Monthly Archives: June 2015

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 20, 2015

Posted under

Family, Friends & Fellowship, God's Grace & Love, Holidays & Holy Days, Knowing Him

GOD THE FATHER – Father’s Day 2015

fdayhorzAnd I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. [2 Corinthians 6:18 (NLT)]

What are the qualities of the ideal father? I think he’d be loving and upright, wise and patient, gentle and kind. He’d be a comforter and good provider, a teacher and a helper. He’d be a firm but fair disciplinarian with a forgiving heart. The perfect father would be easy to approach and always ready with an encouraging word. He’d have a wonderful imagination, a great sense of humor and would always have a few surprises up his sleeve. He would protect his children and never abandon them. Some of us were blessed with fathers who had all or most of these qualities and others, unfortunately, had fathers who fell short in some (or many) of them. It’s comforting to know we all have a Father in Heaven who has every one of these good characteristics plus many more!

Thank you, Lord, for being the perfect father and for loving us, your imperfect children, as only a father can!

It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father. [Pope John XXIII]

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. [Romans 8:15-16 (NLT)]

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! [1 John 3:1a (NLT)]

 

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 15, 2015

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Faith & Hope, Miracles, Patience & Perseverance

HE HEALED

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. [Mark 10:51-52 (NLT)]

Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, ran after Jesus. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” he called. The crowd tried to quiet him, but he only shouted louder. No doubt about it, he wanted to be healed and he was. A paralyzed man wanted healing so much that he had his friends carry him to Jesus. When they couldn’t get through the crowd to the Lord, the men climbed onto the roof, made an opening and lowered their friend down to Jesus. Nothing was going to keep him from healing. A bleeding woman spent every penny she had on doctors to no avail. She followed after Jesus, desperately trying to touch his robe in hope of healing. Like the blind beggar and lame man, she truly wanted to be healed.

What a contrast they are to the man who lay by the pool at Bethesda for thirty-eight years. Sick people congregated there every day in hope of a miraculous healing. It was said that an angel of the Lord would come from time to time and stir up the water. Whoever was first to step in that water would be healed instantly. When Jesus came to the pool, he saw the man and asked if he wanted to be healed. It’s odd that the answer wasn’t a resounding “Yes!” Instead, the man complained that he had no one to put him in the water when it rippled.

The sick man by the pool blamed others for his lack of healing; no one would take him to the edge of the pool. Was there no one in thirty-eight years who might have helped the sick man if he’d only asked? Had he been abandoned or had he gotten so comfortable in his misery that he hadn’t requested help? Did he really want to be healed or had he found it easier to be an invalid? Fortunately, Jesus saw and took pity on him, commanded him to pick up his mat and walk. The man obeyed and was healed. If he’d replied, “I can’t; I’m too sick!” he would probably have lain there for the rest of his years.

Some of us may need physical healing; others may need spiritual or emotional healing. Sickness and disease are part and parcel of our imperfect world. No matter how much faith we have or how many doctors or counselors we visit, not every illness will be cured. There is no promise that we’ll stay healthy and death is inevitable. When we need healing, however, we can’t lay helpless by a pool waiting for a miraculous and effortless cure. Healing takes work. That means prayer along with such things as regular medication, physical therapy, a 12-step program, counseling, an exercise regimen or special diet, healthier habits, hospitalization, a support group, or even a simple change in attitude. We can, however, do all of that and still not be healed. Cures are never guaranteed but, if we’re unwilling to put forth some effort, it’s a guarantee that we’ll never be able to stand up, pick up our mats and walk.

The wish for healing has always been half of health. [Seneca]

When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! [John 5:6-9a (NLT)]

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 13, 2015

Posted under

Bible Stories, God's Promises, Obedience, Salvation: A New You, Trusting God

TRUTH IN ADVERTISING

“Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. … Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” [Luke 9:3,23 (NLT         

Our Lady Cathedral, AntwerpVarious other translations of these verses from Luke say the follower of Christ is to “stop thinking about,” “lose sight of,” “deny,” or “disown” himself and give up his interests and the things he wants. Many translations are far less poetic when mentioning the taking up of one’s cross. The Expanded Bible, for instance, say followers must “be willing to give up their lives” and the Complete Jewish Bible bluntly refers to the cross as an “execution-stake.” It’s bad enough that Jesus told us to take nothing when we follow him. He then tells us that we won’t be staying at the Hilton nor having room service. In fact, there might not even be a bed at the Motel 6 with coffee and stale rolls in the morning. Moreover, since we’re to deny ourselves the things we want, there may be no bed at all and it’s quite possible we’ll go hungry. We have to learn to rely on God rather than ourselves. Finally, there’s that that whole “taking up the cross” thing meaning a loss of one’s life-style or, even worse, the possible loss of one’s life! It seems to me that Jesus needed to consult with a better advertising agency if He was going to get followers. There would be plenty of Christians if He, like most politicians, offered us a care-free life, one of effortless comfort and ease, instead of telling us how difficult it would be. Jesus, however, laid it all on the line. A follower of Christ must rely on God’s provision, not his own; God-dependence must replace independence and obedience must replace self-determination. Long-standing habits, desires and attitudes must be renounced and the old self crucified so we can be made new in Christ. Our old lives have to be left behind if we’re going to journey with Jesus. Indeed, his early followers and even some Christians today face the actual loss of life for their belief. Jesus certainly didn’t make Christianity sound very easy. Why would anyone follow him? Then again, when we consider the benefits, why would anyone not?

