More Than an Ordinary Book

I love the Bible! There I said it and I’d gladly say it again. I love the Bible! More than the Sunday School song The B-I-B-L-E, “yes that IS the book for me!” I am in awe of the beauty, the relevance and the practical application of this book completed some 2,000 years ago.

Why do I start with such a proclamation, you may ask. It is because we live in a day and age that denounces absolutes. It is a day that questions and ridicules those who take a stand on something. Today people are calling good bad and bad good, which the Bible clearly warns will happen.

No longer is the Bible looked upon with reverence in our society, as it once was.  Not too long ago, fiction books, movies and TV shows had a reverence for the Bible. Today it is cast off as fanatical and ridiculous. The majority of the critiques have never even read the Bible, but they criticize it based on preconceived notions or popular opinions. It is deemed better to be an accepted part of the crowd then to stand alone for something you believe in.

With the moral decay of our society, those who hold to biblical truths are being cast off as bigots and imbeciles. Politics, power and fame become more important then pleasing God. There is a crowd that is gathering that is antagonistic to God, to Jesus Christ and to His Holy Word. Yet there is Hope!

The Bible is not just an ordinary book that was written a long time ago. No it is a divine book given to us by God in the fullness of time for our benefit. It is a book that is over 2,000 yeas old but speaks as if it was written right to you! It is more then just a book, it is a collection of 66 books, written by over 40 different authors on 3 different continents in 3 different languages over a span of more then 1,500 years. It deals with many controversial topics and yet comes together in harmony as it reflects God’s redemptive plan for fallen mankind.

It is in the pages of Scripture that I find answers to life’s chaos. It is a source to run to and find hope, peace and forgiveness. There in lies the “words of life” that speak to us about who Jesus is and what He has done for us. It contains promises that shout to us to stand firm, follow God and watch as He takes care of us, even in the face of opposition.

As you read the Bible, you will find that “if God is for us, who can be against us?” Caving to society might make you accepted and popular now, but in light of eternity, only what God thinks really matters!

I encourage you, I implore you, pick up the Bible today and read it! Learn to love it. As you do you will agree with King David as he wrote “I delight in the Law of the Lord and in it I will meditate day and night!”

Finish Strong

This week it seems like summer is already here! With temperatures in the 80’s and the sun blazing it seems like we should be on summer break already! Yet we are not quite there yet. Just a few more weeks and school will be out for the summer.

It gets tough to sit in the classroom, or office, knowing that the weather is perfect outside. “I could be…” statements flood our minds and the daydreams come easily. It’s hard to pay attention and listen to the teacher or our boss. Yet these moments provide an opportunity to gain a bigger perspective.

In life we are always looking for the easy out, the quick fix, the comfortable solution. However, these answers are often steeped in selfishness and laziness. Learning to buckle down and do what you need to do to finish strong can be very tough.

We need to begin each day with the end in mind, that today isn’t just about today but about so much more. 1 Corinthians 10:31 reminds us that everything we do should be done for the glory of God, not the glory of self! When we try to buckle down and finish strong to make ourselves look good, we still miss the point. But when we realize each day that we have an opportunity to make God look good to the world by doing what we are supposed to be doing, then it gives us a reason to stand strong.

Matthew encourages us in his Gospel, to let our light shine by doing good so that people will look to our God because of us (Matthew 5:16). Laziness is never a compelling reason to follow God. Pride is never alluring. Selfishness is boring and repulsive. These qualities should be fought against continually.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3 to “press on toward the goal,” to finish strong! His motivation was “The Prize” of the upward call we have in Christ Jesus. The prize is Jesus! When we fix our eyes on Jesus we will begin to see that perseverance comes more naturally.

Paul knew he hadn’t obtained perfection in this, but he was willing to fight to finish strong. We too have to fight everyday to do what is right, what is pleasing to God. We have to forget out past accomplishments and look to do more each day. Look back to see God’s faithfulness, but step out daily in faith that He is guiding you.

You might be thinking, “it’s just school, no big deal!” But that isn’t true. You are developing an attitude and approach to life that will be a pattern for you in the future. Jesus says if we learn to be faithful in the little things we will be faithful in the big things. Everything you do is to be done for God’s glory! I hope and pray that you learn to finish strong!

War on Words

Have you ever said something that you immediately wanted back? You know that embarrassing mispronunciation that slipped out, or that smooth line that sounded better in your head? We all say stupid things from time to time. For some it drifts off into forgotten memory rather quickly and others it is immortalized on YouTube for all to laugh at forever.

