To Serve or Not to Serve

I’d like to share with you a passage from Philippians that speaks to me about serving in ministries.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

         

(Philippians 2:1-11 ESV)

When Jesus called the apostles into service, each one of them joyfully accepted the calling.  They left behind their families, their jobs and all of their worldly possessions for the opportunity to serve with Jesus. 

When we think of missionaries we have mental images of dedicated brothers and sisters in Christ who left behind comfortable lives with air conditioning and a Starbucks on every corner to live a modest and sometimes primitive life among the indigenous people they were lead to serve.

So what is the motivation to serve?  The apostles took only the clothes on their back and relied on the kindness of strangers for their physical sustenance. 

Missionaries receive support from churches, but it’s typically just enough to meet their basic needs. 

You might say they were being obedient by following the calling of the Lord.  Yes, that is true.  1 Samuel 12:24 teaches us to “fear the lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart.  For consider what great things He has done for you.”

Or, you might say that they served because it made them feel good.  When we help or give to others it does make us feel good doesn’t it? 

When Christmas comes everyone has the spirit of giving.  We are happy and joyful as we stroll through the malls looking for that special gift that lets our loved ones know how much they mean to us.  “God loves a joyful giver”

(2 Corinthians 9:7)

But there’s more. 

When we think of a ministry as us doing something for someone else and then getting a warm and fuzzy, we aren’t seeing the whole picture.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret about serving in ministry.  Now don’t tell anyone because if you do, then pretty soon everyone will want to serve.

People who serve in ministries receive greater blessings than those they serve.

God doesn’t need us to do his work.  He is fully capable of spreading the gospel message to every corner of the earth without our help. 

He is fully able to feed and clothe every hungry person on the face of the earth.  God doesn’t need us to do these things for him.  God uses fallen man in His service because when we serve we glorify Him. 

When we serve out of love for our brothers and sisters we are reflecting Jesus and his love for the church.  God wants to share the blessings of ministries with us so we can experience through our service to others the grace and unconditional love he pours out to us every day.  

It is also an invitation to come along side Him and to see what he sees, feel what he feels, hear what he hears.  It is an invitation to experience what Christ experiences when he ministers to us.

A ministry doesn’t have to mean joining a group of people.  A ministry can be just you. 

A year or so ago when I would drive through our neighborhood burger joint, Jack in the Box, I would see this homeless man standing nearby asking for change from those who passed by.

I had always been very judgmental of the homeless.  I never gave them money because I felt like they were there because of poor choices they had made, and the money I gave them would just be used for beer, drugs or cigarettes.  But this one day, something in my heart changed. 

As I was pulling up to the drive thru the Lord moved me to buy an extra sandwich and a cup of coffee to give to this man.  This was unsettling for me to say the least, and I almost blew it off.  But instead I obeyed. 

I drove over to the man, rolled down my window and handed him the sandwich and coffee.  He thanked me and then before I knew what was happening I found myself saying “This is not from me, it’s from Jesus.  Jesus loves you and wanted me to share his love for you by giving you this food” 

Where the heck did this come from?  I did’t consider evangelism as one of my spiritual gifts.  The thought of sharing the gospel message to strangers terrified me. 

Homeless people disgusted me.  And yet here I am, sharing the gospel message with a homeless person and then reaching out to shake his hand.

I drove away from that encounter kind of numb, but very vibrant and alive.  I felt a joy an amazing joy in my heart.  I felt like something had changed inside me.  And I was right.

The next time I saw Roy I parked and walked over to bring him his sandwich and coffee.  He told me that he appreciated the food and coffee very much, but what he appreciated even more was that I took the time to talk with him.  He thanked me for looking him in the eye, for shaking his hand.  For asking him his name. 

That is how he received my gift.  More than food what he craved was to be seen as a fellow man.  A brother.  He craved acceptance over charity. 

I believe my interaction with Roy was preparing me for my involvement with church planting in Otay Ranch and my recent involvement with a homeless ministry called Jesus Cares. 

I met Roy where he was at, just like we are reaching the people of Otay Ranch where they are at, and just like the people who walk the streets with Jesus Cares meet the homeless where they are at, and just like Jesus is meeting us where we are at.    

In every ministry Marissa or I have been a part of, God has revealed himself to us.  God has used our service to enrich our lives in one way or another.  We have grown closer to Christ through our service in ministries.

