Thanksgiving

Psalm 147:7

Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

What did you do last weekend?  there was Black Friday, with some of the best imaginable deals possible, as long as you got there before dawn.  There was Grey Saturday, if you weren’t brave enough for the crowds on Friday.  As I write this, my email is flooding with offers to “take advantage of Cyber Monday” (I bought new cell phones for DW and me.

What did you do to honor the spirit of Thanksgiving? I some some posts on Thursday from people who couldn’t even wait for Midnight to begin their shopping sprees.

I got up early on Saturday to drive 2-1/2 hours to a maximum-security prison.  With more than 2,000 inmates, there were only 30 visitors all day.  I’m not bragging about the trip - it’s been over two years since I was there to visit my friend.

The Salvation Army is having difficulty getting people to stand at their red kettles. They’ve announce a new campaign using “cyber kettles” and special Twitter accounts.  You can establish your own Cyber Kettle and encourage your friends to make contributions to the Salvation Army at your online kettle.

I think of Charlie Brown and his pathetic, last-off-the-lot Christmas Tree.  It was a ridiculous skeleton of wood that couldn’t support even one ornament.  Then his community came together to join his effort to brighten the season. Will we come together this year to brighten the season?

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’”  (Matthew 25:35-36 NIV) .

It’s an act of worship to give thanks in this way.  Singing (or playing an instrument) is one way, but not the only way, to worship God.  When we honor Him with whatever we do, it is an act of worship.  When you visit a cyber kettle (http://tinyurl.com/redkettle), or a real Red Kettle, it’s an act of worship.  When you take a glass of water to a thirsty person, it’s an act of worship.

When you are searching for your bargains this shopping season, remember it is also the traditional season of Advent, when the whole Church looks forward with excitement to the upcoming celebration of Jesus’ birth.  These next four weeks, as we count down to our gift exchanges, let’s also count our blessings, and look for ways to worship God as we re-present Jesus to this world which is in such desperate need of Him.

I will pray for you, and will you please pray for me?  Let’s pray that we will find ways to worship God by presenting and re-presenting His Son to this world that is in such desperate need.  In Jesus’ Name!

Stevene

Gossip

Romans 1:29

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips!

Earlier in this chapter, Paul writes: “for though they knew God, they did not honor Him” (verse 21). When we look to the two “Great Commandments” as the basis for “all the law and the prophets” we see that we are called to love God and to love our neighbor.  I heard one preacher say “love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, then do whatever you want.”

This sounds like it gives us the freedom to do anything.  But how can you do something that would displease God if you love Him with all of who you are?  If you honor God (as in verse 21) and love God (as in Deuteronomy 6:5), gossip cannot be a part of who you are.  Conversely, if you do not honor God, and you do not love Him with ALL your being, then you will become “become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.”

It’s an easy choice.  “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

I will pray for you, and will you please pray for me?  Let’s pray that our love for God will be so all-encompassing that there will be no room for any kind of wickedness.  In Jesus’ Name!

Thanks for the time you took to read this!

Stevene

mans anger

James 1:20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

I am a devoted, 16-year-listener to the man who rescued AM radio from oblivion.  I don’t know if I’m devoted, addicted, or compulsive, but I never  miss.  But recently I’ve found myself disagreeing more often than not.  And today I read an inspired post about the recent political scene: “I have been very disappointed in all the complaining…”

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). I want to be as much like my wife as I can, because I love her very much.  I want to be as much like God as I can, because I love Him very much.  Any time I become aware of falling short because of my wrath, I am painfully aware that I have not “produced the righteousness of God.”

More than once I have gone off the handle with Brad, the artist of this comic.  And each time I have become painfully aware of the impact, not only on my brother, but on the Kingdom.  I left the denomination in which I was raised because of the wrath on both sides of the schism-in-progress. The issues have been important: President-elect, Presiding Bishop, Ministry Leader.  But when the issues are contested in wrathful exchanges, the issue is no longer, well, no longer the issue.

In today’s comic, Boo has been seriously injured.  Who was he listening to?  What was the topic?  Did he agree or disagree with the report?  None of those is significant, because in wrath, Boo wrecked his car.

How do we produce the righteousness of God? What would Jesus do? When I read that inspired post this afternoon, I sent a message to the author telling her I thought it was inspired.  I did not write of any disagreement with pieces of her message.  I wanted to commend her.  I wanted to “be Jesus” and “produce the righteousness of God” in this setting.

Then I got home and read the passage Brad had selected for today’s comic.  Coincidental? I think not.  Inspired? Definitely.  Nice timing, Boo!

I will pray for you, and will you please pray for me?  Let’s pray that we can “produce the righteousness of God” and be the representatives of Christ that this world needs to see.  And let’s all pray for our next president, Barack Obama.

Thanks for the time you took to read this article.

