Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32
Staying in touch with what is going on today has its disadvantages for me. I tend to get really disquieted about what is going on in the world. It seems sometimes that those in positions of leadership and “knowledge” are playing a game of Truth or Dare with modified rules. I’m told what the “truth” is and then dared to not accept it as the truth. Rather than receiving unbiased facts, and straight forward information, I get admonitions of dire consequences of not accepting the “truth” as stated.
Jesus set the example of demonstrating the truth. With the cast of thousands of prophets and saints who came before telling of who He would be and what He would do. He came quietly to the earth (except for that otherwise unexplained astrological phenomenon, and a not so subtle choir of heavenly hosts. He went about doing what He said he would do, “His Fathers work.” He always told the truth, He proved that he was a man, but didn’t hide the fact that He had powers of the most high. He didn’t have a hidden agenda, it was foretold generations earlier, and He reiterated it constantly. He didn’t ask us to do anything he wouldn’t do himself and He backed up everything he said. His mission was clear and He executed it flawlessly giving selflessly of everything He had (as a man) to validate the truth, to include dying an unimaginable death to “set us free.”
Sometimes it seems that when I seek the truth of anything today I find some who has self credentialed themselves as more savvy than I am in matters of economic, political and social knowledge, getting nose to nose and yelling, Truth, you can’t handle the truth. I guess the real question is and will all ways be, what is the truth of any matter on earth and what relevance does it make to eternal truth? The answer is probably nothing, unless you are one who won’t seek and accept either.
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Disconnected
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”. John 15:5
Last Wednesday morning around 5:00 a.m., a lightning strike fried my phone and internet connection. It was just restored Sunday night about 3:00 p.m. Brother, talk about being digitally disconnected.
When I get used to having something, like electricity, internet and such, I sometimes act real silly. I’ve more than once, during a power outage, walked around the house flipping light switches, duh. And when my internet went out, and my internet connection didn’t work, I thought to myself, “I’ll send an e-mail to the carrier telling them…”, duh.
I do the same thing when I allow myself to be distracted by the world and become disconnected from Jesus, usually without even realizing it’s happened. I might be feeling a little down and I’ll think “just put on some peppy music or eat some ice cream that’ll fix it”. I always get the same result as flipping the light switch when the power’s out or trying to go to a different computer when the internet is down, nada. And worse yet it’s like ignoring my best friend who is always there to help with a problem.
Staying connected, as I’ve painfully discovered, isn’t something that I can do once in the morning, like shaving, and forget the rest of the day. It’s a discipline reinforced by queues such as a cross in my pocket or a Bible verse on my key chain. I pray that someday, I’ll be like some of the saints that I’ve known who can’t take a breath without giving thanks for it. For now I’ll just keep working on improving my intermittent connectivity. And the really cool thing is, when I realize something’s missing and I move to restore the connection, He’s always there ready to receive, already knowing what I need.
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Last Wednesday morning around 5:00 a.m., a lightning strike fried my phone and internet connection. It was just restored Sunday night about 3:00 p.m. Brother, talk about being digitally disconnected.
When I get used to having something, like electricity, internet and such, I sometimes act real silly. I’ve more than once, during a power outage, walked around the house flipping light switches, duh. And when my internet went out, and my internet connection didn’t work, I thought to myself, “I’ll send an e-mail to the carrier telling them…”, duh.
I do the same thing when I allow myself to be distracted by the world and become disconnected from Jesus, usually without even realizing it’s happened. I might be feeling a little down and I’ll think “just put on some peppy music or eat some ice cream that’ll fix it”. I always get the same result as flipping the light switch when the power’s out or trying to go to a different computer when the internet is down, nada. And worse yet it’s like ignoring my best friend who is always there to help with a problem.
Staying connected, as I’ve painfully discovered, isn’t something that I can do once in the morning, like shaving, and forget the rest of the day. It’s a discipline reinforced by queues such as a cross in my pocket or a Bible verse on my key chain. I pray that someday, I’ll be like some of the saints that I’ve known who can’t take a breath without giving thanks for it. For now I’ll just keep working on improving my intermittent connectivity. And the really cool thing is, when I realize something’s missing and I move to restore the connection, He’s always there ready to receive, already knowing what I need.
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Enemies
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Matthew 5:43-44
Love my enemies? Hold on a second, I can understand the “pray for those who persecute you” part, but, love my enemies? I’m supposed to love someone who wants me dead, and maybe just because of my belief in Jesus? I guess the only way to even begin to understand that concept is to see it from God’s eternal view, and I find that requires a great deal of faith, sometime more than I can muster on my own.
Dealing with someone I just don’t agree with is easy as Paul’s admonitions on how to treat those who we just don’t like because they don’t “pull their own weight.” Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother 2 Thessalonians 3:15 But for those who truly hate me, my God, and my very way of life, I sometimes feel like David pleading with God to remember His people during the Babylonian exile, How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever? Psalm 74:10 The very survival of Christians, Christianity and nations like the United States founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs for the past two thousand years has been primarily our adherence to the concept in Ecclesiastes 4:12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Our bonds of Christian unity are critical in times like these.
I sometimes ask myself, as enemies closes in around, how will this end? I think of God’s promise to Moses during the exodus regarding the angel God sent ahead to protect them. If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. Exodus 23:22, and I rest confident that there is no enemy more powerful than my God. And finally I consider Peter’s reminder of who the real enemy is to be feared. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:8-9
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Jerry M. Gill
Click here if you would like to be REMOVED from my email list.
Love my enemies? Hold on a second, I can understand the “pray for those who persecute you” part, but, love my enemies? I’m supposed to love someone who wants me dead, and maybe just because of my belief in Jesus? I guess the only way to even begin to understand that concept is to see it from God’s eternal view, and I find that requires a great deal of faith, sometime more than I can muster on my own.
Dealing with someone I just don’t agree with is easy as Paul’s admonitions on how to treat those who we just don’t like because they don’t “pull their own weight.” Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother 2 Thessalonians 3:15 But for those who truly hate me, my God, and my very way of life, I sometimes feel like David pleading with God to remember His people during the Babylonian exile, How long will the enemy mock you, O God? Will the foe revile your name forever? Psalm 74:10 The very survival of Christians, Christianity and nations like the United States founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs for the past two thousand years has been primarily our adherence to the concept in Ecclesiastes 4:12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Our bonds of Christian unity are critical in times like these.
I sometimes ask myself, as enemies closes in around, how will this end? I think of God’s promise to Moses during the exodus regarding the angel God sent ahead to protect them. If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. Exodus 23:22, and I rest confident that there is no enemy more powerful than my God. And finally I consider Peter’s reminder of who the real enemy is to be feared. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:8-9
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Jerry M. Gill
Click here if you would like to be REMOVED from my email list.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Life by the spirit
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. Galatians 5:16-17
In discussions with several brothers recently, I heard the painful results of failure to heed Paul’s advice for us to live by the spirit. These men related stories of hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions, all “acts of the sinful nature” enumerated in Galatians 5:20. And yes, these would be bad enough in the workplace, these were in their churches.
I think that sometimes, we who call ourselves by the name of Christ, try to pretend that we are above the fray of secular life and live in bubble of love and extraordinary compassion which protect us from being human. My experience tells me that it is just the opposite. It seems to me that the evil one frolics among and vacations with the godless, but does his most serious work among those who are trying to live his message. His brilliant two pronged strategy is to weaken and divide those who worship him along religious, legalistic lines and then use those divisions to reinforce the view of Christians as bigoted hypocrites who have more questions than solutions.
I don’t think we need to be theologians or biblical scholars to understand that what is needed in our hearts and in our congregations is for us to simply reject this sinful nature and accept Paul’s charge to Timothy to live by the spirit; But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
In discussions with several brothers recently, I heard the painful results of failure to heed Paul’s advice for us to live by the spirit. These men related stories of hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, and factions, all “acts of the sinful nature” enumerated in Galatians 5:20. And yes, these would be bad enough in the workplace, these were in their churches.
