A Spiritual Sequestration

This is not a political blog, but in the light of all the "questering" that is going on in our government, I am wondering if there are times when we experience and unplanned sequester in the church, and especially in our individual relationship with God. 

Regardless of which side of the political picture you are on, we do have to admit there have been some ridiculous statements made on both sides. After all, what seems important to one person isn't as important to another person, so there will be disagreements on what needs to be cut. Following those disagreements there is also the blame we place on those with which we have disagreed and ultimately there is irreparable damage done. They are calling that the "scare-quester." 

Watching the news early this morning, I chuckled  out loud at some of the applications of the sequestration going on in our country. For example, our nation's capitol was supposed to be covered with a couple of feet of snow this morning. All the professional weathermen predicted it. We were warned of cancelled flights from every major airport in the northeast.  Street travel was supposed to be at a standstill.  The result of all this was a shut-down of our governmental headquarters. Workers were told to stay home and they did just that. 

 Well, there was little more than a trace of snow in Washington this morning, so news reporters are asking if this is the result of a "snow-quester."  Did the snow holiday mean our government's weather warning systems had actually caused a refusal of the snow to fall?  Some places within a few miles of Washington are covered with the predicted snow this morning, up to 2 feet, but not in D.C. It is as though the snow over the capitol has been sequestered. 

All this started me to wondering if there is ever a time when we suffer from a "Christianity-quester?"  Are there times when we allow so much of the wrong things to get in the way of our relationship with God that we fail to pray?  Have you experienced a "prayer-quester?" How about a "worship-quester," or a "praise-quester?" What spiritual sequestration is going on in your life? 

Folks, the goodness of God's grace and love and forgiveness is still full. There is an unending supply and he longs for us to be blessed and keep on being a blessing, even in what we consider to be hard times. Read and ponder these thoughts from Proverbs 2:1-6,

My son, accept my words.
    Store up my commands inside you.
² Let your ears listen to wisdom.
    Apply your heart to understanding.
³ Call out for the ability to be wise.
    Cry out for understanding.
⁴ Look for it as you would look for silver.
    Search for it as you would search for hidden treasure.
⁵ Then you will understand how to have respect for the Lord.
    You will find out how to know God.
⁶ The Lord gives wisdom.
    Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.

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Created to be Like God

²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.   Ephesians 4:22-32

Paul has written earlier in his letter, concerning the eternal inheritance  of the Christian, the strength and power belonging to those in Christ, and salvation as the gift of God's grace. He begins in chapter 4 with the subjects of unity and maturity in the body of Christ and actually outlines how we are all members of the one body.  The body only grows when each part is functioning properly.

When Paul's writings in chapter 4 reach the verses we have printed above, he is talking about each individual's life, contrasting  the before and after Jesus has brought about eternal changes. Notice we are to put off the old self, and be made new in the attitude of our minds' and to put on the new self. Especially notice Paul's description of the new creature in Christ, "created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Let that sink in a bit and make some application to yourself. Is there any wonder that Paul used similar words when writing the Roman Christians? "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come."

The rest of Ephesians 4, (verses 25-32) give us the short version of those things associated with being like God in true righteousness and holiness. These verses are revealing the inward and outward evidences of lives that have actually "put on Christ."  Read them again and see the areas where you may excel, and the areas where you need to grow.  The ultimate goal is to become like God in true righteousness and holiness. 

While we still recognize sin and neglect in our lives, God's grace and love keep us pressing forward, striving to become more and more like Jesus. The journey is an exciting one, designed  by God to keep us in relationship with him, and sharing the good news with others. 

ronbwriting@yahoo.com

Burning the Biscuits -- Guest Post

I am stepping aside for today, just so I can share the following story with you. It comes from my friend, Harvey Crider.   --RonB

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!

All my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing...never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said, "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides--a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"

As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults and choosing to celebrate each others differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today...that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket--keep it in your own."

So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.
And PLEASE pass this along to someone who has enriched your life--I just did!
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

"Life without God is like an un-sharpened pencil--it has no point"

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What need we more?

Beauty for ashes God hath decreed!
Help He provideth for every need;
What is unlovely He will restore;
Grace all-sufficient: what need we more?

God gives for sadness "garments of praise";
Stars for our twilight, strength for our days;
Hope for tomorrow, care for today,
Light for our footsteps all of life's way.

Beauty for ashes, gladness for tears,"
Sunshine for darkness, faith for our fears;
Peace for our turmoil, concord for strife,
Heaven at evening--then endless life!

These are the words from a song written by Grant Tullar.  He wrote from the perspective of some prophetic words about Jesus, which are recorded in Isaiah 61.  In that scripture, there is the phrase, "to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."  It was this scripture Jesus quoted in Luke 4, telling his listeners, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

In biblical days, people who were in sadness or distress, would sit in a pile of ashes, as a symbol that their lives were in turmoil. The ashes, as the remaining residue of a fire, would indicate the people were facing total calamity.  It is also noted that the ashes can be a symbol of going "through the fire" and the purification which fire brings. 

