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Remembering 9/11

Every year when 9/11 falls on a Wednesday, I have a decision to make. Today is the anniversary of one of the worst days I experienced in my lifetime. And, I must decide whether to write about it in this blog post. Once again, I decided to address 9/11.

I am always grateful when this day comes and goes without another terrorist attack. Our enemies are drawn to certain memorable dates, like flies are drawn to death. On every 9/11, I expect them to attempt another attack, and every year, I breathe a sigh of relief when the day ends without serious harm to our nation.

Why should 9/11 cause us to worry?

An op-ed by Bruce Riedel for Brookings explained the continued threat to this date each year. Riedel wrote: “Al Qaeda has every reason to be obsessed with 9/11. The plot that toppled the World Trade Center towers and damaged the Pentagon cost al Qaeda less than half a million dollars to pull off, according the 9/11 Commission report. The property damage alone cost about $100 billion, and estimates of the total economic damage inflicted by the attack range up to $2 trillion. The cost of the two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that flowed out of the 9/11 tragedy has been estimated recently by Brown University scholars at about $4 trillion. Al Qaeda pulled off the world’s cheapest global game changer ever on Sept. 11, 2001, and we are still living with the consequences and costs.”

The article, written in 2011, identified an unsuccessful terrorist attempt on 9/11 in 2006 and another in 2008. The financial impact he reported would contain significantly higher numbers if written today. Our enemies are still drawn to this date each year, hoping and planning to cause more harm to our nation. Today, because of our nation’s continued commitment to Israel, the open border policies, and those factors becoming election issues, there are reasons to feel threatened.

Americans have a right, even an obligation, to worry about this day each year. Yet, Jesus encouraged his disciples, saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1).

How can we acknowledge the concerns of this life and not allow those concerns to “trouble” our hearts and minds?

What did you worry about when you heard the news that day?

When I watch the video footage from 9/11, my mind is flooded with memories. I was simply catching up on the news and enjoying a second cup of coffee when the morning show went live, and they began reporting the first tower was on fire. I watched the video in real-time as the second plane eerily entered the second tower. That’s when we all knew we were being attacked.

I called Jim and told him to turn on the television. I tried to reach my parents, who were on vacation in Pennsylvania, only miles from the downed plane there. My mom still remembers watching their hotel parking lot fill up with members of the FBI and trucks that were unloading the body bags.

I had two sons in high school and wondered how these events would impact their futures. If our nation went to war, would they enlist or be drafted?

I went to the bank and the grocery store that day. I didn’t know if it mattered, but I wanted to do what I could to protect my family.

I mostly prayed and begged God to forgive our sins and watch over our country. I prayed, not knowing if America was “ one nation under God.” I prayed, knowing our nation had made many choices that didn’t deserve God’s favor.

Do we deserve God’s favor and protection today?

Many politicians continue to end their speeches by saying, “May God bless America.” Have you noticed the many who no longer do? We have passed laws in this country that are fundamentally opposed to the laws of Scripture. In essence, our citizens are being asked to approve ideas and choices that God’s divine character cannot approve of and will not bless.

The prophets taught the people what God would require of them. The prophets taught the people that God would surely discipline their choices. The prophets warned the people to listen, to think, to change, and to repent. Some did, but most did not.

So, God created a new covenant relationship with people through his Son, Jesus. His blessings were no longer promised to a nation of people. His new covenant was offered to everyone in the world. His new covenant was with “whoever believed” in his provision of salvation through Christ (John 3:16).

In 2030 . . .

The next time 9/11 falls on a Wednesday, it will be 2030 and I’ll be in my seventies. I wonder what I will say on that day. I wonder if I’ll have another 9/11 to talk about. I wonder if I will still be writing this blog post in 2030.

What I do know is that, given the opportunity, I will still say what I want to say today.

We should be reminded of our highest calling every year on 9/11. A LOT of people died that day. Most people were significantly impacted by that day. Some of the victims went to heaven, while others lost their opportunity forever that day. I’m sure there were Christians who were thankful they had shared their faith with someone who had died. I’m also sure there were Christians who wished they had taken the opportunity to witness but had not.

When 9/11 falls on a Wednesday, I will use this blog post to remind us that there is no higher calling in this life than sharing our faith. We should care about people’s lives, feelings, and happiness, and we need to care even more about their souls.

It isn’t a pleasant thought, but it is necessary: If today is another tragic 9/11 that makes history, would you have regrets? Today is a good day to prayerfully consider that question and ask for God’s perfect answers. Today is a good day to ask God to redeem our nation and forgive our sins.

