November 1 - Hebrews 3:1-19 - Your Daily Dose of Encouragement

Advertising slogans can be memorable or laughable. Many are forgettable. Some products change their slogan on a regular basis. From 1963 to 2003, Coke changed its ad slogan sixteen times! Others have so captured the essence of the product or service that the slogan stands for decades. Public service ad slogans seem especially long-lived. McGruff’s “Take a Bite Out of Crime” is over thirty years old; the United Negro College Fund’s “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste” is over thirty-five years old, and Smoky Bear’s “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” has been with us for almost seventy years.

In today’s text, I think I have found the slogan for my blog – Hebrews 3:13a; “Encourage One Another Every Day.” I knew what I was doing was a good thing, but I didn’t know there was a clear Biblical mandate. But there it is – “Encourage One Another Every Day!” However, there is also a mandate in verse 1, and that one could easily compete for slogan status. That would be the phrase, “Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus.” After all, that’s what I’m trying to accomplish, too. I want to encourage everyone to visit God’s Word each day to keep their thoughts fixed on Jesus. It would be a long slogan, but I could just slap the word “to” in between them and go with that.

Before I make that decision, let’s explore this chapter of Hebrews and see why we are told to be encouraging and locked onto Jesus. The Word says those who confess faith in Christ are members of His household. That confession will prove hollow and we will prove to be pretenders to the family of God if we do not fix our thoughts on Jesus. Those whose thoughts wander into worldly, sinful patterns resulting in worldly, sinful behaviors reveal their confession to be lip-service. 

Twice the author quotes the phrase, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” With every exposure to God’s Word, we have a choice before us. To soften our heart or to harden it. If we consider what Jesus taught in the parable of the Sower and the Seed, our heart can be soft soil, receptive to the seed of His Word, or it can be hard soil that will not receive His Word. “Do not harden your hearts!” That is your encouragement for the day.

Jesus is the Living Word; the Word made flesh who dwelt among us. So, don’t harden your heart toward Him, either. Dwell on Him who dwelt with us. Meditate on His life and works. Be like His mother, Mary, and treasure and ponder all the things about Jesus in your heart. This text says that He is an Apostle, a High Priest, a Faithful Appointee, a Greater than Moses, The Son over God’s House, the Christ. Look at all of that mind-meat to chew on and savor! And yet we have within us the ability to treat these wonders loosely, to turn away from the Living God. That’s why we need encouragement daily. That’s why we must hold firm our confession and prove its genuineness with thoughts and actions that are continually connected to Christ.

Our devotion to Jesus –
Let’s teach the world to sing that it’s the real thing.
(oh, that’s Coke: 1971 and 1969)

Pray: Lord Jesus, you are God, and you watch over and care for your house, your family. I am a member of your household and desire never to wander away as I might be prone to do. Help me to keep You and your Word before me every day for the encouragement I need. And help me to be an instrument of your encouragement to others. Keep my thoughts fixed on You.

October 31 - Hebrews 2:1-18 - We Must Pay More Careful Attention

As leaders, we are constantly concerned with effective communication. And today we are blessed with so many means of getting information to our audience; print, digital text, audio, video, and good old word of mouth. But do you wonder if anybody is really paying attention. As a pastor, I have had people come to me about an event and tell me they missed it because they hadn’t heard about it. And yet, I know it was published and broadcast in a number of ways in a timely manner. I am a teacher also, and it astonishes me sometimes how frequently the same question has to be asked and answered before folks actually hear it. I guess it’s part of the fallen nature of man, to be careless about paying attention.

The second chapter of Hebrews starts with that exact phrase – “We must pay more careful attention.” With so few communication media in that day, it would have been especially critical to pay attention. The author warns that if care is not taken in hearing and comprehending and incorporating the message, then the person is apt to drift away from the message. Of course, the message referred to is the gospel; the truth about Jesus and the salvation He announced.

Last chapter, the deity of Christ was the aspect of the gospel emphasized. If we are not careful to pay attention to what the Scriptures say about Jesus, we may be tempted to accept some “other Jesus.” Earlier in this series of blogs, we gave the example of Deepak Chopra’s ‘Third Jesus.’ Theological drift is a reality, and that is why we must be in the Word daily; that’s why this blog exists. It keeps me and anyone who wishes to follow accountable to ‘paying attention.’ You’ve had that experience, where someone speaks out with boldness and you know that they don’t know what they’re talking about. Assertiveness is no substitute for accuracy. So, let’s pay more careful attention to the Word, so we can speak with precision regarding Jesus and His salvation.

What does the author emphasize here in the second chapter of Hebrews? He portrays Jesus as the perfect union of deity and humanity! Jesus is Lord (a word reserved for God), He announces His salvation for us and testifies to its veracity through signs, wonders, miracles and Spiritual gifts. And yet, we know that Jesus also stepped down out of heaven, became lower than the angels and by the grace of God, suffered for our sake. From miracle-worker to murdered man. He put on flesh and blood like ours to put to death the power of death over us! He shared in our humanity that we might share in His eternal glory. And also that He would be tempted as a human so all of us can know - our Savior understands our struggles. He saves us in this moment, as well as in the final moment. We have an incarnate Redeemer who HAS saved us from the penalty of sin, IS saving us from the power of sin, and WILL save us from any presence of sin.

Did you catch all that? Are you paying attention? Be careful. You don’t want to drift away from these truths. Because they’re not mine. They are the Lord’s.

Pray: Suffering Servant, Redeemer and Lord, I have received the salvation that You announced, procured and secured by your amazing union of deity and humanity. You are the God-Man, uniquely qualified to stand in the gap between the Holy and the unholy, and reconcile them. Thank you for your amazing grace. Keep me wrapped in your Spirit and Word, so that I will ever be paying attention to your will and ways.

October 30 - Hebrews 1:1-14 - Oh, Yes He Is!

During the Cold War in 1950, Richard Patterson, Jr., United States ambassador to Guatemala, accused the Jacobo Guzmán government of being Communist. Patterson explained his reasoning as follows:

“Suppose you see a bird walking around in a farm yard. This bird has no label that says 'duck'. But the bird certainly looks like a duck. Also, he goes to the pond and you notice that he swims like a duck. Then he opens his beak and quacks like a duck. Well, by this time you have probably reached the conclusion that the bird is a duck, whether he's wearing a label or not."

This has come to be known as the “Duck Test.” One way of explaining this approach would be… rather than doubt that things are as they appear to be until proven so, accept things as they appear to be until proven not so. If it looks, swims and quacks like a duck, accept that it’s a duck! Or prove that it is an impostor.

The author of the book of Hebrews describes Jesus, and the description is of God. Look what it says about Him: the universe was made through Him (v. 2); He is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s being; He sustains all things by the power of His Word (v. 3); He laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of His hands (v. 10); the angels worship Him (v. 6); He is called “God” (v. 8) and “Lord” (v. 10) and He and His throne will last forever and ever (vss. 8,11,12).

Jesus looks like God, swims like God and quacks like God. So, I’m not going to worry myself over those who challenge me to prove that Jesus is God. I’m going to accept that He IS God and let others try to prove that He is not. 