That’s the hidden reward of service. 

That’s the richness that you can only receive by being a doer of his word, not just a hearer.  (James 1:22)

So you might be saying “I’d like to serve on a ministry, but I don’t think I’d be very good at it.”  Good.  That makes you even more qualified!

In the Old Testament, God rarely used those who appeared to be the “most likely to succeed” to do His work.  He isn’t looking at your experience.  He’s looking at your heart. 

Or maybe you’re saying “I’m just not a people person”.   Well the Apostles Matthew and Paul weren’t exactly people persons either. 

Matthew was a tax collector who was hated by the Jews and barely tolerated by the Romans who employed him.  His only friends were thieves, thugs and fellow tax collectors. 

Paul was responsible for the persecution and death of scores of Christians. 

And yet, God used them mightily. 

If the Lord has put serving in ministry on your heart, don’t worry about how he will use you.  Just trust that he will and follow his leading. 

Ministries are a blessing not a task.  

If you think of it as doing your community service, you have missed the point, and worse, you’ll miss the blessing.

Seize The Day!

In Psalm 39:4-6 the psalmist calls out to God,

“O LORD, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!
Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!”
(Psalm 39:4-6 ESV)

Do you have the courage to ask this question? Do you really want to know how much longer you have to live? The writer of this psalm is so desperate to make his life more meaningful he asks God to count his days, so that he can make his days count.

If you did know the exact day you were going to die, what would you do differently? Would you find all of your selfish pursuits as enjoyable? Or would you place more value on time spent with your loved ones? Knowing how much time you had left before you were going to stand before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and face His judgment, would you spend more time in His Word?

When we stand at the throne room of God, and bow down before Him, that’s our final exam. Everything we’ve thought, done and didn’t do will be recounted and we will be held accountable for how we lived our life. Did you study for this exam or were you planning to just “wing it”?

So many of us go about our lives with blinders on. Wallowing in complacency thinking that our day of judgment is so far away why worry about it now? Surely there will be time later to clean up our act and put aside our childish ways, right?

We are not guaranteed there will be a tomorrow.

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:13-14 ESV)

How sad it is that many of us need a terminal illness or to endure some life threatening event before we can appreciate the days we have.

We work and toil our lives away, often at the expense of our family and for what? In Luke 12:16-21 we learn of the parable of the rich fool:

“And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21 ESV)

We are taught by the world to work, work, work and to save, save, save; looking forward to our retirement days. Then, and only then are we free to “live life to it’s fullest”. I’m not saying we should not plan for our retirement years, but don’t let that plan consume you to the point that you let your current life slip you by.


The message is clear. Make your days count. The only things you know for certain are the moments that have already passed, and you can’t change any of that. If change is necessary in your life, and trust me, we ALL need to make changes in our life, the time to act is now. Today.

Counting your days is easy. Ready? Let’s start with today…..one….STOP. It’s that simple. We can only be sure of today, so make today count. Study for your final exam my friends. Make sure your house is in order. Don’t be a fool. Live for today, not tomorrow. You never know when there’s going to be a pop quiz.

Psalm 37 ~ Fret Not Over Evildoers

This morning I was blessed and comforted by reading through Psalm 37. This has been a tumultuous week, filled with quarrels and disputes as Christians faced off against supporters of gay marriage, and used social networks as their battle ground.

It’s been a classic battle, with each side proudly displaying their team’s flag as their profile pic. Like any civil battle, the fighting got personal and there was division within families. Suddenly people found themselves anxiously scanning their “friends lists” to see which side of the battle their FB family had chosen.

The reasons for and against this matter have been posted in great detail, so I see no need to regurgitate them here.

As I read through Psalm 37, peace filled my heart. I was reassured by my Heavenly Father that I need not fret over who “wins” this battle. What I need to remain focused on is my walk and my testimony, and working on leading my family through the spiritual warfare we incur every day, not just this particular battle.

“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.”
(Psalm 37:8-9 ESV)

The world is full of sin, and it isn’t likely that my opinion posted on a social media site will pursuade anyone to switch sides in the battle. It isn’t up to me to judge the sin in this world.

“And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24-26 ESV)

My duty as a Christian man is to lead my family along the narrow path that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ layed down for us when he gave his life for us on the cross two thousand plus years ago today. I need not concern myself over worldly matters such as gay marriage because it will be dealt with sufficiently by our God in His timing.

