What’s Your (Be) Attitude?

Bible Lesson, devotional

Christians commonly refer to themselves as “blessed.” In James 1:17, it is written that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. This tells us that God bestows good blessings. It also says God is the Father of Lights as such there is no darkness. Without darkness, there are no shadows that shift. God is always the same. As Christians we honor God, thanking Him for their blessings. Others may simply declare themselves lucky.

About Blessings

A blessing is God’s favor in our lives. He will bless us with all that we need.
A blessing has to do with God’s purpose in your life. Through blessings He gives you the power to do what He created you to do.
Blessings are based on God’s promises and on His word. If it contradicts what He has said or promised it is not God’s blessing.
Blessings may be material They may come in the form of children, jobs, houses, good food, and the like.
Material blessings pale in light of the spiritual blessings that we receive as our Kingdom inheritance from God. His promised spiritual blessings include restoration, justice, mercy, eternal life, and our relationship with Him. We are made whole. In John 5:6 (KJ21) Jesus spoke to the man with an infirmity “Wilt thou be made whole?”

The common factor in all the blessings in the Bible is God’s Kingdom. Blessings that we receive, whether material or spiritual, all have to do with the coming of God’s Kingdom, whether here and now in small glimpses, or eternally when God makes all things new. This promise is found in Revelation 21:5 (NASB) “He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.” Blessings begin the process of restoration and they offer us a glimpse of God’s promise ultimately to renew and restore all things.

I began this blog as a look at the Beatitudes and quickly realized it was more than just a list of blessings God bestows on us. Dr. Michael Youseff has observed that “The Beatitudes are inseparable and interdependent. They are not a cafeteria menu where you pick and choose. They form a complete mindset and lifestyle centered on Christ, who is the ultimate source of our blessedness.”

Journey Markers. We need to look at the Beatitudes in a different manner. They are not a menu to choose from. “I think I’ll be a peacemaker. That will make me a son of God.” Instead, they seem to be a progression from our present state in the world to God’s Kingdom. Notably, Jesus did not issue any imperatives in the Beatitudes. He is describing the path of the Kingdom.

Suppose you are driving on a long trip. As you traverse you likely have constructed “markers” for your progress. “We made it across the state line, we still have a way to go. We just pulled off the interstate, we’re almost there” are our markers. Henry Blackaby wrote about spiritual markers. He defined a spiritual marker as a time of transition, decision, or direction when we clearly know that God has guided us. Like spiritual markers, the Beatitudes show our progress. It is not of primary importance which step you are on, but that you are simply on the right path and headed in the right direction.

Let’s take a brief look at these eight (or nine) “Blesseds” as I called them when growing up. Matthew 5:3-11.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Not a natural disposition, but the result of a deliberate choice. Poor in spirit is spiritual humility, looking at our moral and spiritual inadequacies.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” The result of our sharing with Jesus sorrow over our sin and the sins of the world. This is not just grief counseling, it is grief over personal sin and a compassionate awareness of the brokenness in our world.

“Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. ”In taking on Christ’s spirit we become gentle (or meek). This is from the Greek word praus, which means mild, humble, meek, gentleness of spirit, and meekness towards God. It means we are wholly relying on God rather than our own strength and abilities.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” Our passion for righteousness has us longing for honesty, integrity, and justice in society. Our soul becomes receptive to the voice and message of Christ.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” Mercy has been described as an active compassion to human need.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Those who are pure in heart have a single minded devotion to God, inner authenticity, and a quick repentance when we sin.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” This is an active posture, stepping into brokenness to heal a broken world.

“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This promise is to believers who suffer for doing right, who condemn ungodliness in the world.

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” This one is sometimes seen as a summary of the previous eight. But the difference is that this persecution is ones who have been mistreated because of their association with Jesus.

Look again at each of these blessings. They are given to those who are in pretty bad circumstances. Yet, in the midst of it all, God blesses them. Notice that the first four are passive, internal behaviors. The final ones require action on our part.

This is only a brief overview of blessings and the Beatitudes. I hope to expound on each Beatitude in future blog posts. I think a good mental marker for us is to take some liberty with the word “beatitude.” Instead, think of them as “Be Attitudes.”

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

All scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

A Unique Offer

devotional

As a card-carrying member of the Grammar Police, one word that is frequently misused bugs the daylights out of me. That word is “unique.” The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “being the only one of its kind.” Herein lies my objection. I often hear people describe something as more unique or most unique. If something is truly unique there can be nothing to compare it to, so those adjectives are useless. Something is unique or it is not, no modifiers.

For example, the Van Gogh painting “Starry Night” is unique. There are copies and reproductions but only one “Starry Night.” In another context you might describe a vacation as a unique experience. Suppose you were on a cruise ship with 4,000 other passengers, your experience was different from the others, so that could be described as unique. If however, you stray across my line in the sand and claim your cruise experience was most unique, you’ll get a visit from the Grammar Police. It could legitimately be said that there were 4,000 unique cruise experiences on the ship, as each differed in some way.

Stay with me. This blog is not just the ramblings of a senile old man. I would like to introduce two truly unique facts.

