad I do not even know what to ask to make the day better. Just be close enough to me that I can sense Your presence, and-please-help this bad day come to an end.”
Everyone has bad days. Jesus had Gethsemane. Paul had the Damascus Road. Stephen was stoned to death. Out of Jesus’ “bad day,” God made a Savior. Out of Paul’s “bad day,” God made an apostle to the Gentiles. Out of Stephen’s “bad day,” God made a martyr whose faith encourages us 2000 years after his death.
Wonder what God will make out of your bad day? He is able to take your bad day and fashion it into something incredible and unbelievable-just like He made a Savior, an apostle, and an example from bad days. However, there is a price! The price is the faith of surrender. When we have the faith of surrender, God can fashion the incredible from our bad days.
Do not ask God to end your bad day. Ask God to use your bad day for His purposes. Then God can turn our bad days into salvation days.
Posted by David on April 20, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
At this time in Jesus’ ministry, He was quite popular with the Jewish masses and quite unpopular with the Jewish leadership. His miracles and his teachings declared to the masses, “You are important to God. God cares about you!” That was a message the poor masses had not heard for a long time. There is a lot of difference in the messages, “The reason you suffer is because God opposes you!” and, “God cares about you!”
However, the same miracles and teachings threatened the Jewish leadership. The controlling influence in that leadership became much more political than spiritual. The controlling force seemed much more concerned about maintaining their position instead of pursuing God’s will. When Jesus did something, they were more likely to think about the cost to them rather than the potential of actualizing God’s will.
The situation was so tense and stressful that Jesus had to confine his activities to the region of Galilee. He could no longer be in the area of Jerusalem because in that area there was a known plan to kill him. Having people who want you dead is stressful!
Sibling rivalry can be quite cruel! Few things are as distressful as having people who should know and love you but despise you! Jesus’ brothers seemed to resent Jesus’ popularity. Knowing the desire of some to kill him, they urged him to go to Jerusalem-the most dangerous of all situations for him! They urged him to ?go public’ for the sake of his disciples! At this time his brothers resented him rather than believed in him. Their recommendation risked his life!
Jesus refused to go with them to a Jewish national feast because it was not time for him to die. He knew the threat involved in his going to Jerusalem and openly defying the Jewish authorities. He knew this was not the way to accomplish God’s purposes.
Do we exist to accomplish God’s purposes or to achieve our own agendas? Do the ways we behave and the attitudes we reflect bring honor to Jesus or cause people to resent Jesus? Do we resent Jesus when he is not in agreement with us, or do we trust him to guide us to God? The actions of faith are quite distinct from the actions of grudging compliance!
Help Jesus be a force for life instead of a force for death!
Posted by David on April 13, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
The problem of reacting to enemies in God’s way: it requires being considerate to people we do not like-to those who would not be considerate to us. We could paraphrase Paul’s instructions to the Christians in Rome this way. “Never allow evil people to force adoption of evil means. Instead of using evil means, put the problem in God’s hands. Let God control the situation by your being kind and considerate to an enemy. Realize evil is not defeated by resorting to evil. Only doing good defeats evil.”
These thoughts were written to Christians living in Rome’s evil environment which did not appreciate Christian values. Evil people did not appreciate Christian morals because such morals were too different to an idolatrous society’s morals. Roman society craved power and used people. Christians did not seek power and were kind to people.
The Christian treatment of enemies brings to the forefront an interesting, practical question. Why? Why do Christians give kind consideration to people who would give them no consideration?
Is it because Christian kindness brings a wonderful resolution to all physical confrontations? No! No one was kinder than was Jesus! Yet, his kindness did not prevent his death. In some instances, kindness merely infuriates those who oppress Christians. Remember, this involves a war between good and evil!
Is it because doing good “is the thing to do” for a Christian? Before a response can be given to that suggestion, an answer is needed. What is meant by “the thing to do”? If the response is that being kind to the unkind is a hoop a Christian must jump through in order to finish the divine obstacle course, the answer is, “NO!”
Is doing good to the unkind an appropriate reflection of God our Father? Yes! That is the motive for being kind to the unkind! God is good to us-good enough to show us compassion, mercy, grace, and forgiveness; good enough to let us be children instead of enemies; good enough to give us a indestructible hope.
