In speaking with a classmate today, she was relaying her concern about the church while dealing with those in need. She has recently lost a grandparent and rather than comfort people would offer euphemisms hoping to ease her grief. "There is truth in euphemisms, but it doesn't help me much when my foundation is shaking and I need something to stand on. The church does a great disservice trying to give wisdom instead of comfort in the midst of crisis." Her words ring very true. Often when people are grieving or in a crisis most of us do not know exactly what to say. We fumble for words as we stumble in seeking to help people through their difficulty.
May I suggest that the church needs to be The Church when someone is in need. What do I mean? Above all things Christ has called the church to love one another. When people are suffering through difficult times, words often avail little. Action is needed: this is being The Church. 1 John 3:18 says, Love not in word only, but in deed and in truth. To love someone at any time requires action, but more so when someone is grieving or struggling. Galatians 6:2 says that we should bear one another's burdens. This passage is speaking of a brother overtaken in a fault, but also applies when someone has a burden of grief.
Our tongues often get is into trouble even when attempting to do the right thing. Let us live by the old adage: Actions speak louder than words. When dealing with loss of any kind whether it be a job, marriage, or loved one, let us pitch in and help with everyday life. I heard a story which can illustrate this perfectly. A senior saint came to a friend's house one day after the family had lost a loved one. She offered few words, but came in and began to wash the dishes. This is the kind of example the church needs. We need to look the grieving in the eye and ask what do YOU need? Other times we need not ask, but do the things we see need to be done.
These actions convey the fact that the one grieving isn't alone. That we stand with them in their time of need. It also relieves them of the needs of everyday life, such as dishes, food, washing clothes, caring for children. All these things people will remember more than the words said. Why? Because it is love in action. What is needed is your shoulder (to cry on), your hands (to hold), your arms (to hug them), your feet (to carry them). The last thing needed is your tongue. Why is this more powerful? Because it is what God did. He gave us an example. God could have stayed in Heaven and proclaimed I love you, but His words weren't needed. He veiled the glory of heaven in a robe of flesh, and we mocked Him, spat on Him, beat Him, and crucified Him. Why? Because my sin debt needed to be paid, and He alone could foot the bill. It was His action that saved me. It was His love that propelled Him. May the love of Christ propel us to serve our brethren in times of need.
May God give us eyes to see their need, a heart that cares, and feet to carry us to their side.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Investing
If you want to know what you value most look at your checkbook and your schedule. We all have different things we value in life, and we invest our time, talent, and abilities in those things. May I suggest that you may be wasting your resources. Would you like to invest in something that has a long lasting value and a great return on your investment? We all would. What is this investment I speak of? I am glad you asked.
Let me explain this investment opportunity to you. First, this investment will require a large amount of equity, in other words you need to have something to give. This investment isn't for those who are weak-hearted, weak willed, and those who lack character. It will test your patience, try your integrity, and strain other areas of your life to a breaking point. Other people may misunderstand you and talk of you negatively, but you must maintain the course for this investment to pay off. There are very few people who have this great of an opportunity, but I see in you someone who has the potential to follow through on this commitment. Are you still with me? Have I frightened you off yet? Ok, wonderful, you are still here.
Not only will this investment cost you some equity, but it can also be a big consumer of your time. Sometimes you may be able to spend just a few minutes checking on your investment, but other times you may have to spend a substantial amount of time. This investment can be volatile with many ups and downs. The pressures which cause these drastic changes often go unseen, but a careful investor who keeps track may be able to see trouble coming and redirect their investment away from trouble. Are you still here? Good, let's proceed.
Unfortunately, this investment can cause health trouble, both physical and mental, and may at some point possibly cost you your life. I know, I know, there aren't many investments which are worth your life, but I assure you this one is. You can trust me, I promise. So, what exactly is this grand investment? Get to the point you say? Okay. Okay.
The grand investment lies all around you. It is something common you interact with everyday. It is the people God has placed in your life. They can break your heart. They can cost you everything you own. They can cause you to lose sleep, grow ulcers, and pace the floor. But in the end, investing your life in other people is truly the only thing that can go with you into the life that is to come. Besides the eternal aspect of relationships, investing in another person can cause the course of history to change. Investing in another person can also change the course of one's history. It is worth your time, your equity, your life. How can I say this in certainty? Because Jesus invested His all in me.
Let me explain this investment opportunity to you. First, this investment will require a large amount of equity, in other words you need to have something to give. This investment isn't for those who are weak-hearted, weak willed, and those who lack character. It will test your patience, try your integrity, and strain other areas of your life to a breaking point. Other people may misunderstand you and talk of you negatively, but you must maintain the course for this investment to pay off. There are very few people who have this great of an opportunity, but I see in you someone who has the potential to follow through on this commitment. Are you still with me? Have I frightened you off yet? Ok, wonderful, you are still here.
Not only will this investment cost you some equity, but it can also be a big consumer of your time. Sometimes you may be able to spend just a few minutes checking on your investment, but other times you may have to spend a substantial amount of time. This investment can be volatile with many ups and downs. The pressures which cause these drastic changes often go unseen, but a careful investor who keeps track may be able to see trouble coming and redirect their investment away from trouble. Are you still here? Good, let's proceed.
Unfortunately, this investment can cause health trouble, both physical and mental, and may at some point possibly cost you your life. I know, I know, there aren't many investments which are worth your life, but I assure you this one is. You can trust me, I promise. So, what exactly is this grand investment? Get to the point you say? Okay. Okay.
