People have many different conceptions of God. Many think God is above them. God is so far away, that for all intents and purposes, he may as well not exist. That god is distant, uninvolved, unconcerned. Others think of God as the divine judge who is waiting for you to get out of line and whack you with judgement. That god inspires fear. Another view is that God rewards right behavior so that every blessing in life comes because you are good. That god is one who can be bought.
Read MoreIn Luke 2, the shepherds are told that in their small town, a child was born who is the long-awaited Messiah. They are told to go check it out. The specifics were that the child would be in a stable and his bed would be a feeding trough. While the shepherds responded with excitement, we might ask why that message was given to the shepherds at all. The wealthy, influential, heads of clans, and religious leaders were the people considered blessed by God.
Read MoreGod sent messengers to both Joseph (Matthew) and Mary (Luke) telling them to name their child “Jesus”. Have you ever wondered why they were to call him Jesus? Jesus was a common enough name. Didn’t seem like a great name for a child for whom there were great expectations, who shepherds rejoiced in and wisemen worshiped. Why not Abraham, the ‘Father of faith’ with whom God made the first covenant with the people of Joseph and Mary? Why not Moses, the great deliverer who saw God’s face and lived? Why Jesus?
Read MoreMary Kay and I love our leisurely Saturdays. We wake up about the same time as during the week, but the similarities stop there. We make some coffee, run the dogs, read the Wall Street Journal to each other (Peggy Noonan is our favorite opinion writer), then make a nice breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and bacon. After that, we work around the house and yard. It is such a nice change of pace. We need that each week. It is a time to let down, relax, take a deep breath, and put aside all worry and anxiety. Without that, we are behind the curve for a productive, low stress work week.
Read MoreAs a child I fantasized about being a knight and slaying dragons. I’d be part of an elite band that would protect the people of the kingdom. My best friend and I played that game when we rode horses together. We broke off branches the length of swords and brandished them as we went through the trails. We hacked at the trees and bushes that we went by pretending that we were surrounded by a terrible evil army. The nobility of it was also appealing. We would sometimes act out being knighted, tapping a sword on each of other’s shoulders and receiving an oath of allegiance to the death. We committed to be best friends throughout life with a blood oath. If one was ever in need, the other would come to his aid.
Read MoreHave you ever wondered what plans God has for your life? Sometimes there is no sense of direction and we are just staying afloat. We hold back and hesitate to be an encourager that talks about God’s work in our lives. It is much safer to pray ‘for’ a friend or colleague rather than ‘with’ that person. What are God’s plans for our lives? Surely, God’s plans are bigger than what we are experiencing now.
Read MoreWe’ve all been told at one time or another to “grow up.” Who are we trying to become? What does a mature person look like? We are never fully arrived so that we can stop growing, but we can approximate what it means to become more ‘grown up’, more mature. Perhaps someone who is deliberate, who takes care of others out of their own inner strength, a person who is constantly growing as a person, someone who takes responsibility for themselves and others? A mature person invests in relationships, activities, learning, and discussions that are meaningful and purposeful. A mature person develops themselves so that they have something to offer and are useful to others. The key to maturity is a combination of having a vision of what maturity is and drawing on the sources that help you become that person.
Read MoreWe often think of Jesus as nice and his message loving. We often forget about his expectations and judgement. One thing Jesus said which challenges me is when he poses this question: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 12:46) Jesus said this at the end of a long teaching describing what Kingdom life is all about. As scary and challenging as this passage is, Jesus is saying what we all know, “You are not following me if you are not following me. Walk the Walk. Shut up or put up. Quit standing on the sidelines. Don’t cheer for what I do, do what I do. If you are not doing what I say, then I am not your Lord.” This hard teaching challenges us to get serious about giving our lives to Jesus to doing whatever he asks of us. While it has to do with us personally, it also impacts our witness for the Kingdom.
Read MoreTemptation is a part of everyone’s life. James states it this way, ‘each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.’(Jms 1:14) Some people may despair and say, ‘Well, I can’t get away from myself so I might as well not fight it.’ But everyone has their weak spot, their Achilles heel. The temptation may be as mundane as overeating or not exercising enough. It may be as difficult as addiction to alcohol or pornography. But there is enormous hope for overcoming temptation and bringing about Christ-centered change in your life. Here are several practical ways to be empowered to do what you really want to do, and not fall prey to temptation.
Read MoreMany of us have longed for a carefree life at one time or another. We become overwhelmed and stressed by too many commitments and just want a reprieve. Unfortunately, that isn’t the way life works. I don’t know a single adult who has been truly carefree. God doesn’t promise us a carefree life; instead, we are promised a “cared-for” life. In Matt 6, Jesus affirms that we have many needs including the basics of food and clothing. He tells us that those without faith are constantly striving to be able to care for themselves. The ones who trust in God don’t have to because, ‘Your heavenly Father knows that you need them.’ (Mt 6:32) Yet, we worry, we fret, and we fear not having what we need.
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