Stevene

Halloween Christians

1 Peter 2:16

Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the Parable of the Prodigal Father.  I say “father” instead of “son” because I like to focus on the prodigious nature of God’s love.  And last night my pastor spoke on the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  So I got to thinking about who is beaten man in my life.  Who am I walking past on the other side of the road.  Whom do I think poorly of that Jesus would not want me to dismiss lightly?

On the bus ride to work every morning there is a “special person” near whom I act like the Levite who crossed the road to avoid contact. This morning, with the Good Samaritan fresh on my mind, this fellow  sat down next to me.  While I didn’t move to take another seat, I did “use my freedom as a covering for evil” as I began to wrinkle my nose.

In God’s good timing, McDaddy picked this verse, and I got his note at lunchtime.  God immediately reminded me of the change in my attitude that came with thinking like the Good Samaritan.  This “special person” is my neighbor.  I don’t know that God wants me to do anything, but it is clear to me that I need to love him.  He is my neighbor. If I accept the Great Commandments (and I do), to love God and  my neighbor, then I can do no other (my apologies to Martin Luther). Not just “even the ’special person’” but especially the “special person”.

This Friday evening there will be a lot of ’special people’ ringing my doorbell, and God calls me to love each and every one of them.  In the spirit of this verse, I will use my freedom as a bondslave of God to honor each and every one of them, no matter how ’special’ they might be.

I will pray for you, and would you please pray for me! Pray that we will love our neighbors, especially the ’special people’ God puts in our neighborhood. In Jesus’ Name!

Spam spam spam spam

Proverbs 10:19

The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin.  If you are wise, you will keep quiet. (Good News Bible)

I looked at more than a dozen versions of this passage, and felt this version, although a paraphrase, caught the sense of the passage best. “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin” comes from the King James Version.  I found it interesting that the Good News Bible conveyed this passage in fewer words than most other versions. As a mathematician, I do a lot with numbers, and found this to be an excellent example of practicing what you preach…

Someone once wrote “It’s better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”  How often do we run our mouths and dig ourselves a deep hole?

“Simply let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes,’ and your ‘no,” ‘no’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37 NIV). Whatever we can do to say what we need to in the shortest time possible is worth the effort.

And so I will be brief. Praise God!

I will pray for you, and would you please pray for me! Pray that, in God’s wisdom, we will communicate effectively, AND efficiently, and then be quiet. In Jesus’ Name!

Kung Fu Hometeam

Acts 2:42

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Say it with me: “Here is the church, here is the steeple.  Open the doors, and see all the people!”

If you go to Church, why do you go? Why does the Church exist?  What is the Church?

Each of these questions could easily become the subject for a doctoral dissertabion.  But the pattern we have in scripture begins with this passage: “they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”  Three of Rick Warren’s “Five Purposes” are listed in this verse (discipleship, fellowship, and worship), plus prayer, which is really the sixth purpose.  The last two, evangelism and service, come right after this verse.  This is what the first century Church focused on.

What does your Church do well?  In the congregation I grew up in, “Coffee Hour” was called “The Eighth Sacrament” and sometimes was the best part of Sunday morning.  Fellowship is important enough that God made it one of the six Purposes of the Church.  Today’s comic captures well the combination of two of the six: Discipleship and Fellowship.  My guess is they also prayed over the “tatersalad” as well as anyone injured in the Kung Fu.

What about Evangelism?  I once heard a radio preacher describe evangelism as “one beggar telling another where to find bread.”  When was the last time you asked a hungry friend to join you for the Bread of Life?  For me, it’s been a few weeks.  I wish it were more like a few hours…

What about Service?  Given the name “Steven” I think often of the first deacon, and the Greek word for “deacon” conveys both “ministry” and “menial service.”  In some of our churches, deacons are ordained ministers, and in others they are menial servants set aside for the hard physical work inside the church building.  If the last shall be first, and the first shall be last, why make a distinction between “minister” and “menial servant” - let’s do both “as unto the Lord.”

What about Worship?  I don’t mean the singing we do in the “Worship Center” or “Sanctuary” during Sunday morning or Midweek services.  Do you worship God in other ways?  What is “Worship?” I’m a musician, and making music, whether vocally or instrumentally, is an intense form of worship for me.  But so is writing.  So is witnessing.  Worship is anything I do that glorifies God.  Hopefully that’s everything I do.  Whether I am praying, serving, evangelizing, fellowshipping, or discipling, I want to be worshipping God.

I will pray for you, and will you please pray for me?  Pray that in all we do, we will glorify God.  Glorify Him through our Worship, Evangelism, Fellowship, Service, Discipleship and Prayer.  And even our Kung Fu!

Thanks for the time you took to read this!

