Tag: Grace

“How tough are the ‘Tough’?”

Have you ever heard the phrase, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going?” I heard it a lot at half-time or a time out. But I never understood how tough the ‘tough’ had to be to “get going”. Have you?

PastedGraphic-2

As a pastor I have never said this to anyone, but as I thought about this morning’s main text, I had to ask myself this very question: “How tough do the tough have to be to get going?” I have seen people concussioned by life: lost of child; a torturous losing battle with cancer; a pink slip suddenly arrives on the desk; and the list goes on. I have marveled how some rape victim become victors while others remain victims. Were the former “tough” enough and the latter “weaklings?”

In my own life’s concussions, I have not always been the victor, but rather wallowed in victim stew far too long. But one thing I have learned, the Lord is tougher still. As the Apostle Paul alludes to later in this harrowing episode late in his life, “Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island” (Acts 27:23-26). It was his faith in the Goodness of God through the tough times that kept him going.

Now to some, this may seem naive and pietistic, but to those who have walked through the tough times of life’s severe concussions—first without the Lord, and then finally yielding to His presence, we understand the truth: It is not my toughness, but the Lord’s faithfulness that gets me through those tough times.

Have you found this to be so, too? Whatever storms, or trials, or difficulties or tough times we may find ourselves in the midst of, join me in remembering, “When the going gets tough, remember the Lord is tougher.” And, if you are like me, we also need to remember what the father whose young son was severely out of sorts said to Jesus after He said, “Everything is possible for him who believes”… “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 9:23-24 NIV84)!

Main Text— Acts 27:9-12 (NIV84)— 9 Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them, 10 “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” 11 But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 12 Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.— 2 Timothy 4:16–18 (NIV84)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”—John 16:33 (NIV84)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in hHis mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.— Ephesians 6:10–11 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, be my Shield of Faith. Quench the fiery darts that are being hurled at me. Be my Shoes of  Peace that I may be calm when enduring tough times. In Your Name, Amen!

Pastor Mike

“Defensive or a Strong Defense?”

When you are misunderstood, how do you respond: Defensive or Calm? Being open, my response was a knee-jerk barrage of defensive self-inflating and other-demolishing “evidence”. But as I grew more confident in the Lord’s Love for me and His constant protection, a calmness would come upon me. “What did you hear me say? … I must have misspoken. Let me try again.” I had a near out-of-body experience the first time I was able to say this….
Over the years, I have grown more and more confident that the Lord is my Defense and my Shield. I do not need to be defensive because He is my Strong Defense.
This came poignantly home to me during my first viewing of the movie, “The Judge”. The judge had been a revered institution on the bench in a small mid-west community; his black sheep son went off to become a high-powered, highly sought after, big city defense attorney. As the plot unveils, the Judge is accused of murder and the black-sheep son offers his skills as a defense attorney. Needless to say, their rocky relationship adds to the plot thickening, but at one point the son says something to the effect, “Keep your mouth shut and let me defend you.”
The father’s refusal to heed his son’s counsel gets him in even more hot water. And then the Spirit’s lance lands. I need to keep my mouth shut and let the Lord defend me: He is my Defense Attorney.
Perhaps some of you are father down the path on your journey with Jesus than I am, but for those of us, like myself, who have acted as our own defense attorney, this is a welcomed transformation in my life. Besides, I’m sure you know the old saying about defending yourself, “… every man who is his own lawyer, has a fool for a client.”
Join me in letting Lord Jesus be our Defense Attorney.  Your thoughts….
Main Text— Acts 22:1-5 (NIV84)—  “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.”  When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said:  “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.  I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,  as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts
My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.— 1 John 2:1 (NLT)
“When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”— Luke 12:11–12 (NASB95)
Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord.Vindicate me in Your righteousness, O LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me.— Psalm 35:23–24 (NIV84)
Lord Jesus Christ, be my Shield of Faith. Quench the fiery darts that are being hurled at me. Be my Shoes of  Peace that I may be calm when misunderstood. In Your Name, Amen!

Pastor Mike

“Get a Bit Mixed Up?”

Have you noticed that some of Jesus’ followers get the Pharisees mixed up with the Woman at the well (see John 4)? They call the Woman at the well an adultery, a snake and yell at her that she must be born again; and the Pharisee? Well, they try to reason with him, giving a little latitude for his blindness in his religion.

