Good Morning,
It is still like summer here today. The temperature is expected to be in the nineties. Praise the Lord for the fresh fruits and vegetables of the summer season.
Some time ago I read that in the year 1820 a crowd of curious people gathered around the county courthouse in Salem, New Jersey. The county fair was in progress, and the people massed around the stage, pushing and shoving to get a good place to see what was going to happen. The crowd was filled with anticipation because they were about to witness a daring feat.
Soon a man appeared on the steps, holding in one hand a beautiful red-ripe fruit which had been part of the fair’s decorations. Members of the crowd whispered excitedly to one another as he held it up for them to see. "Is he really going to eat it?" some asked, as though they expected the answer to be "absolutely not".
The man on the stage was Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson and the fruit was - a tomato. Tomatoes were called love apples in those days and they were considered to be deadly poison. Love apples were tokens of courtship or lawn decorations. Young men gave them to their girl friends, who would afterward wear the seeds in sachets around their necks. The fruit was admired for its beauty, but no one would dream of eating it.
The crowd gasped in horror as the colonel deliberately placed the tomato in his mouth, and ate it as though it was better than candy. They waited breathlessly, expecting to see him writhing in agony, dying on the stage. But nothing like that happened. Instead - he ate a second tomato, explaining that tomatoes were delicious either cooked or raw. He praised their color and texture. Then he invited the onlookers to join him in his meal, and a few of the braver ones went forward. Soon they too were pronouncing the tomatoes good.
The news spread rapidly, and eventually tomatoes graced most of the tables of the world, an accepted article of diet everywhere. If Colonel Johnson had not eaten that tomato, it is possible that people would still be admiring "love apples" and shrinking with horror from the thought of tasting how good they are.
Living a Christian life is much the same. We seem to take what tastes good to us, such as the Love, Grace, Mercy and Provision of God, and then leave that which we deem to be bitter, such as Discipline, Commitment, Obedience and being a Servant to our neighbor. The fact is that many Christians spend all their lives claiming to love Jesus, admiring his life, accepting his work, but never really tasting of Christ personally. David, in Psalms challenged us all to "taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalms 34:8, "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him."
Psalms 19:8-10, "The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb."
In Acts 17:30-31 Paul is preaching to the Greeks at Areopagus. These were highly educated people but they didn’t want to hear about the “One True God” because it required them to change their ways. Here’s what Paul said about those who thought that remaining ignorant to the Truth would excuse them from judgment to come, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."
If only we will taste and see that everything about the Lord is good; even His judgment, His commandments, the fear we have for Him, all of it will cause us only to desire more of Jesus. All that He is and all that He gives to His children is richer than all the gold in the world, and has a greater and sweeter taste than even the purest of honey straight from the honeycomb.
My heart’s desire is for more of Jesus, more of his Love, more of His mercy, more of His grace, more of His presence in my life and in your lives for His honor and for His glory.
In Him,
Brown
Why, Oh Why, Oh Why . . .
Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting weak?
Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough?
Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
Why doesn't glue stick to the bottle?
Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?
Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?
Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?
If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?
Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?
Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?
Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?
Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?
Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?
How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?
When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, "It's all right?" Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, "That hurt, you stupid idiot?"
Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?
In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?
How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?
And the Number 1 - why . . .
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Brown's daily word 9-6-07
Good morning,
Praise the Lord for this beautiful and bright day. One of the ten best days indeed. In Philippians 4:13 we read, “I can do all things through Christ.” These are the seven holy words full of promise and power.
This first word reminds us of the “people of faith.” “I can do all things through Christ.” Make no mistake about it. God uses people to accomplish His will in this world. Remember what scripture says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10). Sometimes He uses angels. On occasion, He used a dumb beast. But almost always the Lord of glory calls men and women to do His bidding. But not just any men and women. God is partial to a certain kind.
God seeks out ordinary folk to use. God seldom uses the mighty, the powerful, the rich, or the influential. The reason is obvious. Too often such people are too full of themselves to be useful to God. That’s why the Apostle Paul who penned these words wrote, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him” (1 Cor 1:26-29).
If that is true, and it is, then these words apply to you and me as certainly as they did to the Apostle Paul. “I can do all things through Christ.” I, not somebody else, not just exceptional people, not just the rich, the famous, the powerful, or the talented, not just preachers or saints or missionaries—I can do all things through Christ. But this is just the beginning.
I Can Do—These next two words reveal the perspective of faith. “I can do all things through Christ.” It is a fact of human nature. We seldom accomplish more than we think we can. People who think can’t, can’t! Henry Ford said, “Success begins with I can. Failure with I can’t!”
It is amazing what you can do when you don’t know you can’t. David didn’t know Goliath was too big to stop. Caleb didn’t know the Promised Land couldn’t be conquered. Joshua didn’t know Jericho’s walls were too strong. Elijah didn’t know his enemies were too many.
The Lord has moved mountains, toppled kingdoms, and turned the world upside down with ordinary folks who say “I can!” I can! Not I might, I should, I could do. “I can do all things through Christ.”
All Things—That’s the potential of faith. “I can do all things through Christ.” That’s a mighty big promise. But no bigger than other promises in the Bible. How about these “alls”? “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Paul penned these seven words from personal experience. He knew what he was talking about. He knew Christ was the Lord of all circumstances, not just the good ones. Listen to the context, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (11-12). Then he adds, “I can do all things through Christ.”
Some of us know this by experience as well. Some of us have suffered loss. Many of us have faced problems, confronted temptations, wrestled with habits, and struggled to make decisions. It wasn’t easy. Some who knew us probably thought we wouldn’t make it. But we did. And because of it, we know the power of these words. “I can do ALL THINGS—not just the easy things, not just the things that everyone else is doing, not just the things I have always done before—I can do all things through Christ.”