First, God is unique. Yahweh, the God of the Israelites is the one true God. There is no other. Our “gods” of wealth or fame are false gods. So-called beings worshipped by others are only pretenders, not gods. In Deuteronomy 6:4 Moses proclaimed “ Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” In I Corinthians 8:5-6 Paul proclaimed “For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.”

In Mark 12:28 a scribe questioned Jesus “‘What commandment is the foremost of all?” In the following verses Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’” Not only is He unique, we have been commanded to reciprocate the love God has for us. This should belie any claims that there are multiple true gods. We are to love Him with our entire being.

Second, the path to salvation is unique. Acts 4:12 explicitly states that God is the exclusive source and authority for our salvation. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.” Jesus uniquely gave up His heavenly position to dwell on earth. He uniquely took our sins, reconciling us to God. Salvation is a gift, something we cannot earn. He uniquely rose from the dead, uniquely offering us new life and eternal salvation.

The gift is offered, but we must accept that gift. We do that when we have a personal internal faith and externally declare that Jesus is our Lord. That involves repentance – the act of acknowledging that we have sinned, repent, and turn toward God. When we genuinely do this, we are transformed into new life and are renewed spiritually. Receiving Jesus’ salvation is not just performing rituals. There is nothing more to do than to say “yes” to Jesus as Lord and Savior. The uniqueness of salvation means that we accept it on God’s terms.

Acceptance means we have a new family as Jesus said in John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” Repent, receive, renew. A unique offer that can be made by no other.

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

All scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Why Be Holy?

Bible Lesson, devotional

We hear a lot in our world today about physical and mental fitness, but often we don’t think about our spiritual fitness. Obviously, spiritual fitness is the most important due to the eternal implications of having ourselves right with God. Spiritual fitness means striving to be holy. I wrote about holiness in two prior blogs, Creating Holy Habits, a “what do I do to be holy approach” and “Happy or Holy,” which looks at the differences in happiness and holiness. In this blog, I am looking more at the “Why” of holiness.

We don’t strive to be holy to help us feel better about ourselves. We don’t seek holiness to become better than others. We seek holiness because God commanded us to be holy and it is the first step toward spiritual health. In I Peter 1:14-16, the disciple wrote “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” That quote comes from Leviticus 11:44 but it is interesting that God repeats those words in the next verse. “For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; so you shall be holy, because I am holy.” He wanted us to get the point. In I Peter 1 Paul extols the glories of our salvation. Beginning with verse 13 the emphasis changes to exhort Christians to strive for holiness as a reflection of our salvation. When we are holy, our salvation becomes more obvious to others. The entire chapter can be viewed here I Peter 1.

These passages tell us three things.

First, we are to be obedient children. As our Father, He wants the best for us and His best starts with our obedience. We are to pattern our lives after the One whose name we bear. Remember the name we bear is “Christian.” Each Christian should pattern his or her new life after Him. Conforming to the world is denying our heavenly character. Those things are behind us.

We are not to conform to the lusts of the world. I am reminded of the old hymn by Albert Brumley. “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue; the angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.” Indeed, this world is not our home.

Second, we should strive to be like God. Admittedly, it is not possible for us to be exactly like Him, but we are called to try. There is a saying in baseball that before the first game, every team is undefeated. Through a long season, no team can emerge with a perfect record. But that doesn’t stop them from trying to win each game. It’s the same with God. We should always try to emulate Him. Seeking to be more holy. And we are not alone, He will help us become more holy. That is His great desire. Bottom line, we are to be holy because He is. Holiness is a goal that should always be before us.

I’ve been reading a work of fiction set in the South. Many of the characters in the book come to realize how much like their ancestors they have become. God is our Father, we should strive to be like Him. Our lives should reproduce the holy character of the One who called us. To be godly means to be Godlike. God is holy in all His ways. In this life we will never be as holy as He is, but we should be holy because He is. Our holiness derives from Him.

Third, we can’t do it alone. Any measure of holiness that we achieve is empowered by the Holy Spirit indwelling within us. In the Leviticus passage previously quoted, the Israelites did not have the power of the Holy Spirit, as it had not been given. After the resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit came. Acts 1:8 reads “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” That day came as related in Acts 2:2-4 as the followers were gathered together in one place. “And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting… And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Anyone familiar with the Old Testament knows that the Israelites struggled. They repeatedly sinned, repented, then fell back into their old ways. As New Testament saints, we are both more privileged and responsible than these Old Testament saints. We are privileged to have the Holy Spirit indwelling within us. But that indwelling creates for us a higher level of responsibility. The Holy Spirit is our paraclete. A paraclete is a helper, an advocate, a counselor. The Spirit is given to help us in our quest for holiness. With the coming of the Holy Spirit, the ideal of holiness becomes an everyday quality in our lives.

That is the “Why” of holiness. That’s what God desires, even demands, of us. “Be ye holy for I am holy.” How do we become more holy? There is no one “magic solution,” but holiness will include incorporation of spiritual disciplines in our lives. This will likely look different for each of us but should include two elements.

We Need a Quiet Time with God. How can you get to know someone better unless you spend time with them? With God, that comes in the form of daily prayer and Bible study. There are many tools available to help us form and continue these disciplines in our daily lives.

