April 29, 2008

The God of Creation

Thunderstorms!  Most of us woke this morning to news of last night’s devastating storm in Virginia which injured over 200 people and destroyed a great deal of property.  Thunderstorms are among the most powerful forces we know and yet they are little more than an atmosphere stabilizer. A thunderstorm forms when there is a lot of cold air sitting on top of a lot of warm air. In order to re-balance the atmosphere, a thunderstorm pumps the warm air upward and the cold air downward until the atmosphere evens out. Once that happens, the thunderstorm has achieved its stabilizing purpose and it dies out.

But along the way these storms can produce incredible winds, including a micro burst that can roar down toward the ground at 100 mph and tornadoes which can reach 300 mph.  In addition to wind, thunderstorms also produce rain and even ice. The storm's strong currents can super cool water particles to well below freezing, and if enough of the ice builds up, it falls to the ground as hail.  Though usually no larger than pebbles, some strong storms have produced so much ice that it falls in chunks as large as a grapefruit.  The force of energy within a thunderstorm is so great that it can cause a high-voltage chasm that equalizes itself through a fiery flash of lightning.  Lasting only 30 microseconds, a bolt of lightning peaks out at one trillion watts with a surface temperature of 20,000 degrees centigrade (three times hotter than the surface of the sun).

As I thought about the power of storms, I remembered Psalm 29.

Psalms 29:1-11 (ESV) 1 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. 3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. 8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, "Glory!" 10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. 11 May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!

We were made for worship.  Our inner being has a deep seated need to worship something.  In our culture, there is a fast-growing movement toward the worship of nature.  Much of the “Earth First” counter-culture is based not on science, but emotion.  Note that many of the leading voices of the “Green” machine are celebrities and not scientists.  The shallowness of their lives leave them with a yearning for significance and they “find it” by championing a new and exciting “cause.”

But the “cause” is not new!  Psalm 29 throws down the gauntlet of challenge to the pagan religions of the Ancient Near East, which claimed that the forces of nature are gods and goddesses in their own right.  Psalm 29 reveals the falseness of those idolatrous claims by revealing that the God of Israel is the One who creates all those wonders.  Moreover, He is the one who is greater than them all.  Psalm 29 is a rebuke to those who worship the creation instead of the Creator.

Psalm 29, like numerous other passages of Scripture, reveals that the grandeur of creation is our first source for encountering God. Yet, it calls us to look closer and see the Lord of the storm, the King of Creation, the one, only true, and sovereign God who alone can give peace to our souls.
Posted by Jim at 10:16:57 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

April 28, 2008

God's Word

In America, Bibles are everywhere. You find Bibles in grocery stores, prisons, and hotel rooms. They’re available in all sizes, shapes, colors, translations, versions, study editions, etc.  You can purchase a Bible bound in paperback, kivar, hardback, genuine leather, bonded leather, simulated leather, or imitation leather. The Bible is the all time best seller and is available to over 98% of the world's population in over 2,454 languages (the remaining 2% speak an estimated 4,446 different languages; of these, about 1,600 are already in the translation process).  Last year 500 million Bibles were published and over 25 million were purchased in the USA.

Bibles are everywhere in America, yet millions of people miss experiencing the full blessing of Bible study.  Some people seem to expect the Word of God to hit them like a bolt of lightning each time they read or study it.  Although the "bolt" may powerfully "strike" us on occasion, the effect of God's Word is more akin to vitamins than to lightning.  People who regularly take vitamins do so because of their long-term benefits.  They do not expect to feel new strength surging through their bodies the first time they swallow a multi-vitamin. They realize that by consistently taking vitamins as part of a long term health regiment, they will experience a beneficial effect on their physical health.  In much the same way, the real value of Bible reading and study lies in the cumulative effect that long-term exposure to God’s Word has on our lives. 

While I would not discourage those who grab the Bible for momentary inspiration, I do appeal to you to become a student of God's Word for life.  I promise that you will never exhaust the Bible's ability to speak to you fresh and new.  Each day of each year you can depend on Scripture to inspire, educate, convict, encourage, guide, correct, and empower you as you follow Jesus.  The best is yet to come.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17 The Message)
Posted by Jim at 15:05:30 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

April 25, 2008

The Need for Change

John Maxwell notes a fundamental truth: we never outgrow the need to change.  The principle is illustrated in this anecdote about Henry Ford and his Model T automobile.
 
