Thanks to the latest in Apple technology, life has gotten a little simpler. I used to carry around a bulky planner filled with my calendar and a lengthy “to-do” list, yet all that has become virtually obsolete with the iPhone apps available at my fingertips. In fact, just the other day I simply hit a button and asked Siri to leave me a reminder. I felt like a character from Star Trek-without the “beam me up” capability!
Despite how complicated some people feel Christianity may be, God is all about simplicity, too. Throughout Scripture He provides clear directions for successful living, often in a list-like fashion so we can’t miss the concepts He knows will be most helpful to us. A perfect example of this is found in Ephesians 4 where the Lord offers a few basic instructions for Christ-like living. Let’s look at His “to-do’s” for a few minutes:
21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.
23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy.
25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.
28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.
32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
If you look over this list again, you’ll see these are fairly simple ideas to improve your life. Why not add one to your own “to do” list today-then a new one tomorrow, and another the day after that? While all of us will have many things to accomplish during the month of March, may we be inspired to try some of these ways to grow in our faith and please our Heavenly Father at the same time!
Thought of the Month
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
Ephesians 4:14-15
During the month of February, you simply can’t miss the message of love. Valentine’s Day paraphernalia has popped up from department store windows to drugstore displays. Television commercials have morphed from jolly holiday commercials to jewelry advertisements.
When the world starts talking about love, believers’ thoughts often shift toward a favorite passage tucked away in Corinthians. I read it again the other day, and I realized I had missed an important part of Paul’s message. Let me share this section of Scripture here before I explain:
“If I give everything I own to the poor and
even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr,
but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere.
So, no matter what I say, what I believe,
and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.”
I Corinthians 13:3-7, The Message Bible
Perhaps it was reading this contemporary language version of the Bible that highlighted the concept I hadn’t quite caught before: God’s love is all about accepting idiosyncrasies. In other words, just because you do something differently than me, I should still be able to care about you. When someone else’s ideas don’t mesh with mine, I ought to be okay with that. And when anyone challenges, opposes, or simply annoys, we’re told that true love “puts up with anything.”
Now, this doesn’t mean that when an individual is doing or thinking wrong that we must agree with him or her-rather we’re encouraged to live right yet still love. This means the Lord is asking us to love His way: loving the sinner, not the sin. This includes accepting the rude without being discourteous, and ignoring the cantankerous while not being cranky. Most of all, loves looks past what seems odd, idiosyncratic, perhaps even idiotic to discover what is best and good about that individual, no matter what.
As I mulled over these verses, I realized this is what I hope others would be willing to do for me. You see, despite my best attempts, I’m really just a floundering perfectionist-and I need others to forgive my flaws and foibles to feel truly loved. But God is asking me to love His way first and to care for all of the “others” in my life, not looking back-being faithful in His love until the end.
This is a different kind of love, dear friends, but it’s exactly the type of compassion those around us desperately need.
Thought of the Month
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
John 13:34-35, New Living Translation
“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
Hebrews 10:23-25
The couple had a relaxing weekend away, thanks in part to Grandma’s willingness to watch the kids. Late Sunday afternoon, they returned home, and after settling in, mom asked:
“So, what have you been up to while we were gone?”
“Lots of things-and we even went to church,” Trevor replied.
“You all got ready and went to church with Grandma?”
Before Grandma could respond, Trevor quickly piped in: “Well, not exactly-we did couch church!”
Our world is transforming before our eyes, and there’s no better example than Trevor’s “couch church” description to emphasize this truth. On that Sunday morning, he and his sister enjoyed a television service that their grandmother watches. When later queried by his father about what he’d learned from the sermon, Trevor even had his own personal take-away.
Today we not only have television options for learning about God, but there are also numerous resources on the Internet, too. My brother-in-law is a pastor in Texas, and we tune in to his Sunday morning service thanks to streaming technology. We get to enjoy that worship service as we’re getting ready to head out the door to our own church!
There are also many “old school” methods for getting closer to God. Not long ago in Montreal, we watched as two men had “café church” – in French! Hovered over a Bible, the two sipped coffee while reading and vigorously discussing a portion of Scripture. This is exactly what the verses above are telling us about: meeting together, encouraging one another, and offering motivation for acts of goodness and love. This kind of spiritual empowerment doesn’t have to happen in a particular building; it should be happening everywhere we go, all throughout our day!
I learned a valuable lesson from Trevor’s story. People worship in different ways, and in a high-tech world like ours, there are multiple options to help people know more about God and the goodness, mercy, and love He has to offer. As you begin this amazing New Year, take time to think about the way you worship. Stay involved in a Bible-believing church. Meet with friends and family often, and be sure to share about what God has been doing in your life. Look for new opportunities to reach out to others, encouraging them in life’s journey. Most of all, keep your focus on the wonderful future your Heavenly Father has planned-just for you!
Happy New Year to you and your family from all of us at Sonkist Ministries!
Thought of the Month
“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people. . .”
Psalm 100:1-3a
Several weeks ago, I heard a story on the evening news that seemed unbelievable. Even the seasoned anchorman shook his head at the end of the segment before the station cut to commercial. Apparently a school system in Wausau, Wisconsin decided to deal with the Christmas “dilemma” a bit differently this year. District officials issued their final decision on December music programs this way: for every religious song played, five secular songs must be included as part of the presentation.
That’s right-not one for one, two for one, but a FIVE to one ratio is now standard procedures for all “holiday” performances. Evidently this is what those educators feel is the fair and balanced way to counter Christian references at Christmas.
But this strange reaction to the celebration of Jesus’ birth isn’t new. Indeed, visceral responses to the mere mention of God’s Son started long ago. Let’s look at Scripture to get a glimpse of an early manifestation of such intense emotion:
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’ When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”
(Matthew 2:1-3, KJV)
The wise men had been following a star which portended the birth of the King of the Jews. Herod, the ruler of the day, was troubled-but notice he wasn’t alone. “And all of Jerusalem with him” tells us there were many others who didn’t like the idea of Christ’s birth, either.
Herod quickly devised a plan to deal with this problem:
“Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, ‘Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.'”
(Matthew 2:7-8).
This treacherous king wasn’t going to let some baby fulfilling a God-given prophecy interfere with his lifestyle (read verses 4-6 which explain what his own advisers told him about Jesus’ birth). He feigned enthusiasm, and he even lied to the wise men about his real intentions for the innocent babe.
The contrast between Herod’s mounting fear and animosity and the wise men’s responses to the birth of the Savior couldn’t have been more glaring:
“When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.”
(Matthew 2:9-11)
Their “exceeding great joy” prompted these travelers to not only worship the Christ child but to also offer precious gifts to Him-a tradition of giving still witnessed at Christmas to this day.
Sadly, we see a similar divide of emotional reactions impacting this celebratory season. Some people, either for secular interests or outright outrage, want to wipe away the Christ in Christmas and any evidence of holy in the “holi-day.” Herod certainly did. In fact, he took his hatred to horrific extremes: a zero quota was his ultimate decree (see verses 16-18). Yet God’s plan for the salvation of humankind wouldn’t be thwarted so easily. The same is true today, too.
Sure, there will be those who keep trying to put a quota on how much religion we can put in this holiday. There will be others who want to celebrate Christmas, but they won’t want to hear anything about the Christ who started it all. Yet for millions around the world, no amount of fear or anger can change the reality of what God did by sending His Son. Like those wise men of old, we can and should rejoice with “exceeding great joy” no matter what else is going on around us!
Thought of the Month
“And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'”
Luke 2:10-14
Like many of you, my life seems to get busier and busier this time of year. As much as I try to simplify, the schedule and lists of “to do’s” multiply. Between the regular calendar of events, special activities are getting added to the agenda. Many of these are festive happenings, including pre-holiday parties so we have more time next month to enjoy the holidays!
In the midst of fall festivals, football games, and the final touches on our Thanksgiving shopping lists, we may wonder what God really thinks about all of these frivolities. In fact, I recently found myself contemplating whether or not any of these things really matters in the Lord’s economy. Fortunately, I found a little verse tucked away in the thirty-seventh Psalm. It reads as follows:
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.”
(Verse 23)
Imagine that-the God who created Heaven and Earth is not only interested in your life, but He also “delights” in its every detail! The psalmist didn’t say some details, or only those details that relate to going to church or reading your Bible, but rather each and every single intricate aspect of your daily experiences!
What does that mean when it comes to your thoughts and feelings? Does the Lord care about whether your are happy or sad or frustrated or excited? Of course He does! Look at these famous words King David penned earlier in the same psalm:
“Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”
(Verses 4-5)
It appears that “delight” is a two-way street. Not only does the Lord delight in us, but He also desires us to find joy and happiness in our relationship with Him. We’re encouraged to commit everything to Him, trusting that He knows when and how our needs will best be met.
I don’t know about you, but I take great delight in the fact the Creator of the Universe is into details: my details-and your details. That’s definitely something to be thankful for this season.
Thought of the Month
For the Lord delights in his people;
he crowns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful rejoice that he honors them.
Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.
Psalm 149:4-5
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