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- Lost and Found - Lost and Found - Reprise: The young couple stood at the door and asked, ”Can we speak with you?” The young man said to his friend, “You tell him.” She, in turn, said to him, in tears, “I can’t, you tell him”, and the story came out. It was a story of loss, loss of innocence. There had been an abortion five years before, at the age of 14, and the young woman was lost, deep in depression and delayed grief over her lost child. By the time the story was fully told, we were in tears. That was the start of a lengthy period of conversation and support. Eventually, the conversation turned to faith, the support of her parents, her circle of friends. At some point, months after her friend brought her to my office, the real healing began: she began to speak openly of her experience and the choice that was made for her, and how her faith and her friends had helped her move on. Please do not condemn those who may have had an abortion. Pray for them, support them, and know that they bear a burden you can only imagine. Continue reading
- I Will Give You Rest - I Will Give You Rest: We read in the scripture how all-encompassing God can be with his love. That He clothed the grass of the field, that He numbers the hairs on your head, that He cares for even small birds. We view these statements as clear until we begin to dig deeply and try to apply it to our everyday lives. That's when the simple seems to turn toward complex. A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us because, what do we do?, we read complex or conditional things into it. Which raises the question, how can we maintain the simplicity of Jesus so that we can understand him? When we lose ground in our fellowship with God, it’s because we have drifted and have carelessly ignored what Jesus would have us do. In Matthew 13 Jesus talks about allowing the cares of the world to enter into our lives while forgetting that our Heavenly Father knows it all and it's there Jesus tells us that if we would obey the life of God within us, He would look after all other things. Continue reading
- Your Dash? My Dash? - What will be on Your Dash?: Recently a friend of mine passed away. I had not known him for very long, our contacts were mostly following church services when we would spend perhaps 5 to 10 minutes, the time it took to walk to our cars. I'll get out to Oak Glen cemetery sometime in the future and I'll look upon the marker, which will read, in effect, 1946-2024. Did you see that? That little line between the dates, the little dash that represents the most important elements of his life, or our lives. What have we done, how have we lived, how have we honored God, how we loved others, how we responded to adversities, how we left our mark. A little line, loaded with how we have lived our lives. Continue reading
- God of All Things - God of All Things: I just finished a hard read, a difficult read, and I slogged through to the end because I had read so many of Kirstin Hannah’s books that I had found spell-binding. So, I wadded through. This one, The Four Winds, was different. As I said, it was a hard read, which at time caused me to feel depressed. I would call it a detailed study on the tragic period in our country’s history called the Dust Bowl. It was a time so bad that it caused many to turn from God, a God that, in their minds, had deserted them. I won’t tell you how it ends, except to say that love wins. In a recent Jesus Calling, we read: “Trust Me in every detail of your life. Nothing is random in My kingdom. Everything that happens fits into a pattern for good, to those who love Me.” This is a hard lesson, Lord, when we are enduring adversity and loss. Bringing ourselves to say “Thank you, Lord” during those times takes such a commitment and grit. Yet, we know that we can do all things through You, Lord, who will give us strength. Continue reading
- Marketing or Worshipping? - Marketing or Worshipping? There are several televangelists that I follow regularly. Most of the time their messages are thought-provoking, and some have inspired these devotionals, Watchwords. One of the things that each of these teachers/preachers have in common is they all seem to be hawking a book, a video, a cruise to Alaska, or products like collagen. I'm fully aware that it takes money to keep these programs on the air, which means marketing the writings of these pastors, or simply selling stuff. I do not equate such marketing as being related in some manner to the tithe. How holy is the House of God where you worship? Continue reading
- Faith Reminder - Faith Reminder: One of my favorite people from my past was Mrs. Sheldon Scott, a friend of the family, the wife of my father's best friend, and my piano teacher. Always positive, always loving. A complement was always given with a little hug and a great smile. A correction, on the other hand, well, I can almost hear her voice, “Stanley, you must practice each day.” Through my childhood, the persisting voice wasn't Mrs. Scott, it was more like "Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so." Throughout my life I have become aware of the Holy Spirit, a gift reminder from God, and His words come to me through one song after another and joy fills my heart, and I know that God loves me, and these are just some of the many ways He hugs me and smiles. Continue reading
- Touched by Jesus - Touched by God: Your life, my life, changed by our encounter with Jesus. Would it have made a difference if we were in that crowd dining on the bread and the fish that Jesus provided? Would it have made a difference if the encounter had occurred on Calvary? Would it have made a difference if we had a near death experience and emerged with a firm belief that God was in it? Maybe yes, maybe no. Maybe our Jesus encounter was subtle, occurred under the most normal of circumstances. We weren't threatened, we were healthy, our family was fine, and then something, maybe just a word, a scene from a movie we were watching, or you just happen to come across a word of scripture, and nothing has ever been the same. We've heard the phrase many times that God works in mysterious ways to touch us with grace. We have been told that we have the spirit of God within us. Maybe we puzzled about that until something, that you can't put your finger on, opened your spiritual ears Continue reading
- The Voice of God - The Voice of God: What does the voice of God sound like? Have you heard it? How do you hear it? Under what circumstances? Did the voice seem familiar? Had you heard it before? Can you sort out God’s voice from all the other voices that you hear? Was it a loud voice, or was it a small voice, even a whisper? Perhaps you thought it was just your conscience giving you trouble. Maybe, God used the voice of a loved one? In 1 Kings 19:1-13 is the story of Elijah fleeing for his life because he was carrying out God’s instructions, and Ahab wants him dead. Now he is hiding in a cave and the Lord spoke to him: “What are you doing here Elijah?” Elijah tells God that he has carried out God’s instructions, but now he wants to die, it has been too much. God tells him: “Go out and stand before the mountain.” Continue reading
- Wearing the Cross - Wearing a Cross: Do you wear a cross? I have one that I wear all the time. A friend got it for me at the Shrine of Christ’s Passion in Saint John, Indiana, just off highway 42. The Shrine is a multi-media, interactive complex featuring a quality Christian gift shop and an amazing and realistic site portraying the Via Dolorosa (sorrowful way), the processional route in the old city of Jerusalem, that Jesus was led on. The crucifixion and the resurrection is what defines our faith. The cross is what clarifies everything. Without the cross, not much makes sense. Jesus told the jews that when they “lifted up the Son of Man” that they would know who Jesus is.To those hearing Jesus’ words, whether pharisee, or loyal follower, it made no sense. And Jesus tells them it will not make sense until the other side of the crucifixion. Which is where we stand. Continue reading
- Meaning of Giving - Meaning of Giving? “I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” Martin Luther Tithing defined: “To pay or give a tenth part of especially wealth for the support of a religious establishment or organization.” Merriam Webster. Randy Alcorn, in his book The Treasure Principle speaks of the tithe as the start of Christian generosity, the beginning of giving. The tithe is not the ceiling, it’s the floor, the foundation upon which your spirit-lead heart builds. Then there are free-will offerings, bake sales, food drives, blanket drives, etc., etc., in addition to our tithe. I confess, early in my Christian walk, I struggled with tithing. Continue reading
- This Side of the Resurrection - This Side of the Resurrection: Can't you just hear our Lord and Savior, having been challenged by the pharisees and the scribes, who wanted to see a sign from him that would somehow authenticate what they had been hearing about Jesus healing the sick. They wanted verification that this was someone that they should listen to. Jesus quotes from the Book of Jonah, a well-known prophecy, and it made no sense to them…at the time. On the other hand, we who are on this side of the resurrection, and know the rest of the story, we have a much better understanding of the point Jesus was making. Continue reading
- Mysteries and Miracles - Mysteries and Miracles: A jigsaw puzzle, a coherent picture all cut into tiny little pieces and it's always a challenge first to start the picture and then to take it to completion. I was thinking about that as I considered mysteries and miracles that seem to surround us. I think about the developments that have improved our lives, just in our lifetime. Television, iPhones, the microwave oven, countless medical advances, on and on. Each one a kind of miracle within our own understanding. You don't have to understand the internal combustion engine, to get in the car and drive to your next destination. In point of fact these may appear as miracles, but there were simply mysteries, where all the puzzle pieces were already there, created by God, just waiting for someone, with inspiration, to solve the mysteries and put them together. Continue reading