But our last phrase is the key. “I can do all things through Christ”—This final phrase in our seven words reveals the true power of faith. I want to make this clear. This phrase is not about the power of positive thinking. This is not some kind of pull yourself up by your bootstraps slogan. It isn’t a promise that you can do anything if you dream big dreams and reach for the stars. Nonsense. The power, the secret, is not in you. The power is in Christ. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Paul said it elsewhere, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). As Jesus reminded His disciples, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The Old Testament prophet declared, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zech. 4:6). It’s not about us! It’s all about HIM!
Unless Jesus Christ is in us, unless He is the Lord of our lives, we have no promise of God’s power. There is no guarantee of personal or spiritual success. Even if we do get ahead in this world, it won’t matter in a hundred years. As Jesus warned His disciples, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?” Here and there, now and then, it is “all things through Christ.”
There they are, seven holy words packed with big promises. Let's remember them. Let's believe them and claim them by the power of the Lord Jesus. We might be surprised by what happens. Our dreams may not all come true. Our problems won’t necessarily all disappear. But something wonderful and glorious could happen.
Phillip Brooks, a great American preacher of the past, explained it like this, “Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be stronger people; do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work may be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, the richness of the life that has come to you by the grace of God.”
So let us stand on His promises, “I –can do—all things—through Christ.”
In Christ in whom all God's promises are "yes",
Brown
D. James Kennedy Now With the Lord
Dr. Ray Pritchard
Sad news out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Famed pastor D. James Kennedy died this morning at the age of 76. After suffering cardiac arrest last December, he underwent a rigorous program of physical therapy but never returned to the pulpit. During his long and fruitful ministry at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, he wrote many books, founded a radio and television ministry that stretches around the globe, established a Christian school and a seminary, and helped lead the conservative movement along with James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and others. His greatest contribution was the development of Evangelism Explosion, a program of outreach that joined good theology with a practical training method. He did more to bring evangelism back to the local church than anyone else in the last fifty years. By that I mean he pioneered a simple strategy for deploying Christians as trained evangelists who could share their faith with others. I have no doubt that millions of people will be in heaven because someone asked them the two EE questions:
1. Do you know for sure that you are going to be with God in Heaven?
2. If God were to ask you, “Why should I let you into My Heaven?” what would you say?
Today would be a good day for you to consider those questions. How would you answer them? Click here to find the answers that could change your life forever.
“Now, I know that someday I am going to come to what some people will say is the end of this life. They will probably put me in a box and roll me right down here in front of the church, and some people will gather around, and a few people will cry. But I have told them not to do that because I don’t want them to cry. I want them to begin the service with the Doxology and end with the Hallelujah chorus, because I am not going to be there, and I am not going to be dead. I will be more alive than I have ever been in my life, and I will be looking down upon you poor people who are still in the land of dying and have not yet joined me in the land of the living. And I will be alive forevermore, in greater health and vitality and joy than ever, ever, I or anyone has known before.” D. Jame Kennedy
Praise the Lord for this beautiful and bright day. One of the ten best days indeed. In Philippians 4:13 we read, “I can do all things through Christ.” These are the seven holy words full of promise and power.
This first word reminds us of the “people of faith.” “I can do all things through Christ.” Make no mistake about it. God uses people to accomplish His will in this world. Remember what scripture says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10). Sometimes He uses angels. On occasion, He used a dumb beast. But almost always the Lord of glory calls men and women to do His bidding. But not just any men and women. God is partial to a certain kind.
God seeks out ordinary folk to use. God seldom uses the mighty, the powerful, the rich, or the influential. The reason is obvious. Too often such people are too full of themselves to be useful to God. That’s why the Apostle Paul who penned these words wrote, “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him” (1 Cor 1:26-29).
If that is true, and it is, then these words apply to you and me as certainly as they did to the Apostle Paul. “I can do all things through Christ.” I, not somebody else, not just exceptional people, not just the rich, the famous, the powerful, or the talented, not just preachers or saints or missionaries—I can do all things through Christ. But this is just the beginning.
I Can Do—These next two words reveal the perspective of faith. “I can do all things through Christ.” It is a fact of human nature. We seldom accomplish more than we think we can. People who think can’t, can’t! Henry Ford said, “Success begins with I can. Failure with I can’t!”
It is amazing what you can do when you don’t know you can’t. David didn’t know Goliath was too big to stop. Caleb didn’t know the Promised Land couldn’t be conquered. Joshua didn’t know Jericho’s walls were too strong. Elijah didn’t know his enemies were too many.
The Lord has moved mountains, toppled kingdoms, and turned the world upside down with ordinary folks who say “I can!” I can! Not I might, I should, I could do. “I can do all things through Christ.”
All Things—That’s the potential of faith. “I can do all things through Christ.” That’s a mighty big promise. But no bigger than other promises in the Bible. How about these “alls”? “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Paul penned these seven words from personal experience. He knew what he was talking about. He knew Christ was the Lord of all circumstances, not just the good ones. Listen to the context, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (11-12). Then he adds, “I can do all things through Christ.”
Some of us know this by experience as well. Some of us have suffered loss. Many of us have faced problems, confronted temptations, wrestled with habits, and struggled to make decisions. It wasn’t easy. Some who knew us probably thought we wouldn’t make it. But we did. And because of it, we know the power of these words. “I can do ALL THINGS—not just the easy things, not just the things that everyone else is doing, not just the things I have always done before—I can do all things through Christ.”
But our last phrase is the key. “I can do all things through Christ”—This final phrase in our seven words reveals the true power of faith. I want to make this clear. This phrase is not about the power of positive thinking. This is not some kind of pull yourself up by your bootstraps slogan. It isn’t a promise that you can do anything if you dream big dreams and reach for the stars. Nonsense. The power, the secret, is not in you. The power is in Christ. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Paul said it elsewhere, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). As Jesus reminded His disciples, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The Old Testament prophet declared, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zech. 4:6). It’s not about us! It’s all about HIM!