We Need Regular Attendance at Church. Don’t be a CEO member (Christmas and Easter Only). When you share a common bond with others your natural desire is to be with them. Jesus put this in the form of a command when He said “ I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). This is not really a new commandment, it refined Leviticus 19:18 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Instead of loving our neighbor as ourselves we are to love our neighbor as Jesus loves them.”

The bottom line is well expressed in a song sung by many Christian artists which includes the lyrics “Holiness, holiness is what I long for. Holiness is what I need. Holiness, holiness is what You want from me.” Please God. Pursue holiness. What do you need to do to further your quest for God’s Holiness?

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

All scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Photo credits to clker-free-vector-images and johnhain on Pixabay and to stockcake.

Happy or Holy?

Bible Lesson, devotional

In Leviticus 11, God was speaking to Aaron and Moses, giving them the Law as it applied to the Israelites. In verse 44, God said “Be happy, for I am happy.” Ok, put down those stones you’re ready to throw at me right now. I realize that is NOT what the scripture says. Americans are obsessed with the pursuit of happiness, and sometimes it can achieve the opposite result. I’ve often heard it said “Do whatever makes you happy.” Happiness can be fleeting and lead to future difficulties. What is the relationship between holy and happy? Is the pursuit of happiness a valid objective? Let’s look at some terms often used in this discussion.

Happiness I fear that the pursuit of happiness is where it ends for many of us. Is this the right person for me to marry? Will I be happy if I accept this job offer? Will getting a pet make me happy? Will I be happy if I buy that new car I’ve had my eyes on? The problem with these pursuits is that they may make us happy for a while but questions arise. Happiness can be temporary and leave us with an empty feeling and can end up not being good. Happiness is what I would rate as low on the scale of positive emotions.

Blessed A similar word is blessed, which we see in many translations of the Beatitudes. This word is sometimes translated as happy but I think “blessed” is a better fit as it indicates that God will bestow blessings on the person having the characteristic included in a particular beatitude. Blessed means to be made holy, Becoming blessed can be a step toward our holiness. Again, this word is frequently misused. Frequently when something good happens (that makes me happy) I claim that I am blessed. If I get ahead in the business world through shady or illegal means and become wealthy, you can be assured that is not God’s blessing on you.

Joy The dictionary defines joy as a feeling of pleasure or great happiness. From a non-spiritual view this seems to place joy a step above happiness. But joy from a scriptural view indicates that there is more. Biblical joy is a lasting emotion that comes from the choice to trust that God will fulfill His promises. Beyond that, joy is a deep-rooted, inspired happiness.

In addition, joy is listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Joy is described by author Glory Dy as internal, selfless, a spiritual connection with God, and purely good. When we achieve joy our focus turns outward. Rick Warren defined joy as “the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.” It is the natural reaction to the work of God, whether promised or fulfilled. Joy expresses God’s kingdom—His influence on earth. To attain joy we must receive Christ, follow Him and His teachings.

Holy All of these can be good things to have in our lives. But we need to bring this back to where we started. To properly quote Leviticus 11:44 we read “Be holy, for I am holy.” So how do we achieve holiness? At first it may seem impossible as Revelation 15:4, in speaking of God, reads “For you alone are holy.” Yet Hebrews 12:14 reads “without holiness no one will see the Lord” So holiness is a requirement for a Christian. God’s holiness is His nature. How can we be holy? Our holiness is a holiness derived from God. We become holy when we come in contact with the Source of holiness, the Holy God. This explains why the ground surrounding the burning bush was called “holy ground.” God’s presence turned common, ordinary ground into holy ground. The same is true of us. In order for a person to be holy, he or she must be connected to the source of holiness – that source is God Himself. Common human beings become holy through God.

We can have happiness in our lives, we can be blessed by God, we can have lasting joy in our lives but our ultimate goal is to be made holy in God’s image.

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

Photo credit for Happy to Stockcake

All scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Winnie-the-Pooh and the Church

devotional

Winnie-the-Pooh is a beloved character created in 1925 by A. A. Milne as a Christmas story commissioned by the London Evening News. Little did he know the impact that story would have over the years. The inspiration for Pooh was a stuffed toy Milne bought for his son Christopher Robin in Harrods Department Store and from a real bear named Winnie, who resided at the London Zoo.

Much has been made of the various characters that emerged from that seminal tale and the subsequent writings that emerged from it. Milne’s stories have captured young and old for a century. What is it about Winnie-the-Pooh and friends that have made Milne’s tales legendary? Although there are many characters in the stories, we will focus on the main ones. Many have analyzed the characters for their “mental disorders” but I see more to it than that. The bottom line is that the characters are so relatable.

Christopher Robin is the calming human in the stories. He is a carefree child who likes to escape into his own fantasy world and may be schizophrenic. Frankly, I can relate. But, as an adult, his conversations and interactions with his imaginary friends could land him on a therapist’s couch.

Winnie-the-Pooh is likely OCD with a binge eating disorder. This could account for his obsessive and repetitive behaviors, not to mention his love of honey. On the other hand, Pooh is a thoughtful, insightful character who is more than willing to help his friends.

