A Very Merry Christmas

It's Christmas morning and everyone will be up soon and unwrapping their gifts. There will be squeals of delights, oohs and ahhs, and in some cases, silent disappointment. Whatever gifts show up under your tree, the most important gift to be rediscovered is that for which this Season is celebrated - God's Son Jesus Christ. I hope yo will take time to sqeal with delight over His this morning.

Here's why. Last night this was our Christmas reading at our Christmas Eve Service. It wonderfully decribes Christ our Savior.

"There was no doubt - Jesus was the One. The Magi, kings from the East, had no hesitation or reluctance to fall down and worship this infant King. Why? He was the One. He is the One... the Hope for all mankind. He is more than a great prophet, more than a great teacher, more than a great leader. He is the One that Jehovah God sent to earth to fulfill His amazing plan of redeeming fallen man. For ever need, Jesus is the One.

To the hungry, He's the Bread of Life.
To those in darkness, He's the Light of the World.
To the sick, He's the Great Physician, the Healer of Broken Hearts, Broken Homes and Broken Lives.
For the thirsty, He is the Water of Life that quenches the thirsty soul.
To the weary, He's the Burden Bearer.
To the confused and perplexed, He is counselor.
To the lonely, He's the friend who is closer than a brother.
And for the fearful, He is the King who protects His own.
For those so stressed by the pressures of life, He is the Prince of Peace.
For the discouraged, He is the Hope of Glory.
For those who are lost, He is the Way.
For those trapped in bondage, He is the Door to freedom.

He is Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father - the Prince of Peace. He is our Comforter, our Hope, our Healer... Our Savior!"

To all my readers, I say, "Merry Christmas!"

Which One Are You

Another good quote from my recent required graduate reading assignments:

"The values of God's kingdom are different from the values of this world. In the world, greatness is judged by the power a person exercises over others. In the kingdom, greatness is judged by service to people. As children on the King, we follow kingdom values." (Dune Elmer, Cross-Cultural Servanthood, page 25)

Elmer then talks about the the difference between wearing the robe or carrying the towel. Jesus is able to do both. Yet he has called us to do only one; carry the towel.

Winning a Hearing

I have been traveling a lot and trying to finish a graduate course on Anthropolgy and Cummunication. There has been a lot of reading and writing in this course. In one of the books I recently finished, the following words caught my attention. When preaching the gospel, we cannot command a hearing.

(We) "must win a hearing by demonstrating that (we) are people of integrity, credibility, and goodwill" (David J. Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, page 146).

How true. The fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control must be present and visible. Then we have won a hearing from those we want to share Christ with.

Faith at Work: Living Out the Will of God

I shared these thoughts in a small group setting of twenty-somethings this past Friday from James 4:13-17.

Keep in mind that James is addressing Christians. He is speaking to Christian believers who were not living their life with God’s plans first and foremost in their thoughts and life. The key verse in this passage: verse 15.

Jeremiah 29:11 reads, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

If there is one thought seems to permeate throughout James 4, it is this: Submission to God.
We are to submit to God our desires and wants (vv. 1-3).
We are to submit to God in our relationship with Him (vv. 4-6).
We are to submit to God in our relationships with one another (vv. 11-12).
We are to submit to God our plans (vv. 13-17).

James addresses Presumptuous Living by Christians. Proverbs 19:21 reads, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

Some examples of Presumptuous planning can be found throughout the Bible. Here are just a few: Gen 11:4 (humankind after the flood); Jer 22:13-14 (the luxurious king); Luke 12:16-21 (the Rich fool); and Jame 4:13 (the venturesome business man).

In making goals and plans for the future, believers must always consider God’s will. We must not act like the rich fool in Luke 12; rather we must recognize that peace, contentment, and happiness is found in our daily living, completely dependent on God. We must consider the Lord’s will in our planning and daily living. “…If the Lord’s will” should not be just a “tag line” in our speech and prayers. Hudson Taylor the great missionary to China had definite convictions about how God’s work should be done: We can make our best plans and try to carry them out in our own strength… or We can make careful plans and ask God to bless them… or “Yet another way of working is to begin with God; to ask His plans, and offer ourselves to Him to carry out His purposes.”

Have you asked God?
“God, what is your will for my life?”
“God, what is your will for me this year?”
“God, what is your will for this week?”
“God, what do you want from my life as leave this gathering today?"

Discovering God’s will and submitting ourselves to His plan is not always that simple. James offers us seven suggestions (vv 7-10) that could help us: 1. Submit, 2. Resist, 3. Come near, 4. Wash, 5. Purify, 6. Grieve, 7. Mourn, 8. Wail, 9. Change, 10. Humble.

This passage has been very helpful for me in determining God’s will or Divine plan for me: Luke 5:1-11 (The miraculous catch)
1. Right place and right position: listening (vv 1-3).
2. A specific word or directive (v 4).
3. May appear unreasonable (v 5a).
4. Requires obedience – submission (v 5b).
5. Results in success – peace, contentment, joy (v 6).
6. Causes a generosity – cooperation (v 7).
7. Glorifies God – humility, acknowledgement (vv 8-10).
8. Changed direction – lifestyle (11)

Here's another practical suggestion for determining God's plan in your life: the witness of three in agreement (mature believers, Written Word, and inner Spirit) - Mt 18:20; 2Co 13:1

Do what is right (v 17). If you don’t submit to God’s will and plan after knowing what it is, you sin. Reflect on this: How does James relate to your plans for the future? How will you involve God in your plans in the future?

Discovering God's Will

Ephesians 5:17 NIV
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

I think everyone deep down inside wants to know what's best for their own life; that is to live a good life. How can we discover this good life? It begins with God. The psalmist prayed, "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground" (Psalm 143:10 NIV).

One prevalent misconception is that God has one perfect plan and if we stray from it, then we must settle for second or third best. At times, I have talked with a believer seeking a perfect marriage partner; an individual seeking the perfect job, perfect life, or a perfect ministry. I have observed on occasion, how they have missed out on the relationship with the Planner (God). Our life should flow out of our relationship with God. Our life should be to know Him more and to love Him forever. If the plan is our focus, then it will be doomed to failure. God begins with you where you are with Him. He has a plan for your life when you turn yourself over to His leading. You are not doomed to failure when you trust wholly and completely in Him. Peter stepped out of the boat at Jesus' invitation to come. As long as Peter was focused on Jesus he was able to walk on water. Don't let fear cause you to miss a golden opportunity of your life time.

I keep this quote nearby me in my study. "The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you." (unknown)

Handling Disappointments

I recently shared these thoughts from John 3: 22-30 as a devotional with our Presbytery. The verse that really caught my attention was John saying, "That joy is mine, and it is now complete" (John 3:29).

Have you ever been disappointed? If we are honest, everyone of us will answer, "yes." John the Baptist's disciples were disappointed. They had been following John. Now they were seeing people leave their group and begin following Jesus and his disciples. Both Jesus and John were now baptizing in the same area of the Jordan River. How quickly envy and jealousy can take hold of us when we see someone else being blessed in some way. John's disciples apparently had forgotten the words of John some days earlier when he had said concerning Jesus, "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:35). It was a defining moment in John's ministry.

The disappointment of some of John's disciples was apparent in their complaint, "The one you testified about - well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him" (John 3:26).

How did John answer their disappointment? How did he handle the moment? He compared himself to that of a bridegroom's best man (attendant). Today in our culture, who do most people focus their attention on at a wedding? The bride. To be honest, the bridegroom is of little interest. The best man is of even of smaller importance. But John points out that his joy is complete in being the attendant to the Bridegroom.

Several things to notice about John's complete joy:

1. His joy is the result of knowing who he was not. John said, "I am not the Christ." Maybe its time for us to be authentic believers. Stop trying to be the "savior" who works out all the problems in someone else's life. Maybe it's time to acknowledge the the limits of what we can do or can't do. Maybe its time to be ourself and stop trying to be someone we are not.

2. John knew his role in the scheme of things and just did what he was suppose to do. He was an attendant to the Bridegroom. If a door needed to be opened, he did it. He was available to serve, not be served. Seeing and hearing the bridegroom was enough. Knowing that the Bridegroom was pleased with his service brought him joy. Later Jesus would say of John, "I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matthew 11:11).

3. John readily accepted one of the great paradoxes of the Kingdom of God. "He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30). John knew something that we all need to take and hide in our heart if we want real joy. The more we increase the less joy we have. The more we decrease the more joy we experience. Think about that for awhile and you will begin to find joy and happiness, in the middle of disappointing circumstances That will be when you will be able to say with John, "My joy is complete."

Pursue Wisdom

James 3:13-17

You might want to read this passage from several different Bible versions. It adds a great deal of perspective as to what james wants the reader to glean from this passage.

There are two kinds of wisdom available to us: earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom.

Earthly wisdom (wisdom of man) produces envy, selfish ambition, pride, and lies. The result of such earthly wisdom is disorder and evil practices.

Heavenly wisdom (wisdom of God) produces good life, good deeds and humility. The results of God's wisdom includes, purity, peace, consideration, submissiveness, mercy, good fruit, impartiality, and sincereity.

It's pretty obvious which wisdom we want to be at work in our daily life. But how do we go after, pursue, or obtain Godly wisdom (heavenly wisdom)?

King Solomon is known as the wisest man of men mentioned in Scripture. Indeed, the Scriptures tell us that not only was he the wisest man to have lived, but that there is none as wise as he was since then. Solomon wrote most of the book of Proverbs and all of the books of Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. Therefore, we need to look at his life to begin to understand how to obtain wisdom for ourselves. Rather than study his whole life, we will begin to look at the moment of his rising to leadership as king over Israel. A key phrase can be found in the final verses of Ecclesiastes that sheds light on Solomon's wisdom: "Fear God and keep his commandments."

Read 1 Kings 3:1-28 (a parallel passage can be found in 2 Chronicles 1:1-17). As you read answer these questions:

1. Why did Solomon want wisdom?

2. By God giving more than Solomon asked, God was saying what?

3. In what situations did Solomon feel the need for wisdom?

4. Do you pursue heavenly wisdom? How? You may want to read Proverbs 8:1-21 and 9:1-6. Try reading these verses from The Message. Also look at Proverbs 2:1-8.

The world looks first to prosperity, power, and prestige as the means for gaining wisdom. That's an earthly wisdom which leads us down the wrong path. Heavenly wisdom seeks after God and his wisdom. Once heavenly wisdom is found, God gives to those who fear Him, prosperity, power and prestige (Matthew 6:33).

5. What has been your toughest decision this past year? What prevailed? Your feelings? Other's advice? Your circumstances?

6. What do you need more of?

Jesus said:
"The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here." Matthew 12:42 NIV

James wrote:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5 NIV

Armloads of Life

Jeanne & I are presently reading Proverbs during our morning devotional time. This is what we read today:

Proverbs 8:12-21 The Message
12 "I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity;
Knowledge and Discretion live just down the street.
13 The Fear-of-God means hating Evil,
whose ways I hate with a passion —
pride and arrogance and crooked talk.
14 Good counsel and common sense are my characteristics;
I am both Insight and the Virtue to live it out.
15 With my help, leaders rule,and lawmakers legislate fairly;
16 With my help, governors govern,
along with all in legitimate authority.
17 I love those who love me;
those who look for me find me.
18 Wealth and Glory accompany me —
also substantial Honor and a Good Name.
19 My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary;
the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.
20 You can find me on Righteous Road — that's where I walk —
at the intersection of Justice Avenue,
21 Handing out life to those who love me,
filling their arms with life — armloads of life!

At first Jeanne & I burst out laughing when I read out loud the words "I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity..." We joked together that she must be lady wisdom and I, sanity and wondered if maybe sanity is the best way to describe me as I can be pretty weird and insane according to some of my young 18 to 20 something friends. But in all seriousness, the words above provide us who are in ministry a wealth of instruction on how to live and minister.

Almost daily I talk or counsel with a pastor by phone who is facing some level of conflict with a board member or church member. I remember some of my own blunders throughout my ministry and now in hindsight realize what a dumb or ignorant decision I made. If only I had gone to "Lady Wisdom." How often do we make foolish decisions in the course of our life that results in unnecessary emotional pain or affliction either to ourself or toward someone else. There really is good counsel in the above passage for us who are leaders. I hope you will take note of that counsel. I wish our politicians and school board members would listen to the counsel of Lady Wisdom.

Peter Drucker said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Leading is about good character and integrity. It is about setting priorities and high standards for life in both the private and public setting. Read again the words of wisdom above and as you do so ask the questions: Am I seeking after Lady Wisdom who lives next door to sanity? Is knowledge and discretion nearby me? If so, you can be sure that insight, virtue, honor, justice, wealth, righteousness, and love is nearby. Your arms will be filled with Life!

Negating a Changed Heart

In 1 Samuel 10:1, we read of Saul's anointing as king by Samuel the prophet. The prophet told Saul that three thing would happen to him to confirm Samuel's action.
1. The donkeys that Saul had set out to look for would be found.
2. Three men would meet Saul at the tree at Tabor and offer him two loaves of bread that he was to eat.
3. At Gibeah, Saul would meet a procession of prophets and he to would join them in prohecying. His heart would be changed that day.

And so it was, we read, "As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day." (1 Samuel 10:9)

Saul was also given a fourth directive by the Lord's prophet, Samuel. "Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do." (1 Samuel 10:8)

A few chapters later, we find Saul waiting for Samuel to come to Gilgal. Finally, after seven days of waiting and still no arrival of Samuel, Saul took the matter into his own hands and offered the sacrifice (1 Samuel 13).

The lesson we can learn here is that we can negate the heart change that God works within us by our own selfish actions. Self-centeredness, pride and fear works against what God does in the heart. God desires obedience over our sacrifice of offerings.

13 "You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command." (1 Samuel 13:13-14)

Fulfilling God's Call - Be Faithful!

You may have been wondering where in the world have I been, since I haven't been posting many blogs lately. My free time has been consumed with reading a book for my grad studies: The Life and Diary of David Brainerd. It's not the easiest book I have ever read, nor was it it the hardest. But it came close to the latter, because of its 18th century English style. But it has also been an inspirational reading.

David Brainerd was a missionary to Native American Indians in the early 1740's. Brainerds diary and journal gives us a glimpse into a missionary's faith and struggles in early America. He faced depression, loneliness, physical illness, and the physical elements of an unsettled frontier life to bring the Gospel to Native Americans. We discover the power of prayer and the faithfulness of God through one's onbedience and sacrifice on page after page of the book. Brainerd's devotion to God and to the people he was called to minister to, is an amazing and inspiring first person account.

The most meaningful or significant statement for me in the whole book can be found in the words of David Brainerd's prayer. In his diary on Thursday, May 22, 1746, he wrote:

“Here I am, Lord, send me; send me to the ends of the earth; send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness; send me from all that is called comfort in earth, or earthly comfort; send me even to death itself, if it but in thy service, and to promote thy kingdom.” (195)

Within a few months of this written prayer, he would be forced to say farewell to his Native American friends in the wilderness and return to civilization because of an illness from which he would not recover. Throughout his writings, we discover and rediscover the passion, dedication, and sacrifice that he was willing to forge in order that some might be saved. For nearly three years prior to his prayer, he had been living those words daily by example and deed. Brainerd had lived a simple and often destitute life, without proper nourishment or rest in substandard conditions, even by the standards of his day.

After close to two years of ministry among the Indians, Brainerd’s calling as a missionary was tested. The church at Millington, near his hometown of Haddam, called him, in March of 1744, to come and pastor the congregation. He turned it down, praying that the Lord would raise someone else up to take care of them.

He had another offer to pastor the church at East Hampton on Long Island. Jonathan Edwards called this “the fairest, pleasantest town on the whole island, and one of the largest and most wealthy parishes.” (116) Yet, Brainerd writes in his diary, “Resolved to go on still with the Indian affair, if divine providence permitted; although before felt some inclination to go to East Hampton, where I was solicited to go.” (116)

There were other opportunities too. Each time the struggle was resolved with a sense of burden and call. There was no freedom to pursue a better life for himself. Brainerd’s desire was to see the conversion of his Native American Indians. He was willing to forgo the comforts of life, if it was necessary.

Brainerd’s prayer is a reminder to all of us that are laboring in the Lord’s harvest fields that our call is not to self-centeredness but to servanthood. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a longing to discover the spiritual disciplines that enhances one’s ministry. Brainerd’s account of his missionary endeavors is a testimony of a man’s faithfulness to God’s call and God’s faithfulness to a man.

Called to Ministry?

I recently had an opportunity to share with some third and fourth year VFCC ministry students my thoughts about ministry calling and the credentialing process. I want to share them with you too.

Being a minister is a great calling. It is a demanding task and a rewarding experience. It takes a special person!

What is the essence of a call to full-time ministry? The apostle Paul was keenly aware of his calling as an apostle (Rom. 1:1 and Gal. 1:1). The emphasis of Paul’s calling was on that of being a servant-leader.

How can I know God’s call? Very few people ever hear God’s audible voice calling to them. Instead some individuals have a hunger or a yearning to know God in a deeper way. Other’s describe an inner sensing or feeling to say “yes” to God’s call. Still others speak of an inner “tugging” at one’s heart.

How can I be sure of my call? It will be clear. There will be a witness of three: God’s Word (Scripture), God’s Spirit (within you), and God’s people (mature Christian friends). The following five tests can also help you to discern the genuineness of God’s call:

1. The test of God’s grace. Are you saved? Do you live a holy life? Is the fruit of the Spirit evident?
2. The test of gifts. Are you being used in the Spiritual gifts? Are you able to reason and communicate with people in a loving manner? Do you listen to the counsel your pastor and friends?
3. The test fruit. Are you influencing others? Are you open about your faith? Have you brought others closer to the Lord?
4. The test of an abiding sense of a divine call. Is there an inner awareness of God’s leading? Do feel like you have this inner passionate drive to serve others? Are you willing to “pay the price” and give yourself in preparation and service as part of the calling?
5. The test of open doors. Has the Lord opened doors for ministry preparation? Have you had opportunities to use your talents and gifts in the local church?

Is it wrong to desire a call to full-time ministry? Absolutely not! “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer (includes bishop, pastor), he desires a noble task” 1 Tim. 3:1 NIV). Not all who desire—or even prepare for such a work—will be called by God. But it is commendable.

Why should I become a credentialed minister? Why would you not want to be officially recognized? Would you want an attorney, not recognized by the “Bar Association” representing you? Would you want a surgeon performing an operation on you who has not been recognized by the appropriate medical association? Of course not. Credentials don’t limit the freedom to minister; they open a world of possibilities to you through fellowship, accountability, and networking with others of like faith.

The Assemblies of God, which I am a part of, offer three levels of credentials:
1. Certified Minister—shows promise of usefulness in the gospel.
2. Licensed Minister—has a clear evidence of a divine call.
3. Ordained Minister—demonstrates mature ministry.

If you want to know more and learn more about becoming part of this wonderful fellowship, contact me.

Growing In The Lord

A couple of days ago, I wrote a few thoughts on 1 Samuel 2:26 and Luke 2:52 about growing in stature and favor with both God and man. As I was reading chapter 3 of 1 Samuel, I was struck by Samuel's learning curve and sensitivty to God's voice over the course of the chapter. The chapter begins by noting that as Samuel ministered before the the Lord as a boy, "the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions." By the end of the chapter we read, "The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word" (verses 19, 20, 21, NIV).

The more time we spend in secret with God, the more others recognize God in us.

In my reading of The Life and Diary of David Brainerd, I am in awe of his daily "secret times" with God. His impact on Johnathan Edwards and others was a direct result of his daily time in the presence of his holy God. Brainerd never had intended that his personal journals be saved. However, Edwards and others were able to convince him in the final days of his life to entrust them to the care of Edwards. After his death, Edwards had much of the journals published in order that we might get a glimpse of a man, his struggles, and his overcoming faith. It is no wonder that in a short span of four years, Brainerd was able to accomplish so much as a missionary to the native Americans before his death at the age of twenty-eight.

Enlarge upon your secret times with God.

Faithfulness Regardless of Life's Circumstances

I just started another book. This one is a biography, The Life and Diary of David Brainerd. I only had time to read the preface this morning, but already I am intrigued by the man's short but powerful witness of his faithfulness under extremely difficult circumstances in just a short 28 years of life. Brainerd was a missionary to native Americans in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York during the early 1740's. My ancestral roots revolve around those three states too, so the book only adds to my interest. Brainerd was a close friend of Jonathan Edwards. Both these men were profoundly affected by the Great Awakening. I was reminded of the Apostle Paul's words as I was reading, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV). God calls us to be faithful regardless of life's blessings or life's trials.

Favor with God and Man

It is apparent that Christianity no longer gets fair treatment from the media as do other religions. Jesus warned us that we would be hated by the world. Yet, as I was reading this morning, these words stood out:

1 Samuel 2:26 NIV
And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.

I found myself praying, "Lord, I want to grow in your stature and with men." As I continued to meditate on these words, I recalled a similar verse in Luke about Jesus.

Luke 2:52 NIV
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

As I reflected on both Samuel's and Jesus' spiritual growth, I began asking myself this question: "How can I grow in stature with the Lord and with men in this world when there seems to be so much hatred toward Christianity?" It seemed that the Lord was giving me the answer in Proverbs.

Proverbs 3:1-4 NIV
My son, do not forget my teaching,but keep my commands in your heart, or they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you;bind them around your neck,write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Another version says it this way in verse 4: "Earn a reputation for living well in God's eyes and the eyes of the people." (The Message)

I like that. Be faithful to God and love your enemies. Isn't that what Jesus said?

A Recent Question

Someone recently asked me, "What are you reading beside the Bible?" My answer, "I am reading a book by Vince Poscente, The Age of Speed." The question then popped up. "How do you choose the books you read?"

I have a habit of walking into bookstores and scanning the recent bestseller rack and the the rack filled with recent books for business men, leaders, and managers. That's how I found my present book.

Here's my favorite method of choosing a book and the one that I shared with my young friend. It may work for you or it may not. But what really counts is that it works for me. You need to discover your own style.

1. The title of the book usually causes me to stop scanning the racks.
2. If the title grabs my attention, I usually pick up the book and read the back cover to find out what others have to say about it. It's helpful to me if one of the commentors is an author that I am familiar with or I have read their book.
3. If I am still interested, I usually open the book to the table of contents and read the chapter headings.
4. If I find an interesting chapter heading, I will turn to those pages and stand in the bookstore and start skimming through the chapter.
5. By now my interest has really been pricked, so I go back to the preface and read why the author is writing the book. I no longer can resist the temptation and off I go to the counter to buy the book.

That's my favorite method of choosing a book. Sometimes, a friend or colleague will recommend a book to me. I will then get it. But by far my favorite way is just to wonder into a bookstore and start looking. I guess I like to shop for a book like some people enjoy shopping for clothes.

The important thing is that you never stop reading and are always expanding your mind. I can thank my mom for my interest in reading. I remember her for almost always having a book nearby that she was reading.

An Angry Individual

An angry individual is an out of control person. They create havoc all around them. In James 1:19, one reads that "It is best to listen, speak little, and not become angry." It takes very little to upset us. We need to let anger become a controlled emotion. James says be slow to anger.

In the original language "angry" did not mean explosive anger. The anger that James is talking about does not express itself outwardly, but describes the anger that resides in the heart and builds into deep bitterness and a hostile resentment. This kind of anger expresses itself by grumbling to God or by complaining about others. It is more an attitude of resistance or rebellion in the heart. Some people don't lose their temper, they just keep it inside their heart as a spirit of rebellion and resentment. There are a lot of angry people in the world today. Kingdom people are to be different.

Here are some other Scriptures to consider when it comes to anger.

Ecclesiastes 7:9 The Message
Don't be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs. You can spot a fool by the lumps on his head.

Proverbs 16:32 NIV
Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

Proverbs 14:17 NIV
A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated.

Proverbs 14:29 The Message
Slowness to anger makes for deep understanding; a quick-tempered person stockpiles stupidity.

The Twist and Turn of Life

My past weekend was filled with twists and turns.

First twist: On Saturday I drove a van load of twenty-somethings to Boston for a day outing. The day started out foggy, so I traveled with headlights on. We parked outside Boston and took the "T" into the city for a sunny fun filled day. We returned to the van, only to discover that I had forgot to turn the headlights off that morning when we had parked. So we faced the obstacle of a dead battery. It was easily overcome when a helpful young lady and her companion in their car offered to jump start the van after a search for cables which led us to another willing individual who provided them for us.

Second twist on Saturday. Penn State was playing Michigan and I really hated to miss the game on ABC, so I taped the game on my DVR for later viewing when I got home. I was careful not hear or look for the score during my day in Boston. I got home around 10 PM and decided to zip through the commercials and watched the recorded game. I stayed up until a little past mid-night, only to have my Penn State team lose to Michigan for the ninth straight time 14-9. Two critical fumbles on Penn State's behalf really sealed the lost. A dismal loss.