Some folks point to the fact that Jesus never explicitly says that He is God. That’s like Patterson’s statement that the bird has no label that says ‘duck.’ It doesn’t have to have a label for us to see clearly that it’s a duck. Jesus doesn’t have to have a nametag that reads, “Hello, my name is God” for us to know that He is God. But read the gospels carefully. Study the New Testament in light of its Old Testament antecedents. Jesus did indeed declare His divinity in the language and context of His culture. 

So then, if Jesus is one who claims to be God when He knows that He is not – he's a liar, or if He truly believes He is God when He isn’t – he's a lunatic,  but if He is who He says He is – he's the Lord God Almighty. Some solve this ‘trilemma’ with the proposal that Jesus’ followers make Him out to be God when He isn’t – he's a legend. But that also causes the claim to fall into the category of ‘lie’. All this calls the question, “Can a myth, a madman, or a misrepresentation transform the lives of millions over two millennia?”

That looks, swims and quacks like divinity to me.

Pray: Jesus, if you are who you say you are, then you are a living God with power to speak today, to move today, and to transform lives from the inside out. I have seen that. I have experienced that. I am convinced. Continue to show yourself worthy of faith and worship. Thank you that you are alive and living in me. Use me as an instrument of revelation. May others see You in me.

October 29 - Philemon 1-25 - Don’t Miss the Third Dimension

M. C. Escher was a highly creative and technically skilled illustrator. He was especially fond of producing three-dimensional effects with the two-dimensional medium of pencil on paper. Not only that, he delighted in creating three-dimensional effects that were at the same time, completely believable and completely impossible. Look carefully at this sample of his work.


To see more of Escher's work, click here.






Do you see how the stairs are both always ascending and always descending? How can each step be higher than/lower than the next and yet lead back to where they begin? It boggles the mind. M. C. Escher helps us to marvel in and have fun with the third dimension.

There is a third dimension in today’s text, Paul’s quirky letter to his friend, Philemon. I say ‘quirky’ because this brief letter is a bit of a lesson in rhetorical manipulation. Crazy enough, it still qualifies as Scripture! Paul writes to encourage Philemon to re-embrace his runaway slave, Onesimus, as a brother in Christ. The way he does this leaves us laughing as well as raising an eyebrow. Did Paul actually say, “If he … owes you anything … I will pay it back – not to mention that you owe me your very self” ? Not to mention! But, let’s move beyond the ‘not to mention’ to the third dimension.

See what Paul writes in verses 5 and 6? “I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints.” Two dimensions of the Christian life – trusting God and loving His church. These are clear demonstrations of a redeemed life. There are many people who trust in money or might or mentality, but not in the Lord. There are many who demean or disregard the church as ignorant and irrelevant. So those who put their trust in Jesus and embrace His followers are clearly a unique breed; disciples of Christ. But there is another relational dimension to the Christian life – our relationship to the lost.

“Be active in sharing your faith,” Paul prayerfully instructs. If you know the joy of God’s salvation and the fellowship of God’s church, then share it with a lost and lonely world. By the providence of God, Philemon’s slave runs away from him and smack dab into his friend, Paul. In fact, it looks like Onesimus got tossed in the ‘slammer’ and ended up in the cell next to Paul’s! With his jailhouse testimony, Paul introduces the slave to the Savior. Now this stranger/slave is as a son to Paul, and a newborn child of God. “Be active in sharing your faith,” Paul wrote, “so that you will have a full understanding (a three-dimensional view) of every good thing we have in Christ.”

If we are not sharing our faith, we are neglecting and forfeiting some of the best blessings of God. We are living a two-dimensional life in Christ. Like the difference between a sheet of paper and a block of wood, two dimensions prove flimsy; three prove to be substantial. Don’t settle for a flimsy Christian life. “Be active in sharing your faith.” Don’t miss the third dimension. Go for substance.

Pray: Redeeming Lord, remove the obstacles in my life that keep me from sharing my faith. Convince me to embrace the privilege and blessing of leading others to saving faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. Place some name upon my heart even now, to identify the one you would have me tell Your story to. Your story and mine have intersected with eternal impact. Keep me eager to share that life-changing account with others.

October 28 - Titus 3: 1-15 - What a Transformation!

We have this tree in the front yard. It appears to be some kind of maple. In one way it is an answer to prayer, because Sandie and I spent many years in NY and MA and big trees with colorful fall foliage are a favorite of ours. There may be no winter here in California, but we do have fall foliage … right out the kitchen window! Thank you, Lord, for the magnificent transformation of green to red and gold. In another way, this lovely arbor is a curse. At a certain time of year it sprays sap. I’m not sure how it does it; I just know that if we park our cars in the driveway beside the tree, they come away with a fine mist of stickiness all over. Thank God for the transformation a good car wash can affect. Dull and sticky on the way in, smooth and shiny on the way out.

Today’s text talks about a magnificent transformation by way of washing that is nothing short of miraculous. Paul writes to Titus of the radical change (not just turning a leaf, but down deep to the root) that occurs in salvation. Here, Paul calls it “the washing of rebirth.” It is that wonderful Trinitarian cleansing that the Father showers over us; a downpour of the Holy Spirit through the Savior Jesus Christ. It is a flood of transformation that changes everything.

By the washing of salvation we are transformed out of foolishness, disobedience, deception and enslavement into rebirth, renewal, justification and adoption. There can be no greater transformation and no greater activators: the kindness, love and grace of our glorious God. And look at the stark contrast there – He has kindness for those who “lived in malice.” He has grace for the covetous and love for the hater. Is this God amazing and deserving of our praise, or what?!

Can we take any credit for some part of this miracle transformation? No. “… He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done …” We didn’t do anything to earn, inspire, or catalyze this spiritual transaction. We are changed by grace. God’s generosity through Jesus burst the floodgates of heaven and down came the Spirit of God, cleansing our souls from the inside out. Washed so clean as to qualify us as brand new people – born again. Wouldn’t it be wild to send my car into the car wash as a 2004 model and have it come out the other side a 2011? A washing of rebirth and renewal! When my maple tree changes into its autumn attire, it is beautiful to behold. Even more stunning is the dormant, leafless maple springing back to life in early April. What to say then of a human being experiencing change at the core of their being? The old becomes new; the dull becomes beautiful; the dormant comes springing to life!

And all God asks of us on the other side of transformation is to do good. It takes care and requires devotion, but we can do what is good. The Lord has made us good to do good. We are capable of excellence now and are able to bless every one - God, others and self. “Be careful to devote [yourself] to doing what is good.” Be good every day. Be good to all people. Imitate God, who in the face of malice, envy and hatred,
brought His kindness and love to bear.

And saved us,

by His mercy.

Pray: Savior, I simply stand in awe of what you have done. I am dumbfounded at the appearance of your loving-kindness. I am eternally grateful for your mercy and grace. Help me to do good as acts of thanksgiving and worship. Help me to devote myself to this. Bring many more to the rebirth and renewal of salvation by the washing of your Spirit.

