Scripture: 1st Corinthians 1:18-31
1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1:19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
1:20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe.
1:22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom,
1:23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
1:24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1:25 For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
1:26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
1:27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
1:28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are,
1:29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God.
1:30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
1:31 in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
In 1995 I lost a one of my best friends to a fast-growing brain tumor, called a blastoma. Within three months of being diagnosed, he was gone. He and I had met on the battlefield in Vietnam in 1970 and survived many close calls. He was one of the most dynamic, creative, can-do people I ever met. A very giving person, his enthusiasm for life actually drew people to him.
However, for all of his positive, upbeat outlook on life, he had a great sadness he carried around with him. His father was a preacher, pastor of a church that believed it was the only church true to Christ. His father refused to perform or even attend my friend's wedding to a lovely and loving Christian girl. My friend professed to being a Christian, but his knowledge of Christ was forever stunted, and he refused to attend any church believing, even as he said he loved Christ, that churches were hypocritical. His experience with his father's church had forever warped his Christian experience. Unity of the body of Christ was not a concept understood by his father's church, nor by my dear brother in arms.
Unity is exactly what Paul is writing about here in the very first chapter of his first letter to the Corinthian church. Paul states the case plainly, there are only two groups here, the perishing and the saved. No in-betweens, no some of this group and some of that, no something less or something more. You are either among the perishing, or among the saved. And he drives the point home with the word "foolishness", parading it before us five times in eight verses. It helps to know that the word Paul is using as he writes in the Greek is the word "moria". In 1:15 is appears as the adjective "moros".
Our word "moron" comes from this word. In today's lexicon it would be properly understood that Paul was saying that to some the cross of Christ is "moronic." To some the cross is also what we translate that word to be, foolishness.
There are many in the world who look at Christian churches today and there behind the altar, there atop the church or chapel or cathedral, there hanging around the neck of the Christian man or woman is an instrument of torture, a sign of embarrassing punishment. Why do Christians do that? The very Christ they worship was crucified -- a death of indignity and shame -- on a cross like that.
The great British evangelist and world traveler Ian Thomas once preached a sermon about how difficult it was for him to "like" the cross. He spoke of the old hymn "The Old Rugged Cross", by George Bennard. That hymn begins, "On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame; and I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain."
Thomas equated it to his mother being slain with a knife, and him singing, "I love that old knife that murdered the mother I love."
He understood the necessity of the cross, and even of the death of God's Son, our Savior, bringing us back to God through the sin-covering righteousness of Jesus Christ crucified in our place. But he stumbled over loving that instrument of torture that brought such pain to our sweet Jesus.
And much of the world agrees with Ian Thomas, though for different reasons. To make an icon of a crucifixion cross is akin to lionizing an electric chair, or a hangman's noose, says the world. They do not understand it. It is foolishness. It is moronic.
Writing out of his own time, Paul pens an explanation that is as meaningful today as it was 2000 years ago: "For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom,
we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."
And then right there, Paul gives us a glimpse of the mind of God. Who may know the mind of God? And yet, as God has shared with Paul, he shares with us. Paul explains in verse 25, "For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength," and in verses 27 and 28, " But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God."
It is not of us, not through our energy, our intellect or creativity, not of our wisdom, but of Him. He must increase and we must decrease.
Look back quickly at verse 1:18. Once again we have the two groups, the perishing and the saved, "but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
What did that say? It -- the cross of Christ -- is the power of God! This is the power that assures us that salvation is freely granted by God's grace, not through anything we have said or done, not by anything we have decided or accomplished, but by the power of God, through the cross of Christ.
And it is right here that the cross becomes an offense to men of pride. Because every one of us, beggar and millionaire, bookworm and stellar athlete, we all come to God through faith, based upon the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The ground is level for each one of us at the foot of the cross. Neither money nor wisdom nor accomplishment nor anything we can do will get us to the foot of the cross; only faith.
How foolish is that? It is said that what men and women do not earn for themselves they lightly esteem. And that is true, in this world, but the spiritual world operates by God's laws, not ours.
When I was working in Tokyo, Japan, I had the opportunity to climb Mount Fuji, an extinct volcano so huge it is visible throughout most of Japan. One of my young sons and I climbed this venerated symbol of Oriental strength with a group of young Christians beginning in the morning, and reaching the top sometime that night. We slept in a small lodge just below the summit, awakening in the morning to an amazing sight. The morning sun was bright and all around us lay a white, fluffy layer of clouds as far as the eye could see. We awoke above the clouds atop Mount Fuji! As we had breakfast and prepared to climb down, the clouds dissipated and the sight was even more awesome as the land far below us appeared as a rumpled quilt of many squares and varying colors depending upon the crops and fields of tea.
We felt very small and almost insignificant by comparison so high on Mount Fuji. It was as though we could almost touch that cobalt blue sky. The same kind of humbling dynamic takes place in our hearts when we draw near to the awesomeness of God's glory, recognizing and understanding, adoring the cross of Christ that gave us such unparalleled victory. It is beneath this cross that our differences disappear and we achieve unity in a divided church, as the body of Christ comes together in worship of God, allowed there by the Christ on the cross, the basis of our unity.
For there He hung, between heaven and earth, opening the gateway to God for you and for me. Do the words of George Bennard's old hymn not come back you.....?
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
and exchange it someday for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
to bear it to dark Calvary.
(Refrain)
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see,
for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me.