My duty as a Christian man is to put on the whole armor of God so that I may stand against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11), and to gird my family for this battle as well.

Gay marriage may be the hot topic this week, but there are a multitude of sins out there that directly threaten me and my family daily. Should any of these sins enter my home, be sure that I will attack swiftly and mightily. I can’t control the households of others, but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15).

Psalm 37:
“Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.
In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.
The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,
but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will remain forever;
they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.
But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the LORD upholds his hand.
I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing.
Turn away from evil and do good;
so shall you dwell forever.
For the LORD loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever.
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.
The wicked watches for the righteous
and seeks to put him to death.
The LORD will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.
Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
for there is a future for the man of peace.
But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him."
(Psalm 37:1-40 ESV)

What Legacy Will You Leave Behind?

What will be your legacy? .

As Christians we must look no further than the life of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as our legacy model. Will people remember you as a man of God? Will they recall Christ-like characteristics in your words and your deeds? How do you handle conflict in your life? Are you thought of as quarrelsome or as a peacemaker? Are you considered by others as prideful or humble? Do your words build others up or tear them down? Is your heart filled with the love of God and the desire to share that love with others or are you driven by selfish, hedonistic desires?

Being a man of God is a full time job. If someone meets you twice and on one occasion you are a quarrelsome, prideful, hedonistic jerk, and on the other occasion you are a reflection of Christ, which character trait will prevail? Sadly, your legacy will be not only remembered as the jerk, but you can now add hypocrite to the list as well!

Most of the time we don’t get second chances when it comes to making an impression on someone. The baseline to remember is whatever is buried in your heart will rise up in your words and actions. Immerse yourself in the Word of God and Christ will be reflected in your life. Drown yourself in the ways of the world, and well, you get the picture.

When we immerse ourselves we become completely enveloped or surrounded. If you are learning a foreign language, learning the words and phrases is a great start, but if you immerse yourself by living in that region where the dialect is spoken, you develop a richness and understanding of not only the language, but the culture thus making the new language a part of your life. You not just learn the language, you live it.

How many of you adults remember everything you learned in school? You learned it well enough to get a (hopefully) passing grade. But if you didn’t apply it in your daily life, you probably forgot most or all of it.

This becomes most relevant when it comes to our study and understanding of Scripture. Developing a head knowledge of God’s Word does not make us Christ-like in our words and actions. Satan can recite every word of the Bible, but it hasn’t done much to improve his character. Application of God’s Word is how we change our lives and bind His Word into our hearts. Until our hearts are filled with Christ, we aren’t going to act like Christ.

I have been blessed with some study time in the Book of James and here are two passages that speak to this subject:

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:19-22 ESV)

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:13-18 ESV)

We are all going to die. The one thing that doesn’t get buried with us in the grave is our legacy. Our character and how we lived our lives will live on in the hearts of those who’s lives we leave behind. Make sure every day you enjoy on this earth is a day lived for Christ. Don’t just learn it, live it. Be doers of His Word, not hearers only and reap a harvest of righteousness, sharing the bountiful harvest with those around you.

Proverbs 26:11 ~ A Dog Returns to His Vomit

“Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.”
(Proverbs 26:11 ESV)

Sometimes Scripture is written as a parable or proverb that needs some unpacking or research to fully grasp the richness and meaning of it’s message. Then there are graphic verses such as this one that are plainly stated so that any fool like me can understand it.

There are times God speaks to us in a whisper, and then there are times when he smacks us in the face with a message so clear, it’s impossible for us to miss it.

I have a thorn in my side that I struggle with, and recently I had occasion to confess that sin to the LORD. Part of my prayer included praying through Proverbs 26:11. No more than 10 minutes later, I let our dogs outside into the yard to do their morning business. As I was standing there waiting, one of the dogs vomited on the grass, walked away, and then returned a moment later to his vomit.

I’m the first to admit that I’m not always the sharpest crayon in the box when it comes to reading retention, and I don’t always learn my life lessons on the first pass. Thankfully, my Father in Heaven knows this about me as well. So then, it came as no surprise that He gave me this visual reminder of His Word, just in case reading it didn’t quite present a clear enough image for me.

My pastor spoke recently of the parable of the sower and the seeds (Luke 8:4-8). A few days later I was in my garden pulling weeds and experienced how the weeds growing in the areas that had weed cloth were very easy to pull because their roots were shallow. However, the weeds growing in deep soil were much harder to uproot.