Tigger, without a doubt, has ADHD. He is excitable, hyperactive, impulsive, and can’t sit still. But he exhibits positive energy and speaks about appreciation and individuality. He is cheerful, outgoing, competitive in a friendly way, and has complete confidence in himself.

Piglet is shy, insecure, timid and full of anxiety.He constantly worries and feels vulnerable. But Piglet has a big heart. He could even be called a role model as he often pushes back on his fears to help his friends.

Eeyore is loved by all. But he constantly exhibits gloomy self-despair, even depression. He feels inferior as evidenced by statements such as “thanks for noticing me” or “ No need to bother on my account.” But Eeyore teaches us much about friendship and resilience. He is a loyal friend but lacks self worth.

Not to go into detail, but Rabbit is obsessive, Kanga has social anxiety. The wise Owl is a bit narcissist – arrogant with a high opinion of himself.

How many times did you see yourself or a close loved one in that listing of “character disorders?” I think therein lies the appeal to children and even adults in that they see parts of themselves when they see the residents of the 100 Acre Woods. Don’t focus on the individuals but look at the whole. When you dial back to the big picture you see a community, coming together to help one another. One might say you see what the church should be for each of us.

I see Pooh’s helpfulness reflected in I Thessalonians 5:11 “This is why you must encourage and help each other, just as you are already doing.” Tigger exemplifies I Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Always be joyful and never stop praying. Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ.” Piglet put his fears behind him (Psalm 34:4-6) “I asked the Lord for help, and he saved me from all my fears. Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the sun and never blush with shame. I was a nobody, but I prayed, and the Lord saved me from all my troubles.” Eeyore is a faithful friend as we see in Proverbs 18:24 “Some friends don’t help, but a true friend is closer than your own family.” Christopher Robin is a leader in the 100 Acre Wood, maybe even the group’s pastor “Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves. (Philippians 2:3-4). He cares deeply for his friends.

God gives each Christian spiritual gifts, designed for the uplifting of His Kingdom. I Corinthians 12:4-6 reads “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do.” And in I Peter 4:10, we are told “Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well.” I am by no means attributing spiritual gifts to the residents of the 100 Acre Wood, but attempting to demonstrate how the church can come together in the service of God. Coming together as The Church.

Yes, we are different from the characters in the 100 Acre Wood. They are a creation of a gifted writer. But we see ourselves in these characters. We are the creation of Almighty God and we are more than fictional characters – we can become children of God.

As Christians, we are the church in the world. That world is outside the four walls of our building. We are told in Matthew 22:9 “Go out to the street corners and tell everyone you meet to come to the banquet.” The world is outside. We are to bring them to the Lord’s heavenly banquet, prepared for all who will come.

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

All scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible.

And the Word of the Year Is…

Current Events, devotional

Several years ago, I was a member of a business group that promoted choosing a “word of the year” to guide us in our business pursuits. I did this for three years, but as I approached retirement, I didn’t continue the practice. When I chose a word, I had someone prepare a poster that I could frame and display in my office to help keep me on track. (Those three posters are pictured throughout this article.) A few weeks ago, while attending Sunday morning worship, the pastor spoke on “Steps to Spiritual Health In 2026.” He listed six words using the first letter in HEALTH for each step. His word for “H” was Holiness.

Not to discount the other five words but “holiness” struck a chord with me. I immediately saw an application of this word to me and realized that I needed to be more holy. As I meditated on this concept (be on the lookout for a separate blog in the future that delves into holiness) God prompted me to adopt this word for the year. When I mentioned the concept of an annual word to some acquaintances, they found it a new concept for them and vowed to seek God’s word for them for the coming year. Since I had originally done it more from a business perspective, I thought it might be good to apply the concept to my spiritual life.

Isaiah 46:10 reminds us that God is in control. “My plan will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” This tells me two things. First, if we ask God for a word, he will give us one. Secondly, He will guide us in the direction of His plan. We must remember that only God has revealed events before they happened – all to accomplish His plans.

We often talk about the seasons of life. From a professional standpoint, as an adult I can identify several seasons. I held corporate jobs. In another season, I became a college instructor and eventually professor. I owned a CPA business. Now I am in the season of retirement. Seasons are common in the Bible. The Israelites had a long season in the wilderness. That was preceded by a season under slavery in Egypt. Revelation speaks of seasons yet to come. A word of the year can help us navigate the seasons in our lives.

Our word of the year is more about releasing control of our lives to God rather than just choosing a word. He is leading me to become more holy through giving me that word for the year. We have the freedom to choose any word we want, but only if God gives us that word will it come to full fruition – He alone knows what we need and when we need it. Otherwise, we may go astray. In retrospect, I see His hand in the words I previously was given. What steps can we take to choose the right word?

Pray for Direction. I see six steps that can guide us along this path. It always starts with prayer. Discover what God wants to teach us at this time in our lives. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus promises “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” How often does God not keep His promises.

Where are You? Before we can embark on a journey, we need to determine where we are at the time. If you are blindfolded and taken to a remote spot, how do you know which way to get back to where we desire to be? Find a landmark to guide you. Look at your recent history. What did God teach you in the past year? Where do you need to grow?

Scripture Reading. If we want to hear what God has for us, we need to look at what He tells us in scripture. This may help us to see that “our” direction is not where God wants us.