(Refrain)
To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then He'll call me some day to my home far away,
where His glory forever I'll share.
(Refrain)
Amen.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Love Letter From God
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEfJpJ1lhQc
Do you have days where you feel lonely, un-loved, and not wanted? We all experience days like that, don't we? When I'm feeling down and lonely, I always turn to God in prayer. Here's a Love Letter from God to all of us.
Do you have days where you feel lonely, un-loved, and not wanted? We all experience days like that, don't we? When I'm feeling down and lonely, I always turn to God in prayer. Here's a Love Letter from God to all of us.
Blameless in the End, by Pastor Ed Evans
Scripture: 1st Corinthians 1:1-9
1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
1:2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus,
1:5 for in every way you have been enriched in Him, in speech and knowledge of every kind
1:6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you
1:7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:9 God is faithful; by Him you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
There is a story that made the rounds two years ago, supposedly out of Mt. Vernon, Texas, that pretty much describes much of what is going on today in our society. Although originally purported to be true, it's not, but rather probably originated in a pastor's sermon admonishing his congregation not to let secular issues get in the way of their faith.
As the story goes, in Mt. Vernon, Texas, Drummond's Bar began construction on expansion of their building to increase their business. In response, the local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar's expansion, using petitions and prayers. Work progressed right up until the week before the grand reopening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground.
After the bar burning to the ground by a lightning strike, the church folks were rather smug in their outlook, bragging about the power of prayer, until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church "was ultimately responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means".
In its reply to the court, the church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building's demise.
In court, the judge read through the plaintiff's complaint and the defendant's reply, and at the opening hearing he commented, "I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but it appears from the paperwork that we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that now does not."
The world has come a long way, and in my humble opinion, still has a long way to go. Many would disagree and assure Jesus is coming in the clouds any day now. With the idea that He could come any day now, I certainly could not disagree, since Jesus Himself said no man knows the day nor the hour, not even the Son, but only the Father has that knowledge.
So were Jesus to suddenly take His Church home, I would not be surprised; not be surprised because of the rampant evil and lack of faith I see around me, around the world, every day. Saddened, but not surprised. Saddened because of all those who will not hear, will not believe, and will not be with us in Glory. My old Tennessean friend, J. Vernon McGee, before he went home to be with the Lord, preached a sermon titled "Why I Don't Want Jesus To Return Now". In a sermon that would bring tears to some, he spoke of the agony of wanting to be in the presence of the Savior, and yet the pain of know many will not go home with us. Some will be friends, some will be family members, but we cannot live their lives for them. We can be assured they will have had every opportunity to come to Christ, they will have had a personal invitation, and turned it down, walked away from the Living God. That is not just disrespect to God, that is gross pride, selfishness, and self-delusion at work, toward a final, destructive end.
You and I cannot do anything about that, except ask them not to destroy themselves, and offer them life through the love of God. There is no illusion that God meant them for hell, or hell for them. Hell was created for Satan and his angels who rebelled against God, and remain in that state. Those who join that rebellion by rejecting God will share their fate. There is no middle ground. It is either God, or no-God.
Now, if you understand that all-important conclusion to life, how can there be any equivocating? If we were members of that fictionalized church in Mt. Vernon, Texas, understanding what is really at stake, our answer must be, "Yes, we prayed against evil, God heard our prayers and took action against evil. And any court of law in the flesh that seeks to compensate evil for its just rewards is taking a dangerous stand against the just actions of a Holy and Almighty God!" Our charge to that court would have to be, "Do what is right and just in the eyes of God, or dissemble. This is a nation built on Christian ethics and morals, even as is evidenced by our national motto, 'In God we trust,' for it is, indeed, in God whom we trust, and not in men."
Some mistakenly believe in what we find on our dollar bill, "E pluribus unum." That was the original national motto. "In God we trust" first appeared on our money in 1864, and it wasn't until 1956 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the new motto into law.
Nevertheless, any American court of the land that would defy or ignore the right of God Almighty, and His church, to require redress against evil understands neither good nor evil and as such should have no right to apply the laws of the land.
Which begs the question, what about His church? Do we have that right? Do we understand the difference between what is good and what is evil? Have we so mixed the two together in modern society, under the heading of "political correctness", for example, that there are no longer any readily understood categories of right and wrong, good and evil? Do we so muddle God's admonitions to us that we believe others have a "right" to perpetrate evil against others?
In both our courts and in our federal government today, there is a great deal of purposeful wrong being legislated in the name of political exigencies. However, there is no right way to do a wrong thing. The wrong that is done in the name of political correctness, in the name of political necessity, in the name of naked power, cannot stand against the standard of God's righteousness and be excused.
Evil perpetrated in the name of the greater good remains evil. It's machinations, its results, its legacy will forever be evil. No good can come of it regardless of how it is explained, white-washed, or dressed up. A pig with lipstick is still a pig. And setting it up to a place at the table with a knife, fork and spoon will lead only to disaster.
Just as important, perhaps, yes even more important is the fact that no Christian, no follower of Jesus Christ need half-step at any point in the presence, in the face, of evil. We must stride forth and call it what it is. It must be avoided and fought against, for we must stand blameless in the end when Christ returns.
