Jesus Never Wore a Hat!

"Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28)

I learned an amazing lesson this week about serving Jesus Christ, beloved, from wearing a ball cap, if you can believe that! Many of you know that my wife, Bev, is a 10-year breast cancer survivor. And one of my greatest joys each year is to attend the annual "Relay for Life" survivors' banquet with her. Each year as we enter the building, we are given tee shirts and sometimes ball caps. The caps that I have (1 navy blue, 1 tan) have the "Relay for Life" logo embroidered on the front. I am proud to wear those caps whenever I can, letting everyone know that we support this wonderful charity and that I am so proud of my wife.

Just this past week, however, I noticed something about the "Relay for Life" cap that I had been wearing all day. As I walked into my room, I took off the hat and tossed it on the bed. As it landed, for the first time I became aware that something had been embroidered on the back of the hat as well. I saw there the single word "Caregiver." For as long as I have had those hats and for all the times that I have worn them, I never knew that I was delivering a message from the back as well as from the front! You see, the words on the front of the cap are all about Bev, the cancer survivor in our family, and her own personal "relay for life." Now I know that the single word on the back is meant to describe me as the one who loves and supports her. Yet I have never worn that hat because it identified me as a caregiver, but because it identifies my wife as a cancer survivor. I almost wish that they had never embroidered that word on the back!

If you study carefully the words of the Lord Jesus here, beloved, you will become quickly aware that He clearly never wore a "Relay for Life" hat! Nor am I being facetious when I say that either. You see, for Jesus it was all about the service He had come to render on behalf of sinful mankind. For Him it was always about saving us from our sins and never about drawing attention to what He had to suffer in order to accomplish that holy mission. I guess we might say that Jesus never wore a sign on His back that read, "Jesus of Nazareth, Savior of mankind." Or as I like to think of it, He never wore a hat!

The lesson that I learned from this momentary experience, beloved, is that it ought always to be about the ministry and never about the recognition. It ought to be about the need of the heart and life and never about the one sent as an instrument to meet that need. The records of heaven will focus upon what's written on the back at that moment when God recompenses the service of His people. Until then, let it be about the need before us and not about the name behind us! God bless you as you serve the King sacrificially just for the joy of serving.

Ron

A King Has Been Born!

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us' and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this" (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Did you know that there really is a "Grinch" stealing Christmas, beloved? In fact, long before Dr. Seuss gave to us that lovable green character upon whom we like to heap the blame for ruining our Christmases, they were already being stolen right out from under our noses! Whether we like it or not as Christians, Santa Claus has replaced Jesus as "the reason for the season." The sound of reindeer hooves on the rooftops has preempted the holy strains of "Silent Night." The humorous stanzas of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" have swallowed up the reading of the Christmas story in Luke 2. And the merry sight of inflatable snowmen, over-sized candy canes and icicle lights hanging from the edge of the roof have overshadowed the age-old nativity scene that once adorned every house in the neighborhood. There is no doubt about it. A "Grinch" is definitely stealing Christmas!

I for one believe that it is time for us to rediscover what Christmas is all about and to reclaim it for ourselves, our families, and even our nation. It is time for us to refocus our thinking upon what and who is really important. And all we have to do is read these two verses from the prophecy of Isaiah to do just that!

Notice in the sixth verse what the prophet said concerning the promise of Christ's coming. This "child" is none other than the Son of Man - One able to laugh with us, cry with us, hurt with us, and finally die for us as He takes our sins upon Himself.

Then Isaiah revealed that Christmas is about a "son" being given to us, specifically the Son of God. The word "give" shows us His divinity, His preexistence with the Father before all time. So the Son of God became the Son of Man by becoming "Immanuel" - God with us!

The prophet next declared that "the government" shall rest upon His shoulders as the King of Kings. But what government? The U.S.? Great Britain? The Soviet Republic? Iran? Oh, no! Not even close! That "government" which shall rest upon His shoulders will be none other than the government of our individual lives! Every detail of the affairs of our living lies directly in the hands of this King of Kings. The ultimate worldwide kingdom over which He shall rule not yet a reality, He rules today in the hearts of all who will come to Him in simple faith.

And what will He do when He comes? Isaiah called Him our "Wonderful Counselor" - the One who will give direction for life's living. This Christmas child would have all the answers that we will ever need! He will be able to show us the direction in which our lives should go.

Isaiah also referred to Him as "Mighty God" - the One who not only gives us wisdom but power for living. With His divine power He would conquer sin and death and hell on Calvary's tree. And living within us He is able to make us "more than conquerors" because of His great love.

Then the prophet called Him the "Eternal Father" - the One who gives to our hearts assurance about life's living. Because His kingdom is an unending one, we need never fear for our own future. Because of who Jesus is, we have an eternal relationship with the Father.

Finally, Isaiah said that Jesus would be the "Prince of Peace" - the One who gives to us peace in the living of our lives. He first brings us into a position of peace with God because of His shed blood. Then He brings us into peace with ourselves because of who and whose we are. And at peace with God and with ourselves, we can ever be at peace with our circumstances whatever they may be.

Son of Man, Son of God, King of Kings, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace - how does all this line up with what your eyes are seeing all about you this Christmas, beloved? There may indeed be a "Grinch" stealing Christmas, but we who are followers of Jesus Christ do not have to stand idly by and just let it happen! We have unshakable peace, insurmountable faith, and a Savior that everyone needs. And we also have mouths that can speak and opportunities divinely given to let anyone and everyone know that Christmas is not a lighted front lawn complete with prancing reindeer and a jolly bearded old elf trying to squeeze down a chimney. Christmas is only about one gift - the gift of God to man - eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ.

From Bev and me to all of you who mean so much to us and to Christ's kingdom: Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Ron

Helping the Weak

"And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men" (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

Something that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian saints but which applies to Christians of every generation came home to me this past week in a vivid way, beloved! Bev and I were out for one of our "2 hour" dates, the home health aide being with her mom, and were enjoying a monster burger at a local "burger joint." As we sat eating, the door just behind us opened and an elderly gentleman stepped inside, reaching quickly for the back of the chair next to me. With buckling legs and limbs that were clearly weak with age, he virtually collapsed into the chair and almost instantly struck up a conversation with us. After a very pleasant chat, it was time for us to return home and we were glad to leave him in the very capable hands of one of the employees who had rushed out to take his order and to make sure that he had everything he needed. It sure seemed too clear to us that he was well-known there! And as weak as he was, he was clearly trying to live his life to the fullest!

In the midst of the 14th verse the apostle reminded the Thessalonian believers to "help the weak." The Greek word in this context could very well include those who, like our new friend, are physically weak and frail. But the greater application is certainly to those who are spiritually weak. The Greek word asthenes means literally "strengthless" or "powerless" and as used by Paul referred to those who are weak in faith. These may be "weak" when it comes to trusting God or "weak" when it comes to handling obstacles in life. Still others are "weak" because of not knowing clearly God's will for their lives. Like our friend physically at the burger place, these are the spiritually frail.

So what can we do to help those who are weak? The word here translated "help" is a Greek verb which means literally "hold over against" and can be pictured visibly as one leaning against one who is weak in order to hold him up and keep him from falling. We can best "help the weak," then, by adapting our ministering to their particular need. For some the need is for encouragement to persevere, to trust God in spite of any and all opposition. For others it will be wise counsel, the tender hand that guides gently down the right path. For still others it will be unconditional love that lets them know that they are neither valueless nor forgotten.

