Halloween!!!!

            Tonight is All Hallows’ Eve, a day that has its roots in European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead, particularly the Celtic Samhin.  It proceeds November 1^st, the day that Catholics have traditionally celebrated All Saints Day.  Lutherans, and some Reformed church communities celebrate Reformation Day on October 31^st.  Martin Luther wrote the Archbishop of Mainz protesting the sale of indulgences on this day.  As good Americans, who like to be eclectic, we have adopted a smattering of it all. 

            Those who like to be edgy and horrific dress up as scary goblins and witches; the more refined dress their children in fairy costumes and fire fighters; and Christians, the more conservative kind, dress up as bible characters, and for what purpose? For the majority of the people in the United States it is just to have fun.  It is an excuse to go begging from your friends and neighbors, for candy you would never dream of buying your children all year long.

            Parents are a little more cautious these days, taking their children to neighborhoods they believe to be safe.  Some parents only take their children to people they actually know.  Gone are the days you could send your children down the street by themselves.  Even in my day hospitals were offering free x-rays to deter unsavory criminals who would lace apples with razor blades.

            It’s all good fun, right?  When my wife and I had our first son, I dressed as a lion tamer with my lioness and lion cub in tow, RRRRR.  As the years passed we became wearier of the emphasis on evil and decided to forego the festivities of “darkness” J for tamer fun at Chucky Cheese.  The kids still had fun and we didn’t have to wrestle with our conscience.  Our children haven’t been diminished, to say the least. 

            Should Christians participate in Halloween?  It is a matter of conscience.  This year we have told some friends we will be handing out candy to the neighborhood ghouls, so they should stop by.  We even have carved pumpkins on the front porch.  I’m still leery of the whole Halloween fun with evil, horror, fear, and demonic thing.  I also wrestle with the guilt by association argument. 

            So, this year, instead of sitting in the darkness, worrying if anyone will knock at my door, we have decided to lighten up and hand out candy.  I know that the demonic exists, whether I hand out candy or not.  I know that I have been delivered from the realm of darkness and have been brought into the kingdom of light, whether I hand out candy or not.  I know that if I quietly pray for each child that comes to the door, Satan trembles, for Christ is victorious. 

            Tonight I am not celebrating Halloween, All Hallows’ Eve, Reformation Day, All Saints Day, Fall Festivals, or Festivals for the dead.  I’m just going to hand out some candy.  I’m just saying…

Stains!

     I hate it, I utterly hate it when I go to put on a pair of jeans and find stains on them.  One pair, one of my favorites has, what looks like, rust stains.  I was probably wearing them while working in the garage.  The ones I put on this morning have grass stains on the knees from working in the yard on Saturday.  Rebecca always tells me, “Don’t wear your good jeans while your working in the yard and in the garage.”  And do I listen…. well of course not, and now I have stains.

     It’s ok to have stains on your pants if you’re putting around the house, or doing something grimy.  But if you are going to be with other people, in public, they are unsightly.  Some people don’t care about their stains; they flaunt them like badges of honor.  Others try to hide their stains, because they worry about their image.  Whichever one, stains make your clothes look old and worn.

I don’t like stains, so I try and wash them out.  The rust stains are here to stay.  I didn’t put the magic wash stuff on them before putting them in the washer.  Hopefully the grass stains will come out.  Some stains are impossible to get out. I googled “removing stains.”  You can imagine the results.  Stain removal is a big problem.  One person lists mustard, hair dye, pie filling (berries) grass (oh, no!), and chocolate milk as the most difficult, if not impossible, to get out. 

     There is one stain that is totally impossible for man to remove, the stain of sin.  Jer. 2:22 says, “Although you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares the Lord GOD.” Using lye is like trying to get rust stains out with battery acid, its harsh stuff.  Sin is an awful stain.  Some people wear their stain like a badge, and others try to cover it up, but the stain is an affront to God, and if it can’t be removed then the whole garment is thrown away.