Unless Jesus Christ is in us, unless He is the Lord of our lives, we have no promise of God’s power. There is no guarantee of personal or spiritual success. Even if we do get ahead in this world, it won’t matter in a hundred years. As Jesus warned His disciples, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?” Here and there, now and then, it is “all things through Christ.”
There they are, seven holy words packed with big promises. Let's remember them. Let's believe them and claim them by the power of the Lord Jesus. We might be surprised by what happens. Our dreams may not all come true. Our problems won’t necessarily all disappear. But something wonderful and glorious could happen.
Phillip Brooks, a great American preacher of the past, explained it like this, “Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be stronger people; do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work may be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle. Every day you shall wonder at yourself, the richness of the life that has come to you by the grace of God.”
So let us stand on His promises, “I –can do—all things—through Christ.”
In Christ in whom all God's promises are "yes",
Brown
D. James Kennedy Now With the Lord
Dr. Ray Pritchard
Sad news out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Famed pastor D. James Kennedy died this morning at the age of 76. After suffering cardiac arrest last December, he underwent a rigorous program of physical therapy but never returned to the pulpit. During his long and fruitful ministry at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, he wrote many books, founded a radio and television ministry that stretches around the globe, established a Christian school and a seminary, and helped lead the conservative movement along with James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and others. His greatest contribution was the development of Evangelism Explosion, a program of outreach that joined good theology with a practical training method. He did more to bring evangelism back to the local church than anyone else in the last fifty years. By that I mean he pioneered a simple strategy for deploying Christians as trained evangelists who could share their faith with others. I have no doubt that millions of people will be in heaven because someone asked them the two EE questions:
1. Do you know for sure that you are going to be with God in Heaven?
2. If God were to ask you, “Why should I let you into My Heaven?” what would you say?
Today would be a good day for you to consider those questions. How would you answer them? Click here to find the answers that could change your life forever.
“Now, I know that someday I am going to come to what some people will say is the end of this life. They will probably put me in a box and roll me right down here in front of the church, and some people will gather around, and a few people will cry. But I have told them not to do that because I don’t want them to cry. I want them to begin the service with the Doxology and end with the Hallelujah chorus, because I am not going to be there, and I am not going to be dead. I will be more alive than I have ever been in my life, and I will be looking down upon you poor people who are still in the land of dying and have not yet joined me in the land of the living. And I will be alive forevermore, in greater health and vitality and joy than ever, ever, I or anyone has known before.” D. Jame Kennedy
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Brown's daily word 9-5-07
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for His Word. The flower fades, the grass withers, but the Word of our Lord endures for ever. One of our Church family died yesterday, very suddenly, involved in a head on car accident. I also had a call about a man who was part of our fellowship here and had moved to New Mexico, who died there suddenly. I had a call on my cell phone during my daughter Sunita's wedding rehearsal last Friday, from the Nurse from the intensive care to go and visit a man, who died this Monday evening. I had called a man and prayed with him over the phone as he was going to the hospital for a major biopsy; he was anxious and afraid. One of my neighbors , a young father in his twenties is dying of cancer. In life we face tragedies, trials and tears. People of deep faith turn to the Lord in prayer with questions and with diverse human emotions.
Psalm 10 is an example of an “imprecatory prayer,” as it contains brutal honesty and an earnest call for God. No punches are pulled here. As C. S. Lewis once said, reading Psalm 10 is like throwing open the door of an oven that is set to 500 degrees – you immediately get hit full in the face with the heat of the psalmist’s fury. Yet, one of the things we all like about the Psalms is that they are so honest. People of deep faith and love had no qualms about questioning God. This prayer gives us a three-fold process for dealing with our own questions and problems. When life throws you for a loop…
Verse 1 begins rather abruptly: “Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” God, you may be powerful and you may be personal, but why can’t I sense your presence right now? The psalmist is expressing his frustration at the aloofness of the Almighty. The psalms are saturated with these kinds of questions. Following is just a sample.
Psalm 13:1: “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”
Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?”
Psalm 42:9: “I say to God my Rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?’”
Psalm 44:23-24: “Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?’”
When tragedy leaves you teetering on the edge, it’s not unspiritual to declare your questions to God. He’s big enough to handle your cries. Some of us have been rocked by some pretty tough stuff. Maybe a person very close to you has died unexpectedly. Perhaps you have just recently lost your job. Your marriage may be fracturing and you wonder if you’ll stay together. Your parents’ health is fading fast. Your children are not living like they should. Your bills have piled up like mountains on your desk. You have had an accident that has altered the trajectory of your life. You’ve just received some health news that is not very promising. Maybe your childhood was filled with more abuse than affirmation.
Perhaps a close relationship has ruptured.
What do you do when you’re faced with an avalanche of agony and you feel like God is playing “hide and seek” with you? I would like to suggest that it’s OK to declare your questions. Let me make an observation from verse 1. This question is expressed directly to God and is amplified in the New Living Translation: “O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I need you the most?” The implication is that he doesn’t complain to anyone else. Job did a similar thing in Job 13:24 when he cried out directly to God: “Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?” As believers, we have an avenue for unloading the hidden turmoil of our hearts. We don’t have to dump on friends and family because we can go directly to God with our questions. If you’re wondering what’s happening or why things are unfolding the way they are, ask God about it. He can take it!
There was once a man named Tertullian who loved to ask questions. He had an inquiring mind. Before he became a Christian, he tried to find the meaning of life in a lot of different philosophies. And each time, he kept asking, “Why? Why? Why?” Eventually the answers gave out, and he wandered on, a disappointed man. And then one day he met a man whose answers made sense. He didn’t pretend to know everything. But he did know God. Tertullian committed his life to Christ that very day.
The word question has as its root the word “quest.” If you’re on a quest to understand, if you’re serious about seeking answers, then don’t hesitate to declare your doubts. If you don’t ask, you might miss out on some surprising answers and ultimately short-circuit some growth that God wants to accomplish in your life.