October 27 - Titus 2:1-15 - Teach Them to Control Their Selves

Ever noticed how many people have control issues, have to manipulate things and people, and at the same time how many people are out of control? I guess it’s that people want to control everything but themselves. To control everything and yet not be controlled by anything is a definition of God. Subtly, neurotically, people reveal that their desire is to be God. But since God is God and we are not, the answer to our control issues is faith. If God is the One in control, then we will have to trust Him to take care of us. We don’t have to throw off restraint and manipulate our environment and relationships to gain some semblance of peace. We simply have to rest in His goodness and mercy.

I was stunned to see the concept of ‘self-control’ repeated five times in today’s brief portion of Scripture. Every age group Paul refers to – older men, older women, younger women and young men – seems to have a self-control problem. And then in verse 12, he makes a general statement about all people, and again includes the need for self-control. Remember, Titus is on the island of Crete where even their own spokespeople say ‘Cretans are constant liars, evil brutes, and lazy gluttons.’ Titus 1:12. Yeah, that sounds like self-control problems to me.

What is even more stunning in this passage is the repetition of verbs related to teaching. The words ‘teach,’ ‘train’ and ‘encourage’ appear twelve times in fifteen verses! The Word is telling us that we can actually teach each other to be self-controlled. But notice it doesn’t say “teach them to control themselves.” People can’t control themselves. We can only be ‘self-controlled.’ We can have the self under control, but we cannot have the self controlling the self. That would be like asking a broken tool to fix itself. To be self-controlled is to place the self under the Holy Spirit’s control. Paul wrote to Titus, “The grace of God that brings salvation [that brings the Holy Spirit into the life of a person] … teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness … and to live self-controlled …”

Galatians 5:22 names self-control as a fruit of the Spirit. Self-control is not an act of reining myself in by my own power; it is the condition of disciplined peace I find myself in because I find the Spirit is in me. So how do I teach people to be self-controlled, that is, controlled by the Spirit? I teach them the gospel of the grace of God that brings to them the controlling Spirit. I teach them of a “great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness [including impotent self-rule]…” And I do as verse 7 instructs: “In everything set them an example …” As one possessing the Spirit, demonstrate the fruit of that Spirit, which includes self-control.

People can’t control themselves, but they can control their self – by surrendering it to Jesus Christ.

Pray: Spirit of God, teach me to stop trying to control my self and rather assist me in turning my self over to You. Cultivate in me the fruit of self-control. Help me to be a good example to those around me of a person yielded to Jesus Christ. Help me to teach the gospel and the blessings of grace. Make me an instrument of Your peace to all who come in contact with me.

October 26 - Titus 1:1-16 - Filling The Void

I received an email today that informed me of another pastor resigning here in the Redwood Empire. As with any organization, the loss of leadership creates a serious void to be filled. In most cases, teams or committees are gathered to do the work of identifying the successor. Early in the process, a set of criteria must be agreed on for filtering prospective candidates. What do we desire in a new leader? What does a suitable leader for our organization look like? Do we need to re-visit the job description? A great deal of serious, strategic thinking goes into choosing a leader.

In today’s text, we read that Titus had been sent by Paul to supply something that was lacking in the ‘Cretan Baptist Association.’ That lack was leadership. Paul gives us his criteria for filtering candidates, and by my count from the NIV, he prescribes seventeen leadership qualities. It is interesting to note that there are no criteria for academic achievement or organizational management or financial management skills. All but two of the criteria are personal character items. Comparing this list with similar references to leadership qualities in Timothy and Acts, we see that God is less concerned with what we do and more with who we are. Character is even more valuable than competency.

The character qualities here are:

Blamelessness
Fidelity to spouse
Not overbearing
Not quick tempered
Not given to drunkenness
Not violent
Not pursuing dishonest gain
Hospitable
A lover of good
Self-controlled
Upright
Holy, and
Disciplined

The two competency-based criteria are:

Solid parenting
and Knowledge of Sound Doctrine, which results in
the ability to encourage those who embrace it, and
the ability to refute and rebuke those who oppose it.

I hope our churches, and churches everywhere, will consider the emphases of Scripture as they embark on their leadership searches. Look for men of character. Value integrity and holiness and Spirit-produced fruitfulness. Consider their success in the home. And weigh their ability to accurately divide and apply the Word.

If John Maxwell is right – “Everything rises or falls on leadership” – then the success of God’s churches will depend on pastors of noble character who know, preach, and defend sound doctrine. Are those the emphases of your church regarding leadership? Is that the kind of pastor that you are? That you aspire to be?

Lack of leadership is not just a void. It’s a grave.

Pray: Lord and Master, make me a leader after your own heart, after the criteria of your holy Word. Help every church to discover Your pastor for their people. Help transform the mindsets of churches and pastors, that they may aspire to mission and ministry under Biblically-defined leadership.

October 25 - 2 Timothy 4: 1-22 - Preach the Word

What a joy – this preaching class of mine! Six humble, passionate, students devoted and delighted to learn. Our aim was to hear an eight minute/one-point sermon from each of them yesterday afternoon. In the end, it was a three-hour symphony of Spirit-empowered truths. God-qualities on top of faith promises on top of encouragements on top of exhortations – it was an avalanche of blessing. When the Word and the Spirit are at the center of our attention and opened up through sound and careful practices, the treasures of the Kingdom come pouring out.

Paul knew that the proclamation of the Word of God was the very core purpose of the church. He was facing his final days, and I imagine knowing one’s end is approaching can be quite clarifying. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith,” so before I go I must leave you with the most important charge – “Preach the Word!” When all that Paul had to say and do was said and done, the one thing he could not allow was the death of solid preaching. Proclamation matters. Sound doctrine matters. Rebuke, correction, and encouragement matter. If we don’t preach God’s truth, many will be happy to preach their own version of truth. Their own ears and wants will be set up as the standard of acceptable proclamation. ‘Doctrine is sound if it says what I want it to say.’

Prepare yourself, Paul says. That’s what my wonderful class is doing. They will be prepared in any situation; in any season. They will “keep their heads” in every situation. Because their heads, their thinking, will have been informed and transformed by the living Word. To preach the Word, you must know the Word. You must hunger and thirst for it. You must be a student of it. You must love it. Paul had a partner named Demas. Demas at last showed his true love. He did not love the Word. He loved the world. And so, he deserted the cause of Christ. Are you drawn to the Word? Or are you drawn toward the world?

Though so many failed in their steadfastness, Paul says, “the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed.” The Lord fortifies those who love His Word. The Lord wants His great, good message to be preserved, undiluted. He wants it spread to all people, preached among all nations. There are still almost 7,000 unreached people groups of almost 3 billion people on our planet. That’s a lot of preaching that needs to take place.

Are you ready to take up the charge? Are you prepared? Getting prepared? Do you know how to give “careful instruction … with great patience”? Many faithful leaders are going the way of all flesh; they are coming to the end of their service. Will there be any to take their place? Whose Timothy are you? Do you have a Timothy? Become a student of the Word and learn how to declare it accurately and clearly. Gain all you can from the preachers who came before you, and do all you can to train the next generation.

