Special Delivery

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, 

"plans to prosper you and not harm you, 

plans to give you hope and a future."  

-- Jeremiah 29:11  

   

Before FedEx, UPS and E-mail, there was Special Delivery.

Between 1885 and 1997, the USPS (the "Post Office") offered this popular service, which involved a letter's delivery from the local branch office directly to the recipient (rather than through the mailman's regular daily mailbox route). And Special Delivery postage--not surprisingly--cost several times more than the price of a regular First Class stamp. After all, Special Delivery required a dedicated courier (sometimes on a bicycle or motorcycle) to hand-deliver the important message, which ensured its receipt by the right person...and at the right time.

What was so special about Special Delivery? 

Today, we live in an age of instant messaging, tweets, E-mail and Facebook. We can take a cell phone from our pocket and call almost anyone in the world at any time. But back in the days before jet airplanes and the Internet erased the miles between New York City, London and Tokyo, Special Delivery was the way to quickly spread the word about the big stuff--that critical life-changing news involving issues like marriage, birth, death or even a job offer.

As a flawed people who fall well-short of God's high standards of perfection, we also need a Special Delivery. And like the one once offered by the Post Office, its price is quite high. But our deliverance happens to be though God's own Son--Jesus--who paid the enormous cost of our failures and wrongdoings by dying a common criminal's death on cross. And then three days later, He fulfilled the Old Testament prophesies written about Him centuries earlier by rising again to life. Though this incredible act, everyone who accepts Jesus' free gift of salvation is a new creation ("born again") in God's eyes. We don't deserve it. But our faith in Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior wipes the slate clean and delivers us from death. We can live our lives anew and have an eternal future with our loving Creator.

The Apostle Paul sums it up this way in his famous letter to the Christ-followers in Rome: "But God has shown us how much he loves us--it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!" 

The Post Office may have abandoned Special Delivery years ago, but God still specializes in this costly, prepaid service. And unlike the USPS, He's happy to deliver on nights, weekends and holidays.

Of Mice and Men

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

-- John 16:33  

   

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray," wrote Scottish poet Robert Burns. And he was right. No matter how well we prepare, "stuff happens." And when it does, it can lead to disappointment. Just ask the Apple executives about their disastrous application ("app") known as Apple Maps.

Replacing Google Maps on Apple's much-anticipated iOS 6 operating system, Apple Maps was expected to be yet another useful feature on the wildly-popular iPhone and other devices. Instead, Apple Maps rapidly disappointed its users with a variety of remarkable glitches. For example, the app's 3D "flyover" feature displayed grotesquely distorted images of well-known landmarks. Apple Maps also offered wrong locations for well-known addresses. And famous monuments--even entire cities--seemingly evaporated from existence.

It's safe to say that just about everyone who's ever walked this planet has wondered why God allows life's disappointments. We reason that if He's all-powerful, He could and should) prevent them. But consider that God's mysteries extend far beyond the human experience and into the wonders of nature. For instance, how can an awkward caterpillar gorge itself with leaves, spin a cocoon around itself and later emerge as a beautiful butterfly? And how can a tiny acorn grow into a mighty 80-foot oak?

The principle here is the same. Whether the unexplainable involves a tragedy or creation, we must remind ourselves that God's ways aren't our ways. Our human minds are much too limited to grasp the entirety of His greater purposes.

Our perspective is limited. But we're not totally in the dark here. God's word to us--the Bible--gives us several clues. First, we live in an imperfect world where bad things can happen. Ever since Adam and Eve first disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, perfection on Earth has been spoiled. And this was soon followed by the first murder: a cold-blooded attack on one family member by another.

Have things really changed since then?

Our own bad choices are another reason for disappointment, pain and suffering. For example, if someone chooses to get drunk and then gets behind the wheel, tragedy often follows. But that's hardly God's fault. We instead reap from the foolishness we sow.

As depressing as this all may be, remember that we worship a God who specializes in turning seemingly bad situations into remarkable endings. Consider someone who gets laid off from a job, only to find a much better one in a different city--and with better pay--in an industry he or she had never previously considered. If it weren't for the "tragedy" of unemployment, he or she might have become stuck in a boring, dead end job with no future. God (as always) know bests!

Finally, God often turns disappointment into a tool for good by using it to discipline and mature us. Are we ever the same after experiencing a major illness or family tragedy? It's through adversity that we draw closer to God and depend on His help. And He can even use our suffering as a witness to others. If you're a Christ-follower faced with a God-sized situation, where you place your faith speak volumes to others.

Yes, our lives can be filled with heartache. But God never promised us a pain-free existence. In fact, Jesus told His disciples to expect trouble. But let's take comfort that we worship a "Big Picture" God--One who sees beyond our limited scope to turn even the greatest disappointments into the greater good. 

Good as Gold

The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself--that it begins and ends with faith. As the Scripture says, "But those who are right with God will live by faith."

-- Romans 1:17  

   

In 2001, an ounce of gold cost less than $260. But just a dozen years later, that same ounce of precious metal goes for more than $1,600. 

Why the difference?

With the headlines dominated by multi-trillion-dollar budget deficits, bankruptcies and foreclosures, many people have lost faith in what they once considered rock-solid. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) claims that it covers each depositor to at least $250,000 in insured U.S. banks. But 51 banks still failed in 2012. And with the unemployment rate and cost of living stubbornly high--and government spending out of control--many people have put their faith in gold and other precious metals to protect their wealth. They reason that economic crises come and go, but gold has always held at least some value. What's more, nations like China and Russia are dumping their dollars in favor of golden stability. So the price of gold has risen with its growing demand.

If it's not in our government or banking system, where can you put your faith these days? But before answering that, let's first consider what faith is. The Bible defines faith as "confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." And along our journey as Christ-followers, faith plays out in several ways: obeying God when we don't know where we're going, believing God against all hope...and trusting Him--even when the circumstances don't make sense.

And the circumstances don't make a lot of sense these days. Millions are facing unemployment or bankruptcy. For others, it's a chronic illness or the prospect of major surgery. Maybe your circumstances involve family or relationship issues like a divorce or the loss of a loved one.

In such an unstable and unforgiving world, we need to remind ourselves that we worship a God who's much greater than any economic reversal, natural disaster or political dispute. Ours is a God who literally spoke the universe into creation, formed great mountain ranges with His hands and parted the seas with a breath.

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" asks the writer of Genesis, the first book of the Bible.

Let's take God at His Word when He tells us that through life's circumstances, He works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. We're not exempt from personal storms once we turn our lives over to Jesus and become His followers. But what does change is that we gain access to a Power Who helps us endure any difficulty--great or small.

Although it's hard to be confident in very much these days, let's remember that the problems that seem so great today will become laughably insignificant tomorrow. Until then, all our Savior asks is that we have a little faith.

DIY Disasters

In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

-- Psalm 10:4  

   

Do you like to DIY (Do-It-Yourself)?  

If so, you're certainly not alone. According to the Home Improvement Research Institute (yes, there really is such an organization!), home improvement product sales at retailers like Home Depot and Lowes amounted to about $274 billion in 2012. And for good reason. From building a backyard deck to installing indoor lighting, consumers can save thousands of dollars doing their home improvement or repair projects themselves rather than paying a licensed professional. Magazines, websites and even entire cable TV channels are devoted to showing DIYers how to do it right.

Of course, this all comes at a hefty price for the many would-be handymen and handywomen who discover that they're in over their heads...and then have to call in the pros to fix the mess. The This Old House website features a DIY Disaster section that chronicles the woes of homeowners who only thought they could do it themselves. One Colorado women wrote that because of her area's extremely-high property values, she decided to buy a condemned home for $160,000 just to get into the market. She thought she could afford to re-pour the house's foundation--but failed to calculate the additional cost of re-wiring, new duct-work and landscaping. And when the house was lifted for the foundation's repair, the back 300 square feet of the structure collapsed! In the end, the ambitious DIYer paid $12,000 to make her 2-bedroom house an uninhabitable 1-bedroom shack!

In many ways, this DIY disaster story has much in common with passages we find throughout Scripture. A recurring theme is that God has a grand vision for His people and a plan for achieving it. But mankind--through its arrogance and ignorance--decides it knows better than the Creator...and then sets out to do it itself.

Predictably, the results are both tragic and disastrous. In one of the Bible's earliest passages, we read that the devil convinced Adam and Eve that God was holding back from them and preventing them from reaching their true potential. Falling for Satan's lies, the first man and woman ate the fruit that their Creator had commanded them to avoid. Unintended consequences such as illness, crime, poverty and death have plagued mankind ever since.   

Yes, there are some relatively simple household tasks that we can do ourselves to save time and money. But for the larger, more important projects that we can't afford to foul up--whether they involve our homes or even our souls--it's always best to depend on a Pro. 

By the Book

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 

-- John 17:17  

Can we really believe in the Bible? After all, some people say it's too old to be relevant in the 21st Century. Others doubt the possibility of all the miracles it reports. And still others believe that the Bible is no greater than the texts used by other religions.

