Ashamed

This past Sunday I talked about how Jesus was not ashamed to be identify with a bunch of sinners.  He proved that when He went down into the waters and asked John the Baptist to baptize Him.  John's baptism was a baptism of repentance, and Jesus had nothing to repent of.  But He willingly identified Himself with people like me who do.  He's not ashamed. 

I wondered if there is anything a person could do that would make God ashamed of them. 

Then I remember Hebrews 11, the chapter in the book of Hebrews entitled the "Great Hall of Faith."  The chapter is filled with all these people who "kept the faith."  And right in the middle of it we read this passage...

Hebrews 11:13-16

 ¹³ All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. ¹⁴ Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. ¹⁵ If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. ¹⁶ But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

That last sentence always stops me in my tracks, "That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God..."  The reason is because they were forward looking people.  They were looking forward to the promises of God.  They never quit on God or on themselves.

A good friend of my once said when his business failed, "I allowed myself one day to have a pity party for myself.  But then the next day, it was get up and going.  I have work to do." 

Sometimes life deals us a heavy blow that rocks our world.  It takes us off our feet.  God is there to help us up and to point us to a future.  To a new hope in Him.  The only thing that would make God ashamed is when we simply give up on Him and on ourselves. 

Keep moving forward in faith!  His promises are for you too!

ScrewTape Christmas

This Christmas, I was looking for something to read.  A friend suggested I read a CS Lewis classic, "The Screwtape letters."  

The book contains thirty-one letters from Screwtape to his nephew, Wormwood, who is screwtape's underling in fiendishness. Screwtape is an upper-level "devil" in the complex bureaucracy of the underworld. The "Screwtape Letters" are friendly advice from this elder "devil" to a front-line tempter on how to take the soul of his "patient", a young Christian man just trying to live out his everyday life.

The third letter was most appropriate for this season.  Wormwood was told to help his client focus on the imperfection of his family members, specifically his mother.  So that when his mother raised her eyebrows as she had a habit of doing, the client would then think that his mother was upset at him or thinking evil of him.  Here is the most interesting part, it does not have to be true!  The client just needs to think it.

Now I know for some of you, getting together with your extended family during the holiday season can be most stressful (not for me but for you :) )  We will have opportunity to see our loved ones at their best and worst.  What I want to encourage you to do is to give people the benefit of the doubt.  Instead of thinking evil about them, think good about them.  Instead of the raised eyebrow being something negative, make it a positive or a neutral. 

Only you have control of this one.  No one can make you think anything except what you want to think.  Remember Philippians 4:8...

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Think great thoughts!  It is a great gift to give to your family and yourself.

May the joy of Christ be yours this Christmas season!

Worship Gathering

I am wondering how this day is preparing me to meet with God this Sunday?  It is difficult because God is with me today.  He is here.  Yet, I know that there is something that God does when we meet together.  I am a die hard New England Patriot Fan.  (Yes, this is a rough week for me.)  I am a fan everyday, but there is something special that happens as friends gather together to watch a game.  It is somewhat the same and a lot different. 

If what happens when we gather can happen when we don't gather, then why gather?  Why would God call us to meet together?  Why would He promise to show up in powerful ways? 

Yes, God is with me today!  Yes, God wants to meet with His people as we gather together.  I don't have to wait to communion with God.  While at the same time I anticipate the gathering!

Grace Ahead

The more I thought about this morning's message and the principle of reaping and sowing the more I wonder how does grace fit into this picture? It seems to me that grace is always forward. Grace is always ahead. We talk a lot about prevenient grace, that is God's grace that goes before before us, often times behind the scenes. It is this grace that draws us to God. This grace is before us. Justifying grace is that grace we find we receive forgiveness for our sins and we stand holy, clean before God. It is there for us at any time any day we simply have to reach for it. It is always before us. Sanctifying grace is that grace working in our lives bringing us closer to that place of "perfection." It too is before us. Yes, we reap what we sow. When you sow bad seeds, you will reap from those seeds. It is up to you whether you stay there or not. God's grace says get up and move forward. You get a second chance to get it right. The problem is we want to go back and fix the past. The past cannot be fixed, you can find forgiveness and healing, but the past is the past. The future is wide open. Second chance grace is always ahead. Our tendency is to be like Lot's wife and look back to the past. Genesis 19:26 "But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." We can't go back, grace is ahead!

Personal verses Community Responsibility

As I wrestle with the idea of living responsibly, I often struggle more with taking care of myself verses taking care of others. How do you know when to go and help another person or simply to take care of yourself? When is it best to play catch with my son verses taking a nap, or reading a book? When does personal responsibility trump community responsibility? 

Paul seems to give some instruction in Galatians 6:1-7. 

How do you think Paul would respond to someone who says, "I need to take care of myself first?"