SPEAK YOUR MIND AND HEART Acts 13: 4-12

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To speak my mind and heart remains an uphill battle for me.  Especially in the face of attacks targeting the Bible’s truthfulness and even our Lord Jesus.  Why so difficult?

Unfortunately, I’m a people-pleaser, which doesn’t please the Lord at times.  I logged in as a Country Club Manager on a seminary vocational test.  ‘More peanuts, anyone?  Pretzels?  Everyone happy?  Everything hunky-dory?’

But at times, I need to speak my mind and heart.  Don’t chew on my fingernails fearing flak with someone’s nasty thumbs-down hurled my way.  Getting the old heave-ho.  Thrown on modern culture’s junk heap.   It’s part of the territory in this day and age, isn’t it?  Probably always has been.

Paul and Barnabas minister on Cyprus, Barnabas’ home island.  The Holy Spirit leads them there.  They encounter someone named Bar-Jesus, who dabbles in occult, magic arts, along with being a confidante of Cyprus’ Roman political leader, Sergius Paulus.

Bar-Jesus means ‘Son of Jesus’.  Sounds like a good name to me.  But it isn’t and he isn’t as he tries his level best to keep Sergius Paulus from embracing the faith and becoming a true ‘son of Jesus’.

But Paul has something to say about this.  Better fasten your seat belts!  Acts 13: 9-11–“But Saul…filled with the Holy Spirit…said, ‘You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you,  and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.'”  Nothing meek and mild or Caspar Milquetoast about Paul.  Forget the peanuts and pretzels.

No people-pleaser, like you-know-who!  Gives him a huge piece of his mind and heart.  With both barrels.  If I were in Paul’s shoes, I’d feel a bit weak in the knees.  All shook up and freaked out– ‘Please Lord, use someone else.  Give me a break.  Cut me some slack.  Leave me out!’

But God calls His own to step up to the plate.  ‘Stand up, stand up for Jesus’ like Paul did.  Be the odd one out, if necessary.  Risk unwelcome glances and whispers.  Even in your face howling and bellowing.  Speak up.  Doesn’t that sound more like what it means to take up the cross and follow Jesus?

“And (Jesus) said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it'” (Luke 9:23-24).

Lord Jesus, give me your courage to stand up for you.  Amen.

A WORTHY MENTOR Acts 11: 19-26

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Years ago I determined to preach annually about the early church leader Barnabas.  Why Barnabas?  What makes him special?  Let me count the ways!

He’s born on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus to a Jewish religious family of Levites, Temple assistants.  He’s named Joseph, but later the apostles nickname him Barnabas, meaning ‘son of encouragement’.  He earns that moniker by being exactly that.

Barnabas becomes a missionary partner with the Apostle Paul.  Pretty good company!  Paul doesn’t rub shoulders with just anyone.  Later these two duke it out over having Barnabas’ nephew Mark go on another mission journey, because on an earlier one Mark deserts them, fleeing home prematurely.  Homesick?  Couldn’t take the trials and troubles?  Who knows?  Barnabas wants to give Mark a second chance, but Paul puts his foot down, refusing to risk Mark’s deserting ways once again.

Acts 11:19-26 gives kudos to our man Barnabas.  Wouldn’t you love similar words said about you?–‘…for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith’ (Acts 11:24).  If only.  I’ll take any one of the above!

When the mother church in Jerusalem gets wind of Gentiles becoming believers in Messiah Jesus, they’re flummoxed and incredulous (see, I still use my Thesaurus!).  They send Barnabas to check it out.  Who better?  He gets to the bottom of it, and it’s good news indeed!

What about those toxic rumors of that archenemy, the persecutor, Saul of Tarsus, becoming a believer in the Lord Jesus?   Who should they send to smoke out the truth?  Who pulls the short straw?  When most shake in their sandals fearing Saul, it’s Barnabas who introduces him to the Jerusalem Church head honchos (Acts 9:26-27).  Second chances are second nature to Barnabas.

And his faith?   Simply contagious.  Countless others become followers, not of Barnabas, but of Jesus.  Barnabas then grabs hold of Saul, now called Paul, to have him teach those new Gentile believers.  He’s a connector.  Joins people together without putting his own name up in lights.  No grabbing the headlines, or demanding naming rights to that new church in Antioch.

Can you see why I’m drawn to Barnabas?  He’s a worthy mentor.

Thank you, Lord, for leaders who are your followers.  For your sake.  Amen.

HIS WHISPERS Job 26

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We loved visiting New York City’s the Cloisters Museum.  Located in Upper Manhattan’s Fort Tryon Park, it offers panoramic vistas across the Hudson River to the Palisades of New Jersey, near where I served two churches.  The Cloisters specializes in medieval architecture and art.

