The Hazardous Christian

"Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 15:26

Marketers have called it the World’s Most Successful Ad. It was posted in The London Times in 1905 -- “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages. Bitter cold. Long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in event of success.” Signed E. Shackleton. He was looking for a crew to help him discover the South Pole. The next morning, over five thousand men were waiting outside the Time’s office ready to go. Something in the ad touched something deep inside each man.

But there is an even more successful ad posted in the Acts of the Apostles, and over the centuries millions have responded to its higher call in an even deeper way.

Paul and Silas were commended as men who hazarded their lives. Contrary to what one may initially think, this does not mean to be reckless or irresponsible. The Greek word means “to give over to another.” In other words, they were men who had handed their lives over to Jesus Christ, so as to bring great honor to His name. And while the underlying thought might seem to be one of self-abandonment, the truth of the matter is that this is the ultimate act of personal responsibility.

Paul said, “My friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.” (Rom.12:1, Good News Bible). The Amplified Bible says it is the "reasonable, rational, and intelligent" thing to do.

You and I were put on this earth to make Jesus famous. It is reasonable, rational, and intelligent for us to use our gifts and abilities to honor Him. But that’s not going to happen if we hold on to our own reputations as something to be cherished and mollycoddled, as they said in the old days. We must hazard our lives.

There is something deep inside every person that is stirred by the daring challenge to live a life of greatness for something other than oneself. Still, not all choose to do so; not every one hands their lives over. Some settle for the pampered, risk-free environment of a lifeless faith and live out their days making no difference at all. But not you; surely not you.

Start now and from this day onward, hazard your life for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Steel in Your Convictions

"We call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope..." (1 Th 1:3)

"To be, or not to be?" That was the question in Shakespeare's classic soliloquy, asked by brooding Hamlet as he contemplated suicide. But the nobler question for those of us who choose to live is, "What to be, or what not to be?" That's the real question.

Ours is a post modern world of faithless men, loveless women, and hopeless dupes galore. In a day when "anything goes" it would seem that everything has gone.

But not really. For God is faithful, loving, and hopeful -- and now, even as in the day of Elijah, He has no less than seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal; those stalwart souls who -- like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego -- stand upright while everyone else bows before the golden idol.

And mark these men and women, for they not only stand up -- they stand out. There is something about them that distinguishes them from the rest. They are doers of the word, and not talkers only.

Paul commends those whose "work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope" sustain them in times when others are like feathers in the wind -- blown about by every whim and fancy. "It is clear to us," he continues, "that God has put His hand on you for something special. For when the Message we preached came to you, it wasn't just words. Something happened to you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions." They had backbones made of metal!

"What to be, or what not to be?" Is this a question that has crossed your mind? How about being a man or woman upon whom God has placed His hand for something special; a doer of the word, and not a hearer only? How about being someone who is known for their work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope?

How about being someone who can stand up and stand out with God-given steel in your convictions? Now that would be something worth being indeed!

Pennies on the Ground

"For who hath despised the day of small things?" (Zechariah 4:10)

Have you ever found a penny on the ground? Of course you have; probably dozens of them. I’ve asked that question to scores of people all over the place, sometimes even in arena settings where several thousand were present, and have always been answered in the affirmative. Everybody has found pennies on the ground -- not to even mention nickels, dimes and quarters.

And why is this? It’s simple, really. Pennies don’t matter. So if one or two, or even more happen to drop most people won’t bother bending down to pick them up. And if the pennies are already lying on the ground, scuffed and dirty, even more people will just pass on by.

Still, virtually everyone you know has picked up a penny at least once.

Now here’s the point. According to the most recent U. S. Census count, there are an estimated 200 million adults from age twenty to seventy currently living in the United States. And every one of them has picked up at least one penny from the ground. That means on any given day there is an average of 2 million dollars just lying on the ground in America! And that’s not taking into account the nickels, dimes and quarters!!

We are a Nation that walks right past well over two million bucks everyday without even think twice. After all, the only thing we see is pennies on the ground. If it's small, then it must not matter that much.

Albert Barnes writes, "The day of small things is especially God’s day, whose strength is made perfect in weakness; who raised Joseph from the prison, David from the sheepfold, Daniel from slavery, and converted the world by fishermen and tent makers -- having Himself first become the Carpenter."

What others overlook, Jesus takes hold of and then uses to do extraordinary things. I guess we could say that Jesus picks up pennies. That's why He took hold of you. And that, my friend, is no small thing! Think about that next time you see a penny on the ground.

Shake Well Before Using

"God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message." (1Thessalonians 2:3, The Message)

Someone once said, "God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called." And the process of qualification can be quite exasperating, for it essentially involves the full execution of selfish desires, impure motives, hidden agendas, deceitful practices, vain ambitions, and, uh -- let's see -- oh yeah, greed, lust, and anger. And a whole bunch of other things, too. Did I mention whining?

Most people want God to use them in some way or another, but not many appreciate that His motto for every minister is, "shake well before using."

Now you may be thinking, "Thank God I'm not a minister!" But hold on there, junior. The fact of the matter is undeniably certain -- every man is a minister. Indeed, each and every member of the mysterious "Body of Christ" is called into ministry one way, or the other.

Paul spells it out in his Ephesian epistle: "for the equipping of the saints," he says, "for works of ministry"(ch.4:12). This means you. So while you may not be a preacher or a priest, you nevertheless are a minister; a life-agent in a dying world; a royal ambassador for Christ.

Think of it this way. Every member is a minister; every minister has a ministry; every ministry has a mission; and every mission matters! In other words, God has a specific purpose for you, and it makes a difference whether or not you respond. It not only matters to you; but it matters to all the rest of us as well.

This is why the Lord spares no expense in working us over, and wearing us out with a shake-shake here, and a shake-shake there. He wants each one of us to be thoroughly qualified, so that every one of us can be fully trusted with the Message -- everywhere we go, each and everyday.

Then it will be said of us, even as it was said of those first believers -- "And the disciples went everywhere preaching, the Master working right with them, validating the Message with indisputable evidence." (Mark 16:20, The Message)

The Sweetest Spot on Earth

"It is too small a thing." Isaiah 49:6

Anyone who has ever hit a golf ball well, whether by actual skill or dumb luck, understands the meaning of "the sweet spot." It's that moment when everything comes together in exact precision with effortless grace, resulting in a feeling that cannot be described -- only experienced.

Likewise, there are sweet spots in Life as well -- those moments when you are in the zone; being who God created you to be, and doing what He has gifted you to do -- resulting in a feeling that cannot be described; only experienced. Do you know what I mean? Sorta? Not everybody does. Most people live outside the lines, struggling just to make it -- or, at least fake it.

When a man exceeds his reach and grasps for things not meant for himself, he will always experience frustration and anxiety. So also when he retrains his reach and seeks to settle for that which is less than the best God has intended for his life. Neither one of these ever experience the sweet spot. The one wants too much, while the other wants too little. And neither will ever be satisfied.

The prophet Isaiah was stuck in the middle of a dilemma -- knowing that God had called him into service, but experiencing failure and frustration no matter how faithful he tried to be. As far as he could tell he was doing what he was supposed to be doing -- but it wasn't working. In great despair he complained to the Lord, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing." (vs.4).

The reply from heaven re-ordered his entire world. "It is too small a thing," God answered, seeing that Isaiah thought he was meant only to preach to Israel. "I will also make you a light for the Gentiles," God added, "that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."

Just at the point Isaiah was tendering his resignation, God gave him a promotion! Maybe that's you right now. Maybe you've settled for less and have felt increasingly frustrated, and are just about ready to quit. Your resignation is premature -- and unaccepted! The Lord is ready to promote you to where He always meant for you to be.

The quest in Life is to be who God created you to be, doing what He has gifted and called you to do, when and where He has assigned you to do it. Each one of us long to be the right person with the right stuff at the right time in the right place.

And that's the sweetest spot on earth.

Towering Humility

"We were sure of ourselves in God." (2 Th 2:2, The Message)

Most people assume that humility involves some form or other of groveling; that cowering demeanor that bows in an abject manner towards others. And so, when tasked with the charge to “humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord”, we tend toward a somewhat cowering posture – supposing this is what the Lord wants from us.

Outrageous nonsense! The Lord wants us to come boldly to the throne of Grace; not as beggars -- but as sons and daughters.

There was nothing cowering about Jesus Christ at all. He did not snivel in the presence of Pilate’s Empire, nor cringe before the sneer of His accusers. He stood as a man of towering humility. And those hearty souls who followed Him in the early years were described by others as “men who turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Nothing groveling about that. Nothing at all.

Humility is the God-given self-assurance that eliminates the need to prove to others the worth of who you are, and the rightness of what you do. Jesus was thus a humble man, as were His apostles. "We were sure of ourselves in God," Paul said. And so are those who follow Jesus today. That is, those who are real as opposed to those who are merely being religious.

Somewhere around 360AD a new model of “christian” emerged; one that has altered the public image of Christ to this day. The Roman Emperor Julian, successor to Constantine, found this new form of humility repulsive, as the historian Ibsen tell us.

"Have you looked at these Christians closely?” Julian asked, “They are hollow-eyed, pale-cheeked, flat-breasted all; they brood their lives away, unspurred by ambition. The sun shines for them, but they do not see it: the earth offers them its fullness, but they desire it not; all their desire is to renounce and to suffer that they may come to die."

Jesus was not hollow-eyed, pale-cheeked, nor flat-breasted. Neither were Peter, James and John; nor Paul the Apostle. We should not be so either. Rather, being sure of ourselves in God, we may thereby be clothed in true humility and thus receive the fullness of God’s grace to turn our world upside down today – as did our fathers of old when it was their turn.

The God of No Options

"Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open." James 1:7,8 (The Message)

We've all heard the old saying, "God helps those who help themselves." While the sentiments behind this whimsical adage are admirable, the saying itself is quite untrue.

Yes, it is true that a person shouldn't sit around aimlessly all day just expecting God to do this or that for them, while they themselves do nothing. But the adage errs significantly by failing to realize that God in fact does not help those who help themselves; rather, He helps the helpless.

He is the Defender of the defenseless; He rescues the perishing, saves those who are falling, and lifts ups those who have been struck down. He is a Father to the orphan, a Friend to sinners, and the Champion of those who are weak. Indeed, Paul summed it up -- "when we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6).

The problem with "helping yourself" and asking God for a little assistance is that you're the one still calling the shots -- keeping all your options open. Few things are more insulting to God than for a man to come before Him while holding onto other options....just in case the "God thing" doesn't work out.

Remember Lazarus, the dead man? He had no options whatsoever. Jesus stood before the cold stone which sealed his tomb and ordered it removed, and then called out, "Lazarus, come forth!" And the dead man did so, now fully alive. A significant part of this event is contained in the name Lazarus -- it means "without help." You see? God helps the helpless.

Like Lazarus of old lying cold in his tomb, you and I will never be called into a new and deeper, more vibrant and wondrous walk with Jesus until we realize we truly have no other options but God.

Peter was speaking for all of us that day when he said, "Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life" (John 6:68).

The Ultimate Understatement

And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well." (Mark 7:37)

Someone once said, "A discerning eye needs only a hint; and an understatement leaves the imagination free to build its own elaborations.” The first followers of Jesus had that discerning eye, and bit by bit they slowly realized they were in the presence of a truly extraordinary man. This led to some interesting understatements.

In his Gospel, Mark builds the case very deliberately. First he tells us, "Everyone was amazed at his teaching"(ch.1:22). A few chapters later he says, "they all marveled at His words"(ch.5:20). And then once again Mark adds that "many hearing Him were astonished, saying, 'Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!'(ch.6:2).

Amazed, marveling, and astonished -- doesn't that pretty much describe how you feel about Jesus? Yeah, me too! Indeed, all who are followers of Jesus today can equally attest to our own increasing astonishment over His boundless ability to do all things well.

Like Mark of old, our testimony in today's world is, "He has done all things well!" Talk about an understatement that leaves our imagination free to build its own elaborations -- there you have it!

The best example of one such elaboration comes from the Wuest New Testament. The translator puts this spin on Mark's verse: "And they were completely flabbergasted, and that in a superabundant degree which itself was augmented by the addition of yet more astonishment, saying, He has done all things well!"

Now that is the ultimate understatement!

Your True Colors

“You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.” (James 1:3, The Message)

During a pregame talk with the Colorado Buffaloes some years ago I asked the question, “What do you get when you squeeze a lemon?” Of course the standard answer fired back from coaches and players alike, “Lemon juice!”

But what nobody knew that morning was that I had filled the lemon with ketchup. When I squeezed it tight and the red liquid oozed over my hand, they were all taken back.

“You’re wrong,” I then said. “The actual answer is that you get whatever is inside it.”

At that point I had them right where I wanted them, and then asked, “So, what’s inside you? What are we going to see when pressure puts the squeeze on you?” The answer is the same to the lemon question; we will see whatever is in you.

The great C. S. Lewis said, “A sudden provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man. It shows what an ill-tempered man I am.” James tells us in his letter that “under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.” Maybe this is why the Lord provides so many wonderful opportunities for us to be squeezed.

The origin of the phrase “true colors” comes from naval parlance back in the days when pirates sailed the high seas. Vessels would always fly on their topmast the flag of their country of origin. But pirates were notorious for hoisting the flags of different nations so as to gain an advantage against unsuspecting vessels. However, under no circumstance would any honorable Captain ever fly false colors. Thus, the phrase “true colors” indicates authenticity in both motive and manner.

The Lord wants to make us truly authentic men and women, but to get us there He has to squeeze out the other stuff – and He will do so with unrelenting pressure until there is nothing left to ooze.

So, you been feeling squeezed lately?

The Triumph of Trust

"But I will trust in thee." Psalm 55:23

It is one thing to boast of faith when all things are great and wonderful. But it is an entirely different matter when one can walk in the triumph of trust while things are desperate all about him.

The Psalmist here is a man whose prayers are not being answered; indeed, it would seem to him that his voice is not even being heard in heaven at all. And it’s not like he’s asking for vain things. No, quite the contrary; for all hell has broke loose and he’s fighting for his life! "The terrors of death are fallen upon me,” he says, “Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me!" It's a bad day.

Furthermore, he is painfully aware of his own powerlessness in the situation; he doesn’t even have the ability to run away and hide somewhere. He would gladly scamper if he could, but even that is beyond his supply. He is captive in a Philistine prison.

He’s stuck in a bad deal, and it’s only getting worse. For a friend, a dear friend; a treasured friend has betrayed him cruelly. A man he had worshipped with in the presence of the Lord, a man whose friendship he had never doubted and on whose loyalty he had staked his life – this man had proven to be false and broke David’s singing heart.

And in this downward spiral of sorrow he cried to God above -- and nothing. No answer at all. Nada. Zippo. It's a bad day; a real bad day.

Anybody would understand if at this moment David had decided to call it quits on God; after all, people do it all the time. “C’mon David,” they would say, “join the rest of us who are done with childish things like faith and prayers, Bible verses and silly love longs. Welcome to the real world!”

But David was cut from another stock than that, and now in this darkening moment a single ray of light still remained -- it was the light of trust. He refused to regard God’s silence as indifference, or to consider God’s inactivity as impotence. No, instead, he triumphed in trust.

“Heaven might be brass today, and God withdrawn and silent, but I will trust in Thee,” he said. “Winds may be howling and demons may be growling, and all things lovely to behold may be blown away, but I will trust in Thee. My heart is faint, my hopes are dim, and my power is gone, but I will trust in Thee. And though friends have fallen and turned to foes, and none can give solace to my deeper wounds, nevertheless I will trust in Thee.”

We know now that David's trust in the Lord paid off huge, for history holds him forth as one of the greatest of Israel's kings. And the Church holds him dear as one of God's great champions. Who knows but that a similar destiny awaits you on the other side of this ordeal? Stay the course, my friend, and stand in the triumph of trust!

Breaking Out of the Pack

“God the Father has His eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus.” (1 Peter 1:2, The Message)

How good is this!? God Himself has His eye on each one of us. That is an extraordinary thing – especially when you consider just how many of us there are! Yet, each life and every detail is fully known by the Lord -- in a caring manner. Simon Peter goes on to say, “He is always thinking about you, and watching everything that concerns you" (1Peter 5:7, Living Bible). Why, even the very hairs of our heads are numbered.

He sees, He knows, and He cares. Isn’t that good enough to make today worth living?

But there is more! Not only does He profoundly care for you, but He is also determined to do something of great benefit to you. And here it is: He will cause the Holy Spirit to work in your life in every way possible so as to keep you true, faithful, and unerring in your journey with Jesus.

Yes, the Holy Spirit of God is directed by God to fill your heart and life in such measure that you may follow Jesus fully and freely, without mixture of self-will, doubt, or fear. He is here not only to comfort you, but also to consecrate you – to mark you as one set apart for God.

In other words, God is going to see to it that you break out of the pack and live a life that is distinguished and purposeful – one that brings great honor to the Lord Jesus and great blessing to others.

Are you game?

The Unchangeable Truth

"The Beast is no longer...and headed for Hell!" Revelation 17:11 (The Message)

What the devil cannot achieve in one disguise, he will attempt in another, and another, and another -- until he has gained his ground. He first arrived on the scene in the form of a serpent; here in John's Revelation we see him strutting about as an exalted king, and a beastly one at that. Indeed, over the course of human history the devil has been both serpent and king -- and many things in between.

But whatever he may feign to be in his vain imagination, we hold one thing certain and undeniable, unchanging and reliable -- he is doomed to destruction. He will not prevail. Indeed, he cannot. And, furthermore, he knows it.

That glorious Morning when death lost its grip upon our fallen Lord, the good news spread to all worlds everywhere -- heaven, earth, and hell -- that Satan's power was naught! Having already unleashed the full fury of his rage against Jesus on the Cross, he now pressed the total weight of his dark estate against that stone sealing our Savior's tomb -- desperate to prove God a liar. But the promise of the Third Day held true, and (in the words of the old spiritual), "up from the grave He arose with triumph over all His foes! He arose the Victor from the dark domain; and He lives forever with His saints to reign! He arose! He arose! Hallelujah, Christ arose!"

Satan is defeated. He is disgraced. And he is damned. O shout it out loud, "The Beast is no longer; He is headed for Hell!"

Whipped by Jesus and put to an open shame, the devil now thrashes about in desperation -- especially against those who are followers of the Lamb. We, being flesh and blood, are indeed targets of his demented hatred. And should the Lord Christ grant that we receive a blow here, or a burn there, then we may indeed count ourselves doubly blessed.

First, for having been found in His sight as those permitted to share in the fellowship of His sufferings. And, second, for having been such a nuisance to the devil that his strike against us was targeted rather than random; specifically aimed with intent to take us out of the way, for we pose such a threat to his dark enterprises on earth.

Nevertheless, we know the certainty of this unchangeable truth -- the Beast is no longer, and is headed for Hell!

Howling at the Moon

“Jesus, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John 13:1 NASB

I shall never forget the emotion I felt when I first heard my dad sing in church one day the old hymn, “Why Should He Love Me So?” Coming from the heart of a man who so deeply felt his failure in life, and who had such overwhelming regrets as a father -- dad’s rapture in God’s love was both profoundly gratifying and enigmatically bewildering. “God loves me!” he would say, “but, why?!”

No hound dog ever sounded so mournful as did my father when he tilted back his ancient head and belted out with deep-toned marine gusto, “Why Should He Love Me So.” It was nothing any producer would ever push to the media, but I know that when dad sang it, it went straight to the heart of God.

Dad’s in heaven now. He no doubt has joined the celestial choir of all who have joined together to proclaim their marvel of our Savior’s love. I also have no doubt he likely steps forward from time to time and leads out in a favorite solo -- “Why Should He Love Me So.” I can tell you that sometimes, when no one is looking and I’m alone, I’ll toss back my head and croon in fond memory of dad’s devotion to Christ -- “Why Should He Love Me So?” Though I am alone when I do this, at times it almost sounds like a duet.

Have you ever wondered why should He love you so? If one views God only as being immense, then it is not likely such a one would ever consider how much God loves them. Immensity makes God too big, too austere, too preoccupied with the universe to ever give any serious thought to someone who is so comparatively insignificant.

But, God is not immense -- He is infinite. There is a marvelous difference. F.W. Boreham wrote of “the essential difference between immensity and infinity. The former has limits,” he said, “while the latter has none.” In other words, God can love you specifically because He is God.

What I'm saying is that God loves you oh, SO much! Why then don't you join us other hound dogs and belt out a song of praise back His way? Sometimes howling at the moon is the sweetest sound God ever heard.

The Unhurried Savior

"But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." Luke 8:15

If there is one lesson that stands out in life it is that good things take time to come to fruition. Nothing worthy ever happens quickly. Years ago as a young and eager aspiring preacher, I remember hearing an older sage of God say, "When God wants to make a squash, He takes six months. When He wants to make an Oak tree, He takes twenty years. Which do you want to be?"

I've been around long enough now to have seen for myself the truth of his words. I've seen young upstarts come and go, like fireworks on the Fourth of July. A big bang, a pretty splash, lots of ooohs and aaahs -- and then nothing. Nothing but the same dark sky that was there before they popped. And then there are the others; those bright-light souls that are not really noticed by most people at all, simply because they are always there like the sun in the daytime or the moon and stars at night. Just there, doing what God ordained them to do -- shining.

I'll take steady over quick every time. I'll take shine over flash as well. God give me grace to bring forth fruit with patience. Prove that I'm built for the long haul!

Remember the children's song? "He's still workin' on me to make me what I oughta be. It took Him a week to make the sun and the stars; Venus, Mercury, Neptune and Mars. How lovin' and patient He must be! 'Cause He's still working on me!!"

Jesus is the unhurried Savior. He's working on a truly great masterpiece that will be displayed in glory. That masterpiece is YOU. For your part then, be an unhurried soul; keep an honest and good heart into which you may hear His word and treasure it; and then bring forth fruit with patience all the days of your life.

Dreams Surely Do Come True

"And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground." Genesis 44:14

This short verse capures that defining moment when Joseph's dreams came true. Some thirty years earlier when he was still a boy at home Joseph had said, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. (see Gen 37:6-8).

And now, after an epic journey filled with betrayal and a sequence of severe injustices, the very thing Joseph had seen in his dream actually happens before his very eyes.

Dreams surely do come true. Though a man may be immature and unseasoned in the things of God when a dream first comes, and speaks beyond the boundaries of prudence, thereby stirring the hearts of others with disdain or envy; and though much trouble may arise over the course of time and challege not only the validity of the dream, but also the sanity and credibility of the dreamer -- nevertheless, know that a dream from God will surely come true.

Therefore, wait for it; wait for the appointed time when the Lord brings to pass that which He promised in the tender days when you took your first fledgling steps of faith. Between the promise which God has made and the fulfillment of it in your life there may await a pit, a prosecutor, and a prision -- yet always the palace is indeed towering in the distance. Stay the course, for you shall enter in and find full vindication from God, and satisfaction in the things He has ordained.

"God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? (Numbers 23:19)

Hold on tight to your dreams.

What's in a Name?

"And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah." (Ezra 10:26 KJV)

This verse is buried twenty-six lines deep in the midst of a long list of laborious names. Very few people would even bother reading it. I guess I'm one of those few. You can see that seven names are listed; a father and his six sons. However, nothing is said about them -- who they were, what they did, how their lives mattered. Nothing. Just their names. But names are important. A name defines you, and a good name is to be desired above great riches.

So I did a curious thing with this verse of scripture. Using the Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary, the Easton Bible Dictionary, and the Hitchcock Bible Names Dictionary, I looked up the meaning of each of these names and what I uncovered is worthy of your consideration.

Elam -- a secret hidden by distance in the highlands
Mattaniah -- the gift of hope from the Lord; the hope laid up in heaven
Zechariah -- The renowned Lord has remembered
Jehiel -- God's life will be seen in me
Abdi -- serviceable, servant of the Lord
Jeremoth -- elevations; uplifted beyond the fear of death
Eliah -- The Mighty God, the Lord who works in wonder and power

Putting the meaning of these several names together in one continuous thought produced the following treasure:

"There was a secret hidden in the heavens, far away from the sight of man. It was a gift of hope, laid up in heaven for us by the Lord. At the perfect moment, in the fullness of time, the Lord remembered the gift and brought it forth for us to have and to behold. Because of this His name is now renowned throughout the whole earth. His life has now been made manifest in and through us, making us useful unto every good word and work, and lifting us far above the power of sin and death. He is the mighty God, who works wonders of love by His great power."

Next time your whizzing through the Bible on your way to a place called Hurry Up and Get Here, take a break. Slow down and read with an inquisitive mind, a curious soul, and an investigative hunger. You might just stumble upon a buried treasure or two.

Heard From God Lately?

Job's friend told him that, "God does speak; now one way, now another; though man may not perceive it." (Job 33:14, NIV)

This scripture both fasciniates and encourages me, for it shows how eager God is to speak to those of us who are more likely not to hear what He is saying. That doesn't stop Him. In fact, He speaks now one way, now another -- in whatever way necessary in order to reach my dull and indifferent heart. God knows me, and He knows my language. He also knows how to bypass all the barriers I have set up against His approaching love -- fool that I am.

God speak "now one way, now another." How delightful is God's diversity. His vocabulary is vast, His understanding is unsearchable, His love is unfailing, and His resolve to reach my heart with His Word is unrelenting. He will speak in whatever way suits His purpose to redeem my life.

In church; outside of church -- it matters not. God speaks through the Bible, through nature, through circumstances, through other people, through dreams and visions, and even sometimes by supernatural means.

Charles Spurgeon wrote, "In the field we have a study hung round with texts for thought. From the cedar to the hyssop, from the soaring eagle down to the chirping grasshopper, from the blue expanse of heaven to a drop of dew, all things are full of teaching, and when the eye is divinely opened, that teaching flashes upon the mind far more vividly than from written books. Our little rooms are neither so healthy, so suggestive, so agreeable, or so inspiring as the fields. Let us count nothing common or unclean, but feel that all created things point to their Maker, and the field will at once be hallowed."

Notice, finally, that the verse adds this hopeful phrase, "though man may not perceive Him." It does not say that man cannot perceive Him; rather, its says he may not. That means, on the other hand, that he also may perceive what God is saying and doing. And therein is hope for each one of us. It is possible that I may indeed hear God's voice today!

How about you? Heard from God lately?

Heaven Can Wait

“And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.” Revelation 21:16

John the Revelator saw the Blessed City, and his inspiring description stirs our deepest longings and highest hopes. For there, in that Exalted Place, the Lord answers the human cry for equality. There are no districts in heaven -- up town, down town; urban, suburbs; upper-class, middle-class, lower-class. While a proverbial train may take us to glory, there are no tracks in that blessed land; so no "wrong side of the tracks" for any one ever.

Equality. The word comes from the Latin term meaning level. We would say "a level playing field" meaning that it is fair for all participants. Nothing is slanted toward one over another; no unfair or unjust advantages. In heaven we all agree. In heaven we are equal -- we are like in quality, nature, and dignity. There we are free from extremes, tranquil in mind and mood; not vying for supremacy or dominance, nor beach-front property.

The size of the City is also wondrous. One mathematician calculated from John’s descriptions that it is three billion square miles in size! That means there is room for YOU! It is interesting to note that this same measurement is applied to Christ’s love. Paul the Apostle prays that we may be able “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph 3:16-19).

Heaven will be a place where we each experience the full measure of the vast love of God. Yet we don't have to wait for Heaven; God's love is ours NOW. Remember, Jesus taught us to pray -- "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is heaven." We can live now as Citizens of that Place, and bring its bright influence into all the dark and desperate places in our fallen world.

Head 'Em Up and Move 'Em Out!

And he said unto them, “Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.” Genesis 24:56

Abraham’s servant had met with success in his epic quest to find a wife for Isaac – the beautiful Rebecca. Eager to return to Abraham, the servant met with some resistance from Rebecca’s family; who wanted to hold on to her just a little longer. And thus these words: “Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.”

There comes a time when one must move on; when one must be let go unto his master. Perhaps you are at just such a time and place now. It's time to head 'em up and move 'em out. Otherwise a bright morning can fade into an ambling afternoon; and, an ambling afternoon can issue into a long dark night. Now is the time for decisive action.

The mark of such a moment is expressed in this phrase -- "seeing the Lord has prospered me." The word means to "push forward." Sometimes the Lord makes staying where we no longer belong very obvious.

The heart of a servant says, "How shall I loiter in these temporal delights and sentiments, when the Lord has pushed me forward to a greater destiny?" He or she girds themselves up with resolve: No more lingering or loitering about; no more dilly-dally with routine matters; no procrastination in a time of prospering.

“I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world's delights. Things that are higher, things that are nobler – these have allured my sights!” (Palmer Hartsough, 1896)

Is the Lord pushing you forward today?

Sodom's Time Bomb

"For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it." (Genesis 19:13)

So spoke the angels to Lot when they beheld the great iniquity of Sodom, a city which vexed the souls of righteous men and women.

Sin shall not always stand unanswered; a day of judgement is surely coming when the Lord will act in certain and final justice. Those who have been sorely oppressed with have their long-awaited deliverance, and those who have long been in the wrong will at last be faced with the full consequential weight of the evil they have wrought against the Lord in doing damage to others. This will be a good day.

Our cry in times of prolonged injustice is not background noise in heaven, blended into an assortment of unimportant hums and buzzes, like the steady droning of office equipment. No, it is ever before the Lord. Why, then, doesn't He respond? Why doesn't He answer our cry?
He tarries for many good reasons, all of which we will agree with when viewed from eternity -- but the day will certainly come when He will arise and answer the cry of His children, and all creation will break forth in song.

But in the meantime (and indeed the time way become very mean), remember what Paul the Apostle said, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us"(Rom 8:18). But do we really have to suffer? Well, consider Bonhoefer's thoughts, written three weeks before he was hanged by the Nazis -- "Time lost is time when we have not lived a full human life; time unenriched by experience, creative endeavor, enjoyment, and suffering."

Let There Be Light

And God said, "Let there be light." (Genesis 1:3)

The first words we have on record of God speaking are highly instructive. "Let there be light" means far, far more than mere sunshine. In fact, the sun and moon were not made until the 4th day of Creation, yet Light was already so. What, then, did God mean when He said, "Let there be light"?

To find the asnwer, we need to look elsewhere in the BIble to see if there is any "light" shed upon this mystery.

The first thing we discover is that the Bible tells us -- "God is light" (1John 1:5). The same author later writes twice that "God is love" (ch. 4:8, and 4:16). Thus we can surmise that "light" and "love" are spiritual synonyms; interchangable with one another without compromising the express meaning of either.

With this in mind, we look back at the Genesis declaration and conclude that when God said, "Let there be Light," He was in fact saying -- "Let there be a revelation of My love!"

And there was.

In fact, everything that occurs in creation and in the Bible from that moment forward is in complete compliance with that unalterable decree. And the implications of this for us today are profound.

What would each day hold in store for us if we walked through every situation looking for how this or that could reveal something of God's love to us. And just maybe, once we began to see this, we ourselves could learn to reveal God's love to others around us.

Let there be light! -- the single most powerful sentence you could ever say.