Fear Not

The chaos of the world has become a powerful breeding ground for fear. I get glimpses of fear in the eyes of men, women, young people, and children. People are in fear when they are alone and when they are in groups. People are fearful of the world financial situation, loss of freedoms, war in Europe, ability to get goods, the next court ruling and the political turmoil in Washington D.C. I talk to people that have no reason to fear. Life is up and to the right. They don’t have financial worries; their health is stellar, their family is healthy and beyond functional and yet they worry about some things or everything collapsing. Out of fear, people don masks and hide from each other. The mask keeps people from revealing their true feelings, opinions, and values. Relationships never become what they should be. God regularly commands His people to not be afraid but to be strong and courageous. God desires His people to be free from fear. Fear holds people captive and keeps them from becoming who He wants them to be and living the flourishing life Jesus spoke of. Jesus said, “I came to give life--life in all its fullness.” John 10:10 (NCV) The way to live the life Jesus plans is to focus on the greatness and sovereignty of God. Put your hand in His hand. Give Him access to your heart when you are afraid. He will breathe courage into you. Your circumstances might not change, but the grip of fear on you will loosen. “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” Psalms 23:4 (NLT) “The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalms 27:1 (NLT) “I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.” Psalms 34:4 (NLT) God is the answer to your fears. Turn everything over to Him. Spend time focusing on everything God’s Word says about fear. You’ll be encouraged and strengthened.

Ask Questions

If you’ve spent any time reading the accounts of the life of Jesus in the New Testament, you probably noticed that Jesus asked a lot of questions. His practice was to ask questions. When people questioned him, he questioned them in return. When someone tried to challenge him, he responded with a question. Jesus didn’t ask questions because he didn’t understand. He understood everything. He knew what people were thinking before they opened their mouth. He asked questions to get other people thinking. Jesus asked the “rich young ruler,” “why do you call me good?” He asked the woman, the religious leaders dragged before him, “where are your accusers?” When he sensed that “power had gone out from Him,” He asked those around him, but to no one in particular, “Who touched me?” When people were abandoning him and the disciples challenged him, he asked them, “do you want to leave also?” Asking questions is an art. Questions say to the other person, “What you have to say is important” and “I don’t know everything” and “I can learn from you.” When a person asks questions and listens, they are telling the other person you are important and valuable. James Thurber correctly states, “It is better to ask some of the questions than to know all the answers.” When Jesus’ brother James wrote, “Be quick to listen, and slow to speak” he could have just as easily written, “Be quick to ask, and slow to answer.” Too often we’d rather hear our own voice, give our opinions, and make our point than ask questions and listen. We’d rather be heard than hear. The Apostle Paul wrote: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT) One of the best ways to “take an interest in others” is to ask questions and listen. Could it be you and I can learn from others? Is it possible that asking questions and listening is the way forward in our fractured world? Could asking questions and listening to those we don’t agree with or find appealing is the key to building bridges between divided people and groups? “The person who asks is a fool for five minutes, but the person who does not ask remains a fool forever.” Unknown

Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak and Slow to Anger

Jesus’ brother James wrote the letter, bearing his name, to Jewish believers. His letter is one of the oldest letters in the New Testament. He encouraged their growth as followers of the Messiah. James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem until his death at the hands of the Jewish establishment. They gave him the chance to deny his brother Jesus as the Messiah. He refused, and they executed him violently. James’s letter is filled with truths, challenges, encouragements, and direction for believers. Much of what he wrote is as important and relevant now as it was 2,000 years ago. One line of instruction recently caught my attention. “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” James 1:19-20 (NLT) “You must ALL be quick to listen.” James didn’t distinguish between men and women, young and old, mature, or immature. His instruction is straightforward – “You must ALL be quick to listen.” Listen first, talk next if necessary. Since people have two ears and one mouth, it's obvious they were designed to listen more than talk. “You must ALL be slow to speak.” I recently read some “Cowboy Wisdom” that says basically the same thing. "Remember to load your brain before you shoot off your mouth." Too often we are quick to speak and slow to listen, and it gets us in trouble almost every time. “You must ALL be slow to get angry.” This one is challenging. Anger results from a mixture of judgement, fear, disappointment, frustration, and pride. That’s the short list of ingredients when mixed, and left to stew, boil over. “Quick to listen” and “slow to speak” are less complicated than “slow to get angry.” We can control the speed of the first two by sheer willpower. Anger seems to ignite like gas from a slow leak. When enough emotional propane leaks out, just a little spark can ignite it and there is chaos and destruction. James continues, “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” Rarely, if ever, is human anger productive. Anger may get someone’s attention, but it doesn’t hold it or cause forward progress for long. What would family life be like if people were quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger? How would the relationships between husband and wife, parents and children, and siblings with each other benefit? Wouldn’t you agree if people were quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry, relationships in work, community, and school would flourish? Will you take up the challenge to be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger”? Jesus, help us!

The Goodness of God

We’ve been singing a newer song for a few months called, “Goodness of God.” Almost every time one of the worship leaders sings this song, I have a hard time not tearing up. I don’t know why but it makes me remember a weekend when I was 10ish years old. I had this overwhelming urge to go to “Mass” at the Catholic church my family attended. It was a mile from my house and up a hill. Sunday morning, I got up, got my church clothes on, and rode one of the “sting-ray” bikes to church. I entered the sanctuary and went right up to the front row of pews and took my place. I can still remember what today I know was God around me. My life wasn’t profoundly changed that morning. I didn’t see or hear angels. But I have looked back over the years to that day and know God was doing something in me. The chorus to the song goes like this: All my life you have been faithful All my life you have been so, so good With every breath that I am able Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God. I can look back to that day, when I first had an awareness of God’s presence and then scan through my life and see God’s work. God’s faithfulness. God’s goodness. There have been high mountains and deep valleys. There have been times of greatest joy and moments of profound sorrow. I can look back and see the goodness and faithfulness of God. His goodness was there, in every part of my journey and the journey of those I’ve walked with. King David spoke truth when he wrote, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I SHALL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.” Psalms 23:6 (ESV) The Apostle Paul found strength in this truth: “This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV) One more line from the song. “Goodness of God” grabs my heart, “Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me! Jesus, thank you for running after me for more than 50 years! You’ve been so, so, so, very GOOD!

Grief and Hope

I know I’ve written about grief and grieving at other times, but I’ve been thinking about grief again. Grief is a funny emotion. Grief has characteristics that make it unique. Everyone who walks through grief experiences it differently. For some, grief is very emotional, while for others, grief has a numbing effect. Grief isn’t just felt at the time of physical death. People experience grief over losing health, businesses, relationships, jobs, pets, homes, dreams and aspirations can all produce grief. Grief has multiple sub-feelings and mindsets that accompany it. Often swirling around grief is anger, regret, shock, and denial. As the grieving subsides, people move towards acceptance of the new reality. I have been thinking about a few different scriptures from the Apostle Paul. To the church in Thessalonica, he wrote: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (ESV) Followers of Jesus grieve loss. God made people to grieve. God grieves losses, and He made us in His image so naturally people grieve. Mental health research has revealed the necessity of grieving losses and the toll failing to grieve takes on a person mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Followers of Jesus grieve, but not like those “who have no hope.” We have hope because God comforts those who turn to Him. “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NLT) We also have hope because “death,” is not an ending. Someone has rightly said, “Death is not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning.” Death is a move to a new chapter in a believer’s life with God. Paul also wrote, “We are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8 (NLT) People often say to someone who’s loved one has died “I’m sorry for your loss.” Those who trust in God experience a loss, but the loved one is not “lost.” We know right where they are: “At home with the Lord.” Yet, we feel the loss, the emptiness, and the temporary disconnect. I’m telling myself, “Grieve, it’s good for you!” I’m at the same time striving to remember that buried below grief is HOPE and comfort.