Band-aids and bullet holes

Most people don't think our problem is as serious as it really is.

Most people believe a band-aid is all that's needed to fix the problem. I might like a plain one, but you want a pretty flower band-aid. We each choose the band-aid that we think works best for us.

All around us we have the idea that a band-aid can solve my problem, that it's not as bad as it really is. Any old band-aid will heal the wound, but it's not true. The wound is much worse than we believe. The problem much more serious.

What we need so desperately is not a band-aid, but a surgeon. We need someone to remove the problem, the bullet that has caused the wound. We only see the open wound and dress it with a band-aid and wait for it to heal, but there's something deeper that must be taken care of.

All around me I read and talk to people of different faiths who have the perfect band-aid for the problem. "If you will use our band-aid," they say, "your wound will heal." Some even claim there is no wound, but we all know there is.

One faith says the problem is much deeper than we know. One faith says we need a surgeon to remove the bullet, to take out the source of the wound or it will never heal as it should. Yes, the wound might heal superficially, but the source of the wound remains and will cause problems for the rest of the person's life.

We are in a world that tries to dress bullet holes with band-aids. It's not enough. We have a deeper problem. It's the bullet that has cut into each one of us, it's called sin. No band-aid will remedy that problem. We need a surgeon. We need the source of the problem removed and then the wound can heal as it should.

All around are people proudly wearing their band-aid of choice, but the problem remains. Until we address the sin

problem (and only the great surgeon Jesus can do that) we still have not dealt with the source of the wound.

Romans 6:23- For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Saturday's cartoon

One day...

"...there will no longer be any mourning or crying or pain." -Revelation 21

Revelation 21 describes a day, a day not too far off, when all mourning, crying and pain will end. Those few words speak so much more than we can imagine.

As a pastor I deal with these three enemies of the soul on a daily basis. They are my enemies as well. All three- mourning, crying and pain, are the results of an action of another, a wound of a friend, a betrayal of a husband or wife, the loss of a child. All three describe the results of sin in the human race and in our world. Sin that would cause us to hurt another soul that God made.

When the bible speaks of mourning, crying and pain coming to any end it means as well that the causes that brought them will be gone! We won't mourn anymore because there will be nothing to cause it. We won't cry again because there will never again be a reason to cry. We won't feel pain again, physical or emotional, because the causes of pain will be forever gone.

The ending of these three results of sin declare to the human race that there will be an end to sin's rule on planet earth. One day a new government will rule and mourning, crying and pain will never be known again. I can't even imagine how great that will be. I can't wait!

The Rules

By Mike Messerli

RULE #1- It’s ALL about me! I’m the “god” of my world, the “lord” of my universe.

This would work for most people, except for the fact that Rule #2 is also true, it says:

RULE #2- Everyone else also thinks rule #1 applies to them.

The reality is that Rules 1 &2 do not “work”, thus Rule #3:

RULE #3- We all need a new God. The one we “worship” now is not working. We need to allow God, the one who made heaven and earth, to be the only God in our lives, and Lord of our lives. We must stop trying to be our own “gods”.

RULE #4- Sin is defined as any attempt I make to reestablish rule #1.

It's all perspective

Fear

Just for fun....

Is He able? Is He willing?

^{Isa. 44:24} “This is what the LORD says—
your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb:

I am the LORD,
the Maker of all things,
who stretches out the heavens,
who spreads out the earth by myself,

Last night my wife and I were talking about prayer. It's a difficult subject because we honestly know that prayer often is unanswered. We ask God for something and see nothing. We pray for someone and nothing changes. We ask and wonder....honestly wonder....does God answer prayer? Does it matter if I pray? I know God is able to answer prayer, but I often wonder if he is willing. It's a most difficult subject to talk about.

What I don't know, what I can't know is what God is doing. He is working. He made the heavens and the earth and what I don't know is all that he actually is doing because I have prayed. I may not see what I asked, but I don't know all that God knows. I may not know what is really going on, what is really needed, what God is REALLY doing. And so, often in my life to be honest with you, I ask and don't see answers to my prayers. It's not that God doesn't answer. It's just that I don't know what's really needed, what God is really working on. It's hard when you can't see all that God is doing and often don't see the results of the prayers you ask for.

Sorry to be so honest here, but as I thought about this after my visit with my wife last night I realize that, although I don't always see answers to my prayers, I have decided to trust a good God to work it all out. That may seem to leave a lot of these questions unanswered. If that is where I'm at I am comfortable with it. I have decided to trust God rather than myself. I ask and leave the rest to him. My faith is in a God who is able and willing, a God who knows what will best meet each need and work for the eternal good of the one I pray for.

So, have I created more questions than I have answered? I hope so. I hope you are uncomfortable with this whole idea of prayer and come to a place where you pray for big things and leave the rest to God...the results of your prayers, the answers, the prayers unanswered, the reasons, and simply rest in the hands of a big God who made heaven and earth and can mold my simple prayers into great thing.

Monday's cartoon

Forgiven?

I am constantly amazed as I hear Christians talk about the need to ask God for forgiveness of sin. What they are communicating is a lack of understanding of the cross and what Jesus did.

Are you surprised by that comment?

There is a lot of confusion on this topic of forgiveness. Throughout my Christian life I have been told I need to go to God to ask forgiveness for daily sins. In Campus Crusade they described it as spiritual cleansing, a spiritual bar of soap. It's almost universally accepted that a Christian has an ongoing need to ask forgiveness for sin.