- Fasting Time? - Fasting Time? The Lenten season. In German this holy season, starting with Ash Wednesday, is referred to as Fastenzeit, which translates “fasting time”. Which raises the question, what really is fasting? Fasting, in general, is a form of self-denial, denying ourselves as Christ denied Himself. It often refers to restrictions on eating specific foods such as meat. During Lent you often find restaurants offering meatless options and while many believers seek out meatless recipes to cook at home. Over the years, in my church, we speak of denying ourselves something we eat and enjoy. In some churches, and for many individual believers, fasting may extend beyond food. You might consider abstaining from drinking anything other than water. The focus of Lent and fasting then is a reminder of all that Christ went through for you and me. Continue reading
- Spiritual Acuity - Spiritual Acuity: I wonder if we miss the “ifs” or other modifiers when we study God's word? In the Proverbs passage, we read, “if you accept my words”, and, “if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding”, and “if you look for it as for silver” you will understand, you will find the knowledge of God. Promises that have a condition which requires us to act. Sometimes the scripture requires us to have patience, to wait on the Lord. Do we listen, do we pay attention carefully to the murmurings of the Holy Spirit, in our circumstances, in the inspirations that come to us? Continue reading
- The Whole Enchilada - The whole Enchilada: Are you familiar with the phrase, the whole enchilada? The Collins Dictionary of English phrases defines it as “all of it; everything; the entirety of something.” You probably knew that. Have you ever heard the phrase, “kit and caboodle”? Kit was a mess kit and hat came out of the military. Paul’s meaning of opening prayer to be inclusive, to drop all pretense and keep the focus on the Lord. His idea is that all kinds of prayer on prayer, prayer upon prayer, every kind that you can think of. Our Lord does not care if our mind wanders a little in our conversation with Him, maybe we ask for something specific, and we speak it because our faith tells us that He is listening, and we know that it is through prayer that builds our spiritual strength. You trust Him. Give Him the entire enchilada. Continue reading
- Humility? Who Needs It? - Humility? Who Needs It? In the absence of humility, do we forfeit our blessings? Now, what about that question -- Humility, who needs it? We do, you and me. Humility and obedience will take courage, inner strength. The Lord laid out the plan for us in His commands. They are clear and quite understandable. His Covenants are unbreakable. What He promises, He does. Yet, we deny Him. We have a chunk of Peter in our soul, and it is hard to always follow Him. Why are we not obedient? If it is messy…I don’t want to touch it. Yuck! Tithe? How do I cut that into smaller pieces? Continue reading
- Whom Shall I Send? - Whom shall I send?: Are you willing to be broken bread? How about poured-out wine? In the course of our typical day, how often, do you suppose, we are called upon to be poured out wine and broken bread? How often, in that typical day, are we presented with circumstances that call us to go and do likewise? We, who believe in Jesus Christ as Messiah, as our Lord and Savior, as God incarnate, have a calling to be His hands, His voice, His presence. Continue reading
- Be Still and Know - Be Still and Know: Read again the passage from Psalm 46, only this time read it knowing you are a child of the Almighty, a child of our Creator God who is our refuge and strength. Knowing that in times of trouble we don't have to worry, we don't have to fear, even if the world blows up, because we are guaranteed a place of peace in eternity with our God. When have you been still, quiet, and secure in the knowledge that He is God and you are His? When was the last time you allowed concern and worry work their way into your peace of mind? Can you be still and know that He is God? Continue reading
- Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus: Have you ever let the graces and the gifts that flow from God, feed your pride? You know, take credit for the bounty that God has laid upon you? Are there times when we expect God to come to us and rescue us from a difficult situations? When we get ourselves into trouble, isn't our tendency to call on God to bail us out? Help me, Jesus, and in His time our troubles are addressed and we're free. Then, do we strut around and reflect an attitude of ‘look at me, see what I solved’? When the reality of a situation is that we have been blessed, we have received graces from our Lord. The truth of the matter is, if we will concentrate on Jesus, we will find what we are looking for. Continue reading
- Monologue vs Dialogue - Monologue vs Dialogue: Do you, during any given day, spend time in God's word, with God? Is your conversation with God one way, a series of short prayers dealing with the tough and sometimes rough road you are traveling, maybe a request for healing of friends or relatives? Are you aware of any nudges or musings or inspiration coming from the Holy Spirit within during those times? In your quiet time with God if you felt something, a thought, an idea, an inspiration that you knew in your heart was not a construct of your own thinking. When the Lord tells us to obey his commands, he's talking about all that he has given to us, often in the whispers that come from the Holy Spirit within. Continue reading