To "help the weak" is obviously a ministry of tenderness, beloved, and it requires of every believer God's own love flowing in and through us to others. We should not need the kind of physical object lesson such as Bev and I experienced yesterday, but should always be on the lookout for the spiritually "weak" all about us. Where would each of us be in our walk with Christ had those who came alongside to help us not been there for us? Now it is our turn to reach out in God's love to those who need us, beloved. With Paul's challenge ringing in our hearts, let's help the weak!

Ron

The Miracle of Being Rescued

"And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me" (Psalm 50:15)

Fire trucks everywhere with an EMS rescue vehicle thrown in for good measure! That is what I saw late one night this past week, beloved, when the sound of many sirens on our usually quiet street brought me as well as other neighbors into our front yards. Two doors down from our home my neighbors had detected a burning odor somewhere in their ceiling and, unable to find it, had called 911. Local rescue companies responded in grand fashion! I counted at least ten fire trucks from various neighborhood companies along with the one EMS team. Fortunately, no fire was discovered so the rescue vehicles quickly dispersed and returned to their "alert" posture. I was so gratified to know that merely dialing 911 in an emergency situation brings such a response! In fact, while standing and talking with other neighbors during this recent episode, one commented to me that the scene before us caused him to want to more faithfully support rescue's fund raising efforts with his own monetary donation. It seems that I was not the only one who appreciated the wonderful service we were seeing!

Were you aware, beloved, that God has an emergency response system of His own to which you and I may appeal? The psalmist urges us to call out to Him "in the day of trouble" and that, when we do so, He will "rescue" us. How often in each of our lives have we as Christians known the saving hand of God? How many times can we look back and recall those times when God's presence in difficult times came alongside and comforted us, guided us and strengthened us? What a blessing to know that when we "call," He is there!

But what about those times when there is no emergency? Is God just "on alert" somewhere in our lives until the next time that we may need Him? Far from it! The psalmist here went on to say that, once rescued by His gracious hand, He will expect us to "honor" Him. In fact, if you return with me to the verse just preceding this one, here is what we find:

"Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High" (Psalm 50:14)

The psalmist spoke of those whose very lives fulfill promises made and covenants established. That is what is meant by "pay your vows," beloved. As Christians we are those who have dedicated ourselves to follow Jesus Christ, to be true to God's Word every moment of every day. God is not a "stand by" being, One who sits quietly on the sidelines until an emergency arises and we need Him again! He is or should be at the very center of our living, the One for whom we exist, whose glory is our mantle and whose goal is our mission. Talk about making a "donation" to our rescue system! Ours should be one of a life wholly committed to Jesus Christ.

The miracle of being rescued is just one aspect of God's involvement in our lives, beloved. When we need it, He is there. But He is also there when all is well and the road ahead of us is smooth. What is He to us then? Don't let God just be your "911" emergency system! He wants to be so much more. He deserves the "honor" of your living moment by moment, day by day. You can count on Him, beloved. Can He count on you?

Ron

Mountain Peaks, Valleys, and Everything in Between

"But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on a level place; in the congregations I shall bless the Lord" (Psalm 26:11-12)

I was sitting this morning in my favorite auto repair facility, beloved, waiting for the mechanic to finish servicing my car so that I could get on my way. As I waited, I could hear the roar of a fighter jet flying overhead, an all too familiar sound for those of us who live near Air Force bases. The pilot streaked across the sky with his plane on its side, seeming to be only a few hundred feet above the place where I sat. I quickly walked outside to catch a glimpse of his rehearsals. As I stood and watched, he put his jet into a steep vertical climb, afterburners full, stretching skyward until he disappeared into the high ceiling of distant clouds. It was as if he had flown straight into the presence of God!

As I continued to watch, suddenly he appeared again from that same cloud cover, this time with the nose of his aircraft pointed straight at the ground, all the time performing a slow controlled spiral as he plummeted toward the earth. I almost held my breath as he slowly leveled out and flew a straight course toward the horizon, his aircraft once more parallel to the ground. In just a few seconds he was out of sight and I did not see him again.

As I reflected on what is always for me an exciting experience, suddenly a spiritual parallel began to take shape. How often we see Christians who live from "mountain top to mountain top," always spiraling skyward emotionally in search of a new height to ascend, always looking for a new level of spiritual "high" to achieve. These are those believers for whom "valleys" simply do not exist and when they do occasionally come, these dear saints seem incapable of dealing with them because their focus is always on the spiritual heights of personal experience.

Others by contrast are "valley" people, the realists for whom there are no mountain tops, no exciting flights upward to new heights of Christian experience. They are like the aircraft whose nose is pointed to the ground. Valleys are all that they know so valleys are all that they see!

For both types of Christian I would encourage a closer look at the psalmist's statement: "My foot stands on a level place." It will not be the mountain tops of spiritual excitement nor the valleys of spiritual somberness that make us the effective servants of Jesus Christ which He wants us to be, beloved. It will be the "level flight" that results from our choice to walk in our integrity as did the psalmist. We will praise God for the mountain tops when they come and we will praise Him for the valleys that try and prove our faith. But always, always we will fly straight and level in the integrity of those whose lives are sold out to Jesus Christ. As someone much wiser than I once observed:

"It doesn't matter nearly as much how high you jump in church as how straight you walk when you come down"

Amen!

Ron

Thanksgiving: The Outcome of Ministry

"For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God"
(2 Corinthians 9:12)

Ask absolutely anyone about Thanksgiving, beloved, and they will tell you that it is one of our national holidays! And to so many people that is basically all that it is - Turkey Day - the chance for family and friends to gather for a scrumptious meal and to spend quality time together. Not a bad idea either, is it?

But check the pages of God's Word, beloved, and what you discover quickly is that "thanksgiving" is more than a holiday! In fact, Scripture has so much to say about thanksgiving that it is quite impossible in this short space to deal with all that it does say. Let's confine ourselves, then, to the single verse above and see for ourselves that thanksgiving is actually the natural outpouring of passionate, effective ministry.

The word "ministry" is the Greek word from which we derive our word "deacon" and is simply translated as ministry in the sense of serving one another. That, by the way, is what deacons are meant to do, but that is another subject for another day! Paul had been up to his eyebrows in ministry himself, specifically a love-offering being collected from saints in every region to be taken back to Jerusalem and ministered there to the needy in that area. Believers everywhere had been more than generous, many like the Macedonians giving through great personal sacrifice to "fully supply the needs of the saints" in Jerusalem.

Then the word "service" is a Greek word which could well be translated worship through service or ministry and stands in contrast to what takes place traditionally in a house of worship on any given day. It refers to that "worship" of God that is offered by us through the acts of personal ministry which we carry out on behalf of others. You see, beloved, as Paul was making clear, there is "worship" and then there is "worship"!

As the material needs of the Jerusalem saints were being met, people from all regions who had learned about it began to offer thanksgiving to God for it, especially those in the city of Jerusalem. Thus, their words of thanksgiving became the outcome of ministry!

Did you know that you and I should be the cause for God receiving thanksgiving from those who know us personally, beloved? Our actions ought to motivate people to lift holy hands in praise to God and to thank Him for what He has done and is doing through our lives. How many people who know you personally have reason to give thanks to God for you? How much is God receiving glory and honor because of what you are doing? I know of no better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than to serve others and to bring God praise!

Turkey and dressing are delicious, no doubt about that! But thanksgiving is meant to be the natural by-product of ministry, beloved. It really is more than a holiday! Happy Thanksgiving!

Ron

Watch Out for Slippery Slopes!