Both in the Bible passages mentioned, and in the words of the song, there is a praise to God for his work in restoring sinful man to Himself.  It is God that provides help to meet every need, and restoration of those whose lives have become unlovely.  Tullar is writing an echo of the truth of the Scripture, that it is by God's grace these things are accomplished, therefore we are in need of nothing more. 

I especially like the terminology of the second verse of the song, "God gives for sadness, "garments of praise."   Even when we have arrived at the low point of life which sadness brings, God replaces that with garments of praise, designed specifically for us.  It shows us our need when facing difficult times by leaning on God to supply strength , hope, care, and even His light to point us in the right direction.

Verse three shows the contrast of the things God uses to take the place of our defeat and our sadness. They are replaced with beauty, gladness, sunshine, faith, peace, concord, and ultimately heaven. I point you once again to the question at the end of verse one, "Grace all-sufficient: what need we more?"

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Worship

When you enter the place of worship today, I hope your heart, soul, mind, and even your body are ready for the worship experience. You will be joining others whose lives are searching for God's will.  You will share this morning in the communion to celebrate and remember the death of Jesus who paid the price for your sins with his own blood. You will join and witness the praise of the saints as you sing and lift your voice to the Father. You will experience the solemn moment of prayer as you talk to God silently and collectively pour your heart out to him. You will share in the visiting and fellowship of other Christians as you interact both before and after the worship assembly. I am honored to be a part of all of this with you. I cannot express how anxious I am for Sunday mornings to get here. I think Paul must have felt the same thing in his prayer and thanksgiving message to the Colossian church. I have picked just a small segment of it....but please read it closely.

 Colossians 1:6

"The gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace."

For many of us, worship has been minimized into a "going through the motions" and more of a chore than an opportunity. The way to examine the genuineness of your worship experience is to ask, "Did I exit the assembly any different than I was when I entered?"

Think of the excitement and encouragement that comes your way when you realize the multitude of Christians that are experiencing worship at the same time as you.

As one who has been taught of God's grace, and understand how helpless we would be without it, think of ways to share that message with your neighbor.

May we enter today's worship with hope and expectation, and may we leave renewed in our commitment to God, and reach out to others with His saving grace.

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A Pause to Remember

There are tears mixed with smiles today as I prepare to attend the funeral of an uncle this weekend. W.F. Matthews married my mom's sister, Gladys.  The mid to late 1940's were a time when our country was working hard to recover from the years of WWII. Many of my uncles on both sides of my family were involved in various branches of service. 

One brother of my mom's, Cullen, was killed in France during the war, which made it even more stressful for the families because of others that were involved in the fighting.  W.F. was one of many, and found himself involved in the war in the Pacific and in southeast Asia. However, his ability to serve was short lived as he spent a majority of his military life in a prison camp. He was a member of the Lost Battalion, and knew first-hand the torturous treatment of the American prisoners. Many of his fellow captives died. All of them suffered tremendously. 

The bravery of such men has always been an inspiration to me. And now, knowing a little more of what they suffered and how they were treated, makes me appreciate them more. The freedoms associated with being American belong to us because of men like W.F. Matthews. 

His death this week brings sorrow for his immediate family, and our family will assemble this weekend to remember his life and celebrate his homecoming to be with the Lord. In addition to all other things he was involved in, his faith in God was always evident. That's why our sorrow is mixed with smiles as we know he is now home, his race as come to an end, his suffering is no more. 

My memories of W.F. go a long way back; before the years in San Angelo, to when he and Gladys lived in Midland. Our home was two lots down from theirs, and that vacant lot between us was the arena of many baseball games involving the neighborhood kids. Even after working hard all day long, Dad and W.F. would usually be out there with us to play the game. It was a teaching lesson, not only about baseball, but also about sportsmanship and life. 

The fun times were numerous and there was no cost involved. It was just two families struggling to get started with life, doing the best they could with what they had. Pardon me if I call them "the good ole' days."

Years later, after I was grown and married, I asked Gladys one day what ever happened to the picture of the horses and cowboys that hung over their couch in their Midland home. She tried to tell me the picture was worthless because it was a picture from a calendar they had framed. Later she dug through a closet and gave me the picture as a gift. It is my remembrance of them, and all the good times our families shared. 

I will be spending this weekend as a community and a country honor the life of W.F.  He was one of those heroes a kid could look up to, and grownups could depend on. He will be missed by Gladys, their sons Randy and Tommy, and their families.  Countless others will remember his accomplishments in work, in church, in his community, and in his nation.  May God's love continue with us in a world that could use a lot more men like W.F.

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