But, I am so glad our Master did not mixed us up. He gently offered Living Water (obviously His very Person) to the Woman who knew no better, even though she engaged Him in a mild theological discussion. Her questions were sincere & genuine and not a barbed  trap. Oh, He still addressed her sin (as He did with the woman caught in adultery; see John 8:10f), but He did so with the gentle kindness of the Loving Messiah.

Contrariwise, He sharply rebuked the Pharisees, crescendoing on the last week of His earthly ministry with the Matthew 23 “The Seven Woes”  confrontation. Here, the Loving Messiah, filled with deep sorrow for ones so close but so far, used the double-edged scalpel of a skilled surgeon, Who truly cares for His cancer-ridden patient. …

In our main text, we find that the Apostle Paul used the “Woman at the Well” approach: He gentle moved through his gospel presentation, starting out with a kind observation of their “religious” behavior. Oh, he could have used the “Pharisee Approach,” screaming, “You brood of idolatrous vipers. How can you bow down to wood and stone? Can they save you?” But they had no idea of this true, Living God, Who does not live in a temple man by human hands. They, like the Woman at the well, though able to discourse in some form a theological (albeit philosophical) dialogue, truly had no idea what Life was all about. …

Do you get mixed up, too? Do you judge with critical screams those who are ignorant of the LORD’s Word and Ways and yet gently dialogue with those who actually know better? (Now, I’m not advocating screaming at those who do know better, for our Master did not scream at them either. I hear a different voice of Jesus in Matthew 23 than most movies have portrayed. I hear a voice full of compassion and deep sorrow—expressed in the woes and noted in Luke 19:41.) I find it best to fight in my own spirit a critical and a judgmental attitude. Note: I said, “I fight it.” 

Just a few days ago, I had the opportunity to chat with someone who was the type of person I would normal go after in private conversation with others of “my” persuasion. But, the LORD afforded me a Gush of Grace, and I was able to peacefully sit and converse with them. At one point in our conversation, I had doubted the veracity of some of their statements; so I asked a few questions that only someone schooled in this particular area would know the answers to (since I myself have been trained in this particular area), and voila! I just caught them in a lie. And better yet, I did not call them out. Why? Because they truly didn’t know any better. So, I prayed the Lord to use my listening to them and following their agenda as a more powerful witness than winning any argument.

I, too, rely heavily on His Gushes of Grace not to get mixed up. How about you? Your thoughts….

Main Text— Acts 17:22-23 (NIV84)— 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.— Colossians 4:5–6 (NIV84)

And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.— 2 Timothy 2:24–26 (NIV84 emphasis added)

So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?— Romans 2:3–4 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, be the Sword of the Spirit wielder in my Life so that I might demonstrate Your Love and Kindness to both those who do not know any better and to those who do. In Your Name, Amen!

Pastor Mike

“One Essential Virtue of Nobility”

As I have pondered nobility and pursued what it looks like in my life, I came upon many virtues that seem to flow from true noble character: humility, fair-mindedness, chivalry, and courtesy quickly came to mind. But of all these virtues, I yet found another virtue essential to nobility: active listening. As we deal with those who attempt to shout us down, I find that being an effective active listener an essential virtue of nobility.

Active listening is more than merely giving comfortable eye contact  or being able to repeat back what someone has just said. It is—as one of my former college students defined: “Staying on the other person’s agenda.” I am going to pursue what the speaker finds interesting, ask questions to clarify words and their meanings as the speaker intended them. Stay on their agenda. All this has a noble goal: Coming to a deeper understanding of the person who is speaking—beyond their words. And in order to do such active listening, I must also demonstrate humility, fair-mindedness, and the like, don’t you agree?

Then I applied this to the Bereans (of our main text), and, yes, to my own life, and discovered something rather intriguing: I cannot say I actively listen to the Lord, if I do not actively listen to my fellow sister or brother. Ouch! Would you agree that I demonstrate my Love for Jesus by being an effective active listener with fellow believers?

If I take nobility to this level, do you think it naturally follows that I not only demonstrate noble virtues with my brothers and sisters (as well as those outside the fold—since God still so loves them), but also to the very One Who manifests the noblest of virtues towards me: Gracious Love? (Perhaps then I could stay on His agenda, eh?)

