Getting to the heart of it

Why are you a basket case?

Do you ever stop to wonder why you do what you do?  Why do you get up when you do?  Why do you eat the things you do?  Why do you hang around the people who you do?

I think this every morning when my kids wake up at 5:30 a.m.  Why do they get up early?  Why don’t I go to bed earlier in anticipation?  There are so many mysteries.  My (then) 5-year-old son, while on a trip to the airport one day, wondered why people smoke.  That was random.  Answers to that question vary, but even he understands there needs to be a reason for things.

I know the default answer is “because” but that is not the answer. There are reasons for everything.  It is just that people aren’t always honest about why they do what they do.

The thing we need to understand about God is that He sees and knows all.  God cannot be fooled like the people around you in your life can.

The Outside and Inside must Match 

To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. – Proverbs 21:3

This is what many of people do before God.  There is a thought that if I go to church sometimes, then I have done my duty for God.  It is somehow assumed that showing up and sitting in a pew or coming to youth group, somehow makes you a Christian.  Well, it doesn’t.

We went to the aquarium last week in Boston with the kids.  Let’s say that I jumped into the aquarium and started swimming with the fish.  Does that make me a fish?  No.  I am swimming with fish, but I am not a fish.  In order for that to happen, I would need to change drastically.

With God it can be the same sort of dynamic.  We go to him and say, look at what I have done for you.  I go to church, I help with VBS, I read my devotions most days, I try to be nice.  Do you know what God says? ”Keep your sacrifice, I want your heart.” He would rather you stop acting like a Christian and be one.

In recent years we were reminded about the Titanic.  We could use the Titanic as another picture of this.  There was a ship that was supposedly unsinkable that sank.  Why?  Because the ship was going too fast in water where icebergs were known to be.  The outside of the ship did not match the inside.  The captain (inside) thought it was fine to go that fast, but the ship (outside) didn’t agree.  When that happens, it sinks and people die.

If your outside and inside doesn’t match, your life will have the same problem.  You will sink and ultimately there is spiritual death when people don’t follow Jesus Christ.

 

Your motive?

Motives Must Line Up with Action

Are you ever kind to someone you think doesn’t deserve it, or hasn’t been kind to you?  Do you ever give to someone just because, without pretense or expectations of something in return?

There are motives for everything we do.

All a man’s ways seem right to him,
but the LORD weighs the heart. – Proverbs 21:2

My ways always seem like the right ways, or else why would I do them?  But, it is God who actually decides if it is good or not.  God is the only standard.  That means I can’t look at my life and say that I have done pretty good.  Instead, the true measurement comes from God in His Word.

Motives aren’t necessarily evil, we just need to be honest about why we do what we do.

So, why do you do what you do?  Do you love God, or do you just want to go through the motions to make people happy?  It is time to get real, don’t you think?

God must be Honored in All 

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that can succeed against the LORD. – Proverbs 21:30

God is over everything.  The world was created by Him and for Him.  So, even when things seem to be going great for those who do not follow God, there is always justice coming.God, as the true, right, perfect judge, will set things straight one day.  Our actions do matter and we need to understand that God sees everything.

You have the privilege of knowing God.  God desires your heart, not a bunch of actions.  Of course going to church is His will for you, but not in order to make Him love you or overlook your sin.  It is to help you grow in fellowship with Him, through the ministry of the Word of God and others.  It is not just an activity, it is a part of a relationship with God.

We need to have our priorities right.  We need to give our heart to God. We lay it out and trust the God who created it all, to handle it appropriately.  How is your heart?  Do you love God?  Are you committed to Jesus Christ?

This means asking tough questions.  This means thinking about why we think, say and do what we do.  In the end, the result is a closer relationship with God.  It is definitely worth it.

When the Mallow’s Flaming

There are lessons that we just need to learn from experience because it is there that the lesson really sticks.  I remember the times I get injured the most.  Usually these come after a warning like: “don’t touch that.”   Except we forget quickly and just don’t care until that moment when it all makes sense.  I guess that is the point of impact.

