Thoughts on a new year

Your value in the new year is not based on who you are, what you resolve to do or not do, how much money you make, how famous you become or where you travel. Your value has been set by God and his love says you are of infinite worth to him. So, in the new year resolve only two things- 1. Love God with all that is in you, and 2. Love others as God loves you. If you do just these 2 things your year will be amazing!

Now what?

Wow,  I have simply gotten so busy I've forgotten about my writing.  It has been weeks since I have had time to sit down, think about where I am, what I'm doing and write something.  That's no excuse, just reality.  

Blogging and writing has been part of my life for almost 20 years and yet, in recent days, I find the ink well dry, the thoughts rancid and inspiration gone.  I would love to have it all back and write once more, but for now I find I'm as blank as most of the pages I try to write something on.  Perhaps soon the inspiration will return, but for now....

She laughed!

She has Alzheimer's.  She hasn't spoken or interacted with another human for as long as I've known her.  She sleeps all the time! 

But I discovered from her daughter that she is a Christian, loved studying the bible and had a passion for singing.  She loved the old hymns.

She lives in a facility I visit weekly.  I spend time with this sweet lady every time I am there.  This week I arrived as the facility sang hymns in the great room with the patients.  

My friend was there, asleep in her chair, as usual.  I sat with her and told her, "let's sing along!"  And I did!  No one would want to hear me sing, but I knew she wouldn't complain.  As each hymn concluded I spoke to my friend about our hope, about the great day when there will be "no more crying, tears or sorrow."  

At the end of one song that spoke of the great day when Christ will return I told my friend,  "won't it be wonderful when we have our new bodies, no more pain, no sorrow, we can run and jump and dance together!  Won't that be glorious? I can't wait."  

And she laughed!  SHE LAUGHED!!

I couldn't believe it, but I knew what she laughed about.  She was thinking of that great day too.  The day when we will see Jesus.

Having a hope is a wonderful thing, but it's even more glorious when the transformation will be as grand as the one my friend will experience.  I can't wait for the day when I see her running and leaping and praising God.  On that day I will laugh with her.

The Root of Bitterness

Dr. Adrian Rogers wrote these words on bitterness.  It's so important I copied his thoughts and wanted to share them here.  This is a subtle weed, one that, as Dr. Rogers says, "destroys the container."  I hope you will prayerfully work through this in your own life.  I have had to do so in mine. 

-Mike

The Root of Bitterness
Bitterness blows out the candle of joy and leaves the soul in darkness. Here is what God's Word has to say about bitterness:

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. (Hebrews 12:14-15).

The Germination Of Bitterness
The seed of bitterness is a hurt that is planted in someone. It may be intentional or unintentional. Someone does not mean to hurt you, but you were hurt. Sometimes the hurt is only imagined. No one has hurt you, but somehow you feel that someone has done something wrong to you. There are also times when the hurt may be the very chastisement of God upon your life. That is the context of Hebrews 12:14-15. 

The soil of bitterness is a heart that harbors hostility and does not deal with hurt by the grace of God. When someone becomes bitter, the bitterness takes root in the heart and grows deeper.
The world is full of people who have not dealt with an old hurt. They look for things to criticize, people to find fault with, and ways to justify the way they feel. Have you ever seen people who are hypercritical? Generally, they are bitter people. They know how to push your hot buttons until you react in a way to further justify their bitterness. Then, they can say, "Aha! I was right. I have a right to be bitter."

The Devastation Of Bitterness
We have learned about the seed and the soil of bitterness, now let's look at the root and the fruit of bitterness, which is found in our text from Hebrews 12:14-15.


The Root Of Bitterness
The root of bitterness is underground; it is easy to hide and camouflage. Seldom do you find anyone who will admit that they are a bitter person. They will either deny it or disguise it. A bitter person is hypersensitive, ungrateful, insincere, holds grudges, and has mood swings. The Fruit Of Bitterness
Bitterness will affect you physically, emotionally, and spiritually because the fruit of bitterness is an acid that destroys its container. When your heart is bitter, God will not be real to you be. Why? Because hatefulness and holiness do not dwell in the same heart. And without holiness you will not see the Lord (see Hebrews 12:14).

The Eradication Of Bitterness
There are three steps to eradicating bitterness:

1. Let God Reveal It.
Sometimes people say, "I know my heart, there's no bitterness in me." Truth of the matter is you don't know your heart. God's Word tells us, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). A deceitful heart cannot diagnose a deceitful heart. You need to let God the Holy Spirit do radical surgery.

2. Let Grace Reveal It.
A response of bitterness is never right when someone has done something wrong to you. You need to ask God to forgive you, and He will by His grace. If someone has wronged you, cut it down and forget it. By the grace of God, bury that hurt in the grave of God's forgetfulness. Justice is God giving us what we deserve, mercy is God not giving us what we deserve, grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve.

