A Do-Over......Over

NOTE:  Today's blog is a "tag-team" effort.  Some of the contents come from a sermon written by my son, Russell, and some comes from me.  So begins the Father-Son-Tag-Team.

In the neighborhood vacant lot, the kids have gathered for a game of kickball.  Teams are chosen and the game begins. Everyone is having a great time until....there is controversy.  It's a contested play at home plate.  The scoring team says "safe," while the outfield team says, "out."  There is some discussion, which turned into an argument, which was on the verge of turning into something worse.  A voice from the disagreeing teams called for a "do-over."  Maybe you remember such sandlot jurisprudence from your younger days.

God's prophet, Jeremiah has some things to say about do-over's.  In Jeremiah 18, God asks the prophet to go down to the potter's shop and God would speak to him there.  Jeremiah did as God asked and when he got to the potter's shop, he saw the potter working at his wheel, but the jar he was making was not turning out right. The potter crushed the wet clay into a lump and started over.  That's when Jeremiah understood the object lesson and God's message came to him.  Look at verse 6: "O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand."

During this time when God's people were being rebellious and disobedient, they really needed a do-over. God even warned them, "I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right."  Verse 12 gives the people's reply, "Don't waste your breath.  We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires."

After that, these stubborn people turned on the prophet!  When you don't like the message, the first thing to do is attack the messenger.  Jeremiah was under attack as they made their plans to kill him.

The contents of this story create for us, a glimpse of ourselves when we live our lives in rejection to God and his ways.  Just like Israel, God longs for us to become like the moldable clay in the hands of the potter.  That's why God laments, "O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay?"

Instead of listening to God's plan of a do-over, these wicked people rejected God's plea, and the scripture calls them hopeless.  It's not a hopelessness in the sense of having nowhere to turn.  They were hopeless because they had deliberately chosen to reject God.

Where are we?  Can we see the marvelous love from God, Our Father, when he gives us another chance by reshaping and molding us into a vessel fit for his service?  Who, or what, are you allowing to shape your life?

Folks, our very lives are the handiwork of the potter. You are the Master Potter's Masterpiece.  Eternal life is within you.  God longs for all of us to live by His Spirit, freely given to all.   It's the reason we sing, "Make me new, Lord Jesus, make me new.  For it seems that in so many ways I'm not enough like you.  Take this weary vessel I am in and mold me once again. Take my life, take my spirit, make me new"

<ronbwriting@gmail.com>    (and thanks to RussellB)

Time for Family

Summer is upon us and with it, an increase in summer travel.  I was on the road this weekend to attend a family reunion which is held each year on the first weekend in June.  I got to hug lots of necks and shake lots of hands. Our gathering was nice, the food was good, and, as usual, the best part was the chance to visit with those we haven't seen in a while. There are several such celebrations which connect me with other branches of the family tree, and I enjoy each one and go every year if scheduling allows.

In the time I spent driving to the event I tried to imagine which family members would be there.  I also thought about some of the stories I hear every year and wonder if they will be retold with the annual enhancements added. I told some of the kids how much they had grown.  Mostly, I talked to the older folks (those like me) and as I looked around I saw good representation for future folks to keep the family gatherings and traditions alive.

My trip home was also filled with reflection on this family I love dearly, and the wonderful experience I had in talking to most of them.  Yes, I had to be told who some of them were, and I noticed some of them trying to remember who I am.  All this makes for a typical family reunion, and next year I am sure I will have to be reminded of which kids go with which adults, and who is going to clean the kitchen after lunch.

I like family!  It's a concept designed by God in the Garden of Eden and if you are familiar with Old Testament stories, you know how important it has always been to God who cares for and provides for his spiritual family. The key element for God's family, as well as our earthly families, is love.  I saw that today as we sang Happy Birthday to an 89 year-old aunt.  I saw it as all the kids were asked to take a wing at the piñata.  I saw and heard it as stories were exchanged during lunch. 

I have the chance to attend three family reunions this summer and I am going to make the ones I can, and be disappointed if I have to miss one.  Yes, I am kin to that many people.  And the same is true no matter which reunion I am attending, I still see the love and fellowship which God intended in his design for families.

All this makes me encourage you to maintain close ties to your earthly family.  Consider it a part of God's design and planning.  There are good reasons for families to get together.  I am proud to come from a good stock of people who recognize this truth and I am always amazed at the amount of love and respect that comes from all of us being together.

Something dawned on me as I drove home today, thinking reunion thoughts.  The reason these people place so much emphasis on family is because they are also blessed to be a part of the family of God. None of us are pictures of perfection.  In fact, we have some scoundrels, like every family.  But this time of year, we like to get together and celebrate our heritage, remember those who await us in heaven, and help each other achieve God's plan for each of our lives. 

Be thankful to God today for family.  He has made a good plan which is the best plan for us. Love to all.

ronbwriting@gmail.com

The Lord's Day

Another Look

 

Another look at 5 things you can do that will change your life.

 

1.  Be a blessing.  How often we allow our fleshly nature rule our attitudes, our words, and especially our treatment of others.  If we could condition ourselves to be a blessing to everyone around us, we would recognize changes in our world.

2. Be a friend.  It is always wonderful to have friends.  We are, by nature, a lonely people when we have no friends.  Those in the Lord's church start counting their friends and very often have only those friends from within the church.  Friends in the church makes for a healthy church, but leaves those on the outside feeling alone.  This week, make a friend with someone you know, who has no friends.  Take them for coffee, or to lunch, and attempt to cultivate a new friendship.

3.   Encourage someone.  Be ready to recognize those who have made an accomplishment.  Also, to those who need just a little nudge to overcome some sin or difficulty.  I know a young, inexperienced minister who regularly was encouraged by one man, who nicknamed him, "Powerhouse."  Just the word of encouragement is sometimes all it takes for great things to happen.

4.  Take time to care.  Can you see how each of these fit so closely together in our daily contact with everyone around us?  I am always amazed at the good coming out of a situation when people know we care.  Sometimes there are those who cannot help someone financially, never knowing what to say to build them up, and running into no-answer situations.  Instead of giving up, just let them know you care, and you will see tremendous positive changes.

5.  Let your words heal and not wound.  We seem to always have the words to say which hurt the most.  Just as God does not pour salt in our wounds when we sin, rather sends us words of his love, his caring, and his grace, we should always be responsive just like our Heavenly Father.  Words that heal not only bring healing to the hurting, but go a long ways in developing spiritual relationships in the family of God.

<ronbwriting@gmail.com>

God is my Portion

¹ Surely God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.

² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
    I had nearly lost my foothold.
³ For I envied the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

⁴ They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.
⁵ They are free from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
    they clothe themselves with violence.

                                                  Psalm 73:1-6

 

Look around you.  See the prosperity of the wicked?  See the evil folks, with their strong and healthy bodies?   I see and know my struggles, while they seem to escape.  They aren't plagued by the human ills that always seem to be knocking on my door. 

 

At some point in the lives of each of us, we get down in the dumps when we start comparing ourselves with others.   We may be doing our best to be good Christian people yet we seem to be surrounded by bad things.  Then we see the prosperity of those who are evil.  It's no wonder the psalmist confessed in the verses above, "my feet almost slipped and I almost lost my foothold."

 

Here's the lesson we need to learn.  Verse 1 above is the key for each of us.  Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.  Memorize that verse and say it aloud when you are tempted to think and act as though God doesn't care about you.

 

We may feel discouraged when reading this section of Psalm 73, but God would never leave us feeling as though all was lost.  Look at the verses which begin in verse 23:

 

²³ Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

 

ronbwriting@gmail.com

 

 

Tasting the Goodness of the Lord

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

¹³ Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
¹⁷ Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.  ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
²⁵     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.

2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Bible Understanding 101 suggests to us when the word "therefore" begins a section of scripture, it ties what was previously said to the things the writer is now saying.  So a look backward into the first verses in 1 Peter 1, introduces us to who we are in Jesus Christ, and establishes his authority in our hearts when we choose to belong to him. 

The lengthy text above is tied to those earlier thoughts and now encourages us to be a "holy" person through living a holy life.  Not sure about you, but as hard as I try, I have difficulty claiming that word holy as a description of me. 

Peter wants us to know about God who judges impartially, and about Jesus who paid for our redemption with his life, and this should bring us a strong faith and hope. Also, now that we have been cleansed through obedience, our delivered lives are to be lived in loving relationships with others.  We can love all people because we have been born again.  In these verses Peter wants to assure us we can be holy, because God is holy, and we can be forgiving and loving to each other because God has loved and forgiven us. That type of lifestyle is lived in "tasting the goodness of the Lord." 

<ronbwriting@gmail.com>     

Learning to pray....

1 John 5:13-15

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

I like the boldness of John's declaration in these verses. It is addressed to YOU if you are among those who believe in the name of the Son of God.  That belief is constantly leading us to know that we have eternal life. 

If you knew you had eternal life, do you suppose that would give you the confidence to approach God? I used the word "boldness" in describing John's declaration, now he comes using the word "confidence," describing our assurance that we can approach God. No one can speak with that boldness nor posses that confidence without a strong faith in Jesus Christ. 

John then continues to proclaim if we have the confidence to approach God, we may ask anything according to his will, and he hears us. We may also know since he hears us, whatever we ask, we will have.  The world is going to be quick to inform us that isn't true. Those who are not believers will name instances where we prayed and did not receive what we asked. 

Our previous studies on prayer have taught us prayer is a vital part of the Christian life. As those who have loved, trusted, and obeyed the Lord, it should be natural for us to talk to our Heavenly Father. The one thing John points out in his declaration is the key. "If we ask anything according to his will."  

Sometimes even we Christians start thinking these verses can be the "gimmie, gimmie" kind of conversation where we give God a list of everything we want, and he supplies it.  That attitude toward prayer is not according to the will of God. The "name it and claim it" prayers become centered around our wishes, our wants, and even our will instead of God's. 

If it is so important to pray according to the will of God, then our primary objective in approaching God to ask for anything, must not be like our birthday wish list. How do we know what the will of God is?  One way is for us to stay close to the word of God. Regular Bible study and the application of biblical truth to our lives will lead us to better know God's will. 

Another way, and perhaps a way which will make his will more meaningful to us, is in the quiet silence of dwelling on who God is. Think of his infinite presence, his unending love, his willingness to forgive, his desire for us to be in relationship with him. In our silent meditations, God will make his will known to us. 

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