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Monday, November 30, 2020

What is the Target in Relationship Struggles?

The last few weeks, I have been reflecting on the Apostle Paul’s instructions to Titus. Paul visited Titus in Crete after a brief visit. He sent Titus instructions to help him establish and strengthen a community of disciples on the island. Crete, like many other places where churches started and sought to take root, was a target of teachers presenting an array of “lies and heresies.” Paul wrote strong, even harsh words about some who were causing trouble in the community. “There are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers ... They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” (Titus 1:10-12 ESV) Paul coached Titus and commanded him about how to manage oneself during conflict and strife. He commanded Titus to pass on the coaching to the community. Paul understood that self-control is difficult in relationship struggles. He also understood how difficult it is to coach toward godly living when relationship storms are brewing. The verse I’ve been contemplating is Titus 3:2. What Paul commands is, as we say, “Easier said than done!” “Speak evil of no one, avoid quarreling, be gentle, and show perfect courtesy toward all people.” (Titus 3:2 ESV) WOW! Really! Can that be done? No one? Avoid quarreling? Gentle? Show perfect courtesy toward ALL people? Give me a break! Get real! It may be way out there --- BUT IT IS OUR TARGET!

Monday, November 23, 2020

God, What are You Doing?

Early in 2020, I wondered what God is doing. Churches across the world ceased for a time to meet in person. Government measures to contain COVID-19, hamstrung world economies. Travel and tourism ground to a halt. The last time a pandemic impacted the world in this way was 100 years ago. I’m pondering a couple of verses while asking: God, what are you doing? What do You want the outcome to look like? In what ways are you wanting to change me and change the church I lead? In the middle of world turmoil, the prophet Habakkuk asked God what He was doing. God responded, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.” (Habakkuk 1:5 NLT) What God spoke to Habakkuk is true for me, I “wouldn’t believe even if someone told [me] about it.” God is doing something so big and so grand that it is global. I heard from people in SE Asia, Amsterdam, Nigeria, Uganda, Germany and Liberia this week. The story is the same. Virus, people sick, government restrictions and economic hardship. It is easy to judge what is happening in Washington State, but people are suffering and government restrictions are changing life around the world. God spoke to the Jewish people who were also experiencing turmoil. “Do not forget this! Keep it in mind! Remember this, … Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. ... Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” (Isaiah 46:8-10 NLT) I take comfort and assurance from God’s voice through Isaiah when He says: “For I alone am God, and there is none like me. … Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.” I for one am practicing surrender every day. Most of life is out of my control, but I trust the one who alone is God and everything He plans will come to pass. “I trust, help me when my trust wavers.” AMEN

Monday, November 16, 2020

Love Does

Five years before the Apostle Paul’s execution in Rome, he wrote to the church in Corinth. He provided them with instructions about living a God honoring life. Paul’s expectation was that the believers in Corinth would become imitators of Jesus and follow the ways of Jesus. The central trait that concerned Paul was imitating and following Jesus’ way of love. Love motivated everything Jesus did and said. Love for his Father and/or love for humanity. Love should be the motivating factor of everything that a Jesus follower does and says. “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT) If I could correct every lie of fake news, if I could combat the injustices of vote counters, if I could set straight every wrong by BLM protestors or by corrupt police, but didn’t do it from a motivation of love, my actions would not be beneficial for me or society. If I could foresee election results, policy outcomes and legislative shortcomings, but did not act and speak in love, I would be nothing. If I stood between every protestor and police officers on behalf of protestors or on behalf of the police, If I added my voice to the cacophony of sounds against injustice, but if love didn’t my actions and speech, I have gained nothing and others have gained nothing. The actions and speech that Paul described are good things, superb things, but only if the motive is love. Nothing is accomplished from speeches and activity motivated by self-righteousness, hatred, vengeance, jealousy, or revenge. What is said and done without love only adds to the darkness, pain, and suffering. Paul clarified love this way: Love is patient, kind, not jealous, boastful or proud. Love does not demand its own way, doesn’t get irritated, and doesn’t keep score. Love does not rejoice at the sight or sounds of injustice, but rejoices when truth is the winner. Love keeps trying, keeps believing, keeps hoping and striving. Actions and words rooted in love will last forever. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Matt's paraphrase)

Monday, November 9, 2020

Anchor Your Life to Jesus in a Constantly Changing World

For people inside and outside the church world, election week has been a roller coaster! As I write “Matt’s Thoughts” the election for President is still undetermined. The continual uncertainty is wearing on people. Enraged people across the country have taken to the streets. Other enraged people have taken to social media. A passage in the Psalms, written by King David 3,000 years ago, continues to turn over in my spirit. David, the skilled warrior and for forty years the king of Israel knew stress, anguish, and uncertainty. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalms 20:7 NIV) Every generation experiences stress, anguish, and uncertainty. The circumstances might be different, but the emotional roller coaster is nothing new. I have re-written David’s words in my mind to fit different scenarios. Some trust in Democrats and some in Republicans, but I trust in the name of the Lord. Some trust in governments and some trust in economies, but I trust in the name of the Lord. Some trust in preparedness and some in munitions, but I trust in the name of the Lord. People, political parties, government structures, economies, preparedness, and munitions all are insufficient and cannot answer the challenges of life. Often the mechanisms people trust in only lead to further stress, anguish, and uncertainty! I am convinced that the only sure place to anchor our trust is Jesus. As the writer of the letter to Hebrew believers stated, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 11:8 NIV) Anchor your life to Jesus. He never changes in a constantly changing world.

Monday, November 2, 2020

Is it Possible to Please God and People?

Every person has wrestled with “people pleasing.” Adam was interested in pleasing Eve. The Apostle Paul, describing the average husband and wife, said, “A married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:33 NLT) and “A married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:34 NLT) Paul describes the reality of married life. The husband or wife who doesn’t care about pleasing their spouse will be miserable, and their spouse will be even more miserable. “Happy Marriages” comprise husbands and wives who seek to please each other. People pleasing is not a bad thing. Parenting is often about people pleasing. A doctor’s “bedside manner” is likewise about people pleasing. Customer service is about people pleasing. People pleasing is not bad, but it can go too far and slip into fearing people. King Solomon wrote, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety.” (Proverbs 29:25 NLT) People pleasing, when it goes too far, slips into fearing people and fearing people is a NO WIN proposition. When I wrestle with “fearing people,” I ask myself “Who am I going to please? Which group am I going to please?” For example, When I started pastoring, the dress code for pastors was a jacket and tie. A pastor didn’t need to worry about “people pleasing.” As society became more casual and “casual Fridays” became the trend, pastors wrestled with pleasing the jacket and tie people or the casual Friday people. “It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.” [Marcus Aurelius] Why do we care so much about other people’s opinions? Jesus’ follower’s primary aim must be to please God. Pleasing people is often also pleasing God, but sometimes “displeasing people” equals pleasing God. Paul stated it this way: “Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10 ESV) Here’s the principle: Please people when it pleases God, displease people when pleasing them, would displease God. Stated another way: Always please God, even when it displeases people.