Summer Re-Creation

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."    —Colossians 3:17

We’ve probably all heard the famous vacation line, “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.” Well, I can certainly say that this year.  I received three new T-shirts so far this year from summer experiences: a Chik-fil-A Leadercast shirt, a Bain Lakehouse Reunion 2013 shirt, and an Elevation Church VIP shirt.

I attended a leadership simulcast broadcast by Chik-fil-A out of Atlanta and received a T-shirt as a door prize for traveling the greatest distance to eat at one of their franchises. This spring I ate at a Chik-fil-A in Seneca, SC near Clemson University.

I paid for the Bain Lakehouse Reunion shirt as part of our family’s reunion at my brother’s house on Lake Keowee last week. On the way home, we traveled through Charlotte and attended Elevation Church pastored by Steven Furtick. The shirt was a gift to first time attenders who turned in an information card.

Summer should be a time of recreation (spelled re-creation—being made new, rejuvenated). By breaking from our normal routines, we may be refreshed in many ways. My T-shirts represent three areas of life that could use some re-creation.

The Leadercast: we all need to be rejuvenated for our vocation and workplace. By attending a meaningful continuing education event, we can be inspired by new training and receive renewed energy for what we do for a living. Family Time: we are so busy that we often neglect those closest to us and our most important relationships. We should all spend some super quality and fun time with our family this summer.

The Spiritual: throughout the summer, we often see a drop in church attendance, and I fear an equal slippage in our spiritual walk with the Lord. I would encourage all of us to make our summer excursions opportunities for spiritual renewal. Try out some new worship experience on vacation. Send or take your kids on a Church Camping experience. Attend a seminar or special service as a break from your regular spiritual disciplines. Please, check out Oakland’s website, we are hosting Willow Creek’s Global Leadership Summit, August 8-9.

Paul writes, “Whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17). Summer doesn’t have to be a time of boredom, lawn chores, and sweat. Make your summer a time for being made new by giving “whatever you do” unto the Lord as an act of worship. Allow the Lord to make you new, re-create you, as you enjoy a change of schedules.

By the way, I could and probably should have gotten four T-shirts this summer. Elevation Church offered Love-week shirts to everyone who stayed after the service and helped pack rice meal kits for hungry people around the world. Since I had to be home very early the next morning and had participated in that exact outreach at our Annual Conference a few weeks before, I decided sneak off without the fourth shirt. The problem with that decision is that I neglected to help someone else be re-created by my summer activities. Remember the Lord, your family, and your vocation, but don’t forget those in need. The greatest re-creation we often receive comes from helping another person. Have a great summer.

Our Wilderness Journey

"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry."    --Matthew 4:1-2

I was asked to preach at my fortieth class reunion (Redbank Valley High School Class of 1973). We will hold a community worship service at a local park to conclude our three-day reunion celebration. I have entitled the sermon, "40 Years is a Long, Long Time."

Over the years, I've had a few of those 'special' birthdays: 25, 30, 40, 50, and even 55, but none of them caused me to think twice. My 40th class reunion has caused me to pause and consider what a long time 40 years really is. My classmates and I are now grandparents. Some have already retired or become disabled. A few are just finishing additional schooling ready to start a new career. A lot can happen in forty years.

Forty is also one of God's special numbers. It rained forty days and nights on Noah and the ark. Moses spent forty years as a son of Pharaoh, forty as a shepherd, and forty as deliverer of the Israelites from Egypt. He also spent forty days on Mt. Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. Joshua, Caleb, and ten spies spent forty days scoping out the Promised Land. After the ten brought back a bad report, the Jewish people wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Even Jesus, God's Son, fasted forty days and was tempted by the devil. Although ours may be more than forty days or less than forty years, we all go through our own wilderness journeys.

Each of the forty day or year journeys seem to have three things in common: they were times of God's judgment/testing, provision, and new beginnings. Looking at Jesus' temptation, we see that God led Jesus into the wilderness by The Holy Spirit for a time of testing and perfecting before He began His public earthly ministry.

During Jesus time of trial, God, through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, provided Him with strength to overcome Satan's attacks. Notice that after the temptation, God sent angels to minister to Jesus (Matt. 4:11). As we go through wilderness journeys, we look to and rely on the Lord for strength, wisdom, and provision.