"Surely Thou dost set them in slippery places; Thou dost cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!" (Psalm 73:18-19)

I know something firsthand about "slippery places," beloved! Just this past week I was not watching what I was doing and my foot slipped from a slippery step and put me on my face before I was aware of what was happening. Slippery places are definitely dangerous!

David was going through a really tough time in his life, a "crisis of faith," let's call it. So critical was his spiritual situation, in fact, that he openly confessed:

"But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling; my steps had almost slipped" (v.2)

I love the way that Charles Spurgeon described that which was going on in the king's life during this time:

"The Psalmist could make no progress in the good road. His feet ran away from under him like those of a man on a sheet of ice. He was weakened for all practical action, and in great danger of actual sin, and so of a disgraceful fall" (Great Verses from the Psalms, p.131)

And what was it that was causing David so much spiritual consternation? What had his water boiling? Let's allow him to tell us in his own words:

"For I was envious of the arrogant, as I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death; and their body is fat" (vv.3-4)

David had allowed his vision to become focused upon the momentary and fleeting wealth and prosperity of the godless. And that misplaced focus caused him to question his faith and to question God's wisdom. He even questioned whether or not he had wasted his own efforts in living a godly life (vv.13-14)! It was not until he allowed his spiritual gaze to be refocused upon God's plan and purpose that he regained a truly biblical worldview:

"When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end" (vv.16-17)

We will always in this world have the "arrogant" and the "wicked" and those whose "pride is their necklace," beloved. We will continue to live about the "violent" and the "mockers." That is precisely why as Christians we need so desperately to keep a biblical worldview, to "come into the sanctuary of God" with David and to meditate daily and fervently upon the truths of God. That is when this world of sinful sickness will make sense. The ungodly may be having their moment now, but know this, beloved. God has set their feet on slippery slopes! Sooner or later apart from His grace and mercy they will fall and fall hard.

So what can we do now? Let's return to David's closing words in this psalm for they are classic:

"But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works" (v.28)

Basically David has revealed to us that there are two things that we need to do today. First, we need to seek refuge in our relationship with God - to embrace His perspective, His timetable, and His "big picture." Secondly, we need to tell a lost world about this glorious God - to speak of His love in Jesus Christ, of His mercy and grace. As we embrace unconditionally and walk within steadfastly God's plan and purpose, we will no longer gaze upon the temporary fatness of the ungodly and wonder why life is so unfair. We will keep our feet off of "slippery slopes"!

Ron

Eating on Sundays and Wednesdays

"Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation" (1 Peter 2:2)

Let's get one fact perfectly straight right from the start, beloved - I love to eat! I don't know anyone who loves to eat any more than I do. I just love the taste of good food! I look forward to every meal and "relish" (pardon the pun!) the anticipation of tasting a savory dish, just like those scrumptious meals that will be served soon on Thanksgiving Day. That fact firmly established, then, I cannot imagine the thought of feeding myself only two days a week. I mean, eating is supposed to be a daily experience!

Leaving the food analogy behind for a moment, let me tell you where this all came from and where it is going. I was recently studying and preparing a message from 1 Corinthians 14 and was struck by the Apostle Paul's instruction to the Corinthian women to "ask their own husbands at home" if they desired to grow spiritually (v.35). Without getting into the specifics of what had gone wrong with the church in Corinth to prompt such an exhortation from him, I was reminded by his words that the home is to be the primary "campus" for Christian education. Or to return to the food analogy, we should be feeding ourselves daily upon the Word at home just like we feed ourselves daily with the food from our cupboards.

What is unfortunate, beloved, is that we have transferred this personal responsibility for nourishing ourselves spiritually from the home to the local church. We have made the church our primary "campus" for Christian education and, in many cases, our only "campus"! We have reached the point where we now only "eat" on Sundays and Wednesdays and conclude that it is all the feeding that we need to receive as Christians - Sunday School, a preaching service or two - and we're good to go for the week! No wonder that the church of Jesus Christ is as anemic and ineffective as it has become!

If feeding ourselves physically two days a week is to you an absurd notion, beloved, then imagine how much more absurd to you should be the idea that what you get at church is all that your soul needs in order to grow steadily in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ! Imagine believing that with such "snacks" as you receive on Sundays and Wednesdays, you may still become a warrior for Jesus Christ and a builder in His kingdom! If it wouldn't sustain you physically, my friend, then it won't sustain you spiritually.

Let me invite you to join me in pleasing your spiritual palate on a daily basis. Drop the two-day a week routine and start feeding your spirit regularly upon the sustenance of God's Word. Begin to look forward to each "meal" with anticipation and enjoy it with gusto. Let each one nourish and strengthen you for the life of service to which God in His mercy has called you. Bon appetit, beloved!

Ron

Paving the Way with Crosses

"And they said to Him, 'Grant that we may sit in Your glory, one on Your right, and one on Your left.' But Jesus said to them, 'You do not know what you are asking for. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?'" (Mark 10:37-38)

How many of you have ever had the opportunity to see the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, beloved? If you have ever seen the movie "Saving Private Ryan," then you have stood in that very place with the title character of that film. Rows upon rows of white marble crosses adorn the landscape marking the resting place of the warriors who paid the ultimate price in the liberation of France during World War II. Once you see it, you realize that the pathway to the freedom that we enjoy today has, indeed, been paved with crosses.

James and John were clearly out of line when they asked Jesus if they could sit on either side of Him in His earthly kingdom. All they had in mind was the kingdom, the end-result, the eternal blessing of being redeemed. His gentle rebuke - "You do not know what you are asking for" - let them know that their focus needed to be upon the pathway to that kingdom instead of upon the end of time and that kingdom established. They were thinking of "sonship" and they needed to be thinking of "servanthood." The kingdom of God was not going to be handed to them on a silver platter. They were going to have to work hard to build it themselves and many of them would have to die in the process. In other words, their journey to the kingdom would be paved with crosses!

How like them we are today, beloved! Our songs and our themes of worship are so often about heaven - streets of gold, gates of pearl, choirs of angels, and reunited loved ones. And each one of those will be for us as true believers an eternal reality! But when we focus so intently upon that which is coming one day, we tend to lose sight of that which is here now. What our obscured vision will not let us see is that "cup" of suffering which Jesus bids us come and share with Him. We cannot or perhaps don't want to see the rejection by a sinful world, the slammed door, the turned-away face. Yet Jesus very clearly revealed to His disciples what it would cost them to build with Him:

"And He summoned the multitude with His disciples, and said to them, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me'" (Mark 8:34)

"Take up his cross" - interesting that in a day in which so many of us as Christians want to focus upon eternal glory, Jesus reminds us that the path to that glory is paved with crosses! Every true believer has his own "cross" to bear and the path down which we bear it is one of servanthood, of yieldedness to the purpose and plan of the Father for our lives. So the next time you sing a song like "When We All Get to Heaven," beloved, just remember that the way there is the way of the cross. By the way, you don't really have to imagine a cemetery full of white marble crosses in order to regain your spiritual focus. All you need is one.

Ron

Road Work Ahead!

"A voice is calling, 'Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain and the rugged terrain a broad valley; then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken'" (Isaiah 40:3-5)

Everyone who has ever driven on the open road knows full well how aggravating it is to be diverted onto a "detour" route and away from the more direct route you had chosen to travel. Yet when road surfaces are torn up in the process of being repaired - graded, filled in, leveled, whatever - progress along such routes becomes difficult if not impossible.

In the spiritual life of the believer, the very same reality holds true. Here in the example of Israel as she came to the end of her years of captivity under the Babylonian dynasty, we discover in God's words of comfort through His prophet Isaiah a wonderful challenge for restoration that will fit our lives very nicely today as well.