I love that my God knows me and is ready to meet me where I am. He knows how best to communicate with me, and I frequently get reminders of His Glory through how He reveals Himself to me in nature.

I’m praying that the next time I am tempted to judge a brother for his sin that God doesn’t find the need to illustrate Matthew 7:4-5 to me. That’s gonna hurt.

Was Peter A Coward?

Did the Apostle Peter have doubts about his faith? Was he a coward?

Let’s look at two incidents involving Peter. Turning to the Book of Matthew we read:

“Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-33 ESV).

Aside from being credited with reciting the shortest prayer in the Bible (“Lord, save me”), most of us think of this as Peter failing to trust Jesus completely, thus sinking into the water. But we should look at the fact that Peter even got out of the boat! The rest of the disciples were hanging on for dear life. None of them took that step of faith, did they?

Ok, here’s one more. After the Lord’s Supper, Jesus and the Apostles move to the Mount of Olives where Jesus foretells Peter’s denial.

“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.” (Matthew 26:30-35 ESV)

Then, after the arrest and “trial” of Jesus, Peter is approached by several bystanders:

“Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”
(Matthew 26:69-75 ESV)

Here Peter is often portrayed as a coward. But was he? Again, where are the other disciples? Only Peter was brave enough to risk jail and torture to follow behind Jesus and be present during the trial. Was Peter afraid? Of course he was. But again we have to put all of this in perspective. In today’s terms of being a born-again Christian, Peter would be considered a “Baby Christian”, barely three years into his faith. How many of you were willing to jump into a raging sea or risk persecution for your faith at that time in your walk? I suspect most “mature” Christians would still be sitting in the boat or hiding in the bushes. But not Peter.

Jesus knew the humble fisherman Simon was the one that would eventually lead the upcoming church age. That’s why he renamed him Peter (Aramaic = Cephas, which means “the rock”).

There will be times in our Christian life when our faith is tested. Sometimes our efforts to follow Jesus may mean taking a risk. We can not let fear keep us from taking that step of faith outside of the safety of the boat. We may indeed sink, but we must trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus to lift us up when we do.

One of my favorite authors T.S. Eliot wrote “If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are”. Peter knew exactly how tall he was. Do you?

The Moon

Ever since I was a young boy I used to marvel at the moon. I would think about how amazing it was that the moon I was gazing at was the exact same moon that was in the old movies I used to watch. In my limited thinking, a 40 year old moon was pretty cool.

This was long before I was a born again believer in Christ Jesus. But still I knew there was something special about the moon, aside from it’s history in cinema.

Today when I look at the moon, I still marvel at it. This morning as I was driving in to work our beautiful, full moon hung over downtown San Diego, shining brightly against the crisp, clear sky. The exact same moon that I marveled at as a young man, the exact same moon that is captured for all time in those old movies I watched. But now as a believer and follower of Christ, it means even more.

The moon has been hanging in the sky since time began.

“And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:14-18 ESV)

The moon we see in the sky today is the exact same moon that lit the night in the Garden of Eden as Adam and Eve walked the earth. The same moon that lit the lonely waters as Noah and the Ark drifted on the seas in search of a new world. The same moon that led the Jews out of Egypt. The same moon that hung over Bethlehem when Jesus was born.

The Garden of Eden is gone. The earth’s landscape has changed. Temples have fallen. But the moon remains the same.

We don’t need a team of scientists and archaeologists to create a model of what they believe Adam’s moon looked like. We don’t have to visit a museum to see a fragment of our ancient moon displayed behind thick security glass for us to imagine what it must have been like.

Aside from some old car parts and a few flags left there by the space program, it remains unblemished and unchanged from the day God created it.

And for me that is what I was reminded of this morning. God is always there for us. He is unchanging. I can count on Him to always be there from the beginning of time to the end of time. I have assurance that He will fill my darkness with His light.

Back when we were dating, at the end of each day I would call Marissa to say goodnight. On the nights like last night when the moon was full, we would both go outside and find the moon in the sky. “Our moon is beautiful tonight” I would tell her, and at that moment we felt a special connection. Even though we were not physically together, we were connected by the knowledge of knowing we were both looking at the same moon at that moment. To this day, my first instinct when I see a full moon is to share it with Marissa.