From our scripture today, in 1st Corinthians 1:5-8, we read, "...for in every way you have been enriched in Him, in speech and knowledge of every kind just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
No one who follows Jesus Christ need be without knowledge, without wisdom. And yet there are those who claim the name of Christ who will pollute what God has said with their own extra-Biblical opinions, with "what if" conjectures that lead the innocent astray, with bizarre theological concoctions that have no basis in revealed truth. They will answer for that self-serving treachery, for we must remain blameless in the end when Christ returns.
There exists access to the power of Almighty God, through Christ Jesus, that the individual Christian has, that can be frightening. And evil flees when a coalition of those who follow Christ pray in concert, agreeing in prayer on any one issue in the name of Christ Jesus. For God has promised He will act, and no one keeps promises like our God. Speaking to His disciples, in Matthew 18:18-20, Jesus said, " “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them.”
This is not something we must strive to achieve, but part of our personal Christian growth. For when the Messiah calls us, He calls us as individuals, not collectively. It is up to each one of us to trust Him and obey, to come to Him in childlike faith, resting in Him, surrendering ourselves to righteousness, and choosing to walk not by sight but by faith. For in childlike faith we rely not on our own strength and wisdom, but surrender our will to the will of the Father.
Life lived in this manner clears away all the confusion and indecision foisted upon us by those in politics, those in the news media who report out of their own agendas, and those focusing on their own issues without respect for what is best for others or what is best for the nation. Placing every issue and every cause up against the supreme will of God reveals the merits and the flaws. We can work to support that which agrees with the plans God has for us, and refuse to be entangled with the works of the enemies of God, no matter how dolled up they might be with flowers and perfume and statements of well-meaning. If they are not of God, they cannot be of us. And we will stand blameless in the end, when Jesus comes again.
In this manner, living our life as individuals before God, we can live and proclaim aloud, now and forever more, the cry of the early American church: "No king but King Jesus. NO king but King Jesus. No KING but King Jesus." Amen.
Daily Scripture Readings for January 17-23, 2011
Monday -- John 1:35-51
Tuesday -- Matthew 9:9-13
Wednesday -- Luke 9:23-27
Thursday -- Matthew 10:34-42
Friday -- John 10:22-30
Saturday -- Matthew 11:25-30
Sunday -- Isaiah 62:1-5; 1st Corinthians 12:1-11; Psalm 36:5-10; John 2:1-11
1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
1:2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus,
1:5 for in every way you have been enriched in Him, in speech and knowledge of every kind
1:6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you
1:7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:9 God is faithful; by Him you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
There is a story that made the rounds two years ago, supposedly out of Mt. Vernon, Texas, that pretty much describes much of what is going on today in our society. Although originally purported to be true, it's not, but rather probably originated in a pastor's sermon admonishing his congregation not to let secular issues get in the way of their faith.
As the story goes, in Mt. Vernon, Texas, Drummond's Bar began construction on expansion of their building to increase their business. In response, the local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar's expansion, using petitions and prayers. Work progressed right up until the week before the grand reopening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground.
After the bar burning to the ground by a lightning strike, the church folks were rather smug in their outlook, bragging about the power of prayer, until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church "was ultimately responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means".
In its reply to the court, the church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building's demise.
In court, the judge read through the plaintiff's complaint and the defendant's reply, and at the opening hearing he commented, "I don't know how I'm going to decide this, but it appears from the paperwork that we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that now does not."
The world has come a long way, and in my humble opinion, still has a long way to go. Many would disagree and assure Jesus is coming in the clouds any day now. With the idea that He could come any day now, I certainly could not disagree, since Jesus Himself said no man knows the day nor the hour, not even the Son, but only the Father has that knowledge.
So were Jesus to suddenly take His Church home, I would not be surprised; not be surprised because of the rampant evil and lack of faith I see around me, around the world, every day. Saddened, but not surprised. Saddened because of all those who will not hear, will not believe, and will not be with us in Glory. My old Tennessean friend, J. Vernon McGee, before he went home to be with the Lord, preached a sermon titled "Why I Don't Want Jesus To Return Now". In a sermon that would bring tears to some, he spoke of the agony of wanting to be in the presence of the Savior, and yet the pain of know many will not go home with us. Some will be friends, some will be family members, but we cannot live their lives for them. We can be assured they will have had every opportunity to come to Christ, they will have had a personal invitation, and turned it down, walked away from the Living God. That is not just disrespect to God, that is gross pride, selfishness, and self-delusion at work, toward a final, destructive end.
You and I cannot do anything about that, except ask them not to destroy themselves, and offer them life through the love of God. There is no illusion that God meant them for hell, or hell for them. Hell was created for Satan and his angels who rebelled against God, and remain in that state. Those who join that rebellion by rejecting God will share their fate. There is no middle ground. It is either God, or no-God.
Now, if you understand that all-important conclusion to life, how can there be any equivocating? If we were members of that fictionalized church in Mt. Vernon, Texas, understanding what is really at stake, our answer must be, "Yes, we prayed against evil, God heard our prayers and took action against evil. And any court of law in the flesh that seeks to compensate evil for its just rewards is taking a dangerous stand against the just actions of a Holy and Almighty God!" Our charge to that court would have to be, "Do what is right and just in the eyes of God, or dissemble. This is a nation built on Christian ethics and morals, even as is evidenced by our national motto, 'In God we trust,' for it is, indeed, in God whom we trust, and not in men."
Some mistakenly believe in what we find on our dollar bill, "E pluribus unum." That was the original national motto. "In God we trust" first appeared on our money in 1864, and it wasn't until 1956 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the new motto into law.
