2010: More Losses than Gains?

Though we might wish to be upbeat about 2010, it’s hard to ignore the facts: it was a year of loss, beginning with a massive earthquake in Haiti—our hemisphere’s poorest country—killing 250 thousand and leaving millions homeless. Only a month later, another earthquake jolted Chile, causing the death of 775 and $30 billion in damage. In April the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion killed 11 men and caused unknown billions of $ in damage to local communities and businesses and unknown loss of marine life. Meanwhile the recession was unabated; more people lost their jobs as unemployment hovered at 10%. And finally, a loss to our nation’s financial health as the national debt doubled in size to $14 trillion.

But it wasn’t all loss. Probably, the most inspiring event of the year, if not the decade, was the dramatic October rescue of the Chilean miners from a collapsed coal mine. It was a ‘gain’ for humanity—a tribute to the abilities of men.

Gains and losses: that’s how man measures his years. So once again I am reminded by Watchman Nee: “In spiritual matters, we measure ourselves not in terms of gains, but in losses,” of course referring to Jesus' warning: “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it” (Mat. 10:39). So the question I ask myself today is “how much of ‘me’ did I lose this year?” Is there less of ‘Greg’ and more of Jesus? And that is how I will judge 2010.

"Now Run Yours"

The movie "Secretariat" was Altha’s and my favorite movie of the year. It chronicles the stunning journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Secretariat’s owner Penny Tweedy, a suburban housewife and mother from Colorado, takes over her ailing father's horse breeding ranch in Virginia and, without experience, turns outs a champion horse.

Against the backdrop of horse racing, this Disney film “Secretariat” provides a metaphoric, awe-inspiring portrait of aspiration and endurance each of us needs in order to run his race. At a particularly desperate and challenging time in her own life, the feisty Penny says "You never know how far you can go unless you run.” And on the night before Secretariat’s final Triple Crown competition, Penny realizes that she has accomplished what she set out to do (produce a champion horse). Aware that she has finished her race, she says to Secretariat: “I have run my race; now run yours.” The next day, to the delight of fans and surprise of critics, the spirited horse won the race in record time, and by 31 lengths.

The Movie’s (admittedly cliché) moral is this: each of us has been designed by God to run his race. The ‘racing’ theme is a fitting one for us. After years of walking with God, Paul wrote, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” And then of himself, Paul says “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (1 Cor. 9:24; 1 Tim. 4:7). Now run yours.

Stop Complaining and Eat Your Vegetables

Do any of you make New Year’s Resolutions? While I don’t, I do find the beginning of the new year to be a good time for self-examination, for taking inventory of my gains and losses, for making “certain about His calling” (2 Peter 1:10) on my life, and for making corrections. One of the things I will be most painfully aware this year of is my continuing penchant for complaining.

There’s a startling episode in Israel’s journey through the Wilderness where they complained about the “manna” God gave them to eat. They started craving meat (Nu. 11:4). God was angry (Nu. 11:33). And His response to their complaint of a meatless diet may be the source of the unbiblical phrase “Be careful what you ask for.” Sending enough flocks of quail to over-satiate, they must have said ‘I hope I never eat another quail as long as I live.' (More complaining.) The end of this story is not pretty—as “the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people” many were killed by a deadly plague (Nu. 11:33).

It is all too easy for me to excuse my complaining as a natural human tendency. But God hates it. It is worse than a rejection of His provision—it is a flat-out rejection of Him (Nu. 11:20; 14:27). We should pay close attention to Paul’s warning: “All these events happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us, who live at the time when this age is drawing to a close. If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin” (1 Cor. 10:11-12 NLT).

Something's Out of Whack!

Have you ever read the words “God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” (1 Cor. 10:13), and thought to yourself, something must be out of whack—because what I am going through is unbearable? You look around at others whose life seems to be a lot easier than yours, and try to quiet that accusing inner voice that says “God, why are you doing this to me?”

As impertinent as that question sounds, it's OK to ask, as long as you do it without the attitude! Moses’ complained to God: “Why are you treating me, your servant, so miserably? What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this … I'd rather you killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!” (Num. 11:11, 15 NLT). To say something was out of whack with Moses and God is an understatement.

Whenever I feel this way, the Spirit reminds me of Jesus’ promise “My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:30), and I say “something must be out of whack, because this burden is too much.” The logical conclusion is that either 1) I am carrying something I’m not supposed to, or 2) God doesn’t expect me to bear it alone. Such was God’s answer to Moses. "Bring me seventy elders of Israel who are known to you as leaders." The 70 would bear the burden of the people; Moses was not to bear it alone. Have you considered the reason your burden seems unbearable is that God does not expect you to carry it alone? Share each other's troubles and problems, and thus fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2 NLT, NASB). When something's out of whack, it's time for a re-alignment with the Word.

Waiting for Christmas Day

The word “Christmas” is a compound word made up of the name “Christ” plus the word “mass”—which means celebration. "Christ" is not a name as much as a Greek word or title, meaning "anointed"—equivalent to the Hebrew word "Messiah." Based on the words of the prophets, the Jews of Palestine were waiting for the day they would celebrate the promised Messiah—they were waiting for Christmas.

Although Jesus came 2,000 years ago to deliver us from sin, we are yet waiting for His second coming when He will truly be celebrated by Israel (and the whole world) as the Messiah. It is then we will truly celebrate Christ—it will be the authentic Christmas! And that ‘day’ will go on forever.

But that Christmas day will only be celebrated by those who love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8), who have been eagerly waiting for His glory and to be revealed as His sons (Rom. 8:18-19). On that Christmas day death and sin will be no more (1 Cor. 15:54). On that Christmas day we will be changed forever (1 Cor. 15:51), and receive eternal rewards (1 Cor. 3:14; Rev. 22:12). On that Christmas day, we will be given to Jesus by the Father as His long-awaited present—His virgin Bride (2 Cor. 11:2). We are still waiting for that Christmas—when the curse will be lifted, the saints glorified, Christ worshiped, and the whole creation liberated.

What a sadly watered-down version of Christmas day most people (even Christians!) will be celebrating tomorrow—without fully appreciating the one yet to come: the Christmas day we are waiting for.

The Mullah Who Stole Christmas

Iraq’s Christian leaders have cancelled public Christmas celebrations and warned believers against decorating their homes. The reason? New threats of terror attacks by al-Qaida against Iraqi Christians. Two months ago, al-Qaida insurgents brutally attacked Christian worshippers during a church service in Baghdad, killing 68 men, women and children. Since then, al-Qaida terrorists have proudly claimed responsibility for bombing Christian homes and neighborhoods throughout the Capital. No Christmas displays in Iraq this year!

Before you say “that could never happen here,” listen to this: In May, students at a Massachusetts public middle school took a field trip to a local mosque where they participated in a prayer and listened to lectures on Islam. Parents, who gave signed permission for students to visit the mosque, were not informed in advance that the students would hear a Mosque spokesperson denigrate Western civilization and glorify Islam. What is most astonishing is that this occurred in the same state where public displays of the nativity have been prohibited and firefighters forced to remove a "Merry Christmas" sign from their station.

At every sales interaction, we are reminded that the 'reason for the season' has all but disappeared, as we endure the innocuous greeting "Happy Holidays." Considering the increasing intolerance of Christianity and acceptance of Islam, it seems the theft of Christmas can no longer be blamed on the Grinch.

Giving Up The Way Things Used to Be

Though I can’t see Russia from my house, I can see an ugly old airport hangar at Moffett Field, a Navy base. "Hangar One" as it is called, was built during the Depression—one of the largest unsupported structures in the country, covering eight acres (10 football fields.)

Though it is useless today, Hangar One is the center of a spirited debate. Historians would like to preserve it as a historic landmark: plans that have been put on hold since it was learned the structure is full of toxic chemicals leaking into the wetlands around San Francisco bay. The issue is whether to tear down the hangar and reuse the land, or to clean the toxic waste from the site and refurbish the hangar. Even Lenny Siegel of the Save Hangar One Committee admitted that the hangar may be too unstable to save.

This “save the hangar’ thing seems awfully impractical, if not just bizarre. Why is Hangar One of such historic value? It’s just a big old empty garage. Of course you know I am going to point out a spiritual parallel. Who does not know the struggle of letting go of the past—giving up something that is familiar (a part of us). This is true both psychologically and spiritually. But giving up the old is an essential part of mental and spiritual growth. And when people refuse to give up “the way things used to be” (the “old self”) they become both psychologically and spiritually arrested.

I think holding on to toxic Hangar One is like holding on to what Paul calls the “old self.” “Throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through... Instead... You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness” (Eph 4:22-24). In other words, the old 'you' cannot be remodeled. It must be razed! “For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:1).

Don't Over-Spend

Last week was one of those whirlwind weeks of actvity. They are both exciting and stressful. At such times, my capacity for dealing with stress feels small. As long as they come one at a time, allowing me to re-charge before the next, I’m fine. But when they come in multiples of 3…well, you get the picture.

We need to be very careful about ‘over-spending’ [pun intended] this time of year. Too much stress leads to fatigue, irritability, sleeplessness, anxiety and depression. It is dangerous if we don’t take time to re-charge. Rick Warren recently wrote in his daily blog "Without margin in your life, you'll think, Oh no! Another thing to do! Sorry, God, I'd like to do that, but I'm just too busy.”

One of the worst things we can do is squeeze out our daily quiet time with God. It is the margin at the top and bottom of every page—the beginning and end of each day. Our quiet time shuts us in with God—where we get re-charged by the Word, the Spirit, and prayer. There we find an infinite supply of life and energy. As we “set our minds and affections on things above”(Colossians 3:2) we find the margins of our life—and we are refreshed and recharged.

When God holds your heart, He handles your headaches

Are your mortgage, a maxed-out credit card, and a multi-year car loan driving you to the edge of madness? Are you tempted to leave it all behind and move to a place where you can actually live on your salary, find a house you can afford, and pay off your debt?

During a time of stress in Canaan (a famine), Abraham packed up his family and moved to Egypt. It is not an unusual strategy for people in crisis. These “Egypt’s” attract us with their appearance of prosperity and comfort—hope for a better life, i.e., “greener grass.” But our solution won’t be found in a different state, but a different state of mind.

Given the option, would you rather sell all your possessions and move to Costa Rica, or would you like to wake up tomorrow morning with the exact same demands and pressures but with confidence that God is going to use them to make your life more useful to Him; to put you in the path of people who need your touch; and to give you new insight for the next big challenge you'll face!?

The solution is a single-minded purpose to love and serve Him through every circumstance in your life. “The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9), or translated into modern jargon: When God holds your heart, He handles your headaches.

"I see dead people"

Who can forget this line by Haley Joel Osment’s character in "The Sixth Sense"—a story about a troubled boy who is able to see and talk to the dead, and an equally troubled child psychologist (Bruce Willis) who tries to help him. Well, guess what! I see dead people too—and so do you. They are standing behind you in line at Safeway, sitting in the cubicle next to yours at work, and even parked in the back pews of your church. They are dead in their sins (Eph. 2:1): deeply troubled people.

But unlike the Bruce Willis character [spoiler warning] who cannot help because he is one of the dead, we who are alive in Christ can see things other people can’t see. And we can hear too (John 10:27). Of course if you tell this to the ‘dead’ people, they will think you are crazy. But we who have been made alive with Christ (Eph. 2:5) have these supernatural powers—of seeing and hearing. Having “God’s eyes,” we see people and circumstances as God does.

But (paradoxically) to exercise these powers, you must be dead to this world—crucified with Christ. Only those who are dead to their own ideas, opinions and assumptions can really see and hear His. This is why Jesus spoke in parables: “I am using these stories to conceal everything about it from outsiders, so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: `They see what I do, but they don't really see; they hear what I say, but they don't understand.” (Luke 8:10 NLT) So to us, Jesus says: “Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?...He who has ears to hear [and eyes to see], let him hear [and see]" (Mark 8:18; Matt. 11:15).

Is the Bible Relevant?

I listen to a lot of different radio teachers when I’m in the car. I’ve noticed the one thing the really popular radio teachers have in common is ‘relevance’—they have learned how to speak to what-we-call people’s ‘felt needs.’ This is a buzz word from the 80’s, when psychology began driving church programs and when seeker-sensitivity became the new ethic.

Anyone who has read one of the many “church growth” books on the market today knows that one of the fundamental tenets of a seeker sensitive church is a "relevant” Sunday morning message. But I fear this emphasis on ‘relevance’ is doing harm to the teaching of sound doctrine. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but … they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3). Where ‘felt needs’ and relevance become the guiding principle behind the church’s pulpit and programs, does it not imply that the Bible has little to say about current issues?

Zac Poonen says “There is not a single situation that you can ever face in life for which the solution is not found somewhere in the Bible. The answer will always be there in the experience of some Biblical character that parallels your own, or in some teaching of Scripture.” Leonard Ravenhill said: "The Bible is either absolute, or it's obsolete."

Covered in Jesus' Dust

Yesterday, I was blessed again to give the Sunday morning message. You won’t be surprised to hear that my theme was discipleship: pointing out that when Jesus called people, they had to get “out of the box.” Getting out of the box means leaving behind your assumptions and expectations, even comfort and safety—it involves risk.

The more I study discipleship, the more I wonder whether we 21st century Americans have truly grasped its meaning. To be chosen by a rabbi in Jesus’ day was the highest honor bestowed on a young man. When a Rabbi said, "Come, Follow me,” there was an old Jewish saying that said to follow a rabbi was to "be covered with the dust of his feet." When Jesus said, "Come and follow me,” the disciples knew exactly what he meant. It was the Hebrew custom to walk very close to your rabbi or teacher so that you could learn of his ways in every area of life. Following so close, you would wear his dust.

After awhile, a disciple would begin to look like and act like his Rabbi. In the same way, Jesus' disciples are meant to be conformed to His image. People should look at us and see Jesus. Can we even call ourselves disciples if we are not covered in His dust?

My Brother had a Hidden Heart Condition

Tomorrow is the birthday of my younger brother Jeff. He would be 55 this year. But he died—suddenly and unexpectedly—at the age of 38, of a hidden heart condition. Had he known, he would have received treatment; perhaps he would be alive today. We’ll never know…

This week I learned that a younger sister in the Lord has had a moral failure. I was shocked of course. But I was able to put it in perspective by remembering that my sister has a heart condition—a spiritual one; and it went untreated. I had been her counselor off and on—her spiritual ‘doctor,’ you might say. Had I known she had this heart condition, perhaps I could have prescribed a daily dose of truth to be applied to her vulnerability. But it was not to be; her heart condition remained hidden—all the while eroding her good health by shutting off the flow of Jesus’ life through her spiritual veins.

Several years ago, my older brother Ken had a massive heart attack—again, a hidden heart condition. My response? I immediately scheduled an appointment for a thorough examination by a cardiologist, to make certain I had no hidden heart condition.

So when our sister or brother has one of these spiritual ‘heart attacks,’ does it not motivate each of us to take inventory of our own hearts, that God might show us our own deep-seated vulnerabilities? And if we should find a weakness, to begin working on a treatment plan? “Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart; [for I know] You desire truth in my innermost being” (Psalm 56:2: 51:6).

The Urban Legend of Blaise Pascal

The phrase “there is God-shaped vacuum inside each of us” is attributed to 17th century philosopher Blaise Pascal. In my Internet research the other day, I discovered that Pascal never said those exact words. It’s what-we-call an “urban legend”—a myth or some misinformation that has been repeated so often and for so long, it is now considered to be true. What he really said is a bit more eloquent (if not also loquacious).

What else does this craving proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object, in other words, by God himself. -Pascal, "Pensees"

God designed us to have a relationship with Him: to belong, to love and be loved, to know we matter to Him. This means that deep within our being is a longing for God which will not go away. On some level, we are always conscious of our longing for God. But during times of stress, these longings increase, as does our need to satisfy them. Our attempts to fill the longings with anything other than God are like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole: the wrong shape—which, in this case, needs to be ‘God-shaped’ (whether Pascal used those words, or not!).

Who was Thirstier?

One thing all nutritionists and dietitians seem to agree on is that regardless of your diet or lifestyle, you should be drinking a great deal of water—and the recommended amount: 64 ounces! It’s hard for me to drink 8 glasses of water a day—I’m just not that thirsty!

On this blog yesterday, I posed the question “does God have longings?” And while researching the subject, I discovered an insightful interpretation of the familiar story of the Woman at the Well: Jesus was thirsty!

This may be what-we-call a “loaded” statement. Is there a reason John draws attention to Jesus’ thirst? Nearly everything Jesus did in the physical realm had a spiritual parallel. Thirst is defined as the craving for fluids—it is a basic human instinct. What is the spiritual parallel? What was Jesus thirsty for? What satisfies Jesus’ thirst? I think Jesus longed (craved, thirsted) to give “living water” to this hurting woman.

Is this not God’s unquenchable desire? To get us to leave behind the water pots we have been using to draw from cracked wells that hold no water, and to fill us up from His fountain of living water? (Jer. 2:13) The woman didn’t even know how thirsty she was until Jesus offered her the “living water.” But Jesus knew; and He was thirsty to tell her.

What Does God Long For?

Miriam Webster defines “longing” as “a strong persistent yearning or desire, especially one that cannot be fulfilled.” We are aware of our longing for God (Psalm 42:1-2; 63:1-2). But does the God of the Universe have longings? “Unfulfilled” longings?

The answer lies in looking at Jesus. God’s longing is seen through Jesus as He seeks to heal those who are hurt and sick and held captive to sin. Does Jesus not say “I have come to seek to save that which was lost?” (Luke 19:10) Is this not the longing of God's heart.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories of longings—each one representing the “Father-heart” of God: the shepherd searching for the one lost sheep out of a hundred, of a woman who searches for a lost coin, and of a father who welcomes his wayward son home. Each parable pictures a longing—even an urgency—to find that which was loved and lost. In our sometimes self-centered (please-meet-my-needs) search for God, we forget it is God, initially and preveniently, who is longing for us.

God Knows Your Name

Here’s an astonishing fact for a mundane Monday morning: a new study by scientists suggests that instead of 10 trillion stars in the universe (as formerly calculated), there are more than 300 sextillion stars—a ‘3’ followed by ‘23’ zeroes. And here’s an amazing thought: God knows the number of stars and calls them all by name (Ps. 147:4). Daunting, isn’t it!

Now let’s bring this down to earth and make it more personal. Jesus says our Heavenly Father knows how many hairs are on your head (Luke 12:7). How personal is that! But of course what Jesus is really telling us is that God knows us—intimately. Moreover, He thinks about us. The Psalmist says: “Many, O Lord my God, are…Your thoughts toward us… If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count” (40:5) (Probably more than 300 sextillion?)

On a cold, rainy, dreary Monday morning like this one, the humdrum of life on earth threatens to move God to the margins of our minds. So think about this: the God who knows the numbers and names of the stars, knows you, and certainly knows your name. And is thinking about you right now. (1 Chron. 28:9)

Do We Look Like a Pile of Dry Bones?

Last month, I preached a sermon on Ezekiel 37—the passage where a huge pile of dry bones comes to life (if you’re not familiar with it, you must read it). Through the prophet, God breathes into the bones, quickening them to life—a picture of the energizing power of the Holy Spirit flowing from limb to limb, resulting in a huge army of God: the Church.

This brings to mind Paul’s description of the Body of Christ: “From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph. 4:16, NIV). Paul says we are a body, a living organism, made up of individual bones, sinews, joints.

Sometimes it’s hard to be ‘fitted’ to someone else. We are quite sure it won’t work. But a proper fit will require each member, or bone, to be broken of his own rights and his own way to fit into God’s plan, or His way—otherwise we will look like a pile of dry bones. "Lord, please break me of my own way so that I can be properly fitted to those around me."

Do You Have a Plan for Overcoming Temptation?

Do you know what were Jesus’ last words to His disciples (in the Garden of Gethsemane)? Keep alert and pray; otherwise temptation will overpower you (Matt. 26:41 NLT)—and not just for that moment: Jesus was warning them to live proactively. Not unlike the famous adage “He who fails to plan, plans to fail.”

Another truism is that as we grow in faith in Christ, our temptations increase (and they come with bigger consequences)—being IN Christ does not make us immune to sin’s attraction. Paul offered Timothy three ways to plan for temptation: Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22).

First, flee from temptation. The best defense against temptation is get away from it—not to linger there and see how strong we are! Second, get into Jesus. As long as Timothy was pouring his energies into pursuing godliness, he'd be less tempted to sin. Third, spend time with serious disciples of Jesus. It's far easier to resist temptation when we're surrounded by Christians who encourage us. The hard truth is that temptation will be a lifelong reality. And the crucial question is: Do I have a plan for overcoming it?

The Temptation to Compromise

Today’s USA Today front page story says Afghanistan is increasingly Obama’s war—40% of Americans now believe it was a mistake to go to war. As the war efforts droned on in 2010 with marginal success, the Obama administration, eager to find a political solution, encouraged the Karzai government to negotiate, i.e., compromise, with the Taliban (who are allied with Al Quaeda). And so, discussions began…

Until last week, when it was revealed that the top-level Taliban commander the U.S./NATO alliance had been negotiating with was an impostor—he had no authority to speak for the Taliban at all. The Taliban must be laughing their heads off! But this is no laughing matter—decisions about winding down the war by 2014 were based on these deceptive discussions. I wonder what affect this will have on our Administration’s future attempts at negotiation and compromise with the enemy!

The SPIRITUAL parallel is inescapable. When the pressure of warfare increases, so does the temptation to compromise. Growing weary of the conflict of flesh & spirit (Gal. 5:17; Rom. 13:14), we are tempted to relax our stance. Or conflicts with co-workers, friends or family who oppose our godly principles (Matt. 10:36) may result in our acquiescence! We are rapidly moving toward a cultural crisis where intolerance (refusal to compromise) will not be tolerated. But James says “…don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God?” (4:4).

Persecuted in Afghanistan

Now here’s a story you won’t find in any newspaper. Dr. Said Musa, an employee of the International Red Cross in Kabul has been in prison since May, for his faith in Christ. He and other Afghan Christians were arrested after a local TV station broadcast images of their Christian worship service. Converting to Christianity is punishable by death under Islamic law.

Dr. Musa’s plight came to international attention when he sent a letter to President Obama and the heads of NATO that he was being sexually abused, beaten, and sleep-deprived because of his faith in Jesus. But, he went on to declare, “I would be willing to suffer for my faith in order to encourage and strengthen other Christians in theirs.” I have to ask myself ‘what would my attitude be under such circumstances?'

Then the Spirit brought to mind Peter’s amazing attitude toward suffering: “Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through… instead, be very glad—because these trials will make you partners with Christ in His suffering. And afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing His glory when it is displayed to the entire world. Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you… [And you will] praise God for the privilege of being called by his wonderful name!” (1 Peter 4:13-16 NLT). (Peter was eventually martyred for his faith.)

Where do you want to spend the rest of your life?

My pastor was out of town yesterday, so I got to preach! My sermon—“Where do you live?—was taken from Paul’s words in Romans 6:2: “How can we who died to sin still LIVE in it,” meaning, since we died with Christ to the kingdom of sin and death (Romans 6:1-12), why would we want to continue living as though we were still alive to it. Rather, Paul calls us to live (walk) in the newness of life [in Christ].

This scripture brought to my mind the story of the lame man lying by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years in his crippled condition. Jesus says, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5). Jesus was giving the man a choice: to continue the rest of his life lying by the pool OR to get up and walk away from his past!

When you’ve been living in the same place (and the same way) for 38 years, it takes a mountain of faith to believe you really can “walk differently” (Eph. 4:17). You may 'feel' hopeless because of past mistakes and failures. It takes faith to believe Jesus and say: "Lord, I believe; and I will arise from this place, and walk with you for the rest of my life.” Our choice is the same as Jesus offered the lame man: we can either live in the shadow of past failures or walk in the newness of life in Christ. No matter how long you have been schlepping around your pool of Bethesda, you don’t have to spend the rest of your life there.

Black Friday

Arriving at my 24-Hour Fitness at 6 a.m., I got a shocking reminder: this is Black Friday—parking lots full and department stores already packed with bargain hunters. Yes, in America, the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday, kicking off the Christmas shopping season. If “consumerism” were a religion (does idolatry come to mind?) wouldn't this be its most sanctified day?

Ironically, "black" is also the 'color' ascribed to catastrophic stock market days. In 1989—one of the greatest declines in ‘market’ history was dubbed "Black Monday. And it was “Black Tuesday” that set in motion the Great Depression of 1929. Black seems to be the color of money!

Black is the color of the night, and of evil. Black is void and empty. It represents sorrow or mourning—the traditional color of death. But, and I think most significantly, black is the ‘color’ that does not emit or reflect light. John says: “God is light and there is no darkness in him at all." And goes on to warn that we have no fellowship with God if we live in spiritual darkness (1 John 1:5-6 NLT).

So go ahead you who are godly “bargain hunters.” Do your thing today. But remember this: “For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil; and some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10). And wouldn't that be a black day!

Thank-You Therapy

In 1989, Don Baker wrote a book of the above title about the therapeutic effects of thankfulness. The Apostle Paul told the Thessalonians to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (I Thes. 5:18). But let's be honest; for most of us thankfulness is not natural; we're 'complainers,' by nature. But the therapeutic effect of thankfulness is that it can help us transcend our circumstances.

Please note that Paul doesn’t ‘command’ us to give thanks FOR all circumstances, but IN all circumstances—which challenges us to find reasons to be thankful even in the worst times. Look at a very abbreviated list of David’s Psalms of “Thanksgiving." King David thanks God for His holiness (7:17), His works (9:1), His guidance (16:7), for hope and salvation, and the joy of His presence (16: 9-11).

When you find yourself in “hard-to-thank-you-God” circumstances, these Psalms can help you transcend your troubles. Paul reminds us we have a God who causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). Our circumstances may or may not change, but as we align ourselves with God's purposes, we transcend our circumstances. And that is the real therapeutic benefit of thankfulness.

A Crisis of Belief

In his book “Experiencing God: Knowing and Understanding the Will of God,” Henry Blackaby writes:
"Will God ever ask you to do something you are not able to do? The answer is yes—all the time! It must be that way, for God's glory and kingdom… [And] when God tells you what He wants to do, you will face a “crisis of belief.”

Whenever God calls us to one of our divine assignments, we will face resistance—from within and without. At such a point in his ministry, Paul said “for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:9 NASB). Sometimes the voice of the ‘adversary’—the opposition—is not only the voices of others, but the voice of doubt and fear within us.

As anyone who has walked with Jesus for any length of time knows, we will face obstacles at every turn. But these obstacles—adversaries, opponents—are necessary to prove our faith (James 1:3). As the Israelites journeyed through the Wilderness to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land, many adversaries told them not to go. And unfortunately, at the moment of their “crisis of belief”—the test of faith—they failed. What crisis of faith are you facing right now? Is God calling you to do something you think you are not able to do? At the moment of his "crisis," Paul said, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Cor. 16:13 NKJ).

Cars, Cows, and Currency

The pundits are pronouncing that Obama’s diplomatic mission to Asia (last week) resulted in next to nothing. The Indians agreed to some trade changes, but the Indonesians and South Koreans were respectfully resistant, yielding little toward fixing trade imbalance. Probably the biggest disappointment was South Korea’s refusal to increase imports of American cars and beef. Then at the G-20 confab, Obama was rebuffed by China when he accused them of trying to gain an advantage in global markets by suppressing the value of their currency. They simply rebutted his claim by pointing out our hypocrisy: the Fed’s recent action to print 600 billion dollars and inject it into the U.S. economy.

What does this have to do with us? As I reflected on the almost-silliness of the world’s market place—all about cows and cars—I was very grateful that my life is not about such things. John reminds us that if we love the world (cows and cars and cash) we won’t love Jesus. Cars, cows, and cash are fading away. But if you invest your time, attention, and energy in God, you will obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and will not fade away, being reserved for you in heaven (a paraphrase of 1 John 2:17; 1 Peter 1:4). Be mindful of where you are investing these days—it is probably best to stay away from cars and cows and currency. More than ever it is the time to invest in that which is imperishable.

Benard is Fasting for the Right Reason

I had to fast for 12 hours yesterday before getting a blood test. I really missed my morning coffee. Jesus said you are not to tell anyone when you are fasting. But I don’t think that applies to this situation!

Then yesterday morning I received an email from our new pastor friend Benard in rural Africa who says “we sometimes go fasting for 2 days to spare the food for the orphans.” (He and his wife have taken 40 orphaned children into their home.) Suddenly my 12-hour fast (most of which was while I slept) and the deprivation of my morning coffee seemed pretty pathetic.

I’ll be honest with you, fasting is not part of my spiritual regimen. Have I become part of an affluent American Christianity that views fasting with ambivalence? As I reflect on this today, I am also painfully aware that our reasons for fasting (unlike my Kenyan brother who is fasting in order to serve others) are relatively self-serving. No, I am not saying it is wrong to fast in order to quiet your spirit to listen to God, or to gain wisdom for making decisions. But these things remind me of the words of Isaiah: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen… to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked, to clothe him… (Is. 58:6-7 NIV). I think our Kenyan brother Benard has the right idea.

Future Shock: “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

We got an email last week from a pastor in a rural village in Kenya, Africa, who found the Well of Life Ministries website and had begun listening (or watching) the Treasures of Truth. What an amazing thing has happened in our lifetime—a world-wide-web of instant communication.

When I was a college student in 1970, everyone was reading the book “Future Shock”—a term by author Alvin Toffler describing the psychological state of individuals and entire societies from "too much change in too short a period of time." Popularizing the term “information overload,” he believed these future changes would cause people to feel overwhelmed, disoriented, stressed and disconnected.

Forty years later, the future shock has become a present reality. And sociologists and psychologists are pondering its mental & emotional effects on individuals and societies. Remember when Dorothy of the Wizard of Oz said: “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” Well as much as we’d like to, we can’t just click our heals and go back to the way things used to be.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed these days, reflect on Jesus’ timeless words. “Come to me, all of you who are suffering from information overload, and I will teach you how you to rest in these stressful times when things are changing so fast” (Mat 11:28-29, Greg’s paraphrase!). When the cosmic commotion was too much for Jesus, He found His rest in God's unchanging Presence.

Running On Empty?

Someone has said we too often run on fumes rather than a full tank. This is especially true of pastors and spiritual leaders. And while it may be especially true of caregivers, all of us are guilty of it. Rather than taking time alone with the Lord to get filled, we are driven by the urgent needs of people and projects.

Even with all the demands on Him, Jesus never ran on empty. Everyday He withdrew into the wilderness—a quiet place—to seek to be filled. “For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness of God to dwell in Him (Col 1:19; 2:9). And, amazingly, that same fullness is ours: “And from his fullness have we all received” (John 1:16).

Unfortunately, most of us are more conscious of our emptiness than His fulness. Is it because we are filling ourselves with empty things, so full of our friends on Facebook, our jobs, our families, even our ministries that we neglect withdrawing to be filled by Jesus? If you are feeling more empty than full, what are you full of? Whatever it is, you know it will never be enough ‘fuel’ to last you through the day. Take a close look at your spiritual diet and ask yourself: “Why spend money on what is not bread, and labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare [and you will be full]” (Is. 55:2).

Where's the Spirit of Sacrifice?

The battle for extending the Bush tax cuts starts today. While I am not wanting to turn this devotional blog into a political opinion column, doesn’t common sense dictate that eventually we are going to have to pay higher taxes? All economists agree on this one thing: our grandchildren will have a huge debt (in the form of enormous taxes) if we don’t stop spending “their” money. Not taxing ourselves now only delays the inevitable. But no one is willing to sacrifice their comfort.

A spirit of sacrifice existed during World War II that is conspicuously absent today. Sugar, butter, meat, cheese, eggs, milk, tea, chocolate, clothes, rubber, and gasoline were all rationed (willingly) in order to aid the war effort. But Stanford University historian David M. Kennedy says, "We are now waging war on the cheap, and not asking much either materially or psychologically from the society at large." But if war costs and casualties grow, Kennedy wonders "will the public be prepared to embrace a spirit of sacrifice at home" in the form of higher taxes or economic restrictions. "I'd surely bet against it," he said.

I can’t help but wonder how much this age of narcissist entitlement is affecting our spiritual warfare mentality? Are we trying to "wage war on the cheap," with as little cost to our comfort as possible? Do we have the spirit of sacrifice? Will we still be picking up our cross and following Jesus when it hurts? When it's messy? Are we prepared to embrace the spirit of sacrifice? Jesus said when you go to war, you need to consider the cost (Luke 14:31).

The Nightmare Cruise

When I lived in Afghanistan, I was not able to have a hot bath or shower for a year and a half! Although we had cold-water plumbing, the majority of Afghans did not. (And yes, I did bathe every day—we called it a ‘bucket’ bath!) Perhaps my abiding appreciation for hot & cold running water is compelling me to comment on today’s news story of the crippled Carnival Cruise ship. Due to a fire in the engines, the passengers endured two days without electricity, backed-up toilets, and worst of all, according to many of them, cold showers (and they had to eat canned food!). It will evermore be known as the ‘nightmare’ cruise.

As I read the article, I was reminded of the 3 billion people on our planet who live without access to proper sanitation, of the 2 billion people who have no electricity, of the 1.1 billion who do not have access to clean drinking water, and the 22,000 children who die each day of starvation and preventable diseases.

Something is really wrong when we think what happened on the Carnival Cruise ship is a nightmare. It was nothing more than an inconvenience (nobody was injured; no one died). As our American culture of consumerism and narcissism increases, can I ask you to join me today to remember and recommit ourselves to the attitude of Jesus (who lived his entire life without hot and cold running water, power or indoor plumbing) as expressed by the words of Paul: If we have food & clothing, let us be content (1 Tim. 6:8).

Are There Any ‘Grown-Ups’ in God’s Kingdom?

Yesterday, I spent a few hours with a pastor friend to get his counsel and insight on circumstances in my life—I knew I needed help to get to the next level of faith. The reason I’m telling you this is that I think it is easy for us to forget that our pastors, teachers, and leaders are people, who like us, are still growing!

The other day, I was reading a commentary on the story of Moses taking counsel from his father-in-law Jethro. What makes the incident somewhat remarkable is that Moses, preeminent leader of the Hebrews, took advice from an unrenowned farmer from the outback. Moses’ humility and teachable spirit is remarkable—recognizing his need for help to keep growing.

Former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden (a born again Christian) was an inspiring example of continual learning and growing. After he had already won a national championship, he changed the offense he had used for years and learned a completely new one in order to maximize the potential of a new team and the talents of one player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The result: his team moved to an even higher level of play and won three consecutive national championships.

What is the point? We may look at someone like John Wooden, an accomplished coach, or our pastors and leaders and think they are all ‘grown up’! It is too easy to forget they are still growing; and they need our prayer and support. If we could consider anyone all ‘grown up’ it would be Paul. Yet he said “I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be” (Phil. 3:12). Nearing the end of his life, Paul was still growing. As are all of us.

Why Pray if God is Omniscient?

Do you wonder why Jesus said: "Your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him" (Matthew 6:8), while, at the same time, telling us how to pray? Does it seem a bit contradictory to inform God of our needs if He already knows we need them? A misunderstanding of this can result in a passive and ambivalent prayer life.

Prayer should not be viewed simply as telling God of our needs for the purpose of influencing Him to give us things. Prayer is a conversational alignment, meant to line us up with God's will. You know how it is when you and your friend (or wife, husband, son, daughter) haven't talked for awhile and then after a good conversation you gain understanding and feel closer! It's the same way with prayer.

Moreover, prayer is an expression of dependence, aligning us with our Creator/creature relationship. More than once, Paul simply says “I bow my knees” rather than saying “I prayed.” Unless we come face to face with the fact that we are creatures of need, then we can soon develop a spirit of independence and withdraw ourselves from close contact with Him. When we pray, we are being God-reliant. (Come to think of it, self-reliant people probably don’t pray very much.) If you find yourself feeling a little ambivalent in your prayer life, maybe you need a conversational alignment.

God is Never in a Hurry

Being in Belize where the pace of life is slower, I wondered if God is more like a Belizean than a North American—at least where “time” is concerned. In regard to our prayer lives, I wonder if most of us have a hard time lining up with God's sense of time. We seem to pray most earnestly when in a state of crisis: and if God doesn’t respond with comparable immediacy, we panic. It’s so hard for us to slow down and wait.

So we pray like David: “In the day when I call, answer me speedily” (Psalm 102:2); or “I am in trouble: hear me speedily” (Psalm 69:17). The Hebrew word could be translated “right now, hurry up!” David was saying, “Lord, I put my trust in you—but please hurry." (Of course we know that David grew to trust God's timing as he matured in his walk with God.)

But God is in no hurry. Habakkuk was perplexed when God didn’t immediately answer his prayer of crisis: the Chaldean's were coming, and they were about to destroy Jerusalem. God’s answer: wait, the answer will come at just the right time. And so, Habakkuk relented, “I will wait for your answer” (2:1-4). The people who wait on the Lord, without wavering, demonstrate mature faith. They know there is an appointed time for everything. God is never late, never falls behind in His work, and is never in a hurry.

Should We Tithe?

We all know the Old Covenant required a tithe of 10% (Leviticus 27:30). But did you know that the New Covenant requires no tithe—but something greater: generous giving! In fact, Paul admonishes the Corinthians to sow generously, explaining that each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6:7). Only God knows if we are being generous and cheerful in our giving.

But think of this. You could be giving a tithe—10% of your income—and not be giving generously. Or you could be giving a tithe under compulsion, not cheerfully, but with a “have to” approach. I think this “have to” mind-set is evidenced by the question: “Should I (do I have to) tithe on my gross or net income?” For many wealthy people, giving a tenth is probably of little consequence to their disposable income. On the other hand, giving a tenth may be sacrificial for a poorer person.

This story about John Wesley captures Paul’s philosophy of giving. When John Wesley made thirty pounds, he lived on twenty-eight pounds and gave away two. Then when he made sixty pounds, he knew he could live on twenty-eight pounds, so he gave away thirty-two. The next year, his income rose to ninety pounds, but he still lived on twenty-eight pounds and gave away the rest. He understood that the tithe is not the real issue. It’s whether you believe it all belongs to God.

Run!—Don’t Walk!

One of my treasured friends refers to me as his running partner. No, I don’t jog with him; nor have we ever done a marathon together. But we do consider ourselves to be running a race together—“let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us” (Heb. 12:1).

Paul tells Timothy to “run away from evil things” and “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11, NLT, NASB). The Hebrew word for “pursue” means “to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run after.” If you’ve been “walking” with Jesus for any length of time, you’ve learned that acquiring these qualities is no ‘stroll in the park.’ To succeed in these qualities, you have to be a runner—running toward them while you run away from their opposite.

Is God allowing you to go through hard times? Then now is a great time to pursue endurance! Don't quit. Don't give up hope. Endurance is essential if you are going to run, and finish, the race He has assigned you. And what about pursuing love? Has God joined you in some way with a person who's very hard to love? Are you tempted to run away? Don’t. Rather, run to God in prayer—ask to love that person as God does. Who said it would be easy? Does anyone really think Christian character just walks into your life one day?

A Week of Winners and Losers

This has been a week of contests: the San Francisco Giants defeat the Texas Rangers to win the coveted World Series; Jerry Brown triumphed over Meg Whitman to become governor of California; Barbara Boxer, Gavin Newsom, Harry Reid—all winners! And their opponents—are they all losers? Well, of course no one would say that losing a game or a political competition makes you a ‘loser’—meaning a failure in modern-day vernacular—any more than winning a competition makes you a winner—a person of good fortune and character. Perhaps this is an opportunity to remind ourselves of what really matters in God’s economy.

Perhaps we could paraphrase Jesus words in Matthew 19:30: "many that are winners shall be losers, and the losers shall be the winners." More to the point, Jesus said: “If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Mat. 16:25-26)

Power-hungry politicians or glory-seeking athletes may win the contests of this world but still be losers in the Kingdom of God. And it is all too easy for we who are Evangelical Christians to adapt to this view of winners and losers. Who has never thought to himself that the pastor who has a large congregation and a national radio program is more successful than the pastor with a flock of fifty? In the end “God will open wide the gates of heaven for them,” with the rewarding words: "Well done my good and faithful servant": winners all! (2 Pet. 1:11; Mat. 25:23)

Fretting

One of everybody’s favorite Psalms, 37, begins with the command don’t 'fret.' Fret is an old English word which has fallen out of common usage, meaning to be worried, angry, or vexed (another old English word!). It also means to chaff or rub, which is what happens to your finger tips when you press down on the ‘frets’ of a stringed instrument. We all know about fretting! According to the Psalmist, the cure for fretting is to “delight yourself in the LORD,” even adding, “and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

This is a real attention grabber, since we all want to be given the desires of our heart. But the promise is conditional: are we first delighting ourselves in the Lord? The Psalmist sets up his reasoning as one of priorities—first things first. The Hebrew word “delight” means to be happy or make merry. In the New Testament we “make merry” by “rejoicing,” a faith-based demonstration of our sincere gratitude for what God has done for us.

And as for the desires of our heart, He means we are to let God place in our hearts the things He desires for us. The Psalmist is telling us to concentrate on the cause of delight (the Lord) and let Him effect our hearts—His and our desires becoming one. In these fretful and vexing days, we need to set our thoughts and affections on things above (Col. 3:2)—not on the fretful and vexing things on earth!

What Do You See?

Have you been in a conflict with a close friend or relative that seemed irreconcilable because you can’t seem to get on the same page, to see things the same way? One of the challenges of relationships is that others don't always see things the way you do. But what really matters is not my view or yours, but to see what God is doing.

When Elisha’s servant saw the hordes of soldiers surrounding Jerusalem, Elisha saw God's horses and chariots of fire. When, as the Egyptian armies thundered on them, the Israelites saw the Red Sea as a dead end, Moses saw God’s clear path of deliverance. When the exiled Jews returning to build the walls of Jerusalem encountered obstruction and harassment, Nehemiah saw opportunity for unity and communicated a vision that resulted in the people seeing the finished project.

When others don't see what you see, or can’t, do what Elisha, Moses, and Nehemiah did. Look to see what God is doing. Yes, you should communicate what you see with clarity and conviction, but with a teachable spirit. And trust that the Holy Spirit will cause you both to see God's will and way. In the end, it isn’t my view or your view that matters. So when we find ourselves in one of these irreconcilable conflicts, let us pray as the Psalmist did: "open my eyes" (Ps. 119:18).

Divine Disruptions

When a soldier receives His orders, he does not question them—he follows them, wherever they direct him to go. And not only that, but the ‘orders’ can change without any notice. So it is with God’s deployment. Likewise, last week in Belize our plans changed suddenly, and without notice, when Hurricane Richard hit the tiny country of Belize head-on.

Subsequently, two of the missionaries we had planned to meet with were unavailable. And another we had not arranged to meet with showed up out of the blue! Any devoted disciple of Jesus learns quickly that following the Lord is not always comfortable, often fraught with unpredictable pauses—shall I say, divine disruptions. But if you will follow Him attentively, He will lead you to experiences you would never have imagined. The opposite may appear safe, but is, well, boring. And much worse, you will fail to get acquainted with the God is able to accomplish infinitely more than you would ever dare to ask or hope (Ephesians 3:20 NLT).

Can you say: "Lord, I accept your orders for me today. Deploy me wherever I am needed. I am at your disposal. And move me, without notice, into the place that's right for You and best for me”? As Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army (2 Timothy 2:4).

A Divine Appointment in the Lobby of the Best Western

A month ago I received an email from a pastor in Belize who had found my blog post about the hardship of Belize pastors, entitled “The Pastors’ Graveyard.” I was shocked that he found my unknown blog and hugely blessed by an encouraging email from him. His name stuck in my mind: Pastor Love. Since we were coming to Belize City, I knew we might have opportunity to meet, but was uncertain if it would fit “my” schedule. I put him on my list of people to call. Then on Saturday afternoon, only minutes after we had checked into the Best Western Hotel in Belize City, Altha and I spontaneously decided to take a taxi downtown to an Indian restaurant. When we entered the lobby I saw two men at the desk, and wondered if one of them might be our taxi driver—neither was. In fact, the taxi driver was 15 minutes late. But one of the men approached us and said “Are you Dr. Greg?” “Yes,” I said, quite amazed. And before I could even ask “and who are you?” he said “I am Pastor Love.” He recognized me from my picture on my blog profile. He explained that he was checking his friend into a room at the hotel, and that he had not planned to be there for another two hours, but his plans had suddenly changed. We had a beautiful connection while we waited for that “late” taxi! And made plans to meet the next morning when we had another beautiful, divine time of mutual encouragement. It was so obvious God had arranged our meeting.

What a great lesson this was in God's sovereignty, to the smallest detail. I thought we were making the decision to take a taxi to dinner. I thought something was out of order when the taxi driver was late. Pastor Love probably thought he was the one who spontaneously changed the time of their check-in! But all along, God was setting up a divine appointment, 2,000 miles away from our home in the lobby of the Best Western Hotel in Belize City.

Twists and Turns

Before Altha and I left for Belize, I wrote asking that you pray we would follow the Lord through every twist and turn, allowing Him to make our path straight. How could I have known we would indeed experience ‘twists and turns’ in the form of a hurricane? On our last trip to Belize, in June, we were accompanied by the first almost-hurricane of the season, Alex—a tropical storm. But now we have seen the real thing—Belize City, its primary target. And there we were. That was last night (Sunday).

On Monday morning (today) Belize City awoke to a muddle of fallen trees, broken branches, downed power lines, and puddles the size of Olympic swimming pools—but, by God’s grace, not much flooding. Two of the missionaries we intended to meet today had several inches of water in their homes—so much for our plans! The other missionary (a church planter) was unavailable. He called from the local supermarket saying he had just purchased several cases of Top Ramen noodles and was heading across town to feed his church people—all of whom, I suppose, had no power to cook (they must have a generator at the church).

How will all these twists and turns affect our Christian brothers and sisters—and us? We are holding fast to God’s promise that He “twists and turns” [Greg’s translation] all things for good to those who love Him (we do) and are called according to his purpose (we are). So, if we are acknowledging Him in all our ways (we are), He will make our paths straight—there are no twisted paths in God's kingdom!

Follow the Leader to Belize

Tomorrow morning, Altha and I will leave for our 3rd missionary trip to Belize. Though our itinerary is set, we are quite aware that we must follow His lead.

On the surface, it sounds so simple: Jesus is the leader; we are the followers. But following is not passive participation—it is a discipline: intentional and deliberate. Have you ever been driving behind someone, following them to an unknown place—unfamiliar to you, and become separated? Eventually, they stopped and waited until you caught up. In this experience there is a valuable lesson about being a follower: you must follow closely behind the one who leads you. If too much distance is permitted between you and the one who knows the way, you may wind up lost.

On the night that Peter denied knowing Jesus, Mark says Peter was following “at a distance” (14:54). But following Jesus “at a distance” implies more than physical detachment. It implies a distance in relationship. If we are to be good followers of Jesus, we must stay close to Him—Jesus called it ‘abiding.’ Solomon said, “acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight (Prob. 3:6).

As we return to Belize, pray that we will be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit at each twist and turn—resulting in a straight path! On our return we’ll be able to share the many wonderful ways that God led us.

Are You Carrying a Weapon?

This may surprise some of you, but I always carry a weapon with me. And when Altha and I go through customs in Belize this Saturday (on our third missionary trip), they will ask us: “Are you carrying any weapons?” So I suppose we’ll have to tell them the truth: “Yes, we are armed!”

Allow me to explain. The weapon I am referring to is "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17). In Matthew 4:4 & 7 we see how Jesus used this weapon when refuting the temptations of the devil. Jesus responds, "It is written" and "It is also written."

Jesus resisted Satan’s lies by using the actual words of Scripture—the truth! He did not rely on his own ability to outwit or out-talk the devil. And He was fully prepared for this moment, having read and memorized the Scriptural texts—the written Word(s) of God. Jesus demonstrated that Satan is not rebuffed by cleverness or erudite theological arguments. Our weapon against him is the Bible. Jesus had spent 30 years learning how to use this weapon. If this was true for Jesus, how much more for you and me. When Satan comes along, will you be carrying a weapon?

What has happened to TV families over the past 60 years?

Tom Bosley, the gentle father of Richie Cunningham on the '70s sitcom Happy Days, died yesterday, right on the heels of another loss, that of iconic TV parent, Barbara Billingsley, of Leave It to Beaver. Their deaths cause me to reflect on the changes in TV families in my lifetime.

I remember the day my dad brought our first television home. It was very small: a 12-inch round screen. My first recollections are of "Howdy Doody," "Lone Ranger," "Mickey Mouse Club," and family sitcoms: "Leave it to Beaver," "Father Knows Best," “My Three Sons,” “The Donna Reed Show,” and "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriett." These families were loving, close-knit, with children who were well-behaved and respectful. Fathers were always available and mothers were nurturing. They were safe. But in the 80’s, all that began to change. TV fathers were either absent (“One Day at a Time”) or foolish (“Married with Children”), with sassy smart-alecky children. The days of the classic family sitcom with wholesome advertisements have been replaced with reality television and noxious commercials.

As I look at the evolution of TV it amazes me at just how far this technology has come in 60 years. From very tiny, snowy, hard to see, black and white tubes to 60+ inch plasma, flat screen, high definition and digital via satellite! But tantamount to the technical incline is the moral decline. The real shame is not that the good old days of television are gone. The tragedy is how TV has become a vehicle for influencing moral corruption: surely what Paul meant when he said "For it is a shame even to speak of those things... because the days are evil." (Eph. 5:12,16).

Stimulus Package: Stimulate Now; Pay Later

By now the word ‘stimulus’ is etched into the American psyche, albeit with mixed reaction. How affective it will be in stimulating a sluggish economy remains to be seen! But the debt it has incurred is quite apparent. Of course the logic behind stimulus spending is that it will generate jobs, income and tax revenues to pay the debt. In short, stimulate now; pay later.

The temptation toward stimulation is as old as Adam and Eve. One of the most famous (infamous) examples of a self-made stimulus was David’s moral failure on an uneventful Saturday afternoon—resulting in death and despair. But the most celebrated example of stimulus is that of Abraham and Sarah who, growing tired of waiting for God’s promised child, conspired to speed things up, a stimulus that resulted in the birth of Ishmael, whose ancestors—the Arabs—are the bane of their existence to this day.

The current stimulation strategy has a lesson for us. Let’s face it; it is natural for us to look for stimulation during slow times. The temptation to make something happen increases the longer we wait. Nonetheless, our self-made stimulus packages incur a debt that will have to be reckoned with later. You may stimulate now, but there is always payback (Gal. 6:7).

But thank God, that even though our sinful impulses may carry natural consequences ('Ishmaels'), God will not leave us in debt: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all [the debt of] unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).

God Doesn't Live in a Warehouse

Yesterday, millions of Christians attended church services, held in buildings that are often called houses of worship. But unfortunately, we often refer to them as the “house of God”—an appellation caused by improperly comparing our places of worship to the Old Testament Temple where God’s Presence was, in point of fact, manifested. But in the New Covenant, you and I have become the house of God—“Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you…” (2 Cor. 6:19).

But knowing that a building cannot contain the Spirit of God has not prevented centuries of Christians from erecting grand cathedrals to house religious services. All the more curious that the current trend, at least in America, is to house our Christian worship services in ‘converted’ warehouses where we think nothing of taking a cup of coffee and a pastry into the worship service—an anathema when I grew up. You had too much respect for the building, even if you knew God didn't really live there!

This begs the question: how much respect do you have for the real house of God—your body? The eyes through which you are reading this page right now are the windows to the house of God. And your ears, its sound system. And everything your hands do, everywhere your feet go are happening in the sanctuary where God dwells. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship (Rom. 12:1).

Is There Enough Evidence to Convict You?

As I read the “Open Doors” e-newsletters I receive each month http://www.opendoorsusa.org/ (about persecuted believers) I am painfully reminded that all over the world my brothers and sisters in Christ are put on trial for being a Christian—some imprisoned, others executed. That’s something none of us wants to think about. I can tell you, quite frankly, I do not look forward to receiving these Open Doors updates. It's painful, but I know I must not forget those who are suffering for Jesus: in ways I can't (don't even want to) imagine.

But what if we were in such a circumstance? What if you were taken before the Court to determine if you are ‘one of them.’ Other than your own testimony, would the judge examine your life—your conduct, your affiliations, your lifestyle— and say, “there isn’t enough evidence to convict you”?

Has anyone in your workplace or neighborhood acted surprised when they found out you were a Christian? There should be evidence/proof— that Christ is living in us. Jesus called it "fruit" (John 15)—confirmation that you are indeed a Spirit-filled Christian. “By this My Father is glorified: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples” (John 15:8).

What Really Saved the Miners!

What you probably won’t read on the front page of today’s newspaper is that while the trapped miners in Chile waited for their rescue, they were listening to recordings of sermons, Bible studies and Christian music, thanks to the efforts of Chilean engineer Igor Bravo, a member of First Baptist Church of Santiago. Bravo realized that though the miners' physical needs were being met, their spiritual needs had been overlooked. So he called his pastor for help. They engaged the support of Radio Harmonia, a Christian broadcasting station in Santiago, which was able to provide MP3 files of pastor Adrian Rogers' sermons and Bible studies in Spanish along with Christian music.

Then Bravo sent down 33 New Testaments, and miner José Henríquez, began leading Bible studies for the miners each evening. The Bible study started out with 5 men and ended with 20 participants. Bravo said the other miners called Henriquez The Pastor. Only three of the 33 trapped miners were evangelical Christians but since that time, two more have made professions of faith in Jesus.

For days, weeks and months to come, news commentators and pundits will be telling the stories of the 33 men who survived 69 days nearly a half-mile below the earth—I am confident a made-for-TV movie is already in the works! Sociologists and psychologists will study them for the next 10 or 20 years, trying to discover what it is in the human psyche that allowed them to survive emotionally and psychologically. But we know the true story—the presence of Jesus illuminated the darkest hours of those miners’ lives.

Overcoming Unbelief

The disciples spent three years in the presence of Jesus: God in the flesh. They sat under His teaching and lived with Him daily—studying His perfection. And yet, even though they had come to believe that He was the Christ, on their last night together, they ran into a wall of fear and unbelief.

All of us who believe in Jesus have what-I-call “pockets” of unbelief! In fact, it is one of Satan’s primary strategies to keep our pockets full of unbelief—“Satan, the god of this evil world, has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so they are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News” (2 Cor. 4:4a). Satan wants to keep "believers" from fully believing!

When Jesus encountered a boy possessed by a spirit, the boy’s father asked Jesus “Do something if you can." Noting the father’s doubt, Jesus said “What do you mean, `If I can'? Anything is possible if a person believes." And the father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 9:22-24 NLT). And here is the real problem we “believers” deal with. We do believe but, still, we have doubts—pockets of unbelief. In these areas of unbelief we should pray “Lord, help me in my unbelief.” Though the Ephesian Christians were already great believers, still Paul prayed for God to open their eyes (unblind them) and to give them revelation in order to believe, even more, in the incredible greatness of God’s power (1:19).

“Should Christians Practice Yoga?”

Last week Yahoo's news division created a brouhaha when it published a blog post by Dr. Albert Mohler, President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, “Should Christians Practice Yoga?" Mohler wrote "the stretching and meditative discipline derived from Eastern religions is not a Christian pathway to God," dismissing the idea that "the body is a vehicle for reaching consciousness with the divine."

After the release of his article, Dr. Mohler said: I received hundreds of emails calling me insane, incompetent, stupid, vile, fundamentalist, and perverted—all from individuals claiming to be Christian, but offering no biblical argument for their view point… One comment came from a woman who had opened a Christian Yoga studio, saying: ‘what I found is that it opened my spirit.’ Another said ‘I get much more out of yoga and meditation than I ever get out of a sermon in church.’

These commenters, while sincere in their commitment to this physical and mental discipline practiced by Hindus, Buddhists and Jainists, seem to have no idea how unbiblical it is. Paul could have been speaking of the “discipline” of Yoga when he wrote: “You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world… These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires” (Col. 2:20, 23).

Not Following the Recipe is a Recipe for Disaster

Last year we ‘inherited’ a few dozen cook books from an elderly woman who was downsizing! They are still sitting in our storage shed. Why? Because I don’t like following recipes. Last year, a movie about cooking, “Julie and Julia” detailed the story of a writer, named Julie, who aspired to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's cookbook in 365 days, and then blog about her success. As Julie tries to replicate Julia’s recipes, she follows them to the letter—the slightest mistake causes her to toss it and start over.

That would never work for me. If cooking isn't a creative adventure, it isn't satisfying. By adding a little of this and a little of that I create something uniquely mine. Now I hope you won’t think this is contrived, but I think we are increasingly seeing people use the Bible this way. As it becomes more difficult to reconcile Biblical standards with our sensual culture, people add a little of what they like and take away what they don't, creating something that tastes good to them: a recipe for disaster.

You might say that God doesn't trust us in the kitchen: ‘too many cooks spoil the soup,’ that sort of thing. God’s Word is full of recipes—some the plans of ambitious, self-serving men and women which led to disaster; others recipes for success. I am glad God has given us clear instructions for living. Just imagine if God’s instructions were so random we could never know what to expect. But thank God His Word is a recipe for success: a lamp unto my feel and a light unto my path (Ps. 119:105). “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to right teaching [no longer follow the recipe]. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever they want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3 NLT).

America's Four Gods

In 2008, a group of sociologists from Baylor University conducted a survey asking Americans how they picture God. This week, they published their findings in a book, “America’s Four Gods,” thus categorizing peoples' views: The Authoritative God--who is both engaged in the world and judgmental; The Benevolent God--who loves and helps us in spite of our failings; The Critical God--who catalogs our sins for future punishment; and The Distant God--who stands apart from the world He created.

While the folly of dissecting God's character is obvious, the assumptions drawn from the survey were not entirely wrong. The Researchers concluded that these four conceptions of God form the basis of our worldviews and are among the most powerful predictors of how we feel about issues in American life. The Bible affirms this truth: what we believe determines how we live (Prov. 23:7; 27:19).

We all suffer from distorted views of God as a result of our histories, life experiences, and Bible knowledge (or lack thereof), passed down to us from our parents or significant authority figures, God’s appointed representatives, as it were, until we are mature enough to develop a relationship with God. The obvious problem is this: they could not perfectly represent Him. If you struggle with a particular aspect of God’s character—mercy, justice, love, etc.—ask God to reveal the root of the lie; and then ask God to show Himself to you. “This is the new covenant I will make… says the LORD… I will be their God, and they will be my people… for they shall all know me” (Jer. 31:34-35).

How Should Christians live in a pagan society?

Due to their brevity, my comments in yesterday’s blog on ‘Bikini Baristas’ fell short of adequately addressing the many-faceted issue. It is not easy to find the balance between our calling to be salt & light in a sinful world while conveying Jesus’ heart of compassion. This has been brought to our attention (quite painfully) by the current case before the Supreme Court: "Snyder v. Phelps." Rev. Phelps and his church hold what-can-only-be-called 'mean-spirited' protests at funerals of soldiers for no other reason than their tie to the military where homosexuals are allowed to serve (the soldiers whose funerals have been protested were not gay), with signs that read “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.”

Following is an excerpt from an article by John MacArthur on How Christians ought to live in a pagan society.

The church will really change society for the better only when individual believers make their chief concern their own spiritual maturity, which means living in a way that honors God's commands and glorifies His name. Such a concern inherently includes a firm grasp on Scripture and an understanding that its primary mandate to us is to know Christ and proclaim His gospel. A godly attitude coupled with godly living makes the saving message of the gospel credible to the unsaved. If we claim to be saved but still convey proud, unloving attitudes toward the lost, our preaching and teaching—no matter how doctrinally orthodox or politically savvy and persuasive—will be ignored or rejected.

Should We Express Outrage at Bikini Baristas in Fremont?

Did you know there is a drive-through coffee store in Fremont with bikini baristas? (No, I have not been there!) This entrepreneurial innovation which began in Seattle has now come to California.

In our increasingly sensual culture, how should we respond as we see these things happening? Is your first thought to start a petition to ban all such establishments from your city? Or is it about these poor girls who are marketing their bodies to sell coffee? When the Pharisees wanted Jesus to stone the woman caught in adultery, Jesus didn’t line up with public outrage, but with personal compassion. Or when everyone else rejected the outcast woman who came to the well alone, Jesus offered forgiveness and compassion.

Paul said: “Don't you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don't you care? Can't you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin?” (Rom. 2:4 NLT) Paul entreats us to put on a heart of compassion, kindness and forbearance (Col. 3:12). Assuredly, we will be challenged to find ways to express the compassion of Jesus while remaining "salty" in a sinful world. But maybe this is the way to change our society. By influencing people through love and kindness—thus changing the world, one person at a time. [Note: next Saturday, my wife and daughter are participating in an AIDS walkathon sponsored by Westgate Church. Now there's a creative way to show the compassion of Jesus.]

For Your Pleasure

In the beginning when God created the world, sparkling with divine energy, bursting with unlimited expansion, He was pleased. On the seventh day, He stopped and looked around at all He had done, and said, “It is good.” And we see that God takes pleasure in His creation, including us: “The Lord is pleased only with those who worship him and trust his love” (Psalm 147:11).

We exist for His glory, purpose, and delight (Acts 17:28; Proverbs 8:30). Bringing enjoyment to God, living for his pleasure, is what we were created for. Eric Liddell, Christian missionary and Olympic athlete said: “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”

Standing in opposition to God’s pleasure are the world's pleasures. But they only last for a moment, and leave us with an emptiness the just makes us want more (Hebrews 11:25). Why are we so easily enticed by such empty pleasures? The simple answer is this: God wants us to find our pleasure in Him, but if we do not, we will look elsewhere. So our pleasure-seeking is really an inherent hunger for God. Living a life that is pleasing to God has its own great reward, not only in time, but for eternity. “In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11). So let us, like Paul, make it our ambition to discern what is pleasing to the Lord (2 Cor. 5:9; Eph. 5:10) and do it!

Do You Feel Like God is Taking Things Away?

“A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life” (John 10:10). As many times as I have read and taught this verse, I never fully appreciated how Jesus contrasts Himself with a thief! Some say the word thief in this verse refers to false shepherds who come with selfish motives. Others say it refers to Satan: a thief and murder. Either way contrasts taking and giving. Why? When people experience loss, they see it negatively—as God taking away something they loved.

When someone dies, people will say, “The Lord took him." When someone loses a job, people may say, "Well, the Lord gives; the Lord takes away." And some Christians cynically speak of the church offering as the church or preacher taking their money! Many people reluctantly give themselves to God because of this false view that He is taking away their freedom.

Remember how the Hebrews reacted right after they had crossed over the Red Sea? They sang and danced with great joy because God had given them freedom. But within days, they were complaining that God had taken away their leeks and onion. Like the Israelites, we are tempted to see God’s actions in a negative light. If you are currently struggling with feelings that God has taken away something from you, ask Him to reveal His true nature to you. The more you get to know Him as a giver of good things (James 1:17) the more you will be able to see the abundant life He has given, and is giving, you.

Something to Chew On

After WWII, automation accelerated. And by the mid-50’s we were imagining the day when ‘robots’ would make our lives much easier—and simpler. In my childish mind, I visualized robots walking around our homes, doing our work. We could never have imagined that these robots would be little computer chips automating everything from cars to toasters. But we did believe 'it' would make our lives simpler.

But the ‘digital’ age has not made life simpler. With the ability to do more, we do more—'multi-tasking.' The governing “value” of the day is speed—fast is good; slow is bad. My generation valued immediate gratification more than any preceding one. Now a ‘new’ generation—the ‘Millennials’—is addicted to speed.

Time is yet to tell how this new ‘value’ of speed will affect the spiritual principles of endurance, patience, longsuffering. God never serves ‘fast food.’ Serious students of the Bible know it takes much time to read and study, pray and meditate until the Word can be digested. Many have become accustomed to the 'fast food' of Internet ‘devotionals’ (one-minute meditations; word for the day) that enter through our web portals every morning. Consumption takes only minutes. Then we rush out the door at break-neck speed, with barely another thought about the 'word' or 'thought' of the day.

I hope my “Dying to Live” devotional postings have not become anyone’s “instant” devotions. My purpose is to give you something to think on; and however brief, to chew on throughout the day. Start chewing!

Who or What is Meeting Your Needs?

The current economic recession is stirring up a lot of discontent. Discontent can be traced all the way back to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve had everything they needed, and and yet Satan stirred up discontent in their hearts. Though fully satisfied by God’s Presence and Provision, Satan convinced them it wasn't enough; they sinned; and immediately became “needy.”

Jesus knew about the neediness of men. When Satan tried to meet His need for hunger, Jesus responded: "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4), and later told the Disciples, "I have meat to eat that you know not of" (John 4:32). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said God knows all the things “you have need of,” promising that for those who seek first the kingdom of God, all these needs would be taken care of. On another occasion, Martha needed Jesus' affirmation for her good works; Mary only needed Jesus' Presence to be satisfied.

Is it wrong to want people or possessions to meet our needs? Not necessarily. But we should not expect to be fulfilled by them. People and possessions are gifts of life, not the source of life. Only when we focus on Jesus Christ as the source of life can we expect to be satisfied. As we look to persons or possessions to meet our needs, the only thing we can expect is disappointment. But as we look to Jesus to satisfy us, the greater our peace of mind and joy of heart. The current crisis many of you are experiencing is a test: will you be satisfied with Jesus Presence and Provision? Be careful: Satan will try to stir up discontent.

Obama Answers Question on Why He’s a Christian

Yesterday, at a ‘backyard conversation’ meeting in Albuquerque, when Obama was asked why he’s a Christian, He replied: “it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead—being my brother's and sister's keeper, treating others as they would treat me. And I think also understanding that, you know, that Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility we all have to have as human beings—that we're sinful and we're flawed and we make mistakes, and that we achieve salvation through the grace of God."

While there seems to be nothing terribly 'personal' in his answer, that is not what struck me. No, as I thought about his answer, I realized that Jesus never called people to become Christians! The designation “Christian” was first used by the church in Antioch, many years after Christ’s death and resurrection. And did you know that the word “Christian” is used only three times in the New Testament?

Jesus called men and women to be His disciples. Now I do realize that the words “Christian” and “disciple” are used interchangeably. But I think the difficulty in determining whether someone is a Christian or not will be resolved as we look at Jesus’ requirements for His disciples, realizing that if someone is not a disciple, he is not a Christian! Look at Jesus' definition of a disciple, and decide for yourself whether Obama (or you, for that matter) matches up.

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple (Luke 14:26-27, 33). Seems there's a whole lot more to being a Christian than Obama (or some of us) realizes!

If You Want to See Jesus

Author Chip Ricks tells the following story:
Leonardo da Vinci had a violent quarrel with a fellow painter shortly before he began work on The Last Supper. As he began to paint, his anger led him to paint the face of the man who was now his enemy into the face of Judas. This was da Vinci's revenge, and he was gleeful over what he had done. But when he started to paint the face of Christ, his best efforts failed. He could no longer see the Savior he longed to honor. Through his struggle, he realized that he must forgive his fellow painter and erase his face from that of Judas. Only then was da Vinci able to see Jesus clearly and paint his face onto the canvas of The Last Supper.

Like da Vinci, we too will not see Jesus clearly when unforgiveness comes between us and someone who has offended us. It takes a lot of spiritual work to forgive when we have been deeply hurt. But of course that's what Jesus did for us. “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Col. 3:13b NLT). It’s hard, but not impossible with God’s grace.

Jesus said resentment and bitterness are like a log in your eye that prevents you from seeing others clearly (seeing them through God's love and compassion (Mat 7:5)). So how much more will you need to remove that log if you want to see Jesus (Mat. 5:8).

No Revelation in the Information Age

Yesterday my pastor quoted author Niel Cole who describes American Christians as "educated beyond their obedience.” Without a doubt you and I are living in a time when there has never been greater access to Bible information—especially in this internet age where we have a virtual library at our fingertips. But is being more informed about the Bible changing us?

When Jesus prayed “sanctify them by your word; your Word is truth” (John 17:17), He affirmed the life-changing power of the Word of God. Reiterated in Hebrews, the author states that there is a life and power (Heb. 4:12) in the Word that cuts through our mental structures reaching into our inner man, changing us from the inside-out.

But let’s face it. God’s Word does not always seem to be effective! There is a simple reason for this. God’s Word must be interpreted to our spirits by the Holy Spirit—the only One Who can turn facts and information into ‘truth’—a phenomenon called ‘revelation knowledge’ (Eph. 1:17).

Someone has said: it is one thing to know Scripture. It is another thing to know the Lord of the Scripture. We need to know Jesus not only from the written word but as the Living Word (John 1:14). When the words on the page of the Bible become real, they turn into ‘truth’ that sets you free (Jn. 8:32).