Jesus' temptation in the wilderness became a new beginning not only for Jesus, as He left the obscurity of His Nazareth home to proclaim the Good News, but also the entire world. "From that time, Jesus began to preach and say, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matt. 4:17).

One interesting fact about these wilderness times is that they are all three things at the same time. Looking at Noah, Moses, the Jews, or Jesus, the wilderness seasons were at the same time provision while they were testing/judgment and new beginnings. It seemed to depend upon their position in life and the direction of their walk with God.

Where are you in your wilderness journey? Have you experienced God's wonderful hand of provision? Are you leaning heavily on God's promises for sustenance and strength through a long and difficult time? I pray you have also experienced the joy of new life in Jesus Christ. Just remenber, God loves you. As you face the challenges of life, be certain that God does all things for your good. Nothing comes your way that has not been filtered through God's love.  Jesus' temptation began with the Spirit's leading and ended with God's ministering angels. God is present in the beginning and end of our jouney. He's there all the time. Trust Him.

Winning at Life

“He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.”    —Philippians 2:7

My grandson’s baseball league has already concluded, but my 3 almost 4 year-old granddaughter’s T-ball league is in full swing (pun intended). There are only two teams in the league so they play each other every game. Both teams use the same dugout so the fielding team must wait in the field for the batting team to exit before entering the bench area. Everyone bats. Each batter gets a single. At the end of each inning (they only play 2), all those on base run the whole way home. Everyone wins.

Robert Roberts (Taking the Word to Heart, 156) writes about a fourth grade class where a teacher introduced a game called “balloon stomp.” A balloon was tied to every child’s leg. The object of the game was to pop everyone else’s balloon while protecting your own. The last person with an intact balloon wins. There is only one winner; everyone else loses. Fourth graders can become very aggressive and soon learn that in order to complete their mission they must be pushy, rude, and offensive.

Another class was introduced to the same game, but this time it was a class of mentally challenged children. They were given the same instructions, but when the game began, it proceeded quite differently. The instructions were given too quickly for the children to grasp, but they did understand that the balloons were supposed to be popped. Instead of fighting each other, they began helping each other pop balloons. One little girl knelt down and held her balloon carefully in place, like a holder for a field goal kicker while a little boy stomped it flat. Then he knelt down and held his balloon for her. It went on like this for several minutes until all the balloons were vanquished, and everybody cheered. Everybody won.

Competitive sports can be fun to watch and play, but what we learn on the athletic field often carries over to the game of life. We push others down as we climb ladders to positions of success and victory. We keep score in a variety of ways: who has the biggest house, who has the longest title, or who makes the most money? We seldom keep score by asking: who has the most friends, who has helped the most people, or who has the most inner peace? I recently came across an interesting quote in a word puzzle, “It's incredibly easy to get caught up … climbing the ladder of success only to discover it's leaning against the wrong wall” (Steven Covey).

The problem with climbing up the ladder of success is that you will go right past Jesus, who is going down. Philippians 2:5-11 teaches that Jesus began at the very top, “being in the very nature God” (6).  Jesus gave up his right to the top spot and began a downward track taking on flesh and blood; He became human with human weaknesses and limitations. Jesus went lower, “he humbled himself” (8), and even lower, “became obedient to death” (9). Jesus’ ultimate task wasn't some glamorous achievement for He went to the very lowest rung, “even death on a cross” (9). For Jesus, the ultimate winner is the one who serves.

As you push and shove to the top of the ladder of success, remember Jesus started at the top and moved down to a position of humble service. Are you are seeking to win by destroying others or are you seeking to serve by helping others win. 

Godly Patriotism

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”       —Psalm 20:7

How will we spend our Independence Day celebration (4^th of July)? I might grill out with my kids or go fishing or swimming. I could catch an Altoona Curve game and fireworks display. If it rains, there is always watching old World War 2 movies. What would someone from another planet or country conclude about us by the way we celebrate our nation? Where would they think we put our trust? Do we worship bar-b-que grills, baseball, or water sports? They might conclude we trust in military might as we watch war movies and shoot off fireworks displays.

I am certain no one would conclude that we trust the One and only true God of heaven who created the universe. At the ball games, we have added, God Bless America to go along with the National Anthem and Take Me Out to the Ball Game, but I doubt that describes the faith of most baseball fans.