So what makes the Bible stand out above every book ever written?

First, the Bible claims to be God's Word. And then it backs it up with dozens of prophesies (predictions) of events that eventually happened decades or centuries later. For instance, the Old Testament records in detail God's plan for saving mankind through a Messiah. And as we read in the New Testament, Jesus eventually fulfilled these prophesies in person through His birth, ministry, death and resurrection.

Historically and scientifically accurate, the Bible is also the most studied and critiqued book in history. Try as many have, no one has been able to disprove its claims.

What the Bible says about daily living is yet another reason to believe in the Scripture's validity. It advises us about friendship, marriage, money, health and much, much more. What was true 2,000 years ago remains so today.

And that's not surprising. After all, the Bible is God's owner's manual for our lives. It was written centuries ago to lead its first readers to abundant life. And in 2013, God's Word still does the same for you and me.

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart," Jesus invites us through Matthew's Gospel, "and you will find rest for your souls."

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 

-- Deuteronomy 15:10  

  

As Christ-followers, our faith grows as we continue to learn God's ways for living in the world and transforming it for His Kingdom. And it turns out that generosity is one of the character traits that He wants us to acquire and put into action along the journey. This is particularly relevant since we in 21st Century America are all so very rich...at least when compared to most of the world's population. 

It's unlikely that most of us feel like Donald Trump or Bill Gates when we look at our bank statements. But maybe we should. According to recent data from The Human Development Report, 3 billion people in the world live on less than $2.50 per day! Even more jaw-dropping is that 80 percent of the world's population lives on less than $10 each day.

These statistics should put our individual financial situations--bleak or otherwise--into perspective. Millions of Americans may be unemployed, on welfare or receiving food stamps. But even this reflects relative wealth against the backdrop of the crushing poverty found in sub-Saharan Africa, India or even Brazil. 

So how are we "millionaires" to respond with our excess of riches?

First, it's important to understand that being rich isn't a sin in itself. After all, Abraham--one of the heroes of the Old Testament--was quite wealthy. However, the way you get rich can be an issue. Do you gain by exploiting or cheating others? And are you being honest in your business affairs?

And there's also an even bigger question about wealth: What are you doing with your money?

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment," the Apostle Paul wrote to his protégé, Timothy. "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share."

Whether it seems like it or not, most of us are millionaires when compared with the vast majority of the world. And with this wealth comes responsibility. Of course, we can never use our money to out-give God. But we can use it freely to positively impact our friends, neighbors and total strangers by being incredibly generous...and amazing examples of lives transformed by Jesus.

Giving From the Heart

Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 

-- Deuteronomy 15:10  

  

The statistics are literally heart stopping. 

According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is responsible for about 1 out of every 3 deaths in the United States. The respected health organization reports that in 2012, nearly 2,150 Americans died from CVD every day. That's an average of one death every 40 seconds!

It's obvious that our nation is dealing with a major health crisis. But there's another serious heart problem that doesn't involve cigarette smoke, cholesterol management or low-fat diets. Far too many Christ-followers lack a heart that's willing to give according to the resources God has richly given them. They might not be wealthy...but they do have some to offer. And when they do open their pocketbooks, it's often done grudgingly.

Of course, that's not the example God has given us through His Word, the Bible. If there's one thing we should learn from God's principles about money and possessions, it's to be generous.

We worship a God of generosity. And He wants us to follow His example and spread His Kingdom throughout our community and beyond. One way to do that is by following the Biblical principle of the tithe, which means giving the first 10 percent of our income back to Him through the Church. Of course, the God who created the universe with a Word hardly needs our money. But following this savvy practice accomplishes several purposes. In addition to enabling the church to better spread the good news about Jesus Christ, help Christ-followers grow spiritually and benefit our communities, generous, purposeful giving shows how much we differ from society. The world teaches that cash is king and that he (or she) who has the most toys wins. Money and possessions are its god. But Christ-followers are to exchange what will ultimately rust and fade away for something much more permanent and valuable. Our Lord also knows our inner nature; if we didn't give to others, our selfish natures would take over.

Why do many Christ-followers fail to give to their potential? For some, it's a lack of sound Biblical teaching on the matter. For others, it might be a lack of financial planning or even debt issues. And unfortunately, basic selfishness often figures into the equation.

Whether you're rich or poor--or somewhere in the middle--generosity with your possessions is the cure for discontentment... as well as the antidote to materialism. Because when we give Jesus some, He can do a lot.