40% of humanity is still waiting for someone to come to them and “Preach the Word!”

Pray: Coming King, make my love for you and my love for a lost world invigorate my love for your Word. Make me a messenger. Help me be part of the solution to preserving sound doctrine. Grant me courage to rebuke and correct. Grant me passion to instruct and encourage. Multiply the ‘school of preachers’ that all people across the globe might hear of Your glory and grace.

October 24 - 2 Timothy 2: 1-21 - Breathe!

The American Heart Association’s 2010 Guidelines for CPR have made a significant change in the Basic Life Support sequence. Previously, the BLS sequence was A-B-C (Airway, Breathing, Chest Compression). The new recommended sequence is C-A-B; chest compressions are now primary. First, engage the heart. This change will precipitate re-education for everyone who has ever been trained in CPR.

A shift toward prioritizing the engagement of the heart can also be seen in spiritual circles. Nowadays, much is done to capture the emotions and shape the affections in attempting to connect people with God. Faith based on feelings, validated by feeling outcomes is prevalent. Unfortunately, feelings are frequently untrustworthy. Feelings will fool you. And feelings (also known as desires, or more noble-sounding – loves) are easily tempted and diverted. Desires can be evil, and Paul urges us to flee them. Affections can run deep for personal opinions, producing “foolish and stupid arguments.” Love can become love of self, love of money, love of pleasure, love of control. The affections can be engaged in a heartbeat, but not necessarily for repentance “leading … to a knowledge of the truth … that they will come to their senses.”

In the realm of spiritual things, I’m going to stick with the original “basic life support” sequence. I’m going to keep a clear airway for breathing at the forefront. For “all Scripture is God-breathed.” “There will be terrible times in the last days” and the affections and feelings of people will be led astray. The necessary rebuke, correction, and training in righteousness will come from the God-breathed Word. Did you notice how many times words like “teach, instruct, learn, and training” appear in today’s text. The key to escaping the devil’s traps, fleeing the lusts of immaturity, becoming wise, and becoming thoroughly equipped for every good work is knowing the Holy Scriptures.

 Open up your airway. Is there any obstruction? What keeps you from being in the Word daily? (I’m blogging my best to keep you breathing!) Breathe deeply. The Spirit and the Word are oxygen for your soul. Breathe! And after that, the Word will indeed engage and renew the rhythm of your heart. But first things first. It’s easy as A-B-C.

Pray: Breath of Heaven, Word of truth, fill my mind and spirit and soul. Rebuke me. Correct me. Train me in the way of righteousness. Make me wise. Equip me. That I may pursue you with a pure heart – regardless of how I feel.

October 23 - 2 Timothy 2: 1-21 - Putting the Crises to Flight

On Thursday, one hour into a six-hour flight, a medical emergency reared its ugly head. In a moment, flight attendants ceased to be wait staff and emerged as EMTs. None of them appeared to be handcuffed by a lack of knowledge or training or resources. On display was the professional expertise that hides most days beneath lap belt demonstrations and the pouring of coffee. The roles and responsibilities of the flight crew are multi-varied and span from mundane to marvelous.

In Paul’s figurative speech in today’s text, he paints a picture of the multi-varied life of the Christian leader. In describing Timothy’s ministry at Ephesus, Paul refers to him as a teacher, a soldier, an athlete, a farmer, a craftsman, and a noble vessel. Who knew he had all that in him? But then, an hour into his pastorate, a spiritual emergency rears its ugly head and the many-varied roles are revealed.

The crisis at Ephesus was a crisis of words. The gospel was being warped by unreliable heralds. The perceived threat of the gospel was being met with imprisonment. Some tried to chain God’s Word. Others tried to substitute their own God-less chatter. Still others quarreled about it without ever really dissecting it. This crisis called for a leader with many disciplines. This crisis still confronts us today.

The teacher of teachers must emerge to preserve sound doctrine down the generations. The enduring soldier must take up his post and not be moved by the distractions of the world. His mission is to please his Commanding Officer. The player/coach helps athletes to run life’s race in the Word’s narrow lanes only if he himself abides by God’s rules. The farmer in him must show up as hardworking if he expects to enjoy ministry’s fruits. And the craftsman in him must show up highly skilled in cutting and joining the precious resource of truth.

How ready are you to be a holy instrument in the Master’s hand, serving noble purposes? Can you be strong? Can you endure? Can you compete? Can you re-duplicate your leadership in others? This readiness begins with a devotion to the Word; a scholarly and reflective approach that leads to accuracy and insight. “God’s solid foundation stands firm.” Stand on it. Serve from it. Spread its truth.

Pray: God of truth, I chain myself and dull my effectiveness when I take your Word lightly. Help me to be an approved craftsman of the Scriptures, unashamed for You to inspect my work. Help me to be strong by your grace - to teach, to lead, to stay focused, that my ministry might be as unfettered as your Word.

October 22 - 2 Timothy 1: 1-18 - Power to Speak, to Suffer, and to Stay

You may have noticed the missing entries this week. My wife’s Aunt passed away in Halifax, MA. Aunt Bunnie had asked me years ago if I would officiate her memorial service. I promised I would, and I had to be a man of my word. Sandie and I had some final planning and leadership responsibilities for our Associational Annual meeting last Friday and Saturday. Then we packed and left on the red-eye to Boston late Saturday night. It has been a bittersweet time in New England, commemorating a wonderful 92 year-old lady, comforting family, visiting old friends from our ministry days in Peabody, all wrapped in the splendor of fall foliage. All in all, it has been a blessed time, and we are grateful.

Today’s Scripture portion is timely then for me, with its mentions of death, of family and friends, of giftedness for ministry and the goodness of the gospel. When death visits, it’s good to remember “our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” Paul refers to Timothy, his spiritual son, Timothy’s mother, Timothy’s grandmother, and his own forefathers. He reminds us of the flow of history, the inevitable passing of time. The inevitable passing of people. And the inevitable passing of the torch for the perpetuation of the faith. Each generation is peeled away as layers of an onion. When death comes you look hard at where you are in line. One or two more losses at our parents’ layer and then … we’re next! But we need not fear. “God did not give us a spirit of timidity.” Christ has put death to death. Life, abundant and immortal, is ours in Him. So we “fan into flame the gift of God” which is in us and press forward. There is a spiritual heritage to honor! There is a legacy of faith to leave! There is ministry to be done and testimony to be given of the greatness of the gospel.

Sometimes it isn’t death that is daunting, but persecution that produces the fear. Together, Paul uses the words ‘timidity’ and ‘ashamed’ five times in this short passage. “Don’t be ashamed to testify,” he writes. “I was appointed a herald … that is why I am suffering,” he declares. “Yet I am not ashamed!” Paul names those who have deserted the ministry and those who have excelled in the ministry. Some are ashamed and fear suffering. They desert. Some stay, firm and faithful. They know how to suffer “by the power of God.” (What an invitation – ‘Join me in suffering by the power of God!) They know the trustworthiness of the Savior and “the help of the Holy Spirit.”