As I begin this New Year off on the “right” foot, will you join me in being a better listener to the Lord’s Words—like the Bereans—as well as to those around me—whether they have an active relationship with Jesus or not? Your thoughts….

Main Text: — Acts 17:11-12 (NIV84)— 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger— James 1:19 (NASB95)

Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”— Mark 4:9 (NIV84)

let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— Proverbs 1:5 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, as You fill me with Your Holy Spirit, open my ears to hear the wonders of Your Praise. Lord Jesus Christ, continue to transform me into an effective active listener, so that my Life may manifest Your Noble Character. In Your Name, Amen!

Pastor Mike

“A Gift Too Precious”

Have you ever been given a gift so precious, it was too precious? “Oh, I can’t accept this. It’s too expensive….” you barely audibly whisper overcome with a deep sense of unworthiness. “No, really I insist,” comes the giver’s overruling objection. I have and really to share Holy moments often soils them, but to give the general gist of the moment, I was in a store when the owner sense a need in my life, and offered me one of his wares—very expensive I might add. “Choose any one of these…,” he insisted. I was so overcome with a sense of emotion, I could barely move, let alone choose…. But I did.

Perhaps this is how you felt when you first encountered the Lord’s grace. “I forgive you all your sins and have seated you in the heavenlies.” “What? Me? Really? No?” we stammer. But it’s true. His Grace overwhelms us. We sense the  reality of our unworthiness, the injustice of this forgiveness, and the surface of the depth of this Grace of our salvation.

But as time has distanced us from this moment, have we lost the sense of the Grace too precious to receive—and yet we still receive it? And with a gift this precious, do we not put it in an equally precious place, guarding it with our very lives?  What are your thoughts?

Main Text: — Acts 15:10–11 (NIV84)— 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.— Ephesians 2:8–9 (NIV84)

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.— Titus 3:5–7 (NIV84)

And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.— 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, what words can capture the glory of Your Grace. You have lavishly poured it out upon me. I embrace Your Son, my Lord Jesus. Continue to capture me with Your Love. In His Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Prayer the Rocks this Place”

Date: 07-28-15

My Thoughts:

I have been to a few rock concerts where the place was littler shaking. The base concussioned my chest as my body vibrated to the beat. Many times the lead singer would scream, “Let’s rock this place!” And they did…

Can the Holy Spirit do the same thing? Well, apparently we discover in today’s main text (noted below) He did. And He did this without any amplification, so to speak….

But what ‘caused’ this shaking? I’m sure you’d agree that it wasn’t the prayer of the believers—directly anyway, but somehow they had a part in this. V. 31 says pretty clearly, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken….” Now, I’m not saying we conjure up some magical prayer so as to recreate this ‘shaking,’ but I am suggesting we take a closer look at their prayer….

First of all, I see that they appealed to the Sovereign Lord to notice the threats made against them (v. 29). Then they requested enabling ability to “speak [His] Word with great boldness.” Lastly, they requested that the Lord perform even more miracles in Jesus’ Name (v. 30)!!! What surprises me as I review this again and again is: They made no counter threats! They did not request the Lord to send fire from heaven to devour their enemies. They did not request Him to tear down these evil high places…. Instead, they prayed for more good to be done: More healings and miraculous signs! Apparently, this is the kind of prayer that shakes this place, eh?

Are you as surprised as I am that prayer like this was a vehicle for the Holy Spirit to “shake this place?” Your thoughts?

Main Text: — Acts 4:13— 29 “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable Your servants to speak Your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the Name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.  [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.  — Luke 21:12-15 (NKJV)

For it is a fine thing if, when moved by your conscience to please God, you suffer patiently when wronged. What good does it do if, when you sin, you patiently receive punishment for it? But if you suffer for doing good and receive it patiently, you have God’s approval. This is, in fact, what you were called to do, because: The Messiah also suffered for you and left an example for you to follow in His steps.  “He never sinned, and He never told a lie.” When He was insulted, He did not retaliate. When He suffered, He did not threaten. It was His habit to commit the matter to the One who judges fairly. — 1 Peter 2:19-23 (ISV)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” — Matthew 5:43-46 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, I ask you to fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so I may pray for those who mistreat me, threaten me, or even harm me. May my life reflect the very nature of Your Messiah, Jesus, in His Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Forgiveness is Giving Up”

Date: 05-21-15

My Thoughts:

As our Lord Jesus hung on the cross He taught us true forgiveness. He taught us that forgiveness is giving up. His was a choice not a violation, extortion or resignation. He willfully chose to forgive.