Note first the command to "clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness." As He rescued them from their bondage, Jehovah wanted nothing to stand between Himself and His people as true restoration of spirit and heart took place. And He certainly wanted nothing of what had sent them into captivity in the first place in any way to mar their relationship in the future. But how were they to "clear the way" so that this relationship could be maintained?

His first instruction was for them to "let every valley be lifted up." Valleys are low places, beloved, and can represent to us today those fallen places in our lives wherein we have lowered the standard of God's righteousness in our living. These low places need to be brought back into line with the Word of God!

He further instructed them to "let every mountain and hill be made low." Hills by contrast are high places and can represent to us today those exalted places wherein we have allowed our own self-righteousness to prevail and have been self-seeking in our ways. These high places need to be "made low" in the sense of forsaking our own agendas and seeking to focus our living upon Jesus Christ alone.

He then instructed them to "let the rough ground become a plain." Such places can represent to us those paths that are blocked by the "rubble" of this world, making spiritual headway difficult or even impossible. Such places need to have all obstacles removed so that free and full access and progress are possible.

Finally, God instructed His people to "let the rugged terrain become a broad valley." Here the idea of "rugged" is that of something that is "crooked" or not straight. These places can represent those times in our lives when our feet have wandered down other paths, enticed perhaps by the pleasures of this world so readily available. These places need to be "straightened" so that we can walk the straight and narrow of God's perfect holiness.

And what will happen as our own personal "road work" is accomplished? God's promise is that "the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together." Would you exhibit the life of the Lord Jesus Christ in your living, beloved? Then we each need to get busy with some "road work" of our own! Our "filled-in, leveled, cleaned-up, straightened out" lives will make God's glory in Christ Jesus so visible to others that all in our world will be able to see it! Famed songwriter Baylus Benjamin ("B.B.") McKinney described such road work in our lives in a beautiful hymn written in 1924:

"While passing through this world of sin, and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within; let others see Jesus in you.
Let others see Jesus in you; let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story; be faithful and true; let others see Jesus in you."

Are your own personal "work zone" signs posted and visible, beloved? Then let's get to work!

Ron

Losing the Holiness of God

"But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:15-16)

How does someone go about "losing the holiness of God," beloved? And what does that mean anyway? We often hear Christians quote a part of this passage - "you shall be holy for I am holy" - and we shout in response, "Amen! Preach it, brother!" You see, we assume that by the words "you shall be holy" God is talking about that "holiness" that comes as a result of the working of His grace in our lives. He is holy and He makes us holy through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And all of that is so very true that now it is my turn to respond with - "Amen! Preach it, brother!"

And on our way we go, assuming that all is well in the "holiness" corner - God is holy and so are we because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. But that is not the primary thrust of Peter's words, beloved! Pay close attention to the command that precedes the quote found in these verses - "be holy yourselves in all your behavior." The apostle makes it clear that "imputed" or positional holiness is not good enough. Very simply, it matters how we live! Let me give you a personal example. I was recently involved in a wedding rehearsal for a young bride and groom when, in a moment of jesting, one of the groomsmen made an inappropriate gesture to one of the other groomsmen. He was horrified, however, to look up and catch my eyes upon him and knew instantly that I had seen the gesture. Immediately he was filled with remorse and began to apologize profusely. My own thought was that his apology was misdirected. Instead of moving horizontally, it should have been winging its way vertically!

This young man missed the point about personal holiness, beloved. He was only concerned that I had seen him and not at all that the Father had seen him also. Peter let his readers know that God wants us to be holy because He is holy, not because the pastor is holy or the deacons are holy! Beloved, it does not matter in this regard how others may be living their lives. You and I are to be holy ourselves because God is now, always has been, and always will be holy!

Peter could not possibly have been more clear in his instructions to believers of his day. He told them that God expected them to "be holy in all your (their) behavior." It is not because the pastor may find out or the Sunday School teacher may be disappointed, beloved, but rather that God sees and knows every thought, word, and deed. And whenever we fail to live according to His standard for our lives, we are losing the holiness of God!

Are we as ashamed when we sin in private and it is never known to man as we are when we sin publicly and it becomes known to others? How we answer that question will reveal how much we understand about what God expects of us and why. When we begin to really care about God's holiness being lived out in us, it will not matter to us where and when we sin. What will matter is that we do sin and fall short of the glory of God. And we will finally begin to seek earnestly to be holy in our living simply because that is what our Father wants us to do!

Ron

In the Shadow of the Cross

"But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14)

As a young boy growing up, beloved, how well I remember my dad praying either in a public service of worship at church or in our family setting at home. One statement that he used often and which always grabbed my attention as a young Christian was his request that God "hide us behind the cross." While I was not at all sure back then just what he meant by those words, I believe that I have a much clearer understanding today as an adult myself.

I am convinced that Dad's request of God in prayer was tied directly to the principle of living mentioned in this verse of Scripture by the Apostle Paul, specifically that of glorying "in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." You see, beloved, the cross of Jesus Christ is the focal point of every true believer's life! How could it possibly be otherwise? It was on the cross that Jesus shed His blood and laid down His life for our sins. It was on the cross that Jesus did battle with Satan and won the victory over sin, death, and Hell. And it was on the cross that Jesus forever satisfied the offended holiness of God and paved the way for each one of us to have an eternal relationship with the Father.

In what is surely one of her most beautiful and beloved hymns, Fanny Crosby captured the essence of what it means for us as Christians to be hidden behind the cross:

"Jesus, keep me near the cross - there a precious fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream, flows from Calvary's mountain.
In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever,
Till my raptured soul shall find rest, beyond the river."

For us to walk, then, "in the shadow of the cross" is to stay focused upon its message in our lives and its need in the lives of those around us. It is to be sensitive to opportunities to share this good news with folks to whom the Spirit of God may lead us. And it is to develop a biblical worldview of life on earth and to see it as part of God's unfolding plan for His eternal kingdom. It is to walk visibly in the personal righteousness of Jesus Christ, becoming an example and an inspiration to other believers and an enticement to those who do not yet know Christ to seek to know Him personally themselves.

So when we ask God to "hide us behind the cross," are we not just expressing our desire to be kept close to what is most important in our lives? Are we not asking the Father to keep us fixed upon the supreme objective of eternity, the seeking of His kingdom and His righteousness? Paul stated emphatically that for himself, he could and would only glory in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Can we who are Christians today ourselves do any less?

I am determined to live my life "in the shadow of the cross," beloved. And my continuing prayer will be for all of us that God would truly, as Dad put it so beautifully each time he prayed, "hide us behind the cross."

Thanks, Dad!

Ron

To Be Sure NOT!

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2)

The unusual statement which serves as the title for this devotional, beloved, is a well-known and oft-used declaration in the South. Whenever someone says something that is unbelievable or in any way incredulous, the listener will often respond with "To be sure not!" It's a southern way of saying "Surely that can't be true!" It may even be a common term in other parts of the country, but I know that at least it is quite common here in the South.

What may surprise those of us who have ever used this term is that the Apostle Paul had his own version of it in the first century. The Greek term me ginoito has been translated in a number of different ways depending upon the English translation which you are using. From the King James Version's "God forbid!" to the Recovery Version's "Absolutely not!" the range of translations presents a startling contrast. In the original language of the New Testament, however, the term me ginoito leaves little room for doubt as to what the apostle meant by his choice of words. The literal translation of the term is "not be" or "not become" in the sense of someone declaring "May that never happen!" To elaborate a bit upon the King James rendering, Paul could be said to have been thinking "God forbid that you should ever think such a thing!"