3. Let Good Replace It.
Hebrews 12:14 says, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." You cannot be holy unless you follow peace with men. It is so worth it when you forgive. But, you say, "Look what they've done! I am not going to let them off the hook." Well, they are not on the hook — you are! When you forgive, you set two people free and one of them is yourself.

You will discover that your life is more joyful when you uproot your bitterness. If God gave us justice, every person reading this would die and go to hell. Thank God for His mercy that removes His hand of punishment from us. Praise God for His grace that gives us a brand new life!

Just a glimpse

This morning I sat on the patio and watched the sun rise.  I watched the colors come and go in just moments.  If I had been 5 minutes late I would have missed it all.  It was a work of art by an amazing artist, but it was gone in moments.

And then I realized....it was just a glimpse of his glory, a moment to see his amazing artistry, to see a bit of what he is like.  He describes himself surrounded in light and color beyond our imagination.  

This morning I saw just a glimpse of it in the sunrise.  It was only a moment, but it made me realize he was revealing a bit of himself to us, a bit of his amazing glory and artistry to entice us to seek him and see more.

If this is just a glimpse imagine what it would be like to see what this amazing artist and creator is like all the time!  Glory and beauty are inadequate words to describe it.  We just don't have words for it, but one day we will see it...the glory revealed that is only hinted at in the sunrise.

This morning I saw God's brushes paint the clouds and simply said, "wow."  What an amazing God.

And others....

The topic of faith and what it looks like is quite confusing in our day.  For many faith is tied to outcomes.  It says, "if you have enough faith..."  In this view your faith is measured by quantity and judged by the outcome of what you believe.  "Well, I guess you just didn't have enough faith" is a frequent response to outcomes adverse to what the person was believing for.  It's a cruel system built on performance and results.  In this system it's your faith that gets it done and if it isn't done it's your fault.

But the Bible speaks of faith in such a different way!  The focus of Biblical faith is not the outcome, but the object.  In other words, it's not how much faith you have (Jesus said it didn't take much) but who your faith is in that matters.  If it only takes a mustard seed of faith to move a mountain it must not be the size of your faith that matters at all, but who your faith is in!  It's not the outcome of faith that is important, it's the object.

We miss that so easily.  Even in the chapter on faith, Hebrews 11, we easily see the faith giants based on outcomes, but none of them saw the outcomes they believed for and in fact, in this grand hall of faith are some who, in our day, would be told, "well, I guess you just didn't have enough faith..."

Here is their testimony from God,

"...And others braved abuse and whips, and, yes, chains and dungeons. We have stories of those who were stoned, sawed in two, murdered in cold blood; stories of vagrants wandering the earth in animal skins, homeless, friendless, powerless—the world didn’t deserve them! —making their way as best they could on the cruel edges of the world.

Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours."

God testifies of these 'others' that their faith would be rewarded as well even though it would appear they were complete failures at this faith thing!  "If you just had enough faith" seems a silly statement when you read about great men and women like this! Homeless? Wanderers? Murdered? In prison?  

Could it be it's not the outcome of faith but the object of faith that is the most important thing?  Could it be the poor widow who put in two pennies for the offering, all she had, was a great woman of faith even though she had nothing?  Could it be we have looked at faith all wrong in our day?  

It's not the outcome, but the object of faith that is the key to a faith that God will praise in his grand hall of faith on that day.

A simple act of kindness

I wish I had taken a photo, a video of the events this morning.  I kick myself for not thinking of it, but I didn't.  We simply watched in amazement.

This morning my wife and I went out for breakfast.  It was busy, crowded as usual, and every table was full.  Next to us, across the aisle, was an older frail gray-haired man sitting alone.  He had to be in his early 90's, sitting in his electric wheelchair at his table waiting for his breakfast order.  He was dressed in a suit and tie. It was an older tan suit, a bit wrinkled but he had dressed for the occasion, for a nice breakfast out. 

The restaurant was noisy, busy.  Wait staff running in all directions, but in the middle of it sat this aged gentleman.

The waitress brought his meal.  It was quite a big meal for a frail older gentleman, but she set it before him and then proceeded to take his knife and fork and cut up his food for him.  My wife watched in amazement, as the activity around us continued, but at that table time stopped while this amazing waitress took time for a simple act of kindness.

When she was finished she brought more coffee for us and we asked about this older gentleman.  She told us he comes for breakfast every Saturday, sits in her section and she takes care of him by helping him with his meal, by cutting up his food.

