So I'm driving down the Main Road and notice that some folks are trying to cross the street. I am not in a hurry so I stop to let them walk on over to the other side. I am happy to do it. It is my pleasure. But my pleasure turns to annoyance when I receive no acknowledgment for my act of kindness. Nothing; not even a slight wave of the hand. I always acknowledge the kindness of drivers… even when I’m in a crossing zone.
Now you might think this is a message about the unbelievable attitudes of some people who take the kindness of us drivers for granted. But it's not. It is an indictment of me. Here I am breaking the law of Jesus Christ by expecting something back from someone.
I am a Christian and yet at those moments I find my EGO is really apparent to me – my desire to be acknowledged. Didn’t Jesus say somewhere that if I only greet people who can greet me back what is the status of my heart before God? I do good because it is the will of God, not because I get a reward. My ego wants a reward. I find my ego is rather needy. I might instead call it sin that is dwelling in me – like Paul called it in Romans 7.
I don't need no stinkin' acknowledgement. I stop to be kind and merciful, not because I need someone's gratitude. That’s the attitude of Christ.
Now don't think this is just a lesson about street crossing delinquents. No, this is more about how I view all people I encounter. Can I be kind in my thoughts and deeds or is it about what I can get out of it (including some good gossip if things don't go my way).
So no more grumbling for me. I will still stop for pedestrians, and even hope that I am not appreciated. I do it because it's right. That’s all. And I love others because it is right; even if they annoy the heck out of me.
In fact, I should love them FOR annoying me because I might learn something about my ego. See, when I was young I needed that ego to get along in the world. Now that I am almost grown up it's time to let go of that ego....trade it for the one that Jesus wants to give me.
God bless you all.
George
9.28.2011
9.16.2011
Living on the Inside
Read Ephesians 3:16 and following
Life on the inside. I’m not referring here to jail but to the inner spirit within us where Christ resides (although that inner person might feel like jail sometimes).
But too often we live on the “outside”, affected by so much that is not helpful to our growth as Christians. We live by what we see, and how we think others see us. I know that for myself at times I am too concerned with what others think of me and so I forget to look inside of myself where Christ is telling me that I am his beloved. And others might define me by my appearance, my age, even my mistakes and my sins – rather than the relationship I have with Christ way down deep inside of me.
That's why prayer is so important.... looking inside and being with Christ.... just being quiet in the presence of God. We need to think more about God's love for us and not be caught up in the external pressures of life.
I don't want to live on the surface of life; I want to live deeper inside where Paul prays I will know Christ (Eph. 3:16). It is in this deep inner place that I can come to say, “Thy will be done”. Living on the surface of my life is too often about my will. But hopefully the more time I spend on the inner life, the better the life on the outside will be.
God invites us to go deeper, to abide with him, stay with him, rest with him, to be loved by him. That cannot happen until we obey him – “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD” (Psalm 46).
Life on the inside is where I come to know myself better and, to be honest, the first glance might not be all that pretty. But I present myself to Christ and he interacts with my spirit to give me new life.
Maybe that's why Paul writes in Colossians that our real lives are hid with Christ. See, if you are a believer in Christ, according to Colossians 3:3 the life you see in the mirror is not your real life. Your real life is the life that God sees through his Son Jesus Christ, who died for you. God sees you as His Beloved son or daughter. And believe me, God is at work in our lives even if we are not aware of it.
So next time you see me, remember to look deeper inside because that's where I am living.... with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Yours in Christ,
George
Life on the inside. I’m not referring here to jail but to the inner spirit within us where Christ resides (although that inner person might feel like jail sometimes).
But too often we live on the “outside”, affected by so much that is not helpful to our growth as Christians. We live by what we see, and how we think others see us. I know that for myself at times I am too concerned with what others think of me and so I forget to look inside of myself where Christ is telling me that I am his beloved. And others might define me by my appearance, my age, even my mistakes and my sins – rather than the relationship I have with Christ way down deep inside of me.
That's why prayer is so important.... looking inside and being with Christ.... just being quiet in the presence of God. We need to think more about God's love for us and not be caught up in the external pressures of life.
I don't want to live on the surface of life; I want to live deeper inside where Paul prays I will know Christ (Eph. 3:16). It is in this deep inner place that I can come to say, “Thy will be done”. Living on the surface of my life is too often about my will. But hopefully the more time I spend on the inner life, the better the life on the outside will be.
God invites us to go deeper, to abide with him, stay with him, rest with him, to be loved by him. That cannot happen until we obey him – “BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD” (Psalm 46).
Life on the inside is where I come to know myself better and, to be honest, the first glance might not be all that pretty. But I present myself to Christ and he interacts with my spirit to give me new life.
Maybe that's why Paul writes in Colossians that our real lives are hid with Christ. See, if you are a believer in Christ, according to Colossians 3:3 the life you see in the mirror is not your real life. Your real life is the life that God sees through his Son Jesus Christ, who died for you. God sees you as His Beloved son or daughter. And believe me, God is at work in our lives even if we are not aware of it.