Slips of the tongue and gaffs are a common problem, but they are not inherently wrong. Sometimes they happen because of lack of preparation, lack of learning or just being tired. As we mature in our vocabulary and our skills at talking, this happens less and less.

But this is not what the Apostle James attacks in the New Testament. James is telling us that we have a problem, not with slips, but with the intentions behind our words. There is a war waging every moment in our own hearts and all to often we do not even realize it.

James uses word pictures for us to see how powerful our tongue is. He uses the imagery of a bit guiding a horse, a rudder directing a massive ship and a small flame igniting a forest fire. The seemingly smallest and insignificant part shapes the whole. You see our words have a huge effect on those around us.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but word will never hurt me,” is the biggest lie propagated as a child’s song of defense. If we all admitted to ourselves, there are times we would have much rather have had a broken arm then hear certain words spoken to us. Have you ever stopped to wonder why that is?

I believe it is tied directly into who we are, who we were created to be and the purpose we are here for. You see we are the result of a spoken word by our Creator who spoke all things into existence. Our Creator gave us an amazing gift of language to communicate with Him and with each other. It is through words that He has revealed Himself to us. It is through words that He reveals that we are created in His image and likeness. It is the Word He gave us in order to reconcile us to Him. At the very heart of who we are is words, communication and connectivity.

Words are so important to us, and yet there is a war waging that we ignore or turn a blind eye to every day. It began in the Garden of Eden when the enemy of our souls asked our mother “Did God really say…?” And it continues on today. Often we allow our own words to be used by the enemy to destroy each other. We speak out of turn, hurtful and angry words. We allow our feelings, our circumstances and our attitudes to dictate what we say.

James say that anyone who can control what he says is a perfect man, a mature man. He also helps us see that it is rare for someone to be perfect at it. We all say stupid things and stumble with our words, but we who call our selves Christians, are called to a higher purpose.

Our words are to be used to glorify God and build up others. We are not to lash out in anger, or speak in perversion. No we are to speak in holiness, in such a manner that reflects the one who came and died for us.

Words that are boastful, prideful, angry, jealous, selfish, etc. are demonic, of the enemy and should be avoided. James asks us if a spring produce both fresh and salt water? No, that’s absurd. His point is, if you have been redeemed, the Spring of Living Water in you should produce a vocabulary that exalts your Savior and builds up your brothers and sisters.

Listen to yourself. What words do you use? How do you express your frustrations? How do you speak to those around you? Your vocabulary is a good indicator of what’s going on in your heart. Take a moment right now to ask the Holy Spirit to help you speak in such a way that brings honor to your God!

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14

Rearview Mirror

This picture was shot as I was stopped in traffic one evening. I was looking forward and seeing the sky getting darker, the evening was fast approaching and another busy day was coming to an end. I looked to check my rearview mirror and I saw this beautiful sunset!

I started thinking about life and how crazy and overwhelming it can get. How the days ahead can be scary, foreboding, uncertain or just unknown, but when we pause to look back we can see the faithfulness of God. It is a good thing to stop and remember what God has been doing every once in a while. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 78:1 “Give ear, O my people, to my teachings; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!” As he begins to recount the story of the Israelites, not in a superficial soft way, but in the reality that God did good things for us, but we messed it up because of our sin. Sin can be defined as “the human propensity to mess things up!” or “missing the mark.”

However, looking back and seeing the truth of their sinfulness wasn’t the end of the story, he concludes the Psalm with “With upright heart He shepherded them and guided them with His skillful hand.” He looks back and sees how God orchestrated their history, in spite of their sinfulness, to bring about their good. God is far more concerned about our holiness and our welfare then we realize (Romans 8:28).

As I look back even on this past weekend I am so thankful to see the beauty of God shining brightly. Spending quality time with my youth group, seeing Ari, Kayla, and Tim baptized and share their unique testimonies. To celebrate all day with our church. And when I thought all the joy and celebration was coming to an end, I received an email Monday morning saying God had brought in 95% of our support for our Slovakia team!

To me, this picture reminds me to look back at God’s beauty, to see His handiwork in my life, to realize that Ephesians 2:10 is so true, that God has prepared the good works for me to walk in. As I seek to be faithful to His calling, I see His beauty more in more, even when things ahead can be scary.