Nevertheless, any American court of the land that would defy or ignore the right of God Almighty, and His church, to require redress against evil understands neither good nor evil and as such should have no right to apply the laws of the land.
Which begs the question, what about His church? Do we have that right? Do we understand the difference between what is good and what is evil? Have we so mixed the two together in modern society, under the heading of "political correctness", for example, that there are no longer any readily understood categories of right and wrong, good and evil? Do we so muddle God's admonitions to us that we believe others have a "right" to perpetrate evil against others?
In both our courts and in our federal government today, there is a great deal of purposeful wrong being legislated in the name of political exigencies. However, there is no right way to do a wrong thing. The wrong that is done in the name of political correctness, in the name of political necessity, in the name of naked power, cannot stand against the standard of God's righteousness and be excused.
Evil perpetrated in the name of the greater good remains evil. It's machinations, its results, its legacy will forever be evil. No good can come of it regardless of how it is explained, white-washed, or dressed up. A pig with lipstick is still a pig. And setting it up to a place at the table with a knife, fork and spoon will lead only to disaster.
Just as important, perhaps, yes even more important is the fact that no Christian, no follower of Jesus Christ need half-step at any point in the presence, in the face, of evil. We must stride forth and call it what it is. It must be avoided and fought against, for we must stand blameless in the end when Christ returns.
From our scripture today, in 1st Corinthians 1:5-8, we read, "...for in every way you have been enriched in Him, in speech and knowledge of every kind just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
No one who follows Jesus Christ need be without knowledge, without wisdom. And yet there are those who claim the name of Christ who will pollute what God has said with their own extra-Biblical opinions, with "what if" conjectures that lead the innocent astray, with bizarre theological concoctions that have no basis in revealed truth. They will answer for that self-serving treachery, for we must remain blameless in the end when Christ returns.
There exists access to the power of Almighty God, through Christ Jesus, that the individual Christian has, that can be frightening. And evil flees when a coalition of those who follow Christ pray in concert, agreeing in prayer on any one issue in the name of Christ Jesus. For God has promised He will act, and no one keeps promises like our God. Speaking to His disciples, in Matthew 18:18-20, Jesus said, " “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them.”
This is not something we must strive to achieve, but part of our personal Christian growth. For when the Messiah calls us, He calls us as individuals, not collectively. It is up to each one of us to trust Him and obey, to come to Him in childlike faith, resting in Him, surrendering ourselves to righteousness, and choosing to walk not by sight but by faith. For in childlike faith we rely not on our own strength and wisdom, but surrender our will to the will of the Father.
Life lived in this manner clears away all the confusion and indecision foisted upon us by those in politics, those in the news media who report out of their own agendas, and those focusing on their own issues without respect for what is best for others or what is best for the nation. Placing every issue and every cause up against the supreme will of God reveals the merits and the flaws. We can work to support that which agrees with the plans God has for us, and refuse to be entangled with the works of the enemies of God, no matter how dolled up they might be with flowers and perfume and statements of well-meaning. If they are not of God, they cannot be of us. And we will stand blameless in the end, when Jesus comes again.
In this manner, living our life as individuals before God, we can live and proclaim aloud, now and forever more, the cry of the early American church: "No king but King Jesus. NO king but King Jesus. No KING but King Jesus." Amen.
Daily Scripture Readings for January 17-23, 2011
Monday -- John 1:35-51
Tuesday -- Matthew 9:9-13
Wednesday -- Luke 9:23-27
Thursday -- Matthew 10:34-42
Friday -- John 10:22-30
Saturday -- Matthew 11:25-30
Sunday -- Isaiah 62:1-5; 1st Corinthians 12:1-11; Psalm 36:5-10; John 2:1-11
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Knowing, Living, or Demanding? by Pastor Ed Evans
Knowing, Living, or Demanding?
by Pastor Ed Evans
Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-9
42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
42:2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;
42:3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
42:4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
42:5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it:
42:6 I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations,
42:7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
42:8 I am the Lord, that is My name; My glory I give to no other, nor My praise to idols.
42:9 See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.
This past Saturday saw an act of attempted murder that many are calling senseless. U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, while hosting a meeting with her constituents, was shot in the head, while a federal judge was killed by the assailant, and a nine-year-old girl and four others.
A suspect is in custody, a 22-year-old former college student, known for his brushes with the law, his anger at "the current government", who at one point posted on the Internet his message, "No, I won't believe in God."
Giffords had been interviewed by the news media before concerning a break-in at her district office, and demonstrations outside her office, during which she spoke of "heated rhetoric" by the protestors.
In an interview with MSNBC-TV last March, Giffords said, "“You look at these examples around the country, which really try to incite people and inflame emotions, then chances are they’re going to have a couple people, extremes on both sides, frankly,” Giffords said, not finishing her thought. “Most of the country is in the middle, but we do have these polarized parts of our parties that really get excited and that’s where again, community leaders, not just the political leaders, but all of us need to come together and say, OK, there’s a fine line here.”
Shall Christians not speak out about such things?
I have spoken before about the current loss of public civility, the rise of public anger and frustration, and the directions such unrestrained anger often takes. It seems to run rampant through today's society, and is not confined to criticism within the political arena. It happens in the grocery store parking lot over a parking space, in the store aisle over the last box on sale. It happens on TV over a disagreement of ideas and purpose. It happens on the highway about right of way, about the space between vehicles, about yielding the way. It seems to happen especially in the social networks online resulting in foul language, ugly comparisons, crude, rude and out of control responses.