So next time you see me, remember to look deeper inside because that's where I am living.... with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Yours in Christ,
George
9.07.2011
Leaving and Returning
The late Henry Nouwen wrote a book called Home Tonight: Further Reflections on the Prodigal Son. In it he speaks of the son’s leaving home and returning home as something we all experience on a spiritual level.The idea of leaving home and returning to God is a daily routine and theme. As each day comes, I am invited to remember that I am loved with an eternal love by God. This love isn’t because of what I have or what I do, but rather because of who I am in Christ. I am God's beloved child because of God's decision to make me so. I have God's blessings. When I choose to do my own thing, like the prodigal son I am leaving home. This happens daily whenever I step away from the Father and go to the far distant land of selfishness and ego-centered living. Whenever I worry, I am leaving home. Whenever I am greedy or jealous or lustful, I am leaving home. In all these ways I am saying, “Father, I am taking my blessings and leaving.” And it happens daily.
Returning home happens daily also. When I realize what I am doing, whom it is that I left, and where my real life resides, I am returning home. I come back to my heavenly Father and discover that he is running to greet me; to welcome me home and lavish his love on me with a feast of heavenly delights.
So let's get used to this leaving and returning. It will happen often on the road to our final home. But remember that the best part is the party, for it says in Luke 15 “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who comes back home than over all the others who think they have no need to return” (a slight paraphrase on my part).
Anyway, this whole story is found in Luke 15. You might want to read it again - for the first time.
Yours in Christ,
George
Returning home happens daily also. When I realize what I am doing, whom it is that I left, and where my real life resides, I am returning home. I come back to my heavenly Father and discover that he is running to greet me; to welcome me home and lavish his love on me with a feast of heavenly delights.
So let's get used to this leaving and returning. It will happen often on the road to our final home. But remember that the best part is the party, for it says in Luke 15 “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who comes back home than over all the others who think they have no need to return” (a slight paraphrase on my part).
Anyway, this whole story is found in Luke 15. You might want to read it again - for the first time.
Yours in Christ,
George
7.27.2011
Coming to Grips With Grace
I find it easier to be charitable to people who are more deserving of my kindness. I don’t know if it’s me or if we all struggle with that. It’s difficult for me to act nicely toward arrogant folks, people who think they’re hot stuff or who are prideful. I’d much rather be kind to those who ask for my mercy and tell me that they are sorry and make amends along the way. And what’s more - I can tell you which people fall into which category!
I guess this makes me a judge of what is right and wrong, which is really not my prerogative but God’s. Who am I to determine who gets mercy and who doesn’t?
I read in the Bible that God’s love is such that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. That’s pretty shocking when you think about it.
From that I deduce that while another person is against me in some way, I should be kind and loving towards them. Now why is that so difficult? I can only think of one reason - PRIDE. I have not been humbled before God; I have not experienced His grace to such a degree that I am able to dispense that same grace towards another. There are stories and parables about that in the Bible. And I believe that people like Ebeneezer Scrooge finally understand grace even if it is under threat and fear of death.
Every day is another opportunity for God to shed his grace on me. I don’t deserve it. What makes me think another person doesn’t deserve it? It’s my sin that keeps my eyes and heart shut. So every day I will make the effort one more time to extend to another that which God has already extended to me in Jesus Christ His Son. And if my effort is not enough I will surrender myself and the other person to my Lord. His lovingkindness lasts forever for both of us.
Yours in Christ,
George
I guess this makes me a judge of what is right and wrong, which is really not my prerogative but God’s. Who am I to determine who gets mercy and who doesn’t?
I read in the Bible that God’s love is such that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. That’s pretty shocking when you think about it.
From that I deduce that while another person is against me in some way, I should be kind and loving towards them. Now why is that so difficult? I can only think of one reason - PRIDE. I have not been humbled before God; I have not experienced His grace to such a degree that I am able to dispense that same grace towards another. There are stories and parables about that in the Bible. And I believe that people like Ebeneezer Scrooge finally understand grace even if it is under threat and fear of death.
Every day is another opportunity for God to shed his grace on me. I don’t deserve it. What makes me think another person doesn’t deserve it? It’s my sin that keeps my eyes and heart shut. So every day I will make the effort one more time to extend to another that which God has already extended to me in Jesus Christ His Son. And if my effort is not enough I will surrender myself and the other person to my Lord. His lovingkindness lasts forever for both of us.
Yours in Christ,
George
7.13.2011
How Do You Measure Success?
So here’s the question of the week. How do you tell if you are successful? Is it how much money you make? Maybe it’s how high up you are on the corporate ladder. Maybe it’s by the number of people you reach or the amount of satisfaction you feel at your job. How is success measured in your marriage, at school, or with your friends?
I really have no idea how to help you define success in any of those areas, but I will tell you how I measure success within the church, the community of faith. And I think it is probably the same way Jesus thought about success, if he in fact ever thought about being successful. So think about this measure of success for whatever community of faith to which you belong.