The grand investment lies all around you. It is something common you interact with everyday. It is the people God has placed in your life. They can break your heart. They can cost you everything you own. They can cause you to lose sleep, grow ulcers, and pace the floor. But in the end, investing your life in other people is truly the only thing that can go with you into the life that is to come. Besides the eternal aspect of relationships, investing in another person can cause the course of history to change. Investing in another person can also change the course of one's history. It is worth your time, your equity, your life. How can I say this in certainty? Because Jesus invested His all in me.
Friday, November 5, 2010
G.O.D
I had a thought this morning (strange I know) about how we often treat God like He is G.O.D only. What is G.O.D.? Starz movie channel has Starz on demand so you can purchase movies whenever you want. My thought was we treat God like he is our God On Demand. We only use Him when we have a need. Someone is sick, oops call God. An unexpected bill appears, oops call God. Things are going great, (crickets chirping to God) yay me!
There is a great misuse of God in our church culture when we view God as a genie in a bottle. We only feel the need to be in touch with Him when we can't handle things ourself. The sad truth is: we can't handle anything alone! In John 15:5, Jesus says that apart from Him we can do nothing! Is it our American culture that tells us to do things on our own? Is it pride? Is it just sheer ignorance of the depths of our sin nature? Whatever the cause, we need to get back in the Book and learn who we are and who we are in Him.
We need to realize that we still struggle with sin despite our forgiven and adopted state before God. We need to remember what Christ did for us and where we would have ended up without His saving grace freely given to all who ask in faith. What we need is that continual relationship and pursuit of God. We need to have Isaiah's vision of God's holiness. When we see ourselves in the light of God's holiness, only then can we truly understand that He is not the G.O.D. He is the Almighty God, Prince of Peace, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, Savior, Redeemer, Alpha and Omega, Ancient of Days, but most of all my Lord, Savior, and Friend.
Spend time with Him and make Him your God, not your G.O.D.
There is a great misuse of God in our church culture when we view God as a genie in a bottle. We only feel the need to be in touch with Him when we can't handle things ourself. The sad truth is: we can't handle anything alone! In John 15:5, Jesus says that apart from Him we can do nothing! Is it our American culture that tells us to do things on our own? Is it pride? Is it just sheer ignorance of the depths of our sin nature? Whatever the cause, we need to get back in the Book and learn who we are and who we are in Him.
We need to realize that we still struggle with sin despite our forgiven and adopted state before God. We need to remember what Christ did for us and where we would have ended up without His saving grace freely given to all who ask in faith. What we need is that continual relationship and pursuit of God. We need to have Isaiah's vision of God's holiness. When we see ourselves in the light of God's holiness, only then can we truly understand that He is not the G.O.D. He is the Almighty God, Prince of Peace, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, Savior, Redeemer, Alpha and Omega, Ancient of Days, but most of all my Lord, Savior, and Friend.
Spend time with Him and make Him your God, not your G.O.D.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Success
The American dream, a house, job, nice car, leisure time, leisure money, an easy life. Most of these things come to mind when success is brought up. The wisest man to live, Solomon, oddly calls all of this "vanity of vanities." Solomon says that man's search for meaning in work, material goods, pleasure, family, and success is all good for nothing. All of these things fail to fill the inner emptiness we all have, otherwise the suicide rate would drop significantly. All of us have these things to some degree.
Why then do we still find in our society many who complain about having little or nothing? Why then do we in America seem to be especially unhappy? Why are we never satisfied? The answer lies within us. We can have all these things, yet the one thing which truly satisfies our soul is a relationship. Outside of God and a relationship with Him our possessions mean nothing.
I want to go a step further. To truly be successful, I believe that a person must pour out their life. Like a drink offering in the old testament, when we pour out our life into another we offer ourselves as a drink offering to God. The only thing that is eternal is our relationships. When we pour out our life in service to God and another, we leave behind here on earth a lasting legacy and take with us an eternal reward and gift.
Here is the greatest part of it all. When we pour out what God has given to us, He pours in more. Psalm 23:5 "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows." If we are in a close relationship with God, we never give of our self (which is good because we have nothing to give), we give of the overflow He provides. And if you are living close to God, you do not have to even try, it just happens. Jesus said that "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." The word for fill means to have a surplus, a superabundance, in other words the overflow of your heart.
I implore all of us who are Christians, live close to Christ. Be intentional in getting involved in the lives of others, and let Christ work in them through you from the overflow of God in your heart. Then you will know what success is.
Why then do we still find in our society many who complain about having little or nothing? Why then do we in America seem to be especially unhappy? Why are we never satisfied? The answer lies within us. We can have all these things, yet the one thing which truly satisfies our soul is a relationship. Outside of God and a relationship with Him our possessions mean nothing.
I want to go a step further. To truly be successful, I believe that a person must pour out their life. Like a drink offering in the old testament, when we pour out our life into another we offer ourselves as a drink offering to God. The only thing that is eternal is our relationships. When we pour out our life in service to God and another, we leave behind here on earth a lasting legacy and take with us an eternal reward and gift.
Here is the greatest part of it all. When we pour out what God has given to us, He pours in more. Psalm 23:5 "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows." If we are in a close relationship with God, we never give of our self (which is good because we have nothing to give), we give of the overflow He provides. And if you are living close to God, you do not have to even try, it just happens. Jesus said that "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." The word for fill means to have a surplus, a superabundance, in other words the overflow of your heart.
I implore all of us who are Christians, live close to Christ. Be intentional in getting involved in the lives of others, and let Christ work in them through you from the overflow of God in your heart. Then you will know what success is.
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