My boys have gotten quite good at making s’mores.  What amazes me is how many of them they can consume before I ever realize they have had one.  It is a real gift.  Of course who could possibly make a s’more without referencing the sandlot character Ham Porter and his ability to teach us all how to make one.

“First you take the graham, you stick the chocolate on the graham. Then you roast the ‘mallow. When the ‘mallow’s flaming… you stick it on the chocolate. Then cover with the other end. Then you scarf. Kind of messy, but good!” (Sandlot)

Lessons are sometimes hard ones

Despite my attempts to talk some sense into my kids, they insist that a burned marshmallow is equal to some sort of heavenly bliss.  Despite my warnings of “you’re going to point your eye out” they still light them on fire and watch them burn. Except the other night it was a little different.

Sure, the mallow was flaming, but that is where things got interesting.  My 6-year-old son, with the flick of his wrist, landed a piece of flaming marshmallow on his face.  Let’s just say that it hurt.  He claims that he lost control of his arm.  I guess that is one way to explain it.   I actually was reminded of that scene from Dennis the Mennis when he flicks the flaming marshmallow and it lands on Mr. Wilson’s head.  In our case, it burned some skin on his cheek.  He told me immediately that he learned a lesson.  What lesson is that?  “Don’t put hot marshmallow on your face.”  I guess that works. As a parent, this is a little funny because I have been telling them all along that this is what could happen if they did not be careful.

In ministry I am often reminded of this with people.  God’s Word warns us about the dangers of leaving His path.  We are shown how dangerous it is to let sin rule in our bodies.  We are warned about the wages of sin – death.  Yet, it takes often takes some dramatic event for us to really get it.  What would happen if we simply heard and listened to what God said the first time?  Well, let’s just say that the world would be a different place.  But, seeing as that is not the case, let’s learn from the mistakes we have made and the mistakes of other people.

There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death. – Proverbs 14:12

Gasoline, aloe and lukewarm milk don’t mix well.

Quick, hide, here he comes!

When people see you coming, what do they perceive?  That can be a difficult question to answer, but I believe it is important.  It is important because so much of what people know about Jesus Christ comes from their interaction with people who follow Him.  In other words, how we treat people with both our actions and also with the way we speak says a lot to people about Jesus Christ.

We are going to have a little fun today as we look at ourselves.  The overarching question here is: “What effect does the way you talk have on the people around you?”  What we want to see is where we are and how we essentially can adjust ourselves to God’s Word.

There is nothing that says summer like a campfire.  Sitting around burning wood has the ability to help people slow down and relax.  Fire, in its proper place, has many useful functions.  Take fire at the wrong place and time and there will be problems.  When you take fire and add gasoline you have a potentially deadly mix.

If your personality is what you would call a fiery one, you could have a hard time expressing love to people.  This will severely hinder relationships you have and ultimately push people away.

Gasoline 

Gasoline is an important material for our daily life, but it is also a highly dangerous substance.  We put it into our cars where a spark ignites it and it makes the car move.  If you take that gasoline out and throw a match on it, it is highly explosive and volatile.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

Now take the picture of the unstable nature of gasoline and apply it to your friends, co-workers, or your spouse. We all know what it takes to get the people closest to us worked up.  Some people take great pleasure in getting the people in their life all worked up.

This also has a lot to do with temper.   Hot tempered people are often hard to be around because you just never know when that sudden burst of rage will come from.

“A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.” Proverbs 15:18

When someone has a hot temper, it is as if they are taking a fire that is dying and stirring it up with gasoline.  The fight might not even have amounted to anything until they started to overreact. The phrasing here literally used is “cool it.”  Just cool it already!   A patient man will calm a conflict by exhibiting self-control.

Are you a hot-tempered, gasoline type person?

Aloe  

Seems like they are putting aloe in a lot of different lotions and things now.  But, Aloe Vera is a plant which has inherent soothing and  healing qualities to it, especially for burns.

“The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:14

Words can bring healing to someone, or words can crush a spirit.  Someone who operates as aloe, will bring healing words to a situation.  They understand that words mean something and therefore can hurt someone.  They also recognize that with their words they can speak words of healing into a situation.

” A man finds joy in giving an apt reply– and how good is a timely word.” Proverbs 15:23

 An aloe person is able to speak the right words into situations.  It might be a nice word, some piece of advice, or  a scripture that has some meaning for the circumstance.

Are you a healing words, aloe type person?

Lukewarm Milk

When I read through this the image of lukewarm milk came to mind.  I have had many times at a gathering where I have grabbed the milk and it has been warmer than I would have liked.  It wasn’t sour yet, just getting warm.  People who live this way with other people have the same influence on someone as a person who just poured a glass of milk and realized it is not as cold as it should be.  But, since they don’t want to be rude and waste it, they just drink it.  They do avoid that person in the future, creating a strained relationship.

“The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” Proverbs 15:33

People who are living life following Jesus Christ, desiring to be used by God, will have wisdom available to them because they are reading God’s Word.  They can then provide some meaningful words to others.  Those who think they know it all, but don’t have any substance to their answer, those are like lukewarm milk.

These are the loud mouth people in your life.  The people who have something to say about everything, but they have no idea what they are talking about.  They might be nice, but no one really takes them all that seriously.  You might fall for it once, but as soon as you take their advice and get hurt, you never come back.

Are you a meaningless words, know it all, lukewarm milk person?

What does this mean for you? 

“Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.” Proverbs 15:17  

The real motivator for all of this, the real substance for purpose in this, is love.  Love motivates us to encourage, to support, to pray for and uplift people with our words.  Love calls us to have some substance to our speech, to read the Bible and apply it to life in a way that is meaningful for others and ourselves.

This is a hard assessment because it causes us to critically consider how our lives are impacting other people.  Essential to this discussion is our love for God.  If we love God, then we need to set aside the temper and let God use us to love others.

 Make today a day that your words are used for healing and love, not for quarrels and meaningless talk. It will make a huge difference in the relationships you have with others. 

Being unique in a cookie cutter world.

There is nothing like Play-Doh, is there?  Kids will take that stuff and shape, create and build things for hours.  It is known for its flexible nature.  I could give 2 people a different piece of Play Doh, tell them to create an object and get two unique interpretations of that object.  Whereas if I were to give each person a cookie cutter and tell them to make hearts with it we would have virtually the same shape for each of them.

We live in a culture that tells us that we need to look or act a certain way based on our age.   Wear these clothes, talk like this, behave this way and you will be just another cookie cutter teenager, college student, or adult, who will maybe turn out alright, but waste a lot of time getting there.

You have so much more potential than that.  You are unique, not a cookie cutter.   What if we lived out our lives in the context of the identity we have in Christ?  In other words, what if we were happy being the unique people we are and less concerned about being a “normal” person.  Normal people don’t impact the kingdom of God like unique people do.  Normal  people don’t make a lasting impression on the lives of people like unique people do.

“If you have ever spent time with “Where’s Waldo” books you understand this.  The reason “where’s waldo” works is because they create a picture where a lot of things are the same and blend together. You would never take a picture of a single rose and ask, “Where’s the red rose?”   When there is contrast, things are easy to spot.

Scripture gives us some very practical ways we can stand out from the culture around us.  Here are a few from Proverbs 25.

Be Kind and Trustworthy

Now, I know this sounds overly simplistic, but consider what sort of drama you see among your people.  Is it more common to take revenge on someone, or to be kind to them?  Is it more common to tell secrets or to be trustworthy?   It is so easy just to laugh and point with the crowd, but to show kindness to someone, now that takes some guts, especially when you are the only one.

Kindness is only one part of this, trustworthiness takes it to a whole new level.

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11

“Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.” Proverbs 25:13

Have you ever been out on a hot day working in the sun?   At some point you get thirsty and go to find that cool drink of water.   Or you might compare this to running through the sprinkler on a hot day, or jumping into the pool or the ocean.  These things refresh the body.

