Realigning our faith

I hate it when I make a quick U-turn and hit the curb with my front tire. In that moment several thoughts fly through my mind:

  • Why didn’t I just wait for the arrow?
  • Why didn’t I gauge the distance more accurately?
  • Why didn’t I just take a different route?
  • I wonder if I knocked the front end out of alignment?
  • I wonder if I should get it looked at?

Usually I adopt a “wait and see” attitude. Eventually, I might notice the car is pulling just a bit or riding a little less smoothly when I am sailing down the highway. In a month or two, I might notice the extra wear on one edge of the tire. 

It isn’t until I actually notice some damage that I take the time to make the appointment to get an alignment. I should have fixed it sooner, but now I realize that I don’t want the problem to get worse than it already is.

Realigning our faith

That’s often how it goes with our spiritual lives too. If you are a consistent reader of this blog post, you are probably not a person that ends up crashing your walk with God very often. Most Christians who spend time reading a blog like this one are people who care about their spiritual lives and living for God’s Kingdom purpose.

That said, all Christians will hit a curb once in a while, and our souls will need a realignment with God. The Lenten season is a great time to give thought to that purpose.

Is your soul showing a bit of wear around the edges? Is your walk with God a tad shaky, especially when life hits a higher speed? Do you feel pulled in some directions that you shouldn’t want to go? 

Jesus said that we should love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, and with all of our mind (Matthew 22:37). Jesus left his throne in glory and took on flesh so that he could die for every sin and weakness in our lives. Jesus died at Easter knowing that every Christian would need his sacrifice for their eternity and his Spirit for their daily spiritual lives this side of heaven.

How then can we submit to Jesus as our master mechanic and ask him to realign our souls with his Kingdom purpose? Easter is coming and we want to experience the Via Dolorosa with our Lord.

Jesus knew how to maintain his soul.

We don’t know who wrote the book of Hebrews, but we know he was a Jewish Christian who lived with a powerful knowledge of God through his Son. 

Hebrews 3–4 are amazing words of encouragement to God’s people to enter into the “rest” that our Christian faith offers. The Jewish people had been raised to live with a constant awareness of their sins so they could make the necessary sacrifices. There were so many rules to follow in order to feel like they were right with God.

Jesus and the New Covenant changed many things, nothing more significant than the New Covenant walk of faith. The sacrifice Jesus made at Easter was so that we would know, with certainty, we could rest with confidence in our salvation.

The author of Hebrews described Jesus saying, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

I’ve often wondered what Jesus was tempted by during his life. We know his original temptations after his baptism, but Scripture doesn’t describe what tempted Jesus two months or two years after that. We do know that Jesus understood the need to be constantly filled with God’s power. 

  • Jesus withdrew to be alone with God and pray.
  • Jesus left certain situations behind.
  • Jesus wept, laughed, healed, encouraged, taught, and even became angry – all without sinning.

Jesus experienced a real life, in a real human body, and he experienced our human frailties. Jesus was the only one whose life never got out of alignment with God.

Draw near to Jesus and you draw near to God.

Have you ever imagined the reunion of Jesus with his Father in heaven? I will never fully understand the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. I do like to picture Jesus returning to heaven and running into the waiting Presence of God. Jesus must have been overwhelmed with the joy of, once again, being with his Abba, face to face.

The author of Hebrews encouraged his readers to approach Jesus like Jesus approached God.

He wrote, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

One of the best indicators that life is out of alignment with God is our approach to God.

When we have realigned our lives with God’s Kingdom purpose, we can approach him with confidence. When we have received the forgiveness that the blood of Jesus has provided us, we approach the throne of grace. We know that God’s grace is ours, and he stands ready to help us in our time of need. Easter reminds us that Jesus died so we could rest in the certainty of God’s amazing grace.

When our souls doubt the love, grace, and mercy of God, we can know that our souls are out of alignment with the “rest” that Jesus died to provide.

Your realignment will please God today.