Prayer. Suppose there is a task your spouse would like for you to do. How are you going to know what he or she wants unless you ask them? It is the same with God. Seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 tells us he will reward us for doing so. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.” We must have faith, we must come to Him, and we must seek Him. There is no room for the attitude “Well, I don’t think it will do any good to ask God about that, but I’ll throw up a prayer.”

Be Intentional. Mull over various words. Find a word that describes where you sense God is leading you. Keep the thought in the back of your mind. The first time I did this, the word came to me while I was driving to the doctor. This year, Holiness came to me even before I was consciously seeking.

Integrate it Into Your Daily Life. As mentioned, I had the word framed and posted in my office. Maybe use it as the wallpaper on your table or computer. Buy an office name plate with your word instead of a name. Incorporate it into your prayers. Seek out scripture that is related to the word. You may want to keep a journal of how God is using the word in your life. Share with friends in order to keep yourself accountable.

The choosing of a word for the year is about getting yourself aligned with God’s purpose in your life at this time. When you’re aligned with Him your life will change for the better. Remember God is our good father. As does a human father, He delights when we come to him, You will find mercy and grace, along with His peace.

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

All scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise stated.

“Imagine” and “I Can Only Imagine”

Current Events, devotional

Imagine

Music has its way of working itself into our lives. We may hear a song in church on Sunday morning and it stays with us all week. Even if it’s a song we don’t like, it becomes our earworm for the day or longer. In a comprehensive study at Harvard researchers found that some form of music exists in every society. Moreover, across societies, music is associated with behaviors such as infant care, healing, dance, love, mourning, warfare, processions, and ritual. Examining lullabies, healing songs, dance songs, and love songs in particular, they discovered that songs that share behavioral functions tend to have similar musical features. This should come as no surprise, as we all have favorite songs that we associate with certain events.

For the Christian, it is important to know what we are listening to, as our minds receive what we hear. Most of us have probably been buying gas for our car and the vehicle across from us is blaring music with violence, hate, foul language, sexual innuendo and the like. After we left, parts of that music may stay with us. Another potential danger in music is that, if we repeat the lyrics in our minds often enough, they become ingrained in our thinking.

Following are the lyrics of two songs that have been favorites of mine over the years. “Imagine” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and “I Can Only Imagine” by Bart Millard. I publish the lyrics here so my readers can see what actual lyrics are included in the songs. I have edited repetitive words and phrases in order to conserve space.

Imagine

Imagine there’s no heaven

It’s easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today.

Imagine there’s no countries

It isn’t hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion, too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace.

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you’ll join us

And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world.

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you’ll join us

And the world will live as one.

I Can Only Imagine

I can only imagine what it will be like

When Your face is before me

I can only imagine, yeah

When I walk by Your side

I can only imagine what my eyes will see

Surrounded by Your glory

What will my heart feel?

Will I dance for You, Jesus

Or in awe of You be still?

Will I stand in Your presence

Or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing hallelujah?

Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine when that day comes

And I find myself standing in the sun/son

I can only imagine when all I will do

Is forever—forever worship You

I can only imagine

When all I will do

Is forever—forever worship You

I can only imagine.

Different World versus Heaven. As I study the words and the music, I find four differences in the focus of these songs. Jacob Uitti wrote about “Imagine,” stating “It’s a simple thought: what if the world was different? What if humanity prioritized generosity and care more than short-term safety, financial gain and material wealth? It’s a thought we all want to believe in, in many ways.” Regarding “I Can Only Imagine” Ronnie Bennett wrote “the singer pictures what it might be like to be in Heaven, standing before Jesus. It doesn’t offer answers, just a list of emotional and physical reactions someone might have in that moment.”

Dream versus Reality. Lennon sang of his dream that the world could live in harmony. That is not a bad dream. It is universal. Former President Carter, stating that he and Roslyn had visited about 125, said that in many countries this song was used almost equally with national anthems.

On the other hand Bart Millard wrote of a future certainty. Rather than dreaming about what would never be, he opened his mind to speculate what it might be like when he first sees Jesus in Heaven. This is not a dream, it is a future reality for all who call Jesus Lord and Savior.

Something to Strive for versus a Gift. Lennon asks us to imagine a better world. Imagining away Heaven and hell. No countries, no killing, no religion, all the people living in peace, a brotherhood of man, no greed or hunger, no possessions. From the beginning of creation, these things have been a part of our human existence. We can’t imagine them away. We are fallen creatures, even those who call themselves Christian. With no Heaven and no hell there would be no God. Removing God from the mix would result in the opposite of what Lennon wants. Satan is, at present, god of the earth. 2 Corinthians 4:4 reads “ the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 1 John 5:19 (CEV) affirms “We are certain we come from God and the rest of the world is under the power of the devil.” God has allowed Satan this power, but it is coming to an end John 12:31 lays down the law “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.”

God, in His infinite wisdom has provided a way for us to escape Satan, his lies, and eternity in Hell. Not by our dreaming of a better world, but God sent His son to take the punishment we deserve when Jesus was crucified on the cross. God has given us a gift. All we have to do is accept it.

That fact frees us from having false dreams about a better world and the certainty of eternity in Heaven. God is perfect, He will do, and has done, what He said He would do Isaiah 25:1 (NET) “or you have done extraordinary things, and executed plans made long ago exactly as you decreed”

Wistful versus Celebratory. There is no question that Lennon was an introspective thinker. Recall that he wrote this song in a tumultuous period in his life. The Beatles had broken up, He was married to Yoko, a significant influence on his thoughts and perspectives. There is no question that Lennon abused drugs, and apparently unsuccessfully tried to break his addiction. “Imagine” seems to be a wistful song. He may have come to the realization that none of his dreams would come true. They were all his “Utopia” and it was never to be.

On the other hand, “I Can Only Imagine” is celebratory. His abusive father had come to Christ. That radically changed both of their lives. As his father lay dying of cancer, Bart had the assurance that he would once again see his father on the other side. He was able to celebrate his father being in Heaven while speculating what Heaven must be like, knowing there would one day be a great reunion between the two. John 5:24 assures us that eternal life has already started for the Christian (CEV) “I tell you for certain that everyone who hears my message and has faith in the one who sent me has eternal life and will never be condemned. They have already gone from death to life.” Jesus said “for certain” and there is no falsehood in our God.

God is a just God and those who do not accept His gift of salvation are doomed to an eternity in hell. But He is also a faithful God and your acceptance of salvation is a certainty. You will be celebrating in Heaven.

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To learn more about a new life in Christ click here.

Scripture is from the NASB unless otherwise indicated

Photo credit to stockcake, to Geralt on Pixabay, and dassel on Pixabay.

Absolute Truth

Bible Lesson, devotional

When Jesus stood before Pilate a dialogue between the two ensued. Pilate was trying to determine just who Jesus was, asking several questions. What Jesus replied was probably gibberish to Pilate. His final words to Pilate were “I have come into this world to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:37. This likely set Pilate’s mind spinning, trying to make sense of Jesus’ responses. Pilate’s reply, in the form of a question has been asked repeatedly through the years “What is truth?”

In John 8:32 Jesus spoke “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus is the Truth. Jesus came to testify about Himself. In responding to Pilate, note that Jesus elaborated that those who listen to him have the Truth.

What is Truth? The Merriam Webster dictionary defines truth as “the body of real things, events, and facts.” An actuality, a reality, a fact. At first glance, truth would seem to be an easy concept. But those with different world views might have created their own realities. As a former college professor, I am painfully aware that many students do not have a grasp on their realities. They have created for themselves a world lacking in reality. I once had a student who failed my class. He took it again and brought his grade up to a “D”. Since this was a required class for his major, that grade was not enough. He came to me, informing me that his inability to get a “C” was not a reflection on him, but it was due to my incompetence as an instructor and I had ruined his life. Reality check time.

Truth comes in two forms. There is relative truth and there is absolute truth. Relative truth is often reflected in the statement that “that may be true for you, but not for me. I have a different truth.” This is a contradiction. If something is true it is factual and indisputable. Relative truth rejects absolute truth.

Relative Truth allows people to create their own reality and the freedom to do whatever they want. People listen to those who will tell them what they want to hear. Of course, this is not a new problem. In 2 Timothy 4:2-4, Paul exhorted Timothy to preach the truth, adding that “the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” Sounds like Paul may have been writing to us today. If there is no absolute truth, there are no standards.

Absolute Truth is true regardless of how someone thinks or feels about it. The Bible is God’s Word. It is the absolute truth. It tells us that everyone will acknowledge Jesus as Lord. For some, that acknowledgement may come too late. In Isaiah 45: 23 (and quoted by Paul in Romans 14:11) God says “The word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.”

There are three characteristics of truth.

Truth is Unchanging. Our perceptions may change as we gain new information, but the truth does not change. For example, at one time we were taught that an atom was the smallest unit of matter. That was given out as a scientific fact, a truth. Then scientists discovered that there are subatomic particles – quarks and leptons. It is currently taught that they are the smallest known building blocks of matter. The truth did not change. We have always had quarks and leptons from the day of creation. Our knowledge is what changed.

Truth is Objective. Merriam-Webster defines objective as “not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. In today’s society we have difficulty with this term. The same truth applies to everyone. Romans 3:23 reads “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” No exceptions. Everyone of us is a sinner. Romans 12:11 makes this abundantly clear “For there is no respect of persons with God” Everyone stands before God and is judged by the same standard. “Did you accept Jesus’ forgiveness for your sins? Yes or no?”

Truth Endures. We could say that truth stands the test of time. When all is said and done, the Truth of God will be standing, victorious in the end. Satan has been vanquished, along with all who did not know Christ. All the lies of mankind will fall by the wayside. All that is left will be Truth.

One Way. Jesus made it clear in John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” An absolute truth. The only way. We must guard against arrogance or being judgemental. We aren’t better than anyone else. We are saved by God’s grace and there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. Our task is not to look down on those who have not received His grace but help them discover the same salvation we have obtained. Unlike what many proclaim today, this is the only road to salvation. Being a “good person” isn’t enough. In the end, where will you be found?

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, and know absolute truth, click here.

All scripture unless otherwise indicated is from the New American Standard Bible.

Photo credits to geralt on Pixabay and Christian Photoshops.

Prepared for (Spiritual) Battle

Current Events, devotional

Probably one of the more familiar writings of Paul is his discussion of putting on the whole armor of God. (Ephesians 6:11-17). This passage takes some thought to read and apply it to our daily lives. Not many of us wear a helmet on a daily basis. We don’t wear breastplates, a literal belt of truth, carry a sword (just try taking one on an airplane!), or carry a shield. We do wear shoes. I have recently discovered an insightful writer whose books and website have a wealth of practical information. I would highly recommend Tim Challies for some good thoughts and commentary on your Christian walk. He recently posted an article “Go Ahead, Bring a Knife to a Gunfight,” in which he discusses how we can prepare to join the battle for right and against wrong. God calls all of us into this battle. But we need the right kind of preparation. I know that me carrying a sword would most likely result in disaster or worse. Paul reminds us that our battle is not “against flesh and blood, we are wrestling with spiritual hosts of wickedness.”

Committed to Truth. The first article Paul lists is the belt of truth. Truth as opposed to the lies of Satan, the father of lies. John 8:32 tells us that “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The Truth (Jesus) is the ultimate freedom. But the second aspect to the belt as truth is the emphasis on our personal commitment to truth and Truth. As Christians, this is vital.

Protection. The breastplate of righteousness is what we receive when Jesus becomes our Savior. This piece of equipment guards our heart and protects us against the lies of Satan. It is fashionable in today’s society to tell someone to “follow your heart.” This is bad advice, as Jeremiah 17:9 tells us “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick.” We can’t trust our heart, as it is often controlled by emotions. Think about a law enforcement officer. He or she will frequently wear bullet proof vests for protection while on the job. Most of us will never need one of these, but the breastplate of righteousness is important to help keep us righteous (and alive).

Shoes. Whenever we go somewhere, we usually wear a pair of shoes. No woman would be caught dead with only one pair of shoes, and I confess I’m not much better. We need shoes suited to the task before us. You wouldn’t wear a pair of high heels to run a marathon. You wouldn’t wear sandals on a mountain climb. We should wear our “gospel shoes” to follow Jesus. To advance the gospel we must be able to move forward, following God wherever He leads. An old gospel hymn expresses this well when it says “Where He leads me I will follow, I’ll go with Him, with Him all the way” It goes on to say I’ll go with Him through the waters, the garden, to Calvary, to the judgement. We need to be ready to follow whereever He leads. Proper preparation allows us to follow, whatever our means of communication and travel. When we follow Him, we can bypass the obstacles placed in our path.

Helmet of Salvation. The helmet protects the head. In today’s world helmets are worn by law enforcement officers, athletes, construction worker, bikers. They are common, with a singular purpose – to protect the head. As the head is the seat of our mind and thoughts, it is the most vital part of our body. Although there may be other factors involved, our decision to follow Christ is a decision formed in our brain. It is through our head that we can be certain of our salvation. This knowledge will help keep us from Satan’s deceptions. Finally, we have the peace of Christ. In John 14:27 He assured us “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives. ” Larry Burkett once said to me that the one thing Satan cannot counterfeit is God’s peace.

Shield of Faith. Paul lists this as “above all.” It is through our faith that we are enabled to turn aside the attacks and temptations coming from Satan. In order to properly use our shield of faith we must know our faith. It’s as if I buy a fire extinguisher to help me put out fires in my home. Before I needto use it it, I need to learn to use it. Imagine a fire and you have to stop and learn how to operate that extinguisher. Our preparation comes through reading, studying, and meditating God’s Word.

Sword of the Spirit. The tools we have listed so far have one thing in common. They are defensive, designed to help us overcome attacks from our enemy. They are preparatory, we do them to enable us to proceed toward the victory. The sword of the spirit is very important, as it is designed to advance the Kingdom. The other elements of our armor prepare us. Now we are ready to do battle. Two scriptures tell us the power of the sword. Hebrews 4:12 minces no words about the power of God’s Sword “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” In His high priestly prayer, Jesus prayed “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

There are many ways to use our “sword.” Some are very good writers, others are very persuasive speakers. Like Shamgar in the Old Testament, some may bring an ox-goad to the fight. We all have our given weapon in this spiritual battle. We should use the weapon God has given us. He will bless our efforts. Do not wish or seek to use a weapon you aren’t prepared to use.

A Final Assurance. Then Paul adds a vital instruction. He states “With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints, You never graduate from “God School.” We are to:

1. 1. Pray in the Spirit at all times.
Be alert.
Persevere.
Care for all saints.

As I was writing this, the event in the Phillies- Marlins baseball game came to mind where a woman was quite abusive and made a scene that the home run ball was hers, even after Drew Feltwell retrieved the ball and gave it to his ten-year old son for his birthday. Although he had every right to the ball, he took it from his son and gave it to the woman. He explained his actions by being more focused on just trying to set an example of how to de-escalate a situation in front of his son. In addition he asked people to leave her alone, as she has already suffered for what she did.

I could find no evidence that Drew Feltwell is a Christian. He appears to be a private person. But, Christian or not, he acted like we should. I saw Christ in his actions. I hope that all Christians would react in such a calm manner when attacked. I am not sure I could do what he did.

Let’s all work on developing our own modern spiritual armor.

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

All scripture unless otherwise indicated is from the New American Standard Bible.

Photo credit to Kar3nt on Pixabay and Christian Photoshops.

A Looming Storm for the Church

Current Events, devotional

Church finances can be a contentious topic. A frequently heard complaint is that “all the church talks about is money.” Some churches may get carried away. I know of a couple that visited a church and the pastor later made a home visit. This particular pastor brought a copy of the church budget for them to study. As an accountant, I like to study budgets, but this was too pushy for those unlike me. Probably it is an exaggeration that churches just talk about money, but there are some facts that we should know.

Money is often mentioned in the Bible. There are over 2300 verses that mention the money, wealth, and possessions. Jesus spoke about money roughly for 15% of his preaching and in 11 out of 39 parables.

Those not giving may feel guilty that they are not meeting God’s plan for finances.

People feel they can’t afford to give.

People give to Christian and other organizations but not to the church.

People misunderstand the spiritual gift of giving.

God wants all of His children to be givers. By following His plan, we will be abundantly blessed. As we discussed in a previous blog (God Said “Put Me to the Test), God uses finances to grow us as Christians.

Prepare. Churches should prepare for a financial crisis. After living in Florida for almost 30 years, I know about preparation for a crisis. Hurricanes are all too common to Floridians. Often, those who suffer the least in a storm are those who are prepared. As a form of preparation we recently installed hurricane windows throughout our house. When a storm approaches we take precautionary actions. Although the church in America faces many threats, there is a looming storm in the financial arena. Lacking mature, giving Christians, the church could dry up.

We live in a time of economic transformation in which many jobs may be eliminated. Other jobs may be downgraded. In short, the younger generations face personal economic instability. Also, there is a continuing massive retirement by the Baby Boomer generation. Boomers have sustained congregational giving for decades and now their income is declining as they retire. Many Boomers are not fully prepared for retirement as they pass their peak earning years. A church that does not teach God’s plan for individual finances may find itself unable to continue ministry. I was once part of a church in which there was little or no mention of church finances from the pulpit. That church suffered through some lean years, but fortunately it now appears to be on the right track.

Challenges. The previous century brought to the American people unprecedented prosperity. Despite our wealth, the average church giving in our churches is between two and three percent of income. Our society offers many options to spend our money. There is always something new to buy. Numerous parachurch organizations plead for our funds. These are, by and large, worthy causes. But they are not the church. Many self-centered individuals may simply avoid being charitable and spend it on ourselves.

The storm goes even further for the local church. Not only are tithes and offerings threatened due to economic instability and reduced income, younger generations are less religious than their parents and grandparents. A study by done by Pew Research found that adults age 18-24 are less likely than older adults above age 73 to:

Identify as Christian 46% versus 80%.

Pray daily 27% versus 58%.

Attend religious services at least monthly 25% versus 49%.

Consider themselves religiously unaffiliated 43% versus 13%

Opportunities. New challenges bring new opportunities. Throughout the centuries the church has thrived by adapting its methods while maintaining its mission. The Industrial Revolution transformed our society. The invention of the automobile changed residential patterns. Our financial abundance has enabled us to travel and do other things with our newfound wealth. I would propose that churches follow the “4S” process.

Stewardship. The church has, by and large, failed to teach God’s plan of stewardship and the rewards that come with obedience. With average giving in the range of 2-3% of income we are failing God as Christians. Do not misunderstand me here. I am not advocating the “prosperity” gospel but am calling on churches and members to follow what God has decreed in regard to our tithes and offerings. God’s plan is not “name it and claim it,” but “give it and grow it.” And we will be blessed by God as we give.

Stay the course. Regardless of any solution, the church must remain true to its mission. But the world is changing and it must make preparations for the storm. Weather forecasts have reached the level of sophistication that we can prepare for many types of storms. The church can prepare for its storm. This could change what the church today looks like. But if it doesn’t prepare, some churches may disappear. The church universal is the Bride of Christ. Parts of that church may fall away, but the Church will stand.

Scrutinize. In preparing, the church must take a deep scrutinization of both the threat and its capabilities. It is no longer sufficient for churches to take the attitude that people will find them. We need to develop strategies to find, reach, and disciple the unsaved.

Shape. This may entail creative shaping of the church to adapt to the crisis. Over the centuries the church has adapted to the storms. Many churches today no longer pass the offering plate. Churches don’t use hymnals as they once did. Many churches today stream their worship services across the globe. Sunday night services are largely a thing of the past. Many churches realized that having a building sit empty most of the week is a waste of resources and have opened the doors to other activities during the week. All of these represent adaptations to what they once did. The church must continue to adapt while remaining faithful to its mission.

I’ve been actively involved in a church for over 75 years. My parents took me to church at least weekly. Once on my own, I continued this habit which became a lifestyle. I’ve been in a variety of churches. Some good and some not-so-good. I always sought out Bible-believing churches. Some churches I visited once, never to return. Despite some “bad apples” God’s church still stands. It will be here until we are all called home.

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All scripture is from then NASB unless otherwise indicated.

To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

Photo credit to alles on Pixabay.