Something unforgettable happens there in a smallish room, which contains dozens of audio speakers for surround sound.  We stand in a circle listening to the most gorgeous Gothic chants.  Ethereal tones like we’ve never heard before.   Such blissful, euphonic and celestial music makes it hard to tear ourselves away.

This triggers a thought, something found in the Old Testament.  Job 26: 14–‘Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him!’  Experiencing God happens only by winks and whispers.  The fullness comes later.

The Apostle Paul understands.  He recounts something like an out-of-body experience that takes him to the outskirts of heaven.  To paradise, he says.  What does he see?  Something breathtaking.  Indescribable.  But actually that’s not how he puts it–‘and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter’ (2 Cor. 12:4).  ‘…he heard things…’  It’s not what he sees with his eyes that he can’t talk about, but what he hears.  Again, Job says we only hear whispers of God’s glory.

As wonderful as that Cloisters surround sound was, I can only imagine (unlike John Lennon) how stunning the notes of heaven will be.  No whispers anymore.  Lots of harmony with parts perfectly blended.  Overtones galore.

Such a choir.  The best is that we’ll be season-ticket holders, while also being permanent resident singers of God’s praises forever!

For music of praise, we thank you, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

CODES, PUZZLES AND MYSTERIES? Deuteronomy 30: 11-14

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We live in a time when knowledge of God’s Word disappears quicker than steam off a frosty roof on a sunny winter morn.  I wonder if illiterate peasants of millennia past knew more of the Scriptures than the average Joe or Jen today?  Society seems on its high horse about being in the dark and out to lunch, as if knowing and believing the Bible makes you a bigoted hypocrite.

Some imagine the Bible jam packed with riddles and puzzles.  Codes to be deciphered.  Mysteries to be solved.  If it’s that hard, why try?  But is God’s Word so perplexing?  Hear the Bible itself–‘For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off…But the word is very near you.  It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it’ (Deut. 30:11,14).

We walk around gasping for breath if we haven’t exercised our spiritual lungs, making the personal commitment to sacrifice time away from certain modern distractions to focus on what God has to say.  To open our ears to His voice.  To focus our eyes on what’s been written for us from Him, with our hearts receptive to what He wants.

Today is the best day to decide to dig deeper into your Bible.  Don’t be unnerved.  Keep reading.  Hear His voice.  Follow what He says.  Don’t work yourself into a lather if the madding crowd heads off in the wrong direction, smack dab into a dead-end street to you-know-where.

Keep your eyes on Jesus.  How many of His own followed Him to the cross and the tomb?  Not many.  Just a few.  Be one who stays close by Him.  You’ll never be lonely with Jesus right beside you.  After all, He’s given you His Word.

Thank you, Lord, for being with us.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

SAFE AND SECURE? Deuteronomy 28-30

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Nestled within these chapters of Deuteronomy, there’s painted a rather disheartening picture of God’s people turning out to be a bunch of playacting hypocrites, making promises they have no intention of keeping, with faith in their Lord God as rare as penny candy today.  Just them?

Too often I’ve toyed with my commitment to Jesus, which turned out to be less than skin-deep.  Maybe others didn’t notice, but I’m sure some did.  Regardless, I’ve gotten an eyeful of myself.  Certainly the Lord has.  That ‘shivers me timbers’.  Makes me weak in the knees.  And ashamed.

“…and who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart'” (Deut. 29:19).  Big mouths boasting promises which won’t be kept.  Feeling safe only going through the motions.  In church on Sunday, co-habiting with the devil the rest of the week.  Sinning today, glibly repenting tomorrow.  Safe and secure from all alarms?  You think?

Due to no lack of futile effort on my part, I’ve got to admit that sin offers no shelter at all.  None.  First off, my conscience kicks in and kicks me in the pants.  Then, somehow, the truth gets out.  Sin’s thrills turn out to be full of hot air.  Fluff.  Flighty.  Leaving me spiritually flummoxed.    

Some answers?  Don’t have to go far.  Deuteronomy 30:19-20–‘…I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.  Therefore choose life…loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days…’

There it is!   Moment by moment choices of loving, obeying and holding fast to Him.  Not that complicated, but rare among God’s people.  In my heart as well.

So when sin causes you to fall off your horse, hold Jesus’ outstretched hand, letting Him pull you right back up.  Love Him and thank Him.  Too much wasted time looking back when He has so much more ahead for us.  Giddy-up!

Lord Jesus, help us to live in love, obedience and dependence upon you.  Amen.