May I tell you this is not biblically correct? This teaching that we need ongoing forgiveness communicates an error in theology that needs to be addressed. I know these ideas run deep in the Christian world and I will get a lot of "Ya, but..." from those who haven't thought through the implications of the cross. Let me see if I can walk through this and give you a different view of forgiveness....

When Jesus died on the cross how many sins did he die for? I hope you will answer "all of them". If you did you are right.

When he died on the cross how many of your sins were still future? Again, your answer should be "all of them".

So, when you trusted Christ as savior how many of your sins did he forgive? I hope you are getting the idea...the answer is all of them.

So, when you trusted him as savior, let me ask this again to make sure it's clear, how many of your sins were forgiven? Yes, again the correct answer is "all of them".

But, you might say, I haven't committed some sins yet, what do I do about those? That's a great question and we will answer that in a minute, but the one thing you can't do, if you followed my reasoning above, is ask for forgiveness. Why not? BECAUSE YOU ARE ALREADY FORGIVEN!

So what do I do about sin in my life? What do I do when I look at a woman? When I lie? When I get angry? How do I deal with ongoing sin? Those are important questions. Let me suggest this response-

When I sin as a Christian my need is not forgiveness, why? I'm already forgiven. What's my need? I need repentance. I've made a bad choice, sinned, lied, gotten angry. I've sinned. But as we noted above I'm already forgiven so what do I do now? I need to deal with sin in the right way. If I'm already forgiven then I need to focus on the real problem that caused my sin- a wrong choice, a bad decision, a wrong direction....I need to turn around, change my mind, I need to repent.

Here's a simple way to pray as we become aware of sin in our lives, "Lord, I just sinned (name what the sin is). Here's another reason I needed a savior. Thank you for forgiving my sins. Thank you for forgiving all my sins, even those I haven't done yet. I'm sorry I sinned. I repent (change my mind). Would you help me change directions? Would you help me repent and walk with you instead? I want to be like Christ, but I need your power to do it. Thank you."

If Christ's finished work on the cross is true then I never need to ask for forgiveness again....I simply need to thank him for what I already have and respond in repentance rather than seeking forgiveness (something that is already mine). We have a host of Christians asking for forgiveness and never repenting. Men and women continuing on in the sin they chose, but asking for God's forgiveness along the way. This is the worse possible theology and choice. Of course we are forgiven if we have trusted Christ, but there are consequences for ongoing sin. There are problems with it. That should be obvious.

We don't need more forgiveness. We have all we are going to get. What we need is repentance. We need Christians passionate to become like Christ and willing to change directions, as sin is revealed. Don't ask for what you already have. Repent and ask for God's help so ongoing sin is not part of your life.

Forgiven? YES, completely! And because of that our choices should be dramatically different.

Bible references for these thoughts: John 3, Romans 6-8, Hebrews 9-10, 2 Corinthians 5.

Don't wait to say "Thank you"

"Live simply so other people can simply live."

Great quotes

This afternoon I was reminded of one of the great quotes of the Christian faith. It's a wonderful overview of the Christian life.

Jesus gave his life for you

so he could give his life to you

so he could live his life through you

-Major Ian Thomas

The blessings of God

As I read Numbers 6 this morning I came to the end of the chapter and this rich blessing given by God for the priests to extend to the people,

²² The LORD said to Moses, ²³ “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

²⁴ “‘“The LORD bless you and keep you;

²⁵ the LORD make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

²⁶ the LORD turn his face toward you

and give you peace.”’

It struck me that these are the same words used by the New Testament writers as they begin their books, "Grace and peace to you...." These are not just words of greeting, but are words of blessing.

Grace encompasses the rich blessings and favor of God in relationship with us. Peace describes the results of grace in relationship with God and with others. These two words describe all we need to live well. As I read the blessing of the priest in Numbers 6 it struck me that this is the ongoing blessing of the Christian, this grace and peace.

It also became clear that if you're not experiencing grace you won't have peace either. Peace rests on the foundation of grace. Without an experience of grace peace is not available. As I write this it clears a fog for me about the world around me....if those we know have not trusted and experienced the grace of God they don't know peace either. It's only in God's grace that true peace is revealed.....peace with God and peace with others. And, it's only as I give grace to others that they experience peace in relationship.

Grace and peace....foundations of faith and a rich relationship with God. That's what I'm dwelling on this morning. I know there is much more to this than I have written here, but it's just now starting to bounce around in my head. I'll share with you what comes from all of that as I work through it, but for today,

Grace and peace be to you in the name of Jesus Christ!

Quote of the day

Bruce Barton-

"When you're through changing, you're through."

Waves

Life comes at us in waves. Waves of blessings and sometimes waves of problems.

This morning, with the wonderful blessing of rain comes flooding in our garage. We spent the night manning the sump pump to keep it out of the house. Tired, but victory is ours!

This morning I took my car into the shop. It's not working right. I've tried everything to fix it, but with no success. Now for the pros to work on it.

Waves come and go. We so easily think that when we are crushed by a wave that this is the way it will always be. We're wet, beat up, tired, off balance with the force of the wave, but the wave will pass....another will come soon, but that will pass as well. The challenge for us is to realize that these waves of both good and bad are part of the normal tides of life on a fallen planet. Don't let one wave knock you off your feet and defeat you. It will pass and the next one might be an amazing blessing.

One thing for sure....life on our little world is never boring! There's always another wave coming to make your life exciting. Anticipate what's ahead, don't dread it. God is in charge of your life and if the wave brings flooding and broken cars it's just one wave. It will pass, you will grow in faith and God will work in your life.

Enjoy the waves. They are part of a life lived well.