The stain of sin can linger; misunderstandings become resentments; hurt feelings become bitterness; my rights become pride and self-righteousness; and cravings become addictions.  Stains can linger, and in the case of sin, destroys lives. 

     What is countered intuitive is that the stain of sin can only be washed out with blood.  Heb. 9:22 “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” The greatest stain remover ever is the shed of blood of Jesus.  It not only removes the stain, but also washes the sin totally away.  We are now free to live a new life. Oh, occasionally we need to go back and take care of a few spots that crop up, but the root of the stain is removed. 

 Eph. 1:7 “In Him we have redemption through His blood, t

he forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”

     Now, if I can just find something that will take care of this grass stain.  I’m just saying….

The Consequence Of Death

"Ask not for whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee." John Donne, 1623

As Donne rightly reminds us, he echoes the scripture that says, "it is appointed unto men once to die." Just recently I watched a program where the heroine reflected, "for those who believe in the resurrection, death is of no consequence." Of course, that is not to say that death has no consequences. For there are plenty of consequences, as experience will tell.

Death brings sorrow, grief, heartache, and loneliness to name a few. Death can cause wars and revolutions, sacrifice and heroism. Death creates vacuums and silence, stillness and contemplation. For anyone who has lost a loved one, the empty chair is a constant reminder of the loss, so deeply felt, where at any given moment the heart skips a beat, as if to say, "I am not complete"

Yet, it is true, that for those who believe in the resurrection, death is of no consequence. Death is an enemy whose teeth have been pulled. The sting of death has been swallowed in the resurrection of Jesus, and his resurrection provides hope for all who believe. Death brings grief, but grief does not swallow hope! As Christians we grieve, but we do not despair.

This past week I attended a funeral of a friend, he was a cardiologist. Over a thousand people came to pay tribute to this man's life. Many who came were patients whose lives have been extended because of his expertise. Those who stood and gave testimony emphasized his love of family and his faith in Jesus.

In the weeks before his death he had expressed his concern, not for himself, but for his family. He knew that his death would have consequences for those he left behind. For himself he did not fear, because be believed in the resurrection, and death was of no consequence. And when he slipped from this life to the next, he left his family with a smile, an expression of peace and hope, an assurance that he was now resting in the presence of his savior.

We must, at some point, face the inevitability of death. And unless The Lord returns soon, we will all lie down and breathe one last time. We hope it will be in our old age, but that is not guaranteed. What is our guarantee is the Spirit of God, who is our deposit, until the coming of Christ. Standing on the assurance of Jesus' death and resurrection, all fear is driven away, and all hope is restored. For those who believe in the resurrection, death is of no consequence! I'm just saying...

His Hand At This Time

Psa. 33:14 From His dwelling place He looks out

On all the inhabitants of the earth,

15 He who fashions the hearts of them all,

He who understands all their works.

            Life is about the circumstances in which we live.  They range on a scale from easy to difficult, joyful to sorrow, and pleasant to painful.  Each circumstance shapes our lives and molds our personality.  James tells us that we should consider it all joy when we face difficult circumstances because it builds character and hope.  Paul says that God works every circumstance for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.  He also tells us that we should give thanks in all things for this is the will of God.

            Growing up in a country whose worldview revolves around a right to pursue life, liberty and happiness, has caused us to believe that struggle and hardships are outside the purview of God’s will.  I was in a discussion one day where are a young lady believed that God would never cause or allow hardship in a believers life; that situations like this are the consequence of faithlessness.  It is true that God’s desire is to bring redemption to his creation, wipe away tears, and take away all pain and suffering.  However, that is not the reality now.  Peter describes our suffering as lite and temporary, and that we are to be patient through them until the Lord returns.  It is at the consummation of the ages that God’s reclamation of his handiwork will take place, and the reality of redemption will be finalized.  Our patience allows others the time to be brought into the kingdom and enjoy salvation through faith in Jesus.

            This doesn’t mean that we should not pursue peaceful and joyful lives; Paul admonishes us to seek peaceful lives, so that the gospel can be shared without hindrance.  Yet, Paul also says that we should be content in whatever situation comes our way, in wealth or poverty.   Jesus said that our focus should be on kingdom living not on the pursuit of physical gain.  Kingdom living is the outworking of the love of God, through us, to a hurting world.  Kingdom living seeks justice for the oppressed, food for the hungry, healing for the sick, and acceptance for the disenfranchised.  Kingdom living is reconciliation between God and man, and between brother and sister, father and mother, and children and parents.  Kingdom living is about forgiveness.

            We seldom ask the “why” question when things are going well, but when they aren’t, “Why did you allow me to lose my job,”  “Why did you allow my baby to die,”  “Why did you allow me to get cancer,”  “Why haven’t you allowed me to _______.”  What does God say?  “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you face various trials…” Because I am in control; I will bring your circumstances full circle; I am your joy!

            When we come to understand that God’s sovereignty is coupled with His goodness, then we can come to terms with our circumstances.  When we come to terms with God’s sovereignty we are patient in our circumstances allowing God to have his perfect work in us.  When we believe in God’s sovereignty our circumstance is of no consequence…I’m just saying.

           

           

Take A Picture, Why Don't Ya!

Life is like a motion picture; constantly moving.  Moments are the snapshots, captured in an instant, but often time lost in a string of moments.  That’s why we like to take pictures.  They remind us of moments gone by, and always too quickly.  Our memories are fleeting and we need descriptive words and pictures to remind us what has past.  We like memories, they ground us, and they give us an anchor in the quick pace of life.

Of course, memories and moments can be sad, happy, frightening, painful, and joyous.  We want to forget the painful moments and hold to the good ones.  Holding on to only the good ones gives birth to the phrase, “the good old days.”  We reminisce over the past when the present is difficult.  We long for simpler times, where our memories have weeded out moments of difficulty.  We relish times where our imagination has built a paradise around a frozen moment in time.  It can become obsessive, but it can also fill us with good feelings of loves and life that were good.

As we recently traveled across the country on a train, we took lots of pictures. We wanted to capture moments of interest and emotion.  For me moments of importance always include people.  I like objects, architecture, scenery, and animals, but if they don’t include the people I care for, I might as well buy a post card.  In the digital age we snap pictures at an alarming rate.  Thousands of moments are stored, and rarely seen again.  The mountain of digital images is so overwhelming that we just don’t have the time to sift through them all.  One picture of a friend’s smile, a spouse’s hug, a child’s cry, is worth more than a hundred unseen digitally stored images. 

In the gospels the authors have given us snapshots of Jesus’ life.  Of all the things they could have written they chose only a few, the most important.  The Apostle John said that the world could not hold all that could have been written about Jesus.  But what has been written is given to us, so that we won’t get lost in a mountain of facts, but rather revel in the most intimate of acts.  Over the next few Sundays I am going to explore with the people at Grace Church, Moments with Jesus; snapshots of intimate moments where our Savior interacted with people, and in doing so give us an anchor for our faith.  As we spend time reminiscing over the good ole’ days of our Lord, I pray that we will begin to revel in the memories we are making in Him today. 

Today I am reflecting on moments past, but not forgetting about the moments being created.  I pray that one day I will look back at these moments as the good ole’ days; days that have been lived for Jesus; loving people; and cherishing my family and friends.  I’m just saying....

The Source of All Things

Ever get that feeling, deep down, that something is missing.  It gnaws at the pit of your stomach, almost as if you are hungry, but food won’t satisfy the feeling.  With the agitation, you pace back and forth, nothing seems to settle you down, and if you would allow yourself, you might abandon everything, hoping, in someway, to find relief.

We were created to be satisfied, to find contentment in the Creator, but as sin has ravaged the landscape our ability to find what we deeply desire, more often than not, eludes us.  Posting on Facebook, some friends have observed, “Trusting God completely means Faith that he knows what is best for your life,” “Don’t confuse your path with your destination. Just because it’s stormy now doesn’t mean that you aren’t headed for sunshine,” and a quote from proverbs 29:26, “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.”  All of these observation have a basic understanding in common, “God is the source of all things.” 