In other words, when you look at someone and know that you can trust them, that is refreshing. Why?  It is refreshing because it is not normal.

clean water?

“Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.” Proverbs 25:26

If being trustworthy is like a drink of cold water, being untrustworthy and doing what is wrong, is like drinking a warm glass of mud.

The picture here, then, is  a person who claims to follow Jesus Christ and then does things that are clearly not what a follower of Jesus Christ should be doing.  These things muddy the water.  Why does this matter for you?

Because we want to represent Jesus well.  When people live two lives, it muddies the water and confuses people.

Demonstrate Self- Control 

 “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” Proverbs 25:28

How ridiculous would it be for you to build a city without some sort of defense?  The wall to the city was critical to the safety of the city.

If you are not able to say no to sin and yes to God at some level, you are vulnerable to attack.  Where does self-control come from?    It comes from God.  It is a fruit of the Spirit. You are not going to be able to do this on your own, but you can ask God to give you the ability to say no to sin and yes to him.  You can ask Him to fortify your life with His Word and His Spirit.

The world has enough people who are just getting by, we need people willing to make a difference, willing to stand up and choose to follow God relentlessly.

If you are just an average person, no one will likely notice, but if you truly follow Jesus, you will be noticed and God will be glorified. 

What are God’s plans for me?

Today’s post is a repeat from February 2012.  I feel like it is an important topic for us to look at again because the verse continues to be misused.

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No verse other than John 3:16 likely gets as much quotation as Jeremiah 29:11. This is one of those verses people will post in their home or in other prominent places.  Of course, there are salient truths about God held in that one verse; truths that bring people comfort and hope in all types of trials.  Stand alone verses can become used incorrectly, though, when the context is not heeded.  This verse is another example of one that becomes even more meaningful when it is placed into the context.

The Basics of Jeremiah

Jeremiah was a prophet who the Lord chose to preach an unpopular message to God’s people.  The message was one of impending judgement and exile.  This did not make Jeremiah a popular man among the leaders.  The problem was that Israel had at one time followed God, but had turned away to something else.

“My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”  Jeremiah 2:13

Can you imagine how awful this really is?  There they had the one true God and they had both seen Him work and heard about His faithfulness through-out the years.  Even so, they made idols and worshipped them. The entire book is the Lord’s appeal to the people to come back to Him before something bad happens to them.

“Return faithless people; I will cure your backsliding.” Jeremiah 3:22

“If you will return, O Israel, return to me, declares the LORD.  If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, ‘As sure as the LORD lives, then the nations will be blessed by hm and in him they will glory.” Jeremiah 4: 1-2

God gives them an abundance of warnings and opportunities to come back; proving that He was merciful, gracious, and patient all along.  He shows that He truly wants to be in a relationship with His people. Because they did not listen, God has warned them that the Babylonians, as evil as they were, would be the ones to who will come and take over the people.  God was going to use the ruthless Babylonians to wake His people up. For 70 years the people were going to be under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar.  You can imagine how discouraging this must have been for the people.

Jeremiah 28-29

In the midst of the exile, a false prophet, Hananiah, declares that within two years the Lord will restore the nation.  This turns out to be a lie that he had led the people to believe. God intervenes and Hananiah is killed because he was found to have “preached rebellion against the LORD.”  Jeremiah writes a letter to the exiles addressing the situation they are in and to be careful of false prophets.  Jeremiah reminds them of the future that they have in the Lord.  That is where we are when we come to chapter 29:11.  He is telling them that even though it will take 70 years, God does have a plan to restore them and provide them hope for a future.  Where do I get that from?

“This is what the LORD says: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 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.” Jeremiah 29:10-11

Prosperity

Some of the mistakes in using this passage come with the word prosperity.  Prosperity is often tied to material wealth.  The prosperity people will tell you that God will give you wealth.  This is not consistent with the message of the Gospel at all.  Prosperity has more to do with the protection that someone has when they walk with the Lord and much less to do with money.   For example:

“Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.” Proverbs 16:20

Why do they prosper?  The prosperity comes when someone follows God’s ways and stays off the path that leads to destruction.  This prosperity is really the opposite of that calamity.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Proverbs 14:12

So, what does it mean?

1- It means what most people think it means.  It is true God knows the plans He has for you.  It is also true that, in Christ, you do have a hope for a future.  It might not mean that your life in this world will be completely easy, just that in the end your are safe in Him.  When people quote this and assume that their cancer will go away in short order or something else will change, they are misquoting it.  Remember they had to wait 70 years for God to fulfill his plan.  God never breaks a promise, so we know that one day we will be with Him.

2- God has not forgotten you and he certainly hasn’t left you alone.  This shows that even when you are the one who walks away from God and incites judgement, God still is merciful to you.  He wants to be with you so much that He goes to great lengths to make that happen.

3- True prosperity comes when someone trust in Jesus Christ and follows God’s Word.  Money is not the answer and will never fulfill.   God does have blessing for you, absolutely, but money might not be one of them.  Satisfaction is found in Him alone no matter what trial you are in right now.

Alright, as I said last week, please let me know what your reactions are to this. I do understand that I did not unpack every detail of this, but this gives you a good starting point if you do want to dig deeper.   I also would love to know if there are other verses that would be a great candidate for this series.

  Be blessed today knowing there is a God who knows and loves you and has your future in His hands. 

Better to be poor and blameless than rich and perverse.

Money has been a source of tension and stress for people for as long as there have been bills to pay.  People go to great lengths to get more money to spend on things they perceive they need.  The lottery has been one method people have tried to use to accumulate more wealth.  The problem is that most people don’t win, and those people who do win ruin their life.

There is a story I read this morning about a battle for the estate and monetary winnings of a man who won the lottery and then mysteriously died days before he collected his winnings.  There is some dispute about how he died, but some are saying he was killed with cyanide.  Now his siblings and widow are fighting over who gets what.

These cases seem to always miss something for me.  For one, they have just recently lost a loved one in a tragic way.  You would think that they would be able to work together in humility and love.   It is a lot of money, but it is only money.  It does make me wonder if the family was after his money.  But, even so, does a lust for money make you want to kill family members to get it?  That is absurd.  I would rather earn what I have without controversy or conflict.

The Bible talks about money a great deal and the way we earn it.

“Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse”  – Proverbs 28:26

Money does not solve problems.  It does not cure illness.  It does not do anything for you other than provide a resource for you to use.  It is wise for us to remember that money does not define us and should never make use hurt other people.  We need to get a grip as a society and start thinking differently about money.

Pay Attention to Warnings

Not a stormy day

There is a storm brewing and it is kicking up some wind.  This storm has been coming for a while and we have been warned about it.  Yet the day before the storm hits people were frantically  running to the store for last-minute supplies.  Why?  Did we ignore the warnings?  Why put things off like that?

As we prepare for whatever we will get from this, I am reminded of the warnings in Scripture.  We are told that there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.  At the same time, we have more and more people ignoring God until they are in trouble.  Of course then we wonder why we were never warned about it.

When my wife and I first got married we took a trip to a hotel for a weekend away.  It involved a few hours of driving from where we lived.  It was right after I had put new brake pads and rotors on my car.  In the process I  apparently had failed to fully tighten the bolt that holds the bracket on.  For a few weeks I could hear a clunk when I hit the brakes.  I did what anyone would do; I ignored it.  There we were, driving south on I-35 near Owatonna, MN when all of a sudden there was a clunk and a bunch of rubbing.  I pulled over and investigated, quickly discovering the problem.   The caliper had come off because the bolt had come out.  I put it back together quickly, thankfully locating the bolt there, and pulled into the parking lot of a store where I could buy some tools.  I went in, bought the right tool and then proceeded to fix it in the parking lot.  It turned out to be fine in the end, but I could have avoided it if I had listened to the warning signs.

Listen to the warnings.  We need to hear from God and that means we need to listen.  That also means doing what He says now instead of  leading yourself.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. – Proverbs 14:12