How well do we recognize God’s grace in Christ to forgive us and reconcile us to God and what are we doing to share that grace with others?
I like that. Don’t know if I stole it or thought it but I found it in some notes I had written.
If people in the community of faith can really recognize God’s grace in their lives, to know that they stand before the living God free from any guilt of sin, then I believe the church is successful in getting out the message of the Good News.
Time after time Jesus brought grace into people’s lives and they seemed to ‘get it’. Their lives were changed as they realized how much God loved them. They were brought into the circle of grace. They who lived so often on the outside were brought inside. They were accepted by God and forgiven by God and they realized that something new had happened to them.
This is the essence of the Good News and this is the mark of the successful church. How we measure it can only take place in intimate and honest conversation about the journey of faith. I hope you have such a place for such a conversation.
God Bless,
George
I really have no idea how to help you define success in any of those areas, but I will tell you how I measure success within the church, the community of faith. And I think it is probably the same way Jesus thought about success, if he in fact ever thought about being successful. So think about this measure of success for whatever community of faith to which you belong.
How well do we recognize God’s grace in Christ to forgive us and reconcile us to God and what are we doing to share that grace with others?
I like that. Don’t know if I stole it or thought it but I found it in some notes I had written.
If people in the community of faith can really recognize God’s grace in their lives, to know that they stand before the living God free from any guilt of sin, then I believe the church is successful in getting out the message of the Good News.
Time after time Jesus brought grace into people’s lives and they seemed to ‘get it’. Their lives were changed as they realized how much God loved them. They were brought into the circle of grace. They who lived so often on the outside were brought inside. They were accepted by God and forgiven by God and they realized that something new had happened to them.
This is the essence of the Good News and this is the mark of the successful church. How we measure it can only take place in intimate and honest conversation about the journey of faith. I hope you have such a place for such a conversation.
God Bless,
George
7.09.2011
I'm a Wanderer
Sometimes i find myself with what my wife Gigi calls ADD because I am all over the place. i start one project or one book and then Ii am on to another. I can multitask and work on several books and projects at the same time. Only God knows how effeciently this system works but I seem to get things done that need doing.
My friend Pat was telling me the other day that such behavior is not necessarily bad. He quoted from Lord of the Rings, Not all who wander are lost. Well, I am a wanderer for God. It's my style. Sometimes it's hard for people to keep up with me. In fact, some can't. But for those who can...let's get on with this journey called faith and remember this...we might just make a quick turn up ahead, so pay attention.
My friend Pat was telling me the other day that such behavior is not necessarily bad. He quoted from Lord of the Rings, Not all who wander are lost. Well, I am a wanderer for God. It's my style. Sometimes it's hard for people to keep up with me. In fact, some can't. But for those who can...let's get on with this journey called faith and remember this...we might just make a quick turn up ahead, so pay attention.
Controlling the Temper..... deploying the brakes with H.A.L.T.
There is a Proverb that says that a man who can control his temper is better than one who can conquer an entire city (Proverbs 16:32).
There is no power in loudness, only (to some degree) chaos. I know. Last week I found myself losing my temper. That’s an interesting turn of phrase isn’t it? A temper is a state of mind. I guess I could say I lost my state of mind. I lost my healthy state of mind is more like it. Or maybe I just lost my mind.
Some of you probably cannot imagine the pastor getting irritable or angry. Ah, but it happens. And when it does, like in a crowd of people or at a board meeting, it isn’t pretty. It doesn’t happen often but when it does I have to ask myself, Why?
I really can’t blame somebody else for my temper or temperament. I should be in control of my emotions. I suppose I could say it’s genetic or symptomatic of an illness - but I can’t. It’s my choice, my responsibility.
People in AA have an acronym that helps them remember what they need to avoid so as not to find themselves wanting a drink: H.A.L.T. (some have added an S.) It reminds them not to get into a place of hunger, anger, loneliness or tiredness.
I can identify some things in my life that need to be addressed so that I keep my temper to myself. It’s like what the flight attendant tells you before you take off - if the oxygen mask drops, put yours on first (take care of yourself) before you assist the person next to you. That’s probably good advice for all of us, especially your pastor.
Oh, the ‘S’ in H.A.L.T.S.? It stands for don’t be stupid.
Yours in Christ,
George
There is no power in loudness, only (to some degree) chaos. I know. Last week I found myself losing my temper. That’s an interesting turn of phrase isn’t it? A temper is a state of mind. I guess I could say I lost my state of mind. I lost my healthy state of mind is more like it. Or maybe I just lost my mind.
Some of you probably cannot imagine the pastor getting irritable or angry. Ah, but it happens. And when it does, like in a crowd of people or at a board meeting, it isn’t pretty. It doesn’t happen often but when it does I have to ask myself, Why?
I really can’t blame somebody else for my temper or temperament. I should be in control of my emotions. I suppose I could say it’s genetic or symptomatic of an illness - but I can’t. It’s my choice, my responsibility.
People in AA have an acronym that helps them remember what they need to avoid so as not to find themselves wanting a drink: H.A.L.T. (some have added an S.) It reminds them not to get into a place of hunger, anger, loneliness or tiredness.
I can identify some things in my life that need to be addressed so that I keep my temper to myself. It’s like what the flight attendant tells you before you take off - if the oxygen mask drops, put yours on first (take care of yourself) before you assist the person next to you. That’s probably good advice for all of us, especially your pastor.
Oh, the ‘S’ in H.A.L.T.S.? It stands for don’t be stupid.
Yours in Christ,
George
7.02.2011
Confronting the World... standing up for the recognition of God
We said goodbye to the new Mr. and Mrs. Josh Gaffga in Dallas, Texas. It was a wonderful time of celebration and love. Thanks be to God!
Before I left for Dallas I was ruminating on NBC’s decision to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance that was recited at the US Open. The children said, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands with liberty and justice for all.” I haven’t read much news on the issue since I left for Dallas so I don’t know exactly the reason for NBC’s decision. I should add that NBC has stated that such an error will never happen again, for which we have reason to give thanks.
Now I’m not for legislating our faith but I certainly believe that God is indeed sovereign over this nation and it would serve this nation well to recognize its Creator and Provider. Although our country is so very worldly, Christians, knowing that Christ died for the “world”, ought to ensure that His Name is proclaimed – the Name that is above every name, the Name that is included in God because God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We Christians need to stand for the recognition of God in all matters of life in this country and the world.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer witnessed Nazism’s insidious intrusion into Germany and the subsequent decline of faith. He writes: Christianity must be used polemically today against the worldly in the name of a better worldliness … (Ethics, p. 60). He is saying that Christianity must confront the world, be controversial and vocal, and seek to make the world’s sphere and the sacred sphere one with each other. There is no difference in God’s sight. Bonhoeffer writes, The world is not divided between Christ and the devil; it is completely the world of Christ whether it recognizes it or not (Ethics, p. 65). If NBC thinks otherwise, then we must say a loud “No” to them.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12a).
Yours in Christ,
George
Before I left for Dallas I was ruminating on NBC’s decision to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance that was recited at the US Open. The children said, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands with liberty and justice for all.” I haven’t read much news on the issue since I left for Dallas so I don’t know exactly the reason for NBC’s decision. I should add that NBC has stated that such an error will never happen again, for which we have reason to give thanks.
Now I’m not for legislating our faith but I certainly believe that God is indeed sovereign over this nation and it would serve this nation well to recognize its Creator and Provider. Although our country is so very worldly, Christians, knowing that Christ died for the “world”, ought to ensure that His Name is proclaimed – the Name that is above every name, the Name that is included in God because God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We Christians need to stand for the recognition of God in all matters of life in this country and the world.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer witnessed Nazism’s insidious intrusion into Germany and the subsequent decline of faith. He writes: Christianity must be used polemically today against the worldly in the name of a better worldliness … (Ethics, p. 60). He is saying that Christianity must confront the world, be controversial and vocal, and seek to make the world’s sphere and the sacred sphere one with each other. There is no difference in God’s sight. Bonhoeffer writes, The world is not divided between Christ and the devil; it is completely the world of Christ whether it recognizes it or not (Ethics, p. 65). If NBC thinks otherwise, then we must say a loud “No” to them.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12a).
Yours in Christ,
George
Mowing The Lawn
I love mowing the lawn. Now let’s be clear. Gigi does all the push mowing, by her choice, and I ride the comfortable John Deere. We have always mowed our own lawns. It’s good therapy. For me it is particularly good therapy because I get to smoke a good cigar as I ride and relax.
Here’s the thing though. As I am riding I think to myself, “What if one of the church folks sees me smoking this cigar? What will they think of me, their pastor?” Our lawn borders two busy streets. Sometimes I try to be careful not to mow close to the road where the cars are passing by.
Anyway today I got to thinking, 'Man, Christians can be some uptight people.' Sometimes we are too vigilant about the behavior of people around us and what’s worse is we can be too vigilant about our own behavior when we don’t need to be. And if you think I have problems with this, think about our Roman Catholic friends who at one time in history, not that long ago, had to be so careful about not eating meat on Fridays and watching other people eat and wondering about mortal and venial sins.
Somewhere in the Bible I have read that we have freedom as Christians, not necessarily freedom to do all sorts of immoral activities but certainly more freedom than we allow ourselves. Heck, I even find myself being too careful about what I read lest I stumble in my walk with the Lord along the literary way.
But I was talking with someone last week who told me I need to be kinder to myself and I think the person was so right. So I am riding the mower today and I really think God spoke to me and said, “George, go ahead and enjoy yourself.” God is like that you know. He put us here to serve him and to enjoy the life he has given us while we serve him to the best of our ability and talent. Jesus even turned water to wine as His first miracle.
As you read this Gigi and I are in Dallas, Texas preparing for the marriage of our son, Josh, to his fiancée, Beth. What a joy this celebration will be. And Jesus will be present at it. Someplace in the Bible it says that wine gladdens the heart. Somebody say, “Amen!”
Let’s loosen up a little. And if I am preaching here only to myself then so be it, cause I am learning a thing or two along the way.
Yours happily in Christ,
George
Here’s the thing though. As I am riding I think to myself, “What if one of the church folks sees me smoking this cigar? What will they think of me, their pastor?” Our lawn borders two busy streets. Sometimes I try to be careful not to mow close to the road where the cars are passing by.
Anyway today I got to thinking, 'Man, Christians can be some uptight people.' Sometimes we are too vigilant about the behavior of people around us and what’s worse is we can be too vigilant about our own behavior when we don’t need to be. And if you think I have problems with this, think about our Roman Catholic friends who at one time in history, not that long ago, had to be so careful about not eating meat on Fridays and watching other people eat and wondering about mortal and venial sins.
Somewhere in the Bible I have read that we have freedom as Christians, not necessarily freedom to do all sorts of immoral activities but certainly more freedom than we allow ourselves. Heck, I even find myself being too careful about what I read lest I stumble in my walk with the Lord along the literary way.
But I was talking with someone last week who told me I need to be kinder to myself and I think the person was so right. So I am riding the mower today and I really think God spoke to me and said, “George, go ahead and enjoy yourself.” God is like that you know. He put us here to serve him and to enjoy the life he has given us while we serve him to the best of our ability and talent. Jesus even turned water to wine as His first miracle.
As you read this Gigi and I are in Dallas, Texas preparing for the marriage of our son, Josh, to his fiancée, Beth. What a joy this celebration will be. And Jesus will be present at it. Someplace in the Bible it says that wine gladdens the heart. Somebody say, “Amen!”
Let’s loosen up a little. And if I am preaching here only to myself then so be it, cause I am learning a thing or two along the way.
Yours happily in Christ,
George
6.13.2011
Recent Thoughts
So here’s what I have been thinking about recently.
I had a great weekend at the “Emmaus Walk” and highly recommend it to any of you who seek to deepen your faith in God and receive encouragement in your walk with Christ.
I see where Dr. Kevorkian has died at the age of 83. He assisted in suicides for almost 100 people and struggled anxiously with his own death - something telling in that. And Gary Carter, former Mets catcher, has been diagnosed with brain cancer and will work aggressively with the medical profession for treatment.
I would love to see us as a church community place a billboard sign up on the Main Road with a message about saving babies’ lives, making alternatives possible for those in crisis….(something written boldly and sensitively).
And finally...the other day I learned something I had never known before. The origin of 'good bye' comes from the old English that was shortened from the original 'God be with ye'. So next time you say good bye, take seriously that you are really praying for that person. See, God is involved in all aspects of our lives. Now let's see if the Madeline O'Hare people can get rid of "good bye" from the English language. NOT!
Yours in Christ,
George
I had a great weekend at the “Emmaus Walk” and highly recommend it to any of you who seek to deepen your faith in God and receive encouragement in your walk with Christ.
I see where Dr. Kevorkian has died at the age of 83. He assisted in suicides for almost 100 people and struggled anxiously with his own death - something telling in that. And Gary Carter, former Mets catcher, has been diagnosed with brain cancer and will work aggressively with the medical profession for treatment.
I would love to see us as a church community place a billboard sign up on the Main Road with a message about saving babies’ lives, making alternatives possible for those in crisis….(something written boldly and sensitively).
And finally...the other day I learned something I had never known before. The origin of 'good bye' comes from the old English that was shortened from the original 'God be with ye'. So next time you say good bye, take seriously that you are really praying for that person. See, God is involved in all aspects of our lives. Now let's see if the Madeline O'Hare people can get rid of "good bye" from the English language. NOT!
Yours in Christ,
George
5.18.2011
Who Needs Religion?
So I have been wondering why people who have no involvement with the church want to present their children for baptism. I am thinking it might be because the church is irrelevant to their lives except for particular events. The church provides a service on the boundaries of life, as Bonhoeffer would term it. When people get baptized, worship on Sunday, join a church, or die, it all seems a fitting transitional ritual. It may also be why people take communion. It signals the importance of individual salvation but not necessarily how to live one’s life.
But this is not what Jesus had in mind. He came into every aspect of humanity’s life. He did not come asking the question, “What’s in it for me?” His appearance on earth was to show how the Father was to be involved in all human life. Immanuel means God with us.
Bonhoeffer suggests that Christ wants to be with us in our strengths as well as in our weaknesses. He wants to be part of our lives so that in living well we can be part of others’ lives, particularly the others who are suffering. And if we are so worried about ourselves, our pains, our eternal salvation, well, then we won’t be inclined to live and even die for others. And, as Bonhoeffer, wrote, “The church is only the church when it is for others.”
Christ is not only for those who run out of answers because, if that is the case, then when the world finds its own answers it will have no more need for God. No, Christ is the Lord for all of life, not just in those places where religion seems to call on his name.
So…. when someone comes to the church for a baptism, for example, it will be important for the church, representing Christ, to be involved in their whole lives, walking with them, as it were, in the journey to raise their children to know Christ.
Stay tuned for how that will happen within our own church.
Yours in Christ,
George
But this is not what Jesus had in mind. He came into every aspect of humanity’s life. He did not come asking the question, “What’s in it for me?” His appearance on earth was to show how the Father was to be involved in all human life. Immanuel means God with us.
Bonhoeffer suggests that Christ wants to be with us in our strengths as well as in our weaknesses. He wants to be part of our lives so that in living well we can be part of others’ lives, particularly the others who are suffering. And if we are so worried about ourselves, our pains, our eternal salvation, well, then we won’t be inclined to live and even die for others. And, as Bonhoeffer, wrote, “The church is only the church when it is for others.”
Christ is not only for those who run out of answers because, if that is the case, then when the world finds its own answers it will have no more need for God. No, Christ is the Lord for all of life, not just in those places where religion seems to call on his name.
So…. when someone comes to the church for a baptism, for example, it will be important for the church, representing Christ, to be involved in their whole lives, walking with them, as it were, in the journey to raise their children to know Christ.
Stay tuned for how that will happen within our own church.
Yours in Christ,
George
5.16.2011
Conscience is Overrated
It all started in the Garden (see Gen. 3) where Adam and Eve developed their own conscience, a little voice in their head that told them, for example, that they were naked. Conscience is really the self talking to the self, as opposed to listening to God and doing the will of God.
Adam and Eve knew the will of God until they decided they wanted to be like God - knowing good from evil - and ever since, the conscience has really been an unreliable source for doing the will of God.
Conscience really drives us from God, for in knowing good and evil we find ourselves unable to stand in the grace of God (I borrowed this from Bonhoeffer). Conscience is too undependable. Take Germany under Hitler, for example. The voice of Hitler became the conscience for the German people.
Conscience has too many forces acting on it. It muddles the will of God.
No, I think Christians need only the will of God in their lives. Stop listening so much to your conscience and instead listen to God’s will as revealed through Jesus in the Scriptures.
Yours in Christ,
George
Adam and Eve knew the will of God until they decided they wanted to be like God - knowing good from evil - and ever since, the conscience has really been an unreliable source for doing the will of God.
Conscience really drives us from God, for in knowing good and evil we find ourselves unable to stand in the grace of God (I borrowed this from Bonhoeffer). Conscience is too undependable. Take Germany under Hitler, for example. The voice of Hitler became the conscience for the German people.
Conscience has too many forces acting on it. It muddles the will of God.
No, I think Christians need only the will of God in their lives. Stop listening so much to your conscience and instead listen to God’s will as revealed through Jesus in the Scriptures.
Yours in Christ,
George
5.04.2011
Praying to End Abortion
So, I am reading this great book, unPlanned, the story of the former director of Planned Parenthood in Bryan, Texas. After watching a baby being aborted through an ultrasound-guided process called vacuum aspiration, she left her position. The story chronicles the life of Abby Johnson and her desire to help women in distress. While firmly believing in “choice”, she wants to do everything to lessen the number of abortions. Here is a website you can check for yourself: http://www.unplannedthebook.com/
Anyway, the Planned Parenthood Clinic was next door to a Coalition of Life Center and Abby got to know some of the more “sane” and compassionate leaders of the Center. The Coalition folks would hold a prayer vigil twice a year for 40 days, 24 hours each day, simply praying for an end to abortion. Abby was struck by such sincere prayer. Why wouldn’t anyone, regardless of political persuasion, want an end to abortion?
It got me to thinking that all Christians ought to be praying daily for an end to abortion; that God will somehow intervene with His mercy and make a way for less and less children to die in the womb and instead be brought into the loving arms of a mom or dad, family member, or adoptive parents. Should that not be a number one priority on the part of Christians, for the dignity of life inside and outside the womb?
I am myself trying to remember each day in all my prayers to pray for the life of the unborn and the end of abortion. I am praying in confidence that God will hear my prayers, the prayer of his child praying for his children.
I hope others will join this Journey of prayer. I hope our church might even decide to hold a prayer vigil.
Yours in Christ,
George
Anyway, the Planned Parenthood Clinic was next door to a Coalition of Life Center and Abby got to know some of the more “sane” and compassionate leaders of the Center. The Coalition folks would hold a prayer vigil twice a year for 40 days, 24 hours each day, simply praying for an end to abortion. Abby was struck by such sincere prayer. Why wouldn’t anyone, regardless of political persuasion, want an end to abortion?
It got me to thinking that all Christians ought to be praying daily for an end to abortion; that God will somehow intervene with His mercy and make a way for less and less children to die in the womb and instead be brought into the loving arms of a mom or dad, family member, or adoptive parents. Should that not be a number one priority on the part of Christians, for the dignity of life inside and outside the womb?
