What Were You Thinking?

I’m sure many of you have heard the phrase regarding the Bible: “Reading this will keep you from sin; sin will keep you from reading this.”  Did you know it’s straight from God’s Word?  I came across the passage this morning in the first chapter of Romans. 

He or she begins by suppressing the truth about God that may be known by nature (vv. 18-20), plunges inevitably into spiritual ignorance and moral deficiency (vv. 21-31), and eventually comes not only to practice the sins of the heathen but to approve them as well (v. 32).  

Sin leads to a rejection of God and God’s Word, and the rejection of God’s Word leads to even greater sin.  How does it all begin?  Paul says it’s our “godlessness and wickedness”, which comes from rejecting the very nature of God.  When we don’t repent of our sins, depending on our worldly knowledge to get us through the tough times—instead of trusting our sovereign Lord, we miss out on the saving grace and peace that God wants for our lives.

What’s keeping you from the peace and forgiveness that comes from living in God’s will?  Is it because you don’t even know what God’s will is for your life?  Or is it because your heart and mind are so full of sinful thoughts and desires that God isn’t even a part of your day?  The answer to both is spending time with Him and His Word.  Read Luke, Chapter 8.  Which part of the parable reflects your life right now?  

The iPhone has ruined my life.  It’s one of the coolest inventions since sliced bread.  I can check the weather, email, football scores, play games, listen to music, and even call people; but I can never get away from it!

That, in addition to the TV and kids at home, email and phone ringing off the hook at work, and the constant bombardment of media when out in public, there are few if any moments of silence in my life. 

Boo hoo, right?  I’ve got it really rough.  In one sense, I do.  Everyone in this modern world has it rough, missing out on times of solitude with God that are essential to a quality life.

Once again, I will revert to the example Jesus Christ gave us.  He needed solitude because he was human.  He got away from the crowds to cure his loneliness.  The man who was the definition of love, needed to love and be loved.  His greatest need was God, just like ours is today…no person on this earth can fully meet our need for love.

I’ve always been a strong extravert.  Being around friends, or even good people I don’t know, bring me joy and happiness and partially meet this need, but my heart needs more.  It is only when I turn the phone off and go for a walk in the trees, amongst God’s beautiful creation, that I can get away from the wonderful distractions of this world that only give temporary satisfaction, and find true contentment and joy in Him.

As the highly anticipated Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama rapidly approaches, the whole world seems to be in waiting for their newly-elected savior to take the reins of this young country and deliver them from their pain and suffering.  Even though I didn’t vote for the man, I honestly hope he ends up being one of the best Presidents we’ve ever had, and I commit to praying for him and our other leaders every day. What I won’t do is put all my hope, heart and soul into any person but the One who sacrificed everything for me.  

Many, many years before the time of Christ, the prophet Isaiah wrote of a king that will bring justice, peace and salvation to the world.

“A new branch will grow from a stump of a tree; so a new king will come from the family of Jesse.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon that king.
The Spirit will give him wisdom and understanding, guidance and power.
The Spirit will teach him to know and respect the Lord.
This king will be glad to obey the Lord.
He will not judge by the way things look or decide by what he hears.
But he will judge the poor honestly; he will be fair in his decisions for the poor people of the land.
At his command evil people will be punished, and by his words the wicked will be put to death.
Goodness and fairness will give him strength, like a belt around his waist.”

Isaiah 11:1-5

Side note: You think Obama’s volunteers were passionate…every one of Jesus’ disciples were killed or imprisoned for spreading the Good News of Jesus’ virgin birth, sinless life, sacrificial death for our sins, and miraculous resurrection.

Have you ever wondered, “what is the importance of Jesus’ rising from the dead?”  That’s Jesus Christ, by the way, not Jesus, the guy I used to work construction with.

Sure, we know that Jesus died on the cross, to be a sacrifice for us, by which our sins are forgiven if we only believe.  But, what does the resurrection on the third day mean for us?  It truly hit home for me while reading in Isaiah this morning…

The burning desert will have pools of water,
and the dry ground will have springs.  
Where wild dogs once lived, 
grass and water plants will grow.  
A road will be there; 
this highway will be called “The Road to Being Holy.” 
Evil people will not be allowed to walk on that road; 
only good people will walk on it. 
No fools will go on it.
No lions will be there, 
nor will dangerous animals be on that road. 
They will not be found there. 
That road will be for the people God saves;
the people the LORD has freed will return there. 
They will enter Jerusalem with joy, 
and their happiness will last forever. 
Their gladness and joy will fill them completely, 
and sorrow and sadness will go far away.

Isaiah 35:7-10

The resurrection is God’s assurance that death has no power over Christ or for those who have placed their faith in Him.  John Mitchell said it well: “At the cross we see His love, but in the resurrection we see His power.”

Those same disciples that fled with fear when Jesus was arrested and crucified preached with great power of the risen Christ.  

The cross would simply be a tragedy if it wasn’t for the resurrection.  Fortunately for us all, Jesus not only died, but he lives today!

To make sure I don’t miss a single second of The Office on Thursday night, I often find myself watching My Name is Earl, which airs before it on NBC.  In Thursday’s episode, Earl’s brother Randy, believes he has received the super power of invincibility.  Earl and Randy walk down the street talking about what Randy can do for the people of Camden County, and Randy talks about how it wouldn’t be practical to help everybody…

“I figure I wouldn’t have to help everybody with my super powers.  Like if you’re a guy that does experiments on chimpanzees, and then you’re trapped in a tree by a bunch of chimpanzees, I’d be like, sorry bro.” 

Even though this is a comical view of selective compassion, it is our natural tendency to choose whom we show kindness.  Jesus hung out with all types—the honest and the dishonest, the rich and the poor, the Jew and the non-Jew, the healthy and the diseased.

God wants to get us out of our comfort zone—to serve and socialize with not only those who are fun, but people that might make us uncomfortable or who aren’t socially acceptable.  Jesus demonstrated this type of compassion numerous times in the Bible.  

This is a lot easier said than done.  If we see “a guy that does experiments on chimpanzees…trapped in a tree”, or whatever that may look like in our everyday life (difficult boss, quarrelling family member, etc.), we always need to be ready to exemplify Christ’s life of love, service and sacrifice.

During the recent Presidential election, there was a lot of talk about human rights.  The people who have gone before me to preserve and fight for the rights we enjoy in this country deserve our gratitude.  Every day in the media, you see a lot of attention and praise towards those who take up this battle…but where is the glory for the person who lays down their human rights in exchange for human obligation?

In the Bible, Jesus speaks to the issue of being a servant and having a low position on earth.  This thought is completely foreign and ridiculous to most people I know outside the church (and sadly some inside).  To accept or choose a lower place in life goes against everything we are taught.  To choose a life of service, other than occasionally opening a door for someone or walking a little old lady across the street, would typically be reserved for monks and saints.

People these days are fanatical about their “rights”.  Don’t get me wrong, rights are a wonderful thing, and I appreciate the laws that protect them, but can these laws produce good in us rather than only protect us from harm?  Thomas Schmidt said it best when he said “The Cross is the best evidence that there is much more to love than justice, much more to right than rights”.

When we give up our “rights” and get our hands dirty—putting others before ourselves, we’re going to be branded fools and often be humiliated.  Don’t you think that the Cross was all these things and more for Jesus?

NEWSFLASH! I want my kids to be HAPPY! For my oldest daughter, I have often thought: What is going to make her the happiest…Spending time with her? Saying plenty of encouraging words? Buying her things? Some of these are very important, but what is truly going to bring her long-term joy? The answer is the same thing that brings me happiness.

The source of Christ’s victory, the secret of His power, and of ours, lies in obedience…In an obedient heart there is a way prepared for God. There are many Christians who always seek pleasure and satisfaction for themselves. These people have not yet learned that only obedient children are happy children. That which in truth brings long-lasting happiness is nothing else than obedience toward God. For a healthy soul there is only one thing that counts—to be obedient to God.

Why are so many of God’s children not assured of their salvation? Why are their souls not satisfied with the peace of God? God gives us the answer in Isaiah 48:18: “Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” People say, “I lack faith. I have too little faith; therefore I have no assurance of salvation, no peace.” But in most instances it is not faith which is lacking, for even with a trembling hand one can receive expensive gifts. It is rather obedience which is lacking. There is something in their lives which they will not let go, and which hinders the Holy Spirit from giving them the assurance that they are God’s children…No one who is disobedient to God can have confidence in Him. Confidence is a result of obedience.

This is as true in my life as it is in my daughter’s. I want my daughters to experience life confidently and with joy. Sure, I’ll keep spending good time with them, and encouraging them with kind words. I’ll also buy them the occasional toy, because I’m a push over for those big blue eyes! But if I’m not disciplining them for disobedience and constantly setting boundaries for them, those other things will be all for not. God the Father does this for me, and it doesn’t necessarily feel good, but it brings me a peace and joy that can’t come from any other source.