I think that sometimes, we who call ourselves by the name of Christ, try to pretend that we are above the fray of secular life and live in bubble of love and extraordinary compassion which protect us from being human. My experience tells me that it is just the opposite. It seems to me that the evil one frolics among and vacations with the godless, but does his most serious work among those who are trying to live his message. His brilliant two pronged strategy is to weaken and divide those who worship him along religious, legalistic lines and then use those divisions to reinforce the view of Christians as bigoted hypocrites who have more questions than solutions.
I don’t think we need to be theologians or biblical scholars to understand that what is needed in our hearts and in our congregations is for us to simply reject this sinful nature and accept Paul’s charge to Timothy to live by the spirit; But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Eating fish and feeding lambs
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." John 21:15
Eating freshly caught fish is something of which I never tire. I think it reminds me of this scripture where Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection while they were fishing in the Sea of Galilee. He is sitting around the fire after a bumper catch, having prepared a meal of fish and bread. It is there that He brings Peter to redemption by asking him to confirm three times (the same number of times Peter denied Jesus) if Peter loved him. Each time Peter confirmed that he in fact did love him, Jesus directed Peter to “Feed my lambs.” Sometimes the problem with feeding lambs is that they tend to wander off and get lost, and they don’t know or care that they are lost. Jesus related many parables of gathering lost sheep.
During our Sunday morning worship around the campfire, on that little island in the middle of Namakan River, Ontario, Canada, Pastor Jim challenged us to consider what factors keep us from relating our faith to our “lost lamb” brothers. For a few moments all that could be heard was the sound of the falls adjacent to our campsite, and then one by one the men began to share their thoughts, fears, and concerns. Some expressed what many including myself have felt, that we fear being intrusive into another’s “business.”
We were reminded of the family we found in the river, capsized, freezing and bewildered. We thought of how they were so far gone they couldn’t even ask for help, and perhaps had no idea how badly they needed it. Our instinct is to separate those who we observe are in grave need of help and those who appear to be ok. The difficulty is in knowing if there’s a need or not. And the reality is the only way to find out is through relationships; getting involved with guys in ways which go beyond surface pleasantries to becoming a trusted friend who can probe and seek wounds for which we have the solution; a relationship with Christ. Eating fish and feeding lambs, two of my favorite things to do.
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Eating freshly caught fish is something of which I never tire. I think it reminds me of this scripture where Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection while they were fishing in the Sea of Galilee. He is sitting around the fire after a bumper catch, having prepared a meal of fish and bread. It is there that He brings Peter to redemption by asking him to confirm three times (the same number of times Peter denied Jesus) if Peter loved him. Each time Peter confirmed that he in fact did love him, Jesus directed Peter to “Feed my lambs.” Sometimes the problem with feeding lambs is that they tend to wander off and get lost, and they don’t know or care that they are lost. Jesus related many parables of gathering lost sheep.
During our Sunday morning worship around the campfire, on that little island in the middle of Namakan River, Ontario, Canada, Pastor Jim challenged us to consider what factors keep us from relating our faith to our “lost lamb” brothers. For a few moments all that could be heard was the sound of the falls adjacent to our campsite, and then one by one the men began to share their thoughts, fears, and concerns. Some expressed what many including myself have felt, that we fear being intrusive into another’s “business.”
We were reminded of the family we found in the river, capsized, freezing and bewildered. We thought of how they were so far gone they couldn’t even ask for help, and perhaps had no idea how badly they needed it. Our instinct is to separate those who we observe are in grave need of help and those who appear to be ok. The difficulty is in knowing if there’s a need or not. And the reality is the only way to find out is through relationships; getting involved with guys in ways which go beyond surface pleasantries to becoming a trusted friend who can probe and seek wounds for which we have the solution; a relationship with Christ. Eating fish and feeding lambs, two of my favorite things to do.
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
God’s time
The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; Psalm 24
Blogger Andy Merrick said countering the well known quote from avowed atheist and comedian Woody Allen, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans,” says, it just isn’t biblical. The Bible actually says, Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 There is a caveat to this a couple verses earlier…To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. Proverbs 16:1 In other words he says, “Go ahead and plan things, but the Lord will be the One who ultimately decides what happens.”
With our delay crossing the border behind us we drove two hours into Canada. Once on the river, we began paddling up the Namakan River and after about an hour we were nearing Hay Rapids. It was then that we saw a capsized canoe with two persons clinging to it as it was being swept along in the swift river current. Several of our men swam out and pulled the battered canoe and its exhausted crew to shore. They were an elderly man and his grandson, in an unresponsive state of hypothermia. When he’d warmed enough to gain his composure, the man informed us that he was in the first of two canoes which were swamped at the beginning of Hay Rapids (a ¼ mile long challenging set of rapids which they’d tried to navigate in lieu of portaging as instructed by their outfitters.) Our team quickly went upstream and located the second canoe and its occupants, two women and a teenaged son, who’d made it to shore with their severely battered canoe. After salvaging some floating contents, patching up their wounds and straightening their canoes, we prayed with the family for their safety and sent them on their way to meet with their outfitters a few miles downstream.
There was no doubt in our minds that this family had pushed the envelope of safety which could have just as easily ended in tragedy. But we were even more strongly convinced that God had placed us when and where we needed to be; in His time. I don’t think any of us looked at our watches quite the same after that experience.
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Blogger Andy Merrick said countering the well known quote from avowed atheist and comedian Woody Allen, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans,” says, it just isn’t biblical. The Bible actually says, Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 There is a caveat to this a couple verses earlier…To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. Proverbs 16:1 In other words he says, “Go ahead and plan things, but the Lord will be the One who ultimately decides what happens.”
With our delay crossing the border behind us we drove two hours into Canada. Once on the river, we began paddling up the Namakan River and after about an hour we were nearing Hay Rapids. It was then that we saw a capsized canoe with two persons clinging to it as it was being swept along in the swift river current. Several of our men swam out and pulled the battered canoe and its exhausted crew to shore. They were an elderly man and his grandson, in an unresponsive state of hypothermia. When he’d warmed enough to gain his composure, the man informed us that he was in the first of two canoes which were swamped at the beginning of Hay Rapids (a ¼ mile long challenging set of rapids which they’d tried to navigate in lieu of portaging as instructed by their outfitters.) Our team quickly went upstream and located the second canoe and its occupants, two women and a teenaged son, who’d made it to shore with their severely battered canoe. After salvaging some floating contents, patching up their wounds and straightening their canoes, we prayed with the family for their safety and sent them on their way to meet with their outfitters a few miles downstream.
There was no doubt in our minds that this family had pushed the envelope of safety which could have just as easily ended in tragedy. But we were even more strongly convinced that God had placed us when and where we needed to be; in His time. I don’t think any of us looked at our watches quite the same after that experience.
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Forgotten but not forgiven
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace… Ephesians 1:7
(This is the first of several truths that were revealed during the Canadian Canoe Trip from which I just returned. Thanks to the insight of our mentor and leader Pastor Jim, these lessons were not lost on us.)
There are computers, databases, grudges and lots of other mechanisms to ensure that there’s a high probability that anything we do or say on this earth, especially things we wish we had not, will be remembered and recalled later to our embarrassment, shame or detriment in some way. When crossing through customs into Canada, a cursory view of Passport and ID takes place, but like any process with a quality control element, there is the sampling process where in a small percentage of vehicles are scrutinized more closely.
One of our brothers in the vehicle chosen for screening had, many years ago, received a vehicle citation which he thought had passed the period of tracking and was completely expunged from history. But, you guessed it, the computers, even in Canada, hadn’t forgotten. That’s the way it is with man. Sometimes even when we forget we still don’t forgive. We hang on to hurt, and betrayal like prized possessions and lock it into our memory with such meticulous digital encryption and password security that Bill Gates would be envious.
Praise be to God that we have the ultimate example of forgiveness and Grace to turn our attitude and tendencies away from just forgetting to truly forgiving. Paul summarized Christ’s teaching when he said, Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 Not easy, brother don’t I know, but rest with me in Jesus’ promise of salvation, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 We were thrown off our itinerary by an hour, but gained an offsetting insight into Gods plan for our lives and for our trip. It only gets better...
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
(This is the first of several truths that were revealed during the Canadian Canoe Trip from which I just returned. Thanks to the insight of our mentor and leader Pastor Jim, these lessons were not lost on us.)
There are computers, databases, grudges and lots of other mechanisms to ensure that there’s a high probability that anything we do or say on this earth, especially things we wish we had not, will be remembered and recalled later to our embarrassment, shame or detriment in some way. When crossing through customs into Canada, a cursory view of Passport and ID takes place, but like any process with a quality control element, there is the sampling process where in a small percentage of vehicles are scrutinized more closely.
One of our brothers in the vehicle chosen for screening had, many years ago, received a vehicle citation which he thought had passed the period of tracking and was completely expunged from history. But, you guessed it, the computers, even in Canada, hadn’t forgotten. That’s the way it is with man. Sometimes even when we forget we still don’t forgive. We hang on to hurt, and betrayal like prized possessions and lock it into our memory with such meticulous digital encryption and password security that Bill Gates would be envious.
Praise be to God that we have the ultimate example of forgiveness and Grace to turn our attitude and tendencies away from just forgetting to truly forgiving. Paul summarized Christ’s teaching when he said, Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 Not easy, brother don’t I know, but rest with me in Jesus’ promise of salvation, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 We were thrown off our itinerary by an hour, but gained an offsetting insight into Gods plan for our lives and for our trip. It only gets better...
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Refreshed
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
Back from the Men’s Great Adventure now, physically and mentally. There is lots to process from such a short five day outing. I’ll share more about the events and lessons of the “Adventure” as time passes, but today I wanted to share something that has weighed heavily on me since returning.
Our host and guide, a young man named Tom, is in his personal life a shining body of evidence of the redemptive saving power of the Grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but his life of servant hood oftentimes leaves me speechless. Tom is in every sense of the word a man’s man. He’s a God fearing, but otherwise fearless guy. He built his log cabin lodge style home on a remote patch of land in northern Minnesota on a lake that takes your breath away. He displays a reverence and respect of nature which transcends its beauty. In addition to raising his family, building his home and teaching school he’s helping to salvage the lives of young Native American kids from the drug and alcohol ravaged society into which they find themselves. He helps them learn of the nature in which their ancestors flourished and reacquaints them with their heritage while teaching them of the Creators masterpiece.
And then once a year he takes on a group of “city slickers” from Indiana, anxious to live a real adventure and he doesn’t disappoint. He takes us to areas we’d have never found on our own and to experiences we’ll remember for years. And when we return, we’re refreshed in spirit, in body, and in soul. And as we say our goodbye’s Tom’s eyes reflect the words of the Proverb, he too has been refreshed in seeing our excitement and joy. Thank you Lord for men like Tom, and Lord may I find a way to refresh someone’s spirit today as Tom refreshed mine.
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
Back from the Men’s Great Adventure now, physically and mentally. There is lots to process from such a short five day outing. I’ll share more about the events and lessons of the “Adventure” as time passes, but today I wanted to share something that has weighed heavily on me since returning.
Our host and guide, a young man named Tom, is in his personal life a shining body of evidence of the redemptive saving power of the Grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but his life of servant hood oftentimes leaves me speechless. Tom is in every sense of the word a man’s man. He’s a God fearing, but otherwise fearless guy. He built his log cabin lodge style home on a remote patch of land in northern Minnesota on a lake that takes your breath away. He displays a reverence and respect of nature which transcends its beauty. In addition to raising his family, building his home and teaching school he’s helping to salvage the lives of young Native American kids from the drug and alcohol ravaged society into which they find themselves. He helps them learn of the nature in which their ancestors flourished and reacquaints them with their heritage while teaching them of the Creators masterpiece.
And then once a year he takes on a group of “city slickers” from Indiana, anxious to live a real adventure and he doesn’t disappoint. He takes us to areas we’d have never found on our own and to experiences we’ll remember for years. And when we return, we’re refreshed in spirit, in body, and in soul. And as we say our goodbye’s Tom’s eyes reflect the words of the Proverb, he too has been refreshed in seeing our excitement and joy. Thank you Lord for men like Tom, and Lord may I find a way to refresh someone’s spirit today as Tom refreshed mine.
Bless you brothers, live this day in peace, in His Word.
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