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Dear Friends,

As I sit here typing, my younger son John is going through detoxification in an intensive care unit in Georgia . He had been making preparations for his upcoming wedding when a life-long problem with alcohol got the best of him. Damage to his kidneys and liver is severe and things are touch-and-go. We just learned of the situation a few hours ago, so after taking time to pray with Bonnie, I retreated to my office where I turned to the one thing that calms me: writing about the glory of God.

The inspiration verse for today on one of the Bible websites I follow read, “It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.” Deuteronomy 13:4 (NIV)

When life is easy, serving and holding fast to the Lord is easy. It is when our world seems to crumble around us that our faith is tested. Habakkuk 3:17-18 is a Scripture that reminds me that in good times and bad, I must follow the Lord: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”

Bonnie and I will be flying to Atlanta to be with our son and to assist his fiancé Dee Dee. Whatever the outcome, I know that my son loves the Lord and that he is not alone. Thessalonians 5:16-19 tells us, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

While I am far from joyful right now, I rejoice in the Lord knowing that, as Isaiah proclaimed, “’Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10

Bonnie and I are praying continually for John and Dee Dee, and we ask you, our Friends in Christ, to pray with us. We give thanks to God for the compassion he has for all of us.

Blessings,
Don &Bonnie

Dear Friends,

Pilate asked. “What is truth?” John 18-38 (NLT) A wave of “secular relativism” has swept over our country, and truth seems to depend on what each individual recognizes as truth, with morality being defined by the moral standards of each individual. Is truth nothing more than a weathervane blowing in the winds of change, an abstract idea whose essence depends on the individual?

Like millions of Americans who have been following current events, I find myself repeatedly asking, “What is truth, anyway?” Those in positions of power seem to have their own understanding of the concept of right and wrong, and it’s hard to discern what, if any, standard they are using. If their perceptions become the standard for truth, how are we supposed to protect ourselves and our loved ones from trickle-down immorality?

Christians need to offer a clear standard and refuse to be complacent when that standard is challenged. Fundamentalists might say, “The Bible said it; I believe it, and that settles it!” A less confrontational response might be, “The Bible says it; I believe it, and that settles me.” Generations of Christians, have found that the Bible provides a firm foundation upon which to build their righteous standard.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Of course the foundation we build our standard upon is constantly under attack. Just as Eve was tempted by the serpent in the garden with the words, “Did God really say …,” the voices of secular humanism challenge the Bible because it is antithetical to lifestyles secularists promote. “If there is a God,” they question, “Why would he say that?”

Isaiah offers an answer, “How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”? Isaiah 29:16

In Deuteronomy, the Lord spoke about the importance of his Word. Those words from Deuteronomy are as relevant for Christians today as they were for the Israelites then. “’So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.’” Deuteronomy 11:16-19

In some sects of Judaism men wear phylacteries, small leather boxes containing Hebrew texts printed on vellum to remind them to keep to God’s Word. Many Christians find Post-It notes are an excellent alternative. As they read their Bible they look for verses that speak to specific areas of their life and write them on Post-it notes as reminders.

They also honor God’s instruction to teach their children by giving their children and grandchildren their own age-appropriate Bibles, and by showing them verses that support a strong moral and spiritual foundation. Philippians 4:8 is an especially important verse for teenagers and young adults. When they face moral dilemmas, evaluating their options based on the qualities listed in this verse can help them to make the right decision.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Unfortunately there is no sure-fire human defense against trickle-down immorality. We all are influenced by the world. We all make wrong decisions. The Good News is that once we make the decision to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we don’t have to fight the battle alone. As the verse below reminds us, we have a reliable guide to the truth.

Verse for the Week:  “’If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.’” John 14:15-17a

Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Friends,

It was one of those emails you hate to get: “The aortic ultrasound shows no aneurysm, but it did show a possible growth in the bladder.” What was she thinking? Doesn’t my doctor realize that growth is one of those medical terms that can conjure up all sorts of disturbing thoughts? I wished she hadn’t sent the email.

For a few minutes I just sat at my desk wondering how I should process this bit of information. I started worrying about what the implications might be; which quickly shifted to whining about how unfair this was.

Psalm 46:3 came to mind. “So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea … “ OK for you, Mr. Psalmist, but I’m not dealing with an earthquake. I’m dealing with something much more personal.”

I’m sure many of you have been there. The doctor wants to do a biopsy, or maybe your chest X-ray requires another look. You know that God is control, but at that particular moment, you want to be in control.

I needed to be in control, so I did what comes naturally; I went to Google. There is a plethora of websites that can help you diagnose almost any condition. A few clicks of my mouse and I was sure my condition was terminal.

But then I remembered a message about worry delivered by Pastor Buddy Owen from Saddleback Church. His message was taken from Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV):

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“When you fix your thoughts on God,” Buddy said, “God fixes your thoughts.” Then he offered a simple exercise that can help you fix your thoughts on God rather than on your worries:

If you have something that is troubling you, offer it to the Lord in prayer. Start by praying with your palms up. Imagine that your worries are in the palms of your hands. Ask God to take the worries from you, and then turn your palms down, symbolizing you are letting go of your worries. Then turn your palms face up again, as you thank God for the good things he has in store for you.

“OK!” I thought. “This is a good time to try this exercise.” Lifting my hands I imagined my growth sitting in my palms. “Lord, I have a lot to do today, I would appreciate it if you would take care of this worry for me.”

Then I turned my palms down letting the worry slip from my grasp. After a brief pause, I lifted my hands and thanked God for his goodness.

I was late for an appointment, so I rushed to my car and drove away. During my two-hour appointment, concerns about my doctor’s email didn’t come to mind. Perhaps I was just too busy to worry. However, as I started my drive home the growth again came to mind. Except this time it was the memory of a growth I had forgotten.

“Could it be?” I wondered. I called my former urologist and asked if I could pick up a copy of my medical records. When I opened the envelope, I saw that word … growth. I had been through this drill once before and the growth that showed up on my recent MRI was the same benign critter that we had examined a few years ago. Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t some kind of miracle. What it was — was a better way for me to handle worry.

Scripture tells us “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Sometimes the MRI doesn’t come out the way we had hoped, or the X-ray brings bad news, and sometimes it just doesn’t seem like all things work together for good. But wishing things could be different, worrying about the implications, and whining that the world isn’t fair won’t change anything. The one thing that will make a difference is worshipping.

So the next time you face a crisis, remember to fix your thoughts on God so God can fix your thoughts. Perhaps the “growth” you’ll have will be spiritual growth.

Verse for the Week: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ

Dear Friends,

When I was a kid nobody died. Every Saturday, I would go to the Beverly Theater in Northeast Washington, D.C. where my heroes would fight valiantly against the forces of evil, only to be caught in a life-threatening dilemma at the end of the serial. No matter how hopeless their situation seemed, I could go home confident that the next Saturday they would be rescued and resume the fight. That was an age of innocence.

I’m not sure when innocence died. It may have been when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Perhaps it was dealt a fatal blow by the horrible videos that became part of the nightly news during the Vietnam War. I’m not sure when, but I just know that, for me, innocence died; and the steady stream of violence that permeates this generation’s nightly newscasts, video games, movies, and crime dramas does a good job of making sure that no one can pull the nails from innocence’s coffin.

Like the Psalmist, we want to cry out, “Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure— you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts. Psalm 7:9 (NIV)

But then we have to ask, “Who is righteous?” When I probe my own mind and heart, I realize that a by-product of the death of innocence is the birth of the sentiment called “schadenfreude” – pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.

This feeling is not new to our generation. We read in the Book of Job, “The righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed, and the innocent will laugh in contempt. They will say, ‘See how our enemies have been destroyed. The last of them have been consumed in the fire.’”
Job 22:19:20 (NLT)

 

The problem is that more and more our definition of “enemy” has been broadened to include anyone who has a different opinion from our own. When we start taking delight in the misfortune of another child of God, we’ve crossed a line. Anyone who listens to cable news or talk radio knows what I’m talking about. Guilty as charged.

Perhaps we should make it a habit to heed the counsel of Psalm 37:7-9:  “Be still before the Lord  and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways,     when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;     do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed,     but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Controlling schadenfreude is not easy for me. I do cheer when I see a video of ISIS terrorists being killed in a drone strike, and it’s hard to hold back a fist pump when I see a corrupt politician get hoisted on their own petard.

Reading Psalm 37 may not be enough. I need to remind myself of Jesus’ words in
Matthew 5:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Being a Christian sure isn’t easy!

Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ
Your Friends in Christ

Dear Friends,

As a young man, I was an avid tennis player who had all the right equipment, all the right clothing, and a library of books full of tips on how to be a better player. One day I was walking through a bookstore when the book, “Improving Your Serve” by Charles R. Swindoll caught my eye. My serve was already decent, but if Chuck could help me — why not give it a try? I bought the book without reading the sub-title, “The Art of Unselfish Living.”

The first chapter —“Who, Me a Servant? You Gotta Be Kidding!” — hit me right where it hurt. I realized I had been spending much more time practicing my tennis serve than I ever spent practicing my Christianity by serving others. In 1^st Peter 4:10 (NIV) we read, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

 It turned out I was much more gifted as a servant than I had ever been as a tennis player. I didn’t give up the sport; I just discovered a new love. Like Peter, who had denied Christ, I heard the words, “Feed my sheep,” and found myself working at a food bank. It was a blast! I was blessed far more than the people we served.

As I have moved into new areas of service, I try to follow the words in Ephesians 6:7-8:  “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do ….”

E.B. White, the author of Charlotte’s Web, wrote, “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world.”

 Why not both? ^“

 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:6-8

Had I not found Chuck Swindoll’s book, I might never have discovered the joy that comes from serving others. I might have ended up like the hermit described in the poem below.

“The Hermit”

He spent his whole life looking up just waiting for the Lord
The only time his head looked down was when he searched the Word.
Imagine his discomfort, when Christ came and he found
That he had never learned to love; he’d never looked around.
He’d never helped a wounded friend; he’d never served the poor.
He’d never even noticed when they knocked upon his door.
He’d never dried another’s tears, nor cried tears of his own.
His solitary heartbeat was all he’d ever known.

But God’s a god of mercy, and God’s a god of grace
The hermit finally got his wish; he saw God face to face.
And in a gentle voice God said, “At last your Lord you’ve found,
But you’d have found me sooner had you learned to look around.
You can find me in a neighbor; you can find me in a friend.
You can find me in a last breath as another meets his end.
You can find me in a child kneeling down to say her prayers;
You can find me, and in finding, you can find the One who cares.

Blessings,

Your Friends in Christ