Almost 30 years ago, on Barbara’s and my wedding day, my Dad, in his early 50’s at the time, gave me some sage advice that I have always remembered and tried to apply to life. (My dad and mom had nine children. By the time I married, five older siblings had already married; so dad and mom had been through this event in life before!)
Barbara and I were getting ready to leave the church when my dad told me, “Most of the things in life I’ve spent time worrying about have never happened. Don’t waste your time worrying.”
I have to say that, at the time, I didn’t really understand what he was referring to or talking about. Now I am just a few years younger than my Dad was when Barbara and I got married, and I have a much better understanding of what he was trying to tell me.
I have to admit that I’ve spent my fair share of time worrying about things - family, financial, church relationships, church finances – just to name a few.
My Dad was right. Most of the things I’ve worried about have never happened. I’ve spent time and energy worrying when I should have trusted more. I spent time worrying about things that I had no control over. I spent energy worrying about things that I had very little ability to impact the outcome.
Jesus said: I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. (Matthew 6:25 NLT)
And: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34 NIV)
Paul wrote: Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. (Philippians 4:6 NLT)
Peter wrote: Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)
‘For tomorrow will worry about itself.’
Lord, teach me not to worry but instead teach me to trust. I give you my worries and my cares. Thank you that you care about me! Amen
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Confession
Two of the greatest promises in God’s Word are:
Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night Your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone. (Psalms 32:1-5 NLT)
If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9 NLT)
There is nothing in this world or the next greater than the forgiveness that is promised and given because of Jesus’ death on the Cross! That forgiveness is worked in our spirit and soul through confession.
Confession requires, though, an embracing of guilt and shame. If I am not guilty, if I don’t feel shame, why would I need to confess? What would there be to confess? Guilt, shame and confession are forever connected. Without guilt and shame, there is no confession. Without confession, guilt and shame remain.
How often do you ‘confess’ a wrong to God? Are you in the habit of, or the practice of, confession?
It is possible to sin against God and not against people but it is never possible to sin against people without also sinning against God. In David’s processing of his guilt and shame over his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, David declared: Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. (Psalms 51:4 NIV)
I want to encourage you to make confession of specific sin a part of your daily walk with God. It is one of the means by which the Holy Spirit forms ‘Christ in you.’ Confession is a lost art. I want to challenge you to rediscover the art of Confession. Confession is good for the soul!
“Father, forgive me and forgive your people for our neglect of the practice and the habit of confessing our sins. Make us sensitive to our conscience and teach us how to be quick to confess our sin. Amen!”
Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night Your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone. (Psalms 32:1-5 NLT)
If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9 NLT)
There is nothing in this world or the next greater than the forgiveness that is promised and given because of Jesus’ death on the Cross! That forgiveness is worked in our spirit and soul through confession.
Confession requires, though, an embracing of guilt and shame. If I am not guilty, if I don’t feel shame, why would I need to confess? What would there be to confess? Guilt, shame and confession are forever connected. Without guilt and shame, there is no confession. Without confession, guilt and shame remain.
How often do you ‘confess’ a wrong to God? Are you in the habit of, or the practice of, confession?
It is possible to sin against God and not against people but it is never possible to sin against people without also sinning against God. In David’s processing of his guilt and shame over his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, David declared: Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. (Psalms 51:4 NIV)
I want to encourage you to make confession of specific sin a part of your daily walk with God. It is one of the means by which the Holy Spirit forms ‘Christ in you.’ Confession is a lost art. I want to challenge you to rediscover the art of Confession. Confession is good for the soul!
“Father, forgive me and forgive your people for our neglect of the practice and the habit of confessing our sins. Make us sensitive to our conscience and teach us how to be quick to confess our sin. Amen!”
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Judging and Criticism
As I have been considering the reality of spiritual formation in my own life (‘Christ being formed in me’), I have been reading The Imitation of Christ, written by Thomas A. Kempis almost 600 years ago. In Book 1, Chapter 14 he wrote: “Watch over yourself and take care not to judge the actions of other people. We gain nothing from criticizing others, but often are mistaken and thereby offend God.”
One line in this section has gripped my heart: “We gain nothing from criticizing others.” How often in my life I have criticized or even allowed a critical attitude to arise. I have done so with no thought about its effect on me. I know that it has not very often been beneficial to others, but when I think, ‘I gain nothing from criticizing’ it changes my outlook on criticism.
Does anyone benefit from ‘criticism’?
Can I think of even one time that being critical has helped someone else?
Can I think of one time that being critical has served any beneficial purpose in my life?
There are, of course, times when words of correction, suggestion, and oversight are needed. As a parent it is necessary to correct, suggest and give oversight. As an employer there are times that correction, suggestion and oversight are necessary. There is a difference between correcting, suggesting, oversight and being critical. Critical comes from a negative outlook rather than a positive outlook. Critical is an attitude of superiority, not an honest attitude of trying to help. Critical is about ‘beating down’ instead of ‘building up.’
