Weekly Sermons(video & audio)
Articles
by Pastor Bob McLellan
December 11, 2008
The Christmas season provides an opportunity to watch a number of season related movies. Some of these are long running classic that never grow old, such as “It’s A Wonderful Life”. As part of the season you can always find something that relates to the most popular and monetized aspect of this time of year. That being of course, Santa Clause. “The Miracle on 34th Street” was one of the early Santa movies filmed in 1947. All kinds of stories have been told about Santa Clause down through the years. The poet, Clement More gave him a red nose and eight tiny reindeer. Thomas Nast, the cartoonist, made him big and fat and gave him a red suit trimmed with fur and of course, the cowboy singer Gene Autry gave him Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.
One story line I have noticed a lot lately is one that tries to answer the question: How does one go about replacing Santa Claus if he decides to retire, or if he dies? One of the cleverest movies to explore that theme showed Scott Calvin (starring Tim Allen) who became Santa by mistake when he did not read the fine print. He put on the Santa suit and thus bound himself to a legal contract known as the “Santa Clause”. The rest of the movie deals with the changes that took place in Tim Allen’s life that included such things as changes in his body fat and facial hair, changes in his attitudes, and changes in how and where he lived. Once he put on the suit, his life was never the same.
The Bible talks about us putting on something also. It says we put on Jesus and once we put on Jesus, our lives are never the same. We become children of God. We have a new home and a new set of relationships. The Bible tells us that Jesus puts on us “white robes” without spot or blemish and once we put on those clothes our lives are never the same again. When Scott Calvin put on the Santa Suit it changed how he looked and how he thought and how he acted. It changed everything about him and that is what should happen to us when we “put on” Jesus. That single act should change the way we look and think and act. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:22-24, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; {23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds; {24} and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (NIV). He went on to tell us “putting on Christ” means that our behaviour changes.
- We should prefer truth to lying.
- We should prefer a “G” rated way of talking as opposed to surrounding ourselves with the filthy language we find in the books, TV and other forms of entertainment that surrounds us.
- We should not allow anger to so overcome us that it destroys our relationships.
- We should serve others and give to those less fortunate rather than looking for handouts.
- We need to be kind and compassionate to others, forgiving others as God in Christ forgave us.
In short, when people are around us they should be able to see what we have put on. They should be able to see Jesus in us. When we do not behave that way, people will sense that something is not right.
How do we put on Jesus? It does not happen by accident, like Scott Calvin failing to read the small print and ending up with a changed life. He had no idea what he was getting in to, but you cannot do that with Jesus. You cannot put on Jesus by accident. It must be a deliberate choice that you make. Your decision must include the certainty that you want to stake your life on the fact that Jesus is the Son of God. It must also include the acknowledgment you believe you are a sinner and your only hope is in the fact Jesus’ sacrificial blood shed on Calvary is powerful enough to remove your sin. As part of that declaration of faith you desire to turn your whole life over to Him (believing you can trust Him with your life).
Our focus during this season of the year must never be upon the trappings of tradition, the “feel good” sentiments of family, friends and food, or even the enjoyment of the holiday movie schedule. All that we do needs to find its foundation in the expression of the love of God that was shown to us in the birth of His Son who came to set us free from the power of sin and death, making us more like Jesus.
November 26, 2008
November 30/08 will begin another Advent season. A time when we have the opportunity to drag out the Christmas lights and set up the Christmas tree. I have a special tie I like to wear during the Advent season and so I have scouted it out and have it ready. I am not into rushing the season like the stores do. Halloween is packed up and Christmas set up for promotion on November 1st. I do enjoy watching and re-watching Christmas movies. One of the classics is the highly acclaimed film directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart and Donna Reed called “It’s A Wonderful Life”. This film remains one of today’s most popular Christmas films. Although those of us who have seen the film would unwaveringly class it as a “feel-good” movie, the first part of the film comprises a far from “perfect” story. The scenes trace the darkness of George’s (the leading character) mood as his mounting personal and financial troubles plunge him to the brink of ruin and into an abyss of despair and suicide. This is a story about broken dreams. If someone were to ask you if you had a “Wonderful Life”, what would your response be?
In fact, how would we define a “Wonderful Life”? Perhaps one filled with material gain, financial prosperity or a successful and ever thriving career? Maybe a life packed with adventure, enriched by frequent and luxurious visits to far-off distant lands? Yet, realising that another Christmas has come swiftly upon us, do we wonder if there is something more, more than we have yet to experience or discover? Is there some other ingredient to life that without which, we simply cannot call our own life “Wonderful”? The working title of “It’s a Wonderful Life” was originally, “The Greatest Gift”. What “greatest gift” at Christmas could possibly be enough to shatter our previous dulled experiences and reveal to us something new for the years to come? At Christmas, we remember a man, born in a Bethlehem stable, who promises us exactly this. Indeed, Jesus Christ offers the gift of a “Wonderful” Life. Jesus told us “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” John 10:10
November 10, 2008
Jim Cymbala, Pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle for over 25 years writes in his book, “Break Through Prayer” the following, “Finding new power in prayer always means developing a new relationship with the Word of God, because God’s Word provides the right foundation for a life of asking and receiving. Only the prayer of faith secures answers, and we are not left in the dark about how faith is produced: Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).”
I visited a specialist a couple of weeks ago. During my examination the doctor was speaking with a first year medical student who was observing. The specialist talked with the young doctor about the need to search through the information given by the patient to get to the truth of what was going on with the patient. He said, “Not everything is always as it seems and it is important to get to the truth”. Then he said, “we deal in small letter ‘t’ truth and this gentleman deals with capital letter ‘T’ Truth.” He then turned and challenged me to make sure that what I spoke was indeed precisely that – the Truth that has its foundation fully established in the Word of God.
In John 14:6 Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In our day of the internet, instant messaging, and live feed telecommunications, truth can be twisted and appear to be what it is not. People can easily be lead, in large numbers, to believe a lie on almost any subject simply because someone has written or expressed an opinion about it. I am constantly receiving, and you may be also, emails from people on a variety of subjects, asking me to forward the email on to everyone I know so that the word about this important issue can be disseminated. Meanwhile, the information is actually a lie or a hoax. There was no truth to be expressed.