It's a simple thing.  A small thing really, but it's Jesus stuff, the kind of thing that all of us should be about.  I've thought about her act of kindness and her sweet spirit.  It's what the people of God should be about all the time....the little things, the small graces, the little simple acts of kindness that show the world a different way, a way marked by love.

Today we saw one of Jesus' kids living out a simple act of kindness that showed the love of God to a dear old man.

Sadly most in the restaurant missed it, they were busy with their visits, smartphones and meals, but in the middle of it all God showed up.  Her name is Kristine.

"One of the religion scholars came up. Hearing the lively exchanges of question and answer and seeing how sharp Jesus was in his answers, he put in his question: “Which is most important of all the commandments?”  Jesus said, “The first in importance is, ‘Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.’ And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment that ranks with these.”  Mark 12

Suffering

None of us like suffering, but there is nothing that will clear your mind of the things that don't matter like pain.  Suffering has a way of stripping away what isn't important and focusing your priorities on what really matters,  it brings your friends, the real ones, to the rescue to hold your hand, pray for you and love you.  It loosens your grip on the things of the world and helps you see the eternal things in a new way.  None of us like suffering, but it has a cleansing effect on the sufferer and gives them a new clarity on what life is really all about.  All of us will suffer at some point in our lives.  When it comes don't run from it but welcome it as a friend who has come to clear your vision and strip away the silly things you have been busy about in the past.  And,  the most important thing of all, if you don't let bitterness sneak in, you will see God more clearly than you could have ever imagined.  When suffering comes welcome it, "Greetings dreaded friend.  Thank you for all you will accomplish in my life.  May God work through you for his glory."

Above all.....

The greatest need of the human heart is kindness.  Kindness from another, a smile, a soft word, a caring touch, the awareness that the other person is important to you, that you see them, hear them and want to take time for them.  Kindness is a rare gem in our day but because of that it is precious to the one receiving it.  Make it a priority in your life to be kind.  You will find a rich treasure of friends, smiles and thanks from those you have touched who were starving for someone to care for them.  Above all be kind!

The main thing

"...we make it our aim to please him." 2 Cor. 5

Imagine if this was the primary goal of every believer. Just this one thing. How would your decisions change, your desires change if this was your first filter?

Missing the glory

As I read the news, watch the Twitter feeds, read my friend's Facebook posts I realize we are missing the glory.  Our eyes are focused on what is wrong, what is going on around us and we fail to climb the ladder to see an amazing God working in our mess.

We are missing the glory of God's grace, his plan, his care and his love as we focus on the junk around us.

One author in scipture wrote, "Look up!  You salvation is almost here!"  

We are missing it, even in the midst of all the junk.  We see the giants and miss the David.  We see an ocean and forget about a God who parts it.  We see lack and never bother to ask a good God to fill it. We grieve over loss and never ask for comfort from the only one who can help us.  We hear noise and never find time to listen for his voice.

We are missing the glory!  We are missing God in the midst of the madness.

Jesus said, "When the son of man comes will he find faith on the earth?"  It is the most profound question ever asked!  Will we keep our focus on and faith in a good and loving God even as our world crumbles around us?  Or will we cower in fear and bitterness at all that is going wrong?

How do we forget so easily a God who made the Universe, who died for us, who loves us more than we can know?  We are misssing HIM even as we sit in church, sing the songs and hear the sermon.  We are missing the God, the glory, the only hope we have in a world shaking at the core.

This morning, as I attempt to "be still and know that he is God," I realize I am letting the world make me fearful and even as I do that I lose sight of the God my heart longs for, the only one who can help me.

Which brings me to my only solution once more, the words of Jesus, who said, "Come to me......"

Truth

Truth exists.  

Truth is never personal but always universal.  

If truth exists then it's important to know what it is.  

We live in a day when people are too lazy to be bothered with the quest for truth so they drug themselves with their own imaginations hoping that will pacify their minds while they do as they please.  

But God will not leave us content with that and will demand of each of us an evaluation of our lives in light of the truth he revealed.

Living sacrifices

"We can offer ourselves to God as living sacrifices only because someone else offered himself as a dying one." Mike Messerli (Romans 12:1-2, Romans 3-6)

Day is near

"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."  Romans 13

The day is near.  

It's been dark for a long time!  The darkness of night has become our norm, but there is a glimmer of light on the horizon, a bit of light we have not seen before.  The day is near!  The sun will soon rise and change everything.  It's coming.  It's as sure as the turning of the earth and the approach of the new day.  

The day Paul is talking about is the day of the Lord, the appearing of the Son.  The light of life eternally present.  It's near and it's time for us to wake up!  Time to get dressed for the day.  Time to put on Christ Jesus and stop sinning.  The groom is at the door, the wedding is about to begin.

