Monthly Archives: July 2016

THE APPLE AND THE TREE

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.” (Ephesians 5:1)

A friend was recently telling me about her daughter’s wedding. When I looked at some pictures from the event, I stated how much the daughter resembled the mother. My friend smiled and said that when she first met her daughter’s maid-of-honor, she immediately stated – “You have to be Stacy’s mom. As soon as you got out of the car and walked this way, I knew without question who you were because of your mannerisms.”  It’s like that old expression. You know the one: “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” That can be a good thing, as in, “He graduated at the top of his class, just like his father.  I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Or it can also have a negative connotation. “She has the same nasty disposition as her mother.  As they say, the apple . . .”  You get the point!

Imitation is a part of growing up. As children, we try on mom’s jewelry or attempt to fit into dad’s shoes to be just like them.  As we get a little older, it becomes fashionable to wear a particular style or look a certain way. This has not significantly changed over time.  If you were a flapper or wore a zoot suit, you lived in the 1920’s. Donning a poodle skirt or a Beatle cut? Then you must have grown up in the 1950’s or 60’s. A decade or so later, you would have worn bell-bottom anything.  Big hair and denim jackets were part of the 1980’s. Grunge, fanny packs, bleached hair and pierced everything highlighted the culture of the ‘90’s. As we rolled into Y2K and beyond – crocs, low-rise jeans, and whatever would enhance your ‘selfie-image’ took precedence. While fads like these come and go and the memory pictures surface to haunt us years later – in most cases, they are simply a passing fancy. Ultimately, it becomes more about the people we allow in our lives that will make an indelible mark on who we turn out to be.

In Jesus’ day, there is perhaps no better example of imitation than the education of Jewish boys who desired to become a rabbi. Only the most outstanding young men were given the opportunity to do so, at times being required to leave home for a period of time to intensely study under one. In these cases, it was not enough to acquire the knowledge of the teacher/rabbi.  The disciples of the rabbi noted everything he said and every action he made. Doing his best to imitate it, the successful student would replicate the lifestyle and mannerisms so as to become like him in every way. John the apostle gave the same instruction for followers of Jesus in that “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked (1 John 2:6.) The New International Version (NIV) of the Bible states it this way: “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”

This instruction should give us pause to reflect on who it is we are modeling or with whom we are spending time. Unfortunately, many find themselves ‘guilty by association” rather than “redeemed by grace”.  The themes of political candidacies serve to remind us that whatever we did, however we acted, or who we might have hung out with will later haunt us as the photographs, records, and statements are openly released in every attempt to turn a future constituency away from us. Why anyone, these days, would want to run for public office is beyond my comprehension!  Lucky for we who recognize that we are sinners to also know that we “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).  So, who or what is it that you cherish above all others?  Is it the latest craze, the love of money, or the attention you receive from others? Or is it something even worse?  None of these will protect and preserve your very being. As part of a prayer, David echoed these words – “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 17:8). In assessing our relationship with God, would anyone venture to look at us and say, “the apple sure doesn’t fall far from the tree?” Let it be so in your life. For whenever we make the decision to walk with Jesus, we will find that we are in pretty good company and not at all far from a life-saving, well-rooted tree.

REFLECTION: Who and what is influencing your life habits? Are these influences drawing you closer to or further away from God? Is there anyone who could say that the time they spent with you was the closest experience they have ever had to walking with Jesus?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., AUGUST 6, 2016.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

FEAR

       For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,           Do not fear; I will help you.” (Isaiah 41:13)

I heard recently that a pastor stood before his church on a Sunday morning and asked the congregation, “How many of you are scared? If so, raise your hand.”  The response was that many of those present did so. In the midst of a time when our country and world is experiencing an extreme amount of gun violence, this response should not surprise us. A sense of uncertainty rises and fear sets in when those who have been hired to protect us become the targets. We question whether it is safe to go shopping at the mall or watch a movie in a theater. We become concerned whether our children will be protected at school. Complicate that with the turmoil of cultural divisions and atrocities of radical terrorism –  it is no wonder that many people are scared. In today’s world – fear is a common response, and what we do with it will determine who we are as a person.