The moon has a special place in my heart. It is a revelation of God’s glory and omnipresence in my life. It is a symbol of the blessings He has bestowed up me. It is yet another tangible reminder in my life that God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good.

Sunrises And Sunsets

Part of my morning ritual during the week is to climb into my truck, start the engine and then as the motor warms up dedicate the time of solitude to prayer. At this time of year, dawn is beginning to break. I love how after my prayer time, when I open my eyes it’s slightly brighter outside. By my communion with God in prayer, I literally feel like He has shown His light upon me!

This morning after I opened my eyes, I noticed in the eastern part of the sky some deep oranges and reds beginning to emerge as the sun was drawing closer to the horizon. I’ve spoken before about general revelation, and how God reveals Himself to us in nature. For me, sunrises and sunsets are one of my favorite times to see God reflected in nature’s beauty. The magnificent displays of color in the skies is often breathtaking, and I will always find time out of my morning or evening to pause and admire this blessed gift God has given us.

This morning as I was driving to work, I began to think about sunrises and sunsets, and I was preparing in my head a message about how the colors we see in the sky are actually a product of pollution in the air, but God still uses that filth and has grace on man’s abuse of resources to still present something beautiful for us. I was going to talk about how we don’t deserve sunsets, yada yada yada.

But then I decided to do a little research before I began writing, and guess what? The colors we see in sunrises and sunsets are not caused by pollution in the air. It’s an urban myth!

According to Steven Ackerman, professor of meteorology at UW-Madison, the colors of the sunset result from a phenomenon called scattering, when molecules and small particles in the atmosphere change the direction of light rays, causing them to scatter. Scattering affects the color of light coming from the sky, but the details are determined by the wavelength of the light and the size of the particle. The short-wavelength blue and violet are scattered by molecules in the air much more than other colors of the spectrum. This is why blue and violet light reaches our eyes from all directions on a clear day. But because we can't see violet very well, the sky appears blue.

Scattering also explains the colors of the sunrise and sunset. Because the sun is low on the horizon, sunlight passes through more air at sunset and sunrise than during the day, when the sun is higher in the sky. More atmosphere means more molecules to scatter the violet and blue light away from your eyes. If the path is long enough, all of the blue and violet light scatters out of your line of sight. The other colors continue on their way to your eyes. This is why sunsets are often yellow, orange, and red. And because red has the longest wavelength of any visible light, the sun is red when it’s on the horizon, where its extremely long path through the atmosphere blocks all other colors.

Pollution in the air does contribute to this phenomenon, but it is not the cause.

Fascinating as this bit of knowledge is, there is a greater lesson to be learned. What this series of events reminded me of is that we must never take information we hear or read as truth just because someone tells us it’s true, or because large groups of people think that way. How many times have you forwarded an email or some other bit of trivia only to find out later through snopes.com or some other source that it was false? An urban legend?

The Bible tells us of a group of people in Greece that had great discernment and were skilled at dispelling falsehoods.

“The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:10-11 ESV)

The Berean people were hungry for God’s Word, but they also had great discernment. They had a reputation for checking everything they heard against God’s holy word as revealed to them in scripture.

As Christian believers, we have that same responsibility. We must always check what we hear, or what we are taught against what God says. This is how false teachers gain dominion over so many followers. False teachers will stand before you disguised as men of God preaching a message of lies and deceit because they know their followers aren’t going to do their own research. They prey on people that follow blindly without discernment.

Any time you receive information presented to you as fact, it is your responsibility to check it’s validity. Be your own myth buster! Don’t be lead through live by lies and misrepresentations. With today’s technology, you can dispel any myth in mere moments. It took me about 2 minutes to discover the truth about sunsets! But don’t just go with the first answer. Be like the Bereans. Do a thorough search and check a few different reputable sources.

Demand truth in your life. Don’t let others make those decisions for you.

I pray that you now look at sunrises and sunsets in a new way. I will never look at them again with a twinge of guilt that the beauty I am beholding was a byproduct of the industrialization of mankind. Now I am free to accept those awesome displays of radiance and beauty as a gift from God; a tangible display the glory of God as reflected in nature. I will also be reminded to seek the truth in all matters and not trust everything I hear. Makes them even more special now, doesn’t it?

Psalm 26 ~ Are You Ready To Be Tested?