"On his way to dominating the automotive market with the Model T, Henry Ford embodied innovation and progress. However, the dominance of Ford Motor Company was short-lived.  As competitors changed their operations to copy Ford's mass production concepts, consumers found the automotive market flooded with numerous models from which to choose. With cars rolling off assembly lines like never before, consumers began to demand a variety of colors. However, Ford stubbornly refused, uttering the famous line, 'The customer can have any color he wants so long as it's black.'"

Henry Ford revolutionized and dominated the automotive industry because he "focused on moving from inefficiency to efficiency."  He championed change and innovation as he built his empire.  Yet, he came to believe that he had arrived at the summit of automotive excellence and refused to change on a seemingly small detail that would have expanded his market share and increased profitability. Maxwell was right when he wrote, "Ford's genius in sparking change had catapulted him to the pinnacle of American commerce, but later, his inability to change cost him dearly."

Tell them this, God's Message: "Do people fall down and not get up? Or take the wrong road and then just keep going? So why does this people go backward, and just keep on going—backward! They stubbornly hold on to their illusions, refuse to change direction." Jeremiah 8:4-5 (The Message)
Posted by Jim at 09:00:45 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

April 24, 2008

Don't Let Opportunity Pass You Buy

James Hewet tells the story of a man who missed a great opportunity. This man's  friend took him for a ride way out in the country. They drove off the main road and drove through groves of trees to a large uninhabited expanse of land. A few horses were grazing, and a couple of old shacks remained. The friend, named Walter, stopped the car, got out, and started to describe in great detail the wonderful things he was going to build on his land. He urged his friend, Arthur, to buy the land surrounding the project and get in on the ground floor.

But Arthur thought to himself, "Who in the world is going to drive twenty-five miles to visit this crazy project? The logistics of the venture are staggering and it will take a miracle to pull it off."

Walter sensed his friends hesitancy and explained to Arthur, "I can handle the main project myself. But it will take all my money. Yet if you buy the land bordering it, where we're standing now, well in just a couple of years it will be jammed with hotels and restaurants and convention halls to accommodate the people who will come to spend their entire vacation here at my park. I want you to have the first chance at this surrounding acreage, because in the next five years it will increase in value several hundred times."

"What could I say? I knew he was wrong," Arthur tells the story today. "I knew that he had let this dream get the best of his common sense, so I mumbled something about a tight-money situation and promised that I would look into the whole thing a little later on."

"Later on will be too late," Walter cautioned Arthur as they walked back to the car. "You'd better move on it right now."

And so Art Linkletter turned down the opportunity to buy up all the land that surrounded what was to become Disneyland. His friend Walt Disney tried to talk him into it. But Art thought he was crazy.

Posted by Jim at 09:06:02 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

April 23, 2008

Proud or Broken?

Nancy Demoss of Life Action Ministries shares these insights on the difference between spiritually proud people and spiritually broken people.  It is well worth our time to read these couplets and examine our own heart.

Proud people focus on the failures of others.
Broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need.

Proud people have a critical, fault-finding spirit; they look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope.
Broken people are compassionate; they can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven.

Proud people are self-righteous; they look down on others.
Broken people esteem all others better than themselves.

Proud people have an independent, self-sufficient spirit.
Broken people have a dependent spirit; they recognize their need for others.

Proud people have to prove that they are right.
Broken people are willing to yield the right to be right.

Proud people claim rights; they have a demanding spirit.
Broken people yield their rights; they have a meek spirit.

Proud people are self-protective of their time, their rights, and their reputation.
Broken people are self-denying.

Proud people desire to be served.
Broken people are motivated to serve others.

Proud people desire to be a success.
Broken people are motivated to be faithful and to make others a success.

Proud people desire self-advancement.
Broken people desire to promote others.

Proud people feel confident in how much they know.
Broken people are humbled by how very much they have to learn.

Proud people are self-conscious.
Broken people are not concerned with self at all.

Proud people keep others at arms’ length.
Broken people are willing to risk getting close to others and to take risks of loving intimately.

Proud people are quick to blame others.
Broken people accept personal responsibility and can see where they are wrong in a situation.

Proud people are unapproachable or defensive when criticized.
Broken people receive criticism with a humble, open spirit.

Proud people are concerned with being respectable, with what others think; they work to protect their own image and reputation.
Broken people are concerned with being real; what matters to them is not what others think but what God knows; they are willing to die to their own reputation.

Proud people find it difficult to share their spiritual need with others.
Broken people are willing to be open and transparent with others as God directs.

Proud people want to be sure that no one finds out when they have sinned; their instinct is to cover up.
Broken people, once broken, don’t care who knows or who finds out; they are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to lose.

Proud people have a hard time saying, “I was wrong; will you please forgive me?”
Broken people are quick to admit failure and to seek forgiveness when necessary.

Proud people tend to deal in generalities when confessing sin.
Broken people are able to acknowledge specifics when confessing their sin.

Proud people are concerned about the consequences of their sin.
Broken people are grieved over the cause, the root of their sin.

Proud people are remorseful over their sin, sorry that they got found out or caught.
Broken people are truly, genuinely repentant over their sin, evidenced in the fact that they forsake that sin.

Proud people wait for the other to come and ask forgiveness when there is a misunderstanding or conflict in a relationship.
Broken people take the initiative to be reconciled when there is misunderstanding or conflict in relationships; they race to the cross; they see if they can get there first, no matter how wrong the other may have been.

Proud people compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor.
Broken people compare themselves to the holiness of God and feel a desperate need for His mercy.

Proud people are blind to their true heart condition.
Broken people walk in the light.

Proud people don’t think they have anything to repent of.
Broken people realize they have need of a continual heart attitude of repentance.

Proud people don’t think they need revival, but they are sure that everyone else does.
Broken people continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God and for a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit.
Posted by Jim at 16:01:58 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |

April 22, 2008

Faithful

I read this piece by Lloyd Stilley and knew it would be something great to share with you.

When I think of someone who is faithful, I think of Bill Martin. Bill and I grew up in the same neighborhood, were saved in the same church, and graduated from the same school, and along the way talked about God and girls and the future.

And here’s the thing about Bill--I could always depend on him. If I was in a pinch, if I needed something, I could pick up the phone and know that if there was a way, Bill would find it. Sometimes I would voice concern that maybe he was too pressed for time to handle a task for me. Bill would answer back and with some force, “Hey, this is Bill you're talking too. Have I ever let you down?"  And to this day, the answer is no. Bill is faithful.

It strikes me that everybody needs somebody like that in their lives--someone who will support you, come through for you, and stand his ground defending you…Someone who is loyal and trustworthy, constant and reliable. That’s a tall order in our “trust no one,” “do whatever it takes to get ahead” self-seeking culture.

But hear me:  If you are a Christian, you are adopted by a Father who will never ever change His mind in regard to you, never write you off, never leave you or forsake you. If you are a part of God’s family by faith alone in Christ alone, then you have a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. You cannot talk about the one true God without coming to this truth:  How great is the faithfulness of our God!

Faithfulness is an attribute we all want in a friend.  Faithfulness is an attribute that we should cultivate in our own lives.  But the faithfulness of God surpasses anything we will every experience in human relationships.  Our God is faithful.

For he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5b ESV)

Posted by Jim at 08:43:18 | Permanent Link | Comments (2) |

April 21, 2008

Who Is Your Boss?

Jack Martens spent 33 years teaching music at the Ben Franklin Middle School (formerly Ben Franklin Jr. High School) in San Francisco.  Over 50 percent of Martens’ students were from broken homes and an approximate percentage were on welfare.  Many came from families where English is not the primary language.  To further compound the difficulty of Jack's task, the funding for the arts was drastically cut in his school district. 

In these dire circumstances, Jack patiently and faithfully taught music to nearly 10,000 kids during his career while letting them see God’s love in action.  Martens kept a Bible and other Christian symbols on his desk, but it was his interaction with the kids that gave his witness its real power.  He ate lunch with them to give them a chance to talk through their problems at home with somebody.  He stayed after school to help them master difficult fingerings with their instruments and difficult passages in life.  Through the mechanics of music, he was able to communicate with disadvantaged and academically struggling students that they are capable of doing something beautiful with their lives.  The kids in His band experienced the joy of God’s love incarnated through a man they loved and respected.

No matter our profession, we would do well to follow the example of Jack Martens and see our place of employment as a place of ministry.  Although we may get a pay check from an Earthly employer, our real boss is Jesus and His wages are eternal.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV)
Posted by Jim at 00:29:01 | Permanent Link | Comments (1) |

April 08, 2008

A Promise Kept


A Promise Kept tells the story of Dr. Robertson McQuilkin, president of Columbia International University (formerly Columbia Bible College ) in Columbia, South Carolina for 22 years.  Dr. McQuilkin and his wife Julie were missionaries to Japan for 12 years before coming to CIU.  Julie worked in conjunction with her husband within the academic community concentrating on public broadcasting and student counseling.

In 1990, Robertson stepped down from his post in order to take care of his wife Julie.  Julie had Alzheimer’s disease and had come to the point where she required constant care.  Some people lauded his decision to show “love with no regrets” for his wife; while others saw his decision as a great loss for the academic world.  When Dr. McQuilkin walked away from his position as the University president, he was at the peak of his career. Nevertheless, he chose to give up his position and prestige to care for his wife 24 hours a day.

Many of the McQuilkins' friends suggested he should get a caretaker to do the job or consider placing her in a nursing home. He refused to do either simply because he had made a promise before God that “for richer or poorer; in sickness and in health” he would love her “for as long as they both shall live.”

That is the power of commitment and the power of God!

Posted by Jim at 18:10:40 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

April 07, 2008

To Whom Much Is Given


During the 1995 college football season, 6' 2" 280-pound Clay Shiver was the starting center for the Florida State Seminoles' football team.  He was regarded as one of the best at his position in the nation.  In fact, Playboy magazine was set to name him to their preseason All-American football team.  For most, that would be a welcomed honor, but Clay Shiver, a dedicated follower of Jesus, felt differently.

Shiver talked and prayed with the team chaplain and together they prepared his response.  Shiver knew well that the selection would be a boost for his career.  Being chosen for this All-American team meant that sportswriters regarded him as the best in the nation at his position and publicity like that never hurts an athlete who aspires to the play in the NFL, but Shiver had higher values and priorities.

When informed that Playboy had made their selection, Clay Shiver simply said, "No thanks."  He flatly refused the honor.  Clay didn’t want to embarrass his mother and grandmother by appearing in the magazine or giving old high school friends an excuse to buy that issue.  Shiver explained his decision by quoting Luke 12:48, "To whom much is given, of him much is required."

“I don’t want to let anyone down,” said Clay Shiver, “and number one on that list is God”
Posted by Jim at 07:26:22 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

March 31, 2008

Make Disciples

What does evangelism look like?  Many times we see it as a Gospel presentation or a single encounter between a witness and one who needs to know Jesus.  But although evangelism or disciple making includes presenting the Gospel, it is as much a process as it is a presentation.  Consider the case of Pishti Horvath (as told by Trudy Chun):

Twenty-five year-old Pishti Horvath from Debrecen, Hungary grew up in an orphanage from the age of 3. On the surface he appeared a nice, quiet boy, but underneath anger, hatred, and disappointment were fighting within him. “I hated my parents because they left me alone; I hated God, because He let this happen to me,” he recalls. “I planned that after leaving the orphanage I would join the French Foreign Legion and kill people for a living. I lived in a deep darkness; moreover I enjoyed that darkness.”

One summer day an American short-term missions team came to the orphanage with some Hungarian Christians to do an evangelical baseball program. “I was not interested in that, so I did not visit their programs,” he recalls. “But I listened to them from the distance, and I recognized that they could love the others so strongly, even though this love seemed to be fruitless. This love caught my attention.” But Pishti still had so many questions. The Hungarian Christians kept coming to the orphanage. One day Pishti stumbled upon a little group talking with a missionary about the Bible. “I decided to sit down in the distance and listen to the missionary’s words,” he said. When the members of the group disappeared, he went to the missionary and asked his questions. It became a Bible study.

Pishti began attending all the programs the missionaries planned for the orphanage. “After a while God proved to me through His Holy Spirit how much He loves me. I called God into my life and accepted His Son as my Savior. I understood that His love called me through these missionaries, and I am also part of this love.”

Pishti has continued along the road of discipleship, being mentored by men in the local church. Today his discipleship continues as he seeks to share Christ’s love with countless others.

In Pishti's story, we see disciple making/evangelism as a process not a presentation nor a single event.  Gods work in his life began long before he accepted Jesus as his Savior and it continues for the rest of his life.  Note also, that God used many people in pointing Pishti to Jesus.  Perhaps his story will remind us to be patient and take heart as we bear witness to Jesus and pray for His saving work in the lives of family, friends, and co-workers.

Even though it may seem that our words fall on deaf ears and our Christian influence fails to impact those we wish to see come to Christ, we must remember that God is at work.  We do not see all that God sees.  We do not know all that God knows.  Salvation is a work of God and we can trust Him.  Let us therefore commit ourselves to live Godly lives through the power of the Holy Spirit as we share the Gospel with those He brings into our lives and leave the results to Him.

Posted by Jim at 23:53:00 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |