Monthly Archives: March 2019

LEARN HOW TO LISTEN

“Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” (Matthew 11:15)

Remember when you were a child, you were no doubt told with great frequency that you needed to listen.  The concept of listening at that age meant obeying.  As one grows older, it’s more about paying attention. And, yes – there is a difference. Who are what are you listening to these days? Could it be a nagging spouse or a demanding boss? When you turn on the TV or play music, who are you listening to then? Have you shut out the world with your earbuds, or are there times you just need to be silent and turn down the volume? A. A. Milne’s character Winnie the Pooh stated: “If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”  I can completely understand that claim.  Once while present at a concert of a rock band I had come to enjoy in my youth, the person with whom I was attending leaned over attempting to say something to me. I pointed to my ears which I had plugged with rolled up tissues after the performance of several songs. While the music was much the same as I had remembered, the person running the soundboard was providing a nearly deafening experience for those of us in the audience. That’s the way it frequently is in life as well, when we decide to allow one loud voice to dominate and ruin our concentration.

As we mature in our faith, we come to understand that it is important to listen with discernment. When we permit other things to get in the way of proper listening, we lack understanding.  When the Lord tried to speak through Moses to the Israelites whose spirits had been broken, “they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor” (Exodus 6:9). Later in Psalm 81:11-12, we read: “But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.” When Jesus took Peter, James and John with him to the mountain to pray, their lack of listening and focus denied them vital insight into the events that would soon occur in the life of Jesus in Jerusalem. One translation of scripture indicates that Peter had no idea what he was saying, and “While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him (Luke 9:34-35). While Peter was jabbering away, God told him He just needed to listen.

There are other times as well when we do not listen simply because we lack faith and are afraid. This is illustrated in the story of a little girl who was in bed and scared of the dark. She went into her parent’s room telling them she was afraid. Her mother said, “It’s okay sweetheart. There is nothing to be afraid of, God is in there with you.” The little girl retreated to her room. As she climbed into bed she said, “God, if you’re in here, don’t you say a word. You will scare me to death.” It is important to appreciate that God often speaks in the quietest of moments as He whispers, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). It is when we fail to listen to Him that fear will open the door, and we give place to the devil to do his destructive work. Sin can deafen the ears of any child of God, however young or old. When you are on a course of life and not listening to God, you are setting yourself up for one tumultuous ride.

Fear has a voice and faith has a voice . . . we must choose to listen to the right one. If you are seeking God and trying to walk with Him but are not experiencing His peace, you might be listening to the wrong voice. Scripture reminds us: “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world” (1 John 4:1). Remember, our ears are tuned to whatever holds our hearts and minds.  When we ignore the nudging of the Holy Spirit or allow the world to drown out God’s Holy Word, earthly things will become more dominant in our thinking and in our feelings. After a while we will cease to pay any attention to what God is saying, because we are no longer listening to the One who cares the most (Hebrews 2:1). When we turn a deaf ear to God, we are going down a path we do not want to travel. Faith, after all, comes from hearing (Romans 10:17). But first and foremost, we must learn how to listen.

REFLECTION: Are you interested in what God has to say to you on any given day? What’s the first voice you hear in the morning? Do you set aside time each day to listen to God? When you hear God telling you do something that is in conflict with your plans, how do you handle that? In what ways might you consider refining both your listening and obeying skills when it comes to God’s voice?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., APRIL 6, 2019. COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

NEVER VERY FAR AWAY

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

In 1895, a former slave by the name of Booker T. Washington gave what later came to be known as the Atlanta Compromise speech. He used the following illustration: “A ship lost at sea for many days suddenly sighted a friendly vessel. From the mast of the unfortunate vessel was seen a signal, ‘Water, water; we die of thirst!’ The answer from the friendly vessel at once came back, ‘Cast down your bucket where you are.’ A second time the signal, ‘Water, water; send us water!’ ran up from the distressed vessel, and was answered, ‘Cast down your bucket where you are.’ The captain of the distressed vessel, at last heeding the injunction, cast down his bucket, and it came up full of fresh, sparkling water from the mouth of the Amazon River.” Using this story, Washington encouraged his audience to take what they had in front of them and make “friends in every manly way of the people of all races by whom we are surrounded.” His words stressed cooperation and helped to establish him as the leading black spokesmen of his time, eventually giving him credibility to be an advisor to several Presidents.

Washington’s story reminded me of another boat at sea. Its inhabitants were also struggling but not because they needed water. They were located on the Sea of Galilee in a small craft filled with experienced fisherman who spent the entire night with no catching success (John 21:3). These inhabitants were already in a depressed mood because of the horrific events leading to, and culminating in, the recent death of their friend Jesus. Several of His closest disciples were in that boat doing what they knew best . . . fishing. Early the next morning they were headed to land, as a voice called to them from the shore asking if they had any fish. It was difficult to see who was calling to them, and they reluctantly admitted that they had not caught a single fish all night long. The voice called back: “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” What possible difference could it make to put the net in on the right side instead of the left where they have been? But for some unknown reason – they unquestioningly took out the nets and threw them into the water on the other side of their boat. Scripture tells us that “When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish” (John 21:6). They are stunned by what has happened when it suddenly became evident who had been calling to them: “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord’” (John 21:7).

Years ago during the Super Bowl, FedEx ran a commercial that spoofed the movie Castaway. In it, actor Tom Hanks played a FedEx worker whose company plane went down, stranding him on a desert island for years. Looking like the disheveled Hanks in the movie, the FedEx employee approaches the front of a suburban home, package in hand. When the lady of the house comes to the door, he explains that he survived five years on a deserted island. During that whole time, he safeguarded the package in order to deliver it to her. She gives a simple, “Thank you,” but he is curious about its contents. Therefore, he poses this question . . . “If I may ask, what was in that package after all?” She opens it and they check out what’s inside. Her comments: “Oh, nothing really. Just a satellite telephone, a global positioning device, a compass, a water purifier, and some seeds.” Like the contents in this package, the resources for growth and strength are accessible to every Christian who will take advantage of them.

While most of us expend a lot of time and energy looking around for the next best thing, we often miss that precious gem which is available to us right now. For you see, it is when we come to the end of us that we will find the beginning of God. There He will meet us, right when we seemingly have exhausted all of our resources. “For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right” (Psalm 84:11). So, the next time you find yourself in desperate need – just lower your bucket or cast your net. You may be delightfully surprised to realize that the very thing you required was never very far away.

REFLECTION: How often do you find yourself seeking some other place or circumstance to make everything better? Is your lack of faith preventing God from showing His power through your storm? Consider a time when your personal success was followed only after an act of submission to God.

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., MARCH 30, 2019. COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

PRAYING FOR YOU

“So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you.” (Colossians 1:9)

“I guess people take me seriously, because they keep giving me names.”  The statement was made by a friend of mine making reference to the fact that she is frequently requested to pray for folks she doesn’t even know.  This came about because she maintains a prayer list and often tells others she will put them on it when they express a need. Recently, I had a text from a friend asking me to remember a couple whom we mutually know in my prayers. I responded that I certainly would and said that they had actually been on my prayer list for some time.  She answered back by stating, “I would have never thought of prayer lists if I didn’t know you.”  Quite frankly, the idea of maintaining a prayer list is not a novel idea. I started keeping one years ago when I was told it was sinful to tell someone you would be praying for them and then not do so. Scripture says, “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). While my offer of prayer is always expressed with the best of intentions, I also know that my memory is, at times, short-lived. Hence . . . my list.

There are times when folks make prayer far more complex than it needs to be. There is a story of a man who learned how easy it could become. A man’s daughter had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father who was bedfast. Assuming the old fellow had been informed of his visit, the pastor introduced himself. Pointing to an empty chair beside the bed, he said, “I figured you were expecting me.” “Oh yeah . . . the chair,” said the bedridden man. “I’ve never told anyone this, not even my daughter, but all of my life I never knew how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it always went right over my head. One day about four years ago my best friend said to me, ‘Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here’s what I suggest. Sit down, place an empty chair beside you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. Then just speak to Him and listen in the same way you’re doing with me right now.’ So, I tried it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I’m careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d think I had gone crazy.” The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the pastor that her father had died that afternoon. “Did he pass peacefully?” the pastor asked. “Yes, when I left the house around two o’clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes, and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, he was gone.  But there was something strange . . . apparently just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on a chair beside the bed.” Joe had come to appreciate who it was sitting in the chair next to him.

Spending time alone with God in prayer is a great privilege that not only allows us to touch the lives of others but also seek personal help in our own struggles and weaknesses. If you have ever been on the receiving end of prayer, you know how effective prayer can be. I can’t tell you how many times I didn’t know someone was lifting me in prayer to later be told by them, “Hey, I’ve been praying for you.”  It’s always been a moment of revelation for me, for I knew when I was walking in that dark valley – I felt close to God. To be certain, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16). It’s become far too easy to acknowledge someone’s pain and suffering with a simple “thinking of you” in passing. Social media posts are only one example of dismissive comments such as “praying for you.” Let’s hope that all those who flippantly use that expression are really doing so. The difference between saying you’re praying for someone and actually praying for them is one simple action . . . talking to our Father. Those who take prayer seriously will pray continually and trust that God answers each prayer according to His perfect will and in His perfect timing. A Christian who prays repeatedly and effectively for others in the manner taught in Scripture will pray to God the Father (Matthew 6:9), in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27), and in the name of Jesus (John 14:13). When we do so, it gives a whole new life to the phrase, “Praying for you.”

REFLECTION: In addition to asking God to ‘move’ as you pray about specific names or situations, learn to listen for your own self-reflective thoughts. Carefully consider what God’s Spirit is prompting you to do in light of your request (make a call, send a card, share a scripture, schedule a visit). During those times when you are feeling inadequate or worthless, why not begin a personal prayer ministry?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., MARCH 23, 2019. COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

TRUE GENEROSITY

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”         (Proverbs 11:25)

In the midst of the Great Depression, a mother of seven becomes frustrated that no one in the family seems to be pulling their weight in completing their assigned chores. So she stages what she calls her “own personal sit-down strike.”  Probably the most self-sacrificing member of the TV-family known as The Waltons, Olivia Walton appears to be frustrated that her kindness and generosity is being taken-for-granted.  If you were a fan of this 1970’s family drama, you know that in this episode like all the others – everything turns out just fine, including a lesson-to-be remembered. That was then . . . and it appears that in the now, not much has changed. In the present day, a lady writes to an advice columnist that “while she likes doing kind things for people,” she believes that her “kind acts should be appreciated but not to be expected.” She goes on to express that her generosity has begun to turn to resentment. She must feel some guilt from this, because she asks the advice-giver what she is doing wrong.

The words of wisdom shared from the columnist are no doubt intended to get the writer to examine her own actions.  At one point she states, “If your self-worth is tied up in the idea that you’re a generous person, you should disengage it.” While that advice might be adequate for many in today’s society, it should also be compared with Biblical teachings when considered by modern-day Christians. Scripture is filled with many examples of kindness and self-sacrifice. In the Book of Acts, we read about a person named Tabitha from Joppa who was always doing good. Dorcas, as she was also called, was known for her compassion for the poor in her community and investing in those who had needs. In Acts 9:36-40, we discover her at the time of her death. Friends search for Peter to see if there was something he could do. Widows showed him all the clothing Dorcas had made for them—gifts that reminded them of her love. Dorcas is described as a disciple and was one who imitated the generosity of God.

From the beginning of Creation, God has been generous toward us. He created us in His image, provides for us, and wants us to be in a relationship with Him. Above all, God demonstrated His generosity when He offered His Son as a sacrifice to atone for our sin. The gift of Jesus to sinful mankind was the ultimate validation of His love. He is always seeking people who will reflect His character and model His generosity through self-sacrifice, evidenced by their attitude and actions toward others. While at times we might feel that our generosity is unappreciated, we are not to expect repayment in kind or from any worldly praise. Our reward will come from the Lord, in His way and in His time.  In fact, we are challenged to show generosity even to our enemies: “If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them . . . But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked” (Luke 6:29,35).

Lent, begins on Ash Wednesday and runs during the six weeks leading up to Easter Sunday. It marks a period of time when some Christians reflect on the biblical account of Jesus’ time in the desert where he fasted and prayed before his eventual death and resurrection. During the Lenten season, we are expected to make sacrifices as children of God and followers of Christ. The sacrifices should remind us of the one made by Jesus through which He saved us from sin and won salvation of our souls. While the historical intent behind the season of Lent is purposeful, it has often lost meaning in our culture. It has become fashionable to ‘give up something’ for Lent, so why not consider allowing it to be a period of generosity through self-sacrifice? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone was collecting the sacrificial offerings through your acts of service?  Mother Teresa reminds us that “You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” True generosity begins with a heart of sacrificial service ending with God’s grace and the knowledge that He alone has been exalted.

REFLECTION: How does your attitude and obedience change on a daily basis if you look forward to your generosity being based on the acceptance and praise from others? How can you combat the falsehood that what God can do through you is limited to what others expect from you? How can you show God’s generous heart to someone in need this week through an unanticipated act of service?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., MARCH 16, 2019. COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

TILL WE MEET AGAIN

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”   (Romans 6:23)

One Sunday afternoon in late winter, I decided to go for a walk to get some fresh air. Several blocks from my home, I passed a small church and happened to notice the billboard. In addition to listing the times of the services, I was drawn to a quote which also appeared. It read: “Christians Never Meet for the Last Time.”  I remember considering the powerful thought expressed in that statement, and I began to recall a church massacre that had occurred years before. It was on the evening of June 18, 2015 that a 21-year-old white male entered an historic Black church in Charleston, South Caroline where some of its members gathered for a weekly prayer meeting. He was one of thirteen people in attendance and was seated next to the pastor. Initially listening to others during the service, he reportedly began to disagree when they started to discuss Scripture. After waiting for the other participants to begin praying – he pulled out a gun, began shooting and ended up murdering nine of those present, including the senior pastor. At that time, it was considered to be the deadliest mass shooting at an American place of worship.

The relatives of the victims directed comments to the accused gunman at his first court appearance. One by one, those who chose to speak did not turn to anger. Instead, they offered him forgiveness and said they were praying for his soul, even in the pain of their losses. One grandchild stated, “Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, everyone’s plea for your soul is proof that they lived in love, and their legacies will live in love . . . so hate won’t win.” The irony of the event was that a soon-to-be slayer was welcomed by those he murdered and forgiven by those who would feel their loss. The killer most likely chose the famous church, because he undoubtedly wanted a symbol. Against all his intentions, however, the symbol became different than the one he had intended. While the executioner set out to defile a sacred place, he ended up showing why it was a place of living faith. While he no doubt thought it would be the last time these people would ever meet together, he did not understand that they would meet again in a new location that would become their eternal home.

Jesus put it this way: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3). This promise applies to all believers, even those whose earthly life has been cut short. We need not be concerned for our loved ones or ourselves as to where we will be when we leave this life; that is, if we know and follow the teachings of Jesus. John puts it quite simply: “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12).  These divine traits we see from the Emmanuel AME Christians in Charleston – hospitality to the stranger, and then forgiveness to the murderer – are truly incredible examples of following Jesus Christ’s witness of love and mercy. They reflect some of the greatest virtues we are called to live by in our Christian lives. What an amazing example of Paul’s words to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21), while exceeding dark hatred with a force that is even greater than the greatest evil. That, my friends, is divine love.

In the midst of the horrible event at Charleston, we can also see beauty and goodness from Christians who were able to forgive in the midst of their deep pain and utter sorrow. They were able to ask for God’s mercy and grace to come upon a lost soul. This story is a great example that we can choose what we take away from a tragedy. Will we only see the crazed and forsaken man filled with racism and hatred that led to violence? Or will we see a struggle to respond to hatred with love and violence conquered by mercy?  Perhaps it helps to remember those heartfelt words—expressing again and again the lovely sentiment from an old hymn . . . “God be with you till we meet again.”

REFLECTION: Consider hate-filled or otherwise tragic events in your own life experience.  Were you quick to reciprocate with anger and blame?  How can you position yourself or help others prepare to practice love and forgiveness in the face of similar circumstances when they occur?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., MARCH 9, 2019. COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.