Remember Romans 5:8? “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:44, 45? “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Represent God well! May your values be formed by God’s character, not society!
Posted by David on April 6, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
1935-2006 |
It is easy to indoctrinate. It is hard to teach. Why? Indoctrination only requires that willing people give you their minds for you to tell them what to accept. Teaching requires the student to possess his own thoughts, but to learn how to think. It is harder to teach people to possess their thoughts and think than it is to capture minds of willing people and tell them what to think.
For a number of reasons, I rarely discuss the death of a member in this article. In this article, I make an exception. Richard Hostetler died last Friday in Sallisaw, Oklahoma after a lengthy illness. Richard was a member of this congregation, but had not been able to attend for health reasons for a few months.
Early after I came to work with you, Richard-after hearing a few lessons-came to me to offer what I would call ?insightful encouragement.’ Frequently he would specifically encourage me in some matter. His insights were always appreciated.
Since his death, two members of the class he was in stated how much he would be missed. Both commented on his biblical scholarship. One discussed his positive attitude and his insightfulness. Both observed what an addition to the class he was. When was the last time you heard members of a class grieve the loss of a Bible scholar and a positive attitude in their Bible class? All those who were blessed by Richard will miss him!
Posted by David on March 30, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
Questions: Is God at work ONLY when good things happen to us? Or is God working when ?bad’ things happen to us as well as ?good’ things? How can we know when what we perceive as a ?bad’ thing is actually a ?good’ thing? If what we want would eventually destroy our souls, is what we want a ?bad’ thing or a ?good’ thing?
Was God at work when Moses was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter? Was God at work when Moses killed the Egyptian? Was God at work when Moses fled to the wilderness? Was God at work at the burning bush? Was God at work when Moses finally agreed to return to Egypt to lead Israel out of Egypt?
Was God at work in the ten incredible events? Yes. Was that a miserable time for some people? Yes. Was God at work when Israel left Egypt at night? Yes. Was that a convenient moment to begin an exodus journey? No. Was God at work in the wilderness? Yes. Was that a wonderful, simple vacation experience? No. Was God at work when Israel conquered Canaan? Yes. Did Israelites die in that conflict? Yes. Do you think that was ?family fun time’ for those grieving the losses?
Consider. Was the fall to the Babylonians fun? No. Was the Babylonian captivity fun? No. Was God at work? Yes. Were Daniel and other righteous people taken captive? Yes. When Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, was it ?fun time’? No. Was God at work? Yes.
What about the crucifixion of Jesus? Or the death of James? of Paul? of Peter? of a number of Christians? of persecutions? of imprisonments? of riots in protest of faith in Jesus Christ?
Is our attitude to be ?if it’s good, God is at work; if it’s bad, God is absent’? Is a real war between God’s purposes and Satan’s anger raging? If so, will there be casualties? Can God’s purposes be accomplished as surely through the wounding or death of Christians as certainly as through good things happening to Christians?
To me this is an obvious truth throughout the Bible: God works through sacrifice as well as reward. God’s people do not belong to Him because they cannot be touched by evil circumstances. God’s people belong to Him because evil circumstances cannot defeat them. Because they are so strong? No! Because in any circumstance, Satan is NEVER bigger than God.
Christians place full confidence in Jesus’ cross! They place equal confidence in Jesus’ empty tomb! Evil may hurt any of us physically, but it cannot stop the triumphant resurrection of every person in Jesus Christ! Because we are good? No! Because God is good! Of that there is no question in the heart of every Christian man or woman!
Posted by David on March 23, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
When Paul wrote the above statement, he discussed people who used Christianity as a means of financial success. These were people who viewed godliness as a means of obtaining wealth. Why should they not reach that conclusion? In both the worlds of Judaism and idolatry, those who controlled the workings of temples were wealthy people. Obtaining wealth was not to be Timothy’s motivation in his ministry.
Paul recommended a different focus to Timothy: godliness combined with contentment. Both are complex subjects. One focuses on a correct view of God. The other focuses on our attitude toward our complete environment. Of the two, we American Christians likely find ?contentment’ the more complex. That does not suggest we have ?mastered’ godliness! Yet, rarely do we humans [at least in this society] find and experience contentment. When we think we find it, we likely are ?discontent’ with our contentment. Everything that is ?good’ with us could be better!