I am myself trying to remember each day in all my prayers to pray for the life of the unborn and the end of abortion. I am praying in confidence that God will hear my prayers, the prayer of his child praying for his children.
I hope others will join this Journey of prayer. I hope our church might even decide to hold a prayer vigil.
Yours in Christ,
George
4.30.2011
Thermometer or Thermostat: which are you?
I have been reading sermons by Rev. Martin Luther King in a book entitled The Strength to Love. Powerful sermons that come out of the turbulence of the 60's when African-American folks were struggling for racial and every other kind of equality in America. In one of his sermons King asks the question, "Are you a thermometer or a thermostat?" Do you just record temperature or do you set it?
I like that comparison. Do I just reflect the attitudes around me or do I set the tone? Paul writes that we are not to be thermometers. Yes, he writes that in Romans 12:1-2. You can read it for yourself. We are to be thermostats for the world, setting the attitudes that Christ calls us to display. We are to be transformed by Christ so that we are the light for the world, showing the world the best way to be and to go.
We are to be hopeful in the midst of pessimism. We are to announce life in the midst of death. We are to bind up the wounds of the broken while the world would just as soon throw them away.
Thermostats control the atmosphere. Christians control the atmosphere by the way they serve and love, not dominate. They create an environment for abundant life for all people in the name of Christ. Christians are called to bring Christ into the world in word and deed. Christians are called to stand for truth and justice for the sake of Christ.
So the question for me and for all of us: Which are we? Thermometer or thermostat?
Yours in Christ,
George
I like that comparison. Do I just reflect the attitudes around me or do I set the tone? Paul writes that we are not to be thermometers. Yes, he writes that in Romans 12:1-2. You can read it for yourself. We are to be thermostats for the world, setting the attitudes that Christ calls us to display. We are to be transformed by Christ so that we are the light for the world, showing the world the best way to be and to go.
We are to be hopeful in the midst of pessimism. We are to announce life in the midst of death. We are to bind up the wounds of the broken while the world would just as soon throw them away.
Thermostats control the atmosphere. Christians control the atmosphere by the way they serve and love, not dominate. They create an environment for abundant life for all people in the name of Christ. Christians are called to bring Christ into the world in word and deed. Christians are called to stand for truth and justice for the sake of Christ.
So the question for me and for all of us: Which are we? Thermometer or thermostat?
Yours in Christ,
George
4.13.2011
Riding The S92
So a couple of weeks ago I was having our car serviced at Mullen Motors in Southold. I decided to take the bus from Mattituck to Southold to pick it up when they were done. I waited at the bus stop with some very nice folks who often ride the bus. I asked them how much the fare was and they told me the price and added that it was cheaper for senior citizens but didn't know exactly what age constituted 'seniors'.
The S92 pulled over and the driver opened the door and as I stepped onboard I asked about the fares. She told me that seniors paid 50 cents for age 60 and over. I paid my 50 cents and stood holding on to a railing since the bus was full. She then asked if I would like a seat because she would have some of the youngsters in the back get up for me. I said, 'no thanks'. It was her next comment that humbled me. She said, "These young people should get up for the elderly people who get on this bus." I looked around. Elderly? Who, me? Whoa now! I don't mind paying senior prices but i don't think I am exactly 'elderly' - or am I? Hmmm.
Got me to thinking that I am indeed growing older and a man has to know his limitations. Mine are becoming more evident. And one day, well, I will reach that heavenly city in God's good time. And it brought to mind something Bonhoeffer once said. Something to the effect that if we spend time now dying to self (as Jesus said), then when the time comes to physically die we will be a whole lot rmore ready to see our Lord. Some day maybe, even as Jesus said to Peter, someone will lead us to where we don't necessarily want to go.
My new bus driver friend certainly meant well and just maybe I learned a lesson that day riding the S92.
Yours in Christ,
George
The S92 pulled over and the driver opened the door and as I stepped onboard I asked about the fares. She told me that seniors paid 50 cents for age 60 and over. I paid my 50 cents and stood holding on to a railing since the bus was full. She then asked if I would like a seat because she would have some of the youngsters in the back get up for me. I said, 'no thanks'. It was her next comment that humbled me. She said, "These young people should get up for the elderly people who get on this bus." I looked around. Elderly? Who, me? Whoa now! I don't mind paying senior prices but i don't think I am exactly 'elderly' - or am I? Hmmm.
Got me to thinking that I am indeed growing older and a man has to know his limitations. Mine are becoming more evident. And one day, well, I will reach that heavenly city in God's good time. And it brought to mind something Bonhoeffer once said. Something to the effect that if we spend time now dying to self (as Jesus said), then when the time comes to physically die we will be a whole lot rmore ready to see our Lord. Some day maybe, even as Jesus said to Peter, someone will lead us to where we don't necessarily want to go.
My new bus driver friend certainly meant well and just maybe I learned a lesson that day riding the S92.