And what was it concerning which the apostle felt so strongly, his "to be sure not," if you will? Some to whom he wrote were suggesting that, because God's grace is sufficient to forgive us and cleanse us from all sin, why not just live more indulgently in sin so that God's grace might flow even more abundantly? And today, though we never hear any professing Christian say such a thing, still lifestyles indicate that we may at least be thinking it!

The very thought that because we are recipients of God's grace in Jesus Christ we do not have to worry about the standard of our living is absolutely contrary to the Bible's call to personal holiness in our Christian walk, beloved. No wonder that Paul's response to them was a hearty me ginoito! From the purest of thoughts to the purest of deeds, our lives are to ever become a pursuit of godliness in full view of a watching and wondering world lost in sin. We must show everyone what Jesus has done for us so that they will come to see what He can do for them. Only then will we have "earned" the right to share with them the good news of Calvary.

What do you say, beloved? Are we going to miss opportunities to reach others for Christ simply because our personal lifestyles don't line up?

Me ginoito!

Ron

The Wattage of Our Walk

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16)

Let's face it, beloved! The world in which we live lies in the deadly grip of utter spiritual darkness! In fact, the Apostle Paul referred to the world without Jesus Christ as "the domain of darkness" (Colossians 1:13). Imagine, then, a world and its inhabitants not only living in but reveling in the darkness of sinfulness and rebellion against God. Not only can lost mankind not save himself, he does not even want to!

As dark as is the sinful lostness of this world, so bright is the "light" that God Himself is. The Apostle John declares this pure quality of Holy God in the following way:

"And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5)

Into a world of darkness came Jesus of Nazareth, the only begotten Son of God, announcing to lost mankind that He is Himself "the light of the world" (John 8:12). He came to bring the light of God's own personal holiness into the black void of man's sinful condition. You see, beloved, it is so very important for us to understand that "darkness" is not a color, but a void. It is what is left when the "light" of God is not present. And Jesus as "the light of the world" called men and women and boys and girls to Himself.

So what does that have to do with you and me? Simply that, as our focal verse makes so clear, you and I as followers of Jesus Christ are ourselves "the light of the world." Specifically, we are to "reflect" the light of Jesus into our world. And that reality is precisely where we run headlong into the issue of the wattage of our walk.

Have you ever noticed the difference between a lamp with a 25 watt bulb and one with a 100 watt bulb? Amazing, isn't it? One gives a soft, often almost imperceptible light, more of a glow, and the other beams brightly and sends its rays into the darkest part of the room. So dark is the darkness of this world's sin, beloved, that Jesus needs for us to let our light so shine into it that we shine with the highest possible spiritual wattage! You see, the "light" of our personal walk must first be bright enough to pierce the darkness of the sin around us. In other words, our "light" must be brighter than the darkness of the sinful world in which we live!

Just what is the "wattage of your walk," beloved? Are you sending forth a 25 watt "glow" or a 100 watt "beam"? How brightly are you shining today for Jesus Christ? Why not polish your reflectors and start burning brightly? Men need to find the light of Jesus Christ and your "beam" is what God wants to use to draw them to Himself!

Ron

Playing the Blame Game

"He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion" (Proverbs 28:13)

Did you ever "play the blame game" as kids, beloved? You know, pointing the finger at the other kid when it was actually you who did the deed? When it comes to such an example from Scripture, we are always quick to point out Eve blaming the serpent when confronted by God about the forbidden fruit, or how about Adam blaming God because He was the One who gave that pesky woman to him in the first place!

Playing the blame game is always deadly when it comes to our relationship with God. This writer declares definitively that "he who conceals his sins will not prosper," no if's, and's or but's about it! To "conceal" one's sins is to hide them in any of a number of ways that we humans have become notoriously adept at doing. Sometimes we simply deny that they even exist. "What sin?" we ask with that babyish look of innocence upon our faces. If we do so long enough, perhaps those asking will just go away and we won't have to deal with them.

Or perhaps we "conceal" our sins by blaming them on someone or something else. If he or she had not said what they said to us or had not done what they did to us...you know, that sort of thing. Counselors like to call this little practice "transferal of guilt." Sometimes it is "circumstance" upon which we lay the blame for our actions. We blame the pressure or the stress or the "no way out" that we claim led to the bad choice that we made.

Whatever the "cover" that we may use, beloved, the Scriptures make it clear that such action won't cut it. The focus of "prospering" here is primarily that of the spiritual realm. In other words, God's not buying it! There will always be a ripple-effect that will eventually catch up with us whenever we "conceal" our sins and refuse to deal with them honestly and, most of all, biblically.

So what is the alternative to "the blame game"? First of all, this writer indicates that "confession" is necessary. Have you ever heard the expression that "confession is good for the soul"? Well, believe it! The word "confess" in the New Testament means primarily to agree with God or to speak the same thing that God has spoken. When God calls a thing a sin, just agree with Him and call it that in your own life. The road gets much easier when you don't start out by disagreeing with God! Just admit up front that you did the deed. Then the writer adds the quality of "forsaking" to the equation. It is far too easy, as human nature today has proven, to go and "confess" to someone, then keep right on committing the same foul deed! True confession requires total abandonment of the action. Get as far away from that sinful act as you possibly can. Put it completely and permanently out of your life. Come to hate it as much as God has always hated it, even when you were relishing the temporary pleasure of it.

God's personal promise to us is that, whenever we "confess and forsake" the sin, He will be abundant in His compassion, His mercy upon our life. Forgiveness and restoration will be ours, the welcoming back of the prodigal, whenever we face up and 'fess up as God's word here clearly commands.

Don't play the blame game, beloved. It's a dead-end street with no alleys for a quick way out. Come straight to the God who loves you and plead the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Take it from one who knows - it is the only path to cleansing of spirit and mind, to restoration of purpose and fruitfulness, to the return of joy and genuine worship. Don't play the blame game!

Ron

Excellence: The Only Way to Live

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men" (Colossians 3:23)

How many times have you ever heard someone say, "I hate my job!" speaking of their employment situation? Unhappiness in the work place seems to abound today, beloved, and because of it lives seem full of resentment and anger. It is difficult to maintain a positive and effective work-ethic whenever we feel in such a way about the work to which we have been called.

So what can we do to change such an attitude back to that which is honoring to the Lord and productive in its final result? The Apostle Paul in writing to the saints in Colossae gave a clear call to believers everywhere to focus their energy, especially in the work place, on their relationship with Jesus Christ rather than upon how an employer might be treating them at any particular point in time. Paul first called upon us as Christians to forget about doing what we do each day just to please men, here our employers. Once a worker has lost respect for his employer for any reason whatsoever, it is difficult to find motivation to "work heartily."

The apostle's command, however, was that we as believers focus our attention in the work place upon "the Lord" instead of upon men. Instead of trying to impress employers or fellow workers, we should focus rather upon pleasing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Such an attitude recognizes that our work situation, whatever it may be, is all part of God's plan for kingdom growth. He has us where He has us in order to use us as instruments of His grace in the lives of those around us! Thus, to "work heartily as for the Lord" is not only to recognize that unique calling and placement, beloved, but it is to accept it fully and to give allegiance to Jesus Christ in how we do what we do where we have been placed by Him.

Would you be an effective witness for Jesus Christ, child of God? Then begin by focusing upon the establishing of "excellence" in the way that you do your job! Let Jesus Christ be your motivation for going to work every day. Let your role in the building of the kingdom of God spur you on to give 100% in the expending of your energy. Let your love for and burden for the souls of men and women who do not know Christ inspire you to a level of visible "excellence" that will draw them to ask about "the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15).

EXCELLENCE! It really is the only way to live, beloved! What level of living are you demonstrating as a Christian right now to those who know you and especially to those who may work alongside you?

Ron

God Always Has the Last Word

"Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (1 Corinthians 1:20)

Anyone who has ever listened to radio at all will recall famed commentator Paul Harvey. And anyone remembering Mr. Harvey will also recall with fondness his well-known telling of "The Rest of the Story." When it comes to the wisdom of this world, beloved, that so-called human "wisdom" which always finds itself at odds with what God declares to be true, Scripture teaches us that again and again God makes such worldly wisdom appear foolish.

Recently I was doing some reading and came across a wonderful example of God doing just that, this time in that realm of human knowledge and science which man loves to call "evolution." The debate between supporters of this theory and those who are creationists and stand upon the clear teaching of God's Word has long raged, as we all know well. One such example concerns that which we know today historically as the "Neanderthal Man." In the late 1800's, I believe it was, while mining limestone in a valley in Germany, workers discovered bones in a cave that appeared human. Scientists of the day declared this find to be a "missing link" between ape and modern man and proof positive of the reality of evolution. While that myth has certainly been largely disproven over time, still there are those who point to Neanderthal Man as evidence that creation cannot be true.

What is so amazing (and amusing) about Neanderthal Man is just how he came to get his name. He was so named because he was discovered in a place called "Neanderthal" or translated from German the "Neander Valley." And where did the Neander Valley get its name? Two hundred years earlier, in the late 1600's, Lutheran theologian Joachim Neander, a gifted writer of prose and poetry, would wander in that region near Hochdal, Germany, and commune with God. He would compose verses of worship and sing them to the Lord. One of his favorite spots for such personal communion with God was a gorge not far from Dusseldorf through which the Dussel River flowed. He strolled in that valley so often, in fact, that he became identified with it and it was eventually named after him, being called "Neanderthal" or "Neander Valley."

And what hymns of praise did Joachim Neander compose there in the same spot where Neanderthal Man would be discovered two centuries later? You and I should be very familiar with certain of his writings, at least:

"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
The King of Creation!
Oh my soul, praise Him
For He is Thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near!
Join me in glad adoration!"

Joachim Neander would certainly have been horrified to learn that his name was ever associated with such a baseless God-rejecting theory as that of "evolution," beloved. The fuss over Neanderthal Man has largely disappeared and is no longer much of an issue today, even among those who reject creationism completely. But the wonderful hymns that Joachim Neander penned still continue to bless followers of Jesus Christ today as we worship and glorify our Creator together! As this godly Lutheran theologian himself wrote:

"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation!"

And we can almost hear that wonderful voice of Paul Harvey saying, "And now you know the rest of the story!" Glory to God!

Ron

The Joy of Fellowship with One Another

"But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7)

There is no greater joy than that of genuine "fellowship" among Christians, beloved! This past weekend we thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Christian friends with whom we have served the kingdom of God in the past and just catching up on what's been going on in our lives respectively. As we sat and talked and laughed for hours together, the time apart and distance melted away and the bond that holds us closely in Christ manifested itself in wonderful ways. Though we had to say "goodbye" to them last night, knowing that they are headed back home today, still the memories of those hours together will linger and bless our spirits and renew us for the challenges which God's Spirit has for us.

Is that not how it ought to be whenever true believers get together? When our hearts are focused upon the "light" of God's perfect holiness and we are seeking diligently to "walk" in that light for all to see, should not God's own koinonia or "fellowship" be the natural result? What a blessing it is, then, that God pours out upon us whenever we, as John so eloquently put it, "walk in the light" of God's holiness, enjoying that continual cleansing from sin and our relationship by grace with our heavenly Father!

Let me encourage you today to stop and give thanks to God for the "fellowship" of friendship with brothers and sisters in Christ, for that oneness that we have in Him as we with one accord and one spirit seek to live for God's glory and to follow the leading of our Lord and Savior wherever it may take us. And let me also encourage you to keep on "walking in the light" of God's holiness as you pursue the path of personal righteousness and are able to be an instrument of God's grace in the lives of others. Now more than ever, this crazy world needs to see the consistent lifestyle of true believers who are sold out to Jesus Christ. Will you be one of those?

Ron

Contentment: The True Test of Trust

"Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am" (Philippians 4:11)

Thomas Paine, the political author of the late 1700's, wrote that "these are the times that try men's souls." From what I see and hear all about us today, beloved, that statement spoken in the throes of the American struggle for freedom could well be repeated today. These are the times that try men's souls! Uncertainty about the future abounds and with it fear and anxiety. What are we to do? How can we get on top of all this stress and angst?

How many of you recall the commercial first released years ago by the Carnation company claiming that their milk came only from "contented" cows? Watch out! You're dating yourself with this one! With the possible exception of that early advertisement and its use of this wonderful word, we really seem to know very little today about the quality of genuine "contentment"! Yet it is one of the most fundamental qualities of the Christian life which is taught in the Scriptures.

The Greek word autarkes means literally "suffice oneself" or "be sufficient unto oneself." The focus of the word is clearly upon not needing to depend upon others. In the verse which precedes this one, beloved, we find the apostle acknowledging the sacrificial gift of the Philippian believers, knowing that due to the persecution they were suffering, it had been difficult for them to send anything to him and that even now they had needed to scrape such a gift together to send to him. He did not want them to think that he had been languishing in his circumstances under house-arrest and wringing his hands, only to revive his joy and his trust in God when their gift had arrived.

And it is in his explanation to them of his inward calmness of spirit that we find our own true test of personal trust in God today. Paul had grown up around material prosperity but had in his ministry known abject poverty as well. He had experienced both ends of the "prosperity" spectrum and had learned the secret of trusting God in each and every circumstance of life. That secret he had revealed to them a bit earlier in this letter:

"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (1:21)

Jesus Christ had become the "core" of the apostle's life, his reason for living. Thus, into whatever circumstances his path with Christ led him, Paul was content because he had been led there by Christ, would be sustained there by Christ, and would be led forth by Christ. He was truly content with his life because it was focused completely upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Would you know such contentment as this today, beloved? Then set the needle of your compass upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Make knowing Him and serving Him the central point of your existence and you too will discover this same contentment in all things which was the life experience of the apostle. Let Him be Lord of your life and what surrounds you will cease to cause you worry or anxiety. You will respond to your circumstances with the same calmness of spirit exhibited by Paul in these verses. It will all become part of the backdrop of God's plan for you and you will learn to rejoice in His sovereign control over your life. You will give Him praise as did Paul when times are tough and when times are good. You will find a sense of self-sufficiency that is rooted in the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ!

Ron

The Measure of Real Faith

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, NAS)

I believe that it was in the 1970's that it became quite common for people to hear the exhortation to "keep the faith," beloved. Unfortunately, no one ever really explained what that "faith" was which everyone was being urged to keep!

The Bible urges us as Christians to "keep the faith" in our daily living today. The Apostle Paul put it in this unique way:

"In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one" (Ephesians 6:16)

But how can we ever "keep the faith" when we don't always understand what it is and how it operates in our lives? The writer of the book of Hebrews has masterfully defined what "faith" is and, in doing so, has also explained for us how it is to operate. Note first the declaration that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for." The Greek word hupostasis means literally "a standing underneath" in the sense of that which lies at the foundation of anything. This author declared faith to be the assurance of "things hoped for,"of all that we cannot now see but know is there and will be ours. What God has promised us, then, we put our faith in completely, knowing that the promises of God are "yea and amen" in Christ!

"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us" (2 Corinthians 1:20, KJV)

We exercise true "faith," beloved, not because of any strength or power inherent in us, but because the One who has made those promises is Himself faithful! So "faith" is the assurance that God can and will take care of us.

But the writer of Hebrews added the statement that faith is also "the conviction of things not seen." The Greek word elegchos means literally "a proving" as in something that has been put to the test and found to be real. Such "conviction," then, is based upon what God has done in the past! That the promises of God have been long-proven is one of the major claims of Scripture:

"Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him" (Proverbs 30:5)

The Hebrew word tsaraph is a "smelting" term having to do with the refining of ore. The promises of God have all been tested and proven in the "fires" of life's daily trials. We do not need to react to each new trial of life as if God had never before proven Himself faithful to us! His promises are true and His providence unfailing. Just what is the measure of your faith?

Ron

Check the Price Tag!

"Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19)

How many of you have ever had the experience, beloved, of checking out the price tag of a particular garment in a store and gasping in amazement at how expensive it was? I have known folks who have treated themselves to such an item, then later when wearing it and having it admired, have replied, "What? This old thing? Why, I've had it ages!"

It is true that perishable items such as clothing, household furniture, and automobiles do grow older and eventually wear out, becoming to us "this old thing" or "our old clunker," regardless of what we originally paid for it. And there is absolutely nothing unusual about such a quirk of human nature.

But Peter was talking about a "price tag" of a different sort, beloved. He was writing about the price of your individual redemption and mine. And the price that God had to pay to buy us back from sin should absolutely always make us gasp in utter amazement! Nor should there ever come a time when we view our salvation through God's grace as "this old thing" and something that we've had forever.

Yet that is precisely what happens in the minds of so many Christians today. We become so accustomed to being saved that it almost comes to be "second-nature" to us. In essence, it becomes "this old thing" that we take for granted! And the longer that we are saved, the more likely we are to develop such an attitude within.

What is so deadly about such an attitude is how it affects our relationship with God. Once we begin to devalue the cost of His grace in our lives, we begin to minimize the awfulness of sin in our thinking. We lose sight of the impact that our sinfulness has upon the perfect holiness of God. And as sin loses its ugliness to us, we further minimize the need for His grace and, thus, the high price which He had to pay. Such a process becomes a vicious cycle of downward progression.

Another area that is affected is our attitude toward the lost around us. Because we take God's grace for granted in our own lives, it becomes difficult to feel heartbroken over those who do not yet know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It is difficult to feel any sense of burden for them. And when that happens, our zeal for "missions" diminishes and can be lost altogether.

What is the solution, then? I think that it is very simple. Go back and look once again, really look, at the "price tag" of your salvation! Stand there and realize that it cost the Lord Jesus Christ His very blood to buy you out of sin and into the family of God. Read and re-read Peter's words about how it took "the precious blood" of Christ, the unblemished Lamb of God, to satisfy our sin-debt and to set us free from its bondage. Then fall on your knees before God and begin to truly praise Him for heaven's greatest gift, that of eternal life. When you do, you will find yourself crying out with the Apostle Paul:

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15)

I believe that, were Paul still living on earth today, he would agree with the words of Charles Gabriel, the most prolific gospel song writer of the Billy Sunday evangelistic era (1910-1920):

"I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean.

How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be;
How marvelous! How wonderful is my Savior's love for me!"

Go check the price tag one more time, beloved! When you do, I don't think you will ever see your salvation in the same light again.

Ron

Outside-in or Inside-out?

"And He was saying, 'That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man'" (Mark 20:7)

The essential difference between Christianity and any other religion, beloved, is basically one of direction. Religion as man practices it today all over the world is that of changing one's outward behavior to adapt to a rigid set of moral and ethical rules. And many are quite successful at such adaptation. How often have we heard this religious group or that one commended for their fervency and zeal in living by a strict code of conduct - dress, behavior, social relationships - and even in their seeking of new converts to their belief system? What we are seeing all around us today is evidence of an "outside-in" approach to religious belief and practice.

Jesus, however, in teaching His disciples what the nature of true "religion" is, declared that what is necessary is an "inside-out" approach. Whereas mankind has the tendency to believe that everyone is essentially good on the inside and that life is simply a matter of lining up one's behavior with one's inward goodness, Jesus said that what is on the outside is merely a reflection of what is wrong on the inside! In other words, we don't just have a problem with our "doer," we have a deeper problem with our "want-er"! And Jesus said that what is wrong within every man is sin. As the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome so graphically describing this deepest need:

"As it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one'" (Romans 3:10-12)

So much for man's inward goodness, beloved! All of the "outside-in" religious efforts, then, no matter how well-intentioned, will accomplish nothing because there is nothing good on the inside for us to model!

What makes Christianity so unique, then, is that only Jesus Christ promises to change what is wrong on the inside of us so that what we do on the outside becomes a natural reflection of the new creation that He has made us on the inside. The apostle Paul put it so beautifully and clearly when he wrote to the Corinthian church and said:

"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The "outside-in" approach will always be with us, beloved. There will always be those by the thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, who will insist on trying to conform themselves to a rigid code of conduct in hopes that, if they can just follow it closely enough, perhaps somewhere and somehow their notion of eternal life might be possible.

As Christians, what an opportunity is ours today to exhibit by contrast the wondrous change that Jesus Christ can make as we demonstrate His own "inside-out" miracle of spiritual transformation! Because what He makes us on the inside is what people should see on the outside, we can have opportunity to impact our world for Jesus Christ. We are not "religious" because we make ourselves religious by keeping our noses to the proverbial "grindstone." We are Christ-like because by His grace we have been changed forever from the inside out! Thanks be unto God for His indescribable gift! Are you living your life today "inside-out"?

Ron

Growing a Healthy Church

"But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; or again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you'" (1 Corinthians 12:20-21)

Perhaps nothing in life hurts quite like the feeling of being rejected, beloved. And when that rejection takes place among Christians within the visible church, it is even more traumatic. Paul in this passage was dealing with that very problem in the church in Corinth. Some who had shown evidence of the showier spiritual gifts were looking down upon and even disdaining as unnecessary other members that did not have such gifts. Thus, both a feeling of spiritual superiority as well as one of inferiority had arisen and were tearing the church apart. Because the have's were manifesting the attitude "we don't need them" of the have not's, those being rejected had begun to conclude of themselves that "we are not important."

The apostle felt led of the Holy Spirit to use the parallel of the members of the human body to make his point. Suppose, he proposed, that the head should say to the feet: "We do not need you." How would the body get around anywhere if it were not for the feet? "Ridiculous!" surely thought the Corinthian believers about such an absurd occurrence. Yet they failed to see that what they thought to be silly when occurring within the human body was precisely what they were allowing to take place within the spiritual body of their local assembly of believers!

How absolutely vital today within the visible church that none of us as members of those churches ever allow an attitude of either spiritual superiority or inferiority to develop! The way to make sure that such never happens and, thus, tears apart the fellowship of the church is for us to go out of our way to show every member of Christ's body how special and how unique they really are. Such a ministry will be one of personal encouragement, of consolation, of appreciation and of total acceptance. As Paul would later write in this same passage:

"And those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness" (1 Corinthians 12:23)

If you want to grow a healthy church, then, make it your goal in your interpersonal relationships within the assembly of believers to insure that every single members feels necessary and useful, regardless of what their spiritual giftedness or even their level of spiritual maturity might be. It should be unthinkable to us today, beloved, that even one member of Christ's body should feel rejection in any form!