When we take the time to filter life through both God’s Word and prayer, truth is more easily discernable. Our lives truly do need to reflect truth with a capital “T”. God’s Truth.
Each month, there is a group of individuals that gather on the last Monday of each month in the Dufferin Oaks chapel at 7:00 p.m. to pray for the needs of Shelburne and the surrounding area. This prayer gathering is sponsored by the Shelburne and Area Ministerial Association. If it is really true, as Pastor Jim Cymbala claims, “Finding new power in prayer always means developing a new relationship with the Word of God, because God’s Word provides the right foundation for a life of asking and receiving. Only the prayer of faith secures answers, and we are not left in the dark about how faith is produced: Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17),” then I would encourage you to take the time and join with us for that time of prayer as we seek the guidance, blessing, mercy and help of the God of all Truth on behalf of our community.
As I come to the end of my second and final term as chair of the Shelburne and Area Ministerial Association, it is my prayer the Christian Community will continue come together in unity, Truth and love, established in the Word of God to influence people of all ages to live their lives fully committed to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.
July 29, 2008
This summer is filled with anniversaries, many of them very special this year. My parents will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary in the middle of July. My own wedding anniversary is in August. It certainly cannot be 37 years already. Time slips away sooooooo quickly! The Grace Church of the Nazarene, which I pastor, began as a Holiness Workers Association camp meeting 101 years ago and will celebrate its birth August 17. The Holiness Workers Association joined the Gospel Workers Church in 1918. On September 7 the Grace Church will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Gospel Workers Church joining with the Church of the Nazarene. We celebrate yet another anniversary October 5 as the Grace Church participates in the international 100th birthday party of the Church of the Nazarene as a denomination. Someone has said, “You are facing a lot of serious cake eating in the next few months!”
As I plan for and reflect upon these various upcoming events I am awed by the fact that God can take what appears to be a small event in an insignificant location, add to it the ingredients of time and His holy presence, and you end up with some very important Kingdom happenings. I cannot fathom, apart from the will and purposes of God, that all these anniversaries should converge in such a short period of time and I should be the one that finds myself involved with them. In the will and plans of God there are no accidents. He is not caught off guard by our actions or decisions. He knows the beginning from the end.
Anniversaries are moments in time when you can look back and celebrate what has been. They also provide an opportunity to look to the future to what has yet to be. God is still providing what appear to be small events in insignificant locations on this earth that will provide the framework for the amazing things that He will do as He adds the ingredients of time and His holy presence. Today we are the individuals that God is using to write tomorrow’s history. May we leave a legacy of holiness and righteousness for future generations to build their lives on so that in their anniversary celebrations they will be able to rejoice in what God has done for and in them.
March 1, 2008
I received an email this week from an internet marketer who was selling an ebook. The subject line of the email declared, “Hey Bob, Got a Life-changer book for ya!” The body of this email went on to make some important promises. He wrote, “Many of you are asking for a great starter program, one that is easy to follow and doesn't leave you questioning everything. Well this week I'm giving you just what you ask for; a great step-by-step book that not only is easy to follow, but will have you making some great income in no time!” Later on in the email I was told that I would, “really like this one because it has a lot of great information. The best part is the no questions asked refund that comes with it! So there is never any worry if you will make money or not.... It really doesn't get any better than this. So check it out! I know you'll love it too!” I have similar emails like this coming to me almost every day. Life changing promises are being made on a regular basis. I have looked into some programs, bought a few, and found most to be anything but life changing. I also discovered that the directions they give will only be successful if you follow them. Marketers are very skilled in finding ways to encourage people to part with their money in search of the fulfilment of dreams. Why do you think that lottery corporations are so successful in getting people to spend so much money on a chance to win ...?
This email I received caused me to reflect upon how we as followers of Jesus Christ go about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (NIV). This is truly life changing news. What are we doing to make Jesus attractive to people, such that they would want to take the time to investigate for themselves the truths and claims He makes about Himself? Are we allowing Jesus to make a difference in our own lives such that others can see a life-changing difference in us? Do we follow the directions found in His Word, the Bible, or do we have a better idea and do our own thing? As we participate in the broader context of the church are we seeking to make our faith relevant to our culture of today? One of the criticisms of the church today is that it is locked into methods and ideologies that no longer speak to people. The criticism of phoniness and sham labelled at Christians does not come as a result of the fact that the Bible, or Jesus, are not life changing. Rather, the criticism comes because Jesus’ followers do not live up to the standard they are called to live by in the Scriptures.
God’s Word provides the step-by step information we need if we are to follow His direction. The eternal guarantee is better than any offered in this world and people need to check it out for themselves. The Psalmist invites everyone to, “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalms 34:8). God’s guarantee is based upon His own character and nature and He will be true to His word. Don’t make your decision about Jesus based on what others think about him, check Him out for yourself. If you do, you just might find a life changing experience.
January 30, 2008
I was in the middle of writing an article for a website I was working on when I got the phone call that there was a need for an article to be wriiten for the newspaper right away. It occurred to me that some of the principles I was writing about in the article, “Do You Want to Reduce the Money You Spend On Gasoline?” had application into the spiritual realm.
As Christians we often make a verbal claim that we want to live by Biblical standards. We say we want to be like Jesus, but the reality is that our lives may not line up with what we say. Just ask the people that are closest to us. Our families and those we work with know what we are really like. They know whether our walk matches our talk. When we say one thing and do another we justifiably deserve the label of hypocrite. The faith that we are telling the world we possess becomes less attractive to others when what we claim to believe is not lived out in our daily lives. Why does this happen? I think the same reasons why we spend more money on gasoline than we need to are the same reasons that we do not live out what we say we believe.
I do not have time in this article to go through a complete list, but will give you a couple of ideas to get you thinking about your own life and life’s responses. People say they want to save money on gasoline, but they often do not take steps to make it happen. People are more interested in themselves and what they want than they are interested in others. When was the last time you drove on the highway and stayed within the speed limit? If you do drive the speed limit, you are close to being the slowest vehicle on the road. The fact is you will get better fuel economy and see greater fuel savings if you slow down a little. Everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere as quickly as possible. We are driven by the urgent to get to our next appointment, meeting, or whatever it might be. There is a constant adrenaline rush that keeps us living on the edge. Look at all the coffee that is consumed and the number of places that provide the convenience of the drive-through experience just to make sure that we stay at that hyped-up level, even as we drive. For many people it is all about themselves and what is happening in the moment. We are so rushed that we do not take the time to slow down and think about the consequences of what we are doing to ourselves or those around us or even the environment. The accident that could have been avoided if the driver had just slowed down, or the death that occurred because someone got behind the wheel after drinking too much alcohol, impacts the lives of many others. It is time to think before we act and to think of others and not just ourselves.