The Apostle Paul wrote: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
Talk comes out of attitude. The only way to have ‘wholesome talk’ is to have ‘wholesome attitudes.’ Critical, unwholesome attitudes will create critical, unwholesome talk.
Jesus, change me so that I have wholesome attitudes and wholesome words. Teach me to build up and not beat down. I gain nothing by criticizing and neither does anyone else. Teach me and change me. Christ form yourself in me!
One line in this section has gripped my heart: “We gain nothing from criticizing others.” How often in my life I have criticized or even allowed a critical attitude to arise. I have done so with no thought about its effect on me. I know that it has not very often been beneficial to others, but when I think, ‘I gain nothing from criticizing’ it changes my outlook on criticism.
Does anyone benefit from ‘criticism’?
Can I think of even one time that being critical has helped someone else?
Can I think of one time that being critical has served any beneficial purpose in my life?
There are, of course, times when words of correction, suggestion, and oversight are needed. As a parent it is necessary to correct, suggest and give oversight. As an employer there are times that correction, suggestion and oversight are necessary. There is a difference between correcting, suggesting, oversight and being critical. Critical comes from a negative outlook rather than a positive outlook. Critical is an attitude of superiority, not an honest attitude of trying to help. Critical is about ‘beating down’ instead of ‘building up.’
The Apostle Paul wrote: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)
Talk comes out of attitude. The only way to have ‘wholesome talk’ is to have ‘wholesome attitudes.’ Critical, unwholesome attitudes will create critical, unwholesome talk.
Jesus, change me so that I have wholesome attitudes and wholesome words. Teach me to build up and not beat down. I gain nothing by criticizing and neither does anyone else. Teach me and change me. Christ form yourself in me!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Devotional Practices aren't the measure
Churches regularly emphasize ‘devotional practices’ such as Bible reading, prayer, fasting, meditation, etc. To some it could seem that those are the most important parts of what a person can do as a Christian. Over time it is easy to believe that the sign of spiritual growth or maturity is Bible reading or giving or prayer or fasting or any number of ‘devotional practices.’ A person’s commitment is then gauged by some of these items. Evaluating ourselves and gauging our devotional practices is not a bad thing, but it might be the wrong aspect to calculate.
Devotional practices are not the measure of what God is doing in a person’s life. The Pharisees were experts at ‘devotional practices.’ In Jesus’ story in which the heart attitudes of the Pharisee and the tax collector were described, the Pharisee prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men … I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” This Pharisee was an expert in doing his devotional practices.
I am all for devotional practices. I am ‘religious’ about some of them but, they are the means to me growing and being transformed and not the final point. They are routines which God uses so that Christ will be formed in me. These devotional practices are part of my relationship and communication with Jesus. In the same way that there are certain routines and practices I have that communicate my love and devotion to Barbara.
In the area of ‘Christ being formed in us’ that we’ve been talking about, devotional practices are part of what God uses to form the nature of Christ in us. They are the tools. They are the means and not the end.
Sometimes the question is asked: Did I read my Bible? Good question, but maybe not the best question.
What if the question was: Am I growing more or less easily irritated these days? or, Am I growing more or less easily discouraged these days?
Those might be better questions because they would be the indicator of what is really happening in our spiritual life. They might be the indicator of whether Christ is being formed in us. There are lots of people who fast, read, pray, sing, etc. who are not becoming more Christ-like. The reading, praying, fasting, giving, etc. has become an end. Sadly, it has become the reason and the purpose.
Father, develop Christ in us!
Devotional practices are not the measure of what God is doing in a person’s life. The Pharisees were experts at ‘devotional practices.’ In Jesus’ story in which the heart attitudes of the Pharisee and the tax collector were described, the Pharisee prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men … I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” This Pharisee was an expert in doing his devotional practices.
I am all for devotional practices. I am ‘religious’ about some of them but, they are the means to me growing and being transformed and not the final point. They are routines which God uses so that Christ will be formed in me. These devotional practices are part of my relationship and communication with Jesus. In the same way that there are certain routines and practices I have that communicate my love and devotion to Barbara.
In the area of ‘Christ being formed in us’ that we’ve been talking about, devotional practices are part of what God uses to form the nature of Christ in us. They are the tools. They are the means and not the end.
Sometimes the question is asked: Did I read my Bible? Good question, but maybe not the best question.
What if the question was: Am I growing more or less easily irritated these days? or, Am I growing more or less easily discouraged these days?
Those might be better questions because they would be the indicator of what is really happening in our spiritual life. They might be the indicator of whether Christ is being formed in us. There are lots of people who fast, read, pray, sing, etc. who are not becoming more Christ-like. The reading, praying, fasting, giving, etc. has become an end. Sadly, it has become the reason and the purpose.
Father, develop Christ in us!
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