After declaring your questions to God, the next step is to describe your complaint. Friend, when you’re talking to God, don’t worry about repeating what you’ve already said. Spell it out. Describe your concerns in detail. After declaring his heartfelt questions, the psalmist next lists a litany of problems that he sees. Specifically, he can’t understand why the poor are persecuted by the proud. In verses 2-11, we find a cluster of words used to describe people in need: the weak, the innocent, the victim, and the helpless. God has always had a special place in his heart for the oppressed and the writer wants to know why He’s not coming to the aid of the afflicted by wiping out the wicked.
As I read this list, I can’t help but think of the terrorists on September 11th who ambushed the innocent and crushed the helpless. This tragedy caused many people to echo the psalmist’s cry: “Where was God in all this? Why didn’t He stop this?” Over half of all Americans believe that another terrorist attack is coming. Our country breathed a collective sigh of relief when nothing happened on July 4th. Verse 9 describes the image many of us have of the terrorist: “He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless…”
God, are you there? Are you paying attention? Why are you hiding when we need you the most? God, why do you stand so far away? Why haven’t you done something to turn this around? How can you let all these innocent lives be snuffed out?
Friend, if you are going through a tough time right now, declare your questions to God and then describe your complaint. What is it exactly that’s bothering you? What makes you mad? Tell God about it. Write it down. Get it out. Put it into a prayer.
I love the faith progression that takes place in this psalm. The hurting follower begins with two bold “why” questions and then spells out his complaints in specific detail. When we come to verse 12, we see that, as a result of being honest with God, his commitment to the Lord now goes to the next level. We can learn from this same process. If you have questions and complaints, don’t stop there. Express them and then turn again to the Lord. The psalmist boldly calls for intervention: “Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.”
The psalmist specifically remembers two things about God. First, he calls to mind God’s personality in verse 14: “But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand.” The Almighty is not distant and He’s not hiding. He’s a personal God, who knows our trouble and sees our tears. The phrase “take it in hand” refers to God’s personal involvement and capacity to judge people according to what they have done.
Because of God’s personality, according to the last half of this verse, we can “commit” ourselves to Him. He is the helper of the fatherless. He takes special interest in those who are in deep need according to Psalm 34:15-16: “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.”
This is very similar to the process Jeremiah went through in the Book of Lamentations. He was filled with “why” questions and he listed his grievances to God. When he got through, it’s as if he forced himself to think about what is true. Listen to what he wrote in Lamentations 3:19-23:“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Jeremiah was down but he determined to deepen his commitment to God.
Secondly, the psalmist focuses on God’s power in verse 16: “The Lord is King for ever and ever.” When we’re whacked out by our “why” questions and swimming in a sea of concerns, we need to come back to God’s perspective. Yet this I call to mind: God sees what I’m going through and because He is King, He can choose to do something about it, if it’s in accord with his sweet purposes for my life. Psalm 93:1: “The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength.”
Because of His personality and His power, verses 17-18 tell us that God not only sees, He also acts: “You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed…” The word, “hear” means to give “diligent attention” to someone. God is leaning His ear toward us, eagerly anticipating what we’re going to say. The word “desire” can also refer to our longings. God understands our deep desires and the agonizing aches of our hearts.
Whatever life tragedy we are facing right now, we are called, to come back to the personality and power of God and commit ourselves to His ways. Psalm 112:7: “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
In His Grace and Marcy,
Brown
Resume Blunders
I demand a salary commiserate with my extensive experience."
"I have lurnt Word Perfect 6.0 computor and spreadsheet progroms."
"Received a plague for Salesperson of the Year."
"Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave."
"Wholly responsible for two (2) failed financial institutions."
"Failed bar exam with relatively high grades."
"It's best for employers that I not work with people."
"Let's meet, so you can 'ooh' and 'aah' over my experience."
"You will want me to be Head Honcho in no time."
"Am a perfectionist and rarely if if ever forget details."
"I was working for my mom until she decided to move."
"Marital status: single. Unmarried. Unengaged. Uninvolved. No commitments."
"I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse."
"I am loyal to my employer at all costs...Please feel free to respond to my resume on my office voice mail."
"I have become completely paranoid, trusting completely no one and absolutely nothing."
"My goal is to be a meteorologist. But since I possess no training in meterology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage."
"I procrastinate, especially when the task is unpleasant."
"As indicted, I have over five years of analyzing investments."
"Personal interests: donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far."
"Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain store."
"Note: Please don't miscontrue my 14 jobs as 'job-hopping'. I have never quit a job."
"Marital status: often. Children: various."
"Reason for leaving last job: They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 a.m. every morning. Could not work under those conditions."
"The company made me a scapegoat, just like my three previous employers."
"Finished eighth in my class of ten."
"References: None. I've left a path of destruction behind me."
Praise the Lord for His Word. The flower fades, the grass withers, but the Word of our Lord endures for ever. One of our Church family died yesterday, very suddenly, involved in a head on car accident. I also had a call about a man who was part of our fellowship here and had moved to New Mexico, who died there suddenly. I had a call on my cell phone during my daughter Sunita's wedding rehearsal last Friday, from the Nurse from the intensive care to go and visit a man, who died this Monday evening. I had called a man and prayed with him over the phone as he was going to the hospital for a major biopsy; he was anxious and afraid. One of my neighbors , a young father in his twenties is dying of cancer. In life we face tragedies, trials and tears. People of deep faith turn to the Lord in prayer with questions and with diverse human emotions.
Psalm 10 is an example of an “imprecatory prayer,” as it contains brutal honesty and an earnest call for God. No punches are pulled here. As C. S. Lewis once said, reading Psalm 10 is like throwing open the door of an oven that is set to 500 degrees – you immediately get hit full in the face with the heat of the psalmist’s fury. Yet, one of the things we all like about the Psalms is that they are so honest. People of deep faith and love had no qualms about questioning God. This prayer gives us a three-fold process for dealing with our own questions and problems. When life throws you for a loop…
Verse 1 begins rather abruptly: “Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” God, you may be powerful and you may be personal, but why can’t I sense your presence right now? The psalmist is expressing his frustration at the aloofness of the Almighty. The psalms are saturated with these kinds of questions. Following is just a sample.