Are you ready?

The day ahead

Today I face a difficult task.  One I wish I could avoid.  My mind and heart recoil at the thoughts of what awaits me.  I dread it!

Today I will speak at the memorial service for a young lady I knew well who took her own life.  Days like this I wish I could just run away and hide from the world and all we do to ourselves and each other.  This is such a cruel place to live.

But in the midst of it all there is the love of God sprinkled here and there that makes all the difference.  Without God's work in this world we would already know what hell is like for we would be living in it. But in the midst of all the grief and sorrow God whispers.

So today I face a family I love, to grieve with them over a bad choice by a sweet young lady.  As one friend told me in tears years ago, "I HATE sin!"  Today I agree with my friend for I see what it can do in our lives once more.

My prayer today is that those attending will hear whispers of the love of God in the midst of a world where chaos rules.

Hopeless

It's early Monday morning.  I woke hours before dawn and knew it was time to get up...to read, to listen, to be quiet before the day and week began. I needed this time. I am facing a very difficult week.  There are events I must be part of this week that I dread, but cannot avoid.  This week I will speak at the funeral of a young lady I knew well who took her own life.  Her family is heartbroken and the weight of their grief and mine is overwhelming.  What do you say at times like this? How do you comfort?  I don't know that comfort is possible, but trust is.  Trust in God when we have lost all hope, when our hearts break and we have no words...in moments like that all we can do is trust in a loving God.  But the skeptic would reply, "If he's so loving why didn't he stop her suicide?"  And I sigh.  How do you talk to someone who has no heart?  You can't.  So this week we will grieve.  I will offer no answers, but will try to turn the grieving families eyes to a loving God who cries with them.  I'm sure this young lady felt quite hopeless as she made the choice to end her life.  I know we all feel hopeless at times.  It's part of our frailty, but in that moment of hopelessness God invites us to look to him, the only hope we have.  And so, like David, I will reply,

Ps 43:5, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

A handful of quietness

"Better is a handful of quietness 

than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind."  

Eccl. 4:6

A handful of quietness.  As I read that this morning it made m pause to visualize what that would look like.  The images of the contrast are pretty clear.  To have a little quietness is better than a bunch of stuff to do that accomplishes nothing.

A handful of quietness.

I'm not sure what to do with that exactly, but I will be thinking about it and looking for ways to get my handful of quietness.

I have no brilliant thoughts for this verse...just a thoughtful pause.  

Lord, help me to find just one handful of quietness rather than two hands full of busy.  It seems to be a better choice.

Sunrise

This morning I'm sitting on the patio as the sun rises.  Birds singing, breeze swirling around me, beautiful clouds reflecting the rising sun, trees swaying with the breeze.....all celebrating a King.

The sun has just crested the trees and will cross the sky until evening.  Then, once more, evening comes and another sunrise tomorrow.  Each day gives me opportunity to be, to do, to make choices but I only get this day once and what I do with it will eternally be resolved as each second passes.

My part in this great play of humanity is to love and serve my King and the people he puts in my path.  Each person I meet is someone he made to worship him.  I can help them do that and find him more easily or make it harder.  I can leave a sweet taste on their lips for the experience or sow a bit of resentment and anger in their lives.

At the beginning of a new day I have just 24 hours but hundreds of choices and each choice will glorify my King or make it harder for others to see him.  

Humanity around me is stirring.  Life for this new day is beginning.  My part in it is to serve my King well and help others find this amazing life he has given to me.

Lord, today in this 24 hours, may my life make you most glorious and winsome to those who encounter me.  May they see YOU in me.

The real problem

There is a lot of debate about why violence has increased in our country, why school shootings are now so common.  The debate on one side blames guns and on the other it blames a culture awash with violence.

But there is a clear cause that most do not want to acknowledge and a real reason for the increased violence.

This insight into the real cause is sprinkled throughout the Bible and clearly spoken of in numerous places, but our culture never bothers to consult the owners manual to find out what is really happening.  If they did they would deny the solution God gives.

So, as a result, this kind of violence will continue and increase.  Whether guns or knives, bats or rocks it will go on because we refuse to acknowledge and address the real cause.

Here it is. Hidden in plain site.

“There is no faithfulness, no love,

    no acknowledgment of God in the land.

There is only cursing, lying and murder,

    stealing and adultery;

they break all bounds,

    and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

 Because of this the land dries up,

    and all who live in it waste away…”

Hosea 4

Because we have turned our backs on God this is our outcome, this is our result.  This is what life looks like without God.  No matter what solutions we legislate the problems will only get worse.

It will not stop until we turn once more and bow to the God who made us.  

What we are seeing now is a culture without God.  

That's the real problem.