Where does your life flow from? What is your gift for ministry? Whose lineage do you stand in and what legacy will you leave? God gave you a spirit of “power, and love, and of self-discipline.” Be a fearless herald. Your time is now.

Pray: Father, Savior, Holy Spirit, help me to know You even as I have believed in You. Convince me of your powers; Your power to defeat fear and death, Your power to grant eternal life, and Your power to help us keep the faith every tick of the relentless clock.

October 15 - 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18 - When He Acts Lax, Ax the Slacker

Have you ever worked in an environment where people wanted to get as much pay as possible for the least amount of work possible? I have. I was hired on 90-day probation and during that time all the ‘probies’ worked their tails off; we wanted a secure job that paid well. Everyone who was beyond their 90 days stood by as we carried the majority of the load. Then after we made it to full-fledged employee, we were regularly chided to slow down. We were making the slackers look bad and taking their overtime away from them. Can you say, “morale-buster?” I lasted in that de-motivating workplace one year. The excellent pay scale just couldn’t compensate for the dreadful idleness I had to face every single day.

Not exactly sure about the reason behind the idleness at Thessalonica, but it was significant enough for Paul to address in today’s text. You gotta love Paul’s wordplay – “They’re not busy; they’re busybodies!” I found that to be true with the job I mentioned above. Maybe the guys thought they were getting paid to work their jaw muscles. Were they getting compensated by the hour, or by the word? They needed to hear Paul’s urgent command – “Settle down and earn your bread!”

Paul compares his own work ethic to the idlers, so maybe there is a spiritual or ‘spiritualizing’ component to this. Paul was an evangelist missionary, and often received gifts of support as he pursued his calling. He had said it is right for those who proclaim the gospel to make a living from the gospel, but he also prescribed working hard so as not to be a burden to one’s hearers. Perhaps some in Thessalonica thought they could casually toss a few spiritual words here and there and expect to get fed or paid for it. After all, what a gig! I once knew a woman who thought I only worked one day a week because I was a pastor. Spiritualizing our laziness is ignoble and irreverent.

Working with idle-leaning people is very de-motivating. Fighting apathy is tiring. The more you try to lead by example, the more they let you do the work. The more you try to inspire and encourage with little response, the less you want to try. Paul understood this. “Don’t tire of doing what is right.” He understood that the frustration can also stir anger and ill-will. “May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.”

If you are getting tired, frustrated, ornery in your ministry, trying to shift the idling into any gear but neutral, I have one more word from Paul for you – “May the Lord direct your heart into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

Pray: Lord of peace, bring peace to my troubled soul. Help me to persevere in love with the careless, listless and lazy. Help me to continue to be a model of diligence and faithfulness to Your calling. And through our devoted service, may Your message spread rapidly and be honored.

October 14 - 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 - Freedom or Truth?

Based on your observation of our current culture, which value would you say takes priority – freedom or truth? I’m leaning toward freedom. I hear more stories of people who tinker with the truth to obtain or maintain a freedom, than I hear of people giving up a freedom to stand for the truth. When people want something, they want to be free to get it. They will do what it takes to remove the obstacles in the way of their desires. This often results in lies, deception, or manipulation. The fake IDs, the padded resumes, the overstated product performance claims, the understated income on form 1040; they compromise the truth to gain freedom – freedom to drink alcohol, to get a certain job, to earn higher profits, to pay less taxes. Why do we hear, “I’d rather ask for forgiveness than permission?” Because people just don’t want anyone shutting down  their freedom.

Freedom is an important value. I am deeply grateful for the Bill of Rights, and the freedoms it protects. Under a different government, I would not be free to write this blog. We SHOULD have the right to liberty. But it’s also important to remember that we are endowed by our Creator with these unalienable rights. Freedom is a gift from God, and THAT’S the truth! By not speaking the truth, we may think we are gaining freedom for ourselves, but we are robbing freedom from our neighbors. The only way that everybody gets to enjoy freedom is by everybody telling the truth.

Paul told the Thessalonians that the end of history would be characterized by a perverse emphasis on freedom that refuses to love the truth. He calls it the power of lawlessness. Lawlessness is freedom without any responsible limits. Full, unfettered freedom is anarchy. The paradox of freedom is that it works best within boundaries. And guess what draws perfectly the responsible boundaries of freedom? Truth! Lawlessness has power, but it is a chaotic, destructive power. Optimum freedom has creative, progressive power – power harnessed by truth’s  limits.

Jesus prayed to God the Father, “Sanctify them with the truth; Your Word is truth.” The Word has creative, progressive power. It transforms us into the holy likeness of God Himself. The greatest freedom of all is the freedom to become like God. And the Word scribes the boundaries within which we experience optimum freedom and personal transformation. That experience is salvation and sanctification. Paul writes, we are “saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”

Know the difference between freedom and lawlessness. Know that truth comes before, and informs, freedom. Love the truth, “that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Pray: God, your Word is truth. Help me to know it and apply it. Let your Word of truth truly set me free; not free to do whatever I want, but free to say ‘yes’ to godliness and ‘no’ to wickedness. Help everyone to know the difference between true freedom and its destructive counterfeit, lawlessness.

October 13 - 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 - The Advantage of a Trustworthy Treasurer

Pastoring a church is like being the president of a small company, especially when it comes to finances. The absolute best policies and practices need to be in place for receiving, processing, and accounting for receipts and expenses. The pastor is ultimately responsible to make this happen and keep it going. When people give at church, they understand that they are giving to the Lord for the Lord’s work. To have those gifts misplaced, misused, squandered or stolen deals a huge blow to the pastor’s leadership standing and to the trust of the congregation. Praise God for trustworthy treasurers! They allow the pastor to sleep at night and focus on his main tasks knowing that capital concerns are well cared for. 

Today’s text tells us that God is a trustworthy accountant. God is just. God balances the books. There were people who did not know God, who disregarded the gospel of Jesus, intentionally troubling the Thessalonian church. The word for “trouble” in this passage carries the idea of “crowd control.” That is, to be pressured or impeded by a crowd of people. Have you ever left a personal item in a theatre or a stadium and tried to go back and get it against the press of the crowd? That’s the word picture. Persecutors were pressing against the church's attempts to extend the gospel and expand the Kingdom.

Nevertheless, the result was positive on several counts. The church pushed back and learned perseverance. The church closed ranks and learned to love each other better. The church grew in their faith. How many of us and our churches take advantage of troubling times to grow in these significant areas? Sometimes we get sidetracked by the persecutors; we become more interested in payback than in ‘pay forward.’ God has done a gracious, priceless thing for us through His gospel. Our task and privilege is to pass that on to the next wave of believers. Our task is not to balance the books by seeking punishment for those who persecute us. That job is for the Divine Accountant.

God is a trustworthy treasurer. He is just. He will render mercy to the redeemed, and justice to the rebellious. But this just punishment will mostly come in the final accounting – when “Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels.” Knowing that accounts will be settled in the end, we can major on living for Christ. We can sleep at night and focus on our main tasks, fulfilling every good purpose He has for us and acting on the promptings of our faith.