Social media and advertising all send a persistent message that people should be afraid. We are warned to safeguard our personal identity and our private information. It is being advised that we should stockpile silver and gold in case the financial system collapses. We hear that there are those who purchase dehydrated food packets to feed their families in the event there is a national emergency. Hysteria is pervasive, and it affects the way we view life. Our politicians sometimes capitalize on the concept of a frightening world and pledge that if elected, they will make it better. Such statements are not new to the political arena. This was the case when Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933 at one of the most troublesome times of our nation during the depth of the depression. In his first inaugural address, he said – “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

The only fear we should have is the fear of the Lord, but it is not a fear that calls us to be afraid. It is rather a recognition of who He is and our worshipful response to His awesomeness. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10) and an acknowledgement of His holiness. Having been given the assignment to ‘Explain God’ – an eight-year-old California boy by the name of Danny Dutton is credited with the following revelation: ‘If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.” Danny not only understood the meaning of fear, but he knew where to place his hope and find assurance. He is able to echo similar words to those of David, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). Regardless of what is happening in the world around us, we do not need to indicate that we are afraid.  “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:6).

If you remember a time when you were quite fearful, you no doubt experienced feelings of horror, panic, or despair. A few years ago, the captain of an Italian cruise ship, the Costa Concordia, abandoned ship and 32 passengers were lost when the vessel capsized and sank after striking an underwater rock obstruction. Those of us who know God as our Captain will never feel abandoned. He spoke to His chosen people through the prophet Isaiah who found themselves in exile and captivity hundreds of years before the birth of Christ.  “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).  Likewise, we have no reason to believe that He does not have the same message for we who follow Him today. Those whom He has chosen as His faithful servants are always provided the same promise. Fear only sets in when we lose sight of God and who He is.

REFLECTION:  Recall a time in your life when you were afraid. To whom did you call on for help? What are your greatest fears today?  Do you handle them differently than you once did?  Romans 8:31 states: “if God is for us, who can be against us?”  How can you apply that theme in your daily journey? Are there ways that you might also share this passage with others who share their fears with you?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JULY 30, 2016.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

H. E. L. P.

“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains: From where shall my help come?” (Psalm 121:1)

When I go shopping with a relative of mine, we have two different philosophies. Mine is to get what I want and get out. Hers is more patient and relaxed. In my way of thinking, I will spend a minimal amount of time looking for the items on my list. However, if I can’t find what I want and it’s something I need or think the store has, I will find someone and ask for help. She will occasionally get upset with me if in the course of her searching, I simply turn to a clerk to inquire further. When the store employee isn’t able to assist us, she will say – “See they don’t know any more than we do.” Sometimes, however, they are able to lead me to the item, provide additional information, or suggest an alternate solution.  I guess I am never hesitant about asking, because I simply view it as part of their role.

Today, help is available to us in so many forms. There are food pantries and shelters for persons who struggle meeting their basic needs. If you are looking for a job or are an employer searching for help, there are recruiters who offer services. Out of work or disabled? There is government assistance for you. If you are in an emergency situation, you can call 9-1-1. Or if you are elderly and have the right equipment, you can use your “help I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” device.  There are medical clinics for those who have chronic health concerns. Many community organizations and churches sponsor helplines for people who need counseling services or are in crisis. In need of directions? Then your GPS can provide them. Educational scholarships are accessible to qualifying individuals. There are financial institutions to help you borrow money for a new home or another project. Some would and have, in fact, argued that there is so much help available that in many ways – we have created a dependent society.

