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- Friday, January 1, New Years Day - New, Right Out of the Box: Oh, it feels sooo good! Oh, my. I love it! And smell it! Fresh and clean, oh so bright. Just look at that! It almost makes me weep for joy! Not a spot, not a single spot. Don’t do anything…just imagine. Before you, a blank canvas, and you are Van Gogh. You are Gian Bernini. You are DeVinci, drinking in a great slab of marble before you, imagining, what? Yes, David! You are Michelangelo, looking up at the empty ceiling of this small, insignificant chapel, and imagining, just imagining what could bless this space? Well, you are not Van Gogh, or DaVinci, or Packer, or C.S. Lewis, or Chambers, or Neuwen, but you are you, wrinkles, arthritis and all. Continue reading
- Thursday, December 31, New Year’s Eve - Where Were You? New Year’s Eve. Where were you on this day in…let’s say, 2001? Just twenty years ago. Can you recall? I was in Chicago, staying at the Raphael Hotel, and that night attended the Phantom of the Opera at the Auditorium Theater. See, my Prevagen is working! HA! Impressed? Well, it’s not Prevagen, it’s better. It’s Oswald Chambers! In 1965, I received a gift of a just-off-the-press Golden Book edition of My Utmost for His Highest. Some four or five years later that book became a regular part of my time with the Lord. It accompanied me throughout my life, my travels, etc., for nearly 50 years. In the late 80’s I started noting in the margins where we were and what we were doing, kind of a travel journal. Continue reading
- Tuesday, December 29 - Self-Confession: This morning, in the midst of my morning readings and meditation, this thought occurred to me: how do I deepen my knowledge and understanding of Jesus? How do I get to know him better? As I thought about this another thought came to me, maybe I would know him better by knowing myself better. Maybe I would know him better as I begin to understand my own frailties, my own sinful nature, my own tendency not to follow his word. Could that be the answer? Do I come to know Jesus at a deeper level when I strip away all the pretense, when I leave all my biases at his feet? Continue reading
- Monday, December 28 - Mark His Words: We know quite a bit about the Mark, but mostly bits and pieces as he grew to become what we know as the apostle. We know that Mark’s mother opened her home for gatherings of early Christians. We may know him as the impulsive, un-named young man in the garden of Gethsemane who, out of fear, runs away naked, after a guard had held him by his tunic. The next we learn of Mark, we find him a protégé of Barnabus, who convinces Paul to allow him to go on the first Mission Journey, only to find that the young man was not prepared for missionary work, and returned home three months later. In researching for my book, A Life for Barabbas, it seemed clear that even though Mark was part of that first journey for only three months, it had a transformational impact on him. Continue reading
- Saturday, December 26 - The Story of Ezbon Continues: The story of Ezbon and the Lamb (See Christmas Day Watchword) is just that, it’s a story. Yet, can you imagine how a young man, a shepherd, would feel, leaving the stable, climbing the hill behind Bethlehem, a different person than the one that made that decent a short time earlier? Think about that. One look at the Baby Jesus, the smile of the Christ Child, and something in his life began to change. Somewhere on your faith journey, you, too, gazed upon baby Jesus and you began to change, a transformational change in your life. Continue reading
- Christmas Day - Ezbon and the Lamb: His name was Ezbon, son of Gad, and he had been a shepherd just over a year. It was his thirteenth birthday and, at his bar mitzvah, his father had entrusted him with 10 sheep, and told him the story of his great, great, great, great grandfather and his brothers, who were his great, great, great, great uncles. All were wonderful shepherds, caring for countless numbers of sheep, over the years, even centuries, a family tradition that had been handed down from one generation to the next, to his own father. Now, he would continue the tradition. Yes, Ezbon was a shepherd. The little flock of sheep his father had given him, a year ago, had, at last count, grown to 25, including a newborn lamb he now held in his arms. So, in his mind, his flock was not so much small as it was growing. His shepherding had been rewarded. His goal now was to move his flock to the lush pastureland west of Jerusalem, near the border with Samaria. Continue reading
- Tuesday, December 22 - Almost There? Over the river and through the woods to grandpa’s house we go for Christmas. We’re all excited because visiting grandpa and grandma was the highest spot of any travel we do with these kids. I should keep track of all the times I’ve heard the cry from the back seat, ‘Are we almost there, daddy, are we almost there?’ and most of the time we weren’t ‘almost there’ but we were getting closer. Maybe in years past you’re the one making that call from the backseat, wondering how much longer it will be till we get where we want to be. Well, here we are, all of us are in the backseat, we are all calling out ‘how much longer?’ Are we getting closer to back to normal? We don’t want to wait much longer. Continue reading
- Monday, December 21 - Come to Me, All You…: Have you ever extended that broad invitation of Jesus to anyone? You know, “Come to me all you who are burdened and I’ll take it from you…” or words to that effect. Have you told someone you can always call me, anytime, day or night. Did you mean it? (Riiiing, riiiing -- I know it’s 2:30 a.m., but I just couldn’t sleep and, you know, you said I could always call anytime. Well, here I am. Can’t sleep. What do you think about the pandemic? Think it will go away?) So, did you really mean it when you told your friend he could call, anytime? Well, here’s the deal, when Jesus said “come, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”, he meant it--no conditions, no restrictions. Continue reading
- Time with God - Our Time with God: I think I have always viewed the above passage as two separate ideas and concepts. One is the pattern of prayer that Jesus teaches, the ‘Our Father…’ section that we follow, often in rote, without too much thought about content. Then, there is the part that I often refer to as ‘The Ask’, those times when, confronted with a difficult problem, we ask God to intervene or to simply help us. But this is a singular and continuing lesson by our Lord. He lays out a pattern, yes, but then, by the friend parable, he instructs us to keep communicating with Him, with God. Keep asking, keep knocking, keep seeking, keep praying without ceasing…one lesson in two parts. A member of our Bible study group came across a statement on prayer and meditation written by Pastor Chuck Swindoll. The pastor describes his approach to keeping in contact with our Lord throughout the day. There is much to be learned from his brief statement -- Continue reading
- Friday, December 18 - Here I am to Worship: Before the start of worship, the pastor announced that there would be a meeting of the Church Board immediately after the service. So, following worship, the Church Board gathered at the back of the sanctuary for the announced meeting. But there was a stranger in their midst — a visitor who had never attended their church before. “My friend,” said the pastor, “Didn’t you understand that this is a meeting of the Board?” “Yes,” said the visitor, “and after today’s sermon, I suppose I’m just about as bored as anyone else who came to this meeting.” I was new in town, and for two years attended a particular church. I had come from an evangelical church that had a significant role in bringing me into a closer relationship with God. After two years of attending and serving this new church, I longed for the worship experience I had in my previous church. Continue reading
- Fellow Water-Walkers - Fellow Water-Walkers: The Matthew passage is an amazing story of shaky faith on the part of the disciples. Think about this; they were fresh from the feeding of thousands from virtually nothing, and yet they doubted. They had witnessed healings of lepers, sight and sanity restored. Yet, they doubted. Not only that, but Peter underscores their doubt by saying “if it is you, tell me to come.” They see Jesus walking on water, yet, it’s “if it is you”. Maybe it’s some beachcomber, or perhaps a ghost, maybe it is a figment of their imagination. So, Peter calls on Jesus to let him come to him on the water, and He does. But after a step or two he gets scared, his faith leaks out, and he panics. “Lord, save me.” Continue reading
- Tuesday, December 15 - Wanted: Bold Christians: Funny how some things simply don’t change. In today’s world, we seek creative leadership in our churches, and that seems to be in short supply. Even in our seminaries the numbers are dwindling, while the numbers of churches without ordained leadership are rising. In apostle Paul’s day, it was the same, only different. Paul, planter of churches to the Gentiles, had an immediate and future need for church leadership. He often sought out and instructed young members of congregations to step into leadership roles. Timothy was one of those, and Paul considered him is true son in the faith. Continue reading
- Monday, December 14 - Bamboo: Anyone have bed sheets made from bamboo? I do. Very soft, luxurious. How about bamboo planking on floors in your home? How about small, indoor bamboo plants in your house? It’s a very interesting plant, very versatile. During my time volunteering at Heifer Ranch, near Perryville Arkansas, I learned a lot about livestock, farming, water buffalos, how to milk a goat, how to kiss a camel and, yes, about heifers, and any number of other things. The Ranch is actually an educational facility, like a spectacular zoo, a demonstration farm with educational programming that attracted thousands of visitors and kids on school field trips every year. Continue reading
- Saturday, December 12 - Jesus Loves Me: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. How old were you when you first learned that song? Do you know all the verses? Remember watching a group of little kids sings these Sunday School songs, as I call them? “What a Friend We have in Jesus”, “This Little Light of Mine”, and, of course, “Jesus Loves me.” Those kids can really get into it, maybe just a little off key, but their hearts were in it and we were blessed by their music. Continue reading
- Friday, December 11 - Wrapped Gifts: In a recent devotional in My Utmost for His Highest, Chambers uses the phrase “My rainbow in the cloud.” While he was not specifically referencing forgiveness, that was the first thought that came to my mind. I saw the rainbow as if it were a “lamp unto my feet”, a calming of storms in my life, that overwhelming sense of relief when a fear that we had entertained, was fully and completely removed. In our prayer life, we often load up our requests to God with all kinds of thoughts, ideas, ‘asks’ for healing, for mending, for overcoming. But I wonder if that is the human’s way of being unfaithful, or at the very least, ungrateful. Let me explain. Continue reading
- Thursday, December 10 - The University of Adversity: Our Bible study group is currently studying Genesis, and specifically the role that Joseph played in Egypt. We know that he arrived in Egypt at age 17, and he probably died there, at least 80 years later. He went from a slave boy, to a falsely accused prisoner in the deepest darkest part of prison, to a revered and compassionate second in command of the country. An amazing story. Of course, mixed in with that part of the story is the role that his brothers played, as well as his father, and the famine that spread throughout the world, where Egypt became a life-saving supply of food for so many. It’s an interesting story, it’s God’s story, and its Jesus story. Continue reading
- Tuesday, December 8 - Pages from a Prayer Journal, Part 2: Paul’s wise advice to the Ephesians, is so true for me -- those elements in my life which cause the greatest problem and disrupt my Christian commitment most, are not flesh and blood. My biggest enemies are within myself and how I perceive the world around me. When Jesus said: “Get thee behind me, Satan,” he was not talking to Peter, he was speaking to his own temptations, the temptations of a human being. I ask the same. Continue reading
- Monday, December 7 - Pages from a Prayer Journal, Part 1: Nearly 40 years ago I was part of a group entitled “Wanted, Ten Brave Christians”. There were actually 26 at the start and we committed ourselves to five disciplines for just 30 days: Tithing, early morning prayer and scripture meditation time with the Lord, a daily act of anonymous generosity, service to the church or community, and journaling. After those first 30 days, we all agreed to continue, and most of us did, for six years! From that early start to the present time, journaling has been one of my frequent disciplines. Continue reading
- Values in Conflict - Values in Conflict: There are times in our lives where we are in conflict with another over matters that may be now seem too simplistic or too unimportant, yet at the time it may have fractured a relationship. In retrospect, you may have thought, “what was I thinking?” Father William of St. Gregory’s Abbey in Three Rivers, Michigan, recalls, with humor, one of the great theological conundrums of his childhood: What was the real, the true tune for “Away in a Manger”? Continue reading
- Cockeyed with Gratitude - Cockeyed the Gratitude: Have you ever been cockeyed with gratitude? You know, when thankfulness fills your eyes with tears, and your heart is so full that it fair will burst, and all of your words are adjectives of grace and joy. Have you ever been that cockeyed with gratitude? You know in a very real sense, I think that deep feeling of God’s presence produces all of that, so that even the smallest things in your life take on a shine, a glistening polish of newness even though it’s old, as old as you are, yet its new. Continue reading