Don’t let addressing your adversaries become the focus of your ministry. Don’t let the enemy set the agenda. Let God handle them. You go love somebody in Jesus’ Name!

Pray: God of Justice and mercy, help me keep one eye on You and one eye on the lost in my world. Help me keep the main thing the main thing. Grant us the rewards of persevering in loving service and joyful testimony. Help us leave the troubling of our troublers to You.

October 12 - 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28 - Almost Asleep at the Wheel

Man, what a week it’s been. I taught my preaching class Sunday afternoon, spent Monday doing final preps for consultancy training and the Men’s Retreat, received three full days of training away from home, left for the retreat Friday afternoon (two more days away from home) and drove back Sunday afternoon just in time to teach three more hours of preaching methods. I must admit, during the drive back home, crawling down 101 past Petaluma, my body tried to fall asleep. I cranked up the air conditioning and started blinking twice a second. I massaged my forehead and slapped my cheeks. I explained what was going on to my passengers; they began singing with me and engaged me in a vigorous theological discussion. That did it. I was back to ‘alert.’ Sleep was not going to control me.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about ‘sleep.’ He said that those who are moving through this life without a saving knowledge of Christ are asleep at the wheel. You know how dangerous an unconscious driver can be. People who are spiritually unconscious are dangerous, too. There is a great deal of chaos and suffering caused by lives that are out of control. 

I just got back from facilitating a home cell group, where our topic was “Creating Safe Environments” for healthy relationships. Nearly every person spoke about the chaos and suffering in their family of origin, caused by a relative who was ‘asleep at the wheel.’

Those of us who are in Christ have His Spirit in us to keep us alert. Like a fresh blast from the air conditioner, like a song of praise, the Spirit helps us fight the flesh and its tendency to fade out. With my self under the Spirit’s control, I become aware of God’s will for my life. I can remain bright and navigate life’s highway according to the signs and directions of His Word.

God’s destinations for us in this world are not always revealed in advance. His will for us often comes in the form of “hows,” and not so much “wheres” and “whens.” The spiritually alert are awake to this idea. Look at what Paul says about the will of God in this text. It is God's will that we ...

Encourage and edify others

Respect hard-working church leaders

Live in peace

Encourage the timid

Help the weak

Be patient with everybody

Be kind to each other

Be joyful always

Pray continually

Give thanks in all circumstances

Don’t quench the Spirit

Don’t hold prophecy in contempt

Test everything; hold on to the good

and Avoid evil of every kind

Man, what a trip! How are we going to navigate our days like THAT? By staying awake, alert and under control by the Holy Spirit. And by taking some friends with you who can sing you out of your sleepiness.

Pray: Lord, thank you for eternal life. Help me to live that life with my eyes wide open. Keep me alert and under control. Show me your will and empower me to accomplish it.

October 11 - 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:3 - God's Plan is to Make Me Holy

 ³It is God's will that you should be sanctified: ... ⁷For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

October 10 - 1 Thessalonians 2:9-3:13 - Big Love, Strong Heart, Holy One

¹²May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. ¹³May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

October 9 - 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:8 - Faith, Love and Hope

 ²We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. ³We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ...

October 8 - Colossians 3:18-4:18 - When I Relate to Others, I'm Relating to You

Good day, everybody in Blogland. Speaking of "With Christ in the Redwoods," I'm getting ready to head up to our Annual Men's Retreat. We spend a weekend in the Redwoods encouraging and challenging each other and renewing our love for the Lord. It is so far off the beaten path that I will not have the ability to connect with this site until Sunday night. So, now it's your turn!

I'll post the headings today for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and it will be up to you to leave comments on the day's passage for me to read when I get back.

That's right; I'm turning the blog over to you for the weekend.

I look forward to what God has to say through you. Make time to read and think prayerfully, and then share with us what comes to the surface.

Keep the guys in prayer, too. Our theme this year is, "STAND!"

_______________________________________

Here's what I think is the heart of today's text (not just for the slave/master relationship as in the context, but applicable to all):

"...with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. ²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

October 7 - Colossians 3:1-17 - Starved for Attention

Jack has two daughters. Jack’s daughters love to shop for clothes. But Jack’s two daughters are 14 and 15 years old, and neither is licensed to drive. When the new season’s clothing lines arrive on the racks, guess who has to drive two giddy teenagers to the mall? It’s not the trip that’s the problem. Two giddy teenaged sisters squealing for joy, anticipating fashion nirvana is actually a fun cargo to be transporting. Driving them home in exhausted satisfaction isn’t a bad ride, either. The problem is the waiting; the waiting for the end of the boutique bacchanal. To make it worth the wait, Jack negotiates stopping for lunch at the new Italian restaurant across the parking lot.

The car barely rolls to a stop before the girls are flying across the asphalt, onto the sidewalk and through the big glass doors. Dad takes his time. There will be a lot of time to take. He finds a fairly comfortable bench inside by some potted trees and in view of the fountain; a pleasant setting to pass the time. And, oh, did time pass. These girls were locked on to trying on everything they could get their hands on. The rest of the universe disappeared – there was just a girl, her sister, clothes and mirrors. That’s all. No Saturn’s rings; no asteroid belt; no mall fountain; no starving father. (“Where’s my pasta e fagioli?!”) They had set their sights and their thoughts on Volcom and Armani Exchange. Nothing else mattered.

When I read today’s text I saw Paul saying “put to death” one set of things and “clothe yourselves” with another set of things. That’s when I thought of Jack and his daughters. To put to death and rid myself of the practices of the old self, I have to starve them to death. I have to set my sights and my thoughts on clothing – clothing myself with Godly attributes – and let the universe of sins disappear. Lose track of them. Let them starve to death, like Dad on a mall bench. (He didn’t actually die; no fathers were harmed in the production of this blog analogy.)

The things of the earthly nature want our attention. Before we act on those things, we have to think on those things and then set our minds on pursuing those things. Starve them. Starve them of the attention they crave. Get absorbed mentally and passionately with the higher, nobler things. “Set your heart on things above …” “Set your mind on things above …” Be so locked on to kindness, humility, patience, forbearance and forgiveness that you just don’t have time for lust, greed and idolatry. Be so hot after thankfulness, encouragement and love that anger, slander, and filthy language get left out in the cold to die.

With the old you off, and the new you put on – trust me – you’ll look marvelous!

Pray: Jesus, you are my life. Christ, you are in me. Christ, you are everything. May Your peace rule and Your word dwell richly in my heart. Help me to starve the desires of my flesh. Help me to do everything in the Name of the Lord. Thank you. Thank you. A thousand times, thank you!

October 6 - Colossians 2:8-23 - Lost Connection

Dropped calls. I put “dropped calls on iPhone 3Gs” in Google search and got 153,000 results! Apparently, lots of people do not like dropped calls. Being in the middle of a conversation and then loosing the connection is very frustrating. Thankfully, I haven’t had the same experience a lot of other iPhone users have had. Not many lost connections.