IS THAT A HINT? Deuteronomy 28

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Don’t you love hearing about the many promised blessings God has for you?  I do.  Only the best for God’s people, including a hefty dollop of hard, cold cash thrown in for good measure.  God’s blessed cornucopia gushes my way.  Sounds good?  Think again. 

I’m sure you’re more levelheaded than I am.  You know the other side of the coin.  But first check out Deuteronomy 28.  Starts out with blessings… for obedience.  Wow–14 verses describing God’s bounteous blessings.  Deuteronomy 28: 6–‘Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.’  Great!  Guess I can close my Bible now on that rather upbeat note.  Right?  Wrong!

Possibly too good to be true?  You think so?  What God requires of His own is simple obedience as in following those 10 commandments, coincidentally the number of fingers on both hands.  Doing things His way.  Not veering off course into dead end streets with no U-turns allowed.  Don’t take the lead.  Follow… Him.

Glancing down at the rest of Deuteronomy 28, you’ll note that there are 53 verses of curses… for disobedience.  For selfishness.  Greed.  Lying.  You name the sin and it costs a tidy sum.  We won’t enjoy paying that piper.  Way overpriced.  

God warns us.  53 curses to 14 blessings.  A hint?  You think so?  Be careful how you live your life for Jesus.  How tolerant we’ve become with sin.  Especially my own.  Disobeying God is like an unnoticed sizzling hot stove.  Watch out!  Or wet paint.  Look before you touch!

I know that God wants me to obey Him from the bottom of my heart.  Not only when nothing else works, or I can’t weasel out of something on my own.  But a genuine, twenty-four carat follower of Jesus. 

Join me?  Remember, I’m about two-carat, if that.  So I know that this won’t be easy.  But will be worth it all, since it pleases Jesus.  That in itself should be enough.  Still with me?

Lord, give us strength to be your disciple.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

NEVER AGAIN? Deuteronomy 17

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I’ve discovered a gem in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, in the midst of laws, rules and regulations.   A fragment of a verse which gives me pause.

Chapter 17 focuses on negative and positive instructions for a king, if ancient Israel chooses to have one.  Marvelous words that also apply to all believers.  Look at Deuteronomy 17:16 for that gemstone–‘…You shall never return that way again.’

The warning’s issued against anything material or spiritual that will lead Israel to turn back to Egypt.  Back to slavery. Back to worshipping gods other than the one true God, Yahweh.  Backwards.  ‘Never return that way again.’

A thought crosses my mind– true repentance means that we don’t return to sinful ways on a regular habit.  Instead of toying with what God forbids, turn away.  Don’t say you’ll do it, do it.  Not like Lot’s wife, who’s supposed to be on a salt-free diet, yet gazes over her shoulder, yearning to go back sin’s way, then becoming a block of Kosher salt.

I know when I mean business with the Lord that things change in my life.  Yes, I’ve had times of grasping greed, holding tightfistedly to money and things.  Not just then, but now.  When I look in the mirror of my Bible, I know that I must change.

But do I really want to?  Completely?  100%?  Don’t I wish!  I’m far from perfect.  Often a perfect mess!  Yet Jesus knows that I long to be His true-blue, dyed-in-the-wool follower.  At least most of the time.  See my dilemma?  Yet He forgives me, giving strength to get off my duff, stop wallowing in guilt and pity, shifting my transmission, so to speak, out of reverse into forward drive.

Now it’s your turn to face whatever needs changing.  Being honest and upfront, probably best keeping it between you and your Lord, knowing the trouble sin causes.  Hoping and praying never to return that way again.

At least until the next time.  And when we do, as we will, get up and go.  Holding Jesus’ hand.  Looking up into His face, resolving not to double back, flip-flopping, and bottoming out once again.  Jesus will help you get right back up!  Ready?

Lord Jesus, I want to be more like you.  Amen.

AS HE SAID Matthew 28

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Who can you trust?  Seems like few and far between anymore.  Growing up we respected police and firefighters, doctors and teachers, and pastors.  I called our elderly neighbors Mr., Mrs. or Miss.  Never by their first names.  If any complaints came to my parents about me, the griper was believed way before yours truly!

Remember when you shouldn’t trust anyone over 30?  Then those under 30!  That covers the gamut.  Leaves us with little authority to lean upon.  Few we can believe in.  Lion’s share come up short.  Except.

You know what I’m about to say.  Yes, Jesus!  After His crucifixion, women followers come to His tomb, expecting nothing less than one containing His lifeless body.  But instead, they encounter the unimaginable.  He’s gone.  An angel tells them not to be afraid.  Yeah, right!  Why not?  What’s happened?  Where is He?  God’s messenger says this–‘He is not here, for he has risen, as he said…’ (Matt. 28:6).

‘As he said…’  That’s it.  We can read Jesus’ promises and stories, His miraculous healings and right teaching, trusting them one and all.  It’s all there in your Bible.  Check it out!  The Old Testament points to the coming Messiah, with all fulfilled by Jesus Christ in the New.  ‘…as he said…’ –from start to finish.

What Jesus says we can trust.  And the only way to know Him better is to dig deeper into your Bible.  Without that, we’re left utterly vulnerable to any claptrap myth and baloney society doles out and bullies us with.  The more I study God’s Word, the more this world seems hopelessly off-base, off-kilter, off-the-wall, outlandish, hitting multiple sour notes all at the same time.  Well, you get the point!

So, take Jesus at His word.  Feast on your Bible like never before.  Then you’ll notice that your trust barometer is beginning to rise, and heading in the right direction.  Just ‘…as he said…’

Thank you Jesus, for being totally trustworthy.  Amen.

AND REMEMBER, DON’T FORGET! Deuteronomy 8

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The church that’s honored me as their pastor emeritus has two communion tables.  Two?  Yes, two!  One rests up on the elevated chancel platform.  The other table, crafted by a church member decades ago, sits on the main floor, where the communion elements are placed for distribution during weekly worship.  Jesus’ words have been carved on the front–‘Do this in remembrance of me.’

Why two tables?  Well, getting older, it’s obvious that some no longer can navigate the chancel steps without fear of falling.  It sounds redundant yet having two adds up.  After all, how easy is it to forget how much Jesus has done for us?  As in giving His all to forgive us of what we can’t do for ourselves.  That the cross was no walk in the park, but the ultimate sacrifice of God for His own.

Deuteronomy 8 repeats the words ‘remember’ and ‘forget’ many times.  Here’s one–‘You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you…’ (Deut. 8:18).  And then ‘…if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods to serve them and worship them…’ (Deut. 8:19).  The dual words ‘remember’ and ‘forget’ roam all through this chapter.  Why so necessary to repeat them?  Don’t we get the point?

No.  At least I don’t.  I need constant reminding.  How often do I face some difficulty and my first reflex being fear and worry, wringing my clammy hands until finally remembering that the Lord wants to hear from me not last and even least, but rather first and foremost.

That’s what He wants.  To be remembered… that He’s right there for me.   And not forgotten… that He always knows best.  Why is that such an uphill battle?  For still I fret and stew.  Am I the only one?

So– ‘Remember and do not forget…’ (Deut. 9:7)– all those times He’s been there for you.  All the help Jesus has given.  He’s right there, side by side, never to let go.  Never.  Ever.

Got it?  Remember…and don’t forget!

Thank you, Jesus, for always being close to me.  Amen.

UP A CREEK Deuteronomy 1

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I’m impatient.  That grass seed we scattered weeks ago seems to be more bird food than anything else.  Where are those new sprouts?  Push…push…push.  Pull…pull…pull.  Working myself into a stew.  And not a tasty one at that!

In Deuteronomy 1, Moses sadly rehashes ancient Israel’s history of disobedience.  Instead of entering the Promised Land, they hem and haw, grouse and gripe, kick the dust, anything other than following God’s instructions.  But when the Lord warns them that this is not the time to fight the Amalekites and the Canaanites (see Numbers 14: 39-45), they plow ahead anyway, getting totally clobbered.  Impatient bunch.  Aren’t you glad that you’re not like those naughty, rebellious folk?  Me too!

Sad to say, I’m their mirror image.   Antsy and in a sweat.  Gung ho and rarin’ to go.  At times like this, I can hear the Lord saying to slow down.  Wait, already.  What’s your hurry?

I need to listen to the Lord.  But somewhere behind my impatience lurks a wrong view of God.  Much like that of ancient Israel–“And you murmured…and said, ‘Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt…to destroy us'” (Deut. 1:27).  Hated them?  Out to destroy them?

Hard to admit that at times I think the Lord is out to get me.  Waiting for my next misstep, causing Him to put His big leg out tripping me up.  Has it in for me.  Relishes rubbing salt in my sin’s wounds.

I know.  You’re disappointed in me.  How could a retired pastor ever think that way?  Sorry if honesty bothers you.  It does me too.  But let the truth be told.  Read the Old Testament Book of Job without preconceptions.  You’ll encounter bald-faced bluntness, glazed with heated anger and rampant impatience.

So, I pray for a truer picture of God.  One that’s spot on.  And biblical.  Not from nasty old distorted tapes I keep playing over and over again in my rusty noggin.  Time to shred them.  Heed their siren call no longer.  And for this I pray the Holy Spirit’s help.  HELP!

Without His help, I’m up a creek without a paddle.   Just me?

Lord, help me to know and love you as you truly are.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.