A second reason why people do not really want to save money on gasoline even though they say they do is because they lack the commitment to follow through and do the things necessary to make it happen. It takes effort and time to properly maintain your car, change the air filter, check your tire pressure, reduce the weight your vehicle is carrying (including the removal of ice and snow before you leave your driveway), plan your trips ahead, and walk more to reduce gasoline consumption. People have to be prepared to follow through on the things that they know will bring about the desired results. The same is true in the spiritual realm. There are spiritual disciplines that will help us be the type of person we say we want to be, but if we do not do what we need to do to make it happen, it just will not happen. When we spend time actually talking with God, and when we take time to read His Word and apply the principles found in it to our daily lives we will reap the benefits. It takes time, it takes commitment, it takes a willingness on our part to be proactive in making it happen.
If you want to reduce the money you spend on gasoline – do the things that have been proven to work! The same is true if you want your life to reflect what you say. Do the things that have been proven to make it happen so that, “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
December 29, 2007
Year ending reviews, forecasts for the new year, new year’s resolutions, turning over a new leaf are just some of the catch phrases that are being tossed around this time of year. We are told that knowing where you have come from and where you are hoping to go is important if you are to be successful in the coming year. I suggest to you that there is something that is just as important if you are to be truly successful in what matters most for your long-term benefit. You need to know what you believe and why you believe it. What you believe provides the foundation on which your lifestyle is centered. Your beliefs give direction to your passions and motivations.
Whether you believe in God, or do not believe in God; who you believe God to be if you believe God exists; how you are to relate to God, if you are to relate to him/her/it, will have an impact on how you live your life on a daily basis and how you relate to those around you, both within and outside of your family.
If you choose to believe in the trustworthiness and reliability of the Bible as a source for the truth about God and His plan for relationship with Himself and others, then it is important that you know what you believe and why. Far too often those who claim to be followers of Jesus become confused and fearful when someone claiming to be an expert makes claims that contradict what the Bible says. Sometimes people who are looking for an excuse to avoid their God given responsibilities will latch on to these claims and use them as an excuse to do what they want, when they want so they can avoid feeling guilty for their actions.
God welcomes honest, sincere searching for truth. We are not called to blind, unsubstantiated faith that never questions or investigates the foundations of our faith or the Word of God. When we choose the journey of knowing what we believe and why we believe it God will reveal the truth to us.
Knowing the Ten Commandments or the teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount are not enough to successfully meet God’s requirements for eternal life. Taking the time to understand what God’s Word is saying and applying those truths to how we live our lives today is what is important. When we do that, then we are more than blindly rule keeping. The Apostle Peter admonished the followers of Jesus, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) (NIV)
Recently, I watched a Dr. Phil program where one of the people on the program aggressively and in a judgmental manner proclaimed the tenets of the Christian faith. There was no connection in this person’s life between knowing the truth of God’s Word and applying it to her own life. If God’s truth does not transform and change our life in some way, then it has no real value. In knowing the “why” behind the “what” of our beliefs we will be drawn into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is current and relevant to the world of 2008. This relationship will bring meaning and motivation to the what and why of your faith.
December 14, 2007
During the Advent season you will see the nativity scene displayed in a variety of locations. While there will be some differences between theses displays, the basics are usually the same. You will find Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus lying in a manger. Looking on will be some shepherds and a variety of different animals.
The fact is this scene has become so commonplace in the Christmas season that we rarely stop to even take note of what is going on. We may very well be long overdue in taking some time from our busy schedules to ask ourselves the question, “What do I see?”
What do you see, beyond the obvious? Is it just a man and a woman in a stable with a baby in a manger surrounded by some animals and a few onlookers? The real event to which this depiction relates involves far more than that. The angel had declared to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12). The shepherds were at the stable as a direct result of their desire to know the truth and experience that truth for themselves. They investigated the claims of God for themselves.
Mary and Joseph were there because they chose to believe and trust God to work out the details. Nine months prior to this event when Mary, still a virgin, was engaged to Joseph, the angel Gabriel came and announced to her, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:31-32). Mary chose at that time to trust and obey God and so her response was, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.”
When confronted with the fact that Mary was pregnant and he knew he was not the father of the child, Joseph made the decision to divorce her quietly and put the whole matter behind him and get on with his life. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” --which means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:20-23). Joseph was at the stable with Mary that night because he chose to believe and trust that what God said was true, not only about how this baby was conceived, but also about what the mission and purpose of that baby was.
As you look at the nativity scene, what do you see? Do you see the Eternal, Sovereign, Son of God, who in love chose to leave the splendour of heaven and live with us for a time? Do you see the love that was demonstrated not only in that sacrifice, but in the sacrifice that would ultimately take place upon the cross of Calvary fulfilling the promise of forgiveness of sins? Do you see the faithfulness and obedience of ordinary people being expressed as they live out their lives? What do you see?
October 19, 2007
It is not common that you will find it. It is not popular if you say it. A significant percentage of our culture does not believe it. A preacher will be criticized if he reminds you of it. But here it is: God’s plan for sex includes one man and one woman, within the marriage relationship until death separates them.
Many people do not like what the Bible has to say about sexual purity until marriage and sexual fidelity after marriage. Just look at the information gathered by Statistics Canada. “Common-law-couple families grew most quickly since 2001, reflecting the greater social acceptance of this family structure. The number of common-law-couple families grew 18.9% to 1,376,900” (2006 Census statistics from Statistics Canada). “An estimated 12% of boys and 13% of girls reported having had sexual intercourse by the ages of 14 or 15” (May 10, 2005 Statistics Canada Report).
Biblical morality is laughed at, belittled, and called archaic, and old-fashioned. Sexual immorality in all forms is promoted as “normal” through the “day time soaps” and evening “sit-coms”. Families are bombarded with millions of dollars of advertising where sex is the #1 seller of everything from beer, to perfume, jeans, toothpaste, and breakfast cereal. More than 50 years ago Hugh Hefner said, “sex is a normal function of the body, it is a desire that man shares with the animals, just like sleeping or eating, therefore it is not wrong to satisfy these normal desires.” Statistics reveal that significant numbers of people in our society have accepted that philosophy and are living accordingly.
None of this changes the fact that God has not done a remake on His standards of sexual conduct. Sexual immorality in all of its forms is not new. Humanity chose to ignore God’s plan for moral fidelity long before the Ten Commandments were given and sexual infidelity was put on “The List”.
It is the responsibility of preachers to remind people from time to time, whether they like it or not, and often they do not, that disobeying God’s commands and will relating to sexual purity and fidelity, does carry significant and sometimes devastating consequences. These consequences can be seen in the impact and stress that broken homes have not only upon couples, but also on children who must live through these situations. Children should not have to deal with, or worry about either of their parents becoming “involved” with someone else. They should not have to spend their time being shuttled between parents on alternating weekends. They should not have face the “power-play” between parents competing for a child’s love and affection. Unfortunately, for far too many Canadian children this is a reality in their life.
Good parents do not let their children run out into traffic on a busy street because they love and care for them and do not want them to face the consequences of such actions. So to, God did not design His standards of sexual purity and fidelity to be mean and vindictive, but as a means to bless and protect us from the consequences of wrong actions.
God’s Word reminds us twice in the last two chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21:8, 22:15) that those who choose to ignore God’s standards of sexual morality, among other things, will be excluded from God’s eternal presence. If you have violated God’s standards of sexual fidelity you need to ask His forgiveness, turn from those actions and begin to live by faith in obedience to God’s Word. Sexual immorality is not the unpardonable sin, but you do need to turn away from it if your goal is to make it to heaven. You may not like that fact, but that does not change it!
October 9, 2007
It has been about a month now since I began the process of growing a beard. Some people will look and try not to notice or say anything. Others will comment and ask what it is all about. To those who have asked, I have responded in the same way, “I am growing this for Christmas.” When I have said this, there has been an almost 100 percent response, “So you are going to be Santa Clause, or Chris Kringle this year.”
The fact is I am trying to decide between a couple of different options for the Advent Season this year. If I were to choose the one option I need a beard. I am not into the stick on kind, so if I am to have a beard I need to start early enough for it to happen. I am not sure I will survive the itchy face long enough to get there and that may help in the decision as to what theme will be used in the end.
As I thought about the response of people to the beard and its association to Santa Clause I began to wonder why more people think of the man in the red suit than of the Eternal Son of God who chose to come and dwell amongst us when the word Christmas is mentioned. There are many possible answers, but perhaps it can be distilled down to the fact that the Santa Clause crowd has and continues to be better at marketing than the Church. Think about it. Which group is first out of the gate in promoting their vision of the Christmas season. Most stores will start putting up their decorations and promoting their Christmas sales in only a few weeks. The Church will start promoting Christmas once the Advent Season begins. The Church comes out of the starting block at least a month after the secular world.
Santa Clause will be given top billing by the media. There will be public parades and events focussed and given over to the promotion of Santa in communities all over the country, but very little will be said about the Son of God, whose birth we celebrate. The big advertising dollars are all on Santa not on Christ.
There is not much that Christians can do about what is spent promoting Santa, but there is certainly much that could and should be done by Christ’s followers in getting the word out about the real reason for the season. Luke 2:16-18 tells us about the shepherds, “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. {17} When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, {18} and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” These shepherd were not afraid to get the word out about Jesus and neither should we. Why wait? Begin now to share the good news so that people will know there is more to Christmas than Santa Clause.
August 27, 2007
I received a request recently to provide my opinions on a survey about hydro usage (I belong to several online survey organizations). The survey was looking for my response to a number of conservation tactics that are being promoted in the summer of 2007. One of the sections dealt with how I felt about the program of reducing hydro consumption this summer by 10% and receiving a 10% credit in the fall. The questions then proceeded to ask me about what I was doing to conserve hydro. As I went through the list of things to do there was very little that I had not already initiated. Near the end of the survey I was asked how much this 10% promotion would influence me to conserve. I had to answer, not much. I am sure that was not the answer they were looking for. What I needed was a program that would encourage me to continue to do my best when I was already doing what I could. The current incentive propositions have little value to me.
When it comes to our participation and involvement in the Kingdom of God the call to greater involvement and commitment only has validity as an incentive when there is much we can still do. The question you need to answer is, “What is my level of commitment to Jesus and His kingdom?” If you fill a glass to the top with stones, is the glass 100% full, or can more be put in it? Often people will look at their commitment and say, “I am doing all I can.” If you take that glass filled with rocks and pour water into it until it reaches the top, then it is 100% full. Only as individuals, when we make an honest assessment before God, can we determine whether we are fully (100%) committed to Him. External incentives may help us along the way to get there, but it will take a different set of incentives to keep us fully committed afterward.
August 1, 2007
More Than The
“Santa Clause”
The Christmas season provides an opportunity to watch a number of season related movies. Some of these are long running classic that never grow old, such as “It’s A Wonderful Life”. As part of the season you can always find something that relates to the most popular and monetized aspect of this time of year. That being of course, Santa Clause. “The Miracle on 34th Street” was one of the early Santa movies filmed in 1947. All kinds of stories have been told about Santa Clause down through the years. The poet, Clement More gave him a red nose and eight tiny reindeer. Thomas Nast, the cartoonist, made him big and fat and gave him a red suit trimmed with fur and of course, the cowboy singer Gene Autry gave him Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.
One story line I have noticed a lot lately is one that tries to answer the question: How does one go about replacing Santa Claus if he decides to retire, or if he dies? One of the cleverest movies to explore that theme showed Scott Calvin (starring Tim Allen) who became Santa by mistake when he did not read the fine print. He put on the Santa suit and thus bound himself to a legal contract known as the “Santa Clause”. The rest of the movie deals with the changes that took place in Tim Allen’s life that included such things as changes in his body fat and facial hair, changes in his attitudes, and changes in how and where he lived. Once he put on the suit, his life was never the same.
The Bible talks about us putting on something also. It says we put on Jesus and once we put on Jesus, our lives are never the same. We become children of God. We have a new home and a new set of relationships. The Bible tells us that Jesus puts on us “white robes” without spot or blemish and once we put on those clothes our lives are never the same again. When Scott Calvin put on the Santa Suit it changed how he looked and how he thought and how he acted. It changed everything about him and that is what should happen to us when we “put on” Jesus. That single act should change the way we look and think and act. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:22-24, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; {23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds; {24} and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (NIV). He went on to tell us “putting on Christ” means that our behaviour changes.
- We should prefer truth to lying.
- We should prefer a “G” rated way of talking as opposed to surrounding ourselves with the filthy language we find in the books, TV and other forms of entertainment that surrounds us.
- We should not allow anger to so overcome us that it destroys our relationships.
- We should serve others and give to those less fortunate rather than looking for handouts.
- We need to be kind and compassionate to others, forgiving others as God in Christ forgave us.
In short, when people are around us they should be able to see what we have put on. They should be able to see Jesus in us. When we do not behave that way, people will sense that something is not right.
How do we put on Jesus? It does not happen by accident, like Scott Calvin failing to read the small print and ending up with a changed life. He had no idea what he was getting in to, but you cannot do that with Jesus. You cannot put on Jesus by accident. It must be a deliberate choice that you make. Your decision must include the certainty that you want to stake your life on the fact that Jesus is the Son of God. It must also include the acknowledgment you believe you are a sinner and your only hope is in the fact Jesus’ sacrificial blood shed on Calvary is powerful enough to remove your sin. As part of that declaration of faith you desire to turn your whole life over to Him (believing you can trust Him with your life).
Our focus during this season of the year must never be upon the trappings of tradition, the “feel good” sentiments of family, friends and food, or even the enjoyment of the holiday movie schedule. All that we do needs to find its foundation in the expression of the love of God that was shown to us in the birth of His Son who came to set us free from the power of sin and death, making us more like Jesus.
November 26, 2008
"It's A Wonderful Life"
November 30/08 will begin another Advent season. A time when we have the opportunity to drag out the Christmas lights and set up the Christmas tree. I have a special tie I like to wear during the Advent season and so I have scouted it out and have it ready. I am not into rushing the season like the stores do. Halloween is packed up and Christmas set up for promotion on November 1st. I do enjoy watching and re-watching Christmas movies. One of the classics is the highly acclaimed film directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart and Donna Reed called “It’s A Wonderful Life”. This film remains one of today’s most popular Christmas films. Although those of us who have seen the film would unwaveringly class it as a “feel-good” movie, the first part of the film comprises a far from “perfect” story. The scenes trace the darkness of George’s (the leading character) mood as his mounting personal and financial troubles plunge him to the brink of ruin and into an abyss of despair and suicide. This is a story about broken dreams. If someone were to ask you if you had a “Wonderful Life”, what would your response be?
In fact, how would we define a “Wonderful Life”? Perhaps one filled with material gain, financial prosperity or a successful and ever thriving career? Maybe a life packed with adventure, enriched by frequent and luxurious visits to far-off distant lands? Yet, realising that another Christmas has come swiftly upon us, do we wonder if there is something more, more than we have yet to experience or discover? Is there some other ingredient to life that without which, we simply cannot call our own life “Wonderful”? The working title of “It’s a Wonderful Life” was originally, “The Greatest Gift”. What “greatest gift” at Christmas could possibly be enough to shatter our previous dulled experiences and reveal to us something new for the years to come? At Christmas, we remember a man, born in a Bethlehem stable, who promises us exactly this. Indeed, Jesus Christ offers the gift of a “Wonderful” Life. Jesus told us “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” John 10:10
November 10, 2008
Prayer and Truth For Our Community
Jim Cymbala, Pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle for over 25 years writes in his book, “Break Through Prayer” the following, “Finding new power in prayer always means developing a new relationship with the Word of God, because God’s Word provides the right foundation for a life of asking and receiving. Only the prayer of faith secures answers, and we are not left in the dark about how faith is produced: Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).”
I visited a specialist a couple of weeks ago. During my examination the doctor was speaking with a first year medical student who was observing. The specialist talked with the young doctor about the need to search through the information given by the patient to get to the truth of what was going on with the patient. He said, “Not everything is always as it seems and it is important to get to the truth”. Then he said, “we deal in small letter ‘t’ truth and this gentleman deals with capital letter ‘T’ Truth.” He then turned and challenged me to make sure that what I spoke was indeed precisely that – the Truth that has its foundation fully established in the Word of God.
In John 14:6 Jesus declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In our day of the internet, instant messaging, and live feed telecommunications, truth can be twisted and appear to be what it is not. People can easily be lead, in large numbers, to believe a lie on almost any subject simply because someone has written or expressed an opinion about it. I am constantly receiving, and you may be also, emails from people on a variety of subjects, asking me to forward the email on to everyone I know so that the word about this important issue can be disseminated. Meanwhile, the information is actually a lie or a hoax. There was no truth to be expressed.
When we take the time to filter life through both God’s Word and prayer, truth is more easily discernable. Our lives truly do need to reflect truth with a capital “T”. God’s Truth.
Each month, there is a group of individuals that gather on the last Monday of each month in the Dufferin Oaks chapel at 7:00 p.m. to pray for the needs of Shelburne and the surrounding area. This prayer gathering is sponsored by the Shelburne and Area Ministerial Association. If it is really true, as Pastor Jim Cymbala claims, “Finding new power in prayer always means developing a new relationship with the Word of God, because God’s Word provides the right foundation for a life of asking and receiving. Only the prayer of faith secures answers, and we are not left in the dark about how faith is produced: Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17),” then I would encourage you to take the time and join with us for that time of prayer as we seek the guidance, blessing, mercy and help of the God of all Truth on behalf of our community.
As I come to the end of my second and final term as chair of the Shelburne and Area Ministerial Association, it is my prayer the Christian Community will continue come together in unity, Truth and love, established in the Word of God to influence people of all ages to live their lives fully committed to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.
July 29, 2008
Anniversary Celebrations
This summer is filled with anniversaries, many of them very special this year. My parents will be celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary in the middle of July. My own wedding anniversary is in August. It certainly cannot be 37 years already. Time slips away sooooooo quickly! The Grace Church of the Nazarene, which I pastor, began as a Holiness Workers Association camp meeting 101 years ago and will celebrate its birth August 17. The Holiness Workers Association joined the Gospel Workers Church in 1918. On September 7 the Grace Church will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Gospel Workers Church joining with the Church of the Nazarene. We celebrate yet another anniversary October 5 as the Grace Church participates in the international 100th birthday party of the Church of the Nazarene as a denomination. Someone has said, “You are facing a lot of serious cake eating in the next few months!”
As I plan for and reflect upon these various upcoming events I am awed by the fact that God can take what appears to be a small event in an insignificant location, add to it the ingredients of time and His holy presence, and you end up with some very important Kingdom happenings. I cannot fathom, apart from the will and purposes of God, that all these anniversaries should converge in such a short period of time and I should be the one that finds myself involved with them. In the will and plans of God there are no accidents. He is not caught off guard by our actions or decisions. He knows the beginning from the end.
Anniversaries are moments in time when you can look back and celebrate what has been. They also provide an opportunity to look to the future to what has yet to be. God is still providing what appear to be small events in insignificant locations on this earth that will provide the framework for the amazing things that He will do as He adds the ingredients of time and His holy presence. Today we are the individuals that God is using to write tomorrow’s history. May we leave a legacy of holiness and righteousness for future generations to build their lives on so that in their anniversary celebrations they will be able to rejoice in what God has done for and in them.
March 1, 2008
Check Out God For Yourself
I received an email this week from an internet marketer who was selling an ebook. The subject line of the email declared, “Hey Bob, Got a Life-changer book for ya!” The body of this email went on to make some important promises. He wrote, “Many of you are asking for a great starter program, one that is easy to follow and doesn't leave you questioning everything. Well this week I'm giving you just what you ask for; a great step-by-step book that not only is easy to follow, but will have you making some great income in no time!” Later on in the email I was told that I would, “really like this one because it has a lot of great information. The best part is the no questions asked refund that comes with it! So there is never any worry if you will make money or not.... It really doesn't get any better than this. So check it out! I know you'll love it too!” I have similar emails like this coming to me almost every day. Life changing promises are being made on a regular basis. I have looked into some programs, bought a few, and found most to be anything but life changing. I also discovered that the directions they give will only be successful if you follow them. Marketers are very skilled in finding ways to encourage people to part with their money in search of the fulfilment of dreams. Why do you think that lottery corporations are so successful in getting people to spend so much money on a chance to win ...?
This email I received caused me to reflect upon how we as followers of Jesus Christ go about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (NIV). This is truly life changing news. What are we doing to make Jesus attractive to people, such that they would want to take the time to investigate for themselves the truths and claims He makes about Himself? Are we allowing Jesus to make a difference in our own lives such that others can see a life-changing difference in us? Do we follow the directions found in His Word, the Bible, or do we have a better idea and do our own thing? As we participate in the broader context of the church are we seeking to make our faith relevant to our culture of today? One of the criticisms of the church today is that it is locked into methods and ideologies that no longer speak to people. The criticism of phoniness and sham labelled at Christians does not come as a result of the fact that the Bible, or Jesus, are not life changing. Rather, the criticism comes because Jesus’ followers do not live up to the standard they are called to live by in the Scriptures.
God’s Word provides the step-by step information we need if we are to follow His direction. The eternal guarantee is better than any offered in this world and people need to check it out for themselves. The Psalmist invites everyone to, “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalms 34:8). God’s guarantee is based upon His own character and nature and He will be true to His word. Don’t make your decision about Jesus based on what others think about him, check Him out for yourself. If you do, you just might find a life changing experience.
January 30, 2008
Follow Through On What You Say
I was in the middle of writing an article for a website I was working on when I got the phone call that there was a need for an article to be wriiten for the newspaper right away. It occurred to me that some of the principles I was writing about in the article, “Do You Want to Reduce the Money You Spend On Gasoline?” had application into the spiritual realm.
As Christians we often make a verbal claim that we want to live by Biblical standards. We say we want to be like Jesus, but the reality is that our lives may not line up with what we say. Just ask the people that are closest to us. Our families and those we work with know what we are really like. They know whether our walk matches our talk. When we say one thing and do another we justifiably deserve the label of hypocrite. The faith that we are telling the world we possess becomes less attractive to others when what we claim to believe is not lived out in our daily lives. Why does this happen? I think the same reasons why we spend more money on gasoline than we need to are the same reasons that we do not live out what we say we believe.
I do not have time in this article to go through a complete list, but will give you a couple of ideas to get you thinking about your own life and life’s responses. People say they want to save money on gasoline, but they often do not take steps to make it happen. People are more interested in themselves and what they want than they are interested in others. When was the last time you drove on the highway and stayed within the speed limit? If you do drive the speed limit, you are close to being the slowest vehicle on the road. The fact is you will get better fuel economy and see greater fuel savings if you slow down a little. Everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere as quickly as possible. We are driven by the urgent to get to our next appointment, meeting, or whatever it might be. There is a constant adrenaline rush that keeps us living on the edge. Look at all the coffee that is consumed and the number of places that provide the convenience of the drive-through experience just to make sure that we stay at that hyped-up level, even as we drive. For many people it is all about themselves and what is happening in the moment. We are so rushed that we do not take the time to slow down and think about the consequences of what we are doing to ourselves or those around us or even the environment. The accident that could have been avoided if the driver had just slowed down, or the death that occurred because someone got behind the wheel after drinking too much alcohol, impacts the lives of many others. It is time to think before we act and to think of others and not just ourselves.
A second reason why people do not really want to save money on gasoline even though they say they do is because they lack the commitment to follow through and do the things necessary to make it happen. It takes effort and time to properly maintain your car, change the air filter, check your tire pressure, reduce the weight your vehicle is carrying (including the removal of ice and snow before you leave your driveway), plan your trips ahead, and walk more to reduce gasoline consumption. People have to be prepared to follow through on the things that they know will bring about the desired results. The same is true in the spiritual realm. There are spiritual disciplines that will help us be the type of person we say we want to be, but if we do not do what we need to do to make it happen, it just will not happen. When we spend time actually talking with God, and when we take time to read His Word and apply the principles found in it to our daily lives we will reap the benefits. It takes time, it takes commitment, it takes a willingness on our part to be proactive in making it happen.
If you want to reduce the money you spend on gasoline – do the things that have been proven to work! The same is true if you want your life to reflect what you say. Do the things that have been proven to make it happen so that, “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
December 29, 2007
Know What You Believe and Why You Believe It
Year ending reviews, forecasts for the new year, new year’s resolutions, turning over a new leaf are just some of the catch phrases that are being tossed around this time of year. We are told that knowing where you have come from and where you are hoping to go is important if you are to be successful in the coming year. I suggest to you that there is something that is just as important if you are to be truly successful in what matters most for your long-term benefit. You need to know what you believe and why you believe it. What you believe provides the foundation on which your lifestyle is centered. Your beliefs give direction to your passions and motivations.
Whether you believe in God, or do not believe in God; who you believe God to be if you believe God exists; how you are to relate to God, if you are to relate to him/her/it, will have an impact on how you live your life on a daily basis and how you relate to those around you, both within and outside of your family.
If you choose to believe in the trustworthiness and reliability of the Bible as a source for the truth about God and His plan for relationship with Himself and others, then it is important that you know what you believe and why. Far too often those who claim to be followers of Jesus become confused and fearful when someone claiming to be an expert makes claims that contradict what the Bible says. Sometimes people who are looking for an excuse to avoid their God given responsibilities will latch on to these claims and use them as an excuse to do what they want, when they want so they can avoid feeling guilty for their actions.
God welcomes honest, sincere searching for truth. We are not called to blind, unsubstantiated faith that never questions or investigates the foundations of our faith or the Word of God. When we choose the journey of knowing what we believe and why we believe it God will reveal the truth to us.
Knowing the Ten Commandments or the teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount are not enough to successfully meet God’s requirements for eternal life. Taking the time to understand what God’s Word is saying and applying those truths to how we live our lives today is what is important. When we do that, then we are more than blindly rule keeping. The Apostle Peter admonished the followers of Jesus, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) (NIV)
Recently, I watched a Dr. Phil program where one of the people on the program aggressively and in a judgmental manner proclaimed the tenets of the Christian faith. There was no connection in this person’s life between knowing the truth of God’s Word and applying it to her own life. If God’s truth does not transform and change our life in some way, then it has no real value. In knowing the “why” behind the “what” of our beliefs we will be drawn into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is current and relevant to the world of 2008. This relationship will bring meaning and motivation to the what and why of your faith.
December 14, 2007
What Do You See?
During the Advent season you will see the nativity scene displayed in a variety of locations. While there will be some differences between theses displays, the basics are usually the same. You will find Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus lying in a manger. Looking on will be some shepherds and a variety of different animals.
The fact is this scene has become so commonplace in the Christmas season that we rarely stop to even take note of what is going on. We may very well be long overdue in taking some time from our busy schedules to ask ourselves the question, “What do I see?”
What do you see, beyond the obvious? Is it just a man and a woman in a stable with a baby in a manger surrounded by some animals and a few onlookers? The real event to which this depiction relates involves far more than that. The angel had declared to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12). The shepherds were at the stable as a direct result of their desire to know the truth and experience that truth for themselves. They investigated the claims of God for themselves.
Mary and Joseph were there because they chose to believe and trust God to work out the details. Nine months prior to this event when Mary, still a virgin, was engaged to Joseph, the angel Gabriel came and announced to her, “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:31-32). Mary chose at that time to trust and obey God and so her response was, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.”
When confronted with the fact that Mary was pregnant and he knew he was not the father of the child, Joseph made the decision to divorce her quietly and put the whole matter behind him and get on with his life. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” --which means, “God with us” (Matthew 1:20-23). Joseph was at the stable with Mary that night because he chose to believe and trust that what God said was true, not only about how this baby was conceived, but also about what the mission and purpose of that baby was.
As you look at the nativity scene, what do you see? Do you see the Eternal, Sovereign, Son of God, who in love chose to leave the splendour of heaven and live with us for a time? Do you see the love that was demonstrated not only in that sacrifice, but in the sacrifice that would ultimately take place upon the cross of Calvary fulfilling the promise of forgiveness of sins? Do you see the faithfulness and obedience of ordinary people being expressed as they live out their lives? What do you see?
October 19, 2007
You May Not Like It, But That Does Not Change It
It is not common that you will find it. It is not popular if you say it. A significant percentage of our culture does not believe it. A preacher will be criticized if he reminds you of it. But here it is: God’s plan for sex includes one man and one woman, within the marriage relationship until death separates them.
Many people do not like what the Bible has to say about sexual purity until marriage and sexual fidelity after marriage. Just look at the information gathered by Statistics Canada. “Common-law-couple families grew most quickly since 2001, reflecting the greater social acceptance of this family structure. The number of common-law-couple families grew 18.9% to 1,376,900” (2006 Census statistics from Statistics Canada). “An estimated 12% of boys and 13% of girls reported having had sexual intercourse by the ages of 14 or 15” (May 10, 2005 Statistics Canada Report).
Biblical morality is laughed at, belittled, and called archaic, and old-fashioned. Sexual immorality in all forms is promoted as “normal” through the “day time soaps” and evening “sit-coms”. Families are bombarded with millions of dollars of advertising where sex is the #1 seller of everything from beer, to perfume, jeans, toothpaste, and breakfast cereal. More than 50 years ago Hugh Hefner said, “sex is a normal function of the body, it is a desire that man shares with the animals, just like sleeping or eating, therefore it is not wrong to satisfy these normal desires.” Statistics reveal that significant numbers of people in our society have accepted that philosophy and are living accordingly.
None of this changes the fact that God has not done a remake on His standards of sexual conduct. Sexual immorality in all of its forms is not new. Humanity chose to ignore God’s plan for moral fidelity long before the Ten Commandments were given and sexual infidelity was put on “The List”.
It is the responsibility of preachers to remind people from time to time, whether they like it or not, and often they do not, that disobeying God’s commands and will relating to sexual purity and fidelity, does carry significant and sometimes devastating consequences. These consequences can be seen in the impact and stress that broken homes have not only upon couples, but also on children who must live through these situations. Children should not have to deal with, or worry about either of their parents becoming “involved” with someone else. They should not have to spend their time being shuttled between parents on alternating weekends. They should not have face the “power-play” between parents competing for a child’s love and affection. Unfortunately, for far too many Canadian children this is a reality in their life.
Good parents do not let their children run out into traffic on a busy street because they love and care for them and do not want them to face the consequences of such actions. So to, God did not design His standards of sexual purity and fidelity to be mean and vindictive, but as a means to bless and protect us from the consequences of wrong actions.
God’s Word reminds us twice in the last two chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21:8, 22:15) that those who choose to ignore God’s standards of sexual morality, among other things, will be excluded from God’s eternal presence. If you have violated God’s standards of sexual fidelity you need to ask His forgiveness, turn from those actions and begin to live by faith in obedience to God’s Word. Sexual immorality is not the unpardonable sin, but you do need to turn away from it if your goal is to make it to heaven. You may not like that fact, but that does not change it!
October 9, 2007
Who is the Focus of Christmas?
It has been about a month now since I began the process of growing a beard. Some people will look and try not to notice or say anything. Others will comment and ask what it is all about. To those who have asked, I have responded in the same way, “I am growing this for Christmas.” When I have said this, there has been an almost 100 percent response, “So you are going to be Santa Clause, or Chris Kringle this year.”
The fact is I am trying to decide between a couple of different options for the Advent Season this year. If I were to choose the one option I need a beard. I am not into the stick on kind, so if I am to have a beard I need to start early enough for it to happen. I am not sure I will survive the itchy face long enough to get there and that may help in the decision as to what theme will be used in the end.
As I thought about the response of people to the beard and its association to Santa Clause I began to wonder why more people think of the man in the red suit than of the Eternal Son of God who chose to come and dwell amongst us when the word Christmas is mentioned. There are many possible answers, but perhaps it can be distilled down to the fact that the Santa Clause crowd has and continues to be better at marketing than the Church. Think about it. Which group is first out of the gate in promoting their vision of the Christmas season. Most stores will start putting up their decorations and promoting their Christmas sales in only a few weeks. The Church will start promoting Christmas once the Advent Season begins. The Church comes out of the starting block at least a month after the secular world.
Santa Clause will be given top billing by the media. There will be public parades and events focussed and given over to the promotion of Santa in communities all over the country, but very little will be said about the Son of God, whose birth we celebrate. The big advertising dollars are all on Santa not on Christ.
There is not much that Christians can do about what is spent promoting Santa, but there is certainly much that could and should be done by Christ’s followers in getting the word out about the real reason for the season. Luke 2:16-18 tells us about the shepherds, “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. {17} When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, {18} and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” These shepherd were not afraid to get the word out about Jesus and neither should we. Why wait? Begin now to share the good news so that people will know there is more to Christmas than Santa Clause.
August 27, 2007
Commit
to Persevere
I received a request recently to provide my opinions on a survey about hydro usage (I belong to several online survey organizations). The survey was looking for my response to a number of conservation tactics that are being promoted in the summer of 2007. One of the sections dealt with how I felt about the program of reducing hydro consumption this summer by 10% and receiving a 10% credit in the fall. The questions then proceeded to ask me about what I was doing to conserve hydro. As I went through the list of things to do there was very little that I had not already initiated. Near the end of the survey I was asked how much this 10% promotion would influence me to conserve. I had to answer, not much. I am sure that was not the answer they were looking for. What I needed was a program that would encourage me to continue to do my best when I was already doing what I could. The current incentive propositions have little value to me.
When it comes to our participation and involvement in the Kingdom of God the call to greater involvement and commitment only has validity as an incentive when there is much we can still do. The question you need to answer is, “What is my level of commitment to Jesus and His kingdom?” If you fill a glass to the top with stones, is the glass 100% full, or can more be put in it? Often people will look at their commitment and say, “I am doing all I can.” If you take that glass filled with rocks and pour water into it until it reaches the top, then it is 100% full. Only as individuals, when we make an honest assessment before God, can we determine whether we are fully (100%) committed to Him. External incentives may help us along the way to get there, but it will take a different set of incentives to keep us fully committed afterward.
August 1, 2007
When The Power Goes Out
As
the
summer temperatures rise the media is warning us to conserve
hydro. If consumers do not cut back on the consumption of hydro
there will be blackouts. I began to reflect upon how dependant we
are upon the hydro to power a significant portion of what takes place
in our lives. When the power goes off, the furnace does not work,
the lights will not turn on, the refrigerator will not cool, the
computers can not run, the cash registers will not open, the elevators
will not move, the traffic signals no longer function, and a multitude
of other items become inoperable. Thinking back to previous power
outages I remember feeling lost when it happened. We often take
for granted what is important in our lives until we do not have
it. Such is the case with our electrical power system.
There
is another power area that we often take for granted on which we are
also dependant. This is the area of spiritual power. If we
do not take care of this power system, for whatever reason, a power
failure will be inevitable. Neglect, indifference, failure to be
attentive because of busyness or whatever reason will lead to breakdown
and possible unpleasant consequences. Jesus reminds us in John’s
Gospel chapter 15 verse 5 that apart from Him, we can do nothing.
Power to be victorious over temptation and sin is very important.
As Followers of Jesus Christ (Christians) we are dependant upon God’s
grace, mercy, love, faithfulness, guidance and help every moment of
every day. The Psalmist David understood this when he wrote in
Psalms 62:5-8, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from
him. {6} He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I
will not be shaken. {7} My salvation and my honour depend on God; he is
my mighty rock, my refuge. {8} Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” (NIV)
Who
or
what are you depending on for your spiritual power? Are you
taking for granted or neglecting your relationship with God such that
the communication lines are in danger of going down? Do not wait
until there is a power failure to draw to your attention your daily
dependance upon God. Involve Him in every aspect of your life and
you will be ready for whatever comes your way. Do not be
spiritually lost without the power of God’s presence in your life!
Check
out the resources available to help you in your walk with God at:
http://www.shelburnegrace.com
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