Yours in Christ,
George
4.06.2011
Why I Am Against War
There is so much fighting and killing in the world. I can no longer understand how any of it is in keeping with Christ’s desire for peace. He came to us as the Prince of Peace. He blesses the peacemakers. He tells us to put away our swords. The Scriptures speak of a time when the Messiah comes and our weapons will be turned into instruments of peace.
Christ himself tells us to love our neighbor. He tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. How then can we sanction the killing of our enemies in His name? He tells us to bless those who persecute us. But we kill those who persecute us.
It seems that we operate in this world on the basis of “an eye for an eye”. But Jesus said that although we are to resist evil as he did, we must not resist by evil means. He tells us to find some way of reconciliation.
The Sermon on the Mount is the way of Jesus and it speaks to our anger and revenge and retaliation. But too often we see the Sermon on the Mount as an ideal for personal use, not for our nation. But Jesus is in every part of our lives, including the politics of our nation. Our country is an extension of our personal selves.
We drop bombs and launch cruise missiles and so we don’t see the graphic deaths of those who are our enemies and the enemies of people who are our enemies, as in the case of Libya at the present time. I have to admit that when I first heard that we were helping the rebels in Libya fight against a cruel leader, I quietly applauded. But I cannot justify my feelings in light of God’s will and Word.
As a nation we say we are killing the people “over there” so they won’t kill us here. Where do we find that in Scripture? I don’t believe that Scripture, the revealed will of God especially in Jesus, gives us warrant for destruction of land and lives. We say it is to protect our liberty. Who has given us our liberty? Has not Christ made us free? Or is that too ideal? Jesus was a practical man, albeit the Son of God, whose practical advice we refuse to put into practice for the sake of the idol we worship – ourselves and our way of life.
People say that democracy and capitalism need to be protected. Certainly from a human perspective that might be true, but I am trying to have God’s perspective in all of this and am having a hard time seeing it. It’s not about democracy, freedom, oil, or any of that. It is about living out the Word of God in the community of this world, even with our toughest foes. We must not think of this as nation against nation but rather as individuals living in this world according to the Kingdom of God commandments.
God alone is Lord of my conscience. This is one of the great principles of the Reformed Polity of the Presbyterian Church. So I stand on what I understand to be God’s will. You may choose to differ. If so please let it be as God guides you. We are all together in this thing called life. It is the church community that can decide together how best to live the will of God.
None of this is to discredit or disparage the men and women who sense that God's will for them is to serve our country in the armed forces. I am grateful for their service although I may disagree with our government’s policy on how they can best serve.
Yours in Christ,
George
Christ himself tells us to love our neighbor. He tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. How then can we sanction the killing of our enemies in His name? He tells us to bless those who persecute us. But we kill those who persecute us.
It seems that we operate in this world on the basis of “an eye for an eye”. But Jesus said that although we are to resist evil as he did, we must not resist by evil means. He tells us to find some way of reconciliation.
The Sermon on the Mount is the way of Jesus and it speaks to our anger and revenge and retaliation. But too often we see the Sermon on the Mount as an ideal for personal use, not for our nation. But Jesus is in every part of our lives, including the politics of our nation. Our country is an extension of our personal selves.
We drop bombs and launch cruise missiles and so we don’t see the graphic deaths of those who are our enemies and the enemies of people who are our enemies, as in the case of Libya at the present time. I have to admit that when I first heard that we were helping the rebels in Libya fight against a cruel leader, I quietly applauded. But I cannot justify my feelings in light of God’s will and Word.
As a nation we say we are killing the people “over there” so they won’t kill us here. Where do we find that in Scripture? I don’t believe that Scripture, the revealed will of God especially in Jesus, gives us warrant for destruction of land and lives. We say it is to protect our liberty. Who has given us our liberty? Has not Christ made us free? Or is that too ideal? Jesus was a practical man, albeit the Son of God, whose practical advice we refuse to put into practice for the sake of the idol we worship – ourselves and our way of life.
People say that democracy and capitalism need to be protected. Certainly from a human perspective that might be true, but I am trying to have God’s perspective in all of this and am having a hard time seeing it. It’s not about democracy, freedom, oil, or any of that. It is about living out the Word of God in the community of this world, even with our toughest foes. We must not think of this as nation against nation but rather as individuals living in this world according to the Kingdom of God commandments.
God alone is Lord of my conscience. This is one of the great principles of the Reformed Polity of the Presbyterian Church. So I stand on what I understand to be God’s will. You may choose to differ. If so please let it be as God guides you. We are all together in this thing called life. It is the church community that can decide together how best to live the will of God.
None of this is to discredit or disparage the men and women who sense that God's will for them is to serve our country in the armed forces. I am grateful for their service although I may disagree with our government’s policy on how they can best serve.
Yours in Christ,
George
Well......... it's been a while
So. Haven't posted anything since 2010. Actually, the Wednesday emails have been coming fast and furious every week BUT we stopped posting them here on the blog. Decided it's time to put them back up for those of you whose INBOX doesn't get the WWPG. And here it comes............
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