Your Easter faith will please God. Easter faith understands the purpose and provision of God through the gift of his Son. God wanted us to be his children too.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” 

Our Easter faith will align us with God’s holy purpose in Christ. God stands ready to reward your faith in Christ and your desire to seek his guidance for your life.

Everyone hits a curb, for one reason or another. The gift of Easter is a free and perfect alignment anytime we draw near to our master mechanic with confident faith. You can walk with him today knowing you can be at perfect rest in your salvation. This Easter season will be blessed when you make the choice to realign your life with Jesus as your holy King.

 

Barbara Bush’s Genuine Pearls

A New York Times article called Barbara Bush “soft power in fake pearls.” Many of our nation’s first ladies have worn pearls, but none as famously as Mrs. Bush. In fact, her famous three-strand necklace is still sold by Kenneth J. Lane on his website. (I provided the link in case you are in the market!) The former first lady once teased that if she removed her pearls “her head would fall off.” She was wearing those pearls on the evening I had the privilege of shaking her hand. That was a BIG moment for me!

I like the message her three-layered strand of faux pearls said about her personality and character. She wore them to the inaugural ball in 1989 with a designer dress and an old pair of comfortable, inexpensive shoes. Her “ensemble” was a picture of who she chose to be as a first lady and as a person. She was more interested in having values than owning valuables.

A lot of things have been said about Barbara Bush since her death. But I have been most impressed with the things she said while she was living. As I read various quotes attributed to her, I realized I was reading genuine pearls of wisdom. Jesus told a parable about living life on earth for the sake of heaven. He said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45–46). In the ancient world, a pearl and the mother-of-pearl from the shell were highly esteemed for ornaments and decoration. In addition, the word pearl also symbolized wisdom of great value.

King Solomon said, “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Proverbs 4:7). So, as a way of honoring the life of Barbara Bush, I wanted to share a few of Mrs. Bush’s “pearls of wisdom” and the biblical wisdom from her words.

Barbara Bush wanted to live life without regrets. She is most often quoted with these words: “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict and not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.” Romans 12:9–10 says, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” In honor of Mrs. Bush, who could you spend some extra time with this week?

When Mrs. Bush lost her young daughter to leukemia, everything in her life gained a different perspective. She grew to understand more fully the blessings in life that matter most. She said, “When all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family and friends.” We have been inordinately blessed, and we know that.” The apostle Paul was at the end of his life when he told Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:5–7). “Faith, family and friends” is a good list of the things that matter most.

At the end of her life, Barbara Bush said, “I know there is a great God, and I’m not worried.” Mrs. Bush had the gift of knowing that her life was coming to an end. I like to imagine her picking up her Bible to find strength, comfort, and encouragement for herself and her family. I imagine her reading Jesus’ words to his disciples when he said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1–3). Mrs. Bush knew God, knew Jesus was her salvation, and knew heaven was her promise.

You might wonder if the quotes above were simply parts of a speech that had been written for her. How do we know that Mrs. Bush truly believed in what she told others? I read an interesting article written by one of her former Secret Service agents, Jonathan Wackrow. The article told several stories about Mrs. Bush that described her life as consistent with her words. I think those things were summed up in the last piece of information he gave. Mr. Wackrow said, “The United States Secret Service code name for Barbara Bush was ‘Tranquility.’ It exemplified her demeanor and its calming, humanizing and gentle effect on those around her. She will be forever missed.”

If Barbara Bush could say one more thing to us today, I think she would want us to know her most recent joy. As she walked through those gates of pearl and saw her daughter again, and all those other people she has loved, she also saw Jesus. If she could leave one more pearl of wisdom for this world, I think she would repeat the words of Paul and Silas when they told their Philippian jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31).

That knowledge is the truth about God’s kingdom and the genuine pearl of wisdom that is worth everything we have.

A Modern Parable of Success

Dan munched on his chicken sandwich as he watched the long lines of people waiting outside. His anger welled as his neighbors continued to leave their money in the hands of the undeserving. No one carried his banner. No one shouted in protest. One by one, each neighbor filed in and left their support for the message and the mess. Dan finished his lunch, lost in his grief, alone in his anger. Another storefront, another success—another reason to wave his fist at the truth. He ordered a milk shake and some more waffle fries, then scowled at the cow who wished him a good day. He finished his milkshake on the subway, threw the evidence away, and thought, “Maybe my words will change some minds.”

A parable is a story designed to teach a truth or a moral lesson. Today’s parable is based on a story in the New Yorker magazine. “Dan” wrote an article that is making lots of headlines and helping Chick-fil-A make a lot of extra sandwiches.

Dan Piepenbring titled his recent article Chick-fil-A’s Creepy Infiltration of New York City. The reporter is angry at the company because, in his words, “New York has taken to Chick-fil-A. One of the Manhattan locations estimates that it sells a sandwich every six seconds, and the company has announced plans to open as many as a dozen more storefronts in the city. And yet the brand’s arrival here feels like an infiltration, in no small part because of its pervasive Christian traditionalism.”

Dan Piepenbring doesn’t like much about Dan Cathy’s company. He wrote about the Bible verses that “adorn” the headquarters and pans the statue in the courtyard of Jesus washing his disciple’s feet. He mentioned the company’s motto, “Treat every person with honor, dignity, and respect,” as flawed because of Cathy’s stand for Christian family values.

But, here is the real point of the parable. Dan’s article was inspired while he sat in the new Chick-fil-A, eating his lunch. It was opening day for the new twelve-thousand-square-foot franchise, and he was waiting to see his fellow New Yorker’s protest the establishment. He wrote, “When the first stand-alone New York location opened, in 2015, a throng of protesters appeared. When a location opened in a Queens mall, in 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a boycott. No such controversy greeted the opening of this newest outpost.” Dan had come to see his community protest Chick-fil-A and watched their support instead.

Here is what I hope the parable will mean to Christians. First, Chick-fil-A has stood for biblical values from the beginning. They have received a lot of criticism, a lot of protest, and suffered a lot of persecution from the anti-Christians in our culture. Now, they are one of the most successful fast-food chains in the country. What does their example say to all of God’s people about the power of God and his desire to bless a godly witness?

Second, as a Christian, how do you feel about Dan? I admit my first thoughts were not God’s. I felt victorious because Chick-fil-A was “winning.” I felt smug because Dan’s angry words didn’t stand up against the obvious success of the company’s expansion. And then I thought about Dan and went back to the parable to insert the sentence about him as “lost in his grief” and “alone in his anger.” That is the real point of the parable.

Chick-fil-A isn’t winning the war. It is simply a company doing its part to fight some battles. They are consistently providing the food people want even when those people disagree with their message. Is the same true for our lives?

It doesn’t matter that the “words” I write in this blog post are about God if the way I live my life in the world is not godly. Jesus said, “By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 ESV).

Two chapters later, in John 15:18–21, Jesus teaches the real point of my parable. He said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.”

People like Dan misunderstand the ways of God. They are lost and alone, separated from the God who sent Jesus. And Jesus sends us today. Our words aren’t enough. The power of God is unleashed through our works which give credibility to our words.

Chick-fil-A’s story is a parable to all of God’s people today. We need to notice people like Dan, sit down at their table, and bravely share God’s love with him. A lot of people are lost and alone because they don’t know “the one” who sent Jesus so they could be saved. Who is Jesus going to send you to this week? Christian success, blessing, and probably some persecution will come from saying, “Here I am. Send me.”

The point of the parable: We have great food. Are we working as hard as Chick-fil-A to provide it?

One Word That Makes All the Difference

The word is “whatever.”  Interestingly, that word was labeled one of the top five annoying words in 2016. The meaning of the word depends a lot on the attitude behind the person using it. The Bible uses the word whatever about 173 times, depending on your translation and, when the word is used biblically, it makes all the difference.

God used the word whatever in the very beginning to show us the difference between human beings and the rest of creation. People were created in the image of God and he honored us with the power of choice.  He had just finished creating all the living things on earth and he brought them to Adam. Scripture says, “Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19).

Imagine if God had presented those animals for Adam to name, but Adam felt he had something better to do. Adam could have glanced at all those animals and flippantly tossed his hand saying “whatever” and a trip to the zoo would be a much different experience.

Almost every time the word “whatever” is used, it’s because we have a choice to make. God created everything, but only human beings were created in his image, with the ability to choose. Whatever happens today, we can choose to look and act like God’s unique and powerful children or something less. The whatever verses in Scripture will help us choose what is best.

God instructed Moses to consecrate the altar saying, “Whatever touches the altar shall become holy” (Exodus 29:37). Those words give added meaning to the moment when the veil of the temple was torn, from top to bottom. Only God could have done that and only the death of Christ could make that holy altar available to everyone.  Whatever touches the altar of God is made holy, and Jesus gave everyone access to the altar. What do you need to bring to his altar today?

Later the Apostle Paul taught one of the most important things we can bring to God’s altar is our thoughts. If our thoughts are made holy, our actions will follow. Philippians 4:8 is possibly the best use of the word whatever in the Bible. The verse says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

When we take our thoughts to the altar of God, He will make them holy. What are holy thoughts?

  • God will make our thoughts true and separate them from the lies we might have believed.
  • Our thoughts will honor God and his purpose
  • Our thoughts will be just and we can see things with God’s perfect judgment
  • God can remove whatever is making our thoughts dark and purify them with his holiness
  • God can change our ugly thoughts to ideas and opinions that are lovely
  • Our thoughts can often condemn us and others. God can make them commendable instead.
  • God can make every thought excellent and worthy of praise.

So, whatever plans you have made for the day, remember that God created you with the ability to choose his holiness and Jesus provided everything you need to attain it. The altar is right in front of you, and the curtain is wide open. Whatever will you choose to do?

Leaving the Lanai

On our last morning in Hawaii, I couldn’t wait to grab my cup of coffee and sit on the lanai. There is something profoundly beautiful about watching waves during high tide, seeing the colors of the sunrise reflected on the clouds, and hearing the tropical birds call out to each other. Then, out of nowhere, a drone went buzzing by. So much for the deeper thoughts.

The young man sat next to a girl I hope was his wife. Like me, she was enjoying the beauty of the morning with a cup of coffee. Meanwhile, her guy was hunched over a little box trying to direct his drone where he wanted it to go. His frustration was evident as he continually lost sight of his buzzing distraction. He apparently lost track of it when it went over the water or the roof of the condo. The girl finished her coffee and eventually deserted him to go inside. The gardener finally chased off the guy with his bug sprayer, needing to spray the hedges. I hope tomorrow the young man chooses to sit on the bench and enjoy the sunrise—minus the drone.

The scene made me think about returning home to a busy work schedule, lots of laundry, and an empty fridge. I think I will miss having my morning coffee with the view from the lanai. It was a special place to view the powerful ocean and ponder the deeper thoughts about God. His creation is the only proof I need that God is an intelligence and power much greater than any man’s. I think that is what caused me to be sad for the young man. He was far more fascinated by his man-made drone than he was by God’s amazing creation displayed all around him.

I love that we have had the chance to get away and enjoy such a unique and different spot on this planet. It has been good to rest, but it will be good to get home too. I just don’t want to lose the deeper thoughts when I return to the regular moments of my daily schedule. It’s the old problem of leaving the mountaintop for the routine. But God didn’t call me to live on the mountaintop. I’m blessed to have been able to retreat there with him for a while.

Oswald Chambers said in My Utmost for His Highest, “We have all experienced times of exaltation on the mountain, when we have seen things from God’s perspective and have wanted to stay there. But God will never allow us to stay there. The true test of our spiritual life is in exhibiting the power to descend from the mountain.”

God wants us to spend unique moments with him during this lifetime. Those moments are a taste of what eternity will be like. But, God brings us to those times to be filled with the strength and character we need for our lives and ministries. The real takeaways from the mountaintop experiences are the truth and guidance God reveals while we were there. The mountaintop moments should change who we are, not just what we know.

I thought about God as I watched the young man and his drone. It will be a temptation when I return home to become so consumed with the details of daily life that I lose focus on the God who is life. The view from my den doesn’t compare with the view I have had on the lanai. On the other hand, the lanai never felt like home. It was always a place to visit and never a place to live. I’m glad for the mountaintop moments but happy God has called me to live and serve at home.

Oswald Chambers ends his devotion saying, “The mountaintop is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something. The moments on the mountaintop are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God’s purpose.” I imagine I will come to understand his purpose as the weeks and months ahead unfold.

I have a new image that will greet me each morning when I open my laptop. It will remind me of those wonderful moments on the lanai. I’ll enjoy the good memories, and then I will close my computer and go about the day. We serve an amazing God, and his creation is just a glimpse of his immeasurable intelligence and power. One day we will meet our Creator, and eternal life will be lived forever on his mountaintop. Until then, home is a house in Dallas, and I am happy to be there. But I can’t help but wonder how good the view and the coffee will be from the lanai on my eternal mansion. (In case God takes hints from a blogger . . .)

Let’s take a few moments today to consider the majesty in God’s creation around you. It may not be a spectacular ocean view, but God’s existence is seen throughout the world. Then let’s remember, what you can see on earth, or even be awed with on earth, is only a small glimpse of his greatness. All of us who are Christians have a LOT to look forward to!

The Small “g” gods

We recently spent time on the island of Kauai and enjoyed learning the history and culture of the island. We chose Kauai because it was the quieter and slower paced island in Hawaii. It’s called the Garden Island, and it is easy to see why.

We left Los Angeles and flew over the water for about six hours. All of us were excited when the pilot announced we could see Hawaii over the left wing. There is something comforting about seeing land. I can only imagine how Captain Cook felt when he first spied the islands. I was happy after six hours; he had been sailing from one land mass to the next for almost two years.

Cook landed on a beach in Kauai in 1778, becoming the first European to ever visit Hawaii. He named the series of land masses the Sandwich Islands, after the Earl of Sandwich, who had sponsored his explorations. Cook was in search of a Northwest passage around the North American continent when he ran across the Hawaiian Islands.

Cook and his crew arrived at a unique time for the native Polynesian people. They were celebrating the harvest, and Cook’s ship, with its large mast and size, caused the people to think Cook was associated in some way with a god they called Lono. As a result, Cook and his men were treated with the highest regard. Unfortunately, the European “guests” took advantage of the native people while they were there. Cook and his men stayed on the island for a month before setting sail, and a great deal of abuse took place during that time.

Captain Cook and his men encountered a strong storm shortly after setting sail. They were forced to turn back to Kauai. When the ship came into view, the people saw the mast had been broken and determined that these men could not be gods after all. This visit was filled with tension, and one of Cook’s long boats was stolen. Cook decided to kidnap the tribal king and hold him until the boat was returned. But the king’s warriors killed Cook and several of his men in retaliation. Those left on Cook’s ship watched the attack and then escaped to tell the story.

As I listened to the tour guide tell the story of Captain Cook, I wondered how one group of people could consider another group of people as gods. According to the narrative of history, the ship caused the confusion. The Polynesian people had never seen steel before and were convinced that it had to have been made by a god. The European men used the steel nails they had on board to trade for all kinds of things, including immoral favors with the local women.

False gods can wield great power if people choose to take advantage of the lies.

When God issued the Ten Commandments, the first one said, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). The next commandment said, “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them” (Exodus 20:4–5). The European sailors held up a nail and used it to manipulate and abuse other people. They knew it was just a nail but allowed others to consider it an idol. If God listed those two commandments first, could it be that he knew that false gods and idols would always be the most pervasive sins of people?

Most museums hold icons and carved images of things that native cultures considered gods. The Greeks and Romans had a pantheon of gods. Native Americans worshiped things in nature. The Polynesian people carved gods out of bone and were quick to assume what they did not understand could be explained as a god. I wonder how different the history and culture of the Hawaiian people might have been if those European sailors had told the truth. I wonder if Captain Cook would have lived to sail other voyages and create other maps.

All cultures know there is a power and force greater than themselves. Paul wrote, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:18–23).

Ungodliness and futile thinking produce false gods. Creation was supposed to remind the created that there is a God who is far superior to any man or woman. Yet, every culture has created false gods in order to feel wise, even powerful in themselves.

I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the idols or false gods I might have created. I know there is only one true Creator God. I believe in the salvation he provided in Jesus. I believe the Bible. I don’t have a carved image I worship as a god. So, do I really have a problem with the first and second commandments?

I think the answer is found in Psalm 115:4. That verse says, “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.” Everyone tends to create and worship idols we have successfully produced in our own life. As I sit typing this blog, with a view of the same vast ocean that Captain Cook sailed, I am reminded of the true power in this world and the smallness of everything else. I appreciate all that human hands have made, but I will do my best not to worship those things. Every culture has idols, but God has given us his creation to remind us that he is supreme. Let’s choose to worship him today and give him the glory for all he has provided.

The God Daniel Knew

March is a great time to live in Texas. While much of the country is still shoveling snow, Texans are watching the early hints of spring sprout from the ground and bud on trees. We have almost turned the corner on another winter and spring is on the way. The seasons measure the forward progress of time, and they remind us of the constant and consistent work of our divine God.

The prophet Daniel is one of the most exceptional people in the Bible. I’m sure he made mistakes; he was a human being. But Daniel had a faith-walk with God that gifted him with wisdom and abilities only the Holy Spirit could provide. Daniel knew God and he helped others, even King Nebuchadnezzar, to know God as well.

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him. He called for his advisors in the middle of the night and demanded they offer him an interpretation. When someone asked him to describe his dream, the king refused. Nebuchadnezzar believed that a true prophet would be able to know the dream as well as the interpretation. The men said it was impossible to do what Nebuchadnezzar was requesting. The king was so angered that he ordered the execution of these men who served as his advisors.

When Daniel heard what the king was planning to do, he called his friends together and they prayed. When Daniel went to sleep, God gave him a vision with the answers he needed to save himself, his friends, and the other Babylonian leaders as well. Daniel knew and understood the king’s dream.

Before Daniel went to speak to Nebuchadnezzar, he offered words of praise. Those words are one of the finest Old Testament descriptions of who God was, is, and always will be. Maybe it has been a while since you paused to praise God or consider his greatness. Maybe Daniel’s words should be yours today.

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king” (Daniel 2:20–23).

 What did Daniel know about God?

  • God is unchanging and worthy of praise. When was the last time you truly praised God?
  • God is always wise, always powerful. Do you search for wisdom and power somewhere else?
  • God is moving time forward, changing the seasons as a reminder of that progress. Do you embrace the progress or wish you could delay it?
  • God is the one who controls the “kings” of this world. Have you worried that things seem “out of control?”
  • God gives wisdom to those who are wise enough to seek it. How often do you ask God for his perfect wisdom?
  • God gives knowledge to people who will think like him. Do you know what to do with the wisdom God gives you?
  • God reveals deep things that we could not know of apart from his revelation. What was the last great truth or calling God revealed to you?
  • God is light, dispelling darkness. Does God light up the room when you enter?
  • God gives us the abilities we need to serve him and others. Do you know and trust you are able because you know and trust that God is able?

Daniel was who he was because he knew God. The secret of Christian success is not measured by all we accomplish for God. Instead, it is measured by all that God accomplishes through us. Our success begins with knowing God like Daniel knew him.

Take some time to praise God using Daniel’s words. And keep praising until the truth is proven true in your life. Daniel knew God. We can too. How many times will God manifest himself in your life before the leaves that are just beginning to bud fall to the ground next fall?

Time is moving forward. Praise God and serve him well.

Lessons from Daniel, Tim Tebow and Tony Dungy

Who would you rather have dinner with on the cruise ship? Daniel, Tim Tebow, Tony Dungy, Mike Pence or Joy Behar? If you have the gift of evangelism, you probably said “Joy,” but the rest of us would likely vote for one of the others. There is a lot of verbal slander these days from the non-Christian viewpoint but Christians should find a lot of comfort in recognizing the power of the Christian influence in our world.

Joy Behar made news a couple of weeks ago for slandering the Vice President’s faith. She said Pence’s religious beliefs were “scary” and a kind of “mental illness.” Those comments were a response to an interview on The View with Omarosa Manigault. Manigault said that Americans should be worried about Pence because he thinks Jesus speaks to him. Behar said, “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you.”

I won’t spend my time blogging about those comments. If you read this blog, you don’t need any convincing about which side of the argument has merit. Joy Behar would consider us mentally ill and scary. Omarosa would probably be worried about all of us who believe the Bible and God’s Holy Spirit are his voice. I pray both women are given the chance to recognize and know the voice of Jesus before they stand before Him.

I think it’s important for us to consider the power of a godly witness. I’m teaching Daniel, chapter one this week. I’ve often said that two of the people I look forward to meeting in heaven are Daniel’s mom and dad. The prophet was a young man when King Nebuchadnezzar’s soldiers captured and enslaved him. The first wave of captives were the best and the brightest from Israel and Daniel was in that group.  Daniel and his friends were powerful influences to the pagan Babylonian culture, and to every culture since.

Tim Tebow is the only minor league ankle sprain making headlines today. He recently tripped on a sprinkler and his opening game appearance has been delayed for several weeks. Tony Dungy received a lot of criticism for his pre-game interview with the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, Nick Foles, because they discussed the confidence that his Christian faith gave him for the game. Each of these men have lived with a vocal and influential Christian witness to our culture.

What lessons do these men teach us that we should learn and help others to learn?

We should speak up for our faith. Mike Pence was quick to respond to Joy Behar saying, “It’s just simply wrong for ABC to have a television program that expresses that kind of religious intolerance.” Tim Tebow received criticism for bowing to pray, wearing John 3:16 on his football black-eye paint, and for his position on sexual abstinence until marriage. Tony Dungy has been criticized for “preaching on air.” We should all be so lucky. Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Matthew 5:11).

We should recognize the powerful impact of an enduring witness. Daniel was a prophet in Babylon for about seventy-five years. Tebow was raised in a strong Christian home and continues to live with his convictions. Tony Dungy was an undrafted player in 1977 and was fired from his head-coaching job twenty-five years later. He preaches that God has always turned his trials into blessings. Dungy was honored at the age of sixty when elected into the Football Hall of Fame. During his acceptance speech he said, “The Lord has truly led me on a wonderful journey through 31 years in the NFL—through some temporary disappointments to some incredible joys.” The goal for every Christian is to be able to reach the end of our lives saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

Separate your life from the things that are ungodly. Daniel and his friends didn’t eat the food the Babylonians put in front of them. Instead, they honored their faith and only ate what was considered “clean” food. They were stronger and healthier for living in obedience to God and separating themselves from the unclean ways of the Babylonians. I don’t watch The View so Joy Behar has little, to no influence in my life. But I know the show is popular with a lot of people. I know the Christian women who have been hosts don’t stick around very long on that show. That ought to influence the Christian viewers to do the same. The word “holy” means to be set apart or dedicated to what is sacred. One of the common denominators of Daniel, Tim Tebow and Tony Dungy is the outstanding influence of their witness. They all stand out in the crowds, not for just what they say, but for their lives that give their words power. St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”

If I’m ever on a cruise ship with Joy Behar, Tony Dungy or Tim Tebow I will probably just pray about where I am seated. But I can’t help but think the Baked Alaska will taste better if I get to share dessert with Tony or Tim! For today, it is a good idea just to consider the opportunities we have. Help us Lord to preach your Gospel with our lives and, when necessary, with our words. We want to, and can, lead powerful lives of Christian influence.