I’m writing from a hotel room in San Leandro this week, and the high-speed internet is free. Once again, not feeling at a loss for connection.

In today’s text, Paul makes reference to some who have lost connection with the Lord. They are described as people who have an “unspiritual” spirituality. Religiosity, or legalism, would be another way of saying it. Human philosophies and man-made spiritualities tend to be characterized by rules lists. Do this, and don’t do that. We can hyper-intellectualize our rationale for such lists, or hyper-spiritualize them by saying we got them through many days of fasting and conversing with angels, but they are still just laundry lists.

The greatest of all spiritual codes is the Law of Moses as given by God. But even that list has its limits. It reveals the priority of God for holiness and it convicts us of our unrighteousness, but it was never meant to save us. We are saved by a personal relationship with God, forged by grace through faith in Jesus, who satisfied the law and atoned for our lawlessness on the cross. The text says, “He took it away, nailing it to the cross.” Careful reading shows that the antecedent for the pronoun, “it,” is not our sin; “it” is the written code. Jesus crucified legalism and religiosity at Calvary.

Paul says not to let anyone judge you by comparing your behavior to their own “spiritual to-do and to-don’t list.” These are the ones who will puff themselves up with their ‘holy arrogance.’ These are the ones Paul says have “lost connection with the Head,” which is Christ. Legalisms don’t liberate us, they condemn us. True spirituality, sincere holiness, comes from being connected to Christ; living in Him and Him living in us as yesterday’s text taught us. We still maintain our emphasis on pure living. We just don’t go at it via conformity to somebody’s idea of a “holylist.” A list that can fool us sometimes because it has “an appearance of wisdom.” The problem is, as Scripture says here, that approach has no positive effect.

Law makes our sin nature undeniably clear. It reveals our spiritual deadness. God makes us alive in Christ; forgiving us all our sin! So, when religiosity beckons, I don’t mind dropping that call. But my Savior? I don’t ever want to lose THAT connection!

Pray: Holy God, liberating Lord, thank you that I can be connected to you in my heart and soul through your indwelling Spirit. Purify me through this intimate relationship. Help me not to judge or be judged by a “perfect Christian behaviors list.” We are but humble sinners saved by grace.

October 5 - Colossians 1:21 – 2:7 - Like a Soul Tattoo

Have you ever heard of an ‘ambigram?’ An ambigram is a word or phrase drawn in such a way as to be legible right side up and upside down! There is a very talented tattoo artist named Mark Palmer who has created a bunch of these unique pieces of art. He has one where the word ‘Faith’ turned upside down becomes the word ‘Hope.’ There’s another that renders the word ’Glory’ so that it appears exactly the same whether you view it from one direction or the other. I think if I had some discretionary income I’d commission him to draw me an ambigram that read, “Christ in Me” in one direction and “Me in Christ” in the other.

Paul is really focusing on this “ambi-glorious” reality in today’s text. He says that the glorious riches of the mystery of God is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” He says as we received Christ, we ought also to continue to live in Christ. He lives in us and we live in Him. What an amazing relationship. Like an ambigram, each element is wound up and twined together with the other.

Certain of the letters of an ambigram go through wild contortions to achieve the desired effect. They look almost pained. Paul says Christ still suffers for His bride, the church, and that we who are in Him are suffering with Him. It’s not all peace and light being in Christ. But Paul also says that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him. He says that in Christ we can be rooted and strengthened and built up. There is reward far beyond the pain that comes from being in Christ. And perfection in heaven is a sure thing because Christ is in us.

All of this is the reason it is called the ‘gospel,’ the good news. And yet there is labor and deception and struggle in this life that would move us away from that hope; that would attempt to replace the good news with bad. Don’t believe it. Don’t surrender to it. Don’t be worn down and defeated by it. Paul exhorts – “Continue in faith! Establish yourself; stand firm! Do not be moved!” Don’t miss the personal pronoun in verse 29. “I labor, struggling with all HIS energy …” Don’t wrestle with the enemy in your own power; wrestle with the Lord’s energy which works powerfully IN you. Because Christ is IN you. And you are IN Him.

And there’s nothing ambiguous about that.

Pray: Jesus, I believed in You and received You and have become a child of God. You live in me and I live in You. Help me to live out of that glorious mystery. I don’t understand it all. But I do know, it is where true life, love and hope are found. I have written your Name upon my hand (Isa. 44:5) and upon my heart. And mine is upon Yours.

See the ambigrams at www.byMarkPalmer.com

October 4 - Colossians 1:1 - 20 - What Can YOU Do?

We were talking in preaching class today about facial expressions as a means of communication, when one student volunteered that she cannot raise just one eyebrow. Which caused many of us to raise one eyebrow. It reminded me of one of my friends back east who cannot wink. It’s really funny watching her concentrate as the determination builds in her face and then, Bam! She slams both eyes shut.

‘What can YOU do?’ was a game we played in elementary school on the playground and in the cafeteria. Can you roll your tongue? Can you bend your fingers all the way back to touch your forearm? Can you wiggle your ears? You did that too, didn’t you? For all those who read this blog and haven’t commented yet, you can leave me an example of the ‘what can you do’ stuff YOU did as a kid. (Or as an adult – you don’t have to fess up.)

The first chapter of Colossians is full of DONES and CAN DOs.  It tells us what the gospel had done in Colossae and all over the Roman world. It tells us what God the Father has done for us and what God the Son has done for us. These are wonderful doings and it’s great to hear and rejoice over them. But the best part of the chapter is Paul’s prayer, because it identifies what WE can do as beneficiaries of the gospel and the Father and the Son.

What the gospel does is make known the truth and grace of God. It taps a spring of hope in us that flows with faith in Jesus and love for others. Its effects can grow and produce fruit in any location. The gospel nails down our confidence in a glorious heaven.

What the Father does is qualify us for that heavenly inheritance. He rescues us from the shadowlands of sin and adopts us as children of light. He willingly invests Himself fully in the flesh and blood of Jesus, the means of His forgiveness and our redemption.

What the Son does is merely create the universe, hold the universe together, and reconcile the universe to Himself! Wow. Not only can He bear the fullness of the image of God in human form, He can also bear the full burden of evil in His body on the cross!

So, what can WE do? As a response to these accomplishments of God in and around our lives; as a result of these marvelous realities; with the ongoing assistance of Father, Son and Word – what can WE do? Paul’s prayer for the Colossians suggests what is possible:

We can be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.

We can obtain spiritual wisdom and understanding.

We can live a life worthy of the Lord.

We can please God in every way.

We can bear fruit in every good work.

We can gain power through Divine might.

We can obtain great patience and endurance.

We can rejoice with thank filled hearts.

I don’t know about you, but THAT’S what I want to do. So, let me study to understand better the full meaning of the gospel. Let me speak more with my heavenly Father, that His purposes and desires would become plain to me. And as a son of God, let me imitate THE Son of God, and demonstrate His headship over my life. 

I was created by Him. I was created for Him. He’s the one who is holding me together. Yeah! He can do that!