Some of us feel we have a right to our anger, a right to play into the building frustration of those who see no answers to wrong acts, wrong though unintended consequences, and a wave of unrighteousness we, as individuals, cannot stop. And the frustration builds, the anger is contagious. We know we are right, we know our cause is just, but what we see as injustice continues, unabated. Frustration at a lack of resolution continues, anger at being ignored builds. We tell ourselves this is a just anger, and we can control our resulting actions. And maybe we can. But what of others privy to our anger?
The danger of yelling "Fire!" in a crowded room is not that we will panic and trample anyone, but that those over whom we have no control will panic and trample and injure others. Once the panic is loosed, it cannot be undone or contained.
One thing I know experientially, as one who has spent a lifetime dealing in words, is that words have meaning, words have consequences, words can hurt, maim, and kill. Still, words are but a tool used to save and build, as well. What matters is what we do with them, whether they are used for salvation or deadly extremism.
Christianity is not about such extremism. If God is love, and all evidence points to the fact that He is, then all that is about Christ is about love; Christians are about love.
And yet, it is such extremism that infects, that incites, that leads others astray and away from the will of Almighty god. 1st Corinthians 8:13 speaks to not doing that which causes my brother to sin, as does 1st Corinthians 10:32, and 1st Timothy 4:12, Romans 14:13, 2nd Corinthians 6:3, and the evidence mounts.
Notice in today's scripture that "God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it", he whom God Himself has selected, whom He chose as His servant, "whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching." This is He whom the Lord God supports and gives us as an example of His will. There is no hint or discussion of revolution, forcible argument, actions taken to demand adherence to God's purposes.
So, let me ask you, where do we get off demanding of one another what the God who created us does not demand of us?
Knowing what God wants, living what God wants, is different from forcing others to do what we believe God wants. Even God, especially God, gives us free will.
When we demand, through whatever means, that others conform to our perception of what is right and wrong, we have crossed the line into extremism. Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, speaking to the Republican convention in July 1964, said, "Those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth. And let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyrannies. Absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed."
For 33 years Jesus Christ walked the earth, given access to and imbued with the power of the Father, able to drive out demons, heal the sick and crippled, able to bring the dead back to life. And yet at no time did He force anyone to join Him in His belief that the Father was to be worshipped. The Law of Moses, as given to Moses by God on Mt. Sinai, was on His side, and yet His response to was to say, " A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
Anyone who does not understand that need only refer to 1st Corinthians 13:1-13, where Jesus lays out specifically what love is all about.
However, we as human beings are not naturally about love, and it is common that within our anger at others and building frustration lie the roots of jealousy and strife. We do not agree with something they have said or something they are doing, some decision they have made, but we cannot stop them, they are "winning" and we are jealous of their position over us, and we strive with them for supremacy of whatever is the problem between the parties.
But life in the body of Christ is not about winning and losing, it is about the worship of Almighty God. Romans 13, verses 12-14 says it very clearly: "The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."
In a previous chapter, 1st Cor. 6, verse 12, Paul is speaking mainly about keeping oneself from being subordinated by the love or lust of food, but he makes a larger point when he writes, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."
As we live our lives before Christ, we may feel empowered in His freedom to the point that all things are lawful to us, but we need to remember Paul's following admonition that "not all things are profitable" to us. In particular, all things may not only not be profitable to us, but they may indeed be detrimental to the well-being of others. We are here to do the bidding of Him who created us, to preach His gospel by word and deed. Our purpose here does not include demanding our rights, gaining supremacy in any discussion, or even winning.
Jesus Christ, through his death, burial and resurrection has already won our salvation, our freedom, and our future before God. Everything that matters has already been won. That is far more worth speaking up about. He has already won. Praise God.
Amen.
Daily Scripture Readings for January 10-16, 2011
Monday -- Isaiah 46:5-11
Tuesday -- Hebrews 6:9-20
Wednesday -- Matthew 19:16-30
Thursday -- Matthew 6:25-34
Friday -- 1st Corinthians 3:10-17
Saturday -- 2nd Timothy 1:1-14
Sunday -- Isaiah 42:1-9; Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 29; Matthew 3:13-17
by Pastor Ed Evans
Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-9
42:1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
42:2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street;
42:3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
42:4 He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
42:5 Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it:
42:6 I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations,
42:7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
42:8 I am the Lord, that is My name; My glory I give to no other, nor My praise to idols.
42:9 See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them.
This past Saturday saw an act of attempted murder that many are calling senseless. U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, while hosting a meeting with her constituents, was shot in the head, while a federal judge was killed by the assailant, and a nine-year-old girl and four others.
A suspect is in custody, a 22-year-old former college student, known for his brushes with the law, his anger at "the current government", who at one point posted on the Internet his message, "No, I won't believe in God."
Giffords had been interviewed by the news media before concerning a break-in at her district office, and demonstrations outside her office, during which she spoke of "heated rhetoric" by the protestors.
In an interview with MSNBC-TV last March, Giffords said, "“You look at these examples around the country, which really try to incite people and inflame emotions, then chances are they’re going to have a couple people, extremes on both sides, frankly,” Giffords said, not finishing her thought. “Most of the country is in the middle, but we do have these polarized parts of our parties that really get excited and that’s where again, community leaders, not just the political leaders, but all of us need to come together and say, OK, there’s a fine line here.”