There is an expression that has been around for decades which states – “God helps those who help themselves.” It is probably one of those frequently quoted phrases that most persons think is sacred. However, it is not found in the Bible. Whatever the original source of this saying, the teachings we find in scripture are quite the contrary. When Jesus told his disciples that He would be leaving them –  they asked Him to show them the way where He would be going (John 14:5). He explained that He was ‘the way’ and that He would be with the Father (John 14:6-7). He stated: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.  If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:13-17). God knew that ultimately we would be incapable of helping ourselves, so He provided a spiritual Helper for all who believe.

In the Old Testament, we find that the psalmist also understood where to find relief from the distress of life. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Those of us who seek the refuge He provides will realize all the help we will ever need.  For help which is God-given can be defined as His Eternal Liberating Promise.  It is His and His alone. It is Eternal because it is everlasting. It is Liberating, because it frees us from the worry and burdens which somehow find us. Finally, it is also a Promise that He made and will provide to all those who love Him.  So if you are struggling this day to find the right kind of help, look beyond the hills and the other creations of this world. Instead, look to the One who created them. For not only did the psalmist ask the question, “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains: From where shall my help come?” (Psalm 121:1). He also knew the answer as he replied, “My help comes from the LORD.  Who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2).  Likewise, we too should know from where our best source of help will always be found and never be reluctant to seek it.

REFLECTION:  To what sources have your turned in the past year to find the help you have needed?  Which ones did you find to be true and lasting?  On what do you rely on for a sense of assurance, peace, security, and comfort?  How would you explain to a non-believer that the sources of help in this world are never long-lasting but that you know One who can provide help that is life-sustaining?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JULY 23, 2016.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

UP TO SOMETHING GOOD

“God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:12)

All around us, there are now monitoring and security cameras. They are at your ATM machine, in your favorite department store, attached to traffic lights, stationed around public areas, and secured to police vehicles. In each of these cases, the installation of these cameras was done with the intention of catching someone doing something wrong. Many a theft or traffic violation can be substantiated through their use, and playback footage is often all the proof that is needed to show that an individual was breaking the law. There is no longer a reasonable escape from the camera, as one can go online and pull up a satellite view of your home. In addition, anyone who has a cell phone now has a camera at their disposal and will immediately activate it for their own purposes without much regard for the other person’s right of privacy.  Through all the benefit of these devices, I wonder how often they are used to demonstrate that someone is actually up to something good.

American humorist and entertainer Will Rogers is credited with having said, “I never met a man I didn’t like.” Whether he actually meant it or otherwise made this remark tongue-in-cheek, it is a statement to which I cannot personally ascribe in my own life journey. For there are many a man (and woman) for whom I have not cared, and in some cases I have misjudged those individuals. Maria happens to be one of those. She used to visit her mother at a long-term health care facility which I also frequented. My impressions of her were mostly derived from her demeanor. She barely smiled, and to me, came across as being a really nasty lady.  I formed opinions about her which were incorrect.  Years later, I found out through several mutual friends that she is a very giving individual. It is not unusual for her to show up at the hospital to sit with the family members of an ill person or extend an invitation to her home for special holiday meals to persons who might otherwise be alone. One day, she was behind me in line at the grocery store. Feeling guilty for the judgements I had made about her, I said – “Maria I have been hearing such wonderful stories about all the kind things you do for people.” She simply replied by saying that she is just doing what we are supposed to do. Yes, she was, and by prejudging her – I certainly was not.

How and when are we supposed to judge, if at all?  Jesus said, “Do not judge or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1).  Is it a contradiction that He also said, “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment” (John 7:24)?  So often when we make a judgment about someone else, we might also find that if we look closely at our own life – we may be guilty of doing the same thing.  That is why He made the statement “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3). However, when there are no standards – there is nothing by which to measure behavior. A personnel director has to make certain judgments about an employee’s work. A teacher must make a judgment about a student’s performance before issuing a grade. A parent must judge a child’s behavior prior to handing out a punishment. Some may even argue that in our day and age, we need more—not less—judgment. But how often do we allow it to serve for something good?