Ron

Lessons from Dry Bones

"And He said to me, 'Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord''...So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone" (Ezekiel 37:4,7)

I cannot imagine preaching to a valley of dried-out, sun-bleached human bones, beloved, and I stand in awe of Ezekiel for the way in which he was able to do so! I have stood in pulpits where it was the last place I wanted to be and preached to people for whom I was likely the last person they wanted to hear, but that is still a far cry from Ezekiel's valley of dry bones!

What really grabs my attention about Ezekiel is that, regardless of what he may have thought of what God had commanded him, he did it faithfully and apparently with great passion. Imagine being told: "Preach to these bones!" From a preacher's perspective, nothing seems more a waste of time and energy than preaching to those who can neither hear nor see. Yet Ezekiel proclaimed to those bones the unmistakable truths of God's word as if they were all pulled together and hanging upon every word!

As Ezekiel obediently carried out God's command to him, a wonderful thing began to happen. Bone began to move toward bone until they were connected as they had once been however long before. Ligaments and tendons joined bone to bone and bone to muscle, blood vessels appearing and tissues and skin covering each restored individual. As Ezekiel continued to preach God's word, there suddenly arose before him "an exceedingly great army" (v.10).

Should it surprise us, beloved, that God commanded Ezekiel to proclaim truth faithfully to even those dried up old bones? Do you recall the apostle Paul's exhortation to a young preacher named Timothy?

"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2)

We may all at one time or another encounter our own "valley of dry bones," a situation in which we feel that we are not doing God any good, that no one cares and no one is listening. Those are the times that most try our endurance, those times when we feel that our energies are being wasted. Yet that is not God's concern, just as it was not when He commanded Ezekiel to prophesy. His concern is rather that we do what we have been put there to do and just leave the outcome to Him.

What an encouragement I find Ezekiel to be in these verses, beloved! He is an encouragement to me personally to remain faithful where God has me and not to worry about who is listening or who is not, about who is being changed or who is not. And that is precisely why and how you and I need to keep right on proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to a world that seems to care less. Let God connect the bones, beloved! Let's you and I just determine that like Ezekiel we are going to keep on preaching!

Ron

You Never Know Whom You'll Meet in a Tight Spot!

"He answered and said, 'Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!'" (Daniel 3:25)

Three young Hebrew men learned a wonderful lesson about God, beloved, and they learned it, of all places, right smack in the middle of a blazing furnace! Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, better known to us by their Babylonian names given to them by the king - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego - had made a serious decision concerning the degree of their commitment to God. And that commitment had cost them their personal freedom and a one-way trip to Babylon's biggest bonfire! They certainly hoped that God would choose to keep them out of the fire, but their determination to obey Him was just as resolute even if He did not:

"But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (Daniel 3:18)

But it is upon those moments when they were actually in the furnace that I would like for us to focus briefly, beloved. Note carefully that Nebuchadnezzar had ordered three men bound and three men cast into the furnace. And knowing that surely even a pagan like Nebuchadnezzar could count to three, how utterly shocked he was to look into the furnace as was his perverted pleasure to do and find four men "loosed and walking about" unharmed in the flames! And even that pagan king could see the resemblance to divinity when he described the fourth man as being "like a son of the gods."

This incident is replete with wonderful lessons for us as Christians today. One that occurs to me immediately is that Shadrach and Meshach and Abed-nego knew that the furnace was coming. It came as no surprise to them when they were trussed up for their brave stand and cast into a smoking, blazing inferno. Today we should never be surprised when the fiery trials of this life come our way. In our heart of hearts we know they're coming, beloved. And especially as Christians who take a stand in this sinful world for Jesus Christ, we've got to know that our faithful dedication to Him is going to bring some "fire" into our future!

"And indeed, all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12)

A couple of other truths occur to me as I read this familiar passage again. One is that God isn't always going to keep us out of the flames. I know that we, like the three Hebrew men here, would love for Him to do just that, but it just isn't always going to happen. Sometimes the simple truth is that the flames are part of the plan! Nowhere in God's word will you find Him promising us that we will not know tribulation. Quite the opposite!

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4)

Another truth that occurs to me is that God isn't ever going to leave us alone in the flames. What we go through in life, we never go through alone. If we take time to look around, wherever the trial may take us, there will always be an extra person present! And if Nebuchadnezzar could recognize His divinity through the scratched-up glass of a furnace window, then surely we can spot Jesus because He will never be far away:

"Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,' so that we confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6)

One other truth that occurs to me, beloved, is that unbelievers will always be watching every time we are tossed into the flames of this life. Know it or not, like it or not, skeptics and mockers will be watching to see how we handle the fire, just as they did for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. How we handle our trials will be some kind of witness to this watching world.

Just as God brought three Hebrew men through a furnace of blazing fire and caused a king to stand amazed and even declare that He is "the Most High God," so today God will astound those who watch what you suffer, beloved. He will, that is, if like Shadrach and Meshach and Abed-nego we determine that, come what may, we are going to be true to God. So we can know whom we are going to meet in that next tight spot, beloved! And you can look for Him and find Him with you every time that you by God's design encounter one of the many trials of life. Let me encourage you, then, to always look for Jesus first when the tough times come. When you know He's there with you, somehow it just looks different!

Ron

"Drop-off" Discipleship?

"And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up" (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

Just reading the words of Moses to the children of Israel brings back into sharp focus once again, beloved, those occasions so many years ago when as a child I would see Mom push back the dishes on the dinner table to make room for Dad's Bible which he brought out faithfully. We would sit together at the table as a family and receive carefully the instruction of God's Word. Then Mom would ask us if there was any special prayer request we might have and we would all pray together, each in turn, as a family. I can tell you without any fear of contradiction, beloved, that my own formal Bible training served only to confirm, to hone, and to fine-tune the truths of God that I learned from godly parents in a Christ-centered home.

Can there be any doubt at all that such a practice as this was precisely what God had in mind when He instructed Moses to write these commands concerning the discipling of one's children? It was, in fact, the way that God chose to insure that His divine truths for living would be not only passed from one generation to the next, but would be lived out faithfully by each of them. The terms "sit in your house" and "walk by the way" and "lie down" and "rise up" serve only to confirm that the spiritual nourishing of the young has always been and is now the responsibility of the home!

Unfortunately we see the common practice today that, when we are away from "church," we as parents tend to postpone any and all such training until we are back at "church" the next time. Worse than that, we have made the mistake of leaving it to the church to accomplish what God intended all along to take place at home.

Is the instruction offered at Bible-believing churches today important? Absolutely! But know this, beloved, that God never intended for Sunday School or Vacation Bible School or Christian camp or the academy classroom to take the place of the home as the primary site for personal discipleship to be accomplished. Nor was any preacher or pastor or youth worker or Sunday School teacher ever meant to replace godly parents who are sold out to Jesus Christ.

"Drop-off" discipleship does not work, beloved! And it is past time for Christian parents to step up and handle what God has always intended for us to handle. The ministries of the local church and the local Christian school are there to help out in this most important work of growing children into godly adults. But they cannot and must not be used in any way as a substitute for the influence of parents living solidly for Jesus Christ! Instead of just "dropping off" our kids at this meeting or that, let's start "dropping down" on our knees with them, studying God's Word together and beseeching God in prayer for the grace and courage to be what He has called us to be. Parent or grandparent, may God bless you in this endeavor!

Ron