The Lord's Day, Sunday, I make my way to church to worship the Lord and spend time with the family of God. It was a beautiful Fall day. Sunday afternoon, I had to choose between my watching my Patriots or getting a few hours of sun out on the lake. I chose the latter, knowing that my NE Patriots could dispose of Buffalo - which they did. But in the back of my mind I was still thinking about how Penn State had lost, so I didn't tape the game to watch later. The day ended on a positive note - to a packed weekend.

Life is filled with twists and turns, disappointments and joys, surprises and the obvious. Although nothing really serious had occurred to me this past weekend, the events reminded me that regardless what happens to us in life, there is always One who is prepared to help us and lead us. As I opened my Bible Sunday morning in church, I found these notes that I had hand written near the passage of Scripture that described the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:

"Today's decisions foreshadow tomorrow's challenges and reflect yesterday's choices." - Alicia Chole, Anonymous.

More Is Less - Less Is More

Now my thought about the title was sparked because of a verse that Jeanne and I were reading during our morning devotions together yesterday. This has been a practice of ours for many years, to read a few scripture verses and pray together to begin our day. We just started reading the book of Proverbs from The Message. Yesterday's passage contained this verse:

Proverbs 1:19
When you grab all you can get, that's what happens:the more you get, the less you are.

That thought stayed with me throughout the past couple of days as I have also been personally meditating upon Paul's words from Philippians 2:5-11. These verses instruct us as to the type of attitude that we should have. Verse 7 reads that Jesus "made himself nothing" in the NIV translation. God's Word Translation says "he emptied himself . . ." How opposite is Kingdom living from worldly living. In the Kingdom of God less is more. To "empty oneself" is to have less of self in order to allow more room for God. But if we choose to grab more of the world and make room for more of our selfish desires the less there will be of God in our lives. More is less and less is more!

Listen Before Speaking

James 1:19-21The Message
19 Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. 20 God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. 21 So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

So often, we want to be heard. We want to get our opinion across or point made. We want to convince others that we are right. James urges us to be quick to listen. When reading these verses in the greater context of the verses surrounding these, James is not just talking about listening in general but listening to the Word of God. James is really writing, "When you are listening to the Word of God, give careful attention."

We don't listen very well when we are talking. If we really want to hear what God is saying, then we need to stop talking and listen to him. Very few times does God shout at us. More often He speaks to us in a "still small voice." Prayer for us is seldom a conversation, more often it is a monologue. We tell God what we think He needs to know. Maybe you should try another approach if you think God is not answering your prayer. Try listening. Hear His quiet soft voice.

Temptation Under Pressure

James 1:13-15 The message
13 Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. 14 The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. 15 Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.

James T Draper, in his book Faith That Works writes, "we need to recognize that in every test of our faith, in every trial in our lives, in every pressure that we experience, there is an element of temptation. It contains for example, an opportunity to become bitter or resentful, or to let animosity and hatred build. Within every trial, designed to strengthen and test our faith, there is also a temptation to evil" (page 39).

It is hard for most people to accept responsibility for their own actions. The tendancy on our part is to blame others. We see and hear others doing this daily, all around us. Let's be honest, we do it too. James reminds us that God is not responsible for our actions. He has no affinity toward evil. Temptation occurs because of a sinful side to us. When we do wrong we should not say "God tempted me." God is not responsible for our wrong choice or decision under pressure. We shouldn't even say "That is the way that God made me." It would be more aprropriate to say, "That is the way sin made us."

We shouldn't even blame the devil from a pratical standpoint. Sin is our own fault. The devil can't make us do anything. We give him too much credit. We give into our own desires and lusts. Whatever we do, we do because we choose to do it. Ouch.

The good news is that if we confess our sin, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sin (John 1:9). The good news is that God provides us a way of escape our temptations to sin. When we are tempted, we will never be the same again. We will be either better or worse, stronger or weaker, more fulfilled or more frustrated. It is God's desire that we emerge from the pressure points in our lives as victorious over evil and wrong doing.

This week take personal responsibility for your actions and the words that you speak. Don't blame someone else. Own up to the fact that sin still resides within. We are a battleground for good and evil. However, as you and I lean on Jesus, we can overcome temptations.