Pray: Thank you, Father, for rescuing me. Thank you, Jesus, for reconciling me back to You by the blood of Your cross. Thank you for the good news of a Father’s love and a Brother’s sacrifice that drew me in and won my heart. Help me to realize my full potential in You, and help me to pray Paul’s Colossian prayer frequently for my family, my church, and the world.

October 3 - Philippians 4:1 - 23 - Four Puzzle Peaces

She was puzzled. I was in my first year of college and had been acting the fool for months. I won’t bore you with the story (actually, I’m avoiding the story because it would tell what a meathead I was.) Suffice it to say, I had treated my girlfriend poorly from November to March, but somehow she took me back in the spring of ’76. Her name was Sandie and she was my High School sweetheart. The chaos of conceit had ruled my brain for a season, but reconciliation came, and with it peace of mind. Coincidentally, in the summer after our renewal, “Boston” released its first album with the hit song, “Peace of Mind.” (Yes, old Baptist ministers can be classic rockers, too.) That peace of mind proved permanent and Sandie and I celebrate 33 years of marriage next May.

Paul makes reference in today’s text to four puzzles we all face in life. And in each mention, he includes the element of peace. The four puzzles are broken relationships, anxiety, the distraction of depravity, and the roller coaster of finances. How do you work these puzzles when all you want is to have your peace of mind?

Euodia and Synthyche have a broken relationship. They had been partners with each other, now they are in serious disagreement. The solution to the puzzle? A caring community that can remind them how much more they have in common, how much more they agree on than they disagree on. Compassionate intercession – Paul says, “I plead with them.” And he asks those who have been their co-workers in the cause of Christ to assist . “Help them!” The things we share as Christians, as yokefellows, are so much more valuable than our minor disagreements. Together we can help each other to get our peace back.

Worship and prayer is the solution to the next life-puzzle – anxiety. I have heard 'worrying' described as “praying to nobody.” It’s true; when we worry we tend to talk it over in our minds, painting worse case scenarios with our thoughts, and rehearsing our doom. Paul says we should rather be rejoicing. “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Whatever cause there is to worry, there are ten times the causes to rejoice! And instead of praying to nobody, pray with thanksgiving to God. Something amazing happens – a divine peace that is beyond comprehension comes and settles around your heart and mind.

The third puzzle is the distraction of depravity. Sin has a way of pushing itself in our faces. Paul observed and experienced this in the pre-Christian Roman world. How much more is this true in our multi-media, hyper-linked, post-Christian world? It’s easy to get depressed, bitter, cynical with so much bad news and so much bad behavior around us. The solution is focus; thought orientation. We need to keep our heads up and our thoughts fixed on the true, noble, right and pure things. In regard to anxiety, Paul said “the peace of God” would be with us. In regard to a depraved world, Paul says “the God of peace” will be with us. He Himself will be the Lifter of Our Heads.

Finally, there is the puzzle of unreliable resources. At times Paul has plenty, and at other times he has little. How well this resonates with us during this economic downturn. Many are scrambling to find employment or wondering how bad their credit will be damaged by foreclosure. But there is a solution for this challenge to our peace. We can learn the secret to contentment in every situation. We can learn that Christ’s resources don’t waver or run out! The inner strength to remain calm and at peace during financial crisis is ours in Jesus Christ. “God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

Pray: Lord, be with those who are struggling mightily with the challenges of a cold and complex world. Help them to find true peace. Show me how I can be an instrument of your peace, to keep people from alienation, anxiety, depravity and despair.

Author’s Note: The lead singer for “Boston,” Brad Delp, never did find the peace of mind he so dynamically sang about. He took his own life in 2007, leaving among his notes, one that read -- "Mr. Brad Delp. Je suis une âme solitaire. I am a lonely soul."

October 2 - Philippians 3:4 - 21 - There’s The Beef!

Sandie and I had a great afternoon loving on kids of all ages. We picked up three of Sandie’s Sunday Night Small Group Girls, middle schoolers, and headed down to the Leaven. The Leaven is an after-school program for at-risk elementary school kids in one of the toughest neighborhoods around. We got to read with them, throw the football, play tetherball, and offer a birthday gift bag to the one child with an October birthday. I had a blast doing what I’ve done on our Mexico mission trips, drawing quick marker portraits of the kids. They’re so enthusiastic and grateful to get those three minutes of ‘star treatment.’ Afterwards, we took our teen partners to In-N-Out for burgers.

If you don’t know what an In-N-Out is, well it is the tastiest, sloppiest burger in town – especially if you order it ‘animal style.’ That’s how I order my ‘double-double.’ It’s just layer upon layer of flavor. It was an appropriate dinner considering all the wonderful things we were able to accomplish and enjoy today. It was a day layered and layered with “flavor.”

And then I sit down to read my New Testament segment for today’s blog, and Bam! Paul hits me with a QUADRUPLE-double animal style! This is about the meatiest chapter we’ve encountered in the last two months. Here’s the beef –

“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.”

“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

In the first juicy layer, Paul reminds us of the relative value of things. There is nothing, nothing, NOthing that even comes close to knowing Jesus. And underneath the Greek vocabulary here is the Hebrew mind of Paul that understands ‘knowledge’ as ‘knowledge by intimate experience.’ If you will pursue and relate to Christ as the risen, living God – not as some historic example of principle – you will experience friendship with the Divine. How great is actually connecting with your Creator, Sustainer and Savior? Priceless.

In the second layer, Paul reveals a secret of true fellowship with God – to desire not only an experience of His power, but also to desire to share in His suffering. So often many Christians declare, “I want to be like Jesus.” “I want to really understand Him.”  And yet how CAN we know Him without bearing with Him His burdens and enduring the pains, as He did, of standing against the onslaught of a wicked world? This is a huge revelation for us who seek comfortable Christianity. To really know Him, we must suffer like Him. We must WANT this, as much as we want the joy.

The third meaty layer reminds us that Christ took hold of us. He wants us; He wants something for us. And we must want that same thing for ourselves. Christ took hold of us to give us freedom to love and be holy, wisdom to overcome the world, and the hope of glory. Are these the things we strive to take hold of? Or are we still grasping after temporal ambitions – to be financially independent, to be physically beautiful, to be peerlessly important in our field? Jesus seized us for holiness, love, wisdom and hope. Invest your efforts in grabbing fistfuls of those.

Finally, the piece de resistance, for so many who have received the grace of God in Jesus Christ; we can forget what is behind! God calls us heavenward toward the finish line where a prize beyond imagination is waiting. Like a child lost in the woods, lost among the groves, who has suffered injury in that foreboding place, who can now hear their loving father’s voice – “Come!” “Come to me. Follow the sound. Don’t look back! Press on. Press forward to my voice.” Our Father is calling us, too - homeward; to safety; to reward. Past is past. We are forgiven and being healed with every step upward.

How delicious is that?

Pray: Lord of generosity, you prepare a feast for me even in the presence of my enemies. You pour into my cup until it overflows. Bless all my brothers and sisters with a time of layer upon layer of Your goodness. Serve up their quadruple-double animal style!