Psalm 13:1: “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”
Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?”
Psalm 42:9: “I say to God my Rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?’”
Psalm 44:23-24: “Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?’”
When tragedy leaves you teetering on the edge, it’s not unspiritual to declare your questions to God. He’s big enough to handle your cries. Some of us have been rocked by some pretty tough stuff. Maybe a person very close to you has died unexpectedly. Perhaps you have just recently lost your job. Your marriage may be fracturing and you wonder if you’ll stay together. Your parents’ health is fading fast. Your children are not living like they should. Your bills have piled up like mountains on your desk. You have had an accident that has altered the trajectory of your life. You’ve just received some health news that is not very promising. Maybe your childhood was filled with more abuse than affirmation.
Perhaps a close relationship has ruptured.
What do you do when you’re faced with an avalanche of agony and you feel like God is playing “hide and seek” with you? I would like to suggest that it’s OK to declare your questions. Let me make an observation from verse 1. This question is expressed directly to God and is amplified in the New Living Translation: “O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I need you the most?” The implication is that he doesn’t complain to anyone else. Job did a similar thing in Job 13:24 when he cried out directly to God: “Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?” As believers, we have an avenue for unloading the hidden turmoil of our hearts. We don’t have to dump on friends and family because we can go directly to God with our questions. If you’re wondering what’s happening or why things are unfolding the way they are, ask God about it. He can take it!
There was once a man named Tertullian who loved to ask questions. He had an inquiring mind. Before he became a Christian, he tried to find the meaning of life in a lot of different philosophies. And each time, he kept asking, “Why? Why? Why?” Eventually the answers gave out, and he wandered on, a disappointed man. And then one day he met a man whose answers made sense. He didn’t pretend to know everything. But he did know God. Tertullian committed his life to Christ that very day.
The word question has as its root the word “quest.” If you’re on a quest to understand, if you’re serious about seeking answers, then don’t hesitate to declare your doubts. If you don’t ask, you might miss out on some surprising answers and ultimately short-circuit some growth that God wants to accomplish in your life.
After declaring your questions to God, the next step is to describe your complaint. Friend, when you’re talking to God, don’t worry about repeating what you’ve already said. Spell it out. Describe your concerns in detail. After declaring his heartfelt questions, the psalmist next lists a litany of problems that he sees. Specifically, he can’t understand why the poor are persecuted by the proud. In verses 2-11, we find a cluster of words used to describe people in need: the weak, the innocent, the victim, and the helpless. God has always had a special place in his heart for the oppressed and the writer wants to know why He’s not coming to the aid of the afflicted by wiping out the wicked.
As I read this list, I can’t help but think of the terrorists on September 11th who ambushed the innocent and crushed the helpless. This tragedy caused many people to echo the psalmist’s cry: “Where was God in all this? Why didn’t He stop this?” Over half of all Americans believe that another terrorist attack is coming. Our country breathed a collective sigh of relief when nothing happened on July 4th. Verse 9 describes the image many of us have of the terrorist: “He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless…”
God, are you there? Are you paying attention? Why are you hiding when we need you the most? God, why do you stand so far away? Why haven’t you done something to turn this around? How can you let all these innocent lives be snuffed out?
Friend, if you are going through a tough time right now, declare your questions to God and then describe your complaint. What is it exactly that’s bothering you? What makes you mad? Tell God about it. Write it down. Get it out. Put it into a prayer.
I love the faith progression that takes place in this psalm. The hurting follower begins with two bold “why” questions and then spells out his complaints in specific detail. When we come to verse 12, we see that, as a result of being honest with God, his commitment to the Lord now goes to the next level. We can learn from this same process. If you have questions and complaints, don’t stop there. Express them and then turn again to the Lord. The psalmist boldly calls for intervention: “Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless.”
The psalmist specifically remembers two things about God. First, he calls to mind God’s personality in verse 14: “But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand.” The Almighty is not distant and He’s not hiding. He’s a personal God, who knows our trouble and sees our tears. The phrase “take it in hand” refers to God’s personal involvement and capacity to judge people according to what they have done.
Because of God’s personality, according to the last half of this verse, we can “commit” ourselves to Him. He is the helper of the fatherless. He takes special interest in those who are in deep need according to Psalm 34:15-16: “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.”
This is very similar to the process Jeremiah went through in the Book of Lamentations. He was filled with “why” questions and he listed his grievances to God. When he got through, it’s as if he forced himself to think about what is true. Listen to what he wrote in Lamentations 3:19-23:“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Jeremiah was down but he determined to deepen his commitment to God.
Secondly, the psalmist focuses on God’s power in verse 16: “The Lord is King for ever and ever.” When we’re whacked out by our “why” questions and swimming in a sea of concerns, we need to come back to God’s perspective. Yet this I call to mind: God sees what I’m going through and because He is King, He can choose to do something about it, if it’s in accord with his sweet purposes for my life. Psalm 93:1: “The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength.”
Because of His personality and His power, verses 17-18 tell us that God not only sees, He also acts: “You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed…” The word, “hear” means to give “diligent attention” to someone. God is leaning His ear toward us, eagerly anticipating what we’re going to say. The word “desire” can also refer to our longings. God understands our deep desires and the agonizing aches of our hearts.
Whatever life tragedy we are facing right now, we are called, to come back to the personality and power of God and commit ourselves to His ways. Psalm 112:7: “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
In His Grace and Marcy,
Brown
Resume Blunders
I demand a salary commiserate with my extensive experience."
"I have lurnt Word Perfect 6.0 computor and spreadsheet progroms."
"Received a plague for Salesperson of the Year."
"Reason for leaving last job: maturity leave."
"Wholly responsible for two (2) failed financial institutions."
"Failed bar exam with relatively high grades."
"It's best for employers that I not work with people."