True patriotism of former generations included praying for nation, our President, and elected officials. True, godly patriotism includes times of thanksgiving for the freedoms and blessings God has bestowed upon America. As we sing God Bless America at baseball games, we should probably kneel and offer prayers with thanksgiving because God has truly blessed America.

The Psalmist describes the false hope of kings and kingdoms (that would be nations today) who trust in their military might instead of God. “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (20:7). Chariots and horses were the superior military weapons of the day. Today it would be stealth bombs, drones, and patriot missiles. Psalm 33 goes on to describe how the latest weaponry alone can not deliver. “No king is saved by the multitude of an army … A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him” (16-18a).

In the face of so many challenges in the world today, can our military keep us safe? Although we have the mightiest military in the world, I believe the best patriot is one who waves a flag and gets down on his/her knees and remembers the name of the Lord God. Godly patriots established holidays like Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, and the National Day of Prayer. I believe these and other national holidays like Veteran’s Day, Labor Day, Independence Day and so on, were intended to include prayer and thanksgiving.

Where are you putting your trust, today? Take notice how you celebrate your holidays. You might also review how you spend your money and time. We can easily say, “We love this country;” but do we pray for our leaders? Do we wave a flag then kneel to pray or do we wave a flag and criticize our elected officials? Do we wave the flag and turn our backs on the God who blessed America as the land of the free and home of the brave?

On this Independence Day, I urge you to pause, pray, and give thanks. America has lots of flaws and lots of work to be done, but we truly have been blessed by God to the nth degree. Let us remember the name of the Lord our God. Let’s be godly patriots.

No More Sour Grapes

“I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”                         —Jeremiah 31:33

Growing up in the rural areas of Armstrong County, my brothers and I always seemed to be sampling questionable wild foods. There was that time we cooked on a campfire the pigeons we shot from a neighbor’s barn with our pellet guns, but more related to this article, there were those chokecherries and wild grapes. The deep purple nearly inedible chokecherries would pucker your entire mouth dry. We also spent time swinging on wild grapevines like Tarzan. The wild grapes, although not as bitter as chokecherries, still made you wonder how animals could tolerate them.

There was a saying in old Israel, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Jeremiah 31:29). It was used as a complaint, a cry of injustice to God. The current generation considered their poor circumstances as punishment for the sins of their parents. Today, people use the saying of crying sour grapes whenever they feel an injustice has been directed toward them.

God spoke through Jeremiah about the coming day of salvation through Jesus Christ. “In those days they will not say again, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge” (31:29-30). The message seems at first to be one of judgment, but as we read further, we find it to be a message of forgiveness and hope.

Persons will no longer be judged by the shortcomings or sins of their parents, but by a New Covenant God will make and has made today in Jesus Christ the Messiah. Historically, Israel rejected God, broke the Mosaic covenant, and was sent into captivity. Truly, the children suffered greatly for the sins of their parents. God announced a new day, through Jeremiah, Isaiah, Joel, and other prophets, where forgiveness would be offered and God’s laws would be written on our hearts.

Jesus Christ established the New Covenant by His sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection. At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20). Forgiveness of sins can now be preached to all because Jesus took our punishment and paid the ransom for our souls with His very lifeblood. God puts His laws into believers’ hearts by the outpouring and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would be God in us and would teach us, remind us, and show us the future. As believers, we walk by faith and are led moment by moment by the Spirit’s direction.

We all have a past, baggage good and bad, from our upbringing and the mistakes our parents and families have made, but, by the grace of God, we no longer need to be controlled by it. In Jesus Christ, we have forgiveness. Through Jesus’ shed blood, we can begin again under a New Covenant with God. God promises to fill you with His Holy Spirit and write His laws within you. The past is past. Today is your day. There are no more sour grapes. How you will live today is up to you. You may choose to be bound by your past or live fresh and new in faith under a New Covenant. God loves you and has set you free. Walk in faith, today.

Sharing in Miracles

“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground…and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.”    —Mark 4:26-27

I watched a miracle happen again this spring. On Memorial Day, we do a blitz-garden each year. I had already rototilled the ground and fertilized between tillings. With all the seeds, plants, and onion sets prepared for planting, we planted the entire garden in an hour or two on Memorial Day morning. It’s not a huge garden, but we do have two rows of potatoes and five rows of corn.