Long before Jesus walked the face of the earth, Joseph (son of Jacob) was sold into slavery by his older brothers because they were jealous of him. God proved his presence and protection for Joseph, providing him with the divine ability to interpret dreams including that of a great famine. The Pharaoh rewarded Joseph with overseeing the land of Egypt. During prosperous times he stored up an abundant harvest which he was later able to share with his brothers, thereby saving a nation from starvation. Although at first they did not recognize him, he revealed his identity and forgave them. He said to them: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good…” (Genesis 50:20). If God can make good out of circumstances like these, then we certainly should try to search for the same in others.

REFLECTION: Have you sometimes been guilty of making a negative judgement of others with no real reason to do so? Are there ways you might find to look for the good in people before you form any opinion of them?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JULY 16, 2016.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

FREE TO BELIEVE

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (1 Peter 2:16)

I once had a neighbor who liked to stay busy doing projects. He had a problem though, because he frequently did not see them through to completion. One day while his wife was ranting about how he never finished what he started – he leaned over the backyard fence and said, “I have a philosophy.”  “What’s that?” I inquired. He shrugged his shoulders and replied stating – “If it doesn’t get done by the Fourth of July, it doesn’t get done.” I guess he felt that after that date, there was not enough of summer remaining to bother; thereby hoping to get an earlier start next year. Or, on the other hand, maybe he realized there was just enough summer left to enjoy himself, and he wanted to be free from being tied down. It’s interesting sometimes how we express our desire for a sense of entitlement regarding free time, especially when we are burdened with a lot of responsibilities such as work and family.

The Fourth of July is a time to pause and think about the freedoms we have in America. Freedom means many things to many people.  We can view freedom politically, as having the opportunity to vote for particular ideas, people, or parties which best represent our views.  Closely tied to this is the notion of freedom of speech, where one has the liberty to voice their personal opinion or perspective. In recent days, there are those who have expressed concerns that our basic freedoms are being challenged by society. The framers of the Constitution, known to be God-fearing men, made a sincere effort to establish a new nation on biblical principles. One of the liberties they recognized was freedom of religion. Thomas Jefferson called religious freedom “the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights.” The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution includes the following words: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Religious liberty includes the right to freely practice any religion or no religion without government coercion or control.

Freedom is also expressed clearly in God’s Word.  In the creation story, God gave Adam and Eve freedom to make decisions.  “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16-17). God created Adam and Eve to be free beings able to make choices. Giving them the ability to follow Him of their own accord was the only way for them to be truly free.  In Matthew 19:16-20, a rich young ruler comes to Jesus. After a brief conversation about what he must do to obtain eternal life, Jesus states that he must “keep the commandments.” He states that he has done this and asks Jesus what he is still lacking. “Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property (Matthew 19:21-22). The striking point here is that Jesus let him go. God does not force us to believe in Him. Faith is commanded but never coerced. We have freedom to choose.

True freedom occurs only when the heart is changed and made new. This is accomplished by His Holy Spirit whenever we make a conscious decision to follow Him. The Apostle Paul said: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). If you are one of those who is looking for freedom in the various corners of human society, you may struggle to find it. If you do encounter it somewhere along your journey, you may find it to be short-lived. That is, of course, unless you have connected with The Holy One who provides that real sense of freedom for which you have been searching all along. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). For all who find themselves searching, you don’t have to be concerned that your project needs to be found by the Fourth or July, or else. There is One who will always welcome you with open arms. All you have to do is make the choice. This is true freedom. This is grace. It is yours simply for the asking.

REFLECTION: Do you find a sense of freedom in serving God? Are there ways that you feel society creates a challenge to your basic right to freely worship? How would you help someone who struggles with the concept that belief in God feels more like enslavement to a set of rules than it does real freedom?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., JULY 9, 2016.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.