Shall Christians not speak out about such things?
I have spoken before about the current loss of public civility, the rise of public anger and frustration, and the directions such unrestrained anger often takes. It seems to run rampant through today's society, and is not confined to criticism within the political arena. It happens in the grocery store parking lot over a parking space, in the store aisle over the last box on sale. It happens on TV over a disagreement of ideas and purpose. It happens on the highway about right of way, about the space between vehicles, about yielding the way. It seems to happen especially in the social networks online resulting in foul language, ugly comparisons, crude, rude and out of control responses.
Some of us feel we have a right to our anger, a right to play into the building frustration of those who see no answers to wrong acts, wrong though unintended consequences, and a wave of unrighteousness we, as individuals, cannot stop. And the frustration builds, the anger is contagious. We know we are right, we know our cause is just, but what we see as injustice continues, unabated. Frustration at a lack of resolution continues, anger at being ignored builds. We tell ourselves this is a just anger, and we can control our resulting actions. And maybe we can. But what of others privy to our anger?
The danger of yelling "Fire!" in a crowded room is not that we will panic and trample anyone, but that those over whom we have no control will panic and trample and injure others. Once the panic is loosed, it cannot be undone or contained.
One thing I know experientially, as one who has spent a lifetime dealing in words, is that words have meaning, words have consequences, words can hurt, maim, and kill. Still, words are but a tool used to save and build, as well. What matters is what we do with them, whether they are used for salvation or deadly extremism.
Christianity is not about such extremism. If God is love, and all evidence points to the fact that He is, then all that is about Christ is about love; Christians are about love.
And yet, it is such extremism that infects, that incites, that leads others astray and away from the will of Almighty god. 1st Corinthians 8:13 speaks to not doing that which causes my brother to sin, as does 1st Corinthians 10:32, and 1st Timothy 4:12, Romans 14:13, 2nd Corinthians 6:3, and the evidence mounts.
Notice in today's scripture that "God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it", he whom God Himself has selected, whom He chose as His servant, "whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his teaching." This is He whom the Lord God supports and gives us as an example of His will. There is no hint or discussion of revolution, forcible argument, actions taken to demand adherence to God's purposes.
So, let me ask you, where do we get off demanding of one another what the God who created us does not demand of us?
Knowing what God wants, living what God wants, is different from forcing others to do what we believe God wants. Even God, especially God, gives us free will.
When we demand, through whatever means, that others conform to our perception of what is right and wrong, we have crossed the line into extremism. Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, speaking to the Republican convention in July 1964, said, "Those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth. And let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyrannies. Absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed."
For 33 years Jesus Christ walked the earth, given access to and imbued with the power of the Father, able to drive out demons, heal the sick and crippled, able to bring the dead back to life. And yet at no time did He force anyone to join Him in His belief that the Father was to be worshipped. The Law of Moses, as given to Moses by God on Mt. Sinai, was on His side, and yet His response to was to say, " A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
Anyone who does not understand that need only refer to 1st Corinthians 13:1-13, where Jesus lays out specifically what love is all about.
However, we as human beings are not naturally about love, and it is common that within our anger at others and building frustration lie the roots of jealousy and strife. We do not agree with something they have said or something they are doing, some decision they have made, but we cannot stop them, they are "winning" and we are jealous of their position over us, and we strive with them for supremacy of whatever is the problem between the parties.
But life in the body of Christ is not about winning and losing, it is about the worship of Almighty God. Romans 13, verses 12-14 says it very clearly: "The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."
In a previous chapter, 1st Cor. 6, verse 12, Paul is speaking mainly about keeping oneself from being subordinated by the love or lust of food, but he makes a larger point when he writes, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."
As we live our lives before Christ, we may feel empowered in His freedom to the point that all things are lawful to us, but we need to remember Paul's following admonition that "not all things are profitable" to us. In particular, all things may not only not be profitable to us, but they may indeed be detrimental to the well-being of others. We are here to do the bidding of Him who created us, to preach His gospel by word and deed. Our purpose here does not include demanding our rights, gaining supremacy in any discussion, or even winning.
Jesus Christ, through his death, burial and resurrection has already won our salvation, our freedom, and our future before God. Everything that matters has already been won. That is far more worth speaking up about. He has already won. Praise God.
Amen.
Daily Scripture Readings for January 10-16, 2011
Monday -- Isaiah 46:5-11
Tuesday -- Hebrews 6:9-20
Wednesday -- Matthew 19:16-30
Thursday -- Matthew 6:25-34
Friday -- 1st Corinthians 3:10-17
Saturday -- 2nd Timothy 1:1-14
Sunday -- Isaiah 42:1-9; Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 29; Matthew 3:13-17
Monday, January 3, 2011
New Year's Resolutions, by Pastor Ed Evans
Scripture: Jeremiah 31:7-14
31:7 For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, "Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel."
31:8 See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.
31:9 With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
31:10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock."
31:11 For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
31:12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again.
31:13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
31:14 I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the Lord.
Our scripture in Jeremiah speaks of coming home, of freedom from captivity, to be once more at liberty to plant and to grow and to enjoy the fruits of our own labor, praising God for His blessings of freedom and the opportunity to be what we are, blessed of God with promise.
Even so do we in this age look forward to the this man-designated segment of time before us -- a new year; 52 weeks within which God has given us another opportunity to "get it right," freed from the old mistakes, the false starts, the unplanned disasters of this past year.
This new year is like an unspoiled country into which we enter full of hope and promise, looking forward to the blessings of the God who loves us, cares for us, and already knows every step of the future before us. And so we plan how we might best use this new year to accomplish goals, to fulfill principles set before us. Does God expect us to chart our own course through this new year, or to simply fall in line with His plans?
The making -- and breaking -- of resolutions with which to begin the new year is a tradition so old no one really knows where it began. But many of us tend to look at the beginning of a new calendar year as an opportunity to start fresh, to leave the old practices behind, to draw a line in the sand and say, here is where we begin anew, afresh, with new priorities.
Not everyone, of course, takes the making of New Year resolutions seriously. Mark Twain said of the practice, "New Year's Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual."
Andre Gide questioned whether one could seriously make new year resolutions after the age of 40 when so many of us live according to the habits of a 20-year-old.
Then there was the fellow who prayed on that first morning of the New Year, "Dear Lord, so far this year I've done well. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on I'm probably going to need a lot more help."
Some will say this exercise of making new resolutions is focusing too much on ourselves, that we should simply stand and allow God to set our priorities, make up our list of resolutions for the year ahead. Which would be fine if God had said He was willing to make every decision in our life for us. But He has endowed us with free will for a purpose, and expects us to exercise it.
Recently a man and woman lost their house to the bank because she would not make the mortgage payments. She kept telling her husband, whom she was divorcing so he was not living in the house, that God would make the payments for her. Which is all well and good if God has said He would do that. It came as a surprise only to her when the bank repossessed the house.
Okay, so if God is not going to make every decision for us, it behooves us to apply such principles as the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), with guiding precepts that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Then, of course, we have what society often refers to as "the Golden Rule", which actually stems from Luke 6:31, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." That's good guidance for deciding priorities.
After all, our resolutions for actions during the New Year would naturally be grounded in our priorities. So let's ask ourselves, first, do our goals actually reflect our priorities? And are those priorities in synch with our faith and obedience to Almighty God?
Those priorities we are setting, do they agree with such directions from God as Matthew 6, "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness"?
Admit it, our commitment would so much easier be directed to the ways to achieve that new weight loss and that buff new physique. Or laying out the steps leading to that new car, those new kitchen cabinets, or how to go about adding those new workshop tools to our inventory. But although the very life we live in today's society leads us naturally to want more and better, such things have nothing to do with Biblical principles, nothing to do with seeking God; nothing to do with focusing on God and working past the storms the enemy builds around us.
So how do we address this task of setting priorities, and from those, resolutions, within the will of God? Simple, ask Him.
James advises us in James 1:5 that "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." From wisdom supplied by God comes decisions that will stand the test of time and the attack of the enemy.
In addition to bringing into play the will of God and the wisdom of God in our decision-making and planning, we also need to keep our plans in context. For although it may seem at times as thought the world revolves around us, as followers of Jesus Christ it really is not about us. It is about Him. Our plans, our decisions, our actions, even our thoughts, need to be part of the fabric of His will spread across the believers of our home, our community, our city, state, and nation. We are part of the context of His will, which is the primary reason our plans and actions need to agree with and be within the parameters of the plans He has for us.
In fact, God has said it very plainly in Jeremiah 29:11 -- "I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord; plans to prosper you and not to harm you."
So I put the question to you, who are you? Do you understand your position within the plan of God? When you consider yourself, do you see yourself according to what you do, your dreams for the future, how you earn a living, the work you do for profit and for hobbies, perhaps seen through the eyes of others, for the benefit of others, or according to how you see God leading you as He gives you light to see?
Our lives have significance according to how we relate to God, how we relate to others, how we relate to God's purposes for us. If we live only for ourselves, our lives will impact ourselves and few others. Our life is not about us, but about God's will for us. As Almighty God, His foresight, His planning and involvement in our lives is what the military calls a "force multiplier." What we could accomplish with our lives, what impact we might have on our own, equates to the difference between starvation and abundance where those around us are concerned. What we can do for others, and what God can do through us really has no comparison. Why would we not want to "plug in" to the greatest power in the universe and make the best use of the talents and capabilities with which He has endowed us?
We seek His face, His wisdom and His purpose for us so our identity as His creation with God-given talents and responsibilities sets the framework for the goals He would have us accomplish. Then we can set those exciting resolutions in place that will get us there, with our commitment, our prayer, and the guidance He has promised us through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Begin setting your goals, and your New Year's resolutions to reach those goals, with prayer, with drawing near to Christ, seeking to know God's will.
In this way, we follow daily in the footsteps of Jesus, under His superior tutelage through the Word, toward the goals God has set for us. What a stimulating and exhilarating way to enter the New Year! Never a dull moment with God, praise His name!
Amen.
Daily Scripture Readings for January 3-9, 2011
Monday -- John 15:12-17
Tuesday -- 1st Thessalonians 1:2-10
Wednesday -- Isaiah 42:1-9
Thursday -- Luke 10:1-12
Friday -- 1st Peter 2:1-10
Saturday -- Colossians 3:12-17
Sunday -- Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12
31:7 For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, "Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel."
31:8 See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.
31:9 With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
31:10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock."
31:11 For the Lord has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
31:12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again.
31:13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
31:14 I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the Lord.