Understanding the concept of God as source is important if we are to find satisfaction in life, in both the good and the bad times.  In the beginning (Genesis 1 and 2) we see that God is the source of creation, He breathes into man a life giving spirit, and he walks with him in the garden.  There were no nagging doubts about roles and purpose.  God gave life, He assigned responsibilities, and He sustained all that was, and it was good.

Knowing God as the source of all things gives us a place to return when we are looking for answers.  Knowing God as the source of all things gives us security when life becomes unstable.  Knowing God as the source of all things gives us hope, because what he declared good in the beginning, though marred and obscured by sin, is still good today.   When we get those gnawing feelings they are signs of something missing, they are God given, not that we would lose hope, but that we would seek satisfaction in Him, to find answers in His good will, and find rest in His love and grace. 

It isn’t easy, because sin has deceived us into believing that our way is best, that we can find satisfaction and contentment in other things, or that running away will bring us the peace we are seeking.  And because we can’t see tomorrow we tend to worry, and miss the opportunities that we have today.  That is why Jesus said not to think about tomorrow, for today is enough to be concerned about. 

A friend’s husband went into the hospital this week, another’s mom had a stroke, another lost his job, and still another is trying to figure out where he fits in the world of churches.  All of them will wrestle with fundamental questions of God’s goodness and will.  If they seek answers apart from God’s revealed word, the gnawing feelings they have inside will never be satisfied.  They will find themselves further from the source of all goodness and peace.  In my own daily search for deep meaning and satisfaction, I think it best to go straight to the source.  I’m just saying……

Restoration

When Rebecca and I were first married, we bought an old desk at an auction.  It needed a lot of work to be restored.  There were layers of paint where previous owners covered up the deteriorating look of the original wood.  It wasn’t easy scraping off the old paint, we used paint thinners and removers, I bought a scraper and even then it that took many hours, and lots of muscle to peal away each layer.  When we finally reached the wood it was a beautiful cherry wood desk, with tongue and grove drawers.  I sanded the wood, trying to remove scratches and dents inflicted upon it from years of use.  When it was finished it didn’t look too bad, but being the first attempt at refinishing, I was not able to bring it back to its original luster.

Eph. 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  We are God’s refinishing project.  In the beginning God created, in Christ He is recreating, making right what man banged up and destroyed.  We had been sold to sin, buried under years of paint and neglect.  On the cross he paid for our sin, bought us out of darkness and slavery, and now has begun the process of stripping away the layers of our attempts to restore ourselves.  Not an easy undertaking, but with God all things are possible. 

If in the beginning God was the source, people created for relationships, God was the boss, and we all had roles, how has the new life in Christ begun to restore us to that condition? 

God is the source: Colossians 1:16b -18. “All things have been created through Him and for Him.  17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.  18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” In Christ we are once again brought into a relationship with the Father, where we understand that we are not the source of all good things.  James 1:17 “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” 

Relationships:  Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  The things that have separated us from the time of the fall are brought together in Christ.  We can now enter into loving, caring, relationships, because we have a new perspective of what is important.  Instead of seeking our own will, we seek the will of God, and the good of others.

God is the boss:  Rom. 6:17 “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed.”  Since the fall, man has shunned God, and set himself up as the arbiter of what is right and good.  In Christ, we come to understand once again that God is the boss, and that his rules are meant for our good.  We come to realize that God is for us, and if God is for us who can stand against us? 

We all have roles:  1Cor. 12:4   “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”  Ever since the garden men and women have fought over the right to be the one in charge, but dominance was never God’s intention.  He has given different roles to men, women, and children.  In Christ our roles become honorable, they become respectable, and they become an extension of who are.  Most of all, our roles are tied to our gifts, and those gifts are from God and are good.

As God strips away the layers of false teaching, thinking, and behaving, He begins to reveal an image, one that bears his stamp.  This life is about the restoration process, about the process of transforming us into the image of Christ Jesus, “Col. 3:10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.”  I’m just saying….