Will you take that time with God now and allow his Spirit’s voice to direct your life? Today is 9/11 and God still wants to redeem this date for his glory. How will he use your life to make a difference because you have prayed?

May God bless this day, and may God bless our nation.

Hope Is Like Honey

Sometimes I reach for the remote and change the channel. I don’t want to ignore the news; I probably watch more than I should. But sometimes I need to turn off the television and turn to God. The past two weeks have been hard to comprehend. I needed a word of hope and found that in Proverbs 24.

Proverbs 24 is part of a series of random wise sayings on a number of topics. I like to think about what these wise sayings meant to the people of that biblical time before considering what the words mean now. Often that is when the words make better sense. King Solomon was gifted with the wisdom of God. If Solomon said these words were wise, then I know to do the same!

I think Proverbs 24:24 caught my eye because I have always loved honey. If I eat breakfast out, and they are going to bring me a biscuit, I am going to ask if they can bring some honey too. (Unless I am at Cracker Barrel—then I’m asking for the apple butter!)

I’ve always loved honey, but lately there has been a renewed appreciation for its use. I googled the benefits of honey and found articles that called it liquid gold and a powerfood. One article said that honey prevented cancer, healed wounds, helped with hangovers and sore throats, and could even be a great facial ingredient. Who knew? I just like the way it tastes.

Honey has been used by cultures for as long as we have recorded history, and probably before then. The ancient Egyptian culture considered it a medicine, and the bee was highly esteemed. King Solomon certainly used honey and he spoke about it in Proverbs 24:13–14. He compared the health-giving properties of honey to the value of wisdom and hope for our future.

Proverbs 24:13–14 says: “Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and the drippings from the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul: if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” Why did King Solomon consider this a wise saying?

— Eating honey is good. Science shows that is true. It has all kinds of health benefits, but most of us use honey because it is “sweet to the taste.” It is nice to know that God wanted us to enjoy his creation. Even when the news is bad or things don’t seem to be right in the world, God’s blessings are available to lift our spirits. Mary Poppins should have sung, “Just a spoonful of honey makes the medicine go down!”

— Wisdom is like honey. My translation: Wisdom does for your life what honey does for your biscuit. “Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:7). When the news reported there was a shortage of honeybees, I bought some extra honey. I didn’t want to be without it. I should feel the same way about God’s wisdom. God’s word is God’s wisdom and will make our lives sweeter.

— If you find wisdom, there is future hope for you, and it will not end. Each honeybee produces around half of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. (That fact gives me a greater respect for that bottle on my shelf.) A hive will usually have about 50,000 bees. Most bees stay close to home and only leave for short periods of time. That is why finding honey is a promise of future hope. If the hive remains protected, a person can return on a regular basis and should find honey each time. So it is with God’s wisdom. We can return to God’s word, remember God’s wisdom and continue to find the same hope in God that King Solomon found.

I like to picture King Solomon being served bread, with a container of honey sitting on the tray. I imagine the honey he ate tastes a lot like the honey we eat today. He was probably grateful for the servants that made sure to find the hives and gather the honey for his family. And I feel that way about the servants of God who gathered God’s wisdom, wrote it down, and preserved it for God’s family today.

The wisdom that blessed Solomon blesses us. I went to God’s word with a sad heart, and I found sweet hope for the future. I always did like honey! I hope the news is better tomorrow morning. But regardless, I think I will make some biscuits for breakfast!

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103

Wisdom for 2015 from Pablo Picasso

I recently solved a “Don’t Quote Me” puzzle from USA Today that surprised me. I have been to museums and have seen famous paintings by Pablo Picasso. But I never understood or appreciated his wide array of work. I taught second grade and often thought my students produced better drawings than what I observed in the modern art wings of museums. I am, however, a huge fan of well-written thoughts. I was surprised when I discovered Picasso was the author of this quote: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” The quote appeared to be a biblical truth, from a surprising source.

Curiosity drove me to the Internet to read more about the artist’s life. Pablo Picasso lived to be ninety-one and produced more works of art than any other artist in history. He is famous for inventing the style of art known as Cubism and most biographers remarked on his ability to transform his style as time passed. There is little doubt that Picasso was extremely gifted, even as a child, in his artistic ability. Picasso’s life, however, is the best illustration of the wisdom he lacked.

Picasso was walking past a group of school age children and said, “When I was as old as these children, I could draw like Raphael, but it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like them.” Picasso discovered his gift at an early age but, after reading several online biographies, I don’t think he ever recognized the Creator of his giftedness. Picasso’s life was marked by egocentric rebellion, which included rebellion against God’s word. Apparently Picasso looked in his mirror and saw his god. He believed in his ability, his opinions and his own version of truth. He also believed that sharing himself and his work was his gift to the world. Sadly, Picasso’s legacy is one that is praised by people, but not God.

I think the Pablo Picasso quote was biblical truth, almost. He said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift.” The apostle who shared Pablo’s first name, might have said, “the meaning of life is to find your spiritual gift.” Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and said, “Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed” (1 Corinthians 12:1). Every Christian has been gifted by God and every Christian should know and understand the gifts they have been given. If a Christian is “uninformed” it is likely that person will limit or miss his or her spiritual calling.

Paul wrote, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

Your Kingdom purpose is to allow Jesus to use your life, through your spiritual giftedness for the common good. Jesus still has an earthly ministry – through those whom the Holy Spirit is able to work through. Your spiritual gift is the way Jesus is most likely going to use your life for his eternal purpose.

Pablo Picasso said, “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” The apostle Paul would tell the Christian, “The meaning of life is to find your spiritual gift. The purpose of your life is to share your gift with others, as the Holy Spirit leads.” Paul ends the chapter by saying, “Now eagerly desire the greater gifts, and I will show you the most excellent way.” That statement is the introduction for Chapter 13. Take a minute and read the familiar passage about the power of God’s love when shared by God’s people.

Do you know your spiritual gift? Do you know how God is most likely to use your life for his Kingdom purpose? There is no higher goal for Christians than to be available and usable by God’s Holy Spirit. The Denison Forum has a tool that can help you discover and understand your spiritual gift. It is free and it would be our joy to share it with you.

Pablo Picasso lived to be ninety-one and has a lot to show for his life on earth. However, none of his art is eternally valuable. The apostle Paul lived a much shorter life and died as a criminal. Every word he wrote, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is eternal and is being used for the glory of God. Our choice today is to decide which “Pablo” we most want to emulate.

Paul began his letter by saying, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25). I wonder – what would Picasso’s life have produced if he had lived by that verse? I think I would have enjoyed seeing those paintings very much.

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Thank you, Lord

I want to begin this blog post by wishing all of you a blessed Thanksgiving.

I hope the day is filled with all your favorite things!

We have so much to be thankful for in our lives because of the Lord’s great love for us.

Before the “busy”

For most of us, this blog post will arrive amidst the “busy.” It’s good to pause for the sake of our sanity and the sake of our souls to focus on the reason we should be most grateful.

The holidays can change from one year, or one season of life, to the next. The one, unchanging joy in our lives is the Lord. Jesus is the same “yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). The “Janet Denison version” of the verse is: “Jesus is the only thing that stays the same from yesterday, to today, and forever.”

Change will always be a part of our earthly lives. I can only imagine what heaven will be like, but I do know that every change, or every constant, will be perfect and eternal.

Thank you, Lord, for your consistent, faithful love that provides our foundation of peace amidst the daily changes of this life. “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”

We thank you, Lord, for the truth of Deuteronomy 32:4.

For the busy

Sometimes your table is surrounded by the peace and comfort of family gathered there. Sometimes your table is surrounded by the noise, chaos, and potential controversy that our family or others have created for the day.

Sometimes Thanksgiving is a “movie moment,” but most of the time it is just real life. A glass gets spilled, a child gets unruly, something gets forgotten and burns in the oven. Your team might lose, your turkey might need extra gravy on the side, and your pumpkin pie might have a burnt crust with a runny middle. A grandchild might hate your green beans and want some ketchup for their turkey. I could go on . . . but you get the picture.

If your “Norman Rockwell” Thanksgiving gets sidelined in some way, remember these words from Jeremiah 15:16. The prophet said, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lᴏʀᴅ, God of hosts.”

Whatever happens around your table, and whatever else you eat, you can be ready to speak a word from God if you have found his word and eaten that first! The joy and delight of the day don’t depend on a perfect meal, a winning score, or a crowd of people who always agree. The joy and delight of your heart will be that you surrendered the day to the Lord, with the goal of pleasing him.

Thank you, Lord, for calling us by your name. We ask you to be the “Host” of our Thanksgiving tables.

For the moments after the busy

After the leftovers are stored away, the dishes are put away, and your feet are comfortably “put up” in slippers, take time to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

Thanksgiving is a success if we have served God by serving others. Thanksgiving is a success if we have shared the love of God with others. Thanksgiving is a success if we have honored God and others.

For the quiet after the busy, “Give thanks to the Lᴏʀᴅ, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1). Every holiday on earth changes with the times. Every Thanksgiving is different in some ways than the years before. But every thanksgiving should include and honor the unchanging perfection of the Lord.

We thank you, Lord, because your “steadfast love endures forever.” We are forever grateful and forever blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving.
May your celebration be filled with the joy of the Lord.
May we “give thanks” to, and for, the Rock of our salvation.

Why should we teach our children to pray?

We teach our children the colors of the world and how to count their fingers and toes. We teach them how to say “thank you” when they should be grateful and “I’m sorry” if they have made a mistake. We teach our children how to communicate what they are thinking and feeling. It is important that we teach them how to talk to others. It is crucial that we teach them how to talk with God.

Christian parents often pray with their children, but are we teaching them to pray on their own? I often quote Psalm 131:2 when I am speaking to parents. The verse says, “But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.”

A nursing mother consumes food and her body processes it into milk, which her hungry infant eagerly consumes. But her child cannot grow and succeed unless he is weaned and learns to eat for himself. Content Christians are people who have learned how to spend time with God alone, growing and learning from what they “consume” on their own. Prayer is a good way to begin the “weaning process” and raise children who will be strong, mature Christians someday.

What will your child learn if you teach them to pray?

1. They will learn that God is real, and that he is God. Jesus taught his disciples to pray saying, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10). When we teach our children to pray, we teach them to talk to the Creator of the world who is listening in heaven. When we honor God’s name, we honor him as our King. When children pray, they will understand that they have access to the God of the universe and he wants to talk with them about his will for their lives. God wants to be their King.

2. Prayer is the way they will develop a close, personal relationship with God. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10). The strongest relationships in our lives are with people we have chosen to spend time with in a quiet, exclusive way. The same is true of our relationship with God. If the only time your child spends with God is also with other people, then God is most likely going to remain an “acquaintance” rather than a close, personal friend. Teach your children to be still and to spend time alone with God.

3. They will learn that God loves them and listens to their prayers. Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13-14). It is normal for children to pray for everything they want, and to expect God to do whatever they ask of him. Most parents struggle with helping their child understand that God’s answers to prayer are not always the same as their requests. Jesus said, “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” He said, when you ask for what his holy and perfect character wants to give or do, he will do it. When children pray they will learn that God loves them too much to give them something that is not perfect. They will also see their prayers answered, just as they asked. God loves to show his children that he loves them and listens to them. When children pray, they will see God answer and know he heard their prayers.

4. Children will learn that God’s answers are unique and important. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). Children will often ask parents or friends for advice. One of the most important things a child can learn is that the only perfect advice is God’s. God’s answers are unique wisdom that can only be gained by “calling on him.” One of the reasons parents need to “wean” their children spiritually, is so that their children will learn to turn to God for the answers that are “hidden” and that cannot be “known” any other way. That is a lesson that will carry them through life (and it can make the high school and college years a little less stressful for parents).

5. Prayer will teach your children that when they make a mistake, there is help and forgiveness available to them, to make it right. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Prayer will help your children understand God’s will for their lives, and that nobody makes perfect choices. Prayer is the first and best response when your children need discipline. Prayer teaches them that God knows their failure and has a plan to redeem. When a parent prays with their child and asks God for wisdom to know how to discipline, the child is much more likely to learn from that discipline. Your child will learn that they need to make their mistakes right with God and right with others. Prayer will show your child that there is both consequence and forgiveness for mistakes and teach them that God redeems for his greater purpose (Romans 8:28).

We know that our children must be weaned physically if they are to grow and become successful adults. God calls us, as parents, to wean our children spiritually as well. Prayer is one of the best ways to introduce your toddler to God. A prayer-filled life will teach children to grow from a toddler relationship to a strong walk with God as their King. Our kids deserve the chance to become all that God has called them to be and prayer is key to providing them that opportunity.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you” (Jeremiah 29:11-12).

* Originally published on March 17, 2015

What is your Kingdom purpose?

It was really warm in Washington, D.C. this weekend and I was glad to find a cool spot to sit down when we reached the Jefferson Memorial. Jim and I had been invited to the capitol city by a friend, so that we could attend an important dinner at an ambassador’s home. It was an interesting evening in a room full of interesting people. Before we attended the dinner, we spent the afternoon at the National Mall, revisiting the historic sites. I heard some interesting discussions by the speakers at the dinner, but the words that I came home thinking about were from the Jefferson Memorial. As I sat on that cool bench, reading one of Thomas Jefferson‘s quotations, I understood my Kingdom purpose. Do you know yours?

Your Kingdom purpose is the service God has gifted you to perform, that has eternal value. More specifically, your Kingdom purpose is that thing you do, that you don’t do – but that God does through you. When last did you see God at work in your life, and the end result was people encountered God in their own lives? Chances are, the answer to that question is your Kingdom purpose.

Here are the words I read on the wall of the Jefferson Memorial, that voiced why I get up and go to work each week:

“Almighty God hath created the mind free. All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens…are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion…No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion. I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively.”

Almighty God created us with free will – with a mind that is free to believe anything it chooses. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Jim and I have come to expect this question: “Now what is it you two are doing now?” It was easy for people to understand our ministry when it was about pastoring a local church. I often say that God has called Jim out of the church in order to minister to the Church, the body of believers. Jefferson’s quote gave me some clarification this weekend. Our mission field is no longer defined by a building and those that do, or should, attend it. Our mission field is the American mind. Our Kingdom purpose is to speak, teach, write and help people to think and act with biblical values.

“God hath created the mind free . . . I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively.”

The religion of Thomas Jefferson is the subject of debate. I’ll leave that to God’s divine judgment. It is difficult to know if Thomas Jefferson trusted Jesus as his Savior, it is simple to know that he trusted Jesus’ wisdom. Thomas Jefferson once said, “I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ.” Jefferson felt that the morality found in Scripture should be the moral code of any society, especially a society that had been given the freedom to think and act according to their personal values. You will see biblical values upheld throughout the Constitution of the United States.

The dinner we attended on Friday evening was an interfaith group that is working to bring people of all faiths to a table of common good – a shared sense of morality, even if they don’t share the same faith. Thomas Jefferson would have agreed with the value of having such a room. He said:

“If the morality of one man produces a just line of conduct in him acting individually, why should not the morality of one hundred men produce a just line of conduct in them acting together?” –Thomas Jefferson to J. Madison, 1789.

I want the citizens of our country to live and think with biblical morality, even if they don’t live with biblical faith. I believe that way of thinking would promote our best life on earth. But I won’t ignore my Kingdom purpose because our life on earth is just a small part of our existence. I want people to know Jesus – so they can have eternal life. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

What is your Kingdom purpose? Don’t rest until you know the answer. That answer is the way you will influence others to know Christ and think biblically. That should be your motivation to go to work this week as well.

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What Does It Mean To Mock God?

That is the question that kept coming to my mind, after Dan Patrick’s tweet was being volleyed about in the news. I will probably get into a bit of trouble with this blog, but I have to write it. I decided to spend a good amount of time studying the passage, thinking about the news, and trying to find an answer to the question. When does a person “mock God?”

I have often said that I think Galatians 6:1–10 is one of the most provable, practical passages in the Bible. We think of Scripture in terms of chapter and verse, but that was not how it was written. Paul’s letters need to be read as letters, from start to finish. The epistles are popular because every word came from Paul’s Spirit-led heart, and he wrote to churches he loved.

Paul wrote to the church in Galatia because they were struggling to maintain the Christian doctrine they had been taught. Teachers had come to the city, insisting that Gentile Christians needed to enter into Jewish practices, like circumcision, if they were to truly be accepted by God. At the same time, Gentile believers were teaching that no matter what a person did, they could be forgiven. Many Gentiles wanted to maintain some of their sinful practices and used the message of forgiveness to distort spiritual truth.

The book of Galatians is among the most relevant books for the American culture. Galatians 5 ends with one of my favorite passages in Scripture. The gist: Christians are to live by the power, purpose, and priority of God’s Holy Spirit. That is what it means to be “Spirit-led.” God’s people have often wanted “five easy steps” to forgiveness or “ten ways to know God’s will.” The truth: God gave us his Holy Spirit so that we could “keep in step” with him (Galatians 5:25).

Paul, in chapter 6, calls the mature, Spirit-led Christians to restore the brothers and sisters who have fallen away from the standards of the Christian faith. Paul tells the mature Christians to be careful, because it will be tempting to trip over our own set of sins while trying to help others with theirs.

It is then Paul writes verse 7, the now famous tweet, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” What does it mean to “mock God?” I’ll let God’s word provide the answer.

“As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same” (Job 4:8).
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

Basically, a person mocks God when they think they can live apart from his laws. We can’t plant carrot seeds and think we will grow squash. We mock God if we think we can jump out of a tree and defy the law of gravity. We mock God if we think we can fool God because we can fool others. We mock God if we think we are more intelligent, more forward thinking, or more advanced than his Word. We mock God’s word if we try to change it.

Jesus was teaching that truth to his disciples in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1–23). Every farmer understands the laws of nature and works accordingly. God can forgive a sin, and remove our punishment, but the consequences of our choices remain.

We can choose not to love a person and God can forgive our sin, but there is still a broken heart and a damaged witness. God can forgive us our reckless driving, but there is still a ticket to be paid and a car that is damaged. God can forgive sexual sin, but there are still people who have been hurt, disease that has spread, and even children born, or aborted.

When that man entered the bar with the intention to kill, God’s laws were broken, and the consequences will endure. God grieves every child lost and he grieves every sin that separated those people from his love and direction. God grieves the rallies, the politics, and the obscuring of his truth, whether that takes place in the media or in the church.

God’s word has always been the same, and he cannot be mocked. When people break his laws, there are always consequences. That is true for the shooter, the people in the bar, and the people in the church. God loves all of us and wants us to spend our days on earth Spirit-led. He gave us Scripture so we could understand how to live our earthly lives and how to live one day in heaven. God’s word, like God, cannot be mocked. Truth cannot be a lie.

There are so many people who want to be loved in this world. They are lonely, broken, and looking for something or someone to meet their needs. There, but for the grace of God, go we. I know this is a controversial statement, but I have lived with this thought since I heard the news of Dan Patrick’s tweet. It has been proven that the tweet was randomly scheduled, before the events that occurred in Orlando. The tweet has been labeled “unfortunate,” “random,” “racist,” “homophobic,” “insensitive,” “slanderous” and many other things.

I couldn’t escape this thought: what if that very public, scheduled tweet was not random at all? What if God was saying to the world, and especially to Christians, my word cannot be mocked? What if God was reminding believers of the great solution found in the book of Galatians? God is calling his Church, the body of Christ, to be Spirit-led. Galatians was written to believers. What if Dan Patrick’s tweet was as well?

This article was originally published on June 21, 2016 and makes reference to the Orlando nightclub shooting that occurred on June 12, 2016, where 49 people were killed and 53 injured.

The ancient roads aren’t paved at all

We’ve been in ministry for a long time now, and our most important lessons have been learned by living our faith journey with biblical truth. Don’t let anyone convince you that the faithful life is always easy and filled with joy. It never has been, and it never will be. It is rewarding, blessed, fulfilling, and often an uphill effort.

Walking God’s ancient road to heaven isn’t the easiest way to live our lives, but it is the road that takes us where we want to go.

The “road to hell is paved”

The familiar words say, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” I find it interesting that we are supposed to think the road to hell is paved. The familiar saying isn’t a biblical concept, but the fact the road is paved actually is.

Proverbs 14:12 is ancient wisdom. The proverb says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Scripture spoke of the “ancient road” as the more difficult path to follow, but it was also the path that led people to heaven. The easy path is the road that seems right but isn’t. Taking the easy way, or the popular way, is often taking the wrong road. The prophets were called to preach the truth people needed to know, even when it wasn’t what they wanted to hear.

It would seem like every generation of humanity has wanted this life to be easier than it turns out to be. I’ve always squirmed a bit at Jesus’ words when he said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13–14).

Jesus’ words to his disciples were really clear and clearly sobering. Living a holy life in this unholy world will not be an easy or widely popular road. Jesus said the way is hard and few find it.

If the road to hell is paved, it is a much easier road to walk. It “seems right to man” and it has a lot more people to walk alongside. The road to heaven is often a difficult journey, a narrow road that requires constant direction to navigate. The only way to walk that path is to be willing and determined to do whatever it takes to reach the end.

Ancient paths require ancient truth

The prophet Jeremiah is sometimes called “the weeping prophet.” He preached to the people of Judah when Josiah was king of Judah. Jeremiah’s dad had been a priest so he grew up knowing the ancient truths about God and the nation of Israel. As the nation turned more and more to the worship of Baal, God made his truth very clear.

God told Jeremiah to tell his people what to expect if they wanted to make the journey to his eternal Presence and blessing. Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Thus says the Lᴏʀᴅ: ‘Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.’ But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”

Sometimes the journey to heaven is filled with paths that can appear too difficult to walk and may seem unfairly narrow. Jeremiah and King David questioned God, saying, “Why do the evil prosper?” It is tempting to live this life on the roads that are most popular and easier to enjoy. We have to consider the destination more important than the journey.

God told Jeremiah to ask for the ancient paths. Why?

The answer to that question might be the most important part of this blog post and a change point in your spiritual journey.

Our culture is full of “fresh ideas” and “new thinking.” Many of our churches are leaning that way as well. All is good if the fresh ideas and new thinking are still based on ancient truth. Scripture teaches us that Jesus was with God in the beginning (John 1:1) and that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

If someone believes today what Christians have never believed before, their theology is not going to carry them down the ancient paths that lead to heaven. On the other hand, there is a new movement beginning among some Christians in college today who are looking for ancient, proven truth. They are a generation that recognizes the abundance of confusion and discord in popular thinking and have learned to appreciate what has always been considered true.

Ancient paths require ancient, eternal truth. The ancient paths are “the good way,” and it is on those paths we can find “rest” for our “souls.”

The question for each individual to consider is: Will I walk in it?

Have we forgotten the ancient truth?

Jeremiah 18:15 reveals God’s heart for his people: “But my people have forgotten me; they make offerings to false gods; they made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient roads, and to walk into side roads, not the highway.”

There is a higher way to live our lives and it depends on the ancient, eternal truth of God’s word. God’s definition of truth doesn’t change, but people’s interpretations of his truth have always drifted, then returned, only to drift again—throughout centuries of biblical history.

Every generation in Christian history gets some things right and other things wrong. We are a fallen people who need their Lord to direct their daily walk. Jesus offers to guide us along the ancient path but the question remains, “Will we choose to walk it?”

Tough journeys require a great God

None of us wish for the difficult parts of this road, but it is the road that takes us to the place we need to be. We learn to trust doctors to save our lives. Some of you have experienced the pain of difficult treatments that while painful at the time, have led to your healing.

Shouldn’t we all consider that crucial thinking for our spiritual lives as well?

As Christians, each of us has our own journey and that will be a difficult road at times. We should want to walk the ancient paths of God’s eternal truth because that road leads us to heaven. It isn’t the easier, paved road of popular thinking; it is the proven path of ancient truth. It’s the road to “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

I hope all of us will choose to say, “Yes, Lord. I am willing.”

That narrow gate is an uphill effort at times but worth every step that draws us closer to our eternity with God.

The Prodigal’s Mother

I’ve taught the parable of the prodigal son from Luke, chapter 15, many times. It never occurred to me until today to ask, “Where was his mother?” I understand the parable should probably be titled the parable of the loving father. The story is much more about the father than the son. Nevertheless, there isn’t a mom anywhere in the picture. Why did Jesus leave her out of his parable? I think I might have the answer. Consider the story of the prodigal son if Dad was gone that day and Mom had been left to deal with her teenage son.

The story of the prodigal son, as found in 1 Janet, chapter 15:

There was a mother who had two sons. The younger one said, “Mom give me my share of the inheritance.” The mom replies, “I don’t think so. But if there is something you need just let me know.” The son makes up a fantastic story of great need and his mother says, “Well, I want you to fit in with the rest of your friends, so by all means, let me give you what you want.” Not long after that, the son goes to the pawn shop and sells the things he had convinced his mom he needed, takes the cash and heads to Vegas. She continues to check on him each day, believing that he is working 9-5 at the office, even when the loud bells of the slot machines in the background should indicate otherwise. She suggests he come home for dinner and believes him when he says he has to work late. In fact, she hangs the phone up, proud that her son is working so hard. One day, the phone rings and her son says he has made some bad investments, and he has been wrongly arrested for tax evasion. He asks her to come and bail him out of jail—and oh, by the way, did I mention I had moved to Vegas? She responds, “No, why didn’t you tell me?” Her son says, “because I wanted to surprise you with my new wife.” As the doorbell rings, her son says, “And she and my new baby need to stay with you for awhile.” The mother, with great excitement, runs to the door asking, “Is it a boy or a girl?” As she opens the door, she sees a young woman with orange hair, dressed in camo, carrying a small pink bundle. She shouts to her older son, who has been living in the basement for the last six years. (The job market is tough for college graduates!) She tells her older son, “Quick, clean up down there. You need to move out to the garage. Your brother’s new wife and child have just come home!” Needless to say, the older brother is upset. He shouts, “But mom, there is no television or internet connections in the garage!” His mother says, I’ll get it installed later today – but right now, I need to get to Vegas and bail your brother out of jail . . . before your dad gets home.”

Now you know why there is no mother in the parable of the prodigal son! She wouldn’t have stood there and watched HER son walk away! She would have run down that road—and bribed him to come home! I have often mentioned Jesus’ parable when I speak to a room full of moms, and I usually make this point. If you have a prodigal in your family, ask God for strength and wisdom, but let those kids own their consequences—fully own them. The greatest need your child has in this world is God and the salvation the heavenly Father has provided through his son, Jesus. If your child is going to “return to the Father” because of a pig sty, then that pig sty is where you want your child to be. Don’t do your best to keep your children from consequences; do your best to help those kids experience EVERY ONE of them. Allow your prodigal to fail, and even suffer if necessary. And tell his older brother to move out and get a job! No one wants to be a Prodigal’s Mother – but if you end up with one, do everything necessary to send them to that pig sty – praying they will “come to their senses” (Luke 15:17) just like the parable teaches!

“Train your child up in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6). A proverb is not a promise. It is a statement of general truth. No matter how well you parent, you cannot parent away your child’s free will. If you train your child, he will probably turn out great – when he is old. It’s those other years that might have a pig sty or two!

This blog post was originally published in July of 2012

The Giver: a Christian perspective

I’m not sure why I missed seeing the movie, The Giver, but I will try to see it soon. I remember seeing the trailer in the theater and thinking I needed to see it. Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges and Katie Holmes seemed like a promising cast, and I remembered that one or both of my sons had read the novel when they were in school.

Recently, I was in a bookstore looking for another book when I saw The Giver, by Lois Lowry, on the same table. I picked up a copy and decided to purchase it. I read The Giver on a recent flight and barely noticed the four hours pass. If you have been reading my blog posts for a while, or if you know me, you know that I love a great book. A great book should be entertaining, but it should also cause a person to think. Lois Lowry won the Newberry Award for The Giver because she wrote a great book.

After I finished reading the book, I did a little research. Spark Notes described Lowry’s inspiration to write her novel:

“She was inspired to write The Giver—which won the 1994 Newbery medal—after visiting her elderly father in a nursing home. He had lost most of his long-term memory, and it occurred to Lowry that without memory there is no longer any pain. She imagined a society where the past was deliberately forgotten, which would allow the inhabitants to live in a kind of peaceful ignorance. The flaws inherent in such a society, she realized, would show the value of individual and community memory: although a loss of memory might mean a loss of pain, it also means a loss of lasting human relationships and connections with the past.”

The Giver is not a Christian novel, but if I were doing a review, I would be able to point out what a Christian should learn from the story. When I finished reading the novel, I couldn’t help but compare the colorless, or boring, society that allowed individuals to live in “peaceful ignorance” to the untrue perception many non-Christians have of those who live in faith.

Christianity is often described as a “crutch” or a way some people choose to avoid dealing with the realities of life and death. Non-Christians often believe a life of faith to be rigid, routine and restricted—often colorless or boring. I can see how someone could read The Giver and believe it was a condemnation of religion while another might read it and believe it to be supportive of faith. I can see others read it and believe it has nothing to do with faith at all.

In the introduction to the latest edition of the novel, Lois Lowry describes some of the comments she has received from people over the years. She said a Trappist monk had written to say he considered the book a sacred text. Another man had escaped a cult that he had been raised in and his psychiatrist recommended he read The Giver. One mother read the book because it had been assigned to her child at school. She wrote to tell Lowry that she was clearly a disturbed person and she hoped the author would get some help.

I liked what Lowry had to say about the multitude of comments she had received over the years. She wrote, “A book, to me, is almost sacrosanct; such an individual and private thing. The reader brings his or her own history and beliefs and concerns, and reads in solitude, creating each scene from his own imagination as he does. There is no fellow ticket-holder in the next seat.” I would agree with her words as they apply to every book except the greatest book in history, the Bible.

The Holy Bible had a holy Author, with a perfect purpose. Billions of people have read its pages and been able to come to the same, important conclusions. We read the Bible with our imaginations, but the words we read were not imagined. Scripture was creative, but each truth was created. The Bible was not written to describe a “peace filled life of ignorant bliss.” The Bible was written to guide people to the peace filled life that will certainly exist for all eternity. We don’t live with full understanding. In 1 Corinthians 13:12 Paul writes, “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” We live with hope because we live with God’s promise of eternity.

The Giver ends with the main character escaping the created utopia because he discovered that even though the real world had suffering and pain, it was better than a world with no joy. Joy, as the novel teaches, cannot exist without the understanding of pain and suffering. Success in The Giver is described as choosing to live in the real, yet fallen world. Success in the Bible is described as choosing to live in the fallen world for the sake of heaven.

The Giver is a great book that makes a person think. It is written for young people, but it was meaningful to me, a “not-so-young person.” I love a great book, but I respect and do my best to govern my life by the only perfect book. Paul taught his young protégé, Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Giver is a great novel but the real “Giver” is the One whose breath created your Bible. Enjoy the novel, but live by God’s Word.

This blog post was originally published on November 18, 2014.