Stevene

John 3:17

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

Who’s wrong?  Who’s at fault?  If there’s such a huge problem, then there must be somebody we can blame!  I’m upset! Heads must roll!

Is that what you are hearing in your breakroom today?  I heard somebody grumble that “they’re all corrupt. There’s no way I can trust any of them to fix a problem they caused.”  The thought is understandable.  But is it Christ-like?

Some problems are so complicated that even legitimate experts are unable to wrap their mortal brains around  the causes.  And some problems have painful symptoms which need to be addressed quickly, even before the underlying cause is discerned.

Years ago I was involved in a national movement for social justice.  Where many social ministries focus on symptoms, this movement was trying to address underlying problems.  Occasionally these two opposites on the spectrum of ministry get into an argument about what “kind” of ministry is more important.  Do you put bandaids on problems, or do you concentrate on surgery to repair the underlying problem?

The best response to this question I ever heard was this: “Not only do we pull drowning babies out of the stream, but we go upstream to find out who is throwing them in.”

The current financial crisis is a situation where both tasks are going to be important. There is a symptom which needs to be addressed, and our national leaders are attempting to apply a huge bandaid.  Others are looking upstream and blaming those leaders for throwing the babies in, while, the babies are foundering in the stream.  Both perspectives are important.

God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world.  When Jesus dealt with the woman caught in adultery, He pulled her out of the stream in which she was drowning.  And then He told her to go away from the steam’s bank (”Go and sin no more”).

Let’s be careful anytime we are in the middle of a crisis, whether it’s a family member stuck in a hole he or she jumped into, or a financial market stuck in a hole likewise created by their sin.  Let’s be careful to look for the babies that are drowning in the stream, but also look for the reason they are in the water to begin with.

I’ll pray for you, and would you please pray for me?  Pray that we will honor God in our life ministries by rescuing the drowning babies AND by fixing the problem that is putting them in the water in the first place.  God needs us to minister both upstream AND downstream.  Let’s be in both places, in Jesus’ Name.

Thanks for the time you took to read this!

Stevene

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bailout comic

Mat 12:36

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

I am challenged by a very clear memory that replays conversations for me, especially those where my witness was, shall we say, “less than perfect.”  And I am challenged by a vivid imagination that plays back conversations with a modified dialogue, one where the words I speak are almost always either direct quotations or clear allusions to Bible passages.

I am not really sure which kind of mental video pains me more, the first kind, where I spoke “idle words” for which Jesus tells me I will have to answer, or the other one, where I could have spoken words Jesus would have said.  Of course the worst situation is one where both videos play in my mind: Not only did I speak poorly, but I missed an opportunity to speak the words of my Lord.

I have written before of a time in my life when my knowledge of Scripture was used to confuse Christians, in an effort to at least embarrass them, and hopefully “deliver them” from the Christian faith.  It pleases me to know that my knowledge of Scripture is now used (sometimes) to speak as Christ would.  I know God is pleased when I do this.  And I know He is not happy when I do not.

The best part of this is the awareness that the more I spend time reading the Bible devotionally, the more the words of Scripture are burned into my mind, and the easier it is to bring them out when God gives me the opportunity to speak for Him here on earth.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

I will pray for you, and will you please pray for me?  Pray that, when the moment arrives, and God trusts us to speak for Him, that we will be able to use the words Jesus would use, and not the idle words for which we will someday have to answer.  And let’s all pray for the people God honors us with the opportunity to to speak to.   Let us all pray that God’s words will be the first ones that come to mind whenever we open our mouths to speak.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Stevene

1Co 14:33 

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

This passage hits me twice: Once as a Christian struggling to worship with words, and again as a Christian struggling to worship with music.

Sometimes, when I am making music, and I let God work through me, there’s a special thing that happens:  Sounds come out of my instrument that I couldn’t have planned no matter how hard I try.  And sometimes what comes out is not so peaceful   I have come to understand, usually after the fact, that if I’m confused about something I’m going to play, then it’s probably best left unplayed.  On the other hand, if a tune comes strongly into my mind, and I play it, sometimes God blesses the output.

My words are the same way: If I’m confused about the words in my head, it’s because they are not God’s words.  Not only am I confused, but also they won’t make sense to anybody else.  God is not the Author of confusion.  Literally! If He writes it, the words are clear.  If the words are not clear, they’re not from God.

Once in a while, there’s something special that happens between me and my horn – a God thing.  And once in a while, there’s something special that happens between me and my computer.  Another God thing.  Not only is God NOT the Author of confusion, He is the Source of All that is worth writing… or reading.

I’ll pray for you, and will you please pray for me.  Pray that He’ll help us recognize Him in the moments of clarity that come sometimes, and that He’ll help us resist those moments of confusion that also come, but not from Him.

Thanks for taking time to read this!

Stevene

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confusion, comic, 1 Cor 14:33, music