Our scripture in Jeremiah speaks of coming home, of freedom from captivity, to be once more at liberty to plant and to grow and to enjoy the fruits of our own labor, praising God for His blessings of freedom and the opportunity to be what we are, blessed of God with promise.
Even so do we in this age look forward to the this man-designated segment of time before us -- a new year; 52 weeks within which God has given us another opportunity to "get it right," freed from the old mistakes, the false starts, the unplanned disasters of this past year.
This new year is like an unspoiled country into which we enter full of hope and promise, looking forward to the blessings of the God who loves us, cares for us, and already knows every step of the future before us. And so we plan how we might best use this new year to accomplish goals, to fulfill principles set before us. Does God expect us to chart our own course through this new year, or to simply fall in line with His plans?
The making -- and breaking -- of resolutions with which to begin the new year is a tradition so old no one really knows where it began. But many of us tend to look at the beginning of a new calendar year as an opportunity to start fresh, to leave the old practices behind, to draw a line in the sand and say, here is where we begin anew, afresh, with new priorities.
Not everyone, of course, takes the making of New Year resolutions seriously. Mark Twain said of the practice, "New Year's Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual."
Andre Gide questioned whether one could seriously make new year resolutions after the age of 40 when so many of us live according to the habits of a 20-year-old.
Then there was the fellow who prayed on that first morning of the New Year, "Dear Lord, so far this year I've done well. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I'm very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on I'm probably going to need a lot more help."
Some will say this exercise of making new resolutions is focusing too much on ourselves, that we should simply stand and allow God to set our priorities, make up our list of resolutions for the year ahead. Which would be fine if God had said He was willing to make every decision in our life for us. But He has endowed us with free will for a purpose, and expects us to exercise it.
Recently a man and woman lost their house to the bank because she would not make the mortgage payments. She kept telling her husband, whom she was divorcing so he was not living in the house, that God would make the payments for her. Which is all well and good if God has said He would do that. It came as a surprise only to her when the bank repossessed the house.
Okay, so if God is not going to make every decision for us, it behooves us to apply such principles as the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), with guiding precepts that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
Then, of course, we have what society often refers to as "the Golden Rule", which actually stems from Luke 6:31, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." That's good guidance for deciding priorities.
After all, our resolutions for actions during the New Year would naturally be grounded in our priorities. So let's ask ourselves, first, do our goals actually reflect our priorities? And are those priorities in synch with our faith and obedience to Almighty God?
Those priorities we are setting, do they agree with such directions from God as Matthew 6, "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness"?
Admit it, our commitment would so much easier be directed to the ways to achieve that new weight loss and that buff new physique. Or laying out the steps leading to that new car, those new kitchen cabinets, or how to go about adding those new workshop tools to our inventory. But although the very life we live in today's society leads us naturally to want more and better, such things have nothing to do with Biblical principles, nothing to do with seeking God; nothing to do with focusing on God and working past the storms the enemy builds around us.
So how do we address this task of setting priorities, and from those, resolutions, within the will of God? Simple, ask Him.
James advises us in James 1:5 that "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." From wisdom supplied by God comes decisions that will stand the test of time and the attack of the enemy.
In addition to bringing into play the will of God and the wisdom of God in our decision-making and planning, we also need to keep our plans in context. For although it may seem at times as thought the world revolves around us, as followers of Jesus Christ it really is not about us. It is about Him. Our plans, our decisions, our actions, even our thoughts, need to be part of the fabric of His will spread across the believers of our home, our community, our city, state, and nation. We are part of the context of His will, which is the primary reason our plans and actions need to agree with and be within the parameters of the plans He has for us.
In fact, God has said it very plainly in Jeremiah 29:11 -- "I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord; plans to prosper you and not to harm you."
So I put the question to you, who are you? Do you understand your position within the plan of God? When you consider yourself, do you see yourself according to what you do, your dreams for the future, how you earn a living, the work you do for profit and for hobbies, perhaps seen through the eyes of others, for the benefit of others, or according to how you see God leading you as He gives you light to see?
Our lives have significance according to how we relate to God, how we relate to others, how we relate to God's purposes for us. If we live only for ourselves, our lives will impact ourselves and few others. Our life is not about us, but about God's will for us. As Almighty God, His foresight, His planning and involvement in our lives is what the military calls a "force multiplier." What we could accomplish with our lives, what impact we might have on our own, equates to the difference between starvation and abundance where those around us are concerned. What we can do for others, and what God can do through us really has no comparison. Why would we not want to "plug in" to the greatest power in the universe and make the best use of the talents and capabilities with which He has endowed us?
We seek His face, His wisdom and His purpose for us so our identity as His creation with God-given talents and responsibilities sets the framework for the goals He would have us accomplish. Then we can set those exciting resolutions in place that will get us there, with our commitment, our prayer, and the guidance He has promised us through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Begin setting your goals, and your New Year's resolutions to reach those goals, with prayer, with drawing near to Christ, seeking to know God's will.
In this way, we follow daily in the footsteps of Jesus, under His superior tutelage through the Word, toward the goals God has set for us. What a stimulating and exhilarating way to enter the New Year! Never a dull moment with God, praise His name!
Amen.
Daily Scripture Readings for January 3-9, 2011
Monday -- John 15:12-17
Tuesday -- 1st Thessalonians 1:2-10
Wednesday -- Isaiah 42:1-9
Thursday -- Luke 10:1-12
Friday -- 1st Peter 2:1-10
Saturday -- Colossians 3:12-17
Sunday -- Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12
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