This year, God sent a beautiful, soaking rain soon after our planting blitz. If you remember, it then turned very hot for the rest of the week. By the next Monday, a miracle had occurred. The sprouts from all the seeds had pushed up through the surface of the soil. Here is the miracle: I cultivate the ground; I fertilize; and I plant (even water on occasion when necessary); but only God can send the rain. Only God can send the sun. And only God can cause the dried and wrinkled seeds to sprout into new life. After my part is done, I can only wait, watch, and believe.

Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to a farmer planting crops. “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how” (Mark 4:26-27). Just as the germination of seeds and growth of plants is a miracle of God happening right before our eyes so sowing seeds in the Kingdom of God also reaps amazing, supernatural results. Every person offering a prayer in faith shares in the miracle God brings. Every act of kindness that softens a hardened heart shares in the salvation story of that individual. Every word of testimony or silent life of witness shares in saving those who believe.

God has blessed every believer with the privilege of sharing in His work. Paul, writing to the Corinthians about competition between preachers, said, “We are God’s Fellow workers” (1 Cor. 3:9). As Christians, we merely do our part, but God must give the increase. Only God can do the miraculous. Paul says that he planted; Apollos watered; but God worked the miracle of saving lost souls (1 Cor. 3:5-8).

I am still amazed how God causes plants to grow up from dried seeds, but I am even more amazed how God uses us in His Kingdom to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Lord told the believers gathered in the Upper Room just before His Ascension that they would be His witnesses from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. As the Holy Spirit descended upon them in power, they burst the doors open and began to proclaim the saving power of Jesus Christ to the entire world. Acts 2 describes the results, “Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles” (vs. 43). “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (vs. 47b).

Have you shared in a miracle lately? If you want to see one in the garden, you must turn over some ground and plant some seeds. If you want to share in the miracle of another’s salvation, you must sow some seeds of prayer, outreach, and witness. Then, wait, watch, and believe for the miracle God is about to do. 

Truly Rich

^“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?”    —Luke 16:11

A recent college graduate said to his mother, “I’m not moving out, ever. I’ll live here until you and dad move to a retirement home. I’ve got it made here. My clothes are washed, lunches prepared, and utility bills are paid. You can’t beat that.”

What would it take for you to be able to say, “I’ve got it made.”? Would you have to win the lottery? I still haven’t heard who won the $590.5 million Powerball jackpot. I know it wasn’t me because, as the PA Lottery slogan goes, “You have to play to win.” I personally believe the entire lottery system is a way of taxing the poor. Statistics show that as the economy slows down, lottery sales go up. According to Dave Ramsey, millionaires don’t play the lottery. By my own calculations, if a person would put $20 down and invest $20 per week (the amount one might spend on the lottery each week) at six percent interest for twenty years, they would have nearly $40,000. Some folks play the Powerball lottery their entire lives with nothing to show for it.

I have never played the lottery. Once, I did receive a scratch off ticket as a gift and was an instant winner of another scratch off ticket. I don’t need to play, because I already have it made. As a born again believer, I am the child of the King of Kings. My heavenly Father owns the cattle on every hill and wealth of all the gems and minerals of the universe. Just as God feeds the sparrows and clothes the wild flowers, He promises to take care of me. Yes, I have it made.

Many people live their lives on the false hopes of “if-only.” If only I could win the lottery, I could really be happy. If only I had a better job, then I would buy this or give that. If only my spouse or children acted differently, I’d be a better person. God has already given us everything we need for living an abundant, godly life. We have it made. “Godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment” (1 Timothy 6:6). It is time to start living faithful and faith-filled lives today.

In addition to promoting godliness, contentment is the foundation for faithful stewardship. A steward is someone who manages the possessions of another. Everything we have on earth has been entrusted to us by God. The things of this world are not our personal possessions; they are God’s and have been given to us to manage. Faithful stewards must learn to be content with whatever their master has entrusted into their hands. As we use God’s resources wisely for our own needs and the needs of those around us, God entrusts us with more. This more goes way beyond mere money ^“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you” (Luke 16:11)?

The true riches of the kingdom are authority and opportunities to teach, witness, heal, and serve. How have you managed the riches God has already placed in your hands? You already have it made. Are you living like it? God loves you and has forgiven your sins. God promises to be with you until the end of the age and provide for all your needs. If you can be content with God’s love and God’s provision, you are truly rich.