And in this forgiveness He gave up three rights. The first right He gave up was the right not to hurt. He possibly gave this right up the moment He decided to be incarnated, but truly the hurt, anguish and pain of carrying all the sins and its punishment on the cross cannot compare to all the sorrows He experienced up to that point. Isaiah identifies this giving up for us rather vividly (see below). Yes, the offense hurt you deeply. And only by a gush of grace will you be able to do what only Jesus can do: Forgive them in spite of the hurt. Yes, even after He said, “Father, forgive them,” He was still on the cross; still in agony; He was still hurting….

The second right our Master gave up was the right to make it right or to fix “it”. The relationship between Him and his creation was broken, and without the cross, it was irreparable. By hanging on that cross, He became that bridge of reconciliation for us. Yes, He did many healings and even a resurrection or two, but all these would get sick and die again. It is only after the cross in His resurrection are things made new—are fixed. St. Paul identifies this giving up in Colossians (see below). Yes, once the offense has taken place, the relationship, the item, the circumstance may remain broken beyond repair, but we can move on in the hope the resurrection power offers: One day this relationship, item or circumstance will be restored, but right now He has given us grace enough for the moment to dealing with the new relationship following a break….

The third right our Lord gave up was the right to get back. He could have warned them, “Just wait until I’m resurrected. Then you’ll know I am who I claimed to be; then you’ll bow before me!” Rather than immaturely taunting or threatening His adversaries—those who deeply wounded Him, He spoke words of forgiveness instead: “Father, forgive them…” (Luke 23:34). Our brother, St. Peter, identifies this giving up in his first letter to us (see below). Yes, our knee-jerk response it to flinch in retaliation or burp a word of disgust. Yet once again, relying on the gush of grace the Lord Jesus’ Life provides for us, we can return blessing for insult and promise of hope for threat of harm. We entrust ourselves, as our Master did, to the One who can truly bring justice (1 Peter 2:23 below).

One final “give up” I’d like to mention, but request your thoughts on how this fits into forgiveness, and that is when we are told at the end of Jesus’ earthly life, He says: “ It is finished. With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30 emphasis added). The Greek word for “give up” is to “to hand over, to give.” Lifestyle worshiper, how do you see this act of Jesus’ Love, of giving up His own life, fitting into His grand act of forgiveness?

Main Text: — Ephesians 4:32 — Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  [NIV84]

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. — Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV84)

… and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation —Colossians 1:20-22 (NIV84)

 When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed. — 1 Peter 2:23-24 (NIV84)

 Lord Jesus Christ, empower me to forgive those who have hurt me, frustrated me, or disappointed me. I ask You to overwhelm me with a gush of Your grace to forgive them as You have forgiven me. In Your Name, Amen. 

Pastor Mike

“Pride Prevention”

Date: 01-13-15

Text: — Psalm 34:4-5 — 4 I sought the LORD  and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. [NIV]

The Big Idea: Don’t let pride prevent you from seeking the LORD’s face.

My Thoughts: 

A lot of times it is simply pride that keeps us from asking others for help. I know I even disguised my pride by saying, “I don’t want to bother anyone or be an imposition.” Sometimes I suggest to myself that I can get it done faster without asking for help, but I soon discover the truth of the old proverb, “Many hands make light work.”

But the larger truth is, if I am hesitant to ask for ‘help’ from people, I am definitely hesitant to approach the LORD for ‘help’. But when I let down my pride, as the Psalmist David did, the Lord will answer and deliver me. Suddenly, my face is radiant and the shame is removed.

Lifestyle worshipers, don’t let pride prevent you from seeking the LORD’s face—or help from your brothers & sisters. Your thoughts.

Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him! Revere Him, all you descendants of Israel! For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help. From You comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear You will I fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise Him— may your hearts live forever!

— Psalm 22:23-26 (NIV84)

   Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

— Matthew 18:4 (NASB95)

Heavenly Father,  I humble seek Your face. Deliver me from my fears of abandonment and loneliness. Restore the joy of Your Salvation in my soul so that I may rejoice with my brothers & sisters.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike