Busy, busy, busy

I remember fondly when I thought I could write a daily blog. Now I am doing well to write a weekly blog - and weakly at that.

I was wondering why I've been feeling so swamped. I have been struggling to get the basics done on time. I've been just squeaking by on my deadlines with all of my work. I wondered if I was too old to keep up the pace.

Then I started pulling paperwork out of the pile on my desk so I could organize my board report. The truth is, I've had several extra things going on recently!

Normal work includes:

• Sunday morning sermons
• Sunday evening sermons
• Writing a Sunday School curriculum
• Counseling & Discipleship meetings

In addition I've been:

• Teaching two sections of a membership class for the past six weeks
• Trying to take care of some confusion in my W-2s so I could file my taxes
• Planning an Easter service that included testimonies, a business session and 5 baptisms
• Ordering materials and planning for the new quarter of adult Sunday School
  

So, no wonder I've been feeling extra busy. I was. But now, the membership classes are over for now. The taxes are filed. The Easter service was yesterday (and went great). The materials are here for SS and the classes have all started.

Praise the Lord! We are back to our normally busy routine. (But I do have a little catching up to do.) There is always plenty to do, that's for sure.

Press On!

(1Timothy 6:10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Surprise! Let the news over the past few months bear witness! Greed and covetousness are at the heart of everything from the collapse of huge banks and corporations to the daily burglaries and hold ups of common bandits.

But the love of money is not the source of EVERY evil. What is?

I think the answer is pride. Pride is the starting point for every rebellion against God. This was where Lucifer started his fall...

(Isaiah 14:12-14) “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’

This is where Adam and Eve turned off...

(Genesis 3:4-6) Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

Pastor's without enough experience to humble them are in danger...

(1Timothy 3:6) not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

The cure for our ungodliness in life starts with getting over our pride...

(James 4:6-8) But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Pride is, at its heart, a desire to BE your own God, rather than to submit to the One True and Living God of the Bible. Ignorance is not pride, but the presumption of pride and keeps us from appreciating our own ignorance. As a consequence of pride we are complacent in our own goodness and wisdom.

(Romans 10:3) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

We fail to see God's beautiful holiness so that we can be drawn to Him in a continuing upward path of submission and conformity to the image of Christ.

(Philippians 3:12-14) Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Cooking Sermons

Have you ever noticed that in near darkness, you can see things better if you look at them in your peripheral vision?

I have that same sort of experience with my work. Sometimes when I am looking directly at the page and trying hard to come up with sermons or lessons or materials of some sort, I can't seem to get anywhere.

Then, when I am occupied with some unrelated task like driving, the ideas about the sermons, etc. begin to flow freely. Of course, I usually cannot stop right where I am and take down the ideas - (I'm busy driving!) Even if I try to write it down or record it, the flow of thought becomes restricted again.

I've learned that I am better off to just let the ideas flow rather than to try to capture them right away. Instead I play with them for a while. I let them flow in images as much as in words, and try not to spoil the moment by getting too specific. Then, later I can remember the basic shape of the ideas and get them down on paper when I am free to concentrate.

So, what do I do in the study? I read the text I am studying. I jot down notes about it. I read cross references. I check time-lines or charts or whatever I have that might be suggested by the text. Then I dream about it a little. I juggle. I sort through piles on my desk. I read an unrelated book. I play my flute. Then I write a bit more and put it away to turn my attention to some other task.

That's the way it works for me.

The Safe Investment

It is probably a mistake to check the news in the morning. Things that are newsworthy are usually discouraging. This morning's news included a father who killed all of his children and himself because his wife left him. We are still reading about the killings of immigrants in Binghamton, NY and of police officers in Pittsburgh, PA. Meanwhile, teachers in Wisconsin (and no doubt other places) are finding out that their retirement accounts are worthless because they were invested in what are now considered "toxic assets."

Ugh! Human greed, fear, hate, despair, paranoia and every kind of ugliness.

Where can we turn for hope? Where can we look for safety? Is there any safe investment?

(Matthew 6:19-21) “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

If you are trusting the government, the banks, the insurance companies, the schools, the medical profession, your own strength and wisdom or even your closest family members, you are in store for more unpleasant shocks. Some people prove to be untrustworthy, but even the best are not able to keep you and your investments safe.

Invest ALL your hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is God. He cannot fail. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is unchanging. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will certainly prevail and reveal the everlasting life He promised to those who trust in Him. Take Him at His word.

(Matthew 11:28-30) Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The Fear of God

(Psalms 111:10) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

I have often pointed out that people who have rejected belief in God have no meaning, purpose or moral absolutes in their lives. This is why our news is full of crime and brutality. It is the wave of the present.

So what is the positive side?

Our God is the Holy Creator of all things - the Judge of all the earth. He is the measure of all things and the One Who will call all men to an accounting. He is just! He is pure! He is gracious!

Praise God that He is also merciful! He sends His rain on the just and the unjust. He is long-suffering - extending lives and delaying the day of judgment.

He has not hidden Himself. He reveals Himself in the wonders of His creation. He has revealed Himself in flesh through Jesus Christ. He has revealed Himself through inspired scripture... His very words.

In Him we have the value of meaning - as God's creation, made in His Own image.
In Him we have purpose - to glorify God through obedience and righteousness.
He is Himself our moral absolute - what is in harmony with His character is good.
In Him we have hope - that in Christ we have salvation from sin and the promise of eternal life.

(Psalms 111:10) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

We spend too much time worried about ourselves. How do I feel? Am I as happy as I can be? What is bothering me? What new thing do I want that might make me happier? Why are people bothering me? What's wrong with them? What's wrong with me?

You get the idea.

What about God's happiness? How does God feel? What can I do that will please Him? What about giving myself to His purposes for my life - heart and soul? How about being controlled by what God thinks, rather than how I feel?

Today or Tomorrow

(James 4:13-15) Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”
14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.”

We have our plans... but what do we know?

On Monday I had a long list of things to do, but more important matters came up and the list had to be postponed while I visited with various people. God first. People second. Paper only last.

On Tuesday I did what I normally do on Tuesday - but I still didn't get Monday's list finished.

On Wednesday I had the list ready, plus the list for Wednesday, but I was tied up all morning by the disconcerting business of trying to get things sorted out so I can file my taxes. (Yes, these are the tax returns that are due in 13 days... the ones I was going to do in January this year... those taxes.) So far, I can't move ahead because of some confusion. I am frustrated. I am anxious. I am distracted. There went Wednesday morning and part of Wednesday afternoon.

Today is deadline day and I have a meeting tonight, but before I can get to the study - I need to go to town for an item I need my son's help unloading from my truck. I didn't plan it this way, but this is the way it is.

My list is made out. I know what I need to do today. I have everything on the list prioritized so that I will do the important things first. But will I really get these things done?

God knows. And God is not worried about it, so why should I be?

If God wants me to get these things done today - they will be done today. I will do my best. I will be obedient. I will work hard. Let God's will be done.

If God has other plans for me - that will be just as good as getting that list completed - and even better. God's plans are always best.

Obedience and humble submission will keep me calm.

Pride & Prejudice

I loved the book, "Pride and Prejudice." The whole plot is about aristocratic English society. Some people are snobs - other people are assumed to be snobs (but turn out to be OK) - still others realize that they were themselves snobs without realizing it.

The book was great - unfortunately it reflects an ongoing characteristic of real life. We make assumptions about people and look down on some and look up to others without any real knowledge of their hearts. All of this starts with our prideful overestimation of our own goodness and objectivity.

We are better off to try to avoid stereotyping or even classifying people. We should just deal gently with people and assume the best of them wherever possible. Keep it simple. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Don't presume to know what is going on in other people's hearts and minds - we don't even know what is going on in our own hearts most of the time.

Our pride is really a strike against God's glory. Whenever we think we are something, we forget that God is everything. Whatever gifts we have - whatever strengths - whatever goodness - even our life itself - depends completely and totally on God. If we have something good, it is really a reflection of God's ultimate good.

Sometimes you have to deal with difficult situations and people who seem to be trying to be unpleasant.

Keep your cool. God is in control. Be humble and gentle, because it is not your reputation on the line, but God's.