Psalm 26 kind of called me out this morning. King David begins his prayer with:

"Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
test my heart and my mind.
For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness."

David is so confident of his faith and obedience to God, that he invites God to look into his heart and judge him. In English, to vindicate means to clear one's name, but here the original Greek word is "shaphat" which means to judge, govern or punish. David goes on to ask the LORD to test his heart. The word test here refers to a process similar to that used in purifying metals. David is literally asking God to put his feet to the fire, to purify him and to weed out his impurities.

Are you that confident in your walk with Christ? Are you so sure of your faith and obedience to God that you can say to Him that you are prepared to endure His testing and scrutiny? I don't know about you, but I've still got a few issues to work out before I could be that bold.

I'm not sure though, that this is the message God wants’ us to take away from this Psalm. I think it is more of an assurance that no matter where we are in our walk, we should always be willing to ask God to examine our hearts, and for Him to reveal to us where we are falling short. God knows we aren't going to be perfect, and if we wait for that time in our lives when we feel like we've got all our sins under control and are walking like Christ, then we're missing out on what I believe is the true blessing of this Psalm.

God doesn't expect perfection from us, but He does expect accountability. He wants us to keep short accounts with Him. As believers we are forgiven of our sins, so we need not fear His judgment. We've already been justified (reconciled or made right before God) and as believers we take heart in knowing that our salvation can not be taken away. As believers we should also have a desire to perfect our lives with the standard of Christ as our goal.

So with this in mind I resolve to invite God to prove me, try me and to test my heart and mind because I do desire to walk in His faithfulness. I invite God to show me the holes in my armor and to keep me vigilant not complacent in my battle against sin. I know I can not do this alone but only through the steadfast love, wisdom and strength of God. Are you ready to be tested?

"Vindicate me, O LORD,
for I have walked in my integrity,
and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
Prove me, O LORD, and try me;
test my heart and my mind.
For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness.
I do not sit with men of falsehood,
nor do I consort with hypocrites.
I hate the assembly of evildoers,
and I will not sit with the wicked.
I wash my hands in innocence
and go around your altar, O LORD,
proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
and telling all your wondrous deeds.
O LORD, I love the habitation of your house
and the place where your glory dwells.
Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
in whose hands are evil devices,
and whose right hands are full of bribes.
But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
redeem me, and be gracious to me.
My foot stands on level ground;
in the great assembly I will bless the LORD."
(Psalm 26 ESV)

Psalm 19 ~ Comfort And Assurance

I have been reading my way through the Book of Psalms and am continually blessed by the comfort and assurance these passages bring me. Psalm 19 begins with an illustration of General Revelation, or how God is revealed to us through nature.

“The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.”
(Psalm 19:1-6 ESV)

We see evidence of God in the daytime sky in the power of the Sun and at night in the comforting glow of the moon and the stars. The LORD proclaims His handiwork to every living soul on earth every day and every night. His voice can be heard in every corner of the world … if you are listening.

Every man, woman and child on Earth has living proof that God exists if their heart is open to that knowledge. Verses 4 and 5 caught my attention this morning because they reminded me of our personal relationship with God as believers.

“In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber”

In our hearts he (God) has set a tent (dwelling place) for the sun (God’s Sovereignty), which comes out like a bridegroom (Jesus) leaving his chamber (Jesus was sent to Earth by God). For me, these verses confirm the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in my heart. I love the analogy of God being the sun as my heart is warmed and comforted by the knowledge of knowing He is here by my side.

Verse 6 reminds me that “nothing is hidden from it’s heat”. God searches my heart and there is nothing I can hide from him. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

In verses 12 and 13 the psalmist David writes:

“Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.”

Our hidden faults are sins we either forget and file away, suppress, or sins we may not be aware of. Presumptuous sins are committed out of arrogance and are the sins we commit even though we know they are wrong.

God sees all of these sins. Like the sun, His heat will penetrate and His light will illuminate all of our faults. Through confession and repentance we ask God to forgive us of these sins and to protect us so that sin does not have dominion (control) over us. No amount of good deeds can ever erase the sins we commit. Faith alone in Jesus and the grace of God is the only way we can be considered “blameless and innocent of great transgression”.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

"The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."
(Psalm 19 ESV)

Psalm 10 ~ Never Doubt Your Faith

I was reading Psalm 10 this morning and was reminded how Satan will use doubt to attack our faith. There will be times where the wicked appear to prosper. Evil men appear to receive blessings in the form of wealth and prosperity in the world.

In times like these, Satan will seize these opportunities to cause us to doubt God. Satan will open our eyes to the fact that despite being openly against God, evil people still “succeed”, while attempting to close our hearts to the knowledge that our God is sovereign and just. Satan loves doubt.

When we pray to God to deliver us from evil or trials, we may not get an immediate response. Sometimes we feel frustrated and abandoned by God, and this plants a seed of doubt that He isn’t hearing us, or worse, doesn’t care for us or our situation.

The Apostle Paul prayed to God three times to remove the “thorn in my flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul literally pleaded with God to take that sin away from him, but God did not remove the thorn. Instead, God spoke to Paul and reminded him that “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Did Paul ever doubt God? No. Did he ever waiver in his faith? No.

We must never waiver in our faith in God. We must never doubt that God’s Will be done. Don’t mistake your doubt for perplexity. Just because we don’t understand God’s Will doesn’t make Him any less Sovereign or deserving of our doubt.

God hears our prayers and God answers our prayers. Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes our prayers are answered in His timing, not ours.

Sometimes we need to examine our prayers and ask God for wisdom to discern what we are praying for. Paul prayed for God to remove the thorn, but instead God showed him that He was using that thorn for a purpose.

Frequently I use Cinnabuns as a metaphor for sin issues in my life. So bear with me as I use this metaphor to share a personal experience with you.

I love Cinnabuns, but I know that they are not healthy for my diet. If my life is filled with too many Cinnabuns, my health will suffer and will eventually lead to illness and perhaps even death.

I prayed to God and asked him to deliver me from these cravings. I knew that it wasn’t practical for God to remove Cinnabuns from existence, so instead I prayed that he take away my desire to eat them.

God did not take away my desire. No matter how much I prayed, every time I walked by the Cinnabun store my senses were enticed by the smell as I drew closer. My eyes were captured by the sight of those hot, gooey, sweet pastry delights sitting behind that protective glass and no matter how much I tried, I still wanted that Cinnabun.

So I continued to pray and I have to admit that I was beginning to doubt if God was hearing me. I was questioning why God would permit this craving for Cinnabuns to continue in my life. Finally the Holy Spirit dwelling within me finally got my attention and I came to realize that I was praying for the wrong thing. Cinnabuns are not evil, but my obsession with them was. What I needed to pray for was self control. I prayed that God would grant me the ability to choose not to indulge in Cinnabuns.

God answered my prayer. He didn’t take away my desire for Cinnabuns, but he helped me to see that I have the power to say no. To not allow the smell or sight of a Cinnabun to take control of me and lead me into over-indulgence. He gave me the wisdom and discernment to make better choices.

God patiently waited for me to realize what He already knew was best for me. Never doubt that God always has our best interests at heart and knows what is best for us before we do. Never allow Satan to cause our faith to waiver or to cause us to be double-minded. In our prayers and in our lives we must always be all-in, 100% committed to trusting in God to sanctify us and lead us to eventual glory. God is good. All the time. God is good.

"Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor;
let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised.
For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul,
and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD.
In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him;
all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
His ways prosper at all times;
your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
as for all his foes, he puffs at them.
He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.”
His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
He sits in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places he murders the innocent.
His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;
he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket;
he lurks that he may seize the poor;
he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net.
The helpless are crushed, sink down,
and fall by his might.
He says in his heart, “God has forgotten,
he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;
forget not the afflicted.
Why does the wicked renounce God
and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
that you may take it into your hands;
to you the helpless commits himself;
you have been the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
call his wickedness to account till you find none.
The LORD is king forever and ever;
the nations perish from his land.
O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more."
(Psalm 10:1-16; Psalm 10:17-18 ESV)

Psalm 7 ~ If You Feed It, It Will Grow

“Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief and gives birth to lies.” (Psalm 7:14 ESV)

As David describes so vividly in this Psalm, evil enters into man and plants it’s seed. Like any living thing if you feed it, it will grow. So wicked man continues to feed this evil inside him.

Like a pregnant mother nourishes her baby with what she takes into her body, a wicked man nourishes the sin growing inside him by feeding it with more sin.

Soon the wicked man gives birth to the sin inside him by his outward actions. Lies, cheating, deceit are now part of him. Sin isn’t something we do, it’s something we are. If we kill, we are a murderer. If we steal, we are a thief.