"Let's meet, so you can 'ooh' and 'aah' over my experience."
"You will want me to be Head Honcho in no time."
"Am a perfectionist and rarely if if ever forget details."
"I was working for my mom until she decided to move."
"Marital status: single. Unmarried. Unengaged. Uninvolved. No commitments."
"I have an excellent track record, although I am not a horse."
"I am loyal to my employer at all costs...Please feel free to respond to my resume on my office voice mail."
"I have become completely paranoid, trusting completely no one and absolutely nothing."
"My goal is to be a meteorologist. But since I possess no training in meterology, I suppose I should try stock brokerage."
"I procrastinate, especially when the task is unpleasant."
"As indicted, I have over five years of analyzing investments."
"Personal interests: donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far."
"Instrumental in ruining entire operation for a Midwest chain store."
"Note: Please don't miscontrue my 14 jobs as 'job-hopping'. I have never quit a job."
"Marital status: often. Children: various."
"Reason for leaving last job: They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 a.m. every morning. Could not work under those conditions."
"The company made me a scapegoat, just like my three previous employers."
"Finished eighth in my class of ten."
"References: None. I've left a path of destruction behind me."
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Brown's daily word 9-4-07
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for this brand new month of September. Saturday, the first of September was one of the ten best days for us as a family. Sunita and Andy were united in the bond of Christian marriage on that day at 2 p.m. at the historic Sarah Jane Memorial United Methodist Church in Johnson City. The Church was full of people, the families and friends of Sunita and Andy. The Lord made the day almost perfect and glorious and beyond belief by anointing it by His Holy Presence and power. The entire ceremony became an event of worship, praise, and adoration. The whole event of ceremony and worship lasted close to two hours. It felt like we were there for under an hour. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and mercy. The Lord brought Sunita and Andy together and united them in the bond of Holy Matrimony. He has begun a very good work in them. It is our prayer and trust in Him that He will enable them to finish the journey well on earth and continue beyond this earthly pilgrimage.
Shannon Faulkner made headlines a few years ago as she crusaded to become the first female cadet at the Citadel, an all-male military academy. After a prolonged court battle, as you may remember, she finally won the right to enroll, but she couldn’t endure the exercise program required of all cadets. A few days later she dropped out and we have heard almost nothing of her since.
In contrast, you may remember the professional tennis player, Monica Seles, aho was attacked by a crazed man who jumped out of the stands & plunged a knife into her back. It was a terrifying experience, but she did not allow that to stop her. Once her wound healed, she began a rigorous exercise program, regained her strength, and last year won the British Open & placed 2nd in the U.S. Open.
I like to hear stories about people who won’t give up. Quitters do not inspire, but people who stay with a commitment even though the going gets tough are a source of great inspiration to all.
Do you remember the man who came to Jesus and said, "I’ll follow you wherever you go"? Jesus said, "Before you make that kind of commitment, you need to realize that foxes have holes & the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." In other words, "if you follow me, realize that there will be difficulties. There will be times when you will not know where you’ll sleep, or where your next meal is coming from. There will be difficult & discouraging times. But after you realize that, and then put your hands to the plow," He said, "don’t look back."
When people start the Christian life, some quit when the going gets tough. They can become an object of ridicule to some and a source of discouragement to others. That’s the reason Hebrews 12:1-3 is so important. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders & the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, & sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
In this passage the Christian life is not compared to a wind sprint, but to a marathon. In a wind sprint you run as fast as you can for a short distance, and speed is the critical factor. In a marathon, however, endurance is the critical factor. Will you make it all the way to the end?
Paul said, "I’ve kept the faith. I’ve finished the course. Therefore there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. And not for me only..." Finishing the race is critically important for all of us who would be followers of Jesus. And this Scripture gives us holy encouragement, to help us run the race of life faithfully. We are reminded that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and that we can be inspired by those who have gone before.
Notice that chapter 12 begins with the word "Therefore." That connects it with the previous chapter, and in chapter 11 the writer gives a long list of people who have been found faithful. In vs. 7, he mentions Noah. Do you remember Noah? He spent 120 years of his life building an ark - 120 years! Then I can feel Noah whispering in our ears, saying, "it took me 120 years to build the ark, and it was never easy. People ridiculed me and said, `Are you sure you really heard God? Maybe you just heard someone else.’ I tried to warn them of the judgment that was coming, but no one would listen. So I kept on building, and when the floods came the ark became the vehicle of our salvation. You need to keep on, keeping on, too."
Next, in vs. 8, is Abraham. Abraham, called away from his home in Ur of the Chaldees to a place where God would lead him. Abraham was in his old age when he was told that he and Sarah would conceive and bear a son. The same Abraham was told to take this precious son to the top of the mountain and offer him as a sacrifice. This Abraham passed every test. So when you become discouraged, here is Abraham whispering ,he says, "if you follow God, the world will probably think you crazy because God’s ways are not their ways. But listen carefully to what He tells you, follow in His steps, and be true to His will."
Go on to vs. 22 and the story of Joseph. Remember that Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He was taken to Egypt where he was accused of crimes he didn’t commit, and thrown into prison. He was down about as low as a person can go, yet he remained true to God. Then the tables were turned, and suddenly he was very powerful as the Prime Minister of Egypt. He was given full control of money, grain, food, and people. Yet, when he is at the top, he is still faithful to God.
So here is Joseph saying, "Look, it doesn’t take much to be faithful when things are going your way. But when you are at the bottom and everything seems to be falling apart, make sure that you’re still faithful."
There are included such men as Moses, Samson, Samuel, David, and more besides. There is a great cloud of witnesses who gather to cheer us on. They whisper in our ear when we become discouraged, and they say to us, "Don’t give up! Don’t lose heart. Don’t quit, whatever you do."
When I get discouraged, I think not only of the great saints in Scripture, but also of people who have crossed my path who have inspired me. We look to others for inspiration, and sometimes we are the inspiration for someone else. Someone is always watching us, and if we stumble and fall then they, too, will be discouraged.
The writer of Hebrews says is that we need to be prepared for the struggles that we will inevitably have to face, and he begins by saying, "...throw off everything that hinders." Then the writer says that we also need to get rid of "the sin that so easily entangles" us. Now that is probably the best word we can find for what sin does in our lives. It’s entangling. The writer says that we need to throw aside all those things that hinder us and all those things that entangle. Then he says, "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
Marathon runners tell us that there are two critical times in the race. The first one is at the beginning. When you begin to run you feel so good that the temptation is to run too fast too soon. If you do this you expend all your energy and don’t have enough left for the end of the race. Some Christians have done that, too, haven’t they? They started out with great promise but didn’t finish the race.
The second critical time in a marathon is at the halfway point. You suddenly realize that you still have as far to go as you’ve already run and you’re already very tired. Runners call it "hitting the wall." You have come to the end of your endurance and you’re not sure you can put one foot in front of the other anymore.
I have seen this happen in the Christian life, too. You have been around for a while and you’ve fought the battles, but you’re not sure there is enough energy left to make it to the end. The temptation is to quit. But the writer says that we are to "run with perseverance the race that’s marked out for us." Don’t grow weary and don’t lose heart.
The final word is this, we must focus our attention on Jesus. Notice what he says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Jesus was opposed. Jesus was persecuted. People made fun of Him. Yet He stayed the course. He ran the race. He paid the price. So the writer says that when we get weary and tired we are to "fix our eyes on Jesus." Every Christian needs to hear this because it’s so easy to quit. It is easy to say, "I don’t have to do this anymore." But the writer says, "Focus on Jesus. He’s the author and the finisher, the perfecter of our faith," and one day we’re going to stand before Him as our judge.
Romans 3:23 says, "There is no difference, for all have sinned & fallen short of the glory of God." One of these days we are all going to stand before the judge of the universe, as guilty as we can be. The evidence will be overwhelmingly against us. The accuser will be there to accuse us of all the sins we have committed.
Our only hope is to claim the benefit of the cross. Paul said, "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Jesus Christ." In the same way the writer of Hebrews says, "Focus on Jesus because the only hope we have is our hope in Him."
Run the race with patience. Don’t lose heart. Don’t become discouraged. Don’t quit. Keep on running the race that has been set before us.
In Jesus , the Author and the Perfecter of our faith,
Brown
"I had feelings of fear about the future...The devil kept on whispering, "It's all right now, but what about afterward? You are going to be very lonely"....And I turned to my God in a kind of desperation and said "Lord, what can I do? How can I go on to the end?" And He said, "None of them that trust in Me shall be desolate." That word has been with me ever since."
Amy Carmichael
On 'weighing the cost' of full time missionary work
Human Resource Director
One day while walking down the street a highly successful HR Director was tragically hit by a bus and she died, Her soul arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself.
Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter. "Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see, strangely enough, we've never once had a Human Resources Director make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in" said the woman. " Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders. What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in
Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in."
"Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to stay in Heaven," said the woman. "Sorry, we have rules..." And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell. The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends -- fellow executives that she had worked with and they were all dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her.
They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kinda cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved good-bye as she got on the elevator. The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her.
"Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had a great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her. "So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity," he said. The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell."
So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks. The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her.
I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is, is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable."
The Devil looked at her and smiled. "Yesterday we were recruiting you, today you're staff..."
Praise the Lord for this brand new month of September. Saturday, the first of September was one of the ten best days for us as a family. Sunita and Andy were united in the bond of Christian marriage on that day at 2 p.m. at the historic Sarah Jane Memorial United Methodist Church in Johnson City. The Church was full of people, the families and friends of Sunita and Andy. The Lord made the day almost perfect and glorious and beyond belief by anointing it by His Holy Presence and power. The entire ceremony became an event of worship, praise, and adoration. The whole event of ceremony and worship lasted close to two hours. It felt like we were there for under an hour. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and mercy. The Lord brought Sunita and Andy together and united them in the bond of Holy Matrimony. He has begun a very good work in them. It is our prayer and trust in Him that He will enable them to finish the journey well on earth and continue beyond this earthly pilgrimage.
Shannon Faulkner made headlines a few years ago as she crusaded to become the first female cadet at the Citadel, an all-male military academy. After a prolonged court battle, as you may remember, she finally won the right to enroll, but she couldn’t endure the exercise program required of all cadets. A few days later she dropped out and we have heard almost nothing of her since.
In contrast, you may remember the professional tennis player, Monica Seles, aho was attacked by a crazed man who jumped out of the stands & plunged a knife into her back. It was a terrifying experience, but she did not allow that to stop her. Once her wound healed, she began a rigorous exercise program, regained her strength, and last year won the British Open & placed 2nd in the U.S. Open.
I like to hear stories about people who won’t give up. Quitters do not inspire, but people who stay with a commitment even though the going gets tough are a source of great inspiration to all.
Do you remember the man who came to Jesus and said, "I’ll follow you wherever you go"? Jesus said, "Before you make that kind of commitment, you need to realize that foxes have holes & the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." In other words, "if you follow me, realize that there will be difficulties. There will be times when you will not know where you’ll sleep, or where your next meal is coming from. There will be difficult & discouraging times. But after you realize that, and then put your hands to the plow," He said, "don’t look back."
When people start the Christian life, some quit when the going gets tough. They can become an object of ridicule to some and a source of discouragement to others. That’s the reason Hebrews 12:1-3 is so important. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders & the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, & sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
In this passage the Christian life is not compared to a wind sprint, but to a marathon. In a wind sprint you run as fast as you can for a short distance, and speed is the critical factor. In a marathon, however, endurance is the critical factor. Will you make it all the way to the end?
Paul said, "I’ve kept the faith. I’ve finished the course. Therefore there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. And not for me only..." Finishing the race is critically important for all of us who would be followers of Jesus. And this Scripture gives us holy encouragement, to help us run the race of life faithfully. We are reminded that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, and that we can be inspired by those who have gone before.
Notice that chapter 12 begins with the word "Therefore." That connects it with the previous chapter, and in chapter 11 the writer gives a long list of people who have been found faithful. In vs. 7, he mentions Noah. Do you remember Noah? He spent 120 years of his life building an ark - 120 years! Then I can feel Noah whispering in our ears, saying, "it took me 120 years to build the ark, and it was never easy. People ridiculed me and said, `Are you sure you really heard God? Maybe you just heard someone else.’ I tried to warn them of the judgment that was coming, but no one would listen. So I kept on building, and when the floods came the ark became the vehicle of our salvation. You need to keep on, keeping on, too."
Next, in vs. 8, is Abraham. Abraham, called away from his home in Ur of the Chaldees to a place where God would lead him. Abraham was in his old age when he was told that he and Sarah would conceive and bear a son. The same Abraham was told to take this precious son to the top of the mountain and offer him as a sacrifice. This Abraham passed every test. So when you become discouraged, here is Abraham whispering ,he says, "if you follow God, the world will probably think you crazy because God’s ways are not their ways. But listen carefully to what He tells you, follow in His steps, and be true to His will."
Go on to vs. 22 and the story of Joseph. Remember that Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He was taken to Egypt where he was accused of crimes he didn’t commit, and thrown into prison. He was down about as low as a person can go, yet he remained true to God. Then the tables were turned, and suddenly he was very powerful as the Prime Minister of Egypt. He was given full control of money, grain, food, and people. Yet, when he is at the top, he is still faithful to God.
So here is Joseph saying, "Look, it doesn’t take much to be faithful when things are going your way. But when you are at the bottom and everything seems to be falling apart, make sure that you’re still faithful."
There are included such men as Moses, Samson, Samuel, David, and more besides. There is a great cloud of witnesses who gather to cheer us on. They whisper in our ear when we become discouraged, and they say to us, "Don’t give up! Don’t lose heart. Don’t quit, whatever you do."
When I get discouraged, I think not only of the great saints in Scripture, but also of people who have crossed my path who have inspired me. We look to others for inspiration, and sometimes we are the inspiration for someone else. Someone is always watching us, and if we stumble and fall then they, too, will be discouraged.
The writer of Hebrews says is that we need to be prepared for the struggles that we will inevitably have to face, and he begins by saying, "...throw off everything that hinders." Then the writer says that we also need to get rid of "the sin that so easily entangles" us. Now that is probably the best word we can find for what sin does in our lives. It’s entangling. The writer says that we need to throw aside all those things that hinder us and all those things that entangle. Then he says, "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."
Marathon runners tell us that there are two critical times in the race. The first one is at the beginning. When you begin to run you feel so good that the temptation is to run too fast too soon. If you do this you expend all your energy and don’t have enough left for the end of the race. Some Christians have done that, too, haven’t they? They started out with great promise but didn’t finish the race.
The second critical time in a marathon is at the halfway point. You suddenly realize that you still have as far to go as you’ve already run and you’re already very tired. Runners call it "hitting the wall." You have come to the end of your endurance and you’re not sure you can put one foot in front of the other anymore.
I have seen this happen in the Christian life, too. You have been around for a while and you’ve fought the battles, but you’re not sure there is enough energy left to make it to the end. The temptation is to quit. But the writer says that we are to "run with perseverance the race that’s marked out for us." Don’t grow weary and don’t lose heart.
The final word is this, we must focus our attention on Jesus. Notice what he says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Jesus was opposed. Jesus was persecuted. People made fun of Him. Yet He stayed the course. He ran the race. He paid the price. So the writer says that when we get weary and tired we are to "fix our eyes on Jesus." Every Christian needs to hear this because it’s so easy to quit. It is easy to say, "I don’t have to do this anymore." But the writer says, "Focus on Jesus. He’s the author and the finisher, the perfecter of our faith," and one day we’re going to stand before Him as our judge.
Romans 3:23 says, "There is no difference, for all have sinned & fallen short of the glory of God." One of these days we are all going to stand before the judge of the universe, as guilty as we can be. The evidence will be overwhelmingly against us. The accuser will be there to accuse us of all the sins we have committed.
Our only hope is to claim the benefit of the cross. Paul said, "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Jesus Christ." In the same way the writer of Hebrews says, "Focus on Jesus because the only hope we have is our hope in Him."
Run the race with patience. Don’t lose heart. Don’t become discouraged. Don’t quit. Keep on running the race that has been set before us.
In Jesus , the Author and the Perfecter of our faith,
Brown
"I had feelings of fear about the future...The devil kept on whispering, "It's all right now, but what about afterward? You are going to be very lonely"....And I turned to my God in a kind of desperation and said "Lord, what can I do? How can I go on to the end?" And He said, "None of them that trust in Me shall be desolate." That word has been with me ever since."
Amy Carmichael
On 'weighing the cost' of full time missionary work
Human Resource Director
One day while walking down the street a highly successful HR Director was tragically hit by a bus and she died, Her soul arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter himself.
Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter. "Before you get settled in though, it seems we have a problem. You see, strangely enough, we've never once had a Human Resources Director make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in" said the woman. " Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders. What we're going to do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in
Heaven and then you can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in."
"Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to stay in Heaven," said the woman. "Sorry, we have rules..." And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it went down-down-down to hell. The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends -- fellow executives that she had worked with and they were all dressed in evening gowns and cheering for her.
They ran up and kissed her on both cheeks and they talked about old times. They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner. She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kinda cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave. Everybody shook her hand and waved good-bye as she got on the elevator. The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her.
"Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had a great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her. "So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven. Now you must choose your eternity," he said. The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell."
So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks. The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her.
I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is, is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable."
The Devil looked at her and smiled. "Yesterday we were recruiting you, today you're staff..."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
