Saturday, December 30, 2017

Fear Not

"Don't be afraid!" Moses replied. "God has come only to test you, so that by obeying him you won't sin."

-- Exodus 20:20

New Year's Day is right around the corner, and many people are thinking about their resolutions for 2018. Popular goals include losing weight, learning a new language and landing a better job. And it all makes sense. After all, the New Year represents a clean slate with plenty of possibilities. But then again, it also awakens our fears of the unknown. Who really knows what tomorrow may bring? It's a scary question.

Speaking of fear, it's been said that the admonition Fear not appears in the Bible 365 times: one for each day of the 2018year. Unfortunately, Christ-followers aren't immune from angst and dismay. In fact, it's safe to say that most Christ-followers are afraid of saying yes to God at one time or another. One problem is that we too often think of our Lord as a cosmic consultant who offers well-intentioned suggestions instead of being the all-knowing Creator who made us, loves us and wants only the best for us. But when you get down to it, saying no to God is perhaps the most basic illustration of sin. And mankind has been doing just that since those early days of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

We know in our heads and in our hearts that God loves us. In fact, he loves us so much that he sent his only Son to die on the cross to pay for our many failures in life. So with this in mind, why would anyone be afraid to say yes to God?

First, saying no and playing it safe is a basic human instinct. Fleeing from danger (real or perceived) is logical when we consider our innate desire for self-preservation. We also can say no to God when he calls us to do something that's uncomfortable or inconvenient. And that seems to be more often than not. Maybe it's his call to help a neighbor who's between jobs, drive a shut-in to the grocery store or talk with a co-worker who's at a spiritual crossroads. Taking that first step can be awkward, difficult--and sometimes even a bit frightening.

Perhaps selfishness is the biggest reason so many people are afraid to say yes to God. After all, agreeing with God often means we're disagreeing with ourself. But be forewarned: When we turn our back to God, we need to prepare for a certain level of spiritual storminess and turmoil. God knows what he wants and how he wants to do it. So we shouldn't be surprised when we find ourselves in a much worse situation after our refusal. As the saying goes, sometimes we need to feel the heat before we can see the light.

Are you afraid to say yes to God? You're not alone. And he'd like to talk with you about it:

"But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart," we read in the Old Testament's Book of 1 Samuel. "Consider what great things he has done for you."

A New Year is almost here. Let's resolve to make the most of its opportunities by stepping out in faith and saying yes to God.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

As Seen on TV

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

-- Numbers 23:19

Still have a few Christmas gift purchases to cross off your list?

You're not alone. In fact, a survey from the National Retail Federation reveals that nearly 30% of shoppers are waiting because their friends and family haven't given them enough ideas about what they want. Over 20% are waiting for the best deals on holiday merchandise. Meanwhile, another 20% admit to procrastination.

If you're completely out of ideas for what As Seen on TVto buy that special someone, how about one of those As Seen On TV products? For example, Flex Seal is the revolutionary spray that's guaranteed to make your gutters watertight. And if you're looking for more ways to add bacon to your diet, the Perfect Bacon Bowl is just the ticket.

As Seen On TV merchandise makes the perfect gift because everyone wants easy solutions to common problems. And who can blame them considering all of those late-night infomercials that promise to make their cares disappear for an amazing $19.99 (plus shipping and handling)? Of course, you tend to get what you pay for. And the reality rarely lives up to the hype.

The adage still applies: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But don't get too discouraged if your Q-Ray ionized bracelet doesn't re-magnetize your nervous system and bring you back to perfect health. There really IS a life-changing solution that exceeds all human expectations. God's plan for salvation will remove the ugliest, hard-to-remove sins from anyone's soul. What's more, the price is right: It's FREE to anyone who asks in faith.

It's also the answer to a problem that's as old as mankind. The first few pages of the Bible tell us how sin and death entered the human experience when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. The first man and woman were then exiled from their perfect existence. And ever since, we've all fallen far short of our Maker's perfect standards and are unworthy of approaching him through our own good deeds. So what's the result?

"The wages of the righteous is life," we read in Proverbs, "but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.

What's even worse is that this death isn't spiritual or symbolic. It's a literal, eternal existence in hell with no hope of escape. But the choice is ours. If we refuse to follow God during our lifetime on Earth, he won't force us. But that also means we won't be with him after we die. And then it's forever too late.

To the rescue comes perhaps the most famous passage of the Bible, John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

It sounds so easy--and like an As Seen On TV product--perhaps too good to be true. But these simple words summarize God's perfect solution for delivering us from an eternity in hell and replacing it with a joyful existence with him. The cost for offering it to us was more than we could ever cover on our own. But through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the price was forever paid. It means salvation is just a prayer away. And for once, it's a promise that lives up to the hype.

Saturday, December 16, 2017

Plugged In

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

-- 2 Corinthians 12:9

If the statisticians are right, 2017's holiday retail sales figures will exceed $680 billion in the United States. And one thing for certain is that a high percentage of these purchases will be for computerized electronic devices such as smart phones, digital assistants (like Amazon Alexa) and ultra-high-definition TVs.

Another sure-thing is that many of the gift-getters won't hold off on using their expensive new toys. The boxes will be opened and everything will look good-to-go. And after some tinkering and a bit of giddy anticipation, they'll push the ON button. And then...nothing.

They'll think they covered the bases. And after frantically skimming the instructions manual for the fourth time, they'll call the manufacturer's customer service help line. Then after 10 minutes on-hold, it will finally dawn on them: They forgot to plug it in.

Isn't this the perfect illustration of our Electrical Plugspiritual lives? How many times have we been crushed by a seemingly impossible situation or gigantic challenge, only to look back and recall that we forgot to ask for God's power--his help and guidance? Jesus illustrates this principle though the vital relationship between a vine (him) and its branches (his followers):

"Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me," he explains. "I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire."

The problem is that we tend to convince ourselves that we don't need anyone's help. Everything is OK, we say. All is right with the world.

But we know these words are false as soon as they pass our lips. Rather than branching out alone and trying to be our own vine, we must stay connected to our Creator and acknowledge our own weaknesses. It's this desirable attitude of humility that puts us in the perfect position for his power to flow through us.

Paul, the unlikely missionary to the Gentiles who wrote much of the New Testament, not only understood this connection, he lived by it:

"... But he (Jesus) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Feeling overwhelmed and helpless this holiday season--or any other day of the year, for that matter? Now's the time to connect with the One who can do all things. Don't forget to plug into the Power.

Saturday, December 9, 2017

For All Intents and Purposes

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

-- Exodus 9:16


Post-it Notes.

They're those yellow paper squares stuck in homes and office cubicles around the globe. And because they were first considered an engineering failure, a multi-billion-dollar marketing bonanza was nearly overlooked.

In 1968, The 3M Company was developing Post It Notea strong adhesive for manufacturing aircraft. The result, however, was a weak, pressure-sensitive substance that peeled away from surfaces without leaving a residue. Meanwhile, a 3M product engineer--who also happened to sing in a church choir--was seeking a way to prevent the movements of the song-page markers in his hymnal. He eventually applied some his company's seemingly useless adhesive, and to his delight, the markers stayed in place! There's much more to the story. But after 12 years of various setbacks, Post-it Notes eventually became one of the world's best-selling office supply products.

Like those resourceful 3M engineers who helped turn failure into success, our Creator uses some of the most unlikely and unqualified people to accomplish his purposes. Let's consider a few of Jesus' earliest followers. Peter, Andrew, John and James were fishermen, which was hardly the most respected profession of the era. Matthew was a tax collector--a despised individual who would have been considered a traitor by his fellow Jews. Simon the Zealot was someone we today might call a terrorist. And before coming to faith in Christ a few years later, the Apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, was a strict Pharisee devoted to hunting down, jailing and even killing Christians!

Although Peter proceeded to fail Jesus by three times denying that he even knew him, God used this impetuous servant to lead the early Church. John was likewise exiled by the authorities to the Mediterranean island of Patmos, where he wrote inspired Scripture that's been studied and debated for centuries: the Book of Revelation. And Paul--who described himself as the Chief of Sinners--is considered by many scholars to be one of the most important and influential figures in history.

Fast-forward 2,000 years and Christ is still using society's misfits like you and me to represent him and change the world.

"Come, follow me," Jesus summoned fishermen Peter and Andrew, "and I will make you fishers of men."

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Broken

My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me.

-- Job 17:1

How would you label yourself with a single word?

Would you say generous, energetic or perhaps successful? What about lonely, abused or divorced? How about broken?

The fact is that we're all broken in one way or another. But the good news for Christ-followers is that we worship a Creator who truly understands. And whether we're the victim or the victimizer in our shattered state, God's grace is enough to help us overcome.

What is grace? It's God's blessings to Brokenundeserving people like you and me. There's nothing we can do to earn it. We just need to accept it, embrace it and live it with transformed lives through our faith in Jesus. Grace is also what keeps us together when everything is coming apart. In 2 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul wrote about his own brokenness and how God answered his prayers through the power of grace:

"...Three times I begged the Lord for it to leave me, but his reply has been, '...My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

That's much-needed reassurance as we begin the holiday season--particularly when the vibrant reds and greens of Christmas seem deep blue for many broken, hurting people. But that's when God gets into the act.

The Bible tells us that long before the world was formed, God knew our names. He knew when and where we would be born, what sort of life we would lead and when we would die. And he also knew that we would need a Savior from our failures and shortcomings. We could never save ourselves against the judgement we all deserve. So God decided to do it himself by personally living the human experience on Earth through his Son, Jesus Christ.

By literally becoming God with us, Jesus truly understands our sorrows and brokenness--whether it's December 25 or any day of the year. He's also promised his followers that he will never leave them or forget them. As a broken people, let's embrace the truth that it's with his grace we not only survive, but thrive...and pick up the pieces.