If the wicked man does not repent and ask God to forgive him of his sins, then he is powerless against sin. Sin overcomes and takes control of the man and fills his heart, mind and soul with evil.

Guess what? You and I are born as wicked men. If we are not filled with the Holy Spirit then we are slaves to sin and are bound by Satan and his minions. The good news is Christ saves us from that. Christ died on the cross so that we would have the ability to choose not to sin. Sin still enters our lives, and temptations to sin will always be there, but as believers in Christ we have the ability to choose not to get pregnant with sin. If we do not feed the sin that enters into our bodies by what we see and hear, then it we won’t reflect sin in what we say and do.

Garbage in, garbage out. Jesus in, Jesus out. Choose wisely my friend.

"O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
lest like a lion they tear my soul apart,
rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.
O LORD my God, if I have done this,
if there is wrong in my hands,
if I have repaid my friend with evil
or plundered my enemy without cause,
let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it,
and let him trample my life to the ground
and lay my glory in the dust. Selah
Arise, O LORD, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake for me; you have appointed a judgment.
Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you;
over it return on high.
The LORD judges the peoples;
judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness
and according to the integrity that is in me.
Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end,
and may you establish the righteous—
you who test the minds and hearts,
O righteous God!
My shield is with God,
who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
and a God who feels indignation every day.
If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
he has bent and readied his bow;
he has prepared for him his deadly weapons,
making his arrows fiery shafts.
Behold, the wicked man conceives evil
and is pregnant with mischief
and gives birth to lies.
He makes a pit, digging it out,
and falls into the hole that he has made.
His mischief returns upon his own head,
and on his own skull his violence descends.
I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High."
(Psalm 7 ESV)

Psalm 5 ~ Beware of False Teaching

I was reading Psalm 5 this morning in my quest to study one Psalm a day. King David is praying to God to cast His judgment upon the evildoers in David’s life. In verse 9 he is speaking of how these evil people lie and deceive when he writes THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE. How’s that for a word picture? These people are so evil and filled with so much filth that when they open their mouths what... comes out is like the stench of dead bodies, rotting in an open grave. Here’s the full verse in context:

"For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue."

Today we are faced with these same evildoers. They are the false teachers in our midst. At first glance they give the appearance of Christians. They come disguised as angels of light teaching the word of God. They use Scripture as a tool to lure followers into Hell with promises of health, wealth and prosperity. They encourage followers to live their “best life now” rather than store their treasures in Heaven. They proclaim salvation via a life of works. They redirect your focus to the teacher rather than to God’s Word. Their teaching omits the true Gospel of salvation by faith alone. They tickle your ears with false messages that twist and pervert the Word of God.

Do not be deceived into believing that you are in control of your life. We are all sheep in need of a shepherd. There are only two shepherds. There is Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and Satan, the False Shepherd. If we are not in daily communion with our Good Shepherd, the False Shepherd is always ready with his wolves to come down the hill and devour us. If we do not consciously make an effort to keep ourselves in the green pastures of Jesus we may fall victim to the worldly influences around us, which are controlled by the False Shepherd.

"Give ear to my words, O LORD;
consider my groaning.
Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover him with favor as with a shield."

(Psalm 5 ESV)

More of Christ and Less of Me

This new year I pray for more of Christ in my life and less of me. Last night I was rinsing out the coffee pot and I poured out a cup's worth or so of dirty water into a bowl that was in the sink. As I let the water from the faucet run to rinse out the pot I noticed that the same amount of clean water added to the dirty water did not make it clean. It takes a lot more clean water to purify a dirty vessel than it takes of dirty water to pollute a clean vessel.

Our hearts are vessels that we fill daily. We allow sin into our hearts every day, and our hearts become filled with filth.

Galatians 5:9 teaches us that a little leaven spoils the whole lump. For every spec of sin that enters into our hearts, we must pour in volumes and volumes of Christ's Word and teachings to purge it from our souls.

By my own power, I can do nothing to keep sin from entering into my heart. But with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit I can restore my heart to the clean vessel it was intended to be. A heart that is full of love, peace and understanding. If I can keep my heart full of these things, there remains less room for sin to enter. I must quench my thirsty soul with Christ at every opportunity I get. I want my heart to not only be filled with His living water, but to overflow.

"Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)