 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. [Luke 9:24 (NLT

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. [Galatians 2:20 (NLT)]

 

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 12, 2015

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, God's Grace & Love, Knowing Him, Salvation: A New You, Temptation & Sin, Wisdom & Guidance

BEEN HERE BUT DIDN’T DO THAT!

The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried – our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. [Isaiah 53:2-4a (MSG)]

Writing yesterday’s message reminded me of another common teen complaint: “But you just don’t understand!” My teenagers were positive that I’d never experienced any of the challenges, temptations and angst they were having. I’m sure my grandchildren are equally sure their parents have no idea what their life is like. We may not have had all of the gadgets and technology of today’s teens; we didn’t have Facebook, smart phones, texting, and the Internet. We did, however, struggle with many of the same issues: mean people, SATs, crushes, insecurity, rejection, being grounded, alcohol and parties when the parents were gone.

Sometimes we’re not much different than teenagers when we talk to God. “You just don’t understand!” we protest. But, He really does. Jesus actually experienced life and all of its adversities and struggles during his thirty-three years as a man. Granted, He experienced them in a dramatically different setting and time. The First Century didn’t have the bells and whistles of today, but the temptations and challenges were much the same: sexual immorality, pride, pain, abuse, anger, doubt, desire, envy, deceit, sorrow, injustice. Not everyone liked Him, not everyone listened to Him, and not everyone believed or respected Him. He truly knows what it means to be human; He certainly knows what it is to suffer.

When we talk with God, He truly does understand. He’s been here and he was sorely tempted by Satan; the only difference is that He never sinned.

Now that we know what we have – Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God – let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all – all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. [Hebrews 4:14-16 (MSG)]

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 11, 2015

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, God's Word: The Bible, Knowing Him, Obedience, Temptation & Sin, Wisdom & Guidance

BECAUSE I SAID SO!

God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding. He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well, a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere. He keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones. [Proverbs 2:6-8 (MSG)]

5-1-15baboons3002S-1crop-cropWEBI remember my parents responding to my teenage pleas of “Why not?” with the vague but decisive response, “Because I‘m the parent and I said so.” I hated that answer because I wanted an excuse to keep the discussion open in hopes of finally wearing one of them down and getting my way. Eventually, I occasionally used the same response with my own children, knowing that further explanation would just mean more debate and there were some issues that simply were non-negotiable.

It’s not just teenagers, however, that seem to have difficulty understanding that “No!” can be a complete sentence. Even though we’re adults, we still have trouble accepting that God’s directions are not open to debate or compromise. At times, we can be as willful as we were as teens. Sure that we’ve got a better plan, we argue with God’s wisdom to justify our planned actions.

Everything we need to know, every bit of wisdom we need, every guideline for behavior, is right there the Bible. We need to remember that God’s directions are not mere suggestions or good ideas; they are commands and meant to be followed. All we have to do is be obedient which, I admit, is sometimes much easier said than done. The power of the Holy Spirit, however, makes it possible.

Many years ago I heard a speaker say…, “Either sin will keep you from God’s Word or God’s Word will keep you from sin.” [Billy Graham]

God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. Give me insight so I can do what you tell me – my whole life one long, obedient response. Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway! [Psalm 119:33-35 (MSG)]

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

June 10, 2015

Posted under

Attitudes & Behavior, God's Grace & Love, Joy, Knowing Him, Love & Works, Prayer

THOSE THREE LITTLE WORDS


2-15-15 bleeding hearts - ACL774WEBI love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. [Psalm 116:1 (NLT)]

“I love you!” Do you remember how much you longed to hear those three little words from your boyfriend or girlfriend? Do you remember how good you felt when they were finally uttered? No matter how often those three loving words are spoken, we never tire of hearing them.

As I was going through Psalms, looking for verses about God’s love, I was struck by how often God was thanked and praised for His unfailing love and how rarely the psalmists actually said anything about their love for God. Of course, the various psalmists imply their love of God with praise and thanks but seldom is it actually expressed.

While I always try to finish any phone conversation with my family by saying, ”I love you,” I’m sorry to say that, like the writers of Psalms, I’m not very good about expressing my love to God when I speak with Him. When was the last time you said, “I love you!” to God?

I love you, Lord; you are my strength. [Psalm 18:1 (NLT)]