I laughed at myself this week. I fell in late August and dislocated my left shoulder. This week for the first time I slept one night without my left arm awakening me. Even the few times I slept all night, I was aware that my arm hurt. Had I slept all night two months ago without an awareness of my left arm hurting, I would have shouted, “Wonderful!” Last week I said to myself, “Wonder when it will happen two consecutive nights?” When (if) that happens [knowing me], I already know what I will say to myself: “Wonder when it will happen for a week?” If that occurs, I will say to myself, “Wonder when it will happen for a month?” At that milestone, I will say to myself, “Wonder when it will happen indefinitely?”
What should I say each step of the way? “Thank you, God!” [with genuine appreciation!] I seek to remind myself of something we all need to remember: “Instead of complaining about the bad things, be aware of and grateful for the good things.” In our society, it seems to be more ?natural’ to keep tract of complaints than to be grateful for blessings!
To me, a powerful Christian example of the principle of contentment combined with godliness is found in Philippians 1. Paul, who unjustly was in prison, comforted Christians at Philippi by declaring how his imprisonment blessed the spread of knowledge about Jesus Christ. Wow! What awareness in horrible circumstances!
Are you a Christian? Pray to God and ask Him be your source of strength as He enables you to see His blessings in every situation and circumstance. Being a godly person is a complex commitment. Being content is a choice. Choose to see and acknowledge blessings even when your circumstances are a mess!
Posted by David on March 16, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
To be a ruler in Palestine who had to maintain allegiance to Roman control was complex. The Jewish people in the first century hated their loss of independence. They viewed rulers dependent on Rome as enemies. They were endlessly on the verge of defiance through violence. They were almost impossible to appease. Ruling first century Jewish people was a headache, not a picnic! Their anger and volatility could make or break Roman appointed rulers! They often “broke” such rulers!
There is a small but insightful statement in Acts 12:3. Herod Agrippa I mistreated the church. The verse begins this way: “And when he saw that it pleased the Jews …” Mistreating Christians was in his political best interest as he tried to rule some very difficult people, so he continued to mistreat Christians in order to make his work easier.
In life’s complicated challenges, always consciously keep service to God as a real option. When you deal with complex situations in your family, ask yourself, “Where is God’s place in my options?” When you deal with complex situations in your marriage, ask yourself, “Where is God’s place in my options?” When you deal with complex situations in your work, ask yourself, “Where is God’s place in my options?” When you deal with complex situations in your training, ask yourself, “Where is God’s place in my options?” And when you are tempted to be selfish in your decisions, ask yourself, “Where is God’s place in my selfishness?”
Who do you seek to please? Your wife? Your husband? Your children? Your boss? Your clients? Your peers? Yourself? Whose interests define who you are and what your life is about?
Ungodly people typically cannot be pleased. To the degree that they are ungodly, they are unappeasable. To the degree that a person is selfish, he or she is unappeasable. Godly people can be pleased when their focus is on God. To the degree that a situation focuses such people on God, they are challenged to do and produce good.
Who do you seek to please? Ungodly people? Yourself? God? The more it is your intentional aim to please God, the more life’s journey becomes a joy and the less it becomes drudgery. Making the reactions of anyone else the foundation of your life is simply too complicated!
Posted by David on March 9, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
The theory of forgiveness is wonderful. Practicing forgiveness is hard. The theory of compassion is wonderful. Practicing compassion is hard. The theory of mercy is wonderful. Practicing mercy is hard. The theory of grace is wonderful. Practicing grace is hard.
Why is it so difficult to be forgiving, compassionate, merciful, or a person of grace? Why? Because you forgive those who hurt you, show compassion to those who offend you, show mercy to those who do not deserve kindness, and give grace to those “who do not deserve it.” If I do not deserve it and receive it, it is wonderful! If you do not deserve it, why bother?-You are just getting the consequences you deserve!
The standard is not “us.” We “measure up” pretty well to people. What is the standard? It is what God did and does for all in Jesus Christ. That is one standard above all of us!
In the above passage, Jesus completed the undesirable, humiliating task of washing feet. He asked the twelve, “Do you understand what I did? I gave you an example. And you are not superior to me. So?’put your money where your mouth is.'”
Satan constantly (all our lives!) places us in circumstances that demand we validate our theory by our behavior. He did with Jesus and will with us. He did with the twelve and will with us. He did with the 1st century church and will with the 21st century church.
It is easy to declare God’s love for all, but can be demanding to take God’s love to all. It is easy to declare that God champions the weak and helpless, but demanding to care for them. It is easy to declare kindness to all, but demanding to be kind to all. It is easy to declare God’s caring, but demanding to be an agent of God’s caring.
Matthew 5:43-48, You have heard that it was said, ?You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
It is simple to become God’s child. It is demanding to live as God’s child.
Posted by David on March 2, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
The young adult says, “What would you do if ‘such and such’ happened?” That is a hypothetical question. “It could occur, but not to me.” Why? “The way I live (or use my life) prevents that from ever happening to me.”
As we staunchly set our feet in mid-life, we revise the statement a little. This situation becomes your situation. “What would you do?” With time and life passing, we often see situations happen to people we know well. As we quietly, internally realize “that could happen to me, too,” we keep a little distance between us and the undesirable. It is as if it could not happen to us if I do not talk about it. However, we all see enough of life to realize it does happen. It happens to those who truly seek to prevent it, and to those who never try to “prevent” anything.
However, in this period, we get very serious about prevention. We eat right. We make regular visits for checkups. We change our diets. We try to get enough exercise and sleep. “Pass me the blueberries, please.” “Can I give you a ride to the gym?” “How far did you jog today?” “What is your cholesterol count (or blood pressure, or heart rate, or …)?”
Then we reach the age that the undesirable happens all around us. It happens to those who take care of their health and those who do not, to those who exercise and those who do not, to those who eat right and those who do not, to those who use life well and those who do not. We hear the professionals change their minds about what is healthy and what is not–every two to five years.
Then, at last, we finally admit what we hid from for years: “Nobody lives forever” (physically). The longer we live, the more physical death we see. Like it or not, we know we will die, too. That is okay as a hypothetical. Yet, the more likely it becomes, the more sobering it becomes.
Good news for those in Christ! Though this physical life is shorter than the prefix “pre,” “… Godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.” 1 Timothy 4:8-10
Posted by David on February 23, 2006 under Bulletin Articles
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (NIV)
If I had to make a list of the order that physical abilities were taken from me, I think sight would be the last thing I would want to lose. We live in the time of the incredible. “Need cataract surgery with a high probability of success? That is common!” “Need eye surgery that eliminates the need for glasses? That is common!” “Need a cornea transplant? That is certainly possible!” “Need eye glasses? That is super common!”
What is common for us did not exist in Jesus’ society! Eye glasses? Forget it! Eye disease, cataract surgery, cornea transplant-do not mention those things! Do you realize how many of us would be ?legally blind’ in Jesus’ lifetime?
The only ?window’ to admit light into this body is the eye. If the eye has a cataract, vision slowly decreases. When the condition was bad enough, blindness came. Once a person was blind, the situation was irreversible. The body went from light, to dim, to total darkness. When total blindness came, total dependence also came. What a complete blackout! It was the darkest form of darkness! Remember Jesus healing the blind? Remember the gratitude?
Jesus declared he was the light of the world by being life’s light and making life in darkness unnecessary (John 8:13). John made numerous associations between light and Jesus. Jesus’ life was the light of people (John 1:4), the true light who could enlighten every person (John 1:9). He was God’s light to the world, but some preferred darkness (John 3:19). The evil hate the light because they do not wish to see their lifestyle’s reality (John 3:20). Only they who base their lifestyles on truth are not fearful of the light (John 3:21).
Some exist in darkness yearning for light, but will never see light unless we dare reflect Jesus’ light (Matthew 5:14). In Jesus’ day light did not exist to be hidden but to dispel darkness (Matthew 5:15). God does not intend for us to hide Jesus’ influence in our behavior, but for us to share his light with others (Matthew 5:16). As you live your life, radiate Jesus’ influence in the way you live and the way you treat others!
