Jesus

A Good Biography

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I’ve been reading Billy Graham’s autobiography, Just As I Am, for the last few weeks. I’ve always admired him as a preacher and an evangelist, but I didn’t realize the scope of all that he did during his lifetime.

Billy presents himself as a simple servant of God who was faithful to preach the gospel and to proclaim the cross of Christ every time He preached. He attributed every bit of success and fame in his personal life and his ministry solely to the power of God.

I get blown away by the sheer magnitude of all his crusades. He literally preached to millions and saw countless numbers who came to faith in Christ. He was able to proclaim God’s message of salvation all over the world and go to places where others hadn’t been able to go.

The best part is that Billy Graham was as honest about his failings as he was about his successes. He was willing to admit when he used poor judgment and throughout his humility and dependence on God for everything was clear.

I wasn’t planning on reading biographies, but so far this year, I’ve listened to a two-part biography on Elisabeth Elliott and read a biography on Keith Green in addition to this one. It’s amazing how God is able to use those who are surrendered to His purposes and plans, who are willing to give up their own plans and do whatever God says. When you and I can come to the end of our finiteness and frailty and say, “Thy will be done,” then God steps in and does what only He can do, which is often the impossible.

Happy Ash Valentines Wednesday Day

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“Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever” (Collect, First Day of Lent Commonly Known as Ash Wednesday, The Book of Common Prayer).

In case you got confused, today is both Valentines Day and Ash Wednesday. Apparently, it happened before in 2018 and will happen again in 2029, so this is just practice.

As I have learned, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, a season of repentance and fasting. Typically, the participant will choose to fast from a kind of food or an activity for the time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. I have traditionally fasted from social media.

Practically speaking, that means that I catch myself mindlessly opening up my Facebook app numerous times before I quickly minimize it and remember that it’s Lent. I try not to be uber-legalistic about Lent, but I also recognize how easy it is to slip into a social media addiction if I’m not constantly vigilant.

The purpose is to give up something that means something to you so as to free up more time to focus on preparing for Easter. I’m really good at the giving up part but not so much at the preparing part. It’s easy to replace one mindless activity with another if I’m not careful.

Easter and Christmas need each other. Without Christmas and the virgin birth, there is no Easter. Without Easter, Christmas has little or no meaning. Without either, we are still stuck in our sins and without hope.

This Lent season will hit different because I am once again in career transition. This year, I will have no excuse for not making time to really get ready for Easter Sunday. I will have more time to devote to prayer in seeking the face of God.

Hopefully, I will be wiser this year and actually use the time well. Hopefully, we all will.

The Smallest Blessing

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“Be thankful for the smallest blessing, and you will deserve to receive greater. Value the least gifts no less than the greatest and simple graces as especial favors. If you remember the dignity of the Giver, no gift will seem small or mean, for nothing can be valueless that is given by the most high God” (Thomas a Kempis).

First off, you should find a copy of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis and read it as soon as humanly possible. This book is a timeless classic that has stood the proverbial test of time and remains relevant.

But also, if you want to step into all the fullness of God’s provision and blessing, you need to appreciate what you have. You need to learn how to give thanks for the smallest blessings that are easy to miss and take for granted. And by you, I mean me. I need to do these things.

Also, if you feel stuck in a phase of your life, you might want to see if there are any areas in your life where you are being disobedient to a command of God. There’s probably something that God wants you do to but that you have not done because you simply don’t want to do it. And again, by you I mean me.

The most clear part of God’s will is in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 where it says to rejoice always, give thanks in everything, and pray without ceasing (not necessarily in that order). The verse explicitly says that this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

In other words, learn to cultivate an attitude of joy, prayer, and thanksgiving. Learn to love what God loves and love who God loves. Always put others ahead of you and God above all. And remember that Christianity is not like all those other religions where the key word is DO, as in what must I DO to appease the deity, how can I make sure I’m good with my higher power, but Christianity’s key word is DONE, as in Jesus already fulfilled everything you need for heaven and all you need to DO is receive that gift of salvation by faith.

Do the Next Thing

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In case you couldn’t read the picture, here’s the poem in a little bigger font:

From an old English parsonage down by the sea
There came in the twilight a message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven,
Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.
And on through the doors the quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration: “DO THE NEXT THING.”

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, and guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrows, child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, do the next thing

Do it immediately, do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
Leave all results, do the next thing.

Looking for Jesus, ever serener,
Working or suffering, be thy demeanor;
In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing.
Then, as He beckons thee, do the next thing.

That’s the key. As Oswald Chambers said, trust God and do the next thing. It’s not about figuring out God’s complete will for your life or knowing how the next six months or six years are going to play out.

Just be faithful with the next thing you know God wants you to do, be obedient to what you know Jesus has asked of you (pray always, be anxious for nothing, give thanks, stay grounded in God’s word), and keep your eyes on the next step on the walk of faith.

I don’t know who wrote the poem. I know Elisabeth Elliott quoted it. I know the words speak truth that I need to remember and heed.

Trust God and do the next thing.

Lesson from The Chosen

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I went to the theater to watch the first three episodes of the new season of The Chosen. The fact that I am voluntarily paying money to watch television in a movie theater is a bit mind-boggling when I really think about it, but I don’t regret it for one moment.

One moment that caught my attention was a conversation between Roman Gaius and the disciple Matthew. Bear in mind that Matthew used to work for Gaius as a tax collector [mild spoiler alert following].

Gaius remarks about how much more peaceful and relaxed Matthew is than in the olden days. Matthew’s reply is what made me sit up in my seat and pay attention. He said, “I have only one thing to do today. Follow Him. The rest takes care of itself.”

That sounds remarkably like a passage from Matthew’s gospel: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, ESV).

It also served as a reminder to me that I don’t have to worry about so many things. It’s not my job to work out every detail of my future and worry myself sick over things like the next job or a new car or what may or may not happen to me or to those I love.

My job is to follow Jesus. My job is to seek after the things of God. If I do the first part, then naturally I will be doing the second. It’s impossible to be around Jesus and not love the things He loves and look more like Him a little more every day.

So maybe the lesson for today is to fret less and follow more.

I Need Jesus

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That’s it. I need Jesus, not a better car or a better job or a more stylish wardrobe or a devoted spouse.

Because at the end of the day, a better car will eventually break down and need to be replaced.

A better job will have its own issues and you can still get fired or downsized or laid off there, too.

Wardrobes go out of fashion fast. What was stylish last year is already laughable. Plus, clothing wears out like anything else.

Spouses are great, but they can’t be everything. If you’re expecting a marriage to fix all your problems and for your spouse to fulfill all your needs, you are going to be bitterly disappointed. There’s a reason why over half of marriages (including Christian marriages) end in divorce.

Anything not rooted in Jesus is bound to fail and fall short. If I’m not satisfied in Christ at my deepest level, then nothing else will ever bring me lasting peace or joy or contentment. I will always be stuck in the more syndrome — a little more money, a little bigger house, a different partner, a better career, and so on unto infinity.

The saying remains true. Everything but Jesus = nothing. Nothing else but Jesus = everything.

The Ye Old Quest for a New(er) Car

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I figured out it’s been a while since I actually had to look for a car. The car that I’ve had for the past 10 years was my Mom’s old car that they sold to me when they got a new car. That was in 2013. Before that, I found out my cousin was selling his old Jeep that he had barely ever driven. That was in 2003.

Before that, I can’t really remember. I had a 1988 Ford Taurus for my very first car that I think I bought from a used car dealership. Then I got another Taurus, this one a 1993. I remember very little about the actual process. I remember looking at a few cars that seemed like a good idea to me at the time but probably wouldn’t have worked out. One was an older BMW convertible with a non-working A/C. One was a car brand that didn’t even exist anymore but looked cool and had leather seats.

I’ve learned to trust God’s timing in all things, not just in car shopping. In my experience, God usually never gives me what I ask for when I ask for it. Or it seems like my requests take a long time to reach God’s ear.

But I can attest that God’s provision is never a moment too late. I can trust that God’s denials can be as much of a blessing and a grace as God’s gifts, though they may not seem like it at the time.

Today, I looked at a 2021 Jeep Wrangler. It looked great, but there were a couple of red flags that made me hesitate. So the process goes on. But as I’ve learned, what I end up with will be better in the end. Plus, the process will be a learning and growing experience.

If you know of anyone who’s selling a relatively new Wrangler, I’m in the market. Plus, I really like the color red.

When It Seems Jesus Doesn’t Care

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Here I am with another mostly borrowed blog post. But this one spoke to me as deeply as the one I posted yesterday. Some days, God can feel distant and silent. If we trust in our feelings, we’re very much tempted to give up on God. But if we trust in the promises of God that are all Yes and Amen, we will find that God is present even in the silences and we can see Him near just as our eyes adjust to the darkness around us:

“Martha came to him Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care?’ (Lk 10:40).

Lord Jesus, when Martha called your empathy and compassion into question, thank you for giving her grace and not taking offense. Though she ‘only’ felt under-appreciated, there are times when we experience crises, stories, and heartaches that seem to contradict your compassion, care, and control.

When ‘darkness hides your lovely face’ we become vulnerable to all kinds of graceless voices:

•The devil’s toxic whisperings … ‘Where IS your Jesus now?’.

•Karma replacing the Gospel, telling us, ‘You’re sick because of hidden, unconfessed sin’.

•The narration of a cynical friend or weary family member, or nosy neighbor. Like Job’s wife telling Job, “Curse God and die” Job 2:9.

•Our own emotionally exhausted, pain-fueled monologue … ‘Maybe there is no Jesus. Maybe I’d be better off dead.’

Lord Jesus, though you don’t always explain yourself or fix things on our timetable, you will never “crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle” (Matt.12:20). The Scriptures are very honest about life between your resurrection and return: We will have days when mystery is more real than mercy, heartache is more tangible than hope, and pain is more convincing than providence. But, we will never have a Jesus-absent day.

When we’re angry like Jonah (Jonah 4:9), disillusioned like Job (Job.10:15), fearful like Elijah (1 Kings 19:3), doubt you like John the Baptist (Matt. 11:3), ‘beastly’ like Asaph (Psalm 73:21-22), despairing of life like Paul (2 Cor. 1:8)… you welcome us, and meet us right there… taking no offense, only giving us grace.

Jesus, no one cares like you. No one understandings suffering like you. No one has done more to eradicate all ‘death, mourning, crying and pain’ (Rev.21:4). Thank you. Meet us today, and meet our most weary friends through us. So Very Amen” (Scotty Smith).

A Prayer of Confession for 2024

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I found this prayer penned by Scotty Smith on Facebook and thought it was worth sharing. I think more than anything the Church in America needs to posture itself for the new year in a position of repentance and seeking forgiveness for not living up to biblical standards.

I think on one hand we’ve been too legalistic and self-righteous, looking down on others who sin differently than we do. I also think at times we’ve tried to look too much like the culture we’re called to reach out to and have compromised the message of salvation in the process.

So here’s my prayer for 2024:

“Abba Is Changing Us. Let’s Cooperate.

‘If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness’ (1Jn.1:8-9).

Heavenly Father, for your steadfast love, we bless you. For your patience and kindness, we praise you. For your daily mercies, we trust you. Hallelujah… you’ve already declared us righteous in Christ, and now you’re at work to make us as beautiful as Jesus. Here are some of the areas of heart and life for which we need grace and the Spirit’s work—clear manifestations we’re not as Christ-like as you intend.

•We confess thinking of ourselves too much and marveling at Jesus too little.

•We confess it’s easier for us to rush to judgment than linger in your presence.

•We confess over-believing our fears and under-resting in the Gospel.

•We confess scheduling ourselves into bad attitudes and diminishing health.

•We confess indulging a critical spirit more than we seek your Spirit’s filling.

•We confess being more upset by the news than at peace through your Word.

•We confess making more of other’s sins and weaknesses than our own.

Father, thank you for the full forgiveness we already have in Christ, and the sure hope of being like Jesus one Day. We look to you for strength to repent quicker when you convict us of these and other sins. Humble us. Change us. Heal us. Free us. Thank you… and So Very Amen (Scotty Smith).”

True Faith Prevails

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“Christendom has had a series of revolutions and in each one of them Christianity has died. Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave” (G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man).

It seems that in every generation, people have tried to modify Christianity to make it more culturally acceptable and more palatable to modern ears. The Bible even promises that people won’t want to hear the truth but will follow after those who tell them what they want to believe and want to hear.

But true faith has a way of outliving all those who want to change it. True orthodox Christianity will always exist because it alone has the power to transform people and truly set them free. There is only one gospel with the power to save.

I don’t claim to be smart enough to understand how true faith has managed to stay alive all these centuries, even when it was just about dead in the world and hardly any recognizable form of the gospel could be found.

But I believe that just as God promised Elijah that there was a remnant in Israel who remained faithful, so God again promises that there will always be a true remnant who will hold fast to the teachings of the Bible and of the true Jesus of the gospels. And it won’t be because of any of us who are super faithful and super spiritual, but because it is God’s truth and God will preserve His truth.

My prayer for those who have fallen into false teaching and a pseudo-faith is that they will come to THE truth — not my truth, not their truth, but God’s unchanging and unwavering truth as found in Scripture. I pray they will embrace true faith and find the true joy of salvation.

And I will trust that God is able